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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Canon is in Lords Spritual England.
In 1500 Roger Lupton [aged 44] was appointed Canon of the seventh stall at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle [Map] which position he held for life.
In 1660, at the Restoration, Bishop Peter Gunning [aged 46] was appointed Canon Canterbury.
In 1375 Bishop Richard Mitford was appointed Canon Chapel Royal Windsor which he held until 1390.
In 1677 Richard Meggot was appointed Canon Chapel Royal Windsor.
In 1813 Henry Cockayne-Cust [aged 32] was appointed Canon Chapel Royal Windsor.
In 1822 Bishop Richard Bagot [aged 39] was appointed Canon Chapel Royal Windsor.
In 1669 Zachary Crodock [aged 6] was appointed Canon Chichester Cathedral.
Before 1307 William Pontington Canon Exeter was appointed Canon Exeter Cathedral.
In 1535 George Carew [aged 37] was appointed Canon Exeter Cathedral.
After 1236 Stephen Segrave [aged 65] was appointed Canon Leicester Abbey.
John Evelyn's Diary. 24th February 1665. Dr. Fell [aged 39], Canon of Christ Church, preached before the King [aged 34], on 15 ch. Romans, v. 2, a very formal discourse, and in blank verse, according to his manner; however, he is a good man. Mr. Philips, preceptor to my son, went to be with the Earl of Pembroke's [aged 44] son, my Lord Herbert [aged 24].
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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On 29th December 1670 Robert South [aged 36] was appointed Canon of Christ Church.
In 1192 Bishop Roger Niger was appointed Canon St Paul's Cathedral.
On 2nd May 1674 Robert Crichton [aged 35] was appointed Canon Wells and installed as Precentor Wells.
In or before 1826 Roger Frankland was appointed Canon Wells.
In 1669 Bishop Thomas Sprat [aged 34] was appointed Canon Westminster Abbey.
In 1894 Bishop Charles Gore [aged 40] was appointed Canon Westminster Abbey.
Amaury Montfort was appointed Canon York.
Reverend Matthew Marsh was appointed Canon of Salisbury Cathedral.