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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
MP Richmond is in Member Parliament.
In 1597 Christopher Wyvill (age 35) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1625 Christopher Wandesford (age 32) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1626 Christopher Wandesford (age 33) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1640 William Pennyman 1st Baronet (age 33) was elected MP Richmond which seat he held until 1642 when he was barred from sitting.
In 1659 Christopher Wyvill 3rd Baronet (age 44) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1660 Christopher Wyvill 3rd Baronet (age 45) was elected MP Richmond.
In April 1660 James Darcy (age 42) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1664 William Killigrew (age 58) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1695 Marmaduke Wyvill 5th Baronet (age 29) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1727 Marmaduke Wyvill 6th Baronet (age 35) was elected MP Richmond. On petition the seats were awarded to their opponents on 14th March 1728.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In 1790 Lawrence Dundas 1st Earl Zetland (age 23) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1808 Lawrence Dundas 1st Earl Zetland (age 41) was elected MP Richmond.
In 1811 James Maitland 9th Earl Lauderdale (age 26) was elected MP Richmond which seat he held until 1820.
In 1841 George Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (age 23) was elected MP Richmond.