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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A Treatise on Adultery

A Treatise on Adultery is in Victorian Books.

A Treatise on the Law of Adulterine Bastardy with a report of the Banbury case and of all other cases bearing upon the subject by Nicolas, Nicholas Harris, Sir, 1799-1848.

Towards the end of the reign of Henry the Eighth two instances occurred of women, in the highest rank of society, having children bom in adultery, whilst their husbands were within the Realm. To prevent the spurious issue from succeeding to the husbands' honours and estates, two Acts of Parliament were passed, one of which Acts not only bastardized the children, but declared that, notwithstanding they were notoriomly begotten in Adultery, they would nevertheless be inheritable; and the other expressly declared that such children "be legitimate, and will be inheritable."

The first of these cases is that of Lady Parr (age 26), in the 34th Hen. VIII.; and the Act¹ states, "that for the last two years she had eloped from her husband, William Lord Parr (age 31), and had not in that time ever returned to, nor had any carnal intercourse with him, but had been gotten with child by one of her adulterers, and been delivered of such child, which child being, as is notoriously known, begotten in adultery, and born during the espousals" between her and Lord Parr, "by the law of this realm is inheritable, and may pretend to inherit all, &c.;" and the Act therefore declares the said child to be a bastard.

Note 1. The Act, which is styled in the Lords' Journals, a Bill "to bar and make base and bastards the children which be, or shall be borne in adulteiy by the Lady Anne, wife of the Lord Parr," was read a first time on the 15th March 1543, bat it appears to have been altered by the Commons. — Lords' Journalls, I., 217. 223. 224. 230. 233. In the 6th Edw. VI., 1552, a Bill passed for annulling Lord Parr's (then Marquis of Northampton) marriage with Lady Anne Bourchier, and confirming his marriage with Elisabeth, daughter of Lord Cobham, and for the legitimation of the children that shall be had between them; but the Earl of Derby, the Bishops of Norwich and Carlisle, and Lord Stourton dissented. — Ibid, p. 409.418. The Statute of the 6 Edw. VI was, however, repealed in the 1st of Mary, 1555.

In the same year, a similar Act was passed to bastardize the children of Elizabeth Lady Burgh (age 31), the widow of Sir Thomas Burgh, eldest son of Thomas Lord Burgh (age 55), who had died in the lifetime of his father. After his son's death Lord Burgh obtained an Act [See Letter and Papers], which stated, "that during the life of her husband she had lived in adultery, not regarding the company of her husband, and in that time had brought forth three children, begotten by other persons than her said husband during the espousals," &c. "as she had confessed, which children being so gotten and bom in adultery, during the said espousals, by the laws of this realm, be legitimate, and toill be inheritable and inherit, &c. after the death of the said Lord Burgh;" and the Act proceeds to declare the said three children to be bastards¹.

Note 1. This Bill, which is described as "a Bill to disinherit the children, and to make base and bastards the unlawfully begotten children of the wife of the Lord Burgh's son and heir," was read a first time on the 8th March 1543. — Lords' Journals, I., 215. 217, 218.