Back                             Blueprint                            Next

Don't just donate, get something COOL!

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:



     509 B. C. -- Brutus Condemns his Own Sons to Death,


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

5th century B. C.

     496 B. C. -- The worship of Ceres is introduced into Rome,  now she
                        is called Demeter, and so unchanged in the process that  
                         her priestesses in  Rome had to be Greek.  [-- Steuding.]

    458 B. C. -- How Cincinnatus saved a Roman Army,
        (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 Class. Lit. 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. --




~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

c. 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.


  500 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
                          (Version 1)

    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. D. -- 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 A. D. -- Constitutions for the Government of the City of
                        London.

     1321  A. D. -- Death of Dante.

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

 1327 A. D. -- Articles of Accusation Against Edward II.


     
        Edward III., King of England, Queen: Philippa


 1329 A. D. -- A Proclamation of Edward III. for preserving
                       peace and order in London, before he leaves to
                       pay homage to the King of France.

1346 A. D. -- A female vegetarian found in England
                       called Jewet Meatless.  The priests decided that
                       it was not sinful to be so, since she went to
                       Church regularly.
                       ---- in Capgrave's Chronicle of England.

1337 A. D. -- The offers made to the King of France by the King
                         of England to avoid war.

 1339 A. D.






 1343 A. D.


                 b. -- Edward III.'s letter to Pope Clement.


 1344 A. D. -- A description of a tournament at Windsor held by
                        Edward III.


 1345 A. D. -- Giovanni Villani on the Failure of the Bardi.

 1347 A. D. -- The Articles of the Heaumers [helmet-makers] and
                        Hatters in London.

    1349 A. D. -- Sir Walter Manny establishes the Charterhouse in
                           London for the Carthusian Monks.

 1350 A. D. -- Regulations Concerning Wages and Prices in
                        London, in the wake of the Black Death.

1364 A. D. -- Edward II.'s Charter to the Drapers of London.

 1370 A. D. -- Petrarch's Letter to Posterity



              Richard II., King of England


 1374 A. D. -- A Lease to Geoffrey Chaucer for a House in
                        London.


                            Death of Petrarch.


 1375 A. D. -- A New Seal is made for the City of London.

 1376 A. D. -- Franco Sacchetti tells a story about Dante, and a
                        few more of his novels.




Renaissance and Later

1400-1499 A. D.

c. 1400 A. D. -- John Froissart, the celebrated chronicler, died
                         this year. #

  1416 A. D. -- Letter of Poggio Bracciolini to Leonardo
                          Aretino about the trial and death of Jerome of
                          Prague for heresy.

   1417 or
  1418 A. D. -- Poggio Bracciolini finds MS. containing the
                         Silvae of Statius, in the neighbourhood of
                         Constance.

       1440 A. D. -- Geoffrey Chaucer, of Woodstock, dies. #

      1494 A. D. -- Algebra was first known in Europe. #


 1497 A. D. -- Report on the Voyage of John Cabot, by Raimondo
                        Soncino to Francisco Sforza, Duke of Milan.



1500-1599 A. D.

 1528 A. D. -- A Love Letter from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.

      1532 A. D. -- High seas destroyed 72 villages in Holland.

     1550 A. D. -- Cherries, Pears, and Grapes first introduced into
                             England, (Trus.  Chron.)*

      1569 A. D. -- Even higher seas flooded Holland.  More than 20,000   
                             people drowned.

     1578 A. D. -- Apricots and Artichokes brought to England.*

     1584 A. D. -- Virginia first discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh. *


 1588 A. D. -- Robert Carey's Account of the Battle with the
                        Spanish Armada.


 1591 A. D. -- A Report on the Truth Concerning the Last Sea-
                        Fight of the Revenge, by Sir Walter Raleigh,
                        Knight.





c. 1597 A. D. -- Account of a Scottish Raider by Sir Robert Carey
                          (Cary).


  1598 A. D. -- Description of Britain by Paul Hentzner, a
                         German. Travels in England, the complete text of
                        Paul Hentzner.
                                     Modernized or  Original.



1600-1699 A. D.

 1603 A. D. -- The Dying of Elizabeth, an eye-witness account by
                        Sir Robert Carey (Cary).

    1612 A. D. -- John Rolfe first plants tobacco at his plantation,
                           Farmingdell, in Virginia. He lived there with his wife
                           Pokahontas and their son Thomas.


  1618 A. D. --  Sir Walter Raleigh, aged 66 years, beheaded on
                           October 29 (H. G.) *

  1684 A. D. -- Frost in England for thirteen weeks. *



1700-1799 A. D.

    1702 A. D. -- First daily newspaper started in England, the Daily
                          Courant.

    1712 A. D. -- Dr. John Arbuthnot coins the name John Bull, for the
                           averagE Englishman in a series of political pamphlets.

   1721 A. D. -- Inoculation first tried on criminals. (Trus. Chron.)*



1800-1899 A. D.:

      1801 A. D. -- First census done in England.

c. 1818 A. D. -- Shelley's Impression of Pompeii.

   1820 A. D. -- Byron's Letter from Ravenna, Italy.

   1848 --
  1857 A. D. -- Letters from General Robert E. Lee to his
                          daughters, Agnes and Mildred.