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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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John Crakehall -1260

In 1231 John Crakehall appears as the attorney at Westminster for Hugh of Wells, the Bishop of Lincoln.

On 9th April 1231 John Crakehall was installed as the rector of Somerton in Oxfordshire, which office he retained for life..

After 1233 John Crakehall became a canon of Lincoln Cathedral.

From 1235 to 1250 John Crakehall served as the chief steward of the Diocese of Lincoln.

Before 18th November 1254 John Crakehall was appointed Archdeacon of Bedford.

Before April 1255 John Crakehall was ordained a subdeacon

Annals Londonienses. In the year of the Lord 1259, William FitzRichard was removed from his mayoralty, and John de Gisors was appointed Mayor of London, with John Adrian and Robert of Cornhill as sheriffs. In the same year, on the feast of Saint Edward, Philip Lovel¹ was removed by the will of the barons, and John of Crakehall was made Treasurer of England [on 2nd November 1258].

Anno Domini MCCLIX. Eodem anno amotus fuit a majoratu suo Willelmus filius Ricardi, et substitutus est major Londoniæ [Johannes de Gisortio] et vicecomites Johannes Adrian et Robertus de Cornhulle. Eodem anno in festo Sancti Edwardi, de voluntate baronum, amoto Philippo Lovel, factus est thesaurarius Angliæ Johannes de Crakhale.

Note 1. The Chronicler repeats the content of the previous paragraph, referring to events in 1258 taking place in 1259. Philip Lovel died on 29th December 1258. The next paragraph also refers to events in 1258.

On 3rd November 1258 John Crakehall was appointed Lord High Treasurer.

Between 8th and 10th September 1260 John Crakehall died. He ws buried at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].