Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
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Paternal Family Tree: Townshend
Robert Townshend was born to [his father] Roger Townshend and [his mother] Anne de Brewse aka Braose.
Around 1500 [his father] Roger Townshend (age 22) and [his mother] Anne de Brewse aka Braose (age 25) were married.
In 1515 Robert Townshend admitted at Lincoln's Inn.
In 1526 Robert Townshend was appointed Justice of the Peace Norfolk.
Before 1534 Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy were married.
Around 1534 [his son] Thomas Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and [his wife] Alice Poppy. He married 9th April 1582 Anne D'Oyley.
Around 1535 [his son] Robert Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and [his wife] Alice Poppy. He married before 1613 Ann Machell.
In 1537 [his son] Henry Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and [his wife] Alice Poppy. He married (1) before 1592 Susanna Hayward, daughter of Rowland Hayward (2) 1593 his fourth cousin twice removed Dorothy Heveningham.
In 1540 Robert Townshend was appointed Serjeant at Law.
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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In 1543 Robert Townshend was appointed King's Serjeant.
In 1545 Robert Townshend was appointed Chief Justice of the Marches of Wales and Chester.
Before 21st May 1545 Robert Townshend was appointed Justice Chester.
On 21st May 1545 Robert Townshend was knighted by Henry VIII (age 53) at Hampton Court Palace, Richmond [Map].
On 6th October 1550 [his son-in-law] Humphrey Archer of Umberslade (age 22) and [his daughter] Alice Townshend were married.
On 25th July 1551 [his mother] Anne de Brewse aka Braose (age 76) died.
On 25th November 1551 [his father] Roger Townshend (age 73) died at Raynham, Norfolk [Map].
On 8th February 1556 Robert Townshend died.
Around 1575 [his former wife] Alice Poppy died.
1581. Monument to Robert Townshend and his wife [his former wife] Alice Poppy at St Laurence's Church, Ludlow [Map]. She wearing a Bongrace. He, unusually, with his head on a book. The inscription panel behind the tomb, cutting into older tracery, bears the date 1581; it seems likely that the tomb in its present state dates from that time, and was erected by his children, after the death of their mother in the 1570s. The figures of their twelve children, six sons in pairs on the front, six daughters in two groups of three at each end, all named, are set within a classical framework of round-headed arched divided by fluted Ionic columns. The tomb has been much repaired and repainted. The recess in which the tomb stands was originally the setting for the pre-Reformation Easter Sepulchre, a sacred location which became popular for personal tombs in the later middle ages. The decorative arch around the recess has hanging corbels, the eastern one carved with a pomegranate, emblem of Katharine of Aragon, suggesting the arch was part of a refurbishment of the church in the early 16th century, when Katharine, as the wife of Prince Arthur, was living in Ludlow.
Alice Poppy: she was born to Robert Poppy. Before 1534 Robert Townshend and she were married. Around 1575 she died.
[his son] Roger Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
[his daughter] Amey Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
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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[his daughter] Alice Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy. She married 6th October 1550 Humphrey Archer of Umberslade.
[his daughter] Bridget Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
[his daughter] Eleanor Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
[his daughter] Grace Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
[his daughter] Elizabeth Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
[his son] John Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
[his son] Isaac Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
[his daughter] Thomazin Townshend was born to Robert Townshend and Alice Poppy.
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Townshend 
GrandFather: Roger Townshend
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Lunsford of Romford in Essex
Great x 1 Grandmother: Joan Lunsford
Father: Roger Townshend
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Lunsford of Battle in Sussex
GrandMother: Eleanor Lunsford
GrandFather: William
Mother: Anne de Brewse aka Braose
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Hopton
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Hopton
GrandMother: Elizabeth Hopton of Blythburgh
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Savile of Shelley and Golcar 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Savile of Thornhill
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Elland
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Savile
Great x 4 Grandfather: Simon Thornhill
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Thornhill
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Savile
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Pilkington
Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Pilkington