The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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08 Apr is in April.
On 8th April 1250 John Tristan Capet Count Valois was born to King Louis IX of France [aged 35] and Margaret Provence Queen Consort France [aged 29] at Damietta. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married his fourth cousin once removed Yolande Burgundy II Countess Nevers and Flanders.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. In the same month of April, the above-mentioned Scottish earls, with a large army of Scots, having come from the castle of Jedburgh, entered our lands in the valley of the Rede on the sixth day before the Ides of April [8th April 1296], and laid siege to the castle of Harbottle for two days. But when they saw that they were making no progress, in fact, having lost some of their men, they left there, devastating and burning the lands on the eastern side of the Tyne, Coquetdale, Redesdale, and Northumberland, including Corbridge, as far as Hexham. There, with the canons having fled, they took lodging and forcibly intruded, on the feast day of Saint Leo the Pope [11th April 1296], which fell on a Wednesday. The next morning, having already plundered the monastery [Hexham Abbey [Map]] of almost all its goods, they set it on fire, not only the church, but also the entire monastery and village, in a deed almost unheard of. For they had forgotten, or rather, held in contempt, the memory of the revered patron of that house and of all Scotland, namely the most blessed apostle Andrew, whom they had long claimed as the patron saint of their kingdom. From there, they turned and burned with dreadful fire the house of the holy nuns of Lambley [Map], along with other nearby properties in the region. At the end of that Thursday they lodged at Lanercost [Map]. But though it had been their intention to continue farther, God did not will it, and so they were hindered. For a messenger from their own side arrived, announcing that the army of the king of England was coming soon or was already at the gates. Terrified and stunned at this, and having already burned some of the buildings of that monastery, but not the church, they turned back very early on Friday morning through the middle of Nicholas Forest with a great amount of plunder.
Eodem mense Aprili prædicti comites Scotia superius nominati, cum Scotorum exercitu copioso, a castro de Gedeworth venientes, sexto idus Aprilis ingressi sunt fines nostros in Valle de Reede, obsidentes castellum de Hyrbotil per duos dies; sed cum proficere se non viderent, immo perdidissent ex suis aliquos, digressi sunt inde, vastantes et concremantes ex orientali parte de Tyne, Cokedale, Redesdale et Northumbriam, cum Corebrigge, usque Hexceldesham, ibidemque, fugientibus canonicis, hospitati sunt et intrusi, die scilicet sancti Leonis papæ, quæ fuit feria quarta. Mane autem facto, cum jam monasterium illud omnibus quasi bonis spoliassent, apposuerunt et ignem, et non tantum ecclesiam immo et monasterium cum villa tota inaudito facinore combusserunt. Obliti namque sunt, immo potius contempserunt, memoriam reverendi patroni ejusdem domus et quondam totius Scotiæ, beatissimi scilicet Andreæ apostoli, parvipendentes illum quem patronum regni Scotia antiquitus nominare solebant. Inde vero divertentes, domum sanctarum monialium de Lameslay, cum cæteris adjacentibus in patria, incendio horribili concremarunt, in fine illius diei Jovis pernoctantes apud Lanercost. Cumque eorum fuisset voluntatis ulterius procedere, noluit ipse Deus, et ideo impediti sunt: affuit enim nuncius ex suis qui diceret quod exercitus regis Angliæ veniens in proximo vel in januis assisteret. Attoniti vero et stupefacti in hoc, cum quasdam domus ejusdem monasterii, non tamen ecclesiam, incendissent, summo mane diei Veneris per medium forestæ Nicholay cum magna præda reversi sunt.
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On 23rd August 1305 William Wallace was hanged, drawn and quartered at the Elms in Smithfield [Map]. His head being displayed on London Bridge [Map].
On 8th April 1956 a plaque was unveiled on the wall of St Bartholomew's Hospital near to the site of his execution the text of which reads...
To the immortal memory of Sir William Wallace Scottish patriot born at Elderslie Renfrewshire circa 1270 A.D. Who from the year 1296 fought dauntlessly in defence of his country's liberty and independence in the face of fearful odds and great hardship being eventually betrayed and captured brought to London and put to death near this spot on the 23rd August 1305.
His example heroism and devotion inspired those who came after him to win victory from defeat and his memory remains for all time a source of pride, honour and inspiration to his Countrymen.
"Dico tibi verum libertas optima rerum nunquam servili sub nexu vivito fili"
Translation: I tell you the truth, son, freedom is the best condition, never live like a slave
"Bas Agus Buaidh" aka Death and Victory, a traditional Scottish battle cry.
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On 8th April 1320 Peter I King Portugal was born to Alfonso "Brave" IV King Portugal [aged 29] and Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 27]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.61%. He married (1) 24th August 1340 his second cousin Constanza Manuel Queen Consort Castile, daughter of Juan Manuel Prince of Villena and Constance Barcelona, and had issue (2) in or before 1350 Inês Castro and had issue.
Adam Murimuth Continuation. Also, in this year, shortly before Easter, on the 8th of April, in the year of our Lord 1338, Stephen, Bishop of London, passed away from this life. And in the same year, around the Feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross [3rd May 1338], Richard de Bynteworth was unanimously elected as his successor. He was confirmed by the Archbishop [of Canterbury] at Otford around the Feast of the Ascension [21st May], and consecrated at Lambeth by the Bishop of Chichester around the Feast of St. John the Baptist [24th June].
Item, hoc anno, parum ante Pascha, videlicet vj. idus Aprilis, anno Domini MCCCXXXVIII, Stephanus episcopus Londoniensis ab hac luce migravit et eodem anno, circa festum Inventionis sancte Crucis, electus fuit concorditer Ricardus de Bynteworth, qui circa festum Ascensionis apud Ottefordiam fuit per archiepiscopum confirmatus, et cirea festum sancti Johannis apud Lambhuth per Cicestriensem episcopum consecratus.
On 8th April 1350 King Charles V of France [aged 11] and Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France [aged 12] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of Peter Bourbon Duke Bourbon [aged 39] and Isabella Valois Duchess Bourbon [aged 37]. He the son of King John "The Good" II of France [aged 30] and Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. They were half first cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.
Froissart Book 4: 1346-1356. [332] There was then a good battle1, hard and stoutly fought, and many great feats of arms were done, for they were the very flower of chivalry on one side and on the other. For a long time they wheeled about the fields, fighting most skillfully, before anyone could know or judge which would have the advantage, and which not. And it happened at times that the English wavered and were near to being discomfited, and then they recovered themselves and gained the upper hand, and by bold and valiant fighting broke their enemies and defeated them. There were taken there all those knights of Poitou and Saintonge named above, and Sir Guy de Nesle. No man of honour escaped. And the English and the Gascons had there good prisoners, who were worth to them a hundred thousand moutons, besides the great gain of horses and armor that they had upon the field. So it seemed to them that for this expedition they had done enough. Then they turned to securing their prisoners, and since the town of Saint-Jean could not by them, at that time, be revictualled or reinforced, they returned toward the city of Bordeaux, and so well did they journey that they arrived there, where they were received with great joy.
Là eut bonne bataille et dure et bien combatue, et fait tamainte grant apertise d'armes, car il estoient droite fleur de chevalerie, d'un costé et d'aultre. Si furent un grant temps tournoiant sus les camps et combatant moult ablement, ançois que on peuist savoir ne cognoistre liquel en aroient le milleur, et liquel non. Et fu tel fois que li Englès branlèrent, et furent priès desconfi, et puis se recouvrèrent et se misent au dessus, et desrompirent, par bien combatre et hardiement, leurs ennemis, et les desconfirent. Là furent pris tout cil chevalier de Poito et de Saintonge dessus nommé, et messires Guis de Neelle. Nulz homs d'onneur ne s'en parti. Et eurent là li Englès et li Gascon de bons prisonniers qui leur vallirent cent mille moutons, sans le grant conquès des chevaus et des armeures que il avoient eu sus le place. Si leur sambla que, pour ce voiage, il en avoient assés fait. Si entendirent au sauver leurs prisonniers, et que la ville de Saint Jehan ne pooit par yaus, tant c'à celle fois, estre ravitaillie et rafreschie. Si s'en retournèrent vers le cité de Bourdiaus, et fisent tant par leurs journées que il y parvinrent; si y furent recueilliet à grant joie.
Note 1. Robert of Avesbury describes the date as 8th April 1351.
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Deeds of King Edward III by Robert of Avesbury. While the French, with a large force, were besieging the town of Saint-Jean-d'Angély, which Lord Henry of Lancaster, Earl of Derby, during his earlier service in Gascony under the King of England, had easily seized from the French by direct assault and subjected to the English crown, a force of men-at-arms gathered in Gascony, led by the son of the Lord of Bret, set out toward the said siege to bring aid to the besieged. Hearing this, the French besiegers sent out many thousands of their best troops to confront the Gascons, though they left a sufficient number of forces behind to maintain the siege and on the 8th day of April [1351], the Gascons and French encountered each other near Saintes and engaged in a fierce battle. In the end, many French were killed, some turned in flight, and more than 300 French knights and noble men-at-arms were captured there. However, the siege continued, until the besieged, lacking supplies, surrendered under honourable terms. And thus, the town of Saint-Jean-d'Angély was restored to the former control of the King of France.
Francigenis cum magna potentia obsidentibus villam Sancti Johannis Angelyn, quam dominus Henricus Lancastriæ, comes de Derby, dum sub rege Anglorum in Vasconia militaverat, de manibus Francorum solo insultu leviter eripuit ac regi Anglie subjugavit, de viri armorum congregati in Vasconia, filio domini de Bret eorum duce, versus dictam obsidionem, ad præstandum obsessis subsidium, duxerunt iter suum. Hæc audientes, Francigeni exsistentes in obsidione miserunt multa millia electorum dictis Vasconicis in occursum, sufficienti tamen numero Francigenorum in obsidione dimisso et VIIJ die Aprilis, anno Domini millesimo CCCLI, dicti Vasconici et Francigeni, juxta Seyntes, ad invicem obviam sibi dantes, fortiter preeliarunt, et finaliter, multis Francigenis interfectis ac quibusdam eorum in fugam conversis, plus quam CCC milites et nobiles homines armorum Francigenorum capti fuerunt ibidem; obsidione tamen durante, quousque obsessi, deficientibus sibi victualibus, se bonis conditionibus reddiderunt. Et sic dicta villa Sancti Johannis in potestatem pristinam regis Franciæ est redacta.
On 8th April 1364 King John "The Good" II of France [aged 44] died at Savoy Palace [Map] of an unknown illness. He was buried at the Basilica of St Denis [Map]. His son Charles [aged 25] succeeded V King France: Capet Valois.
Holinshed's Chronicle [1525-1582]. This yeare, the eight day of Aprill [1402] deceassed the lord Thomas Beauchampe [aged 64] earle of Warwike.
Chronicle of William of Worcester. On Good Friday [8th April 1462], Queen Margaret sailed from Kirkcudbright in Scotland with four ships across the sea between Wales and Ireland to Britanny, where she was received by the Duke with great honour and generosity. She was enriched with rich gifts worth twelve thousand crowns and later went to her father, the King of Sicily, and subsequently to King Francis, seeking assistance.
Die Parasceues regina Margareta cum quatuor navibus de Kyrkowbbryth in Scotia per mare inter Walliam et Hiberniam adivit Brytanniam, ubi a duce multipliciter et honorabiliter recepta est, ac magnis donariis ad valorem xij. millia coronatorum est ditata, ac postea Andegavis ad patrem suum regem Siciliæ, et consequenter ad regem Francis, pro auxilio habendo.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 8th April 1473 (some sources state 1482) Humphrey Dacre 1st Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 49] was created 1st Baron Dacre Gilsland by King Edward IV of England [aged 30]. By letters patent he created Dacre Baron Dacre of Gilsland, declaring "that the said Humfrey Dacre, Knight, and the heirs male of the body of the said Thomas, late Lord Dacre, comyng, bee reputed, had, named and called the Lord Dacre of Gillesland". Mabel Parr Baroness Dacre of Gilsland by marriage Baroness Dacre Gilsland.
On 8th April 1521 Charles 3rd Duke Savoy [aged 34] and Beatrice Aviz Duchess Savoy [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of richest monarch in Europe at the time Manuel "Fortunate" I King Portugal [aged 51]. They had nine children together but only one Emmanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy would reach adulthood. She the daughter of Manuel "Fortunate" I King Portugal and Maria Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of Philip "Landless" Savoy II Duke Savoy and Claudine Brosse.
On 8th April 1526 Elisabeth Guelph was born to Eric "The Elder" Guelph I Duke Brunswick-Lüneburg [aged 56].
On 8th April 1531 Lucia Dorothea Hohenzollern was born to Albert "The Elder" Hohenzollern I Duke Prussia [aged 40] and Dorothea Oldenburg [aged 26]. Coefficient of inbreeding 1.98%. She died aged less than one years old.
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1535. 8th April 1535. R. O. 516. John Husee to Lord Lisle [aged 70].
Has received his letter by John Broke. As for the £100 the King is cessed at, has delivered his Lordship's letter to Mr. Treasurer, who is in doubt how the King will take it, and says Mr. Secretary knows not but that his Lordship has paid the £135 already. Will do his best to show Mr. Secretary the full contents of his Lordship's pleasure; but Fowler refuses to meddle with the account if Lisle's request be granted, as it will have to be audited before the Commissioners. Smyth is in the country. Will ask Hidd's bonds of him on his return. The patent of £10 is at your pleasure. Mr. Densell has promised I shall have by Sunday next the minute for the assurance of the £120 Mr. Saymer must pay you yearly. Will endeavour to get it finished before he departs, and bring Lisle's part of the award and Saymer's bond with him. Has spoken for six pair of hose to be sent by next ship. Has received the King's letter and Mr. Secretary's, touching Oye Sluice, and will do his best therein. As for Buck's confession against Fryer, he goes now with my Lady to Calais, and cannot tarry to depose before my Lord Chancellor. He will always abide by what he has said. Cannot get Lisle's bill of victualling signed, but hopes to have it on Saturday. The King was at supper with Mr. Secretary on Wednesday last, and is now at Hackney; will be here on Saturday, and so to Hampton Court, whither the Queen [aged 34] is removed, as one of her gentlewomen has got the measles. Mr. Secretary says you shall have the Staple Inn, and he will cause the King to write in it. Can get no answer of Bryan touching your patent. The saddle and harness is ready to be sent by next ship. Thinks it will turn out that Norfolk, Mr. Secretary, Mr. Treasurer, and Mr. Almoner or Mr. Comptroller of the King's house, go to the French king about Whitsuntide. London, 8 April.
Hol., pp. 2. Add. Endd.
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Diary of Edward VI. 8th April 1550. My lord Warwic [aged 46] made general warden of the North2, and mr. Herbert [aged 49] president of Walis, and the one had graunted to him a 1000 marc lahd, th'other 500, and lord War(wick) 100 horsmen at my (altered to King) charge.
Note 2. Warwick, though glad to accept this important and influential office, was unwilling to encounter the exile from the chief administration of affairs which its personal execution would have involved: see hereafter, under July 18. Sir William Herbert also did not proceed to his seat of government for some time: see under June 13.
On 8th April 1554 John Brydges 1st Baron Chandos [aged 62] was given Sudeley Castle [Map] by Queen Mary I of England and Ireland [aged 38].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 8th April 1559. The viij day of Aprell ther was a proclamasion of pesse [peace] betwyne the Quene('s) [aged 25] grace and Hare the French kyng [aged 40], and Dolphyn the kyng of Skottes [aged 15], for ever, boyth by water and land; and ther was vj trumpeters and v haroldes of armes, master Garter and master Clarenshux, proclamyd yt, and Lankoster, Ruge Crosse, and Bluwmantyll, and my lord mayre [aged 50] and all the althermen in skarlett; and Bluw-mantyll dyd proclaymyd that no players shuld play no more tyll a serten tyme of no mans players; but the mare or shreyff, balle [bailiff], constabull, or odur offesers take them, lay them in presun, and the quen('s) commondement layd on them.
Note. P. 193. Peace with France. See Hayward's Elizabeth, p. 36; Hayward dates the proclamation the 7th instead of the 8th April. The treaty, which was signed by Elizabeth at Westminster on the 20th Jan. and by Henry at Chateau-Cambray on the 2d April, is printed by Rymer, Fœdera, vol. xv. pp. 505–516.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 8th April 1561. The viij day of Aprell dyd pryche at sant Mare spytyll the byshope of Durham master Pylkyngtun [aged 41], and ther was gret audyense, and my lord mare [aged 52] and my masters the althermen, with the masters of the hospetall.
On 8th April 1595 Henri Valois I Duke Longueville [aged 27] died. His son Henri succeeded II Duke Longueville being some two days old.
On 8th April 1605 Princess Mary Stewart was born to King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 38] and Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland [aged 30] at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map]. Alice Dennis was chosen as midwife for which she received a reward of £100. She died aged two in 1607.
On 8th April 1605 Philip IV King Spain was born to Philip III King Spain [aged 27] and Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain [aged 20]. Coefficient of inbreeding 10.92%. He married (1) 1610 his second cousin Elisabeth Bourbon Queen Consort Spain, daughter of Henry IV King France and Marie de Medici Queen Consort France, and had issue (2) 1649 his niece Mariana of Austria Queen Consort Spain, daughter of Ferdinand III Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Anna of Spain Holy Roman Empress, and had issue.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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Diary of Anne Clifford. 8th April 1617. Upon the 8th I set by my Lord [aged 28] and my Brother Sackville in the Drawing Chamber and heard much talk about my businesses and did perceive that he was entered into a business between my Lady of Exeter and my Lord Roos of which he will not easily quit himself.
Note 1. Capt. Maimdaring and these folk told me for certain was grown so gracious to English folk that he had that the march with Spain to our Prince would go forward. The King of Spain was grown so gracious to English folk that he had written a letter in behalf of Lord Willoughby's brother to get him out of the Inquisition.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 8th April 1619. The 8th there came a letter to my Lord [aged 30] to advise him to come to Royston to the King because most of the Lords had been with him at the time of his sickness.
On 8th April 1643 William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 56] died from wounds received at the Battle of Camp Hill at Monks Kikby, Warwickshire. His son Basil [aged 35] succeeded 2nd Earl Denbigh, 2nd Viscount Feilding, 2nd Baron Feilding of Newnham Paddocks in Warwickshire. Elizabeth Bourchier Countess Denbigh [aged 17] by marriage Countess Denbigh.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th April 1663. After sermon I went up and saw the ceremony of the Bishop of Peterborough's [aged 72] paying homage upon the knee to the King [aged 32], while Sir H. Bennet [aged 45], Secretary, read the King's grant of the Bishopric of Lincoln, to which he is translated. His name is Dr. Lany.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th April 1663. Here I also saw the Duke of Monmouth [aged 13], with his Order of the Garter, the first time I ever saw it. I am told that the University of Cambridge did treat him a little while since with all the honour possible, with a comedy at Trinity College, and banquet; and made him Master of Arts there. All which, they say, the King [aged 32] took very well. Dr. Raynbow, Master of Magdalen, being now Vice-Chancellor.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th April 1665. At noon dined with Mr. Povy [aged 51], and then to the getting some business looked over of his, and then I to my Chancellor's [aged 56], where to have spoke with the Duke of Albemarle [aged 56], but the King [aged 34] and Council busy, I could not; then to the Old Exchange [Map] and there of my new pretty seamstress bought four bands, and so home, where I found my house mighty neat and clean. Then to my office late, till past 12, and so home to bed. The French Embassadors1 are come incognito before their train, which will hereafter be very pompous. It is thought they come to get our King to joyne with the King of France [aged 26] in helping him against Flanders, and they to do the like to us against Holland. We have laine a good while with a good fleete at Harwich, Essex [Map]. The Dutch not said yet to be out. We, as high as we make our shew, I am sure, are unable to set out another small fleete, if this should be worsted. Wherefore, God send us peace! I cry.
Note 1. The French ambassadors were Henri de Bourbon, Duc de Verneuil [aged 63], natural son of Henry IV. and brother of Henrietta Maria, and M. de Courtin. B.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th April 1666. The Court full this morning of the newes of Tom Cheffin's [aged 66] death, the King's closett-keeper. He was well last night as ever, playing at tables in the house, and not very ill this morning at six o'clock, yet dead before seven: they think, of an imposthume in his breast. But it looks fearfully among people nowadays, the plague, as we hear, encreasing every where again.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th April 1666. To the Chappell, but could not get in to hear well. But I had the pleasure once in my life to see an Archbishop [aged 70] (this was of Yorke) in a pulpit. Then at a loss how to get home to dinner, having promised to carry Mrs. Hunt thither. At last got my Lord Hinchingbroke's [aged 18] coach, he staying at Court; and so took her up in Axe-yard [Map], and home and dined. And good discourse of the old matters of the Protector and his family, she having a relation to them. The Protector [aged 39]1 lives in France: spends about £500 per annum. Thence carried her home again and then to Court and walked over to St. James's Chappell, thinking to have heard a Jesuite preach, but come too late. So got a Hackney and home, and there to business. At night had Mercer comb my head and so to supper, sing a psalm, and to bed.
Note 1. Richard Cromwell subsequently returned to England, and resided in strict privacy at Cheshunt for some years before his death in 1712.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th April 1667. Up, and having dressed myself, to the office a little, and out, expecting to have seen the pretty daughter of the Ship [Map] taverne at the hither end of Billiter Lane (whom I never yet have opportunity to speak to). I in there to drink my morning draught of half a pint of Rhenish wine; but a ma doleur elle and their family are going away thence, and a new man come to the house. So I away to the Temple [Map], to my new. bookseller's; and there I did agree for Rycaut's late History of the Turkish Policy, which costs me 55s.; whereas it was sold plain before the late fire for 8s., and bound and coloured as this is for 20s.; for I have bought it finely bound and truly coloured, all the figures, of which there was but six books done so, whereof the King [aged 36] and Duke of York [aged 33], and Duke of Monmouth [aged 17], and Lord Arlington, had four. The fifth was sold, and I have bought the sixth.
On 8th April 1676 Claudia Felicitas of Holy Roman Empress [aged 22] died of tuberculosis.
John Evelyn's Diary. 8th April 1685. Being now somewhat compos'd after my greate affliction, I went to London to hear Dr. Tenison [aged 48] (it being on a Wednesday in Lent) at Whitehall [Map]. I observ'd that tho' the King [aged 51] was not in his seate above in the chapell, the Doctor made his three congees, which they were not us'd to do when the late King was absent, making then one bowing onely. I ask'd the reason; it was sayd he had a special order so to do. The Princesse of Denmark [aged 34] was in the King's Closet, but sat on the left hand of the chaire, the Clearke of the Closet [aged 50] standing by His Ma's chaire, as if he had ben present. I met the Queene Dowager [aged 46] going now first from Whitehall to dwell at Somerset-house [Map]. This day my brother of Wotton and Mr. Onslow [aged 30] were candidates for Surrey against Sr Adam Brown and my cousin Sr Edwd Evelyn, and were circumvented in their election by a trick of the Sheriff's taking advantage of my brother's party going out of the small village of Leatherhead [Map] to seek shelter and lodging, the afternoone being tempestuous, proceeding to the Election when they were gon; they expecting the next morning; whereas before and then they exceeded the other party by many hundreds, as I am assur'd. The Duke of Norfolk [aged 30] led Sr Edw. Evelyn's and Sr Adam Brown's party. For this Parliament, very meane and slight persons (some of them gentlemen's servants, clearkes, and persons neither of reputation nor interest) were set up, but the country would choose my brother whether he would or no, and he miss'd it by the trick above mentioned. Sr Adam Brown was so deafe that he could not heare one word. S1 Edw. Evelyn was an honest gent much in favour with his Majesty.
On 8th April 1697 Grace Fitzroy Countess Darlington was christened St James' Church.
Minutes of the Society of Antiquaries. 8th April 1719. Mr President brough an M:S. of the Antiquitys and History of Penfied in Essex which was read over. It was wrote by Mr Holmes [Note. This is noted as?Holman so may not refer to George Holmes [aged 57]] and thanks were ordered to him for it, it being a curious and very particular account of the place.
Ordered eodem die that one print of King Richard be presented to the public library of Oxford also one of the Font.
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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On 8th April 1722 Caroline Fitzroy Countess Harrington was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 38] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 31]. She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married 11th August 1746 William Stanhope 2nd Earl of Harrington, son of William Stanhope 1st Earl of Harrington and Anne Griffith, and had issue.
On 8th April 1737 George Beaumont 4th Baronet [aged 73] died unmarried. He was buried at the Church of St Mary and All Saints, Stoughton [Map] where he has a memorial scuplted by Peter Scheemakers [aged 46]. His brother Lewis [aged 64] succeeded 5th Baronet Beaumont of Stoughton Grange in Leicestershire.
On 8th April 1747 Mary Myddelton died. Monument in St Giles' Church, Wrexham [Map] sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac [aged 44].
Mary Myddelton: she was born to Richard Myddelton 3rd Baronet and Frances Whitmore Lady Myddelton.
On 8th April 1765 Harry Powlett 6th Duke Bolton [aged 44] and Katherine Lowther Duchess of Bolton [aged 29] were married. He the son of Harry Powlett 4th Duke Bolton and Catherine Parry.
On 8th April 1795 King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland [aged 32] and Caroline of Brunswick Queen Consort England [aged 26] were married at Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. He the son of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland [aged 56] and Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England [aged 50]. They were first cousins. She a great granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 8th April 1799 Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 86] died.
On 8th April 1817 Reverend William Collins Lukis was born to Frederick Collings Lukis [aged 29].
On 8th April 1818 King Christian IX of Denmark was born to Friedrich Wilhelm Glücksburg Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg [aged 33] and Louise Caroline Hesse-Kassel Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg [aged 28]. He a great x 2 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland. He married 26th May 1842 his second cousin Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark and had issue.
On 8th April 1822 Stillborn twins Fitz-Clarence was born to King William IV of the United Kingdom [aged 56] and Queen Adelaide of England [aged 29] at Bushy Park Richmond, Surrey.
On 8th April 1840 William Stephen Poyntz [aged 70] died. Monument sculpted by Rafaelle Monti [aged 22] in 1848 in St Mary's Church, Easebourne, Sussex [Map].
Rafaelle Monti: In 1818 he was born in Milan. In 1881 he died.
The Diary of George Price Boyce 1854. 8th April 1854. J. E. Millais [aged 24] and Munro [aged 28] called on me at Russell St. The former stayed some time and appeared much interested in my sketches, especially those taken in the neighbourhood of Dinan, and some few near Bettws. He thought I painted a good like old Hunt—wish I had a little of his genius! He wanted to finish his picture of Ruskin (looking on falling water) from some spot nearer than the Highlands. I recommended him the neighbourhood of Capel Curig. He suggested our exchanging sketches. Rossetti [aged 25] came in at 3 and stayed till 10, working a greater part of the time on the old drawing I have of his, in which I cut out the head of the dancing boy and inserted a fresh piece of paper at the back. He improved it much in parts, especially the heads, but left it unfinished. He said he thought the most beautiful combination of colour in a picture to be green, blue, and carmine, all inclining to purplish, but the general tone of picture colour to incline to vellow. An opal I showed him elicited this. He gave me 2 pen and ink sketches made some time ago—one of his first idea of the drawing "to caper nimbly in a lady's chamber," and the other a Siren followed by two men in a boat. I am to give him a sketch in return. He lent me F. & G.'s edition of Hugo's "Notre Dame de Paris" with some fine illustrations by Meissonier and Legrand. He told me in conversation that W. H. Hunt [aged 27] had a morbid conviction of his own ugliness and desired that all record of him to the present in the way of portraits or letters should be destroyed.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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Ten Years' Digging. On the 8th of April, I went to Rowsley, to see an ancient burial ground [Rowsley Barrow [Map]], brought to light by the alterations required to convert an old farm-yard into a garden, the situation of which is in an angle of land at the confluence of the Wye and Derwent. The skeletons were found by digging trenches to bury stone from the old buildings, then being pulled down: they lay in tenacious earth, about 3 feet from the surface, with the heads to the north-west, extended at length on the back, with the arms straight by the sides as in modern burial, but without any trace either of wood or nails to indicate that they had been enclosed in coffins. I carefully examined a skeleton that was uncovered, in the presence of several gentlemen, and found its position to agree with that of those previously found, as described by the labourers.
There is a tradition in the neighbourhood that a chapel formerly stood on the spot, and that this was its graveyard; but I am unable to refer to any documentary or recorded confirmation of it, still it is most probably true; and the presence of a sandstone stoup or vessel for consecrated water, which had lain about the place from time immemorial, adds greatly to the credit of the tradition; this object (latterly used for feeding the cats), is something like a mortar, but of globular shape, 6 inches high by 8 diameter, ornamented by four projecting ribs, two of which are enlarged so as to form ears or handles; it may be of the Norman or early English period.
On 8th April 1861 Irving Ramsey Wiles was born in Utica, New York.
On 8th April 1866 Feodora Louise Oldenburg was born to Frederick Christian Oldenburg II Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg [aged 36] and Adelheid Hohenlohe Langenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
The Diary of George Price Boyce 1866. 8th April 1866 (Sunday). To Fred Leighton's [aged 35] to breakfast, meeting there Gabriel [aged 37] and Wm. Rossetti [aged 36] and Simeon Solomon [aged 25]. L. excessively jolly and interesting. Has a large picture, young Greek girls in procession to sacrifice to Diana the first large picture1 he has painted.
Note 1. See The Syracusan Bride leading Wild Animals in Procession to the Temple of Diana.
On 8th April 1907 Henry Pelham-Clinton-Hope 9th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne was born to Francis Hope Pelham-Clinton-Hope 8th Duke Newcastle-under-Lyne [aged 41].
On 8th April 1930 Mary Caurroy Tribe Duchess Bedford [aged 64] made her first solo flight, in her DH.60G Moth.
On 19th February 1960 Prince Andrew Windsor 1st Duke of York was born to Philip Mountbatten Duke Edinburgh [aged 38] and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom [aged 33] at Belgian Suite Buckingham Palace. He was baptised on 8th April 1960 by Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher [aged 72] at the Music Room, Buckingham Palace.
On 8th April 2013 Anne Constable-Maxwell Duchess Norfolk [aged 85] died.
On 8th April 1250 John Tristan Capet Count Valois was born to King Louis IX of France [aged 35] and Margaret Provence Queen Consort France [aged 29] at Damietta. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married his fourth cousin once removed Yolande Burgundy II Countess Nevers and Flanders.
On 8th April 1320 Peter I King Portugal was born to Alfonso "Brave" IV King Portugal [aged 29] and Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 27]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.61%. He married (1) 24th August 1340 his second cousin Constanza Manuel Queen Consort Castile, daughter of Juan Manuel Prince of Villena and Constance Barcelona, and had issue (2) in or before 1350 Inês Castro and had issue.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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On 8th April 1435 John "Butcher" Clifford 9th Baron Clifford was born to Thomas Clifford 8th Baron Clifford [aged 21] and Joan Dacre Baroness Clifford at Conisbrough Castle [Map]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 1.88%. He married 1454 Margaret Bromflete Baroness Clifford, daughter of Henry Bromflete 1st Baron Vesci and Eleanor Fitzhugh Baroness Darcy Knayth and Fitzhugh, and had issue.
On 8th April 1526 Elisabeth Guelph was born to Eric "The Elder" Guelph I Duke Brunswick-Lüneburg [aged 56].
On 8th April 1531 Lucia Dorothea Hohenzollern was born to Albert "The Elder" Hohenzollern I Duke Prussia [aged 40] and Dorothea Oldenburg [aged 26]. Coefficient of inbreeding 1.98%. She died aged less than one years old.
On 8th April 1536 Barbara of Hesse was born to Landgrave Philip I of Hesse [aged 31] and Christine of Saxony [aged 30]. She married 1555 her fourth cousin twice removed George I of Württemberg-Mömpelgard and had issue.
On 8th April 1569 Margaret Stewart Countess Erroll was born to James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray Regent [aged 38] and Agnes Keith Countess Moray and Mar [aged 38]. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. She married 27th June 1584 her fourth cousin Francis Hay 9th Earl Erroll, son of Andrew Hay 8th Earl Erroll and Jean Hay.
On 8th April 1580 William Herbert 3rd Earl Pembroke was born to Henry Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke [aged 42] and Mary Sidney Countess Pembroke [aged 18]. He married 4th November 1604 his fourth cousin once removed Mary Talbot Countess Pembroke, daughter of Gilbert Talbot 7th Earl of Shrewsbury and Mary Cavendish Countess Shrewsbury and Waterford.
On 8th April 1605 Philip IV King Spain was born to Philip III King Spain [aged 27] and Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain [aged 20]. Coefficient of inbreeding 10.92%. He married (1) 1610 his second cousin Elisabeth Bourbon Queen Consort Spain, daughter of Henry IV King France and Marie de Medici Queen Consort France, and had issue (2) 1649 his niece Mariana of Austria Queen Consort Spain, daughter of Ferdinand III Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Anna of Spain Holy Roman Empress, and had issue.
On 8th April 1605 Princess Mary Stewart was born to King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 38] and Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland [aged 30] at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map]. Alice Dennis was chosen as midwife for which she received a reward of £100. She died aged two in 1607.
On 8th April 1641 Henry Sidney 1st Earl Romney was born to Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester [aged 45] and Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester [aged 43] at Paris [Map].
On 8th April 1649 Charles Berkeley 2nd Earl Berkeley was born to George Berkeley 1st Earl Berkeley [aged 21] and Elizabeth Massingberd Couness Berkeley. He married 16th August 1677 Elizabeth Noel Countess Berkeley, daughter of Baptist Noel 3rd Viscount Campden and Hester Wotton Viscountess Campden, and had issue.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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On 8th April 1687 Eleonora Bentinck was born to William Bentinck 1st Earl of Portland [aged 37] and Anne Villiers Countess Portland [aged 36].
On 8th April 1722 Caroline Fitzroy Countess Harrington was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 38] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 31]. She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married 11th August 1746 William Stanhope 2nd Earl of Harrington, son of William Stanhope 1st Earl of Harrington and Anne Griffith, and had issue.
On 8th April 1724 George Keppel 3rd Earl Albermarle was born to William Anne Keppel 2nd Earl Albermarle [aged 21] and Anne Lennox Countess Albermarle [aged 20]. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He married 20th April 1770 Anne Miller Countess Albermarle, daughter of John Miller 4th Baronet, and had issue.
On 8th April 1761 John Savile 2nd Earl Mexborough was born to John Savile 1st Earl Mexborough [aged 41] and Sarah Delaval Countess Mexborough [aged 19]. He married 1782 Elizabeth Stephenson Countess Mexborough and had issue.
On 8th April 1772 William Duff-Gordon 2nd Baronet was born to Alexander Gordon [aged 33] and Anne Duff Countess Dumfries [aged 34]. He married 5th February 1810 Caroline Cornewall Lady Duff-Gordon, daughter of George Amyand aka Cornewall 2nd Baronet and Catherine Cornewall, and had issue.
On 8th April 1779 Richard FitzGerald King was born to Robert King 2nd Earl Kingston [aged 25] and Caroline Fitzgerald.
On 8th April 1780 Charles Stanhope 4th Earl of Harrington was born to Charles Stanhope 3rd Earl of Harrington [aged 27] and Jane Fleming Countess Harrington [aged 24]. He a great x 3 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He married 1831 Maria Foote Countess Harrington and had issue.
On 8th April 1791 Paulet St John-Mildmay was born to Henry Paulet St John-Mildmay 3rd Baronet [aged 26] and Jane Mildmay Lady St-John Mildmay [aged 26]. She was a twin with Judith St John-Mildmay Countess Radnor [aged 1]. He married 1813 Anna Maria Wyndham Bouverie and had issue.
On 8th April 1800 James King 5th Earl Kingston was born to George King 3rd Earl Kingston [aged 28] and Helena Moore Countess Kingston [aged 26].
On 8th April 1817 Reverend William Collins Lukis was born to Frederick Collings Lukis [aged 29].
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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On 8th April 1817 Octavius Duncombe was born to Charles Duncombe 1st Baron Feversham [aged 52] and Charlotte Legge Baroness Feversham Duncombe Park [aged 42]. He married 1842 Emily Caroline Campbell, daughter of John Campbell 1st Earl Cawdor and Elizabeth Thynne Countess Cawdor, and had issue.
On 8th April 1818 King Christian IX of Denmark was born to Friedrich Wilhelm Glücksburg Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg [aged 33] and Louise Caroline Hesse-Kassel Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg [aged 28]. He a great x 2 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland. He married 26th May 1842 his second cousin Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark and had issue.
On 8th April 1821 Henry Edwyn Chandos Scudamore Stanhope 9th Earl of Chesterfield was born to Edwyn Francis Scudamore-Stanhope 2nd Baronet [aged 27]. He married 6th August 1851 Dorothea Hay Countess Chesterfield and had issue.
On 8th April 1822 Stillborn twins Fitz-Clarence was born to King William IV of the United Kingdom [aged 56] and Queen Adelaide of England [aged 29] at Bushy Park Richmond, Surrey.
On 8th April 1855 Thomas Ashburnham 6th Earl Ashburnham was born to Bertram Ashburnham 4th Earl Ashburnham [aged 57] and Katherine Charlotte Baillie Countess Ashburnham [aged 35].
On 8th April 1857 Ethel Jemima Ponsonby Baroness Raglan was born to Walter William Brabazon Ponsonby 7th Earl Bessborough [aged 35] and Louisa Susan Cornwallis Eliot Countess Bessborough [aged 31]. She married 28th February 1883 her second cousin George Somerset 3rd Baron Raglan, son of Richard Henry Fitzroy Somerset 2nd Baron Raglan and Georgina Lygon Baroness Raglan, and had issue.
On 8th April 1861 Catherine Sarah Cecil Baroness Barnard was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 35] and and Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 33]. She married 28th June 1881 Henry de Vere Vane 9th Baron Barnard and had issue.
On 8th April 1861 Irving Ramsey Wiles was born in Utica, New York.
On 8th April 1863 William Hyde Parker 10th Baronet was born to William Parker 9th Baronet [aged 36].
On 8th April 1865 Thomas Fowell Buxton 4th Baronet was born to Thomas Fowell Buxton 3rd Baronet [aged 28] and Victoria Noel Lady Buxton [aged 25].
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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On 8th April 1866 Feodora Louise Oldenburg was born to Frederick Christian Oldenburg II Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg [aged 36] and Adelheid Hohenlohe Langenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 8th April 1881 Joan Buxton Lady Ramsden was born to Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Fowell Buxton [aged 28]. She married 15th May 1901 John Frecheville Ramsden 6th Baronet, son of John William Ramsden 5th Baronet and Helen Guendolen Seymour.
On 8th April 1898 Sybil Helen Gibbons Lady Shiffner was born.
On 8th April 1907 Henry Pelham-Clinton-Hope 9th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne was born to Francis Hope Pelham-Clinton-Hope 8th Duke Newcastle-under-Lyne [aged 41].
On 8th April 1909 Maud Elizabeth Grosvenor Viscountess Harcourt was born to Francis Egerton Grosvenor 4th Baron Ebury [aged 26]. She married (1) 1st June 1931 William Edward Harcourt 2nd Viscount Harcourt, son of Lewis Vernon-Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt and Mary Burns Viscountess Harcourt.
On 8th April 1912 John Edmund Cradock-Hartopp 9th Baronet was born to Francis Gerald Cradock-Hartopp [aged 34].
On 19th February 1960 Prince Andrew Windsor 1st Duke of York was born to Philip Mountbatten Duke Edinburgh [aged 38] and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom [aged 33] at Belgian Suite Buckingham Palace. He was baptised on 8th April 1960 by Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher [aged 72] at the Music Room, Buckingham Palace.
On 8th April 1269 Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster [aged 24] and Aveline Forz 6th Countess Albemarle and Lancaster were married. She by marriage Countess Lancaster. She the daughter of William Forz 4th Earl Albemarle and Isabella Redvers 8th Countess Devon and Albemarle [aged 31]. He the son of King Henry III of England [aged 61] and Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England [aged 46]. They were half fourth cousin twice removed. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
On 8th April 1350 King Charles V of France [aged 11] and Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France [aged 12] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of Peter Bourbon Duke Bourbon [aged 39] and Isabella Valois Duchess Bourbon [aged 37]. He the son of King John "The Good" II of France [aged 30] and Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. They were half first cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.
On 8th April 1521 Charles 3rd Duke Savoy [aged 34] and Beatrice Aviz Duchess Savoy [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of richest monarch in Europe at the time Manuel "Fortunate" I King Portugal [aged 51]. They had nine children together but only one Emmanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy would reach adulthood. She the daughter of Manuel "Fortunate" I King Portugal and Maria Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of Philip "Landless" Savoy II Duke Savoy and Claudine Brosse.
On 8th April 1602 William Cope 2nd Baronet [aged 25] and Elizabeth Chaworth Lady Cope were married at Hanwell, Oxfordshire.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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On 8th April 1657 Thomas Chamberlayne 2nd Baronet [aged 22] and Margaret Prideaux were married at St Dionis Backchurch.
On 8th April 1673 Stephen Anderson 1st Baronet [aged 29] and Judith Laurence Lady Anderson [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Lady Anderson of Eyeworth in Bedfordshire.
On 8th April 1680 John James and Dorothy Lane Countess Denbigh were married.
On 8th April 1756 Bishop Spencer Madan [aged 27] and Charlotte Cornwallis were married. She the daughter of Charles Cornwallis 1st Earl Cornwallis [aged 56] and Elizabeth Townshend Countess Cornwallis.
On 8th April 1760 Matthew Blakiston 1st Baronet [aged 58] and Annabella Bayley Lady Blakiston were married.
On 8th April 1765 Harry Powlett 6th Duke Bolton [aged 44] and Katherine Lowther Duchess of Bolton [aged 29] were married. He the son of Harry Powlett 4th Duke Bolton and Catherine Parry.
On 8th April 1787 George Augustus Herbert 11th Earl Pembroke 8th Earl Montgomery [aged 27] and Elisabeth Beauclerk [aged 20] were married. He the son of Henry Herbert 10th Earl Pembroke 7th Earl Montgomery [aged 52] and Elizabeth Spencer Countess Pembroke and Montgomery [aged 50]. They were first cousins. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 8th April 1788 Horace Beckford aka Pitt-Rivers 3rd Baron Rivers [aged 10] and Frances Rigby were married at her father's house in Upper Grosvenor Street.
On 8th April 1795 King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland [aged 32] and Caroline of Brunswick Queen Consort England [aged 26] were married at Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. He the son of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland [aged 56] and Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England [aged 50]. They were first cousins. She a great granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 8th April 1813 Bishop John Jenkinson [aged 31] and Frances Augusta Pechell were married. They had two sons and two daughters.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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On 8th April 1813 Richard Godin Simeon 2nd Baronet [aged 28] and Louisa Edith Barrington were married.
On 8th April 1823 William Bryan Cooke 8th Baronet [aged 41] and Isabella Cecilia Middleton Lady Cooke were married. They were half first cousins.
On 8th April 1851 George Frederick Samuel Robinson 1st Marquess Ripon [aged 23] and Henrietta Anne Theodosia Vyner Marchioness Ripon [aged 17] were married. He the son of Frederick John Robinson 1st Earl Ripon [aged 68] and Sarah Albinia Louisa Hobart [aged 58]. They were first cousin once removed.
On 8th April 1869 Charles Bennet Lawes-Wittewronge 2nd Baronet [aged 25] and Marie Amelie Rose Fountaine Lady Lawes [aged 20] were married at St George's Church, Hanover Square. They were first cousins.
On 8th April 1899 Aldred Beresford Lumley 10th Earl Scarborough [aged 41] and Lucy Cecilia Dunn-Garnder Countess Scarborough were married at Christ Church, Mayfair. She by marriage Countess of Scarborough. He the son of Richard Lumley 9th Earl Scarborough and Adeliza Drummond Countess Scarborough.
On 8th April 1338 Bishop Stephen of Gravesend died.
On 8th April 1349 John St John 3rd Baron St John Lagenham [aged 41] died at Headington, Oxfordshire. His son Roger succeeded 4th Baron St John of Lagenham.
On 8th April 1364 King John "The Good" II of France [aged 44] died at Savoy Palace [Map] of an unknown illness. He was buried at the Basilica of St Denis [Map]. His son Charles [aged 25] succeeded V King France: Capet Valois.
On 8th April 1402 Thomas Beauchamp 12th Earl Warwick [aged 64] died. His son Richard [aged 20] succeeded 13th Earl Warwick. Elizabeth Berkeley Countess Warwick [aged 16] by marriage Countess Warwick.
On 8th April 1419 Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 43] died.
On 8th April 1548 Henry Daubeney 1st Earl Bridgewater [aged 54] died. Earl Bridgewater extinct. His nephew John [aged 49] succeeded 3rd Baron Daubeney.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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On 8th April 1595 Henri Valois I Duke Longueville [aged 27] died. His son Henri succeeded II Duke Longueville being some two days old.
On 8th April 1608 Magdalen Dacre Viscountess Montague [aged 70] died at Battle Abbey [Map]. She was buried at Midhurst; subsequently moved to St Mary's Church, Easebourne, Sussex [Map].
On 8th April 1609 Mark Kerr 1st Earl Lothian [aged 56] died. His son Robert [aged 35] succeeded 2nd Earl Lothian.
On 8th April 1639 Anne Russell Countess Worcester [aged 61] died at Worcester House.
On 8th April 1643 William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 56] died from wounds received at the Battle of Camp Hill at Monks Kikby, Warwickshire. His son Basil [aged 35] succeeded 2nd Earl Denbigh, 2nd Viscount Feilding, 2nd Baron Feilding of Newnham Paddocks in Warwickshire. Elizabeth Bourchier Countess Denbigh [aged 17] by marriage Countess Denbigh.
On 8th April 1681 William Fleming 5th Earl Wigtown died. His son John [aged 8] succeeded 6th Earl Wigtown, 11th Lord Fleming.
On 8th April 1689 Diana Grey Countess Elgin and Ailesbury [aged 59] died.
On 8th April 1704 Henry Sidney 1st Earl Romney [aged 63] died. Earl Romney extinct.
On 8th April 1737 George Beaumont 4th Baronet [aged 73] died unmarried. He was buried at the Church of St Mary and All Saints, Stoughton [Map] where he has a memorial scuplted by Peter Scheemakers [aged 46]. His brother Lewis [aged 64] succeeded 5th Baronet Beaumont of Stoughton Grange in Leicestershire.
On 8th April 1742 Henry St John 1st Viscount St John [aged 89] died. He was buried at St Mary's Church Battersea, Surrey. His son John [aged 39] succeeded 2nd Viscount St John, 5th Baronet St John Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire.
On 8th April 1746 Marjory Scott Viscountess Stormont died.
On 8th April 1747 Mary Myddelton died. Monument in St Giles' Church, Wrexham [Map] sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac [aged 44].
Mary Myddelton: she was born to Richard Myddelton 3rd Baronet and Frances Whitmore Lady Myddelton.
On 8th April 1769 Richard Wolsley 1st Baronet [aged 74] died. His son Richard [aged 40] succeeded 2nd Baronet Wolseley of Mount Wolseley in County Carlow.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 8th April 1770 or 21st April 1770 Lister Holte 5th Baronet [aged 49] died. His brother Charles [aged 48] succeeded 6th Baronet Holte of Aston in Warwickshire and inherited Brereton Hall, Cheshire [Map].
On 8th April 1794 Martha Harcourt Baroness Vernon of Kinderton [aged 78] died at Lower Grosvenor Street, Belgravia.
On 8th April 1798 Henry Noel 6th Earl Gainsborough [aged 55] died without issue. He was buried in St Luke's Church, Kinoulton. The title Earl Gainsborough, Viscount Campden, Baron Hicks of Ilmington in Warwickshire extinct.
On 8th April 1799 Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 86] died.
On 8th April 1812 John Ashburnham 2nd Earl Ashburnham [aged 87] died. His son George [aged 51] succeeded 3rd Earl Ashburham, 5th Baron Ashburnham of Ashburnham in Sussex. Charlotte Percy Countess Ashburham [aged 36] by marriage Countess Ashburham.
On 8th April 1839 Du Pre Alexander 2nd Earl Caledon [aged 61] died. His son James [aged 26] succeeded 3rd Earl Caledon in County Tyrone.
On 8th April 1902 John Wodehouse 1st Earl Kimberley [aged 76] died at 35 Lowndes Square, Belgravia. His son John [aged 54] succeeded 2nd Earl Kimberley, 4th Baron Wodehouse of Kimberley in Norfolk, 9th Baronet Woodhouse of Wilberhall. Isabel Geraldine Stracey Countess Kimberley by marriage Countess Kimberley.
On 8th April 1919 Thomas Chapman 7th Baronet [aged 72] died. Baronet Chapman of Killua Castle extinct.
On 8th April 1932 William Henry Doyle aka North 11th Baron North [aged 95] died. His son William [aged 71] succeeded 12th Baron North.
On 8th April 1938 George Mountbatten 2nd Marquess Milford Haven [aged 45] died. His son David [aged 18] succeeded 3rd Marquess Milford Haven.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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On 8th April 1964 Kathleen Elizabeth Farrar Lady Fuller died.
On 8th April 1964 Katherine Mary Spence Lady Fuller [aged 57] died.
On 8th April 2010 Mark Colville 4th Viscount Colville [aged 76] died. His son Charles [aged 50] succeeded 5th Viscount Colville of Culrossin Perthshire.
On 8th April 2013 Anne Constable-Maxwell Duchess Norfolk [aged 85] died.