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In 1690 Colonel William Cosby was born.
On 24th August 1705 Colonel William Cosby (age 15) was promoted to Cornet of the 5th Dragoon Guards.
In 1710 Colonel William Cosby (age 20) joined the army in Spain.
In 1711 Colonel William Cosby (age 21) and Grace Montagu (age 21) were married. They had five children.
After 1711 [his brother-in-law] George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 27) and Mary Lumley Countess Halifax (age 20) were married. She the daughter of Richard Lumley 1st Earl Scarborough (age 61) and Frances Jones Countess Scarborough (age 43). They were fifth cousin once removed.
On 15th April 1711 Colonel William Cosby (age 21) was promoted to Captain of the 2nd Dragoon Guards, Harvey's Regiment of Horse.
In 1715 [his brother-in-law] George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 31) was created 1st Earl Halifax. Mary Lumley Countess Halifax (age 24) by marriage Countess Halifax.
On 19th May 1715 Charles Montagu 1st Earl Halifax (age 54) died. Earl Halifax extinct. His nephew [his brother-in-law] George (age 31) succeeded 2nd Baron Halifax.
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 24th December 1717 Colonel William Cosby (age 27) was promoted to Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Ireland. The next year, this regiment was transferred to Menorca, in the Balearic Islands. Cosby acted as governor of Menorca from 1718.
In 1721 [his daughter] Elizabeth Cosby was born to Colonel William Cosby (age 31). She married March 1734 Augustus Fitzroy, son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton, and had issue.
On 13th January 1732 Colonel William Cosby (age 42) was appointed "Captain General & Governor in Chief of the Provinces of New York, New Jersey and Territories depending thereon in America".
On 2nd January 1734 Colonel William Cosby (age 44) was granted 22,000 acres on the Mohawk River, in what is now Herkimer County, New York. The land was named Cosby's Manor in 1736, and sold in 1772 to Philip Schuyler and four other proprietors.
In March 1734 [his son-in-law] Augustus Fitzroy (age 17) and [his daughter] Elizabeth Cosby (age 13) were married. He the son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 50) and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton.
On 29th September 1735 Colonel William Cosby (age 45) was promoted to Vice-Admiral.
On 30th November 1735 Colonel William Cosby (age 45) was promoted to Brigadier-General.
On 10th March 1736 Colonel William Cosby (age 46) died of tuberculosis between 1 and 2 pm, in the Governor's House at Fort George, New York, today's Battery Park, New York City. He was initially buried in a vault at Fort George's chapel. But in 1788, his remains were moved to an unmarked grave at St Paul Church's Cemetery, New York, together with the remains of the Earl of Bellomont, who served as New York governor between 1698 and 1701.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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On 25th December 1767 [his former wife] Grace Montagu (age 77) died.