Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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Paternal Family Tree: Paston
In 1420 [his father] William Paston [aged 42] and [his mother] Agnes Barry were married.
On 10th October 1421 John Paston was born to [his father] William Paston [aged 43] and [his mother] Agnes Barry.
Between April 1440 and November 1440 John Paston [aged 18] and Margaret Mautby were married.
In 1442 [his son] John Paston was born to John Paston [aged 20] and [his wife] Margaret Mautby.
Letters. 13th April 1442. The year unclear. Letter XXXVII. Elizabeth Countess of Oxford [aged 32] to Sir John Paston [aged 20].
Right entirely well-beloved,.
I greet you well, thanking you of the great gentleness that you have shewed unto my right well-beloved James Arblast, praying you of continuance; and if there be any thing that I may do for you or any of yours here op in any other place I pray you let me wit, and I shall be ready to do it, with the grace of God, who have you in his keeping; and I pray you to be friendly unto my right well-beloved Agnes Arblast, which is to me great pleasure and heart's ease, an you so be. Written at Nevenhow,.
the 13th day of April. Oxford, 1 Elizabeth.
In 1444 [his son] John Paston was born to John Paston [aged 22] and [his wife] Margaret Mautby at Geldeston, Norfolk [Map]. He married before 1478 Margery Brewes and had issue.
On 13th August 1444 [his father] William Paston [aged 66] died. He was buried at Lady Chapel Norwich Cathedral [Map].
Paston Letters V1 120 William Lomner to John Paston. 5th May 1450.
William Lomner to John Paston [aged 28]1
RIGHT worchipfull sir, I recomaunde me to yow, and am right sory of that I shalle sey, and have soo wesshe this litel bille with sorwfulle terys, that on ethes ye shalle reede it.
As on Monday2 nexte after May day there come tydyngs to London, that on Thorsday3 before the Duke of Suffolk [deceased] come unto the costes of Kent full nere Dower with his ij shepes and a litel spynner; the qweche spynner he sente with certeyn letters to certeyn of his trustid men unto Caleys warde, to knowe howe he shuld be resceyvyd; and with hym mette a shippe callyd Nicolas of the Towre, with other shippis waytyng on hym, and by hem that were in the spyner, the maister of the Nicolas hadde knowlich of the dukes comyng. And whanne he espyed the dukes shepis, he sent forthe his bote to wete what they were, and the duke hym selfe spakke to hem, and seyd, he was be the Kyngs comaundement sent to Caleys ward, &c.
And they seyd he most speke with here master. And soo he, with ij or iij of his men, wente forth with hem yn here bote to the Nicolas; and whanne he come, the master badde hym, 'Welcom, Traitor,' as men sey; and forther the maister desyryd to wete yf the shepmen woldde holde with the duke, and they sent word they wold not yn noo wyse; and soo he was on the Nicolas tyl Saturday4 next folwyng.
Note 1. [From Fenn, i. 38.] The date of this letter is perfectly determined by the events to which it relates.
Note 2. 4th May.
Note 3. 30th April.
Note 4. 2nd May.
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Around 1456 [his son] Walter Paston was born to John Paston [aged 34] and [his wife] Margaret Mautby.
Around or before 1458 [his son-in-law] William Yelverton [aged 28] and [his daughter] Anne Paston were married.
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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Around 1459 [his son] William Paston was born to John Paston [aged 37] and [his wife] Margaret Mautby.
On 5th November 1459 John Fastolf [aged 79] died at Caister, Norfolk [Map]. He was buried at St Benet's Abbey, Norfolk [Map]. William Yelverton [aged 59] was executor. Fastolf's will was disputed by Yelverton and the other executors once it was discovered that John Paston [aged 38] was to inherit the estates. The dispute between Yelverton and Paston was taken up by the Lord Chancellor's office and went on for many years.
Paston Letters Volume 3 450. 4th April 1461. 3.450. William Paston and John Playters to John Paston [aged 39].
To my maister, John Paston, in hast,
Please you to knowe and wete of suche tydyngs as my Lady of York hath by a lettre of credens, under the signe manuel of oure Soverayn Lord King Edward, whiche lettre cam un to oure sayd Lady this same day, Esterne Evyn, at xj. clok, and was sene and red by me, William Paston.
Fyrst, oure Soverayn Lord [aged 18] hath wonne the feld, and uppon the Munday next after Palmesunday, he was resseved in to York with gret solempnyte and processyons. And the Mair the Yorkist cause and Comons of the said cite mad ther menys to have grace be Lord Montagu [aged 30] and Lord Barenars [aged 45], whiche be for the Kyngs coming in to the said cite desyred hym of grace for the said cite, whiche graunted hem grace. On the Kyngs parte is slayn Lord Fitz Water [deceased], and Lord Scrop [aged 23] sore hurt; John Stafford, Horne of Kent ben ded; and Umfrey Stafford, William Hastyngs [aged 30] mad knyghts with other; Blont is knygth, &c.
On the contrary part is ded Lord Clyfford [deceased], Lord Nevyle [deceased], Lord Welles [deceased], Lord Wyllouby, Antony Lord Scales, Lord Harry, and be supposyng the Erle of Northumberland, Andrew Trollop, with many other gentyll and comons to the nomber of xx.ml. (20000).
Item, Kyng Harry, the Qwen, the Prince, Duke of Somerset, Duke of Exeter, Lord Roos, be fledde in to Scotteland, and they be chased and folwed, &c. We send no er un to you be cause we had non certynges tyl now; for un to this day London was as sory cite as myght. And because Spordauns had no certeyn tydyngs, we thought ye schuld take them a worthe tyl more certayn.
Item, Thorp Waterfeld is yeldyn, as Spordauns can telle you. And Jesu spede you. We pray you that this tydyngs my moder may knowe.
Be your Broder,
W. Paston.
T. Playters.
Note 1. 'On a piece of paper pinned to the above letter,' says Fenn, 'is a list of the 268 names of the noblemen and knights, and the number of soldiers slain at the above battle of Towton, as follows:
Comes Northumbriæ [deceased].
Comes Devon [deceased].
Dominus de Beamunde.
Dominus de Dacre [deceased].
Dominus Henricus de Bokyngham.
Dominus de Scales Antony Revers.
Dominus de Wellugby.
Dominus de Malley Radulfus Bigot Miles.
Millites.
Sir Rauff Gray.
Sir Ric. Jeney.
Sir Harry Bekingham.
Sir Andrew Trollop.
With xxviij.ml. (28000) nomberd by Harralds.
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On 22nd May 1466 John Paston [aged 44] died.
[his son] Edmund Paston was born to John Paston and Margaret Mautby.
[his daughter] Anne Paston was born to John Paston and Margaret Mautby. She married 1458 William Yelverton.
GrandFather: Edmund Barry
Mother: Agnes Barry
