This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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Paternal Family Tree: Manners
Maternal Family Tree: Margaret Hussey 1389-1418
On 3rd September 1750 [his father] John Manners Marquess of Granby (age 29) and [his mother] Frances Seymour (age 22) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset and [his grandmother] Charlotte Finch Duchess Somerset (age 57). He the son of John Manners 3rd Duke Rutland (age 53) and Bridget Sutton Duchess Rutland. They were fifth cousins.
On 15th March 1754 Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland was born to [his father] John Manners Marquess of Granby (age 33) and [his mother] Frances Seymour (age 25).
On 25th January 1761 [his mother] Frances Seymour (age 32) died.
Around 1764 Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 9) educated at Eton College [Map].
Around 1770 Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 15) educated at Trinity College, Cambridge University [Map].
On 18th October 1770 [his father] John Manners Marquess of Granby (age 49) died.
On 9th July 1772 [his brother-in-law] George Carpenter 2nd Earl Tyrconnel (age 22) and [his sister] Frances Manners Countess Tyrconnel (age 19) were married. She by marriage Countess Tyrconnel. He the son of George Carpenter 1st Earl Tyrconnel and Frances Clifton Countess Tyrconnel.
On 26th December 1775 Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 21) and Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland (age 19) were married. She the daughter of Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort and Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort (age 62). They were half fourth cousins.
In 1778 [his son] John Henry Manners 5th Duke Rutland was born to Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 23) and [his wife] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland (age 21). He married 22nd April 1799 his fourth cousin Elizabeth Howard Duchess Rutland, daughter of Frederick Howard 5th Earl Carlisle and Margaret Caroline Leveson-Gower Countess Carlisle, and had issue.
On 29th May 1779 [his grandfather] John Manners 3rd Duke Rutland (age 82) died. His grandson Charles (age 25) succeeded 4th Duke Rutland, 4th Marquess Grandby, 12th Earl of Rutland, 4th Baron Manners of Haddon in Derbyshire. [his wife] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland (age 22) by marriage Duchess Rutland.
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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On 24th October 1780 [his son] Charles Henry Manners was born to Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 26) and [his wife] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland (age 24).
On 14th December 1781 [his son] Robert William Manners was born to Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 27) and [his wife] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland (age 25).
In 1782 King George III of Great Britain and Ireland (age 43) created new Garter Knights as follows:
596th King William IV of the United Kingdom (age 16),
597th Charles Lennox 3rd Duke Richmond (age 46),
598th William Cavendish 5th Duke Devonshire (age 34),
599th William Petty 1st Marquess Lansdowne (age 44),
600th Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 27).
In 1783 [his son] William Robert Albanac Manners was born to Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 28) and [his wife] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland (age 26). He died aged ten in 1793.
On 11th February 1784 Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 29) was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
On 24th October 1787 Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland (age 33) died at Phoenix Park Lodge, Phoenix Park, Dublin. His son John (age 9) succeeded 5th Duke Rutland, 5th Marquess Grandby, 13th Earl of Rutland, 5th Baron Manners of Haddon in Derbyshire.
On 2nd September 1831 [his former wife] Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland (age 75) died.
[his daughter] Katherine Mary Manners Baroness Forester was born to Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland and Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland. She married 1800 her fourth cousin once removed Cecil Weld-Forester 1st Baron Forester and had issue.
[his daughter] Elizabeth Isabella Manners was born to Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland and Mary Isabella Somerset Duchess Rutland. She married 21st August 1798 Richard Norman and had issue.
Kings Wessex: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 18 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 18 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 7 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 27 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 10 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Manners 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Manners 8th Earl of Rutland 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Grace Pierrepont 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Manners 1st Duke Rutland 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Frances Montagu Countess Rutland 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Cotton 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Manners 2nd Duke Rutland 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Noel 2nd Viscount Campden 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Baptist Noel 3rd Viscount Campden
Great x 4 Grandmother: Juliana Hicks Viscountess Campden
Great x 2 Grandmother: Catherine Noel Duchess Rutland 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Montagu Bertie 2nd Earl Lindsey 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bertie Viscountess Campden 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Martha Cockayne Countess Holderness 
GrandFather: John Manners 3rd Duke Rutland 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford 
10 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Russell 1st Duke Bedford 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Russell 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset 
13 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Carr Countess of Bedford 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Catherine Russell Duchess Rutland 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Vernon Countess Southampton 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Rachel Wriothesley 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Daniel de Massue Seigneur de Rouvigny
Great x 3 Grandmother: Rachel Massue Countess Southampton
Father: John Manners Marquess of Granby 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Sutton 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Sutton 1st Baron Lexinton
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Cony of Bassingthorpe in Lincolnshire
Great x 3 Grandmother: Susan Cony
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Sutton 2nd Baron Lexinton 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony St Leger 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Anthony St Leger 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary St Leger Baroness Lexington 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
GrandMother: Bridget Sutton Duchess Rutland 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony Hungerford 
12 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Anthony Hungerford of Black Bourton 13 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Giles Hungerford 14 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Giles Crouch of Cornhill
Great x 3 Grandmother: Sarah Crouch
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Hungerford Baroness Lexington 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Charles Manners 4th Duke Rutland 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Seymour 1st Earl Hertford 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Seymour 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Grey Countess Hertford 
Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandfather: Francis Seymour 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Honora Rogers
Great x 1 Grandfather: Charles Seymour 2nd Baron Seymour of Trowbridge 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: Gilbert Prynne of Allington
Great x 2 Grandmother: Frances Prynne 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Wymond Carey 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Davys 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Giles Alington 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Giles Alington 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Alington 1st Baron Alington 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Eizabeth Alington 2nd Baroness Seymour Trowbridge 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Lionel Tollemache 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Lionel Tollemache 2nd Baronet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Cromwell 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Tollemache Baroness Alington 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Stanhope 1st Baron Stanhope 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stanhope Lady Talmash 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Macwilliams Baroness Stanhope
Mother: Frances Seymour 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Moyle Finch 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Heneage Finch 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Heneage 1st Countess Winchelsea 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Heneage Finch 1st Earl Nottingham 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Bell
Great x 3 Grandmother: Frances Bell 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Muriel Knyvet 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Daniel Finch 2nd Earl Nottingham 7th Earl Winchilsea 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Daniel Harvey
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Harvey Baroness Finch
GrandMother: Charlotte Finch Duchess Somerset 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Christopher Hatton of Clay Hall in Essex
Great x 3 Grandfather: Christopher Hatton 1st Baron Hatton 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Fanshawe 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Christopher Hatton 1st Viscount Hatton 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Montagu 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Hatton 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Whitmore
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Hatton Countess Nottingham and Winchelsea 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Tufton 1st Earl of Thanet 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Tufton 2nd Earl of Thanet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Cecil Countess Isle Thanet 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Cicely Tufton Viscountess Hatton 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Sackville 3rd Earl Dorset 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Sackville Countess Isle Thanet 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Clifford Countess Dorset and Pembroke 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England