Diary: 1556 (Jan - Jun)

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: 1556 (Jan - Jun)', in The Diary of Henry Machyn, Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London, 1550-1563, (London, 1848) pp. 99-109. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol42/pp99-109 [accessed 26 April 2024]

1556 (Jan - Jun)

The xij even was at Henley (fn. 1) a-pon Temes a mastores Lentall wedow mad a soper for master John Venor and ys wyff, and I and dyver odur neybors; and as we wher at soper, and or whe had supt, ther cam a xij wessells, (fn. 2) with maydens syngyng with ther wessells, and after cam the cheyff wyffes syngyng with ther wessells; and the gentyll-woman had hordenyd (fn. 3) a grett tabull of bankett, dyssys (fn. 4) of spyssys and frut, as marmelad, gynbred, gele, (fn. 5) comfett, suger plat, and dyver odur.

. . . . . . . .

. . . dwellyng in Ive-lane, stuard unto master G . . . ser Rechard Recherdsun, prest, with ij whytt . . . ., xij stayfftorchys, and iiij grett tapurs, a dolle, and a knell at Powlles, and a-nodur at sant Feyths.

The xxij day of January whent in-to Smythfeld to berne (fn. 6) betwyn vij and viij in the mornyng v men and ij women; on of the men was a gentyllman of the ender tempull, ys nam master Gren; and they wer all bornyd by ix at iij postes; and ther wher a commonment thrughe London over nyght that no yong folke shuld come ther, for ther the grettest [number] was as has byne sene at shyche (fn. 7) a tyme.

The v day of Feybruary was bered master Cry[stopher] Allen, sum-tyme altherman of London, in sant . . . in London, with iij dosen torchys, on dosen of [staff]-torchys, ij whyt branchys, and iiij grett tapurs, and pore men and women had gownes, and ther wher mony mornars in blake, a lx; and the xxviij was the monyth ['s mind?]

The viij day of Feybruary dyd pryche at Powlles crosse master Peryn, a blake frere, and at the sam sermon was a prest, on ser Thomas Samsun, dyd penanse for he had ij wyffes, and a shett abowt hym, and a tapur in ys hand bornyng a-for the precher, and the mayre of London and the althermen and worshephull men, and mony odur.

The xij day of January was bered in Essex master Leygett, justes of pesse, (fn. 8) with ij whyt branchys and a v dosen of torchys, and iiij gret tapurs and a gret dolle, and mony mornars, and a gret dener; and shroyff sonday was ys monyth myne, (fn. 9) and ij dosen stayffes more, and a grett dolle to the pore and a ij dosen skochyons.

. . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . Grenwyche, and to the courtt gatt for the Spaneardes and odur, one master Kayes kepyng [there] tavarne and vetell.

The xxiiij day of Feybruary was the obsequies of the most reverentt father in God, Sthevyn Gardener, docthur and bysshope of Wynchastur, prelett of the gartter, and latte chansseler of England, and on of the preve consell unto Kyng Henry the viij and unto quen Mare, tyll he ded; and so the after-none be-gane the knyll at sant Mare Overes with ryngyng, and after be-gane the durge; with a palle of cloth of gold, and with ij whytt branchys, and ij dosen of stayffe-torchys bornyng, and iiij grett tapurs; and my lord Montyguw the cheyffe mornar, and my lord bysshope of Lynkolne and ser Robart Rochaster, comtroller, and with dyvers odur in blake, and mony blake gownes and cotes; and the morow masse of requeem and offeryng done, be-gane the sarmon; and so masse done, and so to dener to my lord Montyguw('s); and at ys gatt the corse was putt in-to a wagon with iiij welles, (fn. 10) all covered with blake, and ower the corsse ys pyctur mad with ys myter on ys hed, with ys and ys (fn. 11) armes, and v gentyll men bayryng ys v banars in gownes and hods, then ij harolds in ther cote armur, master Garter and Ruge-crosse; then cam the men rydyng, carehyng of torchys a lx bornyng, at bowt the corsse all the way; and then cam the mornars in gownes and cotes, to the nombur unto ij C. a-for and be-hynd, and so at sant Gorges cam prestes and clarkes with crosse and sensyng, and ther thay had a grett torche gyffyn them, and so to ever (fn. 12) parryche tyll they cam to Wynchaster, and had money as money (fn. 13) as cam to mett them, and durge and masse at evere (fn. 12) logyng.

[The iiij of March a young man named Fetherstone, who gave himself out to be King Edward the Sixth, and whose sayings and pretences had occasioned many men and women to be punished, was hanged, drawn, and quartered;] and ys hed was sett up the v day upon London bryge, and ys quarters was bered.

The vij day of Marche was hangyd at Tyborne x theyffes for robere (fn. 14) and odur thynges.

The vij day of Marche be-gane the blassyng [star] at nyght, and yt dyd shutt (fn. 15) owt fyre to grett [wonder] and marvell to the pepull, and contynud serten [nights].

The viij day of Marche dyd pryche at Powlles crosse doctur (blank), and ther was a man dyd penanse with ij pyges rede dythe, (fn. 16) on apon ys hed sowd, the [which] he browth (fn. 17) them to selle.

The v day of Marche was the obseques of the bysshope of Peterborowth (fn. 18) in Lynkolne shyre, [and] bered with a goodly hersse and armes and pensells; and with ij whyt branchys and viij dosen of stayffes, and with an harold of armes and v baners and a C. in blake gownes and cotes, and a gret meyne of pore men in gownes, and the morow masse, and after a grett dener der. (fn. 19)

The Fryday the vij day of Marche was hangyd in chaynes besyd Huntyntun on (blank) Conears, and Spenser after-ward, for the kyllyng of a gentyllman that kept them bowth lyke gentyllmen; and ther be-syd wher thay hange, the wyche on Benett Smyth ded promessyd and hyred them, and promesed them xll. to do that dede.

The xiiij day of Marche was on (fn. 20) sett on the pelere (fn. 21) for sedyssyous wordes and rumors and conseles agaynst the quen('s) mageste—the iij yer of her grace.

[The xviij day of March were divers gentlemen carried to the Tower by certain of the guard, viz. John Throgmorton,] Hare Peckam, master Bethell, master Tornur, master [Hygins, master] Daneell, master Smyth marchand, master Heneage of the chapel, [George the] sherche of Graffend, (fn. 22) master Hogys, master Spenser, and ij Rawlins, and Rosey keper of the Star-chambur, and master Dethyke, and [divers] odur gentyllmen that I have not ther names.

The ix day of Marche was hangyd at Brykhyll Benett Smyth, in Bokyngham-shyre, for the deyth of master Rufford, gentyllman, the wyche Conears and Spenser sluw—the iij yer of quen Mare.

The Sonday xxij day of Marche was at the Gray-ffrers at Grenwyche was my lord cardenall Polle was consecratyd, with x byshopes mytyred—the iij yer of the quen Mare.

The xxv day of Marche was owre Lady day, the Annunsyasyon, at Bow chyrche in London was hangyd with cloth of gold, and with ryche hares (fn. 23) and cossens (fn. 24) for the commyng of my lord cardenall Polle; ther dyd the bysshope of Vosseter (fn. 25) dyd synge he (fn. 26) masse mytyred; and ther wher dyver bysshopes, as the bysshope of Ely, bysshope of London, and bysshope of Lynkkolne, and the yerle of Penbroke, and ser Edward Hastynges, the master of horsse, and dyvers odur nobuls, and after masse done to my lord (unfinished).

The xxvij day of Marche was hangyd be-yonde Huntyngtun in cheynes on Spenser, for the deth of master Rufford of Bokyngham-shyre, by ys fellow Conears hangys.

The xxj day of Marche was bornyd at Oxford doctur Cranmer, late archebysshope of Canturbere.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The iiij day of Aprell was in London [a proclamation] thrugh London of serten gentyllmen, the wyche [fled] over the see, as trayturs; the furst was Hare Dudley, Crystoffer Aston the elther, and Crystoffer the yonger, and [Francis] Horssey and Edward Horssey, and Edward Cornwell alias [Corewel], and Recherd Tremayn and Necolas Tremayn, and [Richard] Ryth and Roger Renold, and John Dalle and John [Caltham], and Hamond, and Meverell, and dyver odur.

The xvj day of Aprell, erly in the mornyng, dyd (blank) Vyntoner, servand at the syne of the Swane, with owt . . . . dyd hange hym(selff (fn. 27) ) in a gutter on he. (fn. 28)

The xiij day of Aprell was mared (fn. 29) in sant Gylles' with-owt Crepull-gatte Thomas Gre . . wax-chandeler unto Jone Wakffeld, wedow.

The xv day of Aprell was electyd at Grenwyche bysshope of Wynchastur master doctur Whyt, byshope of Lynckolne; and doctur Westun, dene of Westmynster, to be bysshope of Lynckolne; and the dene of Durram (fn. 30) to be bysshope of Karlelle.

The xvij day of Aprelle was on (fn. 31) on the pelere (fn. 32) for fasshele (fn. 33) deseyvyng of the quen('s) subgettes sellyng of ryngs for gold, and was nodur seylver nor gold but couper, the wyche he has deseyved money: thys was done in Chepe.

The xxj day of Aprell cam from the Towre over London bryge unto the ssessyonsse house in Sowth-warke, and ther raynyd (fn. 34) and cast to be drane and quartered, for a consperacy agaynst the quen, and odur maturs, master John Frogmorton, and master Wodall, captayn of the ylle of Whyth; the accusars master Rossey, master Bedyll, and master Dethyke.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . grett stayffe torchys and they had gownes . . . a nobull a yerde, and xij women in cassokes of rosett . . . iiij men holdyng iiij grett tapurs, and iiij dosen of skochyons.

The xxiiij day of Aprell, in the mornyng be-tyme, was cared to Smyth-ffeld to be bornyd vj men, [and] more was cared in-to the contrey to be bornyd.

The sam day was sett on the pelere (fn. 35) in Chepe iij [men; two] was for the prevermentt of wyllfull perjure, the iij was for wylfull pergure, (fn. 36) with paper sett over their hedes.

The xxviij day of Aprell was drane from the Towre to Tyborne ij gentyll-men; on ys name was master Waddall captayn of the yle of Wyth, and the odur master John Frogmorton; and so hangyd, and aftar cut downe and quartered, and the morowe after ther hedes sett on London bryge—the iij of quen Mare.

The xxix day of Aprell was a man baude sett up one the pelere (fn. 37) for bryngyng unto men prentes (fn. 38) harlots, the wyche they gayff hym and them serten of ther masturs goodes and wastyd.

The sam day was cared unto the Towre ser Wylliam Cortenay, ser John Paratt, ser John Pallard, ser Necolas Arnold, ser John Chechastur, and with dyvers odur.

The ij day of May was a man and a woman (placed in the pillory) for falshod and perjure, the man had ys here (fn. 39) naylled—the iij of quene Mare.

The iij day of May dyd ryd in a care a-bowt London a woman that dwelt at Quen-heyffe at the hott howsse, for a bawde.

The v day of May at after-none the sufferacan of Norwyche dyd consecratyd and halohyd iij auters in Trenete parryche—the iij yere of quen Mare.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The xxv of Aprell was bered lord chamberlayne Gage to the quen, with ij haroldes, with a standard, . . [banners of] armes and iiij of emages, and with a hersse and ij [white branches,] ij dossen of stayffes, and viij dosen of skochyons; bered at (blank)

The ix day of May was a audetur dyd [wear a paper] round a-bowtt Westmynster Hall, and after be [was placed] apon the pelere, (fn. 40) for deseyvyng the quen of her rents, and dyd reseyff of her tenantes money and after dyd [avow he] reseyvyd non; ys nam ys master Leyke; the wyche [queen's] tenantes had ther qwyttans of hym of [his hand].

The x day of May was bered Annes [Heth], the wyff of John Heth, penter stayner, Anno M.v (fn. 42).lvj. the iij yere of quen Mare, ser Wylliam Garr[ard being] mayre of London, and master John Machyll and master Thomas [Leigh] shreyffes of London, and bered at Allalowes-staynyng Fanchurche-strett.

The xij day of May was raynyd (fn. 41) at Yeld-hall Wylliam Stantun, sum-tyme captayn, and cast to be drane from the Towre unto Tyburne, and hangyd and quartered, for a consperacy against the kyng and the quen and odur maters.

The xiij day of May ded (fn. 42) ser Rechard Dobes late mayre of London, and skynner, and altherman, betwyn iiij and v in the mornyng.

The xv day of May was cared in a care from Nuwgatt thrug London unto Strettford-a-bow to borne (fn. 43) ij men; the on blyne, (fn. 44) the thodur lame; and ij tall men, the (one) was a penter, the thodur a clothworker; the penter ys nam was Huw Loveroke, dwellyng in Seythin lane; the blynd man dwellyng in sant Thomas apostylles.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The xviij day of May at after-non was bered ser Recherd Dobes latt mayre of London and altherman; ther wher at ys berehyng mony worshefull men; . . . my lord mare and the swordbeyrer in blake, and the recorder cheyff morner, and master Eggyllfield and master (blank) and master . . . . [ov]ersear, and a lx mornars, and ij haroldes of armes, and the althermen and the shreyffes, and master Chestur bare ys cott armur, [with] helmett and targatt, sword, a standard, and penone, and iiij baneres [of] images, and a xxx pore men in rosett gownes holdyng . . torches, and iiij gylt chandyllstykes with iiij grett tapurs [with] armes on them; and all the cherche and the stret hangyd with blake and the qwyre, and armes, and ij grett whyt branchys; and alle the masturs of the hospetalle boyth althermen and the commenas (fn. 45) with ther gren stayffes in ther handes; and the chyeff of the hospetalle, and prestes and clarkes; and after dirige to the place to drynke; and the morow masse of requiem ij masses, on of the Trenete in pryke songe, and a-nodur of our Lade; and after a sermon, and after to dener: and ther wher x dosen of skochyons.

The xix day of May was dran (fn. 46) from the Towre unto Tyborne captain Wylliam Stantun, and ther hangyd and quartered, and ys hed sett on London bryge the morow after.

The xviij day of May was the Clarkes' pressessyon, with a C stremers, with the weyttes, and the sacrementt, and viij stayffes torchys bornyng, and a goodly canepe borne over the sacrementt.

The ij day of June was bered at sant Magnus at London bryge ser Recherd Morgayn knyght, a juge and on of the preve consell unto the nobull quen Mare, with a harold of armes bayryng ys cott armur, and with a standard and a penon of armes and elmett, sword, and targatt; and iiij dosen of skochyons, and ij whytt branchys and xij torchys and iiij gret tapurs, and xxiiij pore men in mantyll ffrysse gownes, and mony in blake; and master chansseler of London (fn. 47) dyd pryche.

[The same day were arraigned at Westminster hall three gentlemen, master Rosey, master Bedyll, and master Dethick, for] the the experyng (fn. 48) the kyng and quen majeste deth.

The viij day of June was a goodly pressessyon at Whyt-hall by the Spaneards; the hall hangyd with ryche cloth, and at the [screen] in the halle was a auter mad, and hangyd rychely with [a canopy], and with grett baseins clen gylt and candyll-stykes; and in the [court] at iiij corners was mad iiij godly auters hangyd with clothe of gold, and evere auter with canepes in brodere; and [in the] court mad a pressession way with a C. yonge okes sett in the grond and of evere syd sett ard (fn. 49) to the wall with gren boughs; and then cam the pressessyon out of the chapell syngyng and playing of the regalles; and after the sacrement borne, and over ytt the rychest canepe that the Quen had, with vj stayffes borne by vj goodly men, and a-bowt the sacrement a C. torchys burnyng, and sum of whytt wax; and at ever auter [was ringing] and senst (fn. 50) with swett odurs, and all the kyng['s] garde (fn. 51) with [partizans] gyltt, and after to messe in the chapell, and song by the Spaneardes.

The xxv day of May was slayne by my lord Dacre's son master West sqwyre; ther wher xl men a-ganst master West and ys viij men, be-syd Roderam in Yorke-shyre. The lord Dacre dwellys at Aston in the sam contrey.

The ix day of June was drane from the Towre unto Tyborne iij gentyllmen for a consperace, master Rosey, master Bedylle, and master Dethyke, and ther hangyd and quartered, and ther quarters bered, master Rosey('s) hed on London bryge, and Bedylle('s) hed over Ludgatt, and master Dethyke ('s) over Althergatt.

The sam day was a woman sett on the pelere (fn. 52) in Chepe, a baude, for conveyhyng of harlottes unto men('s) prentes (fn. 53) and servandes.

The xj day of June was a man sett on the pelere (fn. 54), a gold-smyth in Lumbarstrett, for raysyng of an oblygasyon, and mad ytt a syngull oblygassyon falsely and deseytt for money.

[The xiv day of June father Sydnam, a grey friar of Greenwich, preached at Trinity church, and after dined with Sir Robert Oxenbridge knight. (fn. 55) ]

The xv day of June was raynyd (fn. 56) at Yeld-hall [master] Lecknolle, (fn. 57) grome porter unto kyng Edward the vj and quen Mare, the iij yere of quen Mare, and cast to suffer deth.

The sam (day) was the Grosers' fest; and ther dynyd [the lord] mayre and xiiij althermen, and my lord cheyff justice, master Chamley the recorder, and mony worshefull men, and my lade mares (fn. 58) and mony lade (fn. 59) and althermen wyffes and gentyll-women, and then was the master of the compene master Whyt grocer and altherman, and master Grafton and master Grenway wardens that tyme, and master Harper altherman marchand-tayller was chosyn shreyff for the kyng.

The xviij day of June was hangyd at sant Thomas of Wathering for robyng of a cartt with grett reches that came from a fayre (at) Beverlay my lord Sandes sune.

The sam day was raynyd (fn. 60) at Yeld-halle for a consperace master Frances Varney and captayn Tornar, and thay cast to be drane, (fn. 61) hangyd, and quartered.

The xxvij day of June rod from Nuwgatt unto Stretford-a-bow in iij cares xiij, xj men and ij women, and ther bornyd (fn. 62) to iiij postes, and ther wher a xx M. pepull.

The x day of Juin was bered ser Gylles Capell knyght, sune and here unto ser Wylliam Capell late mayre of London and draper, the wyche he ded (fn. 63) in Essex, with standard and penon and iiij baners of emages and ij dosen of torchys and ij whyt branchys, and iiij dosen of penselles and vj dosen of skochyons, and mony mornars; and the morow masse, and after to dener, and after a grett dolle, and ther was a harold of armes.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . sant John and dyver . . . . . . . . . . juges and sergantes of coyffe and dyver knight and gentyllmen and mony lades and gentyllwomen, and mony strangers; ther wher l. bokes (fn. 64) and iiij stages (fn. 65) that wher b. . . . the dener and the morow after.

The last day of Juin was led from the Towre unto Yeld-halle Wylliam West sqwyre odur-wyse callyd lord La Ware, and cast of he (fn. 66) treson, to be drane and quartered.

Footnotes

  • 1. MS. enley.
  • 2. visors, or masques.
  • 3. ordained.
  • 4. dishes.
  • 5. jelly.
  • 6. to be burnt.
  • 7. such.
  • 8. justice of the peace.
  • 9. month's mind.
  • 10. wheels.
  • 11. so the MS.
  • 12. every.
  • 13. many.
  • 14. robbery.
  • 15. shoot.
  • 16. pigs ready dight, i. e. dressed.
  • 17. brought.
  • 18. John Chambers.
  • 19. there.
  • 20. one.
  • 21. pillory.
  • 22. search of Gravesend.
  • 23. arras.
  • 24. cushions.
  • 25. Worcester.
  • 26. high.
  • 27. marginal note.
  • 28. high.
  • 29. married.
  • 30. Read, Owen Oglethorpe, Dean of Windsor; not Thomas Watson, Dean of Durham.
  • 31. one.
  • 32. pillory.
  • 33. falsely.
  • 34. arraigned.
  • 35. pillory.
  • 36. perjury.
  • 37. pillory.
  • 38. men's prentices.
  • 39. ear.
  • 40. pillory.
  • 41. arraigned.
  • 42. died.
  • 43. to be burned.
  • 44. one blind.
  • 45. commoners?
  • 46. drawn.
  • 47. Dr. Darbishire.
  • 48. conspiring.
  • 49. hard, i. e. close.
  • 50. censed.
  • 51. garge in MS.
  • 52. pillory.
  • 53. prentices.
  • 54. pillory.
  • 55. Strype, who adds, now, or soon after, Lieutenant of the Tower. These words, apparently, were not in the Diary, but Trinity church was near the Tower.
  • 56. arraigned.
  • 57. Lewkner?
  • 58. mayoress.
  • 59. ladies.
  • 60. arraigned.
  • 61. drawn.
  • 62. burnt.
  • 63. died.
  • 64. bucks.
  • 65. stags.
  • 66. high.