The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Paternal Family Tree: Boyle
Maternal Family Tree: Joan Lovel Baroness Maynard 1297-1337
On 5th July 1635 [her father] Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington [aged 22] and [her mother] Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington [aged 21] were married at Skipton Castle [Map]. She by marriage Countess Burlington. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Henry Clifford 5th Earl of Cumberland [aged 44] and [her grandmother] Frances Cecil Countess Cumberland [aged 42]. He the son of Richard Boyle 1st Earl Cork [aged 68] and Catherine Fenton Countess Cork.
In 1646 Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester was born to [her father] Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington [aged 33] and [her mother] Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington [aged 32].
On 7th May 1661 [her brother] Charles Boyle 3rd Baron Clifford [aged 21] and [her sister-in-law] Jane Seymour [aged 24] were married. She the daughter of William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 61]. He the son of [her father] Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington [aged 48] and [her mother] Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington [aged 47]. They were half sixth cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
In 1665 Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester [aged 22] and Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington [aged 52] and Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington [aged 51]. He the son of Edward Hyde 1st Earl Clarendon [aged 55] and Frances Aylesbury Countess Clarendon [aged 47].
Around 1665 Peter Lely [aged 46]. Portrait of Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 19]. One of the Windsor Beauties.
John Evelyn's Diary. 25th July 1666. The fleets engaged. I dined at Lord Berkeley's [aged 38], at St. James's, where dined my Lady Harrietta Hyde [aged 20], Lord Arlington [aged 48], and Sir John Duncomb [aged 44].
On 6th January 1667 Margaret Brooke Lady Denham [aged 27] died. She was rumoured to have been poisoned by her husband John Denham [aged 52] by giving her a poisoned cup of chocolate. In any case rumour named several other possible poisoners, including her former lover James [aged 33], his wife Anne Hyde [aged 29] and his sister-in-law, Lady Rochester [aged 21].
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 4th March 1669. Up, and a while at the office, but thinking to have Mr. Povy's [aged 55] business to-day at the Committee for Tangier, I left the Board and away to White Hall, where in the first court I did meet Sir Jeremy Smith, who did tell me that Sir W. Coventry [aged 41] was just now sent to the Tower, about the business of his challenging the Duke of Buckingham [aged 41], and so was also Harry Saville [aged 27] to the Gate-house; which, as [he is] a gentleman, and of the Duke of York's [aged 35] bedchamber, I heard afterwards that the Duke of York is mightily incensed at, and do appear very high to the King [aged 38] that he might not be sent thither, but to the Tower [Map], this being done only in contempt to him. This news of Sir W. Coventry did strike me to the heart, and with reason, for by this and my Lord of Ormond's [aged 58] business, I do doubt that the Duke of Buckingham will be so flushed, that he will not stop at any thing, but be forced to do any thing now, as thinking it not safe to end here; and, Sir W. Coventry being gone, the King will have never a good counsellor, nor the Duke of York any sure friend to stick to him; nor any good man will be left to advise what is good. This, therefore, do heartily trouble me as any thing that ever I heard. So up into the House, and met with several people; but the Committee did not meet; and the whole House I find full of this business of Sir W. Coventry's, and most men very sensible of the cause and effects of it. So, meeting with my Lord Bellassis [aged 54], he told me the particulars of this matter; that it arises about a quarrel which Sir W. Coventry had with the Duke of Buckingham about a design between the Duke and Sir Robert Howard, to bring him into a play at the King's house, which W. Coventry not enduring, did by H. Saville send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to speak with him. Upon which, the Duke of Buckingham did bid Holmes [aged 47], his champion ever since my Lord Shrewsbury's business1, go to him to know the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any but himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of Buckingham, and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of honour, and was sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing him, and that he had a desire of satisfaction, and would fight with him. But that here they were interrupted by my Lord Chamberlain's [aged 67] coming in, who was commanded to go to bid the Duke of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having discovered it. He told me that the King did last night, at the Council, ask the Duke of Buckingham, upon his honour, whether he had received any challenge from W. Coventry? which he confessed that he had; and then the King asking W. Coventry, he told him that he did not owne what the Duke of Buckingham had said, though it was not fit for him to give him a direct contradiction. But, being by the King put upon declaring, upon his honour, the matter, he answered that he had understood that many hard questions had upon this business been moved to some lawyers, and that therefore he was unwilling to declare any thing that might, from his own mouth, render him obnoxious to his Majesty's displeasure, and, therefore, prayed to be excused: which the King did think fit to interpret to be a confession, and so gave warrant that night for his commitment to the Tower. Being very much troubled at this, I away by coach homewards, and directly to the Tower, where I find him in one Mr. Bennet's house, son to Major Bayly, one of the Officers of the Ordnance, in the Bricke Tower [Map]2 where I find him busy with my Lord Halifax [aged 35] and his brother [aged 50]; so I would not stay to interrupt them, but only to give him comfort, and offer my service to him, which he kindly and cheerfully received, only owning his being troubled for the King his master's displeasure, which, I suppose, is the ordinary form and will of persons in this condition. And so I parted, with great content, that I had so earlily seen him there; and so going out, did meet Sir Jer. Smith going to meet me, who had newly been with Sir W. Coventry. And so he and I by water to Redriffe [Map], and so walked to Deptford, Kent [Map], where I have not been, I think, these twelve months: and there to the Treasurer's house, where the Duke of York is, and his [her sister-in-law] Duchess [aged 31]; and there we find them at dinner in the great room, unhung; and there was with them my Lady Duchess of Monmouth, the Countess of Falmouth [aged 24], Castlemayne [aged 28], Henrietta Hide [aged 23] (my Lady Hinchingbroke's [aged 24] sister), and my Lady Peterborough [aged 47]. And after dinner Sir Jer. Smith and I were invited down to dinner with some of the Maids of Honour, namely, Mrs. Ogle [aged 17], Blake [aged 16], and Howard [aged 18], which did me good to have the honour to dine with, and look on; and the Mother of the Maids, and Mrs. Howard [aged 43], the mother of the Maid of Honour of that name, and the Duke's housekeeper here. Here was also Monsieur Blancfort [aged 28], Sir Richard Powell, Colonel Villers [aged 48], Sir Jonathan Trelawny [aged 46], and others. And here drank most excellent, and great variety, and plenty of wines, more than I have drank, at once, these seven years, but yet did me no great hurt. Having dined and very merry, and understanding by Blancfort how angry the Duke of York was, about their offering to send Saville to the Gate-house, among the rogues; and then, observing how this company, both the ladies and all, are of a gang, and did drink a health to the union of the two brothers, and talking of others as their enemies, they parted, and so we up; and there I did find the Duke of York and Duchess, with all the great ladies, sitting upon a carpet, on the ground, there being no chairs, playing at "I love my love with an A, because he is so and so: and I hate him with an A, because of this and that:" and some of them, but particularly the Duchess herself, and my Baroness Castlemayne, were very witty. This done, they took barge, and I with Sir J. Smith to Captain Cox's; and there to talk, and left them and other company to drink; while I slunk out to Bagwell's; and there saw her, and her mother, and our late maid Nell, who cried for joy to see me, but I had no time for pleasure then nor could stay, but after drinking I back to the yard, having a month's mind para have had a bout with Nell, which I believe I could have had, and may another time.
Note 1. Charles II wrote to his sister [aged 24] (Henrietta, Duchess of Orléans), on March 7th, 1669: "I am not sorry that Sir Will. Coventry has given me this good occasion by sending my Lord of Buckingham a challenge to turne him out of the Councill. I do intend to turn him allso out of the Treasury. The truth of it is, he has been a troublesome man in both places and I am well rid of him" (Julia Cartwright's "Madame", 1894, p. 283).
Note 2. The Brick Tower [Map] stands on the northern wall, a little to the west of Martin tower, with which it communicates by a secret passage. It was the residence of the Master of the Ordnance, and Raleigh was lodged here for a time.
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On 19th October 1670 [her brother-in-law] Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Clarendon and Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon were married. She being the sole heir of her father William Backhouse brought Swallowfield House, Berkshire to the marriage which Henry had rebuilt. He the son of [her father-in-law] Edward Hyde 1st Earl Clarendon [aged 61] and [her mother-in-law] Frances Aylesbury Countess Clarendon.
On 31st March 1671 [her sister-in-law] Anne Hyde Duchess of York [aged 34] died.
In June 1672 [her son] Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Rochester 4th Earl Clarendon was born to [her husband] Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester [aged 30] and Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 26]. He married 8th March 1692 Jane Leveson-Gower Countess Rochester and Clarendon, daughter of William Leveson-Gower 4th Baronet and Jane Granville Baroness Gower, and had issue.
On 9th December 1674 [her father-in-law] Edward Hyde 1st Earl Clarendon [aged 65] died at Rouen, France [Map]. His son [her brother-in-law] Henry succeeded 2nd Earl Clarendon, 2nd Baron Hyde of Hindon in Wiltshire 1660. Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon by marriage Countess Clarendon.
Around 1677 [her daughter] Henrietta Hyde Countess Dalkeith was born to [her husband] Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester [aged 34] and Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 31] at Hindon, Wiltshire. She married 2nd January 1694 James Scott, son of James Scott 1st Duke Monmouth 1st Duke Buccleuch and Anne Scott Duchess Monmouth and Buccleuch, and had issue.
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 1679 [her brother] Charles Boyle 3rd Baron Clifford [aged 39] and [her sister-in-law] Arethusa Berkeley Baroness Clifford [aged 15] were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years. She the daughter of George Berkeley 1st Earl Berkeley [aged 51] and Elizabeth Massingberd Couness Berkeley. He the son of [her father] Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington [aged 66] and [her mother] Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington [aged 65]. They were fifth cousin once removed.
In 1682 [her son-in-law] James Butler 2nd Duke Ormonde [aged 16] and Anne Hyde were married. She the daughter of Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester [aged 39] and Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 36]. He the son of Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory and Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 46]. They were sixth cousins.
On 29th November 1682 [her husband] Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester [aged 40] was created 1st Earl Rochester. Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 36] by marriage Countess Rochester.
In 1685 [her daughter] Anne Hyde died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 7th March 1685. At London she tooke this fatal disease, and the occasion of her being there was this; my Lord Viscount Falkland's [aged 29] Lady having ben our neighbour (as he was Treasurer of the Navy), she tooke so greate an affection to my daughter, that when they went back in the autumn to the Citty, nothing would satisfie their incessant importunity but letting her accompany my Lady, and staying sometime with her; it was with ye greatest reluctance I complied. Whilst she was there, my Lord being musical, when I saw my Lady would not part with her till Christmas, I was not unwilling she should improve the opportunity of learning of Signr Pietro, who had an admirable way both of composure and teaching. It was the end of February before I could prevail with my Lady to part with her; but my Lord going into Oxfordshire to stand for Knight of the Shire there, she express'd her wish to come home, being tir'd of ye vain and empty conversation of the towne, ye theatres, the court, and trifling visites wch consum'd so much precious time, and made her sometimes misse of that regular course of piety that gave her ye greatest satisfaction. She was weary of this life, and I think went not thrice to Court all this time, except when her mother or I carried her. She did not affect shewing herselfe, she knew ye Court well, and pass'd one summer in it at Windsor with Lady Tuke one of the Queene's women of the bed chamber (a most virtuous relation of hers); she was not fond of that glittering scene, now become abominably licentious, though there was a designe of Lady Rochester [aged 39] and Lady Clarendon to have made her a maid of honour to the Queene as soon as there was a vacancy. But this she did not set her heart upon, nor in deede on any thing so much as the service of God, a quiet and regular life, and how she might improve herselfe in the most necessary accomplishments, and to wch she was ariv'd at so greate a measure. This is y° little history and imperfect character of my deare child, whose piety, virtue, and incomparable endowments deserve a Monument more durable than brasse and marble. Precious is the memorial of the just.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 6th July 1686. I supp'd with the Countesse of Rochester [aged 40], where was also the Dutchesse of Buckingham [aged 47] and Madame de Governe, whose daughter [aged 20] was married to ye Marquess of Halifax's [aged 52] sonn. She made me a character of ye French King [aged 47] and Dauphin [aged 24], and of ye persecution. That they kept much of the cruelties from the King's knowledge; that the Dauphin was so afraid of his father, that he durst not let any thing appeare of his sentiments; that he hated letters and priests, spent all his time in hunting, and seem'd to take no notice of what was passing.
On 12th April 1687 Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 41] died.
On 2nd May 1711 [her former husband] Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester [aged 69] died. His son Henry [aged 38] succeeded 2nd Earl Rochester. Jane Leveson-Gower Countess Rochester and Clarendon by marriage Countess Rochester.
[her daughter] Anne Hyde was born to Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester and Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester. She married 1682 her sixth cousin James Butler 2nd Duke Ormonde, son of Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory and Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory.
[her daughter] Mary Hyde was born to Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester and Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester. She married 17th February 1704 her fourth cousin once removed Francis Seymour-Conway 1st Baron Conway, son of Edward Seymour 4th Baronet and Letitia Popham Baroness Seymour, and had issue.
Kings Wessex: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 22 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 9 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 25 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 23 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
GrandFather: Richard Boyle 1st Earl Cork 
Father: Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Fenton
Great x 1 Grandfather: Geoffrey Fenton
GrandMother: Catherine Fenton Countess Cork
Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry "Shepherd Lord" Clifford 10th Baron Clifford 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Clifford 1st Earl of Cumberland 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne St John Baroness Clifford 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Clifford 2nd Earl of Cumberland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 5th Earl of Northumberland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Percy Baroness Clifford 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Spencer Countess Northumberland 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Francis Clifford 4th Earl of Cumberland 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Dacre 3rd Baron Dacre Gilsland 7th Baron Greystoke 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Greystoke 6th Baroness Greystoke Baroness Dacre of Gilsland 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Dacre Countess Cumberland 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Talbot 4th Earl of Shrewsbury 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Talbot Baroness Dacre of Gilsland 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Hastings Countess Shrewsbury and Waterford 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: Henry Clifford 5th Earl of Cumberland 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Grisold Hughes Countess Cumberland
Mother: Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: David Cecil 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Cecil
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Dicons
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Cecil 1st Baron Burghley
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Heckington
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Heckington
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury 11 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Cooke of Gidea Hall
Great x 3 Grandfather: Anthony Cooke
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Saunders
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mildred Cooke Baroness Burghley 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Fitzwilliam 
8 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Fitzwilliam 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
GrandMother: Frances Cecil Countess Cumberland 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Brooke 9th Baron Cobham 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy Heydon Baroness Cobham 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Braye 1st Baron Braye 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Braye Baroness Cobham 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Halwell Baroness Bray 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Brooke 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Newton 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Newton of Hawtrey 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Gorges 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Frances Newton Baroness Cobham 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Anthony Poyntz 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Poyntz 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Huddersfield 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England