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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MP Bedfordshire is in Member Parliament.
In 1433 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 33) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1436 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 36) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1447 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 47) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1449 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 49) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1455 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 55) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1553 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 45) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In April 1554 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 46) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In November 1554 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 46) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1555 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 47) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
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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In 1563 Lewis Mordaunt 3rd Baron Mordaunt (age 24) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1601 Oliver St John 1st Earl Bolingbroke (age 21) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1603 Oliver St John 1st Earl Bolingbroke (age 23) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1641 John Burgoyne 2nd Baronet (age 22) was elected MP Bedfordshire in the Long Parliament.
In 1661 Humphrey Winch 1st Baronet (age 38) was elected MP Bedfordshire which seat he held until 1679.
In 1727 Pattee Byng 2nd Viscount Torrington (age 27) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1794 John Osborn 5th Baronet (age 21) was elected MP Bedfordshire which seat he held until 1807.
In 1818 John Osborn 5th Baronet (age 45) was elected MP Bedfordshire which seat he held until 1820.