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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MP Tavistock is in Member Parliament.
In 1547 Edward Rogers (age 49) was elected MP Tavistock.
In 1563 Richard Cooke (age 33) was elected MP Tavistock.
In 1586 John Glanville (age 44) was elected MP Tavistock.
In 1601 Henry Grey 8th Earl Kent (age 18) was elected MP Tavistock.
In 1621 Baptist Hicks 1st Viscount Campden (age 64) was elected MP Tavistock.
In 1624 Sampson Hele (age 42) was elected MP Tavistock.
In 1641 Colonel John Russell (age 21) was elected MP Tavistock in the Long Parliament.
In 1708 John Cope 6th Baronet (age 34) was elected MP Tavistock which seat he held in 1710, 1713, 1715 and 1722.
In 1715 Francis Drake 4th Baronet (age 21) was elected MP Tavistock. He was re-elected unopposed in 1722.
In 1727 John Cope 6th Baronet (age 53) was elected MP Tavistock and MP Hampshire choosing to sit for the latter.
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
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In 1727 Francis Drake 4th Baronet (age 33) was elected MP Tavistock and MP Bere Alston. He chose to sit for Tavistock which seat he held until 1734.
In 1747 Thomas Brand (age 30) was elected MP Tavistock.
In December 1747 Richard Wrottesley 7th Baronet (age 26) was elected MP Tavistock which seat he held until 1754.
In 1852 George Byng 3rd Earl Strafford (age 21) was elected MP Tavistock.