Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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Paternal Family Tree: Burke
William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde was born to [his father] William Burke.
In 1625 [his father] William Burke [age 32] died.
In or before 1639 William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde and Lettice Shirley [age 21] were married.
Around 1639 [his son] Richard Burgh 8th Earl Clanricarde was born to William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde and [his wife] Lettice Shirley [age 22].
In 1642 [his son] John Burke 9th Earl Clanricard was born to William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde and [his wife] Lettice Shirley [age 25].
On 25th September 1655 [his wife] Lettice Shirley [age 38] died.
Stemmata Shirleiana. The will of Sir Robert Shirley, proved at London, June 11, 1657, is as follows: "In the name of God, Amen, the nine and twentieth day of November, 1654, I, Sir [his former brother-in-law] Robert Shirley, of Staunton Haralt, in the county of Leicester, Baronett, humbly beseeching Almighty God, for the meritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ, to receive my soule into everlasting blisse, doe make this my last will and testament touching my temporall estate as followeth. I give and devise unto my deere sister, Mrs Leta Burke, wife of William Burke, esquire, to continew payable unto her untill shee or her husband come to the quiet possession and enjoyment of their estate in Ireland, the annual or yearly rent or somme of two hundred pounds.
Item, I give and devise to Mrs Catherine Sheldon, for her life, the annuall or yearly rent or summe of one hundred pounds; and to my servant Rowland Thomas for his life, the annuall or yearly summe of twentie pounds. And to my servant Nicholas Cocker for his life the annual or yearly rent or somme of tenne pounds: all wch sayd severall yearly rents my will is shall be paid half yearly, & c.
Item, I give to my sayd deer sister Mrs Leta Burke one ring of the value of one hundred pounds, wch I desire her to weare for my sake.
Item, I give to my brother in lawe Willm Bourke the best horse in my stable at the time of my decease, and to my loving friend Mr. John Morton the next best horse wch shall be in my stable at my decease, after my sayd brotherin lawe hath made his choyce.
Item, I give to my deere friend Coll. Vere Cromwell [age 31], the somme of two hundred pounds to be disposed of according to his discretion, and also blacks for mourning for himselfe and one man. Also I do give unto every of those gentlemen whose names I have made knowen to my sayd deere freind Colonell Cromwell blacks for mourning for themselves and one man a peece.
Item, I give to my couzin Leicester Burdett the somme of one hundred pounds to be disposed of as hee shall thinke fit.
Item, I give the sume of one thousand pounds to be disposed of unto such distressed persons as have lost their estates in the service of the late King Charles, in manner as my executors hereafter named shall thinke fitt. And in case the church that I am now building at Staunton Haralt, aforesaid, shall not be finished and perfected before my decease, then I doe give and bequeath so much money as my executors shall thinke convenient to finish and perfect the same, according to my intention. I do give to all the rest of my servants not herein before named one whole yeares wages over and above what shall be due unto them at the tyme of my decease. And I do give and it is my will that all my kindred wthin three descents, either by father or mother, on mine owne or wife's side, and all my servants, shall have blacks for mourning, according to their severall rankes and qualities, and at the discretion of my executors. And it is likewise my will that restitution be made for whatsoever rents or profitts I have received of any impropriations, tithes, or lands belonging, or wch did at any time belong to any churches, chappells, colleges, or any ecclesiasticall promotions whatsoever, ever sithence I had the possession of my estate. And I will and appoint that whatsoever the same shall amount unto, the same be given, distributed, and disposed amongst orthodoxall and distressed clergie men, at the discretion of my executors. All the rest and residue of my goods, chattells, and personall estate not herein before bequeathed, after my debts, legacies, and funerall expences discharged, I doe give, devise, and bequeath unto Dame Katharine my wife, Gilbert Sheldon, Doctor in Divinity, Jeffery Palmer, esq., and Anthonie Atkinson, gent. fiftie pounds a peece, whom I make and appoint executors of this my will, & c."
In witness whereof I have to each sheet of this my will conteyned in two sheets of paper subscribed my name, and have affixed my seale at armes, the day and yeare first above written.
In July 1657 Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde [age 53] died. His first cousin [his brother] Richard succeeded 6th Earl Clanricarde. Earl St Albans extinct.
In 1666 [his son] Richard Burgh 8th Earl Clanricarde [age 27] died. His brother John [age 24] succeeded 9th Earl Clanricarde.
In 1666 Richard Burke 6th Earl Clanricarde died. His brother William succeeded 7th Earl Clanricarde.
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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In or before 1674 William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde and Helen MacCarty Countess Clanricarde [age 41] were married. She by marriage Countess Clanricarde.
In 1674 [his daughter] Honora Burke Duchess Berwick was born to William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde and [his wife] Helen MacCarty Countess Clanricarde [age 42]. She married 26th March 1695 James Fitzjames 1st Duke Berwick and had issue.
On 26th March 1695 [his son-in-law] James Fitzjames 1st Duke Berwick [age 24] and Honora Burke Duchess Berwick [age 21] were married at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Yvelines. She by marriage Duchess Berwick. She the daughter of William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde and Helen MacCarty Countess Clanricarde [age 63]. He the illegitmate son of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland [age 61] and Arabella Churchill [age 46].
On 16th January 1698 [his daughter] Honora Burke Duchess Berwick [age 24] died at Pézenas.
After 1708 William Burke 7th Earl Clanricarde died. His son Richard succeeded 8th Earl Clanricarde.
Before 29th July 1722 [his former wife] Helen MacCarty Countess Clanricarde [age 90] died.
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ulick Fionn Burke 6th Lord Clanricarde
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Mór Burke 9th Lord Clanricarde
Great x 2 Grandfather: Ulick na "gCeann aka of the Heads" Burke 1st Earl Clanricarde
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard Burke 2nd Earl Clanricarde
GrandFather: Ulrick Burke 3rd Earl Clanricarde
Father: William Burke