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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: Temple
Around 1585 [her father] Thomas Temple 1st Baronet (age 17) and [her step-mother] Hester Sandes (age 16) were married.
In 1595 Martha Temple Lady Penyston was born to [her father] Thomas Temple 1st Baronet (age 27).
In 1611 Thomas Penyston 1st Baronet (age 20) and Martha Temple Lady Penyston (age 16) were married.
On 24th September 1611 a further tranche of Baronets was created by King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland (age 45)...
Robert Napier 1st Baronet (age 51) was created 1st Baronet Napier of Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire.
[her husband] Thomas Penyston 1st Baronet (age 20) was created 1st Baronet Penyston of Leigh in Iden in Sussex. Martha Temple Lady Penyston (age 16) by marriage Lady Penyston of Leigh in Iden in Sussex.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 13th May 1619. The 13th I was one of the mourners at the Queen's funeral. I attended the corpse from Somerset House to the Abbey at Westminster. My Lord (age 30) was also one of the Earls that mourned. I went all the way hand in hand. with my Lady Lincoln after the sermon, and, all the ceremonies ended, my Lord, myself, and the Earl of Warwick (age 31) and his Lady (age 29) came home by barges, being come home I went to my Sister Beauchamp to shew her my mourning attire. At the funeral I met with my old Lady Pembroke (age 57) and divers others of my acquaintance with whom I had much talk. My Coz. Clifford was also a mourner and bare the banner after the Lords. When all the company was gone and the Church door shut up the Dean of Westminster, the Prebends, Sir Edward Zouch (age 31), who was Knight Marshall, came up a private way and buried the corpse at the east end of Henry the 7th Chapel about 7 o'clock at night. There was 180 poor women mourners. I went to see Lord Hertford (which was the last time I ever saw him) in Channel Row and spake very earnestly in Wood's behalf, but I could not prevail and his answer was that he would not pay any of his grandchildren's debts after his death.
This night my Lord made a great supper to two or three of the Frenchmen that came over with the embassador. After supper there was a play and then a banquet at which my Lady Penniston (age 24) and a great many of Lords and Ladies there.
The 13th. It is past 13 years and a month since my Father's funeral was kept and solemnized in the Church at Skipton as Queen Ann's Body was this night buried in the Abbey Church at Westminster.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 27th July 1619. The 27th about this time my Lady Bedford (age 39) had the smallpox and had them in that extremity that she lost one of her eyes. About this time my Coz. Cilifford's wife was brought to bed at Lanesboro of a son, which lived not seven hours and was christened Francis and was buried there. The same day Lord Rutland and Lady Kath. Manners came and dined here from the Wells and in the evening went to London.
Note. This Sunday my Coz. Oldworth was true and shewed those remembrances me which are to be set up at Cheyneys for my Great Grand Father of Bedford and my Grand Father of Bedford and my Aunt Warwick. About this time my Lady Law was married to Secretary Maunton.
All this Summer Lady Penniston (age 24) was at the Wells near Tunbridge drinking the waters. This coming hither of Lady Penniston's was much talked of abroad and my Lord (age 30) was condemned for it.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 24th August 1619. The 24th after supper came Sir [her husband] Thomas Penniston (age 28) and his Lady (age 24), Sir Maximilian and Lady Dallison.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 28th November 1619. The 28th though I kept my chamber altogether yet methinks the time is not so tedious to me as when I used to be abroad.
About this time I received letters from Mr Davis by which I perceived how ill things were likely to go in Westmoreland especially with Mr Hilton and Michael Brunstall.1
Note 1. About this time of my Lord's (age 30) being at London he kept a great table having a great company of Lords and gentlemen that used to dine with him.
All this winter my Lady Margaret's speech was very ill so as strangers cannot understand her, besides she was so apt to take cold and so out of temper that it grieved me to think of it. I verily believe all these inconveniences proceed from some distemper in her head.
The 29th of November was the last time my Lord came to my Lady Penniston's (age 24) at her Mother's lodgings in the Strand. The 30th my Lord and Lady Suffolk1 came out of the Tower.
Note 1. Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 58) and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 55)
Around 1620 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson (age 26). Portrait of Martha Temple Lady Penyston (age 25).
In 1620 Martha Temple Lady Penyston (age 25) died.
After 1622 [her former husband] Thomas Penyston 1st Baronet (age 31) and Elizabeth Watson Lady Penyston (age 22) were married. She by marriage Lady Penyston of Leigh in Iden in Sussex.
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 1644 [her former husband] Thomas Penyston 1st Baronet (age 53) died. His son Thomas succeeded 2nd Baronet Penyston of Leigh in Iden in Sussex.
Great x 1 Grandfather: Peter Temple of Stowe 
GrandFather: John Temple
Father: Thomas Temple 1st Baronet