Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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Hatfield, Hertfordshire is in Hertfordshire.
See: Fore Street Lodge, Hatfield [Map], Hatfield House, Hertfordshire [Map], Old Palace, Hatfield [Map], St Etheldreda's Church, Hatfield [Map].
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 675. This year Wulfere [aged 35], the son of Penda, and Escwin, the son of Cenfus, fought at Bedwin. The same year died Wulfere, and Ethelred succeeded to the government. In his time sent he to Rome Bishop Wilfrid to the pope that then was, called Agatho, and told him by word and by letter, how his brothers Peada and Wulfere, and the Abbot Saxulf, had wrought a minster, called Medhamsted; and that they had freed it, against king and against bishop, from every service; and he besought him that he would confirm it with his writ and with his blessing. And the pope sent then his writ to England, thus saying: "I Agatho, Pope of Rome, greet well the worthy Ethelred, king of the Mercians, and the Archbishop Theodorus of Canterbury [aged 73], and Saxulf, the bishop of the Mercians, who before was abbot, and all the abbots that are in England; God's greeting and my blessing. I have heard the petition of King Ethelred, and of the Archbishop Theodorus, and of the Bishop Saxulf, and of the Abbot Cuthbald; and I will it, that it in all wise be as you have spoken it. And I ordain, in behalf of God, and of St. Peter, and of all saints, and of every hooded head, that neither king, nor bishop, nor earl, nor any man whatever, have any claim, or gable, or gild, or levy, or take any service of any kind, from the abbey of Medhamsted. I command also, that no shire-bishop be so bold as to hold an ordination or consecration within this abbacy, except the abbot intreat him, nor have there any claim to proxies, or synodals, or anything whatever of any kind. And I will, that the abbot be holden for legate of Rome over all that island; and whatever abbot is there chosen by the monks that he be consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. I will and decree, that, whatever man may have made a vow to go to Rome, and cannot perform it, either from infirmity, or for his lord's need, or from poverty, or from any other necessity of any kind whatever, whereby he cannot come thither, be he of England, or of whatever other island he be, he may come to that minster of Medhamsted, and have the same forgiveness of Christ and St. Peter, and of the abbot, and of the monks, that he should have if he went to Rome. Now bid I thee, brother Theodorus, that thou let it be proclaimed through all England, that a synod be gathered, and this writ be read and observed. Also I tell thee, Bishop Saxulf, that, as thou desirest it, that the minster be free, so I forbid thee, and all the bishops that after thee come, from Christ and from all his saints, that ye have no demand from that minster, except so much as the abbot will. Now will I say in a word, that, whoso holdeth this writ and this decree, then be he ever dwelling with God Almighty in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso breaketh it, then be he excommunicated, and thrust down with Judas, and with all the devils in hell, except he come to repentance. Amen!" This writ sent the Pope Agatho, and a hundred and twenty-five bishops, by Wilfrid, Archbishop of York, to England. This was done after our Lord's Nativity 680, the sixth year of King Ethelred. Then the king commanded the Archbishop Theodorus, that he should appoint a general Wittenmoot at the place called Hatfield. When they were there collected, then he allowed the letter to be read that the pope sent thither; and all ratified and confirmed it. Then said the king: "All things that my brother Peada, and my brother Wulfere, and my sisters, Kyneburga and Kyneswitha, gave and granted to St. Peter and the abbot, these I will may stand; and I will in my day increase it, for their souls and for my soul. Now give I St. Peter to-day into his minster, Medhamsted, these lands, and all that thereto lyeth; that is, Bredon, Repings, Cadney, Swineshead, Hanbury, Lodeshall, Scuffanhall, Cosford, Stratford, Wattleburn, Lushgard, Ethelhun-island, Bardney [Map]. These lands I give St. Peter just as freely as I possessed them myself; and so, that none of my successors take anything therefrom. Whoso doeth it, have he the curse of the Pope of Rome, and the curse of all bishops, and of all those that are witnesses here. And this I confirm with the token of Christ." (+) "I Theodorus, Archbishop of Canterbury, am witness to this charter of Medhamsted; and I ratify it with my hand, and I excommunicate all that break anything thereof; and I bless all that hold it." (+) "I Wilfrid, Archbishop of York, am witness to this charter; and I ratify this same curse." (+) "I Saxulf, who was first abbot, and now am bishop, I give my curse, and that of all my successors, to those who break this."-"I Ostritha, Ethelred's queen, confirm it."-"I Adrian, legate, ratify it."-"I Putta, Bishop of Rochester, subscribe it."-"I Waldhere, Bishop of London, confirm it."-"I Cuthbald, abbot, ratify it; so that, whoso breaketh it, have he the cursing of all bishops and of all christian folk. Amen."
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 680. This year Archbishop Theodore [aged 78] appointed a synod at Hatfield; because he was desirous of rectifying the belief of Christ; and the same year died Hilda [aged 66], Abbess of Whitby.
Around November 1431 Jasper Tudor 1st Duke Bedford was born to Owen Tudor [aged 31] and Catherine of Valois Queen Consort England [aged 30] at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. He married 7th November 1485 his fifth cousin Catherine Woodville Duchess Buckingham and Bedford, daughter of Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford.
In 1538 Henry Boteler was born to John Boteler [aged 25] and Griselda Roche [aged 22] at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. He married (1) 26th July 1563 Catherine Waller and had issue (2) before 1580 Alice Poulter and had issue.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 3rd December 1556. The iij day of Desember cam rydyng from her plasse my lade Elizabeth('s) [aged 23] grace, from Somersett place downe Fletstreet, and thrugh Old Bayle, and thrugh Smyth-field, with a grett compene; and her servandes alle in red gardyd with velvett; and so her grace toke her way toward Bysshope Atfeld plasse.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 22nd July 1661. So by degrees till I come to Hatfield, Hertfordshire before twelve o'clock, where I had a very good dinner with my hostess, at my Lord of Salisbury's Inn, and after dinner though weary I walked all alone to the Vineyard, which is now a very beautiful place again; and coming back I met with Mr. Looker, my Lord's gardener (a friend of Mr. Eglin's), who showed me the house, the chappell with brave pictures, and, above all, the gardens, such as I never saw in all my life; nor so good flowers, nor so great gooseberrys, as big as nutmegs.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 7th August 1661. At Hatfield, Hertfordshire we bayted and walked into the great house through all the courts; and I would fain have stolen a pretty dog that followed me, but I could not, which troubled me.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st August 1661. From thence about two o'clock to Mrs. Whately's, but she being going to dinner we went to Whitehall and there staid till past three, and here I understand by Mr. Moore that my Lady Sandwich [aged 36] is brought to bed yesterday of a young Lady, and is very well. So to Mrs. Whately's again, and there were well received, and she desirous to have the thing go forward, only is afeard that her daughter is too young and portion not big enough, but offers £200 down with her. The girl is very well favoured, and a very child, but modest, and one I think will do very well for my brother: so parted till she hears from Hatfield, Hertfordshire from her husband, who is there; but I find them very desirous of it, and so am I Hence home to my father's, and I to the Wardrobe, where I supped with the ladies, and hear their mother is well and the young child, and so home.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st September 1663. Up very betimes by break of day, and got my wife up, whom the thought of this day's long journey do discourage; and after eating something, and changing of a piece of gold to pay the reckoning, we mounted, and through Baldwicke, where a fayre is kept to-day, and a great one for cheese and other such commodities, and so to Hatfield, Hertfordshire, it being most curious weather from the time we set out to our getting home, and here we dined, and my wife being very weary, and believing that it would be hard to get her home to-night, and a great charge to keep her longer abroad, I took the opportunity of an empty coach that was to go to London, and left her to come in it to London, for half-a-crown, and so I and the boy home as fast as we could drive, and it was even night before we got home. So that I account it very good fortune that we took this course, being myself very weary, much more would my wife have been. At home found all very well and my house in good order. To see Sir W. Pen [aged 42], who is pretty well, and Sir J. Minnes [aged 64], who is a little lame on one foot, and the rest gone to Chatham, Kent [Map], viz.: Sir G. Carteret [aged 53] and Sir W. Batten [aged 62], who has in my absence inveighed against my contract the other day for Warren's masts, in which he is a knave, and I shall find matter of tryumph, but it vexes me a little.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 16th October 1664. Lord's Day. It raining, we set out, and about nine o'clock got to Hatfield, Hertfordshire in church-time; and I 'light and saw my simple Lord Salsbury [aged 73] sit there in his gallery.
Fore Street Lodge, Hatfield [Map].
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.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 11th March 1643. I went to see my Lord of Salisbury's [aged 51] Palace [Map] at Hatfield, where the most considerable rarity, besides the house (inferior to few then in England for its architecture), were the garden and vineyard, rarely well watered and planted. They also showed us the picture of Secretary Cecil, in Mosaic work, very well done by some Italian hand.
John Evelyn's Diary. 15th April 1643. To Hatfield [Map], and near the town of Hertford I went to see Sir J. Harrison's [aged 53] house new built. Returning to London, I called to see his Majesty's house and gardens at Theobald's, since demolished by the rebels.
On 3rd February 1830 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 3rd Marquess Salisbury was born to James Brownlow William Gascoyne-Cecil 2nd Marquess Salisbury [aged 38] and Frances Mary Gascoyne Marchioness Salisbury [aged 24] at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire [Map]. He married 11th July 1857 Georgina Alderson Marchioness of Salisbury and had issue.
Prodigy House. A large house built in the Tudor, Elizabethan and Jacobean periods defined by their use of glass. Prodigy houses include: Longford Castle, Wiltshire [Map], Wollaton Hall, Nottinghamshire, Longleat House, Burghley House, Hatfield House, Hertfordshire [Map] and Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire [Map].
