The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Dartford, Kent is in Kent.
Watling Street. From Durobrivae [Map] the road continues through Park Pale, Kent [Map], Vagniacis [Map], Dartford, Kent [Map], Noviomagus [Map], Bexley, Kent [Map], down Shooter's Hill, Greenwich [Map] past Eltham Common, Kent [Map] to Greenwich Park [Map] where the road either (or both):
1. went along the Old Kent Road [Map] and crossed the River Thames at either the London Bridge [Map] or a ford near Westminster Bridge [Map] after which it continued north past St Mary-le-Bow Church, Cheapside [Map], Newgate Gate [Map], Ludgate Hill [Map] and over the River Fleet at Fleet Bridge [Map] to Marble Arch [Map].
2. continued north-west through Camberwell, Surrey [Map] crossing the River Thames near Vauxhall Bridge [Map] after which it continued north to Marble Arch [Map].
On 30th June 1360 King John "The Good" II of France [aged 41] left the Tower of London [Map] and proceeded to Eltham Palace, Kent [Map] where Queen Philippa [aged 50] had prepared a great farewell entertainment. Passing the night at Dartford, Kent [Map], he continued towards Dover, Kent [Map], stopping at the Maison Dieu of St Mary at Ospringe, and paying homage at the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury [Map] on 4th July 1360. He dined with the Black Prince [aged 30] at Dover Castle [Map], and reached English-held Calais [Map] on 8th July 1360.
In or before 1542 Edward Darcy was born to Arthur Darcy [aged 46] and Mary Carew [aged 24] at Dartford, Kent [Map].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 27th January 1554. [The xxvij day of January the city sent into Kent a great number of men in white coats. The captains to command them, and the rest of their forces, were the duke of Norfolk [aged 17], earl of Ormond [aged 22], sir George Howard [aged 29], [Possibly Hayward] and divers others. But many of the guards, and of the white-coats, deserted] them, and captaynes cam hom a-gayn. Wyatt [aged 33] had gotten some of the late king's ordenanse; and so, after their removyng, cam towards Dartford [Map] with ys army towards London.
Note. P. 52. Sir George Howard was son of lord Edmund Howard, and one of the brothers of queen Katharine Howard. He was knighted by the duke of Somerset in Scotland in 1547; and in March 1550–1 had a warrant for office of Master of the Henchmen for one whole year. He was appointed to attend upon the young lords sent over the sea as hostages, whereof the earl of Hertford was one. Strype, Mem. ii. 539.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 17th July 1559. The xvij day of July the Quen('s) [aged 25] grace removyd from Grenwyche [Map] of her prograsse unto Darford [Map] in Kent; so the next day removyd unto Cobham [Map], my lord Cobham('s) [aged 31] plasse, and ther her grace had grett chere.
On 28th October 1612 Edward Darcy [aged 70] died at Dartford, Kent [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 10th November 1675. Thus we set out three coaches (besides mine), three wagons, and about forty horses. It being late, and my Lord [aged 47] as yet but valetudinary, we got but to Dartford, Kent [Map], the first day, the next to Sittingbourne, Kent [Map].
On 30th January 1847 Joseph Maas was born in Dartford, Kent [Map].
On 26th July 1943 Mick Jagger was born to Basil Fanshawe "Joe" Jagger [aged 30] and Eva Ensley Mary Scutts [aged 30] at Dartford, Kent [Map].
Froissart Book 4 Chapter 96. The mayor of London and several of the principal citizens, accompanied the earl of Derby as far as Dartford, Kent [Map]: some even rode to Dover with him, and remained in his company until he embarked on board the vessel that was to convey him to Calais, when they returned to their homes. The earl of Derby, before his arrival at Calais, had sent a knight and herald to the king of France, and to the dukes of Orléans, Berry, Burgundy and Bourbon, to know if it were agreeable to them that he should fix his residence in Paris, paying punctually for all that he or his people might want, and if the court would receive him.
The River Darent joins the River Thames at Dartford, Kent [Map].
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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The River Cray joins the River Thames at Dartford, Kent [Map].
Dartford Priory, Kent is also in Priories in England.
The History of King Richard the Third by Thomas More. King Edward of that name the Fourth [aged 40], after he had lived fifty and three years, seven months, and six days, and thereof reigned two and twenty years, one month, and eight days, died at Westminster the ninth day of April, the year of our redemption, a thousand four hundred four score and three, leaving much fair issue, that is, Edward the Prince [aged 12], thirteen years of age; Richard Duke of York [aged 9], two years younger; Elizabeth [aged 17], whose fortune and grace was after to be queen, wife unto King Henry the Seventh [aged 26], and mother unto the Eighth; Cecily [aged 14] not so fortunate as fair; Brigette [aged 2], who, representing the virtue of her whose name she bore, professed and observed a religious life in Dertford [Map], a house of cloistered Nuns; Anne [aged 7], who was after honourably married unto Thomas [aged 10], then Lord Howard and after Earl of Surrey; and Katherine [aged 3], who long time tossed in either fortune-sometime in wealth, often in adversity-at the last, if this be the last, for yet she lives, is by the goodness of her nephew, King Henry the Eighth, in very prosperous state, and worthy her birth and virtue.
Around 1507 Bridget York [aged 26] died at Dartford Priory, Kent [Map].
On 4th December 1682 John Twisleton 1st Baronet [aged 68] died. He was buried at Holy Trinity Church, Dartford where he has a monument on which is inscribed:
Near this place lieth interred the body of John Twisleton, of Horsman's Place, in this Parish, Esq; son and heir of John Twisleton of Drax in the county of York, Esq. who was uncle and heir of Sir George Twisleton of Barley in the said county, Bart. the ancient and paternal seat of the family. This John had four wives: the first, Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Augustin Skinner of Tolsham in this county, Esq; the second, Lucy, fifth daughter of Samuel Dunch, of Baddesley in the county of Berks, Esq; who also lyeth buried near this place; the third, Elisabeth, eldest daughter and coheir of the right honourable James, Viscount, and Baron Say and Seale, by whom he had issue two sons and a daughter, who died soon after they were born, and lye buried here, and also a daughter now living; his fourth wife was Anne, daughter and heir of John-Christopher Meyern, a German, which survived him. He departed this life, the 4th day of December, in the year of our Lord mdclxxxii, in the lxixth [69th] year of his age.
"Vir bonus, pius, & justus. [A good, pious, and just man.]"
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd March 1660. Up early, carried my Lord's will in a black box to Mr. William Montagu [aged 42] for him to keep for him. Then to the barber's and put on my cravat there. So to my Lord again, who was almost ready to be gone and had staid for me. Hither came Gilb. Holland, and brought me a stick rapier and Shelston a sugar-loaf, and had brought his wife who he said was a very pretty woman to the Ship tavern hard by for me to see but I could not go. Young Reeve also brought me a little perspective glass which I bought for my Lord, it cost me 8s. So after that my Lord in Sir H. Wright's [aged 23] coach with Captain Isham [aged 32], Mr. Thomas, John Crew, W. Howe, and I in a Hackney to the Tower, where the barges staid for us; my Lord and the Captain in one, and W. Howe and I, &c., in the other, to the Long Reach, where the Swiftsure lay at anchor; (in our way we saw the great breach which the late high water had made, to the loss of many £1000 to the people about Limehouse [Map].) Soon as my Lord on board, the guns went off bravely from the ships. And a little while after comes the Vice-Admiral Lawson [aged 45], and seemed very respectful to my Lord, and so did the rest of the Commanders of the frigates that were thereabouts. I to the cabin allotted for me, which was the best that any had that belonged to my Lord. I got out some things out of my chest for writing and to work presently, Mr. Burr and I both. I supped at the deck table with Mr. Sheply. We were late writing of orders for the getting of ships ready, &c.; and also making of others to all the seaports between Hastings and Yarmouth, to stop all dangerous persons that are going or coming between Flanders and there. After that to bed in my cabin, which was but short; however I made shift with it and slept very well, and the weather being good I was not sick at all yet, I know not what I shall be.