Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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MP Boroughbridge is in Member Parliament. See Boroughbridge [Map].
In 1558 William Fairfax (age 27) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1588 Edward Fitton (age 40) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1601 Thomas Fairfax 1st Viscount Fairfax (age 27) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1602 Richard Whalley of Kirton (age 36) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1609 Thomas Vavasour (age 49) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1648 Henry Stapylton aka Stapleton 1st Baronet (age 31) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1660 Henry Stapylton aka Stapleton 1st Baronet (age 43) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1679 John Brookes 1st Baronet (age 42) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1681 John Brookes 1st Baronet (age 44) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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In 1689 Christopher Vane 1st Baron Barnard (age 35) was appointed MP Boroughbridge.
In 1690 Bryan Stapylton 2nd Baronet (age 32) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1705 John Stapylton 3rd Baronet (age 22) was elected MP Boroughbridge, which his father Bryan Stapylton 2nd Baronet (age 47) had represented for twelve of the previous fifteen years.
In 1708 Bryan Stapylton 2nd Baronet (age 50) was elected MP Boroughbridge replacing his son John Stapylton 3rd Baronet (age 25).
In 1715 Bryan Stapylton 2nd Baronet (age 57) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1718 Wilfrid Lawson 3rd Baronet (age 21) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
On 22nd April 1746 Francis Scott (age 25) was elected MP Boroughbridge.
In 1755 Cecil Bishopp 6th Baronet (age 54) was elected MP Boroughbridge which seat he held until 1768.
In 1796 Francis Burdett 5th Baronet (age 25) was elected MP Boroughbridge.