Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Speaker of the House of Commons is in Crown.
In January 1377 Thomas Hungerford was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1399 William Dorward of Dorward Hall in Bocking in Essex was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1404 William Sturmey [aged 48] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1406 John Tiptoft 1st Baron Tiptoft was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1407 Thomas Chaucer [aged 40] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1413 William Dorward of Dorward Hall in Bocking in Essex was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In May 1414 the Fire and Faggot Parliament at Greyfriars Priory, Leicester [Map]. Walter Hungerford 1st Baron Hungerford [aged 35] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons. It was named for the Suppression of Heresy Act which called for burning the Lollards with bundles of sticks known as faggots.
In 1415 Richard Redman [aged 65] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
Around April 1416 Walter Beauchamp [aged 52] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1421 John Tyrrell [aged 39] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1426 Richard Vernon aka Pembridge [aged 37] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
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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In 1429 John Tyrrell [aged 47] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1437 John Hody was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1437 John Tyrrell [aged 55] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 26th September 1439 William Tresham was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 3rd December 1441 William Tresham was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 14th December 1446 William Tresham was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1455 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock [aged 55] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 9th October 1459 Thomas Tresham [aged 39] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons at Coventry, Warwickshire [Map]. The primary purpose of the Parliament was to attaint the Yorkist leaders:
Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York [aged 48], his sons Edward Earl of March [aged 17], Edmund Earl of Rutland [aged 16] were attainted, as were Richard Neville Earl Salisbury [aged 59] and his sons Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury [aged 30] and John Neville 1431-1471 [aged 28].
On 24th January 1484 William Catesby [aged 34] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 7th November 1485 Thomas Lovell was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 10th November 1487 John Mordaunt [aged 31] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 18th October 1491 Richard Empson [aged 41] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 15th October 1495 Robert Drury [aged 41] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons during the 5th Parliament of Henry VII.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In 1497 Thomas Englefield was elected Knight of the Shire Bedfordshire. Thomas Englefield was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1504 Edmund Dudley [aged 42] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1510 Thomas Englefield was elected Knight of the Shire Bedfordshire. Thomas Englefield was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1512 Robert Sheffield [aged 51] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1514 Thomas Neville [aged 39] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1523 Thomas More [aged 44] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons on the recommendation of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey [aged 49].
In 1533 Humphrey Wingfield was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1539 Nicholas Hare [aged 55] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1553 John Pollard was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1553 James Dyer [aged 43] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1554 Robert Broke was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
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In 1555 John Pollard was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1571 Christopher Wray [aged 47] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1572 Robert Bell [aged 33] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1580 John Popham [aged 49] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons which post he held for three years.
On 23rd November 1585 John Puckering [aged 41] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 24th November 1597 Christopher Yelverton [aged 61] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In October 1601 John Croke [aged 48] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 19th March 1604 Edward Phelips [aged 47] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons which office he held until 1611.
In 1626 Heneage Finch [aged 46] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1640 William Lenthall [aged 48] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 20th February 1640 Henry Berkeley of Bruton [aged 61] was elected MP Ilchester
John Glanville [aged 54] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In September 1651 John Temple [aged 19] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1661 Edward Turnour [aged 44] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1673 Edward Seymour 4th Baronet [aged 40] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1678 Robert Sawyer [aged 45] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons but resigned a month later due to health.
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 1680 and 1681 William Williams 1st Baronet [aged 46] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1698 Thomas Littleton 3rd Baronet [aged 50] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In February 1701 Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 39] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 25th November 1710 William Bromley [aged 47] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons which office he held until 1732
In 1714 Thomas Hanmer 4th Baronet [aged 36] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1715 Spencer Compton 1st Earl Wilmington [aged 42] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 23rd January 1728 Arthur Onslow [aged 36] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons unanimously.
In 1735 Arthur Onslow [aged 43] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons unanimously.
In 1741 Arthur Onslow [aged 49] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons unanimously.
In 1747 Arthur Onslow [aged 55] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons unanimously.
In 1754 Arthur Onslow [aged 62] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons unanimously.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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In 1761 John Cust 3rd Baronet [aged 42] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1789 Charles Wolfram Cornwall [aged 53] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons which position he held until his death in 1789.
In 1802 Charles Abbot 1st Baron Colchester [aged 44] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1839 Charles Shaw-Lefevre 1st Viscount Eversley [aged 44] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 20th June 1928 Edward Fitzroy [aged 58] was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
James Strangeways was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
William Bromley was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.