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All About History Books

The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Scarborough Castle Rebellion

Scarborough Castle Rebellion is in 1553-1558 Queen Mary.

On 25th April 1557 Thomas Stafford (age 24) sailed from Dieppe with two ships and over 30 men. He took Scarborough Castle [Map] and declared himself Protector of the Realm.

On 28th April 1557 Henry Neville 5th Earl of Westmoreland (age 32) retook Scarborough Castle [Map] and captured the rebels.

Henry Machyn's Diary. April 1557. The (blank) day of Aprell suffered dethe in [several] plases in the Northe for entrying in-to Sk[arborough] castyll [Map], (for) the wyche at London master Thomas [Stafford] (age 24) was heddyd on Towre hylle [Map]; and at Tyborne [Map] John Procter aleas Wylliamsun, Wyllyam Stowe, John Bradford, and more in dyvers plases; [in York]shyre, John Wylborne, Clement Tyllyd, John Cawsewelle, and Robart Hunter, at York, [by the] dethe of hangyng, drahyns, and quarter[ing].

On 25th April 1557 Thomas Stafford (age 24) landed at Scarborough, North Yorkshire [Map].

Henry Machyn's Diary. 2nd May 1557. The ij day of May dyd pryche at Powlles crosse [Map] dyd pryche docthur Chadsay, and mad a godly sermon, and ther he declaryd that serten trayturs that was taken at Skarborow castyll [Map], the wyche they fled over the see a-for ....

Henry Machyn's Diary. 3rd May 1557. [The iij day of May came five persons to the Tower [Map], the chief of those that had taken the] castylle of Skarborow [Map] in Yorke-shyre, [viz. Stafford (age 24), Saund]urs, Seywelle, and Prowtter, and a Frenche man.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 25th May 1557. The xxv day of May was raynyd at Westmynster one, a Frenche man, that was taken at Skarborow when that Thomas Stafford (age 24) was taken with ys adherentes, and cast to dee, and so cared to the Towre agayn.

Note. P. 135. Scarborough castle. Strype in his Memorials, vol. iii. Appen. lxxiii. has printed "the Names of the Prisoners taken in Scarborowe Castell the 28th of Apryll, An. 1557." Five were committed to the Tower of London, and twenty-seven remained in York Castle.

Note. Pp. 135, 136. Death and Funeral of sir Jaques Granado. He was a native of Brabant: having distinguished himself in the campaign in Scotland in 1547 (Holinshed, 1st edit. p. 1620), he was one of the knights made at its close by the duke of Somerset at Berwick, Sept. 28. (Ibid. p. 1633). An annuity of 50l. was granted March 10, 1549-50, to sir Jaques Granado and Magdalen his wife, and to the longer liver: see the patent printed in Rymer, xv. 210. He appears to have filled the office of equerry or some similar post, as in Oct. 1551, he had a passport to conduct sixteen horses sent by Edward VI. to the French king. His widow "Mawdelyn" became the second wife of sir Robert Chester, and his daughter Katharine was married to Edward Chester, sir Robert's son and heir. (MS. Harl. 897, f. 55b.)

Henry Machyn's Diary. 28th May 1557. [The xxviij day of May Thomas Stafford (age 24) was beheaded on Tower hill [Map], by nine of the clock, master Wode being his] gostly father; and after ther wher iij more [drawn from the To] wre, and thrugh London unto Tyburne [Map], and ther [they were] hangyd and quartered; and the morow after was master [Stafford] quartered, and hangyd on a care, and so to Nuwgatt to [boil.]

On 28th May 1557 Thomas Stafford (age 24) was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map].

All About History Books

The 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." Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 29th May 1557. The xxix day of May was the iiij heds sett upon London bryge, and ther xvj quarters sett up, iij and ij, on evere gatt of London; the sam mornyng was Thomas Stafford('s) (deceased) body quartered.