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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Before 24th September 1592 [his father] George Wandesford of Kirklington (age 19) and [his mother] Catherine Hansby were married.
On 24th September 1592 Christopher Wandesford was born to [his father] George Wandesford of Kirklington (age 19) and [his mother] Catherine Hansby at Bishop Burton.
In 1612 [his father] George Wandesford of Kirklington (age 39) died.
In 1621 Christopher Wandesford (age 28) was elected MP Aldborough.
In 1624 Christopher Wandesford (age 31) was elected MP Aldborough.
In 1625 Christopher Wandesford (age 32) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1626 Christopher Wandesford (age 33) was elected MP Richmond.
In or before 1628 Christopher Wandesford (age 35) and Alice Osborne were married.
In 1628 Christopher Wandesford (age 35) was elected MP Thirsk.
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 1628 [his son] Christopher Wandesford 1st Baronet was born to Christopher Wandesford (age 35) and [his wife] Alice Osborne. He married 30th September 1651 Eleanor Lowther Lady Wandesford and had issue.
In 1634 Christopher Wandesford (age 41) was elected MP Kildare.
In 1639 Christopher Wandesford (age 46) was elected MP Kildare.
On 3rd December 1640 Christopher Wandesford (age 48) died.
[his daughter] Alice Wandesford was born to Christopher Wandesford and Alice Osborne.
Father: George Wandesford of Kirklington
GrandFather: Ralph Hansby of Gray's Inn
Mother: Catherine Hansby