Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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Paternal Family Tree: Seymour
On 22nd January 1552 Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset [aged 52] was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. He was buried at St Peter ad Vincula Church, Tower of London [Map]. Duke Somerset, Earl Hertford, Viscount Beauchamp forfeit. His great-grandson William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset was restored to the titles in 1660.
In 1588 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset was born to [his father] Edward Seymour [aged 26] and [his mother] Honora Rogers. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
On 22nd June 1610 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 22] and Arabella Stewart [aged 35] were married in secret at Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map]. For having married without permission King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 44] had Arabella Stewart imprisoned in Sir Thomas Perry's House, Lambeth and he in the Tower of London [Map]. She the daughter of Charles Stewart 5th Earl Lennox and Elizabeth Cavendish Countess Lennox. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
On 21st July 1612 [his father] Edward Seymour [aged 50] died.
In 1613 [his brother] Francis Seymour 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge [aged 23] and [his sister-in-law] Frances Prynne were married.
On 25th September 1615 [his wife] Arabella Stewart [aged 40] died at Tower of London [Map] from illnesses exacerbated by her refusal to eat.
On 3rd March 1617 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 29] and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 17] were married at Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire [Map]. She the daughter of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex [aged 50]. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
In 1618 [his daughter] Frances Seymour Countess Southampton was born to William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 30] and [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 18]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. She married (1) 1637 Richard Molyneux 2nd Viscount Molyneux, son of Richard Molyneux 1st Viscount Molyneux and Mary Caryll Viscountess Molyneux (2) 7th May 1659 her second cousin once removed Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester, son of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton and Elizabeth Vernon Countess Southampton (3) 1676 her sixth cousin Conyers Darcy 2nd Earl Holderness, son of Conyers Darcy 1st Earl Holderness and Grace Rokeby.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 28th April 1619. The 28th my Lord [aged 30] and I, my Coz. Sackville and Lady Windsor went to the Tower to see my Lady Somerset [aged 28], where we saw her little child [aged 3]1. My Lord went to see Earl of Northumberland [aged 55]2 and I and the Lady Windsor went to see Lady Shrewsbury [aged 63]3, and after supper my Lord and I went by water to Channel Row to see my [his grandfather] Lord of Hertford [aged 79]4 and his Lady [aged 40] where we found my Lady Beauchamp5, my [his brother-in-law] Lord Essex's [aged 28] Sister, then I went to Arundel House and talked with her about Lords being made Knights of the Garter.
Note 1. "Her little Child," Anne Carr, afterwards married to William 5th Earl and 1st Duke of Bedford [aged 2].
Note 2. Henry, 6th Earl, a Prisoner since the time of the Gunpowder Plot.
Note 3. Mary Cavendish, wife of Gilbert 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, was sent to the Tower in June 1611, at the same time with her niece the Lady Arabella Stuart first cousin of King James. Lady Arabella died, in the Tower, in 1615.
Note 4. Earl of Hertford son of Protector Somerset, and his 3rd wife Frances, d. of Thomas Viscount Howard of Bindon, widow of Henry Pranell, Esq., and married, 3rdly to Ludovick Stuart Duke of Lenox and Richmond [aged 44].
Note 5. Lady Frances Devereux [aged 19], and wife of William Lord Beauchamp [aged 31], afterwards Marquis of Hertford; daughter of Queen Elizabeth's favourite, and sister of the Parliament's General.
In 1621 [his son] William Seymour was born to William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 33] and [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 21]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
In 1622 [his brother-in-law] Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde [aged 18] and Anne Compton Lady Rushout were married. She the daughter of William Compton 1st Earl of Northampton and Elizabeth Spencer Countess Northampton [aged 46]. He the son of Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans [aged 50] and [his mother-in-law] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex [aged 55].
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 1622 [his son] Robert Seymour was born to William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 34] and [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 22]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
In 1626 [his son] Henry Seymour was born to William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 38] and [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 26]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. He married 28th June 1648 his fourth cousin Mary Capell Duchess Beaufort, daughter of Arthur Capell 1st Baron Capell Hadham and Elizabeth Morrison Baroness Capell Hadham, and had issue.
On 11th March 1630 [his brother-in-law] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 39] and Elizabeth Paulet Countess Essex were married. She by marriage Countess Essex. He the son of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and [his mother-in-law] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex [aged 63]. They were fourth cousins.
In 1635 [his brother] Francis Seymour 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge [aged 45] and [his sister-in-law] Catherine Lee Baroness Seymour Trowbridge were married.
On 12th November 1635 Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans [aged 63] died. His son [his brother-in-law] Ulick [aged 31] succeeded 5th Earl Clanricarde, 2nd Earl St Albans. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [aged 42] was blamed for his death making an enemy of Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde and his half-brother (they shared the same mother [his mother-in-law] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex) Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 44].
In 1637 [his daughter] Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea was born to William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 49] and [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 37]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. She married 1650 her third cousin Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea, son of Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea and Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea, and had issue.
In 1637 [his daughter] Jane Seymour was born to William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 49] and [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 37]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. She married 7th May 1661 her half sixth cousin Charles Boyle 3rd Baron Clifford, son of Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington and Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington, and had issue.
Around 1637 [his son-in-law] Richard Molyneux 2nd Viscount Molyneux [aged 18] and Frances Seymour Countess Southampton [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Viscountess Molyneux. She the daughter of William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 49] and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 37].
In 1641 [his brother] Francis Seymour 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge [aged 51] was created 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge. [his sister-in-law] Catherine Lee Baroness Seymour Trowbridge by marriage Baroness Seymour of Trowbridge.
In 1641 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 53] was created 1st Marquess Hertford.
On 16th June 1642 [his son] William Seymour [aged 21] died.
On 20th September 1643 the First Battle of Newbury was fought at Newbury, Berkshire [Map] with King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland [aged 42] commanding the Royalist army and [his brother-in-law] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 52] commanding the victorious Parliamentary army. For King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland John Byron 1st Baron Byron [aged 44] fought with distinction.
Henry Bertie was killed.
Robert Dormer 1st Earl Carnarvon [aged 33] was killed. His son Charles [aged 10] succeeded 2nd Earl Carnarvon, 3rd Baron Dormer of Wyng in Buckinghamshire, 3rd Baronet Dormer of Wyng in Buckinghamshire.
William Villiers 2nd Viscount Grandison [aged 29] was killed. His brother John succeeded 3rd Viscount Grandison.
Edward Villiers [aged 23] fought.
Lucius Carey 2nd Viscount Falkland [aged 33] was killed. His son Lucius [aged 11] succeeded 3rd Viscount Falkland.
Richard Neville [aged 28] served under the Earl Carnarvon. Carnarvon was killed and Neville took up the command as a Colonel of Horse.
Major General Charles Fleetwood [aged 25] was wounded.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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In or before 1645 [his son] John Seymour 4th Duke of Somerset was born to William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 56] and [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 45]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. He married 1656 Sarah Alston Duchess Somerset.
In 1646 [his son] Robert Seymour [aged 24] died.
On 14th September 1646 [his brother-in-law] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 55] died. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. Earl Essex extinct. His half first cousin twice removed Walter [aged 71] succeeded 5th Viscount Hereford. Baron Ferrers of Chartley, Baron Bourchier abeyant.
On 28th June 1648 Henry Seymour [aged 22] and Mary Capell Duchess Beaufort [aged 17] were married at Little Hadham, Hertfordshire [Map]. He the son of William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 60] and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 48]. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
In 1650 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 62] was appointed 447th Knight of the Garter by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 19].
Around 1650 [his son-in-law] Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 22] and Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. She the daughter of William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 62] and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 50]. He the son of Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea and Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea. They were third cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
On 30th March 1654 [his son] Henry Seymour [aged 28] died. He was buried at Bedwyn Magna Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire.
In 1656 John Seymour 4th Duke of Somerset [aged 11] and Sarah Alston Duchess Somerset [aged 14] were married. He the son of William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 68] and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 56].
In July 1657 [his brother-in-law] Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde [aged 53] died. His first cousin Richard succeeded 6th Earl Clanricarde. Earl St Albans extinct.
On 7th May 1659 [his son-in-law] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester [aged 52] and Frances Seymour Countess Southampton [aged 41] were married. She by marriage Countess of Southampton. She the daughter of William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 71] and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 59]. He the son of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton and Elizabeth Vernon Countess Southampton. They were second cousin once removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
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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Before 24th October 1660 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 72] was restored 2nd Duke Somerset, 2nd Earl Hertford, 2nd Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset. [his wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 61] by marriage Duchess Somerset.
On 24th October 1660 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 72] died. His grandson William [aged 6] succeeded 3rd Duke Somerset, 2nd Marquess Hertford, 3rd Earl Hertford, 3rd Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset.
On 23rd April 1674 [his former wife] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 74] died.
[his father] Edward Seymour and [his mother] Honora Rogers were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Edward Seymour 1st Earl Hertford and [his grandmother] Catherine Grey Countess Hertford.
Kings Wessex: Great x 17 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 14 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 19 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 14 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 17 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 3 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 23 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 6 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 21 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Seymour 
11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Seymour 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Coker
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Seymour 9 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Darrell of Littlecote
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Darrell 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Stourtron 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip Wentworth 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Wentworth 4th Baron Despencer 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Clifford Baroness Despencer 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Margery Wentworth 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Saye 
8 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Saye Baroness Despencer 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cheney 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
GrandFather: Edward Seymour 1st Earl Hertford 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Stanhope 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Stanhope
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Stanhope
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Jerningham 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret or Mary Jerningham
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Clifton 
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Stanhope Duchess Somerset 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Bourchier Baron Fitzwarin 
Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Fulk Bourchier 10th Baron Fitzwarin 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Thomasine Hankford 9th Baroness Fitzwarin 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bourchier 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Dynham 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Dynham Baroness Fitzwarin 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Arches
Father: Edward Seymour 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Grey 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Grey 1st Marquess Dorset 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Bonville 6th Baron Harington 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Cecily Bonville Marchioness Dorset 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Neville Baroness Bonville and Hastings 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Grey 1st Duke of Suffolk 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Wotton 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Wotton of Boughton Malherbe
Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Wotton Marchioness Dorset
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Belknap
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Belknap
GrandMother: Catherine Grey Countess Hertford Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Brandon 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Brandon 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Wingfield 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Bruyn aka Darcy 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bruyn
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Darcy 
Great x 1 Grandmother: Frances Brandon Duchess of Suffolk Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Tudor 1st Earl Richmond 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Henry VII of England and Ireland 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Beaufort Countess Richmond 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Tudor Queen Consort France Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward IV of England 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth York Queen Consort England Daughter of King Edward IV of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Mother: Honora Rogers