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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Paternal Family Tree: Keith
Around 1358 Muriella Keith Duchess Albany was born to [her father] William Keith Great Marischal of Scotland (age 43).
In 1361 [her future husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 21) was created 1st Earl Fife. Margaret Graham 3rd Countess Menteith (age 27) by marriage Countess Fife.
On 28th September 1361 [her future husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 21) and Margaret Graham 3rd Countess Menteith (age 27) were married. He by marriage Earl Menteith. See Dispensation. She the daughter of John Graham Earl Menteith and Margaret Graham 2nd Countess Menteith and Mar. He the son of [her future father-in-law] King Robert II of Scotland (age 45) and Elizabeth Mure Queen Consort Scotland. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King John of England.
In 1381 Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 41) and Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 23) were married. He the son of King Robert II of Scotland (age 64) and Elizabeth Mure Queen Consort Scotland.
In 1381 [her son] John Stewart 2nd Earl Buchan was born to [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 41) and Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 23). He married 1390 his first cousin once removed Elizabeth Douglas Countess Buchan and Orkney, daughter of Archibald Douglas 1st Duke Touraine and Margaret Stewart Duchess Touraine, and had issue.
On 24 or 25th February 1382 [her brother-in-law] Alexander "The Wolf of Badenoch" Stewart 3rd Earl Buchan (age 39) and Euphemia 6th Countess of Ross were married. He by marriage Earl Ross. She the daughter of William 5th Earl Ross. He the son of [her father-in-law] King Robert II of Scotland (age 65) and Elizabeth Mure Queen Consort Scotland. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King John of England.
Around 1385 [her daughter] Elizabeth Stewart was born to [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 45) and Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 27). She married 1405 Malcolm Fleming of Biggar and Cumbernauld and had issue.
Around 1385 [her son] Robert Stewart Earl Ross was born to [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 45) and Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 27).
Before March 1386 [her brother-in-law] David Stewart 3rd Earl Strathearn 1st Earl Caithness (age 30) and Eupheme Lindsay Countess Strathearn Caithness (age 24) were married. She by marriage Countess Caithness. He the son of [her father-in-law] King Robert II of Scotland (age 69) and Euphemia Ross Queen Consort Scotland.
Around March 1386 [her brother-in-law] David Stewart 3rd Earl Strathearn 1st Earl Caithness (age 30) died. His daughter Eupheme succeeded 2nd Countess Strathearn, 2nd Countess Caithness.
Before 1387 David Lindsay 1st Earl Crawford (age 26) and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Stewart Countess Crawford (age 24) were married. She the daughter of [her father-in-law] King Robert II of Scotland (age 70) and Euphemia Ross Queen Consort Scotland. They were half first cousin once removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King John of England.
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.
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In 1390 [her son] John Stewart 2nd Earl Buchan (age 9) and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Douglas Countess Buchan and Orkney were married. She the daughter of Archibald Douglas 1st Duke Touraine (age 18) and Margaret Stewart Duchess Touraine. He the son of [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 50) and Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 32). They were first cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King John of England.
On 15th February 1390 [her brother] Alexander Keith (age 50) and [her sister-in-law] Marjorie Stewart Countess Moray (age 42) were married. She the daughter of [her father-in-law] King Robert II of Scotland (age 73) and Elizabeth Mure Queen Consort Scotland.
On 19th April 1390 [her father-in-law] King Robert II of Scotland (age 74) died at Dundonald Castle, Dundonald. He was buried at Scone Abbey [Map]. His son [her brother-in-law] Robert (age 53) succeeded III King Scotland. Annabella Drummond Queen Consort Scotland (age 40) by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. His son [her brother-in-law] David succeeded 3rd Earl Strathearn.
On 5th or 15th December 1392 [her brother-in-law] Alexander "The Wolf of Badenoch" Stewart 3rd Earl Buchan (age 49) and Euphemia 6th Countess of Ross were divorced.
In 1394 [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 54) was created 1st Earl Buchan. Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 36) by marriage Countess Buchan.
In 1398 David Lindsay 1st Earl Crawford (age 38) was created 1st Earl Crawford by [her father-in-law] King Robert II of Scotland (his wife's father) who also gave him Crawford Castle, Crawford. [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Stewart Countess Crawford (age 36) by marriage Countess Crawford.
In 1398 [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 58) was created 1st Duke Albany. Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 40) by marriage Duchess Albany.
Before 1400 [her step-son] Murdoch Stewart 2nd Duke Albany (age 37) and Isabel Countess Lennox Duchess Albany were married. She by marriage Duchess Albany. She the daughter of Duncan Lennox 8th Earl Lennox (age 54). He the son of [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 59) and Margaret Graham 3rd Countess Menteith.
In 1403 [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 63) was created 1st Earl Atholl. Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 45) by marriage Countess Atholl.
In 1404 [her brother-in-law] Walter Stewart 1st Earl Atholl 3rd Earl Caithness (age 44) was created 1st Earl Atholl.
Around 1405 [her son-in-law] Malcolm Fleming of Biggar and Cumbernauld (age 22) and [her daughter] Elizabeth Stewart (age 20) were married. She the daughter of [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 65) and Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 47).
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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In 1405 [her brother-in-law] Alexander "The Wolf of Badenoch" Stewart 3rd Earl Buchan (age 62) died.
On 4th April 1406 [her brother-in-law] King Robert III of Scotland (age 69) died at Rothesay Castle, Isle of Bute. His son James (age 11) succeeded I King Scotland. He, James, was a prisoner of King Henry IV having been captured by an English ship two weeks before when attempting to travel to France. He would remain in captivity for eighteen years until 1424.
Around 1410 [her father] William Keith Great Marischal of Scotland (age 95) died.
In 1410 [her sister-in-law] Isabella Stewart Countess Douglas died.
On 6th May 1417 [her sister-in-law] Marjorie Stewart Countess Moray (age 69) died.
In 1420 [her step-daughter] Mary Stewart (age 54) died.
On 3rd September 1420 [her husband] Robert Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 80) died at Stirling Castle [Map]. His son [her step-son] Murdoch (age 58) succeeded 2nd Duke Albany. His son [her son] John (age 39) succeeded 2nd Earl Buchan. [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Douglas Countess Buchan and Orkney by marriage Countess Buchan.
On 17th August 1424 the English forces led by John Lancaster 1st Duke Bedford (age 35) inflicted a significant defeat on the French and Scottish army at the Battle of Verneuil; a second Agincourt. For the English Edmund Hungerford (age 15), Ralph Longford (age 23), John "Old Talbot" Talbot 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (age 41) and Richard Waller (age 29) fought.
On the French and Scottish side Pierre Valois, Archibald Douglas 1st Duke Touraine (age 52), his son James Douglas, William Seton Master of Seton (age 34), Alexander Home of Home and Dunglas (age 56) were killed
[her son] John Stewart 2nd Earl Buchan (age 43) was killed. His brother [her son] Robert (age 39) de jure Earl Ross and Earl Buchan although he didn't claim the title since both titles had reverted to the Crown.
Jean Poton Xaintrailles (age 34) fought.
In 1446 [her daughter] Elizabeth Stewart (age 61) died.
On 1st June 1449 Muriella Keith Duchess Albany (age 91) died.
GrandFather: Edward Keith of Sinton