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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Paternal Family Tree: Wriothesley
Before 1489 William Wriothesley was born to [his father] John Writhe.
In 1489 [his brother] Thomas Wriothesley (age 1) was appointed Wallingford Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in the service of Prince Arthur Tudor (age 2).
In 1504 [his father] John Writhe died.
Before 1505 William Wriothesley (age 16) and Agnes Drayton of London were married.
Around 1505 William Wriothesley (age 16) was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary.
On 26th January 1505 [his brother] Thomas Wriothesley (age 17) was appointed Garter King of Arms. Around this time he changed his surname from Writhe to Wriothesley as did his brother William Wriothesley (age 16).
On 21st December 1505 [his son] Thomas Wriothesley 1st Earl of Southampton was born to William Wriothesley (age 16) and [his wife] Agnes Drayton of London. He married 1533 Jane Cheney Countess Southampton and had issue.
In 1509 William Wriothesley (age 20) was appointed York Herald of Arms in Ordinary.
Before 26th April 1513 William Wriothesley (age 24) died.