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.
Before 14th October 1593 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson was born. On 14th October 1593 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson was baptised at Austin Friars.
Before 28th January 1611 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 17]. Portrait of John Talbot [aged 66].
John Talbot: John Talbot and Katherine Petre were married. In 1545 he was born to John Talbot and Frances Giffard. On 28th January 1611 John Talbot died.
In 1619 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 25]. Portrait of George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 26].
Around 1620 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 26]. Portrait of Martha Temple Lady Penyston [aged 25].
In 1620 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 26]. Portrait of Alexander Temple [aged 48].
Alexander Temple: Around 1572 he was born to John Temple. In December 1629 Alexander Temple died.
In 1620 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 26]. Portrait of Susanna Temple [aged 20].
Susanna Temple: Around 1600 she was born to Alexander Temple. In 1627 Gifford Thornhurst 1st Baronet and she were married. In 1633 Martin Lister and she were married.
In 1620 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 26]. Portrait of Jemima Waldegrave Baroness Crew [aged 18].
In 1623 Adriaen Hanneman [aged 20] travelled to England where he lived for sixteen years where he met and was influenced by Anthony Van Dyck [aged 23], Daniel Mijtens [aged 33] and Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 29].
Around 1625. Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 31]. Portrait of Thomas Lucy of Charlecote Park [aged 30], his wife Alice Spencer [aged 25] and his family.
Thomas Lucy of Charlecote Park: In 1595 he was born to Thomas Lucy of Charlecote. In or before 1622 Thomas Lucy of Charlecote Park and Alice Spencer were married. In December 1640 Thomas Lucy of Charlecote Park died.
Alice Spencer: In 1600 she was born to Thomas Spencer of Everdon and Mary Cheke. Around 1600 Thomas Spencer of Everdon died. A number of sources report the date of his death as 8th November 1580 however his daughter she was born in 1600 so we have adopted this later date?
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Around 1625 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 31] had a studio in Blackfriars. As did Anthony Van Dyck [aged 25]. Blackfriars was within the boundaries of the City of London, but was a liberty and so avoided the monopoly in the City of members of the London painters' Guild.
Around 1625 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 31]. Portrait of Francis Fane 1st Earl of Westmoreland [aged 44].
Around 1626 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 32]. Portrait of Thomas Coventry 1st Baron Coventry [aged 48] as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. Charlecote Park.
In 1628 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 34]. Portrait of Sarah Harrington [aged 63]. Hatchlands East Clandon, Surrey.
Sarah Harrington: In 1565 she was born to James Harrington and Lucy Sidney. Before 24th April 1586 Francis Hastings and she were married. He the son of George Hastings 4th Earl Huntingdon and Dorothy Port Countess Huntingdon. Before 1628 Thomas Edmondes and she were married. In 1629 Sarah Harrington died.
In 1629 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 35]. Portrait of Robert de Vere 19th Earl of Oxford [aged 53].
Robert de Vere 19th Earl of Oxford: After 23rd August 1575 he was born to Hugh Vere and Eleanor Walsh. In June 1625 Henry de Vere 18th Earl of Oxford died. His second cousin Robert succeeded 19th Earl of Oxford. In 1626 Robert de Vere 19th Earl of Oxford and Beatrice Van Hemmema Countess of Oxford were married. She by marriage Countess of Oxford. On 7th August 1632 Robert de Vere 19th Earl of Oxford was killed at the Siege of Maastricht. His son Aubrey succeeded 20th Earl of Oxford.
In 1629 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 35]. Portrait of Robert Bruce Cotton 1st Baronet [aged 57].
In 1630 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 36]. Portrait of Abigail Sacheverell.
Abigail Sacheverell: Humphrey Pakington and she were married. she was born to Henry Sacheverell.
Around 1630 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 36]. Portrait of Spencer Compton 2nd Earl of Northampton [aged 28].
Before 1631 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 37]. Portrait of Jane Carey [aged 36].
Jane Carey: In 1594 she was born to Edward Carey and Catherine Knyvet Baroness Geneville Beaudasert. On 20th February 1609 Edward Barrett 1st Baron Barrett and she were married. They were half first cousin once removed. In 1631 Jane Carey died.
Before 1631 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 37]. Portrait of William Fanshawe [aged 47]. Valence House Museum.
William Fanshawe: In 1583 he was born to Thomas Fanshawe and Joan Smythe. On 4th March 1635 William Fanshawe died.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In 1631 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 37]. Portrait of John St John 1st Baronet [aged 45]. Lydiard House.
In 1631 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 37]. Portrait of William Cavendish 3rd Earl Devonshire [aged 13].
In 1631 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 37]. Portrait of Margaret Halliday Lady Hungerford.
In 1633 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 39]. Portrait of Lucius Carey 2nd Viscount Falkland [aged 23].
In 1633 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 39]. Portrait of Francis Godolphin [aged 27].
In 1635 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 41]. Portrait of Richard Herbert 2nd Baron Herbert Chirbury [aged 31]. Powis Castle.
In 1635 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 41]. Portrait of Lucius Carey 2nd Viscount Falkland [aged 25].
Around 1638 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 44]. Portrait of Thomas Bruce 1st Earl Elgin [aged 39]. Kenwood House.
In 1638 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 44]. Portrait of Henry Grey 1st Earl Stamford [aged 39]. Dunham Massey.
Around 1638 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 44]. Portrait of Diana Cecil Countess Oxford.
Around 1640 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 46]. Portrait of James Stanley 7th Earl of Derby [aged 32]. Tabley House.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Before 1643 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 49]. Portrait of Lucius Carey 2nd Viscount Falkland [aged 32]. Montacute House.
Before 1647 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 53]. Portrait of Lettice Moryson Viscountess Falkland. Montacute House.
Lettice Moryson Viscountess Falkland: she was born to Richard Moryson. In or before 1632 Lucius Carey 2nd Viscount Falkland and she were married. She by marriage Viscountess Falkland.
Around 1650 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 56]. Portrait of Hester Wase. Montacute House.
Hester Wase: she was born to Christopher Wase. William Mainwaring and she were married. After 1645 Henry Blount and she were married.
1650 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 56]. Portrait of Hester Skeffington [aged 60].
Hester Skeffington: In 1590 she was born to William Skeffington 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Dering. On 14th November 1609 William Bowyer and she were married. In 1657 Hester Skeffington died.
Before 5th August 1661 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 67]. Portrait of Thomas Coventry 1st Baron Coventry.
Before 5th August 1661 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 67]. Portrait of Thomas Hales 3rd Baronet and John Maitland 1st Duke Lauderdale [aged 45]. Ham House, Richmond, Surrey.
Thomas Hales 3rd Baronet: Around 1695 he was born to Thomas Hales 2nd Baronet. On 7th January 1748 Thomas Hales 2nd Baronet died. His son Thomas succeeded 3rd Baronet Hales of Beakesbourne in Kent. On 6th October 1762 Thomas Hales 3rd Baronet died. His son Thomas succeeded 4th Baronet Hales of Beakesbourne in Kent.
Before 5th August 1661 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 67]. Portrait of Oliver St John 1st Viscount Grandison. Lydiard House.
Before 5th August 1661 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 67]. Portrait of Bridget Cromwell [aged 37].
Bridget Cromwell: In 1624 she was born to Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier. On 15th June 1646 Henry Ireton and she were married. She the daughter of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier. In 1652 Major General Charles Fleetwood and she were married. She the daughter of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier. In 1662 Bridget Cromwell died.
Before 5th August 1661 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 67]. Portrait of Thomas Cotton 2nd Baronet [aged 67].
Before 5th August 1661 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 67] died.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Before 5th August 1661 Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 67]. Portrait of Anne Harrison Lady Fanshawe [aged 36]. Valence House Museum.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 27th June 1666. Up, and to my office awhile, and then down the river a little way to see vessels ready for the carrying down of 400 land soldiers to the fleete. Then back to the office for my papers, and so to St. James's, where we did our usual attendance on the Duke [aged 32]. Having done with him, we all of us down to Sir W. Coventry's [aged 38] chamber (where I saw his father my Lord Coventry's picture hung up, done by Stone, who then brought it home. It is a good picture, drawn in his judge's robes, and the great seale by him. And while it was hanging up, "This", says Sir W. Coventry, merrily, "is the use we make of our fathers",) to discourse about the proposition of serving us with hempe, delivered in by my Lord Brouncker [aged 46] as from an unknown person, though I know it to be Captain Cocke's [aged 49]. My Lord and Sir William Coventry had some earnest words about it, the one promoting it for his private ends, being, as Cocke tells me himself, to have £500 if the bargain goes on, and I am to have as much, and the other opposing it for the unseasonableness of it, not knowing at all whose the proposition is, which seems the more ingenious of the two. I sat by and said nothing, being no great friend to the proposition, though Cocke intends me a convenience by it. But what I observed most from the discourse was this of Sir W. Coventry, that he do look upon ourselves in a desperate condition. The issue of all standing upon this one point, that by the next fight, if we beat, the Dutch will certainly be content to take eggs for their money (that was his expression); or if we be beaten, we must be contented to make peace, and glad if we can have it without paying too dear for it. And withall we do rely wholly upon the Parliament's giving us more money the next sitting, or else we are undone.
Vesta Monumenta. 1744. Plates 1.66 to 1.68. Robert Cotton with Genesis Fragments. Reproduction of a portrait from around 1626 of Robert Cotton and fragments of the Cotton Genesis manuscript by Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson. Plates 1.67-1.68 depict twenty-one fragments from eighteen folio pages of the Cotton Genesis collated with transcriptions from the Codex Vaticanus. Engravings by George Vertue [aged 60] after the original portrait and his own watercolors of the Cotton Genesis fragments.
