The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Archaeologia Cambrensis 1913 Page 100 is in Archaeologia Cambrensis 1913.
Proceeding past Dyffryn House, formerly known as Worlton, the Cambrians inspected the cromlech and tumulus, ¾ mile to the north at Tinkinswood, where Mr. T. H. Thomas, R.C.A., delivered an instructive lecture on the cromlechs in the district. Dr. Boyd Dawkins was of opinion that they belonged to the Bronze Age, which would make them about 4000 years old. He could not accept the theory of Rev. J. Griffiths of Llangynwyd, that the cromlech had any astronomical bearing, seeing that prehistoric man had no knowledge of astronomy. The weight of the capstone, which is the largest in Great Britain and is supported by four uprights, has been estimated at 55 tons. Its extreme length is 25 feet, its greatest width 16 ft., its average thickness 2 ft. 4 in. There are remains of a large stone circle. In the adjoining field are several other blocks of stone that may be parts of an avenue, or ruined cromlechs, a cistfaen 4 ft. by 2 ft., and about a mile to the north-west on the opposite side of the Cowbridge road to the Cottrell Lodge is a standing stone, probably one of the uprights of a cromlech.1 The smaller, but no less interesting, cromlech at Maes y felin, on the way to St. Lythan's, was also described by Mr. T. H. Thomas. The stone used in the construction of these megalithic monuments is magnesian limestone of the district.