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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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MP Bridgwater is in Member Parliament. See Bridgwater, Somerset [Map].
In 1483 William Hody (age 42) was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1625 Arthur Lake (age 27) was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1626 Arthur Lake (age 28) was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1673 Ralph Stawell 1st Baron Stawell (age 32) was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1679 Halswell Tynte 1st Baronet (age 29) was elected MP Bridgwater. He was re-elected in Oct 1679, 1681 and 1685.
In 1701 Thomas Wroth 3rd Baronet (age 27) was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1727 Halswell Tynte 3rd Baronet (age 21) was elected MP Bridgwater.
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 28th March 1761 Edward Southwell 20th Baron Clifford (age 22) was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1762 John Perceval 3rd Earl Egmont (age 23) was elected MP Bridgwater which seat he held until 1768.
Peregrine Paulett was elected MP Bridgwater.