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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Around 1639 Robert Crichton was born to [his father] Bishop Robert Crichton [aged 46].
John Evelyn's Diary. 17th November 1661. Dr. Creighton [aged 22], a Scot, author of the "Florentine Council", and a most eloquent man and admirable Grecian, preached on Cant. vi. 13, celebrating the return and restoration of the Church and King.
John Evelyn's Diary. 29th May 1663. Dr. Creighton [aged 24] preached his extravagant sermon at St. Margaret's [Map], before the House of Commons.
On 25th May 1670 [his father] Bishop Robert Crichton [aged 77] was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells.
In 1672 [his father] Bishop Robert Crichton [aged 79] died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 14th September 1673. Dr. Creighton [aged 34], son to the late eloquent [his father] Bishop of Bath and Wells, preached to the Household on Isaiah, lvii. 8.
On 2nd May 1674 Robert Crichton [aged 35] was appointed Canon Wells and installed as Precentor Wells.
John Evelyn's Diary. 6th September 1685. Sunday. I went to prayer in the Chapell, and heard Dr. Standish. The second sermon was preach'd by Dr. Creighton [aged 46], on 1 Thess. 4, 11, persuading to unity and peace, and to be mindfull of our owne businesse, according to the advise of the Apostle. Then I went to heare a Frenchman who preached before the King [aged 51] and Queene [aged 26] in that splendid Chapell [Map] next St. George's Hall. Their Maties going to masse, I withdrew to consider the stupendous painting of ye Hall, which, both for the art and invention, deserve the inscription in honour of the painter, Signior Verrio [aged 49]. The history is Edward the 3rd receiving the Black Prince, coming towards him in a Roman triumph. The whole roofe is the history of St. George. The throne, the carvings, &e. are incomparable, and I think equal to any, and in many circumstances exceeding any, I have seene abroad.
On 17th February 1734 Robert Crichton [aged 95] died at Wells, Somerset [Map].