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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Archaeologia Volume 25 Section 2 is in Archaeologia Volume 25.
Oxfordshire. The War-stone at Enstone [Map]. This conspicuous object is said, by the country-people, to have been set up at a French wedding; and in that tradition may, perhaps, be found some vestiges of truth; for the Saxons called the Norman settlers by the name of Franks or French , the Francigenae of Domesday Book, and a wedding would be a likely cause for a division of property, either in frank-marriage or dower. A view and description of this stone are given in the Gentleman's Magazine for Feb. 1824, by Edward Rudge, Esq. who judiciously deems it to have been originally a Cromlech, supported after the manner of Kit's Coity-house, upon three stones of smaller dimensions, which are still remaining close to it. The tradition ascribing its erection to a French Wedding seems to point out the Norman era, for its appropriation as a terminus; when, forgotten in its primary character, though well known as a fixed and permanent block, it assumed its new office of marking the limits of some patrimonial acres. The stones at Stanton Drew, co. Somerset, are popularly called the Wedding, from a tradition that a bride going to be married was here turned into stone, with all her company; and it is far from improbable (which is all that can be urged on such an obscure subject) that some real event, of a marriage portion including the site of the stones, or being bounded by them, might give rise to the marvellous legend. There are Bride Stones in several parts of the kingdom, those at Biddulph, co. Stafford, consist of eight upright stones, two of which stand within a semicircle formed by the other six. May not all these erections be indebted, for their secondary character , at least, to bridal dower, or other divisions of property. Before the use of deeds in writing, such stones were "the vouched signature and proof" of some solemn covenant and agreement made on the spot.