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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Before 1329 [her future husband] John Clinton 3rd Baron Clinton (age 2) and Joan Limbury Baroness Clinton were married. She by marriage Baroness Clinton.
Around 1347 Elizabeth Plaunche Baroness Clinton Baroness Grey Rotherfield was born to [her father] William Plaunche.
Around 1350 [her future husband] John Clinton 3rd Baron Clinton (age 23) and Idonea Saye Baroness Clinton were married. She by marriage Baroness Clinton.
After 4th June 1375 Bartholomew Grey 3rd Baron Grey (deceased) died. His brother [her future husband] Robert (age 26) succeeded 4th Baron Grey of Rotherfield.
Before 30th July 1386 [her future husband] Robert Grey 4th Baron Grey (age 37) and Joan Unknown Baroness Grey of Rotherfield (age 29) were married. She by marriage Baroness Grey of Rotherfield.
After 30th July 1386 Robert Grey 4th Baron Grey (age 37) and Elizabeth Plaunche Baroness Clinton Baroness Grey Rotherfield (age 39) were married. She by marriage Baroness Grey of Rotherfield.
In January 1387 [her husband] Robert Grey 4th Baron Grey (age 38) died at Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire. His daughter [her step-daughter] Joan succeeded 5th Baroness Grey of Rotherfield.
Before 8th September 1398 John Clinton 3rd Baron Clinton (age 72) and Elizabeth Plaunche Baroness Clinton Baroness Grey Rotherfield (age 51) were married. She by marriage Baroness Clinton. The difference in their ages was 20 years.
On 8th September 1398 [her husband] John Clinton 3rd Baron Clinton (age 72) died at Maxstoke, Warwickshire. His grandson William (age 20) succeeded 4th Baron Clinton.
In September 1423 Elizabeth Plaunche Baroness Clinton Baroness Grey Rotherfield (age 76) died.
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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John Russell and Elizabeth Plaunche Baroness Clinton Baroness Grey Rotherfield were married.
John Bermingham and Elizabeth Plaunche Baroness Clinton Baroness Grey Rotherfield were married.