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Primary Source
Extracts


Should you wish to get the facts straight from the horse's mouth, you
have come to the right place.

You will be able to judge the truth of all those rumors about ages gone
by, when you see what those who were there had to say about their times.

So pick a period and see what we found for you:

    __________________________________

     
     * Denotes entries from William Jefferson's, "Entertaining Literary
Curiosities, consisting of Wonders of Nature and Art; Remarkable
Characters; Fragments, Anecdotes, Letters, &c. &c. &c." Crosby and Co.
Stationers' Court, London, 1808.    

# Denotes Entries from "Annals of Yorkshire," by John Mayhall; Published
by Joseph Johnston; Leeds; (c. 1860).

** The English Correspondence of Saint Boniface, by Edward Kylie; London:
Chatto and Windus, 1911.


    __________________________________


Ancient Egypt:

UNDATED:



DATED (approximate):

3100 B. C. -- The Oldest Story in the World by Annana, an    
                   Egyptian Scribe.

2700 B. C. -- Extracts from The Precepts of Ptah-Hotep to his
    son.

2000 B. C. -- Inscription by Amenemhat  I,


16th century B. C.

1500 B. C. -- Hymn to the Nile.


15th century B. C.


1450 B. C. -- Inscription recording The Conquests of


14th century B. C.

1375 B. C. -- A Letter from Ebed-toh, Egyptian Governor of
          Palestine, Announcing a Revolt led by Malchiel
           and Suardatum.


13th Century B. C.



12th Century B. C.


1175 B. C. -- Inscription recording the Reign and Deeds of



Ancient Babylon, Assyria, Chaldea:  




3000 B. C. -- Hymn to the God Merodach, An Akkadian Psalm.



Classical Antiquity:
(Ancient Greece and Rome)


undated:



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


assumed dates or legendary events:

7th century B.C.  


    Numa (715-673 B.C.) Second King of Rome


6th century B. C.


    Ancus Marcius, Fourth King of Rome:




``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

5th century B. C.

    496 B C. -- The worship of Ceres is introduced into Rome, where she is called
        Demeter, and so unchanged in the process that her priestess had
         to be Greek.  [-- Steuding.]
    (Livy's "History").


4th century B. C.

    The Secession of the Plebs and the First Tribunes,
    (Livy's "History").

    376-
    367 B. C. -- Struggle over the "Sexto-Licinian Laws,
    Patricians versus Plebeians, (Livy's "History").

    320 B. C. -- A temple is erected to Apollo, god of healing, after a great plague
        in Rome. -- Murray.
         Peck says 421 B.C., though.

    312 B. C. -- The Censorship of Appius Claudius
    (Livy's "History").


3rd century B. C.

undated:




dated:


    286 B. C. -- Hortensian Law, final Capitulation of the
         Patricians.  (Livy's "History").

    280 B. C. -- Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, defeats the Romans.
         (Plutarch's "Life of Pyrrhus")

    212 B. C. -- The Ludi Apollinares begin.  The Appolinarian Games in
        honor of Apollo established in Rome due to the words of a
         seer, Marcius.  They occurred every 4 years. --
        Peck, Harper's Dictionary of Classical Literature and Antiquities.


1st Century B. C.

       people against Sulla's rule of Rome. (in
        Sallust)


       Lepidus. (in Sallust)

    75 B. C.
       protesting the attacks on the nobles by the
        commons in Rome. (in Sallust)

         against the nobles. (in Sallust)
       seeking an alliance against the invading
        Romans. (in Sallust)


Roman Empire including Italy, Britain,
France and Germany:

Undated:

Dated:

55 B. C. -- Julius Caesar's Description of Britain.

                Julius Caesar's First Invasion of Britain

                Julius Caesar's Description of the Britons

                Julius Caesar's Description of the Germans


54 B. C. -- Julius Caesar's Second Invasion of Britain

45 B. C. -- Diodorus Siculus' Description of Britain.

9 A. D. -- Varus and his Roman legions destroyed by the Germans.

c. 20 A. D. -- Strabo's Description of the Britons.

c. 23 A, D. --  Description of Italy by Pliny the Elder.

44 A. D. --

Dio Cassius: The Invasion of Britain under
Aulus Plautius during the reign of Claudius.



~45 A. D. -- Statius, the Roman poet, born in Naples, Italy.

61  A. D. -- Tacitus: The conquest of Anglesea and the
attack of Boadicea.  

80 A. D. -- Tacitus: Agricola's Campaign in Scotland.

96 A. D. -- Statius, Roman Poet dies.

98 A. D. -- Tacitus: Excerpt On the Germans.   


100 A. D. -- Tacitus: Description of Britain.

Tacitus: Description of the Britons.  

120 A. D. -- Aelius Spartianus: The visit of the Emperor
Hadrian, and the building of the Great Wall
across Britain.                          

208 -
211 A. D. -- Herodian: The Campaign of the Emperor
Severus in Britain.

314 A. D. -- 2 Bishops, a priest and a deacon from Britain
attending the Council of Arles in Gaul.

376 A. D. -- The Visigoths invade Rome

~400 A. D.-- Excerpt of the Notitia Dignitatum, a list of
some of the officials of the Roman Empire
and their jobs in Roman Britain.

409 A. D.  -- This year the Goths took the city of Rome by storm, and after
this the Romans never ruled in Britain.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.



"Dark" Ages

    Anglo-Saxon Britain, The Franks, The Church   
    (<1066 A. D.)

General--undated:


       the hive.



Dated:

London Before the Conquest: 6 entries about the city,
                                                   from The Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle.           

457 A. D. -- Hengist and Æsc his son fought against the Britons at the place
                called Cregan Ford, and there slew four thousand men; and the
                Britons then forsook Kent and in great terror fled to London.  
                - Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

458 A. D. -- A great storm was experienced at York, which blew down
                several houses, and killed many persons. #

467 A. D. -- Hilary establishes two libraries in the Basilica of the Lateran Palace
                in Rome.  First mention of a Papal library.


5o0 A. D. -- Gildas' (writing c. 550A.D.) -- Description of
                   the end of Roman Rule and the Invasions of
                   the Picts and Scots.


515 A. D. -- The winter was so intensely cold, that the wildest birds allowed
themselves to be taken by the hand.#

542 A. D. -- King Arthur 'wounded' at the Battle of Camlan.  

560 A. D. -- Gildas' Description of Britain.

665 A. D. -- Venerable Bede (of Jarrow,) the historian, born.  He mentions
                Leeds, styling it "Loidas." #

678 A. D. --  A comet was visible in England every day for three months.

700 A. D. -- In this year there was no fewer than fifteen kings or chiefs
                within the island [ of Britain ], while Ireland was nearly in
                the same situation. #

734 A. D. -- Charles Martel overuns Friesland, "destroying the pagan idols."

735 A. D. -- The Venerable Bede dies.


741 A. D. -- Charles Martel (The Hammer) died.


754 A. D. -- St. Boniface killed by heathens at Docking, in Friesland:           
               "Forbidding his companions to resist, and merely holding up
                his gospel-book to ward off the sword from his grey hairs, he
                met his death." **

793 A. D. -- The Vikings attack and pillage Lindisfarne.


c. 795 A. D. -- Treaty between Charles the Great  and Offa

796 A. D. -- A Letter from Charles the Great to Offa, king of
                    (Version 2)



797 A. D. -- Letter from Alcuin to the men of Kent in
                  England, advising unity against invasion

849 A. D. -- Alfred the Great is born at Wantage.

871  A. D. -- Alfred the Great begins his reign.

886 A. D. -- King Ælfred restored London; and all the Angle-race turned to
                him that were not in the bondage of the Danish men; and he
                then committed the burgh to the keeping of the aldorman
               Æthered.  Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

c. 890 A. D. -- Letter from Alfred (849-901) the Great to
                       Bishop Waerferth on promoting literacy for
                      all the people of England, and providing books.


10th Century

Ohthere's Narrative -- A Norwegian's account of his explorations
                                    northward, related by King Alfred.

901 A. D. -- King Alfred died and was buried at Winchester.

937 A. D. -- The Battle of Brunnanburg, a historic war  
                  poem from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.



945 A. D. -- Fifth year of King Edmund, King of the Angles,
                  the copy of Nennius' History of Britain by Mark
                  the Hermit is completed.


979 A. D. -- Coronation Oath of Ethelred II (Ethelred the Unready).

974 A. D. -- There was an  earthquake throughout the whole of England.  
                 (Annals of Roger de Hoveden.)


c. 991. A. D. --The Battle of Maldon, another historic war poem,
                      from the Angl0-Saxon Chronicle.


1000-1065

1002 A. D. -- Danes conquered England. *

1015  A. D. -- Children were forbidden by law to be sold by their parents in
                  England. #

1018  A. D. -- In this year the tribute was paid over all the Angle-race  
                  [to King Canute] : that was in all two and seventy thousand
                  pounds, exclusive of what the townsmen of London paid, which
                  was ten and a half thousand pounds.  Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.


1027 A. D. -- King Canute's Letter to the English people.



Middle Ages:

After the Norman Conquest--1066 A.D.

General--undated:


  On Lepers


    Bertran de Born, (1140 A. D. - c. 1215 A. D. -- early troubador
                                poet and nobleman of France.  A contemporary
                                  biography, some poems, and a modern description
                                 of his life and work, by Barbara Smythe.


 Dated:

1066-1099

            William I., King of England


1066 A. D. -- The Conqueror's Charter for London.

1079 A. D. -- Letter from William I to Gregory VII. - a
                   royal excuse for late bill payment.

1085 A. D. -- The Domesday Book re: the London area.



    William II., King of England

1096 A. D. -- Crusade.


1100-1199

      Henry I., King of England


1118 A. D. -- The Order of Knights Templar instituted. #

1126 A. D. -- Capgrave reports that King Henry I. made
                the knights throughout the land cut their hair; for —

                    "Thei went with as long heer as women."




c. 1130 A. D. -- The Charter of Henry I. for the City of London.



         Stephen, King of England


1135 A. D. -- The Archdeacon Henry of Huntingdon's Letter
                   to Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford.


1141 A. D. -- Matilda in London.



       Henry II., King of England


1163 A. D. -- Letter from Henry II to the Bishop of
                   Hereford  (witnessed by Thomas Becket).


1164 A. D. -- Letter from Henry II to the Bishops about
                  Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury after his
                  flight to the continent.


1164 A. D. -- Letter from Henry II to the Sheriffs, ordering
                   them to arrest anybody who appeals to the
                   court of Rome, and the adherents (including
                   their family members) of Thomas Becket.


1166 A. D.

            a. -- Letter from Henry II to the Archbishop of
                  Cologne, about his appeal to the Pope to replace
                   Thomas as Archbishop of Canterbury.

                      Pope's charges.


1173 A. D. -- A Norman Picture of London.


1176 A. D. -- The Charter of William, king of Sicily,
                    which he executed in favour of Joanna,
                    daughter of Henry, king of England,
                    as to her dowry.


1177 A. D. -- Disturbances in the City of London.



      Richard I., King of England


1189 A. D. -- This year Richard I. [ the Lion-hearted ] commenced his reign.
                 Coats of arms were not in use in England until this
                 time the custom being derived from the Crusades. #


1189 A. D. -- Building Ordinance for the City of London to Prevent
                   Fire.      




    [King Richard goes on Crusade, William Longchamp, Chancellor,        
                                              governs England.]


1191 A. D. -- The Liberties of the City of London Confirmed by John,
                   King Richard I.'s brother.


    [Longchamp deposed, the Archbishop of Rouen and John, Richard's
                          brother act for the King in England.]


    John, King of England


1199 A. D. -- John's Third Charter for the City of London.


1202 A. D. -- London Bridge during its construction.



    Henry III., King of England

1200-1299

1212  A. D. -- Another Building Ordinance for London to Prevent
                     Fire, when the ordinance of 1189 didn't work.


1214 A. D. -- A True Try of a Castle of Love.


1215  A. D. -- Magna Charta signed June 15th, by King John and the barons,
                 at Runnemede, between Windsor and Staines. #

1222 A. D. -- There are said to have been 1115 Castles at this time in England. #

1233  A. D. -- Thunder for fifteen days *

1234 A. D. --  Straw used for the King's bed. [England] *
                  Coal is said to have been discovered at Newcastle upon Tyne. #


1249 A. D. -- Oppression by Henry III.

1258. A. D. -- Interference by Barons.


1259 A. D. --  Matthew Paris, the celebrated historian, died.#

1265 A. D. --  Birth of Dante.



    Edward I., King of England


1274 A. D. -- Frost in England from September to April. *

1282 A. D.

          a. -- The Steelyard of London.

           b. -- The Preservation of Peace and Order in London.



1299 A. D. --  Spectacles invented by Spina. #



1300-1399

Undated:

Excerpts from Dante's "The Banquet"  & "On Monarchy"


Dated:

1304 A. D. -- Birth of Petrarch.



            Edward II., King of England, Queen: Isabella


1311 --  A Letter from to Edward II.
          sending money for his war against the Scots.

1312  A. D. -- The Order of Knights Templar extinguished on March 22nd. #

1319 --  Constitutions for the Government of the City of London.

1321  A. D. -- Death of Dante.

1326 -- A Revolt Against Edward II. in London.

1327 -- Articles of Accusation Against Edward II.


    Edward III., King of England, Queen: Philippa


1329 -- A Proc