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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

Biography of William Bromley 1663-1737

Maternal Family Tree: Isabella Venables 1576-1599

In or before 1663 [his father] William Bromley and [his mother] Ursula Leigh were married.

In 1663 [his mother] Ursula Leigh died.

On or before 31st August 1663, the date he was baptised, William Bromley was born to [his father] William Bromley and [his mother] Ursula Leigh at Baginton Hall, Warwickshire.

In 1682 [his father] William Bromley died.

In or before 1685 William Bromley (age 21) and Catherine Cloberry were married.

On or before 16th December 1685, the date he was baptised, [his son] Cloberley Bromley was born to William Bromley (age 22) and [his wife] Catherine Cloberry. He married 25th March 1708 Dorothy Bromley.

Before 21st November 1689, the date of her husband's second marriage, [his wife] Catherine Cloberry died.

On 21st November 1689 William Bromley (age 26) and Trever Fortrey were married. There was no issue from the marriage.

In 1690 William Bromley (age 26) was elected Knight of the Shire Warwickshire.

Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses

Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

Around 1691 [his wife] Trever Fortrey died.

Before 1692 William Bromley (age 28) and Cecilia Swan were married.

Before 12th January 1698, the date of her husband's fourth marriage, [his wife] Cecilia Swan died.

On or after 12th January 1698, the date of the licence, William Bromley (age 34) and Elizabeth Stawell were married.

Around 1699 [his son] William Bromley was born to William Bromley (age 35) and [his wife] Elizabeth Stawell. He married 7th July 1724 Lucy Throckmorton and had issue.

In March 1701 William Bromley (age 37) was elected MP Oxford University at a by-election. He continued to hold one of the university's two seats for the rest of his life.

In 1702 William Bromley (age 38) was Chairman of the Committee of Privileges and Elections of the House of Commons.

On 25th March 1708 [his son] Cloberley Bromley (age 22) and [his daughter-in-law] Dorothy Bromley were married.

On 25th November 1710 William Bromley (age 47) was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons which office he held until 1732

On 20th March 1711 [his son] Cloberley Bromley (age 25) died of smallpox. The House of Commons, on behalf of his father, the Speaker, William Bromley (age 47) adjourbed until the 26th of March.

1712. Michael Dahl (age 53). Portrait of William Bromley (age 48).

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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

On 7th July 1724 [his son] William Bromley (age 25) and [his daughter-in-law] Lucy Throckmorton were married.

On 13th February 1732 William Bromley (age 68) died.

William Bromley and Elizabeth Stawell were married.