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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Paternal Family Tree: Colley
Maternal Family Tree: Jane Wyche
In 1784 [his father] William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington (age 20) and [his mother] Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington (age 22) were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Garrett Wellesley 1st Earl Mornington and [his grandmother] Anne Hill Countess Mornington (age 41).
On 22nd June 1788 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington was born to [his father] William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington (age 25) and [his mother] Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington (age 27).
On 19th July 1788 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington was baptised at St George's Church, Hanover Square.
On 14th September 1805 James Long aka Tylney-Long 8th Baronet (age 11) died. Baronet Long of Westminster in London extinct. His sister [his future wife] Catherine "The Wiltshire Heiress" Tylney Long (age 16) inherited his estates giving her the soubriquet "The Wiltshire Heiress".
On 26th June 1811 [his brother-in-law] John Fane 11th Earl of Westmoreland (age 27) and [his sister] Priscilla Anne Wellesley-Pole Countess of Westmoreland (age 18) were married. She the daughter of [his father] William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington (age 48) and [his mother] Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington (age 50). He the son of John Fane 10th Earl of Westmoreland (age 52) and Sarah Anne Child Countess of Westmoreland.
In 1812 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 23) was elected MP St Ives.
On 14th March 1812 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 23) and Catherine "The Wiltshire Heiress" Tylney Long (age 23) were married. He the son of William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington (age 48) and Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington (age 51). They were half sixth cousins.
On 7th October 1813 [his son] William Richard Arthur Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 5th Earl Mornington was born to William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 25) and [his wife] Catherine "The Wiltshire Heiress" Tylney Long (age 24) at Wansted House, Essex.
On 6th August 1814 [his brother-in-law] Fitzroy James Henry Somerset 1st Baron Raglan (age 25) and [his sister] Emily Harriet Wellesley-Pole Baroness Raglan (age 22) were married. She the daughter of [his father] William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington (age 51) and [his mother] Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington (age 53). He the son of Henry Somerset 5th Duke Beaufort and Elizabeth Boscawen Duchess Beaufort (age 67). They were fifth cousins.
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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In 1818 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 29) was elected MP Wiltshire.
In 1822 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 33) was appointed Gentleman Usher.
On 12th September 1825 [his wife] Catherine "The Wiltshire Heiress" Tylney Long (age 36) died.
In 1828 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 39) and Helena Paterson Bligh Countess Mornington were married. He the son of William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington (age 64) and Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington (age 66).
In 1830 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 41) was elected MP St Ives.
In 1831 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 42) was elected Knight of the Shire Essex.
In July 1831 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 43) was imprisoned in Fleet Prison [Map] for contempt of court.
On 15th December 1841 John Fane 10th Earl of Westmoreland (age 82) died. His son [his brother-in-law] John (age 57) succeeded 11th Earl of Westmoreland. [his sister] Priscilla Anne Wellesley-Pole Countess of Westmoreland (age 48) by marriage Countess of Westmoreland.
On 26th September 1842 [his uncle] Richard Wellesley 1st Marquess Wellesley (age 82) died at Kingston House Knightsbridge, Kensington. His brother [his father] William (age 79) succeeded 3rd Earl Mornington, 3rd Viscount Wellesley of Dangan Castle. [his mother] Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington (age 81) by marriage Countess Mornington.
On 22nd February 1845 [his father] William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington (age 81) died. His son William (age 56) succeeded 4th Earl Mornington, 4th Viscount Wellesley of Dangan Castle. [his wife] Helena Paterson Bligh Countess Mornington by marriage Countess Mornington.
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 1852 [his brother-in-law] Fitzroy James Henry Somerset 1st Baron Raglan (age 63) was created 1st Baron Raglan. [his sister] Emily Harriet Wellesley-Pole Baroness Raglan (age 60) by marriage Baroness Raglan.
On 1st July 1857 William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington (age 69) died at Thayer Street Manchester Square Marylebone. He was buried at Catacomb B Kensal Green Cemetery. His son William (age 43) succeeded 5th Earl Mornington, 5th Viscount Wellesley of Dangan Castle.
On 7th April 1869 [his former wife] Helena Paterson Bligh Countess Mornington died.
[his daughter] Victoria Pole Tylney Long Wellesley was born to William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington and Catherine "The Wiltshire Heiress" Tylney Long.
Kings Wessex: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 20 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 26 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 21 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 29 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 24 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Colley
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard Colley aka Wesley 1st Baron Mornington
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Ussher of Bridgefoot
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Ussher
GrandFather: Garrett Wellesley 1st Earl Mornington
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Sale
Father: William Wellesley aka Wellesley-Pole 3rd Earl Mornington
Great x 4 Grandfather: Arthur Hill
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Hill
Great x 2 Grandfather: Michael Hill
Great x 1 Grandfather: Arthur Hill aka Hill-Trevor 1st Viscount Dungannon
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Trevor 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Trevor
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Trevor
GrandMother: Anne Hill Countess Mornington
William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley 4th Earl Mornington 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Arthur Forbes 1st Baronet
Great x 3 Grandfather: Arthur Forbes 1st Earl Granard
Great x 2 Grandfather: Arthur Forbes 2nd Earl Granard
Great x 1 Grandfather: George Forbes 3rd Earl Granard
GrandFather: John Forbes
Mother: Katherine Forbes Countess Mornington 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Arthur Capell 1st Baron Capell Hadham 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Morrison Baroness Capell Hadham 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Algernon Capell 2nd Earl Essex 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Percy Countess Essex 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Cecil 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Capell 3rd Earl Essex 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Bentinck 1st Earl of Portland 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Bentinck Countess Essex 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Villiers 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Villiers Countess Portland 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Howard 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandMother: Mary Capell 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Hyde 1st Earl Clarendon
Great x 3 Grandfather: Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester 
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Aylesbury Countess Clarendon 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Rochester 4th Earl Clarendon 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Jane Hyde Countess Essex 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Gower 2nd Baronet
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Leveson-Gower 4th Baronet 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Leveson Baroness Gower 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Jane Leveson-Gower Countess Rochester and Clarendon 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Granville 1st Earl Bath
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Granville Baroness Gower
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Wyche