Diary: 1555 (Jan - June)

The Diary of Henry Machyn, Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London, 1550-1563. Originally published by Camden Society, London, 1848.

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'Diary: 1555 (Jan - June)', in The Diary of Henry Machyn, Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London, 1550-1563, (London, 1848) pp. 79-90. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol42/pp79-90 [accessed 24 April 2024]

1555 (Jan - June)

The furst day of January where asymbulle (fn. 1) of men and vomen in Bowe chyrche-yerde at nyght of a xxx and a-boyffh, (fn. 2) and ther thay had the Englys serves and prayers and a lectorne, and thay wher taken by the shreyffes, and Thomas Rosse the menyster, and thay wher cared to the contors and odur plases, and ser Thomas Rosse to the Towre.

The viij day of January the prynsse of Pyemon (fn. 4) whent by water to the Towre with my lord Admerall and my lord Clynton, and dyvers odur, and he was shud (fn. 5) evere plasse ther, and ther wher grett shutyng of gones.

[The ix day of January certain Spaniards killed an Englishman basely: two held him while one thrust him through, and so he died.]

The xiiij day of Januarij ther preched [at Paul's cross] doctur Chadsay persun of Allalowes in Bred-strett.

The xvj day of January was bered the lade Fuwater, (fn. 6) the wyff of the lord Fuwater, in [Essex] at Odam Water, (fn. 7) with iiij baners of armes, [a standard?] of armes, and ij emages, with a hers, and vij dosen penselles, and viij dosen of skochyons, and a mantyll, and whyt branchys, and iiij dosen stayff-torchys.

The xviij day of January wher hangyd at Tyborne ij men and iiij women.

The sam day whent to the Towre my lord chansseler, and dyvers odur lordes and of the conselle, and delyvered a nomber presonars, as ther names folowes—ser James a Croft, ser Gorge Harper, ser Gawynn Carow, ser Necolas Frogmortun, master Vaghan, ser Edward Varner, Gybbs, the bysshope of Yorke, master Rogers, and dyvers odur presonars, and after ther was a gret shottyng of gones.

The xxij day of Januarij was raynyd (fn. 8) at my lord chansseler plasse by-syd sant Mare Overes ser John Hoper latt bysshope of Glosetur, doctur C[rome], as the parsun of Wyttyngtun colege, harold Tomson, Rogars parsun or veker of sant Pulkers, and dyvers odur.

The xxiiij day of January ther wher grett ronnyng at the tylt at Westmynster with spayrers, (fn. 9) boyth Englys men and Spaneards.

[The xxv day of January, being saint Paul's day, was a general procession of saint Paul by every parish, both priests and clarkes, in copes to the number of a hundred and sixty, singing Salve festa dies, with ninety crosses borne. The procession was through Cheap into Leadenhall. And before went the] chyldryn of the Gray-frers and Powlles skolle. [There were eight bishops, and the] bysshope of London myteryd, bayryng the sacre[ment, with . . eym] of torchys bornyng, and a canepe borne [over]; so a-bowtt the chyrch-yerde, and in at the west dore, [with the] lord mayre and the althermen, and all the craftes in ther best leverays. And with-in a wylle after the Kyng cam, and my lord cardenall, and the prynsse of Pyamon, (fn. 10) and dyvers lordes and knyghtes; thay hard masse, and after to the court to dener, and at nyght bone-fyres and grett ryngyng in evere [church].

The xxvij day of January ther was a goodly prossessyon cam from Westmynster unto Tempull bar with crosses and a C. chylderyn in surples and a C. clarkes and prestes in copes syngyng, the wyche the copes wher very ryche of tyssuw and cloth of gold; [and after] that master dene Weston carehyng the blessyd sacrement, and a canepe borne over yt, and a-bowt yt a xx torchys bornyng, and after yt a ij C. men and women.

The xxviij day of January was examynyd at sant Mare Overes bysshope Hoper, doctor Crom, and Cardmaker, and odur, and Cardmaker recantyd.

The xxix day of January wher raynyd (fn. 11) at sant Mare Overes for herese Hoper and Rogers, and cast to be brentt, and from thens cared to Nugatt.

The xxx day of January was raynyd in the sam plasse Bradford, Tayller, and Sandur, and cast to be brentt in dyvers places.

[The j day of February was buried the duchess of Northumberland at Chelsea where she lived, with a goodly herse of wax and pensils, and escocheons, two baners] of armes, and iiij [banners of images, and] mony mornars, and with ij haroldes of armes. Ther was a mageste and the valans, and vj dosen of torchys and ij whyt branchys, and alle the chyrche hangyd with blake and armes, and a canepe borne over her to the chyrche.

The iiij day (of) Feybruary the bysshope of London went into Nugatt, and odur docturs, to dysgratt (fn. 12) Hoper, and Rogers sumtyme vycker of sant Polkers.

The sam day was Rogers cared be-twyn x and xj of the cloke in-to Smyth-feld, and bornyd, for aronyus (fn. 13) apinions, with a grett compene of the gard.

The v day of Feybruarij be-twyn v and vj in the mornyng, (departed) master Hoper to Gloceter, and Sandurs to Coventre, boyth [to be] bornd.

The vj day of Feybruary doctur Tayller was sent in-to Suffoke, and to be brentt.

The xij day of Feybruary was my lord Strange mared to the lade of Cumberland the yerle of Cumberland doyctur; and after a grett dener, and justes, and after tornay on horsbake with swordes, and after soper Jube the cane, a play, (fn. 14) with torch-lyght and cressettlyghtes, lx cressets and C. of torchys, and a maske, and a bankett.

The ix day of Feybruary was raynyd at Powlles, a-for my lord mayre and the shreyffes and the bysshope of London and dyvers docturs and of the conselle, vj heretykes [of] Essex and Suffoke, to be brent in dyvers places.

The xvij day of Feybruary at bowt mydnyght ther wher serten lude feylous cam unto sant Thomas of Acurs, and over the dore ther was set the ymage of sant Thomas, and ther thay brake ys neke and the tope of ys crosier, the wyche was mad of fre-ston; with grett sham yt was done.
. . . . . . .

The v day of Marche was playd a-fo [r the king and] the conselle Whyt the master of fensse (fn. 15) and ys [fellows, and] all odur that wold come at the court at Vest[mynster.]

The viij day of Marche ther was a general prossessyon from Powlles and thrugh Chepe and Bucklers[bery] and thrug Walbroke and up Boge-row and Watling stret, and so to Powlles; and all the chylderyn of Powlles and of the hospetall, and the bysshope and my lord mare and aldermen, and all the crafts, and all clarkes and prestes syngyng.

The sam day was a man sett on the pelere [for hurting] of one of the vj men that was sworne, and lyke [to have] bene slayne, and dyd suspend the chyrche of [saint] Donestones in the est.

The xiiij day of Marche in the nyght ther serten velyns (fn. 16) dyd breke the neke of the ymage of sant Thomas of Canturbere, (fn. 17) and on of ys arms broke.

The xv day of Marche ther was a proclamassyon the morowe after that wo so ever dyd know or cold bryng word to the mayre who dyd breke ys neke, shuld have a C. crones of gold for ys labur.

The xvj day of Marche was a veyver (fn. 18) bornyd in Smyth-feld, dwellyng in Sordyche, for herese, by viij of the cloke in the mornyng, ys nam was (Tomkins (fn. 19) ).

The xviij day of Marche was browth to the Towre owt of Cambryge-shyre master Bowes, master Cutt, and master Hynd, and dyvers odur, for a nuw conspyrase, the wyche shuld have byne don in Suffoke and odur plases.

The xix day of Marche in the mornyng the Kyng('s) grace rune at the tylt a-gaynst odur Spaneards, and brake iiij stayffes by viij of the cloke in the mornyng.

[The xx day of March the earl of Bedford, lord privy-seal, who died at his house beside the Savoy, was carried to his buryingplace in the country, called Chenies, with three hundred horse all in black. He was carried with three crosses,] with mony clerkes and prestes, [till they came to the hill] a-boyffe sant James, and ther returnyd [certain of them] home; and thay had torchys and almes (fn. 20) and money gyven them. And after evere man sett in aray on horssebake. First on red (fn. 21) in blake bayryng a crosse of sylver, and serten prestes on horsebake wayryng ther surples; then cam the standard, and then all the gentyllmen and hed officers; and then cam haroldes, on beyryng ys elmet, and the mantylls, and the crest, and anodur ys baner of armes, and anodur ys target with the garter, and anodur ys cott armur; and anodur ys sword: and then master Garter in ys ryche cott armur and then cam the charett with vj banars rolles of armes, and a-bowt the charett iiij banars of ymages, and after the charet a gret horsse trapyd in cloth of gold with the sadyll of the sam; and then cam mornars, the cheyffe (of whom) my lord Russell ys sune, (fn. 22) and after my lord trayssorer, and the master of the horse, and dyver odur nobull men all in blake; and evere (fn. 23) towne that he whent thrughe the clarkes and prestes mett ym with crosses; and they had in evere parryche iiij nobuls to gyffe to the pore, and the prest and clarke of evere parryche xs., tyll he cam to ys plasse at Cheynes; and the morowe after was he bered, and a grett doll of money; and ther the deyn of Powlles mad a godly sermon; and after a grett dener, and great plenty to all the contrey a-bowt that wold com thether.

The xxv day of Marche, the wyche was owre lade [day,] ther was as gret justes as youe have sene at the tylt at Vestmynster; the chalyngers was a Spaneard and ser Gorge Haward; and all ther men, and ther horsses trymmyd in whyt, and then cam the Kyng and a gret mene (fn. 24) all in bluw, and trymmyd with yelow, and ther elmets with gret tuyffes (fn. 25) of blue and yelow fether, and all ther veffelers (fn. 26) and ther fotemen, and ther armorers, and a compene lyke Turkes red (fn. 27) in cremesun saten gownes and capes, and with fachyons, (fn. 28) and gret targets; and sum in gren, and mony of dyvers colers; and ther was broken ij hondred stayffes and a-boyff. (fn. 29)

The iiij day of Aprell the Kyng('s) grace and the Quen removyd unto Hamtun cowrte to kepe Ester ther, and so her grace to her chambur ther.
. . . . . . .

The xvij day of Aprell was a commandment [from the bishop of London that every] parryche in London should have the sam day, and the morowe, durge and masse and ryngyng for pope Jully [the third] of that name, and for all crystyn solles.

The xiiij day of Aprell, the wyche was [Ester day,] at sant Margatt parryche at Westmynster, af[ter masse] was done, one of the menysters a prest of the ab[bay] dyd helpe hym that was the menyster [to] the pepull who wher reseyvyng of the blessyd sacrement of [the lord] Jhesus Cryst, ther, cam in-to the chyrche a man that was a monke of Elly, the wyche was marryed to a wyff; the sam day ther that sam man sayd to the menyster, What doyst thow gyff them? and as sone as he had spokyn he druw his wod-knyffe, and hyt the prest on the hed and struck hym a grett blowe, and after ran after hym and struck hym on the hand, and cloyffe ys hand a grett way, and after on the harme (fn. 30) a grett wond (fn. 31); and ther was syche a cry and showtt as has not byne; and after he was taken and cared to presun, and after examynyd wher-for he dyd ytt.

The xx day of Aprell was raynyd (fn. 32) at Powlles a-for the bysshope of London and many odur and my lord cheyffe justys and my lord mayre and the shreyffes; ys name was (master Fowler, alias Branch (fn. 33) ); he was a monke of Ely; and ther was a goodly sermon, and after he was cast and condemnyd to have ys hand that hurt the prest cut off or he shuld suffer, (fn. 34) and after dysgracyd, and after cared to Nuwgatt.

The xxj day of Aprell ther was wypyd at a cart-hors iij, j man and ij women, and anodur man a-lone, ij old men with whyt berdes, and on was for carehyng . . . . . .

[The xxiijd day of April, being saint George's day, at Hampton Court, the King, with other lords and knights of the garter, went in their robes on procession, with three] crosses, and clarkes and prestes, and my lord chancellor, the cheyff menyster, metered, (fn. 35) and all thay in copes of cloth of tyssue and gold, syngyng Salva fasta dyes as thay whent a-bowt; the Quen('s) grace lokyd owt of a cassement, that hundereds dyd se her grace after she had taken her chambur; and arolds (fn. 36) gohyng a-bowt the Kyng('s) grace.

The xxiiij day of Aprell was the sam man cared to Westmynster that dyd hurt the prest, and had ys hand stryken of at the post, and after he was bornyd aganst sant Margett chyrche with-owt the cherche-yerde.

The xxvj day of Aprell was cared from the Marselsee in a care thrugh London unto Charyng-crosse to the galows, and ther hangyd, iij men for robyng of serten Spaneardes of tresur of gold owt of the abbay of Vestmynster.

The sam day was a yonge man wypytt at a post with a coler of yron to the post, by the standard in the Chepe, that ys callyd the post of reformassyon, for brybyng and pyky . .

The xxix day of Aprell was cutte downe of the galows a man that was hangyd the xxvj day of Aprell, a pulter('s) servant that was one of them that dyd robed (fn. 37) the Spaneard with-in Westmynster Abbay, and he hangyd in a gowne of towny (fn. 38) fryse and a dobelet of townny taffata and a payre of fyne hose lynyd with sarsenet, and after bered undur the galaus, rayllyng a-ganst the pope and the masse, and hangyd iiij days.

The xxx day of Aprell and the last day of Aprell thydynges cam to London that the Quen('s) grace was delevered of a prynce, and so ther was grett ryngyng thrugh London, and dyvers plases Te Deum laudamus songe; and the morow after yt was tornyd odurways to the plesur of God! But yt shall be when yt plesse God, for I trust God that he wyll remembur ys tru servands that putt ther trust in hym, when that they calle on hym.

[The ij day of May three persons for their abominable living were carted through the city, from Guildhall to Cheapside, and so through Newgate, and through Smithfield, and back again to the Standard in Cheap, where the proclamation of their unclean living was made, viz. master] Manwaryng a gentyllman, and ij women, on . . . . Waren dwellyng at the Hare in Chepe, and the odur a gold-smyth('s) wyff, for baudry and hordom, and dyvers [times taken] with-all; and so cared owt of Algatt.

The vij day of May was taken owt of ys grave the sam man that was bered be-syd the galaus at Charynge crosse, a pulter, and bornyd be-syd the galaus.

The x day of May was browth (fn. 39) unto [the court at] Hamtun to the consell a yonge man the wyche sayd he was kyng Edward the vjth, and was [examined] a-for the conselle, and so examynyd how he [dared be] so bold, and after delevered unto the marshall and conveyed to the marshellsay, and ther he bydyth the conselles pleasure.

The xv day of May was a generall prossessyon from Powlles and unto Leydynhall and downe Gracious-strett, and tornyd done Estchepe, and so to Powlles a-gayn; for [there] whent ij C. pore men with bedes in ther handes, and iij C. powre women of evere parryche, ij men and ij vomen, ij and ij to-gether, and after all the men-chylderyn of the hospetall, and after the chylderne of sant Antonys, and then all the chyltheryn of Powlles and all ther masters and husshers, and then all the prestes and clerkes, and the bysshope, and my lord mare and the althermen, and all the crafftes of London in ther leveray. The sam tym as thay wher a-gohyng a-prossessyon in Chepe ther cam a frantyke man and hangyd a-bowt a prest ij podynges, and after he was browth (fn. 40) to the bysshope, and after to my lord mayre, and after to the contur for ys folyssnes. (fn. 41)
. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . wypyd at a care-hars (fn. 42) a-bowt the . . .

The xvij day of May was bone (fn. 43) to a post in [Cheap and] wyped for (blank in the MS.) as they wher gohyng a-prossessyon the Wednysday a-for, a-for non, (fn. 44) a man dwellyng at Belyngatt (fn. 45) in Bore['s head]-alley; ys nam ys (blank) Halle a leyterman.

The xviij day of May was nodur lad wypyd at the same post in Chepe for loytryng and ronnyng a-bowt master-les as a vacabond.

The sam day of May was (arraigned) iiij men at Powlles, a-for none and after-non, of Essex, and thay wher cast for heresse, (fn. 46) all iiij cast to be bornyd, and so cared unto Nugatt.

The xix day of May dyd pryche at Powlles crosse master Hapffeld; and ther wher ij women stode ther a-fore the precher, and ther the ij women declaryd that yt was falsse that they sayd a-fore, that the chyld dyd nott spyke, and bad all men take hed (fn. 47) how eny man or voman shuld beleyffe any shuche person the wyche shuld spyke a chyld be-syd Powlles, the wyche the chyld should spyke and shuld bed (fn. 48) men pray, and sayd that the kyngdom of God ys at hand.

The xvij day of May was bered the contesse of Vestmerland at Sordyche, for ther was a goodly hersse with iiij banars of emages, and iiij banars-rolles, and mony mornars, and ther was master Garter and Ruge-crosse, and after all done a gret dener.

The xxij day of May one Wylliam (blank), sum tyme a lake, (fn. 49) rod in a care from the Marsalsey thrugh London unto Westmynster and in-to the Hall, and ther he had ys jugement to be wypyd be-caws he sayd that he cam as a messynger from kyng Edward the vjth.

[The xxv day of May were arraigned at St. Paul's for heresy, before the bishop, master Cardmaker sometime vicar of St. Bride's in Fleet-street, and one] John Warren a cloth [worker in Walbrook] and a-nodur of (blank), and cast to be brent; and [carried back to] Nugatt.

The xxix day of May was a goodly prossessyon of the chylderyn of the hospetall and all the skolles in [London].

The xxx day of May was burnt in Smythfeld master Cardmaker sum-tyme veker of sant Bryd and master Varren clothworker dwellyng aganst sant Johns in Walbroke, an hupholster, and ys wyff behyng in [Newgate].

The xxvij day of May was the Clarkes' prossessyon from Yerdhall (fn. 50) college, and ther was a goodly masse be hard, (fn. 51) and evere clarke havyng a cope and garland, with C. stremers borne, and the whettes (fn. 52) playng round Chepe, and so to Ledynhall unto sant Albro (fn. 53) chyrche, [and ther] thay putt off ther gayre, (fn. 54) and ther was the blessyd sacrament borne with torche-lyght a-bowt, and from thens unto the Barbur-hall to dener.

The xxvj day of May was a goodly May-gam at sant Martens in the feld, with gyant and hobehorsses, with drumes and gonnes and mores danse and with othur mynsterelles.

The iij day of Junij cam a godly prossessyon from sant Peters in Cornhylle with the Fyssmongers, and my lorde mayre, with a C. copes, unto Powlles, and ther thay offered; with the whettes (fn. 55) playhyng and syngyng.

The sam day was a goodly May-gam at Westmynster as has ben synes, (fn. 56) with gyantes, mores-pykes, gunes and drumes, and duwylles, (fn. 57) and iij mores-dansses, and bag-pypes and wyolles, (fn. 58) and mony dysgyssyd, and the lord and the lade of the May rod gorgyously, with mynsterelles dyver playng.

[The same day was the procession of saint Clement's parish without Temple bar, set forth with a great many streamers] and banners, and the whetes of London [with crosses.] In the myds of the crosses was the Spaneards crosse of the Savoy, and yt was rond lyke to that hangys over [the sacrament,] of cremesun welvett inbrodere ryche, and after clarkes and prestes in ryche copes syngyng Salve fasta dies; [and] folowyng all the ines of the cowrt ther; and after all the parryche with whyt rods in ther handes a gret nombur.

The sam day cam Eslyngtun prosessyon, with standard and baners, with clarkes and prestes in copes syngyng Salve fasta dies, and after all the parryche boyth men and women.

The x day of Juin was delevered owt of Nuwgatt vij men to be cared in-to Essex and Suffoke to borne. (fn. 59)

The sam day was Grossers' fest, and ther was my lord mayre and dyvers althermen, and ther my lord mayre dyd chuysse master Lee altherman shreyffe for the kyng, and master Whytt grocer and altherman the master of the Grosers, and master Graftun warden and master Grenway warden for that yere.

The xj day of Juin be-gane they to sett up the frame for the hersse at Powlles for the quen of Spayn, the wyche was the goodlest that ever was sene in England; the bare frame cost xv1. the carpynter('s) dute.

The xvij day of Juin was the hersse fenyssyd at Powlles a-boyffe the qwyer with ix prensepalles garnyshyd, (the) goodlest that ever was sene, and all the prensepalles covered with blake velvett, and the mageste of taffata and the frynge [gold]; and all the qwyre and a-boyffe the qwyre and the sydes and ondur [foot] and the body of the chyrche one he (fn. 60) hangyd with blake and armes, and with xxxvj dosen of pensells of sylke welvett with gold and selver, and xvj baners-rolles of armes, and iiij baners of whyt emages wroght with fyne gold; over-nyght durge, and the morow masse; and mony mornars, the forst a stranger and the yerle of Shrusbere, and yerle of Penbroke, my lord treysorer, ser Recherd Sowthwell, and mony mo as Englys as Spaneards; and a vij skore powre men havyng nuwe blake gownes, and evere man holdyng torchys; and after messe a grett dener at the bysshope of London('s) plasse, and gret plente.
. . . . . . . .

The xiiij day (of) Juin was a proclamassyon [that all] bokes shuld be broyth (fn. 61) in of Luter, Tendalles, . . . . and Coverdals and bysshope Cremer, (fn. 62) and all shyche as . . . . shuys and all hereses bokes, and he that dyd nott [bring them] in with-in the xv days after shuld go to presun with-owt prysse, of what degre they be of.

Footnotes

  • 1. assembly.
  • 2. above.
  • 3. So in MS.
  • 4. Piedmont.
  • 5. shown.
  • 6. Fitzwater.
  • 7. Woodham Walter.
  • 8. arraigned.
  • 9. spears. As a side-note to this paragraph is this word, Jostyng.
  • 10. Piedmont.
  • 11. were arraigned.
  • 12. degrade.
  • 13. erroncous.
  • 14. Juego de Canas, or tilting with canes, a sport introduced by the Spaniards.
  • 15. master of fence.
  • 16. villains.
  • 17. In a side note, sant Thomas of Acurs.
  • 18. weaver.
  • 19. blank in MS.
  • 20. in MS. armes.
  • 21. one rode.
  • 22. son.
  • 23. every.
  • 24. menée, i. e. retinue.
  • 25. tufts, or plumes.
  • 26. whifflers, or forerunners.
  • 27. rode.
  • 28. falchions.
  • 29. above.
  • 30. arm.
  • 31. wound.
  • 32. arraigned.
  • 33. Blank in MS.
  • 34. i. e. before he should suffer death; see under the xxiiij th.
  • 35. heralds.
  • 36. wearing his mitre.
  • 37. Sic MS.
  • 38. tawny.
  • 39. brought.
  • 40. brought.
  • 41. foolishness.
  • 42. cart-tail.
  • 43. bound.
  • 44. noon.
  • 45. Billingsgate.
  • 46. heresy.
  • 47. heed.
  • 48. bid.
  • 49. lacquey.
  • 50. Sic in MS. for Yeldhall, i. e. Guildhall.
  • 51. as goodly a mass as has been heard.
  • 52. waits.
  • 53. Ethelburga.
  • 54. gear.
  • 55. waits.
  • 56. Sic MS. lege seen.
  • 57. devils.
  • 58. viols.
  • 59. to be burned.
  • 60. on high.
  • 61. brought.
  • 62. Cranmer.