A London Chronicle: Edward VI

Two London Chronicles From the Collections of John Stow. Originally published by Camden Society, London, 1910.

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'A London Chronicle: Edward VI', in Two London Chronicles From the Collections of John Stow, (London, 1910) pp. 17-27. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-misc/vol12/no1/pp17-27 [accessed 17 March 2024]

Edward VI

The first yere of ye kynge Edward ye vj. ye xxviij. of January.

Sir John Gressham, mercar, mayre in ye 1. yere of Edward ye 6.

The second yere of ye kynge ye xxviij. of Januarie.

Mst. Hamcotis, (fn. 1) fishemongar, mayr, ye 2 yere of Ed. 6.

The xx. day of Marche sir Thomas Seymar, knyght, lord admyrall, was behedyd at Towre hyll. This yere ye comons in all ye parties of England made sondry insurreccions & commocions about whitsontyde, & so forthe vntyll September: amongs whome dyvers of comons of Cornwall & Devonshire (fn. 2) in sondry campes besegyd Excester, whiche manfully was defendyd (fn. 3) by ye inhabytauntes & dyver gentylmen which were flede into it. And agaynst thes rebells were sent ye lorde Russell, lorde privy seale, who lay longe ther at Hontyngton, (fn. 4) vntyll ye lord Graye wt certayne strayngars horsmen in redd cottes came thether, & syr Wyllyam Herbart wt dyvers Welchemen, & at a towne callyd Byshopps Clyffte (fn. 5) they assaltyd one campe furnyshed wt a greate number of ye sayd rebelles & them vanquished. And ye othar Rebells lying before Exceter,herynge of ye ovarthrow of theyr companyons at Bysshoppis Clyfte, beynge in feare of ye kynges Army, fled frome ye sege beyonde Excester into Cornwall, (fn. 6) so that the lordes aforesayd entred into Exceter wt out any further troble, yet yey left not ye sayd rebells but chasd them into Cornewall, & take one Humfrey Arundell, one of ye capitaynes, & one (fn. 7) Pomery, wt dyuerse other, & slewe very many: the contry was very sore wasted not only by reason of thar long lyenge ther in sondry campes, but also for that all the company of ye lordes ye strange had leave to spoyle.

(fn. 8) Also durynge this seege ye comons of Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, & Bedfordshire, wt dyvars of Somersettshire & others, arose in great numbers, & wt great angre towards sir John Wyllyams disparkyd his parke called Thame parke, & kyllyd all ye dere: from thens they went vnto Rycote, & ther dysparked ye parke called Rycote parke, & kyllyd all his dere, entered into ye place, & dranke theyr fyll of wyne, ale & bere, slew many shepe, & ete them, wt dyvers other myscheves: from thens they went vnto Woodstocke, & then herynge yt my lorde Gray wt ye kyngs powre was comynge towards them, many of them forsoke theyr companye, & thos whiche remaynyd went vnto a towne callyd Chyppynge Norton, where they encampyd themselves, whithar my lorde Graye folowyd them, & ther ovarcame them, & toke one Thomas Bowldrey, who aftar was hangyd & quarteryd, & one Bowlar, whiche aftarwards had his pardon: those ij. were capitayns at the brakynge vp ye parks. (fn. 9)

And also duryng ye sege at Exetar ye comons of Norfolke & Suffolke arose in great nombar, & came vnto Norwytche, & nere there vnto in a wode callyd S. Nicholas wood they encampyd themselves, & aganst them was sent ye Erie of Essex, whyche was made markes Northampton, wt dyvers straungers & englyshe men, all horssemen, (fn. 10) whome these rebelles suffred to enter into Norwiche peceably; but after yt he had entered ye towne they neuer left of from molestynge & assaultynge ye towne, so yt in ye conclusion he was fayne to forsake ye towne & leave behynde many of his companye wt moch mony, stuff, horses, & other caryage: after yt those rebelles wt ther capyteyn, called Keet (fn. 11) ye tanner, burned dyuerse houses wt in ye citie of Norwiche, & spoyled many honest marchauntes of ther goodes to ther ympoueryshinge. Also he tooke all ye gentilmen yt he myghte gett, & cheyned them together entreatynge them very cruelly: wherfore for ye appeasinge of this vprore therle of Warwyke was sent thyther wt ye kynges power, who did so handell the matter yt aboute the begynnynge of September, (fn. 12) bartellmewtyd, he ouer came them, & toke ther capitayn, called Keet ye tanner,whome he sent to London to ye kynge, by whos commaundement ye same Keet was broughte throughe London ye last of September, & wt hym a brother of hys also, wh. were both broughte vnto ye Tower.

ffor ye which offence ye sayd Keet ye tanner was hanged vppon ye toppe of ye castell of Norwytche, and his brother also. (fn. 13)

xxixo September, ao iij. Regis E. vjti.

Sir Rowland Hyll, mercer, mayour, ye 3 yere of Edward 6.

This yere ye iiijth of October ye lord protector & ye erle of Warwyke fill at controversye aboute ye reasonynge of certeyn things, & so ye erle of Warwyke wt other lordes of ye counsell assembled, & yt herynge the lord protector wt all spede departed from Hampton courte, & tooke ye kynge wt hym to ye castell of Wyndsore vppon ye sixte day of October at nyghte late, & gathered thyther moche people, & wt hym went ye archbishope of Caunterberye, sir Thomas Patchett, (fn. 14) & secretary Smythe: (fn. 15) wherfore ye lordes cam together vpp to London, as the lord chauncellor, (fn. 16) ye lord St John, lord grete master, wt dyuerse other of ye kynges counsayll, & satt at ye mercers hall in Chepesyde ye vijth daye of October: & ye viijth day of October ye said lord protector wt all hys complices was proclaymed a traytor in London for dyuerse causes then declared in ye proclamacion: & ye tenthe daye ye lord protector was comytted to ward in ye castell of Wyndsor, & after yt vppon Mondaye, beinge ye xiiijth of October, ye same lord protector was brought from Wyndsore vnto ye Tower throughe ye citye, & wt hym ye same tyme was broughte M. Stanhope, (fn. 17) grome of ye stole, & secretarye Smythe wt other: & after yt, vppon Thursdaye, beinge saynte Lukes eve, viz. ye xvij. day of October, ye kynges Mtie Edward ye sixte, accompanyed wt all ye nobilite came from Hampton corte vnto Suffolke place in Sothewerke, wher he dyned, & after dyner rode throughe ye citie vnto Westmester in moste goodly order.

Also be it remembred (fn. 18) yt vppon Sondaye, beynge ye xixth day of January, Ao R. E. vj.ti tertio, in ye evenynge after super betwene Newgate & Smythe filde one called commonly captayn Gambold, (fn. 19) & an other captayne wt hym called (fn. 20) were both slayne by one called captayne Charles, (fn. 21) whoo of very malyce & dispyte slewe ye same Gambold, & for ye same offence ye sayd captayne Charles had hys hand stryken off vpon ye carte whelle, wher in he wt iij. others (fn. 22) wt hym were caryed from Newgate, & vpon ye waye before ye kynges hedd taverne (fn. 23) lost hys hand, & so were they all iiij. hanged in Smythfeld ye Frydaye, next folowynge, which was ye xxv.th (fn. 24) of Januarye.

Also ye xxvj.th day of January, a.o iij.o E. vj.ti, foure westerne men, viz. one called Humfrey Arundell, a gentellman borne, one Berrys, (fn. 25) one Wynslowe, & one called Holmes (fn. 26) were drawn, hanged, & quartered at Tyborne from ye Tower of London for ye insurreccion made in ye west partes, as appeareth in ye yere before.

Also ye vj.th of ffebruary, a.o R. E. vj.ti, iiijto, the duke of Somerset, wh. as aforesayd beynge lord protector proclaymed traytor & commytted vnto ye Tower, was nowe delyuered out of ye Tower, & ye same nyghte supped wt ye erle of Warwyke at ye shreffes called mr. Yorke. (fn. 27)

Also vppon Mondaye,beinge ye tenth daye of ffebruary afforesayde, one Bell, a Suffolkeman was drawen from ye Tower vnto ye Tyburne, & ther hanged & quartred, which as they sayd was for a newe insurreccion, wh. he wt certayne other of his complyces moved in Suffolke & in Essexe. (fn. 27)

Also vpon Mondaye, beinge ye last daye of Marche, a.o R. E. vj.ti iiijto, a generall peace was proclaymed throughe London betwene ye kynge our M., & ye ffrench kynge, & in ye same peace were included themperor & ye scotes: (fn. 28) ye condicions of ye wh. peace as some sayd were thes yt followe. (fn. 29)

Be it remembred yt ye xxvj.th of Aprill, anno R. E. vj.ti quarto, ye towne of Bulloyne was yelden vp vnto ye french kynge, & hys capitaynes tooke ye possession, which was so greate comforte & joye to ye ffrench men, yt as some sayd at ye entrye in to ye towne many of them kneled downe & kyssed ye stones of ye stretes. (fn. 30)

Be it also remembred yt vppon ffryday, beynge ye seconde daye of Maye, one Joan of Kent, otherwyse called Joan Bocher, was borned in Smythfild for heresy, whose pryncrypall article was our saviour Chryst tooke nether flesh nor blood of ye vyrgyn Mary. (fn. 31)

The xxix of October a.o iiijto E. vj.ti

M. Andrew Jude, skynner, mayor, 1550, a.o 4. E. vj.ti

This yere vppon a Thursdaye, beynge ye xvijth of Decembar, ye Temes beneth ye brydge dyd ebbe & flow thre tymes wt in ix. howres, & ye very same daye ye bishope of Winchester, who had lyen in ye Tower from ye mowow after saynt Peters daye a.o primo E. vj.ti, was broughte vnto Lambethe before ye bishope of Caunterbery & certeyne of ye kynges comyssyoners ther vnto appoynted, where were obiected vnto hym certeyne articles on ye kynges behalfe, & daye assigned vnto his answere, (fn. 32) at wh. daye he exhibyted a matter Justificatory wt certayne Interrogatoryes, vppon ye wh. articles, mattier justifycatory, & interrogatoryes were very many nobell men & other witnesses examined, & dyuerse dayes ye sayd L. of Wynchester hadd accordynge to ye order of ye lawe.

A.o vto E. vj.ti

Also be it remembred yt vppon Satterdaye ye vj. off ffebruary ye same L. of Winchester was before ye sayde comyssyoners, & was deprived from his bisshoprik.

Be it remembred yt vppon ffrydaye, beynge ye 13 of Marche, one Thomas Morysbye & his syster were both hanged in Smythfild for murderyng of a gentyllman dwellynge in ffeuersham, called Arden, who was murdred by his owne wyffe, & thother ij. abouenamed: for ye wh. murder as ye saynge was his wyffe was also barned at Canterbury aboute ye xiij.th daye of Marche, & twoo other also suffred at Feuersham ye same daye. (fn. 33)

Be it also remembred yt this yere were clene put downe all ye alters wh. were left stondynge in London; for in dyuerse places in England, & in sondry parishes of London ye had been pulled downe longe affore, excepte St. Nicholas Willows, & tables of waynscott set in ye myddest of ye quere; & in ye begynnynge of ye moneth of Aprill (fn. 34) ye yron gates of ye quere of Paules were mured vpp wt bryke bycause many people cam thyther dayly & worshipe ye sacrament.

Be it also remembred yt vppon ffryday, beynge ye xxiiij.th of Aprell, a dutcheman was burned in Smythfilld for heresy, whose detestabell heresy was of ye inequalitie betweene God ye father, & God ye sonne. (fn. 35)

Be it also remembred yt vppon ffryday, beinge ye viij. of Maye, a proclamacion was made in London yt, from & after ye last daye of August then next ensewynge, shyllynges of ye valewe ofxij.d. shuld be currant but ix.d., & a grote for iij. pence. By reason of wh. proclaymacion ensewed great death (fn. 36) of all thynges; for ye people, coueytinge to rayse ye losse of theyr money vppon soche kynd of wares or victualles as they occupyed, dyd dayly inhaunse & encrease ye prises both of wares & victualles, most miserably oppressynge ye poore. (fn. 37)

Nota. yt vppon Mondaye, beynge ye xxvth. of Maye, betwene ye howres of xj. & one of ye clocke at none was an erthequake of halfe a quarter of an hower longe at Blechyngelye, at Godstone, at Croydon, at Albery, & dyuerse other places ther aboutes: ye cause therof is onely knowen vnto God, who be merciful vnto vs. (fn. 38)

Also be it remembred yt vppon Thursdaye, beinge ye ixth. of July, ye forsayd proclamacion, wh. was appoynted to take effecte ye last day of August next comynge, by reason of ye insatyabell covetous of ye people oppressynge ye pore in ouerprysing, especially of vytayll & generally all other kyndes of warres, was shortened vnto this presente daye, & tooke effecte ymedyatly vppon ye publyshynge of ye same, wh. was doon betwene ix. & x. of ye clocke beforenone of ye same ix. daye, so yt ymedyatly a shyllynge went for ix.d. & a grote for iij.d., & no word spoken of ye small money as pence & halfe grotes, by reason whereof ther was no small money to be gotten to geve ye poore people. (fn. 39)

Be it also remembred yt vppon ffrydaye, ye xth. of July, ye swetinge sycknes was very vehemente in London. But specially Watlyngstret, so yt in ye same daye dyed many. (fn. 40)

Bee it remembred yt at St. Nicholas wyllows ye altars stood yet styll, as yt ye precher M. Home was very ernest agaynst them in ye afternoon yt he made.

Be it remembred yt vpon a Monday, beinge ye xvijth. of August ao. R. E. vjti Quinto, ye proclaymacion cam forth for a shyllyng to be currant for vj.d., a grote for ij.d., a peny of ij.d. for a peny, a peny for a ob., & a ob. for a qr. (fn. 41)

Be it remembred yt vppon Sondaye ye xjth. of October ye lorde marques Dorset was created duke of Suffolke, ye lord erlle of Warwyke was created duke of Northumberland, & ye erle of Wyltesh. was created marques of Wynchester, & sir Willyam Harbert ye master of ye horse was created erle of Penbroke, & dyuerse men made knyghtes. (fn. 42)

Be it further remembred yt vppon ffrydaye ye 16 of October ye duke of Somerset was brought vnto ye Tower, & in ye next mornynge beynge Satterdaye ye duchesse his wyfe was broughte thyther also, & ther wente also wt ye duke the lord Grey of Wylton, sir Raffe Vane, & sir Thomas Pallmer, (fn. 43) & sondrye other men bothe of ye dukes seruauntes & of others.

29 Octobers 1551.

M. Richard Dobbes, skynner, Mayor, ye 5 yere of Ed. 6.

Nom. (fn. 44) that vppon ffrydaye, beynge ye 30 of October, a newe proclamacion cum forth for sondrye newe peces of money both sylver & golde of dyuerse valewes, viz. souereignes of fyne gould at xxx. s., angelles of fyne golde at x., & dyuerse other peces of gold of lesser valewes, a pece of syluer v.s, & a pece ii., vj.d., ye sterlynge shillinge of xij.d. & sondry other small moneyes. (fn. 45)

Note also yt uppon ffrydaye, beynge ye vjth. daye of Nouember ye quene of scottes (fn. 46) rode throughe Chepesyde wt a greate companye of englishemen waytynge on her, after she had lyen iiij. dayes in ye byshope of London's palace besydes Poules churche.

Note further yt vppon Tewesdaye ye first of December ye duke of Somerset was areyned at Westmynster hall, & was then & ther acquyted of treason, but he was condempned of felonye by vertue of acte of parlyamente made agaynst conventicles & vnlawfull assemblies. (fn. 47)

Also vppon ye Mondaye after, beynge ye vijth. daye of December was a generall muster of ye horsemen, wh. were in ye wages of ye nobles of this realme, & for ye wh. ye kynges majesty allowed yerely for each man xx.li., the wh. muster was made vppon ye brod cawsey ouer agaynste ye brode causaye ouer agaynst ye kinges place (fn. 48) at saynte James: & as yt was reported ye nomber of ye horsemen was a thousande.

Note yt vppon ffrydaye, beynge ye xxijth. day of January, ye duke of Somerset was broughte vnto ye skaffold vppon ye Tower hyll, & ther was beheaded.

And vppon Satterdaye ye xxiijth. daye of Januarye ye parlyament began wh. ye lordes assembled.

Also about this tyme ye flud of ye ocean & flemyshe sea of ye Temes swelled so hyghe yt yt dyde greate hurte vpon all ye cost of Flaunders, & ouerflowed Lesynge (fn. 49) mershe besydes Wolwytche, & ye mershes beyond saynte Kateryns.

Also aboute this tyme ther was found dead in ye mouth of ye Humber in ye north a greate whale of vij. or viij. cubites.

Note, yt vppon Fryday, beinge ye xxvjth. of ffebruary, one sir Raffe a Vane, & on sir Myles Partryge were both hanged [at] ye Tower hyll vppon ye gallowes, & sir Mihell Stanhope & sir Thomas Arundell were beheaded vppon ye skaffold ther: all wh. foure were condempned by vertue of ye acte of vnlawfull assembles as accessaryes to ye duke of Somerset. (fn. 50)

Note, yt vppon good Frydaye ye xvth. of Aprell ye parlyament was cleane dyssolued & broken vpp, wherin were many goodly lawes & statutes ordeyned & stablyshed.

(fn. 51) The third day of August in a towne called Myddelton Stony in Oxford, there was borne a double child, whiche was two children from ye brest vpwarde, in all partis perfyte wt one body, one navle, & one ishew where out passyd both ordure & water, havynge ij. legges growynge out of ye one syde of ye belye, & one ye other, one lege havynge ij. bones in one skyne, ix. toes, & ij soles of ye foote, callyd & christenyd by ye mydwyfe Johan Joane: thone always slepynge whiles ye othar was wakynge, in August anno 1552. (fn. 52)

Also in ye same monythe of August began to gooe forwarde ye great provysyon for ye poore, towards ye whiche every man was tributorie & gave a certayn wykelye, & also somewhat to begyne ye same on hande: ye first hous which was begon was ye graye fryers in Newgate market, wh. wente forwarde wt all spede. (fn. 53)

Mihelmas daye, 1552.

George Barnes, habardashar, mayre, ye 6 yere of Ed. 6.

Be yt remembryd yt at this mychelmas ye lorde Wyllyam Hawarde was apoynted to be deputie of Calice, & ye lorde Willoghby was commaundyd home, & ye lorde Gray of Wylton was made leftenaunte of Gwynes.

Vpon ye Sondaye, beynge ye xvj. daye of Julii, Nycholas Rydley, byshope of London, made a sermon at Poules crosse, (fn. 54) & ther declared yt ye twoo systers, ye lady Mary, & ye lady Ellisabeth were both basse borne, & ther fore were not naturall chyldren vnto kynge Henry ye eyghte,but borne incest: by reason wherof ye lawes both of ye reallme & also ye ciuille lawe doth not allowe or permite any soche chyldren so borne: & for ye same shewed ye wordes of ye ciuile lawe.

Footnotes

  • 1. Sir Henry Amcotes.
  • 2. Summary inserts: "rose agaynst the nobles and gentelmen: and."
  • 3. Summary, 'whyche was valyauntly defended.' Stow then continues more briefly in his own words.
  • 4. Honiton.
  • 5. Bishop Clist.
  • 6. Another handwriting begins.
  • 7. Blank in MS. He was Sir Thomas Pomeroy.
  • 8. Stow resumes writing.
  • 9. Stow makes no use of this. In future I shall note only his quotations.
  • 10. The other hand resumes.
  • 11. Robert Kett.
  • 12. On 26th August.
  • 13. The copyist first wrote: 'but his brother had his pardon.' His brother William was hanged at Wymondham. Two other brothers were pardoned.
  • 14. Probably Sir William Paget.
  • 15. Sir Thomas Smith.
  • 16. Richard, lord Rich.
  • 17. Michael Stanhope.
  • 18. Stow Summary, and Annales, 1017, describes this rather more fully. See also Wriothesley, Chron. ii. 31, 32.
  • 19. 'Sir Peter Gambo,' Stow and Wriothesley; 'Gambolde' in Greyfriars Chron.
  • 20. 'Filicirga', Stow.
  • 21. 'Charles Gauaro', Stow; Degavaro, Wriothesley.
  • 22. Kynges head dore before Smithfield, where the Murther was committed. Summary.
  • 23. Balthasar Gauaro, Nicholas Disalueton, and Francis Deualesco, Anuales; Michael Desaluaron, and Frauncis Desalvasto, Wriothesley.
  • 24. So Summary; 24th, Annales, and Wriothesley.
  • 25. Bery, Stow.
  • 26. Thomas Holmes, Stow.
  • 27. Quoted with slight variation in Summary.
  • 28. Summary.
  • 29. Not given in MS., nor by Stow.
  • 30. Summary.
  • 31. Summary with some variations.
  • 32. Thus far in Summary. Gardiner was remitted from time to time till 14th Feb. 1551.
  • 33. Summary gives this at more length from another source.
  • 34. "Against Easter", Wriothesley, Chron. ii. 47.
  • 35. Summary ending: 'who helde the detestable opinion of the Arrians'. His name was George of Paris, Annales, 1021.
  • 36. Read 'dearth' as in Summary.
  • 37. Summary with slight variations.
  • 38. Summary ending: 'places in Southery and Myddlesexe.' See Wriothesley, Chron. ii. 49.
  • 39. Summary.
  • 40. Summary much longer.
  • 41. Summary with some variation.
  • 42. Summary.
  • 43. Summary inserts: "Syr Mylles Petrydge, syr Michell Stonhope, syr Thomas Arundell.'
  • 44. sc. Notandum.
  • 45. Summary.
  • 46. Summary: 'The old Quene of Scottes.'
  • 47. Summary.
  • 48. So in MS. Summary: 'made vpon the caussey ouer against the kynges palace.'
  • 49. Lesnes. A somewhat different account in the Summary.
  • 50. Summary: "Scaffold, which fowre wer condemned as accessary in that whyche the Duke was condemned for."
  • 51. Stow resumes copying.
  • 52. In the Summary this monster is described somewhat differently; it lived eighteen days.
  • 53. Summary.
  • 54. The other hand resumes.