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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MP Grimsby is in Member Parliament.
1654 First Protectorate Parliament
1656 Second Protectorate Parliament
In 1523 John Heneage (age 38) was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1529 John Heneage (age 44) was elected MP Grimsby.
In October 1553 George Henage (age 31) was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1558 Marmaduke Tyrwhitt was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1572 Thomas Moryson was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1614 John Wray 2nd Baronet (age 27) was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1621 Christopher Wray (age 20) was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1624 Christopher Wray (age 23) was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1625 Christopher Wray (age 24) was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1628 Christopher Wray (age 27) was elected MP Grimsby.
In April 1640 Gervase Holles (age 33) was elected MP Grimsby in the Short Parliament.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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In April 1640 Christopher Wray (age 39) was elected MP Grimsby during the Short Parliament.
In November 1640 Gervase Holles (age 33) was elected MP Grimsby in the Long Parliament.
In November 1640 Christopher Wray (age 39) was elected MP Grimsby during the Long Parliament.
Around September 1646 William Wray 1st Baronet (age 21) was elected MP Grimsby.
On 3rd September 1654 William Wray 1st Baronet (age 29) was elected MP Grimsby during the First Protectorate Parliament.
In 1656 William Wray 1st Baronet (age 31) was elected MP Grimsby during the Second Protectorate Parliament.
William Wyndham 1st Baronet (age 24) was elected MP Somerset during the Second Protectorate Parliament.
Thomas Crew 2nd Baron Crew (age 32) was elected MP Northamptonshire during the Second Protectorate Parliament.
Francis Bacon (age 55) was elected MP Ipswich in the Second Protectorate Parliament.
In 1659 William Wray 1st Baronet (age 34) was elected MP Grimsby during the Third Protectorate Parliament.
In April 1660 William Wray 1st Baronet (age 35) was elected MP Grimsby during the Convention Parliament.
In 1661 Gervase Holles (age 53) was elected MP Grimsby which seat he held until his death in 1675.
In 1667 Freschville Holles (age 24) was elected MP Grimsby.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 28th September 1667. After dinner comes Sir Fr. Hollis (age 25) to me about business; and I with him by coach to the Temple [Map], and there I 'light; all the way he telling me romantic lies of himself and his family, how they have been Parliamentmen for Grimsby, he and his forefathers, this 140 years; and his father (age 60) is now: and himself, at this day, stands for to be, with his father, by the death of his fellow-burgess; and that he believes it will cost him as much as it did his predecessor, which was £300 in ale, and £52 in buttered ale; which I believe is one of his devilish lies.
Before 31st August 1679 Christopher Wray 2nd and 6th Baronet (age 27) was elected MP Grimsby.
In 1768 Anthony St Leger (age 35) was elected MP Grimsby which seat he held until 1774.
In 1880 Edward Heneage 1st Baron Heneage (age 39) was elected MP Grimsby which seat he held until 1895.