Historical Memoranda of John Stowe: General, 1561-3

Three Fifteenth-Century Chronicles with Historical Memoranda by John Stowe. Originally published by Camden Society, London, 1880.

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'Historical Memoranda of John Stowe: General, 1561-3', in Three Fifteenth-Century Chronicles with Historical Memoranda by John Stowe, ed. James Gairdner( London, 1880), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol28/pp115-128 [accessed 8 October 2024].

'Historical Memoranda of John Stowe: General, 1561-3', in Three Fifteenth-Century Chronicles with Historical Memoranda by John Stowe. Edited by James Gairdner( London, 1880), British History Online, accessed October 8, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol28/pp115-128.

"Historical Memoranda of John Stowe: General, 1561-3". Three Fifteenth-Century Chronicles with Historical Memoranda by John Stowe. Ed. James Gairdner(London, 1880), , British History Online. Web. 8 October 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol28/pp115-128.

In this section

General, 1561–3

Anno Domne 1561, ye yere begynyng at New Yers daye.

The xxiiij daye February, which was Saynt Matheus daye, at vj aclocke at nyght, was sene at London as gret a flashe of lyghtnynge as lightly hath ben sene at any tyme, and a gret clape of thunder wher with fell a gret shrue of haylle and rayne which sodenly turned to a gret snow, and all this was in on quarter of an owre. For ye espace of an owre after ye ellemente semed westward as rede as fyre. It is to be notid that all this whylle ye wynde was very bytter colde.

Anno Domini 1561.

The x daye of Apryll was on Wyllyam Jefferey, an heretyke, whyppyd at a carts arsse from the Marshallse in Sothewarke to Bethelem with out Byshoppys gatte of London, for that he belevyd one John More to be Crist, the Savyor of ye worlde. He was very sore whypyte, and on his hed wer pynyd papars, and also abowt the cart were hangyd the lyke papers, wher in was wrytyn as folowythe: "Wyllyam Gefferey, a moste blasfemous herytyke, denyenge Cryst our Savoyowr in heven." And when he the sayd Wyllyam Geferey was brought to Bethlem gate there the Marshalls sarvaunts cawsyd the cart to staye and John More to be browght out of Bethlem, whiche John More dyd porfesse hym selffe to be Cryst the savyowr of the worlde. And afftar examynacion and his aunswers, whiche wer very doubtfull, he wase lykewysse strypte and tyed at the carts ars and whypte a byrdbolt shute be yonde Bethlem and so bake a gayn, and sent into Bethelem prisoner ageyne. And Wylyam Geferay was sent agayn to the Marshallse. They had bene in the presons before namyd ny a yere and a halff before this tyme, the one for affyrmynge hym selff to be Crist, the other affyrmynge hym selffe to be Seynt Petar the Apostyll of Crist.

The descrypcon of Troionovaunt.

Anno 1561, ye 4 day of June, between 4 and 5 of ye cloke [in] ye afftar nonne, beynge Wedynsday and Corpus Cristi eve, ye stepull of Powlles was fyeryd by lyghtnynge, ye whiche lytenynge dyd take ye stepulle, as it dyd seme to ye beholders, yespace of ij or iij yardes benethe ye crosse and so byrnt round abought in ye same place that ye toppe felle of with ye crosse wnperyshed (or wn byrnt) and ye crosse fell southe, and so the sphere byrnt downe ward lyke as a candil cousumyng, to ye stone werke and ye bells, and so to ye rouffe of ye churche, and thorow ye rouffes of ye churche all fowre ways, east, west, northe, and sowthe. With in ye qwiers or chawnsylls was brynt no thyng but only ye communion table, and in ye churche was brynt nothing but a sartayn tymber werke whiche stode at ye northe-west pyllar of ye stepull which was fyeryd with ye tymber that fell in to ye churche owt of ye steple; whiche was a lamentable syghte and pytyfull remembraunce to all people that have ye feare of God before theyr eyes, consyderynge it was ye feare of Gods before theyr eyes consyderynge it was ye hous of owre Lord, erectyd to prays hym and pray to hym, ye beawty of ye sye of London, ye beawty of ye holle Reallme. A mynster of suche worthy, stronge, and costly buldnge, so large, so pleasant and delectable, it passyd all compayson, not only of mynstyrs within thys realme but ells where as sure as travayll hathe taught ws in other realmes ether Cristym or hethuyn. Wherfore feare we God that so sore hathe charysyd us, and let ws well know that he whiche hathe not spayrd his owne hous wyll not spare owres, exsept we repent owr formor wykyd lyffe and serve hym in holynyus and newenys of lyffe, with a parffyt faythe in God and parffyt charytye to owr neyghbour,ye whyche our Lorde, for his byttar passyon grawnt. Amen.

That same day at Gylford was brynte a carsy hangynge on ye tayntars, which carse dyd contayne lx yards, and it was conswmyd to powdar and ye tayntar not hurt; allso v mylle beyend Gylford a woman was byrnt with ye same lyghtnynge. That day was many great harmes done by lyghtynyng in England, as at Shafftesebury the steple with parte of ye churche was brynt.

Anno 1561, the xxx and ye last day of June in ye afftarnoone a cart ladyn with haye browght in to Sothewarke was set a fyre——— — (fn. 1) and clene brent, ye hey, yecarte, and ye tylle horse to dethe, whiche was a thyng to be notyd, or rather to be wonderyd at, that in suche a place, at that tyme of ye day and in ye syght of so many beholdars, it shuld so be consumyd with owt helpe.

The confessyon of Master Rychard Allington esquere, the xxij of Novembre, 1561, abowte viij of ye clocke at nyght, before Master Doctour Caldewalle, Master Doctor Good, Master Garthe, Master Jones, and Ser John of ye Rolles, &ct.

Maisters, seinge that I muste nedes die, whiche I assure yow I nevar thought wolde have cum to passe by this dessease, consyderinge it is but ye smalle pockes, I woulde therfore moste hertely desyre yow in ye reverence of God and for Christes passions sake to suffer me to speake untyll I be dede, that I may dyscharge my consiens, accuse myn adversary the debyll, and yelde my selffe holie to Almightie God, my Savior and Redemer, upon whose justice yf I loke and behold I am condemnede eternally, but one ye othar syde yf I loke apon his merci, then I trust he wyll shewe unto me as he will do to ye worst sorte of men, amonge whome I assure yow I accompt my selffe to be one, for nevar man hathe had more especiall tokenes of Godes singuler grace at offten and sundery tymes shewyd unto hym then I have had, and so letyll regardyd them as I have done. And good masters, for Christs passions sake give good eare unto me, and pray continewally for me upon your knes, for I will tell yow of straunge thyngs, whiche I assure yow by that faithe i beare to God I speake not of vaine glorie or prayse of myselfe or any other cawse, but only thanke God for his greate marcys shewed dyverse and sondry wayes by me, and also to accuse my adversarie ye devyll. Yt is so when I was a childe I was brought up, thoughe I saye it, with a good father and mother whom ye knewe, who daylye used us children vertiouslie and kepte us for one hower or ij everie eveninge and mornige to prayers, and then when prayers wer don to owr bokes. Aftarwarde we wer wonte to go to playe into an orchard nere adjoynynge to my fathers howse, where as offtyn tymes for ye space of iij yeres there apperyd to me in a thicke hedge a goodlye comfortable vision, I do well remember, from ten yers olde unto thirtene. Ther apperid, I say, to me ye very Image of our Saviour Jesus Christ as he sufferyd his blisyd passion upon the crose; whiche Image apperyd to me very lyvely and that verie often so lovyngly and tenderly as evar any erthely man culde desyre and wishe, shewinge suche speciall tokens of his great marcie and goodnes to me as I thynke nevar mortall man coulde desyre or wyshe ye lyke, whiche I did evermore kepe verie secret to my selfe for my greate comforte and consolacion. Goode maisters, for Christys passyons sake, geve good eare unto me and pray, styll pray, pray, pray. Then longe after I cam to London, and at laste I was maried, sythe whiche tyme I assure yow I have offended my Lorde God and Savyowr Christ so sore, many foldely comittinge of so abhominable useric, that I am a frayd I shalbe condempned eternally, and indede one greate occasion was becawse I nevar gave my selffe to prayer as I was wont to do, but spent my tyme to muche in wordlynes, for ye whiche my conscience did oftymes accuse me. I will tell yow more anon. I beseche yow pray, pray, pray. And thus my consciens storringe with in my selffe brought me to mervelous trobles of mynde, so that never man was in suche case as I was of a longe tyme. And beinge in this greate troble, at ye last ye selfe same vision appered to me agayne even sence this laste terme, and put me in remembraunce agayne even of Gods speciall grace before shewed to me, and allso of many othar thyngs, willynge me to leve of ye worlde and ye besynes therof, and not to troble my selffe to muche there withe, sythen whiche tyme I assure yow I have gone abowte to leave of all my trobles of ye law agayne, and so to have lyved more quietlie with that owr Lord had sent me. Nowe, good mastars, pray styll for me and I wyll shew yow verie straunge thyngs. The second nyght aftar I felle secke, beinge in perfecte memorie lyenge in my bed brode a wake, and, as I thowght, all my folkes beinge a slepe here in my chamber, ther apperied unto me suche strange thyngs and ferefull which greatly amased and put me in wonderfull feere. I can not tell what I shall tearme theme or call them, and as I doe remember they were lyke puppets, they came up and downe my chamber, and at laste, beinge marvelous sore afrayde, they came unto me rounde aboute my chamber, my bedde, and apon my bedd pulled and tossed me, stearde me, and tarde me, and so vexed me as I was never in all my lyffe so soore troubled and vexed, shewynge suche terrable and fearefull sytes, so that I was all most broughte to utter desperacyon, so farforthe that I coulde not tell what to doe; yet at the laste remembrynge with my sellfe and callynge to my remembrance the goodlye graces that my Lorde and Savior Jesus Christe at dyverse and soundry tymes had shewed unto me, sayde unto my sellfe, "O good Lorde what do these thinges meane, what shall I doe?" With that ther appeared unto me my vysion agayne, which shewed unto me in wrytinge all ye usery that ever I had receaved in all my lyffe so playnly that I redd yt, and in dede the sommes were true and named every man of whom I had resseyved yt, namynge the persons and ye somes, as of one Mr. Wilkokes thus muche, of my L. Scrope thus muche, of Mr. Fynes thus muche, namynge every some, and he shewed me also what I had resseyved of Spanyardes, of Frenchmen, of Italyans, and suche lyke, which came to vjxxli., shewinge so playnely I assure you every thinge that I much marveled at yt, and at the last I made answer unto my vision and saied, "O Lorde, all thes thinges are true in dede, what shall I do to yt?" Then my vision made answere and comforted me verye muche agayne, commaundynge me fyrste to paye all ye userie money agayne to every man as he had shewed me ye somes, which came to xviijc.li. Then he badd me pay agayne the fyftie poundes which I gat for bienge of a house in Holbarne, and for ye vjxxli. which I hadd of straungers he wylled me, because that I know not wher they dwell, to gyve yt to ye poore prisoners and goode men that be in prison. And maisters, I can not tell of what relygyon you be that be heare, nor I care not, for I speake to tell you the truth and to accuse myne adversary the dewelles, and in dede I have gyven them some thinge all redy and wyll gyve them all ye rest, God willinge, and will paye all ye userye mony to every man as my vision commaunded me, and do intende, God willinge, tomorrow to send for them yff I lyfe so longe; yf not, I wyll desyre ye Master of ye Rolles, as my trust is in hym, that he will se it dischargid and payed out of hand that my soulle may beare no perill for yt. And masters, then my vysion comforted me more and more, and he sayd he would shew me ix psalmes, which yf I dede saye every daye i shuld never synne agayne mortallie, for I assure you I have not used my sellfe to prayer as I was wont to doe, nor never wente to ye churche at any tyme of comon prayer, bycaus I dyd condeme my conscyence for sufferynge me to commite suche abominable usery and other most detestable synnes agaynst my hevenly Father, who had so many folde wayes and sondry tymes shewed me such lovinge kyndnes and synguller graces. And ye psalmes were thes: 1. Meserer mei Dues. 2. Beati omnes qui temet (fn. 2) Dominum (128). 3. Ad Dominum cum tribuler. 4. Levai oculos meos [in] montes. 5. Nisi quia Do. 6. Qui confidant in Do. 7. Judica me Deus. 8. Illumina oculos meos. 9. Domini (fn. 2) non est exultatum cor meum.

Anso so my vision left me. Sith which tyme I assure you I have had as muche quyetnes as any man can wishe, and have sene soch comfortable syghtes as nether harte can thyncke nor tonge expresse, and this I has to shew you. Now, good Sur John, say ye vij psallmes, and Domine Jesu Cristy with gloriosa passyo he sayd humsellfe, and then he thought he should have died, but them brothe beinge geven unto hym he revyved agayne and fell to prayer and gave hym sellge wholly to quyetnes, &c.

In the yeare of our Lord 1562, ye 8 days of Septembar, was a pryste (whose name was Ser — Havard) taken (by sertayn promotars and my Lorde of Elies (fn. 3) men) for sayienge of masse in Fettar lane at my Lady Cares (fn. 4) housse, whiche pryste was violently taken and led (as ten tymes wors then a traytur) thwrowe Holburne, Newgate markyt, and Chepsyd to the Cowntar at the stokes callyd the Pultrie, whithe all his ornaments on hym as he was ravist to mas, with his masse boke and his porttoys borne before hym, and ye chalice with the paxe and all othar thyngs, as myche as myght make rewde people to wondar apon hym. And the nomber of people was exsedynge great that folowyd hym, mokynge, derydynge, curysynge, and wyshynge evyll to hym, as some to have hym set on ye pelory, some to have hym hangyd, som hangyd and qwarteryd, some to have hym byrnt, sum to have hym torne in pesys and all his favorars, with as myche violence as the devill collde invent, and myche more then I can wryte, bur well was he or she that cowld get a pluke at hym or gyne ym a thumpe with theyr fyst or spyt in his face, and to scorne hym with sange, Ora pro nobis Sancta Maria becawse it was owr Lady day of hir nativite (but not kept holy), and all so they sange Dominus vobiscum and suche lyke. My Lady Care, with my Lady Sakefylde, and Mistres Perpoynt, and Sherewod and his wyffe war taken for beynge at ye same masse, and browght before ye Byshope of Elly, then lyenge in Holburn, and theyr housys sherchte, theyr bokes were all brought to ye Byshope of Elly, who afftar examynation of them and theyr bokes sent them to prison. My Lady Care, and my Lady Sakefelde, Ministres Perpoynt to ye Fleete, and the othar iij to ye Cowntar, and with in iij days afftar the prist was sent to ye Marshalse in Sothewarke. And on the second day of Octobre my Lady Care (beinge of ye Quens blode), Mistris Perpoynt, the prist, and Sherewode and his wyffe were all v parsons browght from ye prysons above namyd to the Sessions howsse at Newgate, and were ther arraynyd amongeste theves and mowrderars, and by xij men condemnyd as gilty. ye prist for preparinge hum selffe to say masse, the Lady Carie and Hary Sherwode and his wyffe for beynge wyllynge to here and se masse (for this is to be notyd, ye prist did not say masse, but was redy ravist to masse and entered ther in, when he and they were taken). The prist had judgment gyven to hymk prisoner in Newegatte xij monythis, my Lady Care and Mistres Perpoynt to ly prisoners in ye Fleet iij monythes, and in the thre monythes to pay to the quenes use ethar of them one hunderithe marks, or ells ther bodyes to remayn prisoners to ye quenes plesure. And Henrie Sherwod and his wyffe, beynge a marchaunt taylor, wer adjudgyd syx monythes prisonment and to pay ethar of them an hundred marke, or ells there bodyes at ye quenes plesure.

In ye yere of owr Lord 1563 was suche scarsytie of victualls in London by the servyng Newhavne, (fn. 5) that in ye Lent heryngis was sold for ij a penye when they was best cheape ethar whit or red, Essyxe chesse for vj d. ye li. baryll buttar for vij and viij d. ye li., a bad stockefyshe for vj d. or viij d., and so forthe of all othar victualls. On Estar evyne ye Parliament brake upe and gave to ye quene a subsedie, and that was of everie man beynge valewyd woth iij li. on goods, or lands, or otharwys, and so uppewarde, ij s. viij d. of ye li., besyds they gave her ij fyfftens.

The viij daye of Julii, anno 1563, in ye mornynge was great lyghtnynge and thundar, in ye whiche was slayne a woman mylkynge and iij kyne, with in ye Covynt gardyn whiche some tympe belongyd to ye Savoy be yond ye Temple bare; and many othar placis it dyd myche harme, of whiche one wase ye steple of Seynt Androw in Howlburne wase smyttyn, many men, wemen, and cattayll were slayne.

Anno Domkini 1563, ye 9 daye of Julii, being Frydaye, a commysyon was sent frome ye quene and counsel to London that everie houshowlder should at vij of ye cloke ye same nyght lay owt woodd and make bonfyers in ye stretes and lanes to that intent they shuld therby consume ye corrupte ayers, whiche othar wyse myght infect ye sitie with ye plage, as it was at that tyme begon, and dyed sum weke more and some weke lesse, but ye greatyst nombar that dyde there of any one weke in London and ye sowbarbes of ye same was xvij on weke, xxv ye next weke, xxiij ye third weke, xliiij ye last weke, before those boone fiars began; it wase commaundyd to contynew ye same iij tymes a weke, Monday, Wednesdaye, and Frydaye, and whee anny had dyed of ye plage to syt up a hedlesse cross over ye dores. ye next weke afftar, endynge ye x day of Julii, ther dyde of ye plage in London lxiiiji. ye next weke endynge ye xvij day of Julii dyde c.xxxj of ye plage. ye next weke endynge ye xxiij of July jc.lxxiiij of ye plage. The next weke endynge the xxx day of July dyed ijc.iiijxxix of ye plage. The next weke endynge the vj day of August dyed of ye plage ijc.iiijxxxix. The next weke endynge the xiij day of August, dyed of ye plage vc.xlij. The next weke endynge ye xx day of August, dyed of ye plage vjc.viij. The next weke endynge ye xxvij day of August, dyed of ye plage ixc.lxxvj. The next weke endynge ye iij day of Septembre, dyed of ye plage ixc. lxiiji. The next weke endynge ye x daye of September, dyed of ye plage xiiijc.liiij, and nevar a paryshe in London clere that weke. The next weke endynge the xvij daye of Septembre, dyed in London of ye plage xvjc.xxvj, and one paryshe clere. The next weke endynge ye xxiiij day of September, dyed of ye plage in London xiijc.lxxij, and iij paryshes clere. The next weke endynge ye fyrst day of October, dyed in London of ye plage xviijc.xxviij, and one paryshe cleare. The next weke endynge ye viij day of Octobre, dyed in London of ye plage xijc.lxij, and iiij paryshes cleare. The next weke endynge ye xv of Octobre, dyed in London of ye plage viijc.xxix, and ix parishis cleare. The next weke endynge ye xxij of Octobre, dyed in London of ye plage xc., and v parishis clere. The next weke endynge ye xxix of Octobre, dyed in London of ye plage ixc.v, and one paryshe clere. The next weke endynge the v of Novembre, dyed in London of ye plage iijc.lxxx, and parishis clere xvj. The next weke endynge ye xij of Novembar, dyed in London of ye plage ijc.lxxxiij, and parishis clere xxvij. The next weke endynge ye xix of Novembre, dyed in London of ye plage vc.vj, and parishis clere xiiij. The next weke endynge ye xxvj of Novembre, dyed in London of the plage ijc.lxxxj, and parishis clere xx. The next weke endynge ye plage in ye iij of Desembre, dyed of ye plage in London jc.xxviij, and parishis clere xxx. The next weke endynge ye plage in London ijc.xxxix, pariches clere xxviij. The next weke endynge ye xxiiij of Desembre, dyed in London of ye plage jc.xxxiiij, parychis clere lj. The next weke endynge ye xxxj of Desembar, dyed in London of ye plage jc.xxj, parychis clere lj. The next weke endynge ye vij of Januarye, dyed in ye citie and lybertys therof of ye plage xlv, parichis clere lxj. The next weke endynge ye xiiij of January, dyed in ye citie and lybertys ther of of ye plage xxvj. The next weke endynge ye xxj of Janurary, dyed in ye citie and lybertys therof of ye xiij. The next weke endynge ye xxviij of January, dyed in ye citie and libertis therof of ye plage xj. The next weke endynge ye iiij of February, dyed in ye citie and lybertys therof of ye plage x. The next weke endyng ye xj of February, dyed in ye citie and libertis of ye plage xviij. The next weke endyng ye xviij of Feburary, dyed of ye plage in ye citie and lybertis ther of xxxv. The next weke endynge ye xxv of Fe[b]ruarye, dyed of ye plage in ye citie xiij. The next weke endyng ye iij of Marche, dyed in London of ye plage ix. The next weke endynge ye x of Marche, dyed of ye plage in ye citie vj. The next weke endynge ye xvij of Marche, of ye plage vj. The next weke endynge y xxiiij of Marche, of e plage iij. ye next weke endynge ye xxxj of Marche, of ye plage v. The next weke endynge ye vij of Aprill, or ye plage iiij. The next weke endynge ye xiiij Apryll, of ye plage v. The next weke endynge ye xxj of Apryll, of ye plage iij. The next weke endynge ye xxviij of Apryll, of ye plage iij. The next weke endynge ye v day of Maye, of ye plage 4. The next endynge ye 12 of May, 3. The next endynge ye 19 of May, 5. The next endynge ye 26 of Maye, of ye plage 1. The next endynge ye 2 of June, of ye plage 4. The next weke endynge ye ix of june, of ye plage iij. The next weke endynge ye xvj of June, of ye plage ij. The next weke endynge ye xxiij of June, of ye plage j. The ij next wekes dyed none of ye plage in London.

Anno 1563, ye xxx of July, beyng Fryday, was one —whipt on a sckaffold at ye Stondard in Chepe, his neke, his hands, and fett made faste to a stake a bove ye sayd skafold with kolars of iron by ye bedeles of ye begars; some tym one, som tyme ij, some tym iij attonce whipte hym, and they strove who mowght whype hym moste extremlye; it was for that he had betyn a boyd with a lethar gurdle havynge a buckle of yron, whiche buckle smate in to ye fleshe of ye boye very sore.

Anno 1563, ye 29 of Julii, was Newehaven delyveryd up to the Frenche men.

The 8 of Awgust, Turnar, commonly cawlyd Turnar of Bullyn, for that he had ben a prechar and minister amongst the sowldiors at Boloigne, and had remayned there so longe as Boloigne was Englishe, so that he was called ye parson of Bolen, prechid at Pauls Crosse, wher he made ij solome pettyssyons to my Lorde Mayre of London. The one was that the deade of ye cittie shuld be buryed owt of the citie in ye fylde; the othar was that no bell departynge owt tollyd for them when they lay at ye ryngynge or tollynge of ye bell dyd ye partye departynge no good, nethar affore theyr deathe nor afftar.

Anno, 1563, the 27 day of July, beynge Tuesdaye, Elys Hawll, of Manchestar, was whipt at Bedlem by to mynysters or prechars, Philpot, (fn. 6) parson of Sent Myhells in Cornhyll, and Yownge, (fn. 7) parson of Sent Bartylmews ye Lytyll, Fulckes ye comon cryar of London stondynge by.

In Anno 1564 (accoumptynge ye yere to begyn ye xxv of Marche), the xxv day of February, at xj of ye cloke in ye nyghte, deseasyd the abovesayd Eliseus Hawll, and was buryed on Shordche Churcheyarde on ye Twesday, and ye xxvij day of February, at xj of ye cloke before none.

Annon 1563, in Septembre, the old byshopes and dyver doctors wer removyd owt of ye Towre in to the newe byshopes howssys, ther to remayn prysonars undar theyr custody (the plage then beynge in ye citie was thowght to be ye caws), but thery delyveraunce (or rather chaunge of prison) dyd so myche offend ye people that ye prechars at Poulls Crosse and on othar placis bothe of ye citie and cuntrie prechyd (as it was thowght of many wysse men) verie sedyssyowsly, as Baldwyn at Powlls Cros wyshyng a galows set up in Smythefyld and ye old byshops and other papestis to be hangyd theron. Hym selfe died of ye plague the next weke aftar.

This yeare, 1563, was the tenauntis of the Chambre of London callyd before ye Chambreleyn of London, beynge cawlyd —Sturgyn, Ser Thomas Lodge beyng Mayre, theyr renttis wer raysyd duble and treble, and forsyd to take leasys and gyve fyns for the same, or ells to for go theyr howsys, and they to have them that wold gyve moste for them. That same Ser Thomas Lodge (to ye great slaundar of ye wholl city) in ye ende of his maioralitie proffessyd to be banqerowpte.

This years 1563, in Septembre, the Quenes Majestie lyenge in hir castell of Wyndsore, ther was set up in ye markyt place of Wyndsore a new payre of gallows to hange up all suche as shuld come ther from London, so that no parson or eny kynde of warrs mought come or be browght from London to or thurughe, nethar by Wyndsor, not so myche as thrughe ye ryver by Wyndsor to cary wood or othar stuffe to or from London upon payne of hangynge with owt eny judgment, and suche people as reseyvyd eny wares out of London in to Wyndsor were turnyd owt of theyr howsys and theyr howssys shut up.

Anno 1563, ye 26 of June, was a mynyster, (fn. 8) parson of Sent Marie Abchurche, of Sent Martyns in Iarmongar Lane, and of one othar benefice in ye cuntrie, takyn at Dystaffe Lane ussynge an othar mans wyffe as his owne, whiche was dawghtar to Ser Myles Partryge and wyffe to Wyllyam Stokebrege, grosar, and he beyng so takyn at ye dede doynge (havynge a wyffe of his owne) was caryed to Brydwell thrughe all the stretes, his breche hangeynge aboute his knes, his gowne and his (kyvar knave) hatt borne afftar hym with myche honor; but he lay not longe ther, but was delyveryd with owt punyshment and styll injoyed his beneffysis. (fn. 9) They were greatly blamed that aprehended hym and comitted hym.

Turnar, of Bullyn, prechinge at Powlls Crosse ye xxiiij of Octobre, anno 1563.

Syr Thomas Lodge, beynge Mayr of London, ware a beard, and was ye fyrst that (beynge Mayr of London) ever ware eny, ye whiche was thowght to mayny people very straynge to leve ye cumly aunsyent custom of shavynge theyr beards; nevartheles he ware ye comly auncient honet with iiij cornars as all othar his predysesowrs had done before hym. This Sir T. Lodge braky and professe to be banqwerooute in his maioralitie to the grete slandar of ye citie. But ye next yere afftar Ser John Whit, benge mayre, ware bothe a longe beard and allso a rownd cape that wayed not iiij ouncis, whiche semyd to all men, in consyderation of ye auncient bonyt, to be very uncomly.

This yere of our Lord 1563 was great lytnynge and thundar in Desembre from ye fyrst day to ye xij lyghtly every evynnyng and nyght, spesyally on ye xij nyght, beyng Sonday, from viij of ye cloke tyll somewhat past ix, that gretar lyghtnyng hathe not bene lyghtly sene at eny tyme.

Footnotes

  • 1. Blank in MS.
  • 2. So in MS.
  • 3. Richard Cox, Bishop of Ely.
  • 4. I cannot find who this Lady Cary was; but it is stated below that she was of the Queen's blood she was certainly related to Henry Cary, Lord Hundson.
  • 5. Havre de Grace, which was in possession of the English from September 1562 to July 1563.
  • 6. John Philpot. He was deprivd of his benefice in 1567.
  • 7. His name does not occur in Newcourt's list of the incumbents. After Thomas Taylor, collated 29 Nov. 1558, Newcourt gives Adrian Redlegge, collated 13 Dec. 1569.
  • 8. His name was George Barton.
  • 9. He was, however, deprived of both his London, benefices some years later, viz. of St. Mary, Abchurch, in 1567, and of St. martin's Ironmonger Lane, in 1568. But before the occurrence mentioned in the text a George Barton is said to have been deprived of St. Swithin's rectory in London, in 1561.