Diary: 1558 (Jan - Mar)

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: 1558 (Jan - Mar)', in The Diary of Henry Machyn, Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London, 1550-1563, (London, 1848) pp. 162-169. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol42/pp162-169 [accessed 26 April 2024]

1558 (Jan - Mar)

The furst day of January, was nuwyerevyn, (fn. 1) ther cam a lord of mysrulle from Westmynster with ys harold and ys trumpettes and ys drumys, and mony dysgyssyd in whytt; and so he cam in to London, and so he was browth (fn. 2) in-to the contur (fn. 3) in the Pultre; and dyver of ys men lay all nyght ther, and ys men whent a-stray hom agayn by iiij and vj to-geder to Westmynster on hors-bake and of fott.

[The iij day of January came tidings to the Queen] that the Frenche kyng was [come to] Nuwnam bryge with a grett host of men [of war], and layd batheryng pessys unto ytt, and unto Rysse-banke by water, and to Cales, [and] led grett batheryng peses to hytt, for ther wher [great shooting].

The iiij day of January the cete of London toke a v (fn. 2). men to go to Calles, (fn. 4) of evere [craft,] to fynd boyth harnes, bowes, morespykes and [guns,] and men of ther charge and cost, and prest money, they cam to the quen('s) nave (fn. 5) of shypes.

The vj day of January thes men wher browght unto Leydenhalle, and mustered afor my lord mayre and the althermen; and at after-none by iiij of the cloke they toke ther way to the Towrewarff, and ther thay toke shypyng toward Callys.

The viij day of January the marchandes of the stapull of Calles toke up c. and ode (fn. 6) men to go toward Calles of ther cost.

The viij day of January thay toke shypyng at the Towre-warfe toward Calles, and odur men of ware, and from odur plases to the see-ward, betwyn v and vj of the cloke at nyght.

The viij day of January was sett up at Wyndsore the yerle of Sussex the depute of Yrland ys baner of armes, and ys elmett, crest, mantylle, and ys sword for ys stallasyon of the garter.

[The x day of January heavy news came to En]gland, and to London, thatt the Fre[nch had won] Cales, the wyche was the hevest tydy[ngs to London] and to England that ever was hard of, for lyke a trayter yt was sold and d[elivered unto] them the (blank) day of January; the duke of [Guise was] cheyff capten, and evere man dyschargyd the town.

The xj day of January the cete of London [took up] a m. men mo, and mad them whytt cottes of . . . . and red crosses, and evere ward of London fund (blank) men.

The xiij day of January was bered at [Westminster] in sant Margerett parryche my lade Powes, [daughter] to the duke of Suffoke, Charles Brandon, [with two] whytt branchys, xij torchys, and iiij grett [tapers,] with xij skochyons of armes.

The xvj day of January was bered in Suffoke ser Recherd Freston knyght, and cofferer unto the quen Mare—the iiij and v of King Philip and Quen Mare—with a standard, a penon of armes, cote-armur, elmet, target, and the sword and mantyll, and iiij dosen of skochyons.

The xvij day of January was the monyth myn (fn. 7) of ser Gorge Gyfford knyght, with a standard, a penon of armes, cott-armur, elmett, targett, and sword, mantylles, and ij baners (of) emages, and vj dosen skochyons, and iiij dosen torchys; thy(s) was don in Bukyngham shyre.

[The (blank) day of January was buried master Alsop apot]hekare unto kyng Henry [the viijth and to] kyng Edward the vjth and sergant [of the confectionary] unto quen Mare; with ij gret whytt [branches, and] xij torchys; and the xij pore men had nuw [gowns of] mantyll frys; and iiij grett tapurs; and mony morners in blake; and the morow masse, and after a grett dener; and a ij dosen skochyons.

The xx day of January begane the parlement at Westmynster—the v yere of quen Mare. Her grace toke her charett at the Whytt-halle, and her lordes of the parlement, and the bysshopes and prestes, and so to the abbay to the masse, and after to the parlement-howse, and so the trumpetes.

The xxj day of January cam a nuw commondement tho (fn. 8) my lord mayre, that he shuld make (blank) men rede (fn. 9) in harnes, with whyt cotes weltyd with gren, and red crosses, by the xxiij day of the sam monythe [to be at] Leydenhalle to go toward (unfinished)

The xxij day of January ther was a nold (fn. 10) man sett up of the pelere for sedyssyous words and rumors.

The sam day was a boy wypyd at the post callyd the Reformassyon, for sayhyng that Lon . . . .

The sam day was bered docthur Bartelett, fessyssyon at Blakefrers, at sant Barthellmuw in Smythfeld, with a dosen of skochyons of armes, and ij whyt branchys and ij torchys, and iiij gret tapurs.

[The xxiv day of January the soldiers appeared before the lord mayor in Leadenhall, where he took a view of all] the men that the compene(s had furnished), and deleverd (them) unto the captaynes at v at nyght, and thay toke shypyng [at eight].

The sam day ther whent unto Westmynster (blank) men that wher qwynners, (fn. 11) the wyche wher taken at Cambryge.

The Sonday the xxx day of January dyd pryche at Powlles Crosse the byshope of Wynchester, and mad a goodly sermon.

The iij day of February was browth (fn. 12) unto sant Bathelmuw be-syd sant Antonys to be bered [by his] granser (fn. 13) ser Wylliam Capell knyght, and mare of London, ser Hare Capell knyght sune and here to ser Gylles Capell, the wyche ser Gylles was bered in Essex. [Sir Harry was] bered by ys granser with iij haroldes of armes, and a standard, and a penon of armes; and cott-armur, targett, sword, and elmett and crest; and all the cheyrche hangyd with blake and armes; and a ij dosen of torchys, and iiij grett tapurs, and iiij gylt candyllstykes, and ij grett whytt branchys; and xij pore men had blake gowns; and after to the howse to dener; and doctur Brekett mad the sermon at the masse.

The v day of Feybruarij cam from Westmynster iiij, iij men and on woman, and cared to the Towre for kuynnyng (fn. 14) and they wher (unfinished)

The vj day of Feybruarij dyd pryche at Powlles Crosse the byshope of Westchaster; and ther wher at ys sermon xvj bysshopes, and my lord mayre and the althermen, and mony juges, and ther he declaryd that of Wedynsday next to go on generall prossessyon and pray to God.

[The ix day of February a commandment came that all bishops, priests, and clerks, should go a procession about London, and] my lord mare and the althermen, [and all the crafts] in London in ther leverey, to pray [unto God; and all] the chylderyn of all skolles, and of the hos[pitals, in] ordur, a-bowt London,—callyd the general prossessyon.

The x day of Feybruary was reynyd (fn. 15) at Westmynster [at the] kyng('s) benche my lord Darce('s) sune of the North, for [the death] of master Whest, sune and here of ser Wylliam West knyght, [the] wyche West was slayne commyng from Roth[erham] feyre, (fn. 16) the wyche ther wher (forty men) apon hym [and his six] men, and shamfulle he was murdered, for . . . wher in harnes and ther wher a-for the kyng('s) by[nch] (fn. 17) certen men dyd wag (fn. 18) batelle with ym, to feythe (fn. 19) with combat at a day sett.

The xj day of Feybruary was bered at sent Marten's-in-thefeyld master Arthur Sturtun sqwyre, the keper of the [White] halle, and brodur to the lord Sturtun, and he was the reyseyver of all copes of cloth of gold that was taken owt of all chyrches, and he dyd delevered them unto serten parryches agayne to them that cowld know them, the wyche wher taken away by kyng Edward the vjth tym by the dewyse of the duke of Northumberland [and] serten of bysshopes of nuw doctryne that was then; and now, when that good qwyne Mare cam to the crown, she lett evere parryche for to have them agayne by her commyng to the crowne, yf they wher nott gyffyn to odur places in the reyme of England; but Trenete parryche had nott ther cope of cloth of gold agayne.

The xvj day of Feybruary was bered master Pynoke fysmonger, marchand of Muskovea, and brodur of Jhesus, with ij goodly whytt branchys, and xij grett stayffes torchys; and xij pore men had good blake gownes; and iiij grett tapurs, and a the compene of the clarkes and mony prestes, and then cam the mornars, and after the bredurud of Jhesus, a xxiiij of them, with blake saten hodes with Ih[esu]s on them, and after the compene of the Fysmongers in ther leverey, and after to the howse to drynke.

[The xviij day of February died sir George Barnes knight and haberdasher, late mayor of London, at the] crownenassyon of qwyn Mare.

The xx day of Feybruary dyd pryche [at Paul's] crosse docthur Watsun bysshope of Lyncoln, and mad a godly sermon, for ther wer [present ten] bysshopes, be-syd my lord mare and the althermen and juges, and men of the law, and gret [audience] ther was.

The xxiiij day of Feybruary was [buried] ser Gorge Barnes knyght, late ma[yor] and haberdasser, and the cheyff marchand of Muskovea, and had the penon of Mu[scovy] armes borne at ys berehyng; and the [mayor] and the swerdherar had blake gownes and a . . . . in blake, and a iijxx pore men in blake [gowns;] and had a standard and v penons of armes, and cote and elmett, sword, targett, and a goodly hers of wax and ij grett branchys of whytt wax, iiij dosen torchys, and viij dosen pensels, and ix dosen skochyons; and doctur Chadsay mad the sermon on the morow, and after a grett dener. Master Clarenshus and Lanckostur the haroldes (conducted the ceremony.)

The xxv day of Feybruary cam rydyng to London my lade Elsabeth the quen('s) syster, with a gret compene of lordes and nobull men and nobull women, to here plasse calyd the Somersettplasse beyond Stron-bryge.

The xxvj day of Feybruary ded (fn. 20) my lade Whyt, the wyff of ser Thomas Whyt late mare of London, and marchand tayller, and marchand of the Muskovea, and altherman of London.

. . . . . . . . . . . W]hyuthalle with many lordes and lades.

The (blank) day of Marche the qwyn('s) grace['s pensioners] mustered in Hyd-parke, and all ther men in gren [cloth and] whytt; and ther my lord of Rutland toke the [muster of] them.

The ij day of Marche my lade Whyt was bered in Althermare parryche, and ther was a goodly herse of wax, and ther was viij dosen pensels, and viij dosen skochyons and d', (fn. 21) and iiij dosen torchys; and the harolde was master Clarenshus; the cheyff morner my lade Laxtun, and master Roper led her; and mony morners; and after cam my lord mayre, and xx althermen folod the corsse, and iiij baners of emages, and ij grett whytt branchys; and the morow masse and a godly sermon, and all the craft in ther leverey; (blank) pore men had gownes, and powre women had gownes, and after to ys plasse to dener, and my lord mayre and the althermen, and mony gentyllmen, for ther was a grett dener as [has] bene sene; and ther was iij masses songe, on of the Trenete, and on of owre Lade, the iij of requiem.

The iiij day of Marche a' for-non my lade Elsabeth('s) grace toke her horss and red (fn. 22) to her plasse at, (fn. 23) with mony lordes, knyghtes, and lades, and gentyllwomen, with a goodly compene of horsse.

The sam day at after-non the pensyoners mustered in sant James parke in harnes, and ther men with spers, and the trumpetes blohyng, and se them in a-ray rydyng.

The (blank) day of Marche ther was never so low a nebe, (fn. 24) that men myght stand in the mydes of Tames, and myght a' gone from the brygys to Belynggatt, for the tyd kept not ys course; the wyche was never sene a-fore that tyme.

[The vj day of March, being the second Sunday in Lent, preached before the lord mayor and the bishops] at [Paul's cross] my lord abbott of Westmynster docthur [Feckenham]; ther he mad a godly sermon as as bene [heard].

The vj day (of) Marche was cared in a hersse [to] be bered in Cambrygshyre ser Phylype Pares knyght, at a [place] callyd Lyntun, wher sergant Heth ded, and was . . . .

The vij day of Marche was the parlement holden at the Whytthalle the quen('s) plasse, and endyd at vij of [the clock at night], and watt (fn. 25) actes mad at the end of the parlement.

The ix day of Marche was a yonge man namyd (blank) dyd ryd in a care, ys fasse toward the hors tayle, [with] ij grett pesses of beyff of . (fn. 26) clodes poudered.

The x day of Marche the Quen('s) grace removyd unto Grenwyche, in lentt, for to kepe ester.

The xiiij day of Marche ded (fn. 27) and bered at the Munyrys, (fn. 28) at vj of the cloke at nyght, my lade Jennynges, doythur to ser John Gage knyght.

The xvj day of Marche my lord mare and the althermen wher commondyd unto Yeld-halle, for thay had a commondement by the qwyen that thay shuld lend the quen a (blank) of H.; for ther sat my lord stresorer, my lord preve-saylle, and the bysshope of Elly as commyssyonars, and my lord chanseler, with odur of the conselle.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . with ij whyt branchys and xij torchys . . . . great tapurs, and after a grett dener within the . . . .

The xix day of Marche my lord mayre and the althermen whent unto Yeld-halle, and ther all the craftes in London browth (fn. 29) in the bylles what ther compene (fn. 30) wold lend unto the quen('s) grace for to helpe her in her fa . . . (fn. 31) toward the wars.

The xxj day of Marche was the Paskalle for the abbay of Westmynster mad ther, the wheyth (fn. 32) of iij C. of wax; and ther was the master and the wardens of the Waxchandlers [with] xx more at the makyng, and after a grett dener.

The sam day at after-none the yerle of Sussex toke gorney (fn. 33) in post toward Yrland.

The sam day of Marche wher browth (fn. 34) in-to the (blank) afor the bysshope of London and odur lernyd men of the temporolte iij men, the wyche ther openions wher shyche (fn. 35) that they wher juged and condemnyd to suffer deth by fyre; one man was a hossear (fn. 36) dwellyng in Wodstret, ys nam ys (blank).

The xxij day of Marche my lord mayre and the althermen whent unto Yeld-Halle, and ther the quen('s) consell cam theder, furst my lord chanseler, my lord treysorer, my lord of preve-selle, the bysshope of Ele, and ser John Baker, secretore Peter, and mony more, and after whent to my lord mare to dener.

The xxiij day of Marche was a proclamasyon of serten actes that was sett forth by the last parlement, that was endyd the vij day of Marche the iiij and v of kyng (Philip) and quen Mare.

[Here two or three leaves of the Diary appear to be lost, involving the space of nearly four months].

Footnotes

  • 1. new year's eve.
  • 2. brought.
  • 3. Compter.
  • 4. Calais.
  • 5. navy.
  • 6. odd.
  • 7. month's mind.
  • 8. to.
  • 9. ready.
  • 10. an old.
  • 11. coiners.
  • 12. brought.
  • 13. grandsire.
  • 14. coining.
  • 15. arraigned.
  • 16. See p. 107.
  • 17. bench.
  • 18. wage.
  • 19. fight.
  • 20. died
  • 21. eight and a half dozen.
  • 22. rode.
  • 23. Originally blank in MS. and apparently incorrectly filled with the word Strone, meaning the Strand, from which she was returning to the country.
  • 24. an ebb.
  • 25. So in MS. but this word was at first, apparently, left blank for the number of the Acts passed.
  • 26. x? (erased.)
  • 27. died.
  • 28. Minories.
  • 29. brought.
  • 30. companies.
  • 31. affairs?
  • 32. weight.
  • 33. journey.
  • 34. brought.
  • 35. such.
  • 36. hosier.