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.
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Paternal Family Tree: Ferrers
Maternal Family Tree: Emmeline Riddlesford 1223-1276
Before 1419 [her father] Henry Ferrers [aged 24] and [her mother] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk [aged 52]. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
In 1419 Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby was born to [her father] Henry Ferrers [aged 25] and [her mother] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 19]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
In 1424 [her step-father] James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 30] and [her mother] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Baroness Berkeley. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk [aged 58]. They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
In 1425 [her father] Henry Ferrers [aged 31] died at St Mary's Church, Berkeley.
Around 1432 [her son] Edward Grey 1st Viscount Lisle was born to Edward Grey Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 17] and Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby [aged 13] at Groby, Leicestershire. He married before 1480 his third cousin once removed Elizabeth Talbot Viscountess Lisle, daughter of John Talbot 1st Viscount Lisle and Joan Cheddar Viscountess Lisle, and had issue.
Around 1432 [her son] John Grey was born to Edward Grey Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 17] and Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby [aged 13]. He married 1454 Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England, daughter of Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford, and had issue.
On 18th May 1445 [her grandfather] William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 73] died at Woodham Ferrers, Essex. His granddaughter Elizabeth [aged 26] succeeded 6th Baroness Ferrers of Groby. Edward Grey Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 30] by marriage Baron Ferrers of Groby.
Around 1454 [her son] John Grey [aged 22] and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 17] were married. She the daughter of Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers [aged 49] and Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford [aged 39].
On 17th February 1461 the Lancastrian army defeated the Yorkist army at Second Battle of St Albans and rescued King Henry VI of England and II of France [aged 39]. The Lancastrian army was commanded by Henry Holland 3rd Duke Exeter [aged 30] and included Henry Percy 3rd Earl of Northumberland [aged 39], John Mowbray 3rd Duke of Norfolk [aged 45], Henry Grey 4th or 7th Baron Grey of Codnor [aged 26], Henry Roos and Richard Welles 7th Baron Welles, Baron Willoughby [aged 33].
Thomas Ros 9th Baron Ros Helmsley [aged 33], William Tailboys 7th Baron Kyme [aged 46], John Talbot 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury [aged 12] and Thomas Tresham [aged 41] were knighted.
The Yorkist army included Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury [aged 32], William Fitzalan 9th or 16th Earl of Arundel [aged 43], John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock [aged 61] and [her future father-in-law] Henry Bourchier 2nd Count of Eu 1st Earl Essex [aged 57]. John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu [aged 30] was captured. Robert Poynings [aged 42] and James Luttrell [aged 34] were killed.
[her son] John Grey [aged 29] was killed fighting for Lancaster. A death that was to have far reaching consequences; his widow [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 24] subsequently married King Edward IV of England [aged 18].
During the battle William Bonville 1st Baron Bonville [aged 68] and Thomas Kyriell [aged 65] were assigned to the protection of the King Henry VI. After the battle both were beheaded against all decent laws of battle.
William Bonville 1st Baron Bonville was beheaded. His great granddaughter [her granddaughter-in-law] Cecily succeeded 2nd Baroness Bonville.
Thomas Kyriell was beheaded.
William Cotton [aged 21] was killed.
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Before 2nd May 1462 John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 24] and Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby [aged 43] were married. He by marriage Baron Ferrers of Groby. He the son of Henry Bourchier 2nd Count of Eu 1st Earl Essex [aged 58] and Isabel York Countess Eu and Essex [aged 53]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 22nd October 1463 [her step-father] James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 69] died at Berkeley Castle [Map]. He was buried at St Augustine's Abbey, Bristol [Map]. His son [her half-brother] William [aged 37] succeeded 12th Baron Berkeley Feudal, 2nd Baron Berkeley.
Chronicle of Gregory. 1st May 1464. That same year, the first day of May before said or written, our sovereign lord the King, Edward the iiij [aged 22], was wedded to the Lord Rivers [aged 59] daughter; her name is [her former daughter-in-law] Dame Elizabeth [aged 27], that was wife unto Syr John Grey, son and heir unto the Lady Ferrers of Groby [aged 45]. And this marriage was kept full secretly long and many a day, that no man knew it; but men marvelled that our sovereign lord was so long without any wife, and were ever feared that he had be not chaste of his living.
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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In 1466 [her half-brother] William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley [aged 40] and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth West 3rd Baroness Berkeley were married. She by marriage Baroness Berkeley. They were third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.
Before 1467 [her half-brother] Maurice Berkeley 3rd Baron Berkeley [aged 31] and [her sister-in-law] Isabel Meade 3rd Baroness Berkeley were married.
In November 1468 [her half-brother] William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley [aged 42] and [her sister-in-law] Joan Strangeways 3rd Viscountess Berkeley were married. She by marriage Baroness Berkeley. She the daughter of Thomas Strangeways and Katherine Neville Duchess Norfolk [aged 68]. They were fifth cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 20th March 1470 the army of [her half-brother] William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley [aged 44] including Maurice Berkeley 3rd Baron Berkeley [aged 35] defeated the army of Thomas Talbot 2nd Viscount Lisle [aged 21] at Nibley Green, Berkeley.
Thomas Talbot 2nd Viscount Lisle was killed. Viscount Lisle extinct. Baron Lisle abeyant.
Ostensibly a battle of the Wars of the Roses it may also be considered a settling of the dispute over the ownership of Berkeley Castle [Map] which has passed with the Baron Berkeley Feudal to William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley rather than with Baron Berkeley which was abeyant, and of which Thomas Talbot 2nd Viscount Lisle was a potential heir. Thomas Talbot 2nd Viscount Lisle was born to John Talbot 1st Viscount Lisle whose mother was Margaret Beauchamp Countess Shrewsbury and Waterford whose mother was Elizabeth Berkeley Countess Warwick who was a daughter of Thomas Berkeley 10th and 5th Baron Berkeley, Baron Lisle.
In 1471 John Courtenay 7th or 15th Earl Devon [aged 36] was restored 7th Earl Devon. [her sister-in-law] Laura Bourchier Countess Devon [aged 31] by marriage Countess Devon.
Before 1480 [her son] Edward Grey 1st Viscount Lisle [aged 47] and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Talbot Viscountess Lisle were married. He by marriage Baron Lisle. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 21st April 1481 [her half-brother] William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley [aged 55] was created 1st Viscount Berkeley. [her sister-in-law] Joan Strangeways 3rd Viscountess Berkeley by marriage Viscountess Berkeley.
On 23rd January 1483 Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby [aged 64] died. Her grandson Thomas [aged 28] succeeded 7th Baron Ferrers of Groby. Cecily Bonville Marchioness Dorset [aged 22] by marriage Baroness Ferrers of Groby.
Before 6th July 1490 [her former husband] John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 52] and Elizabeth Chichele were married. He the son of [her former father-in-law] Henry Bourchier 2nd Count of Eu 1st Earl Essex and [her former mother-in-law] Isabel York Countess Eu and Essex.
In 1495 [her former husband] John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 57] died. He was buried at Beeleigh Abbey [Map].
Edward Grey Baron Ferrers of Groby and Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby were married. They were third cousin once removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
Kings Wessex: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 9 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 10 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings England: Great x 4 Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 13 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ferrers 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Ferrers 2nd Baron Ferrers of Groby 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Ellen or Margaret Segrave Baroness Ferrers Groby 
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Ferrers 3rd Baron Ferrers of Groby 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Theobald Verdun 2nd Lord Verdun 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Verdun Baroness Ferrers Groby Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Clare Lady Verdun 
Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Ferrers 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Hoo
Great x 1 Grandmother: Joan Hoo Baroness Ferrers Groby
Great x 3 Grandfather: John St Leger of Offley 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Isabel St Leger
Father: Henry Ferrers 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Clifford 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella Vipont 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Clifford 3rd Baron Clifford 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas de Clare 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Clare Baroness Clifford Baroness Welles 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Juliana Fitzgerald 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Roger Clifford 5th Baron Clifford 4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Berkeley 6th and 1st Baron Berkeley 
Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Maurice Berkeley 7th and 2nd Baron Berkeley 2 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Ferrers Baroness Berkeley 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Isabel Berkeley Baroness Clifford Baroness Musgrave 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Eudo Zouche 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eva Zouche
Great x 4 Grandmother: Millicent Cantilupe 
GrandMother: Philippa Clifford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Beauchamp 9th Earl Warwick 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Fitzjohn Countess Warwick
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Tosny 
4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Tosny Countess Warwick 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Maud Beauchamp Baroness Clifford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore 
2 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March 3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Fiennes 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Katherine Mortimer Countess Warwick 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Piers Geneville
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Geneville Baroness Mortimer 2nd Baroness Geneville 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jeanne Lusignan 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mowbray 1st Baron Mowbray 
2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Mowbray 2nd Baron Mowbray 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Rohese Clare Baroness Mowbray 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William de Braose 2nd Baron de Braose 10th Baron Bramber 
2 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Aline de Braose Baroness Mowbray 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Mowbray 4th Baron Mowbray Baron Segrave 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster 
Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Blanche Capet Queen Navarre 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray 
Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Patrick Chaworth 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Chaworth
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella Beauchamp
GrandFather: Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Segrave 2nd Baron Segrave
Great x 3 Grandfather: Stephen Segrave 3rd Baron Segrave
Great x 4 Grandmother: Christiana Plessey Baroness Segrave
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Segrave 4th Baron Segrave 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 1st or 8th Earl of Arundel 
3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Fitzalan Baroness Segrave 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Saluzzo Countess Arundel 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Segrave 5th Baroness Segrave Baroness Mowbray Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas of Brotherton 1st Earl Norfolk Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret of France Queen Consort England 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Plantagenet 1st Duchess of Norfolk Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Hales
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Hales Countess Norfolk
Mother: Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 1st or 8th Earl of Arundel 3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Fitzalan 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel 4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Saluzzo Countess Arundel 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Warenne
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Warenne Countess Arundel
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Vere 
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 9th Earl of Surrey 4th or 11th Earl of Arundel 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Blanche Capet Queen Navarre 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Patrick Chaworth
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Chaworth
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella Beauchamp
GrandMother: Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Humphrey Bohun 3rd Earl Hereford 2nd Earl Essex 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Fiennes Countess Essex and Hereford
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Princess Elizabeth of Rhuddlan Countess Essex, Hereford and Holland Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bohun Countess Arundel and Surrey Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gunselin Badlesmere 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Bartholomew Badlesmere 1st Baron Badlesmere
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Fitzbernard
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas de Clare 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Clare Baroness Badlesmere 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Juliana Fitzgerald 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England