The summarie of English chronicles (lately collected and published) nowe abridged and continued tyl this present moneth of Marche, in the yere of our Lord God. 1566. By J.S.

¶ Quene Elizabeth.

Anno Regni. 1.

[date 1558]

ELizabeth, oure moste gracious & soueraign lady to the great com∣fort of England, was with ful consent pro∣claymed queene the xvi••. day of Nouem∣ber, in the yere. 1558. Not long after, she came from Hatfielde in Hertford∣shire, vnto the Charterhouse in Lon∣don: and wēt from thens to the tower wher she remayned vntil the .xiiii. day of January folowing: at whiche tyme the Londoners hauynge made sump∣tuous prouisiion) she passed through y^• citie to her palaice at Westminster, she wyng very comfortable & gentil coū∣tenance vnto y^• people: the next day fo∣lowynge, her grace was crowned in Saint Peters church at Westminster by doctor Oglethorpe bysh. of Carlile.

The report of this was very ioyful to suche as in Quene Maries tyme for religiōs sake fled into Germany, and other countreys whervpon they nowe shortly returned home agayne.

The twenty day of Januarye, be∣ganne a Parliament at Westmynster:* 1.1 and in thys Parliamente, the Fyrste ••ruiles and Tenthes, were restored

to the Crowne, and also the supreme gouernement ouer the state Ecclesia∣sticall: lykewise the booke of common prayer and administration of the sacra mentes in our vulgar tongue was re∣stored.

Shortely after the quenes maiestie appointed a conference or disputation to be had at Westminster churche, con∣cernynge matters of religion, but the matter came to none effec••.

The .vii. of April was a ioyful peace proclaimed betwixt our souerain lady Elisabeth quene of England, and Hen¦ry the Frenche kyng.

At the feast of John Baptist, the ser¦uice in the mother tongue was fully e∣stablished throughout this realme, and the Masse with other Latine Seruice was cleane▪ abolyshed.

About Bartholome wtide the church* 1.2 wardens of churches in London with their persons and ministers, broughte foorthe the Roodes and other images of their churches, and brent them be∣fore their churche doores.

Anno reg. 1.

M

• Sir Wil. Hewet cloth worker

[date] S

• Tho. Lodge
• Roger Mar¦tin

Many men of warre were conueyde* 1.3 out of France into Scotland: wherby it was suspected, that they woulde so∣deinly inuade this realme, whervpon the Quenes maiestie sent the Duke of Norffolke towardes Scotlande, as ge¦nerall, and the lorde Grey of Wylton beynge lieutenant, entred Scotlande with a sufficient power to ioyne with the Scottes and Frenchemen. And in the ende her grace sente sir Williā Ci∣cill knight, her maiesties principal se∣cretarie with maister doctour wotton to treate with the Frenchmen, who by their wisedomes enforced the French∣men to depart, to the greate quietnesse bothe of Englande and Scotland.

The .v. day of Iuly through shoting of a gonne, whiche brake in the house of one Adrian Arten a ducheman in croked lane, and settyng fire on a fir∣kyn & a barell of gunpower .iiii. hou∣ses were cleane blowen downe, & dy∣uers other sore hurt and bruised.

This yere on Michelmas euen be∣fore noone, it was published by procla¦mation, that the teston of the best sort beynge marked with the porte ••uleys shold then forthwith be taken for .iiii. d. ob▪ and the second sorte beyng mar∣ked

with the greyhound for .ii. d. q. the third and worst sort not beyng marked with one of those markes afore named ••ot to be taken for any value: the thre peny piece which was ••oyned for .iiii. pence should be but .i. d. ob. the .ii. d. pece for .i. d. &c. And shortly after, her* 1.4 grace restored vnto al her subiects fine and pure sterlyng money, both of gold and syluer for their corrupte and base coyn, callyng in the same to her maie∣sties myntes, accordynge to the rates before mencioned.

Anno. 2.

M

• Sir Wil. Cheste•• dra••er

S

• Thomas Roe
• [date 1560] Christoph. Dra∣per

The .xxi. day of Marche, a notable grammer schoole was founded by the* 1.5 mayster, wardeyns, and assistentes of the right worshypfull company of the marchant taylours of the citie of Lon∣don in the parishe of Saint Laurence Pounteney.

The .x. day of April was one Williā Geffrey whipped from the Marshalsey in Southwarke to Bedlym withoute byshops gate of Lōdon, for that he pro¦fessed one Iohn Moore to bee Christe: and on his heade, and aboute the carte

were set papers, wherin was written as foloweth: William Geffrey, a most* 1.6 blasphemous here••ike, denying Christ our Sauior in heauen. The sayd Gef∣frey beyng stay••e at Bedlym gate, the Marshals officers caused Iohn More to be brought foorthe, who was after tyed to the cart, and whypt an arowes shote from Bedlym: where at the last•• he confessed Christ to be in heauen, & hymself to be a synful man. Then was More sent agayn into Bedlem, & wil∣liam Geffrey to the Marshalsey, whe•• they had layne prisoners nigh a yere & a halfe before that tyme, the one for pro¦fessyng himself to be Christ, the other a disciple of the same Christe.

The .iiii. day of Iune beynge wed∣nesday betwene .iiii. and .v. of y^• clocks* 1.7 in the after noon, the steple of Paules in London, being stered by lightnyng brast foorth as it dyd seme to the behol∣ders .ii. or thre yardes beneth the crosse and so brent rounde about in the same place, that the top with the crosse fell of, & lighted on the south syde of Pou∣les church, and so the spire brent down warde soo terryblye and vehemently, that within lesse space then .iiii. ho∣••••ers, the same steple and all the cos••••

of the same church were consumed to ashes: whiche was a lamentable sight, and pitiful remembrance to the behol∣ders therof.

Anno. 3.

M

• Sir Wil. Harper mar. ta••.

S

• [date] Humf. Basker∣uile
• Alexā. Auenon

The .xv. day of Nouember, the que∣nes maiestie published a proclamation wherin her grace restored to the realme diuers smal peces of siluer money, as the pece of .vi. d .iiii. d .iii. d .ii. d. & .i. d. thre halfpeny, & thre farthynges. And also forbad all maner of forain coynes to be currant within the same realme: as well gold as syluer, except two sor¦tes of crownes of golde, whereof the one was the frenche crowne, and the other a flemmyshe crowne.

This fourthe yeare in England wer* 1.8 many monstrous byrths, as in March a mare brought foorth a foale with one body being in good proportion, & two heads, hauing as it were a longe tayle growing out right like a horn betwen the same two heades. Also a s••w farro∣wed a pig with .4. legs like vnto y^• a••¦mes of a mā child with handes & fin∣gers disfigured. &c. In April a sow fa•• ••owed a pig y^• had 2. bodies .8. sete, bu••

one head many calues & lambes wer•• monstrous, and one calf had a coller of skinne growing about the necke, lyke to a double ruffe, whiche to the behol∣ders semed strange and wonderfull.

The. 20. day of May a monsterous* 1.9 chyld was born at Chichester in Sus∣sex. The head armes & legs like vnto an anotomy, the breast, and belye very monstrous byg, from the nauill, as it were a long string hanging: about the necke a great coller of fleshe and skyn growing like the ruffes of a shirte or neckerchief comminge vp about the eares pleyting or folding. &c.

This yere the Quenes Maiestie in September, addressed a band of her sub¦iectes to the towne of Newhauen in Normandye: who were embarked at Portismouth, because y^t hauen is moste apte for transportation to that place, Vpon whose arriuall the townes men* 1.10 & inhabitantes ioyfully surrendred thē selues and the town into the possession of the Quenes maiestie, whiche was kept by Englishmen from September 1562. to the. 29. day of July then nexte folowinge, whiche was in the yeare 1563. the gouernoure of whiche bande was the righte honorable the Earle of

Warwike, who with the capitaynes seruinge there (whiche were of greate experience) and souldiours trayned by them to knowledge of seruice, toge∣thet with parte of the olde approued garrison of Barwike, dyd at that time bothe manfullye defende the piece, and valeauntly encountered by sun∣drye skyrmishes and conflictes with the countie Ringraue and hys bande, the moste parte wherof, wher happely atchiued, to the great ouerthrow of the aduersaries parte, and singuler com∣mendations of oures.

Anno. 4.

M

• syr Tho. Lodge grocer

[date] S

• William Alleyn
• Richard Cham∣berlaine

When the frenchmen with huge ar∣mies* 1.11 assēbled out of al parts of France to recouer the place of passage: the stop¦ping wherof, by our power, was the double wo of theyr common wealthe, there bred through the heate of time, & putrifactiō of the ayre: a miserable and infortunate plague emonge our men, which maruelously increased with the death of diuers of the best captains and souldiors, wher withall there folowed a cruel & quicke siege, wherat was pre∣sent

the Constable, and the beste tried number of warlike souldiors within the whole countrey of France. The ma¦rishes were made passable and firme ground: which by men of great experi∣ence was thoght impossible. And with common help the Canons wer placed, the castel and wals wer battered, & sun¦dry breaches made beyond expectation How be it they were rewarded by our gonners to their gret terror and anoy∣ance. The erle of Warwike with y^e rem¦nant of our captaines and souldiors in couragious order, standing at the seue∣rail breaches ready to defend theyr asaultes: which perceiued by the enemy they caused theyr trompets to sound the blast of emparle, that composition of ei¦ther part might be made to auoyde the imminent slaughter & effusiō of blood. This offer semed not vnmete, both par¦ties concluded, the towne was deliue∣red the. 29. day of July, and all the en∣glish licensed to depart.

This yere as ye haue hard, the plage of pestilence being in the toun of New hauen, & many souldiors infected with the same returning into England, the infection therof increased, being before that begonne in diuers partes of this

realm, but especially the citie of Lōdon was so infected there with, that in the same whol yere, that is to say, from the first of January. 1562. vntil the laste of December. 1563. there dyed in the Citie and liberties therof (conteinyng 108. parishes) of all discases .xx. M .iii. C .lxxii. so that there dyed of the* 1.12 plague (beyng part of the number be∣fore named) xvii. M .iiii. C. and .iiii. persones. And in the out parishes ad∣ioynyng to the same citie, beyng xi. pa∣rishes died of al diseases in the whole yeare aforesayd .iii. M .ii. C .lxxx. and viii. persons, and of them of the plage beyng a part of the said numbre last be¦fore named .ii. M .vii. C. xxxii so that the whole total summe of all those that died of al diseses in y^e holle yere, aswel within the citie of Lōdon & liberties of y^e same, as in the out parishes adioy∣ning was .xxiii. M .vi. C .lx. & of them of y^• plage died in al .xx. M .i. C .xxxvi.

This yeare for so muche as the pessi∣lence was so hote in the citie of Lon∣don there was no term kept at Michel mas. To be short, the pore citisens of Lōdon were this yere plagued with a* 1.13 treble plague, as with the pestilence, scarsitie of money, & derth of victuels:

the myserie wherof, were to long her•• to write, no doubt the poore remember it. God be mercyfull vnto vs, and de∣fend vs from the like, if it be his will.

Anno. 5.

M

• [date 2563] Sir Iohn White grocer

S

• Edward Bāks
• Rouland Hai∣warde

This Maior kept no Maiors feast at* 1.14 y^• Guyld hall, as it had ben accustomed before time: Also he toke his othe at the vttermost gate of the tower of Lōdon.

This yeare thanks be geuen to God was a peaceable yeare, and the plague of pestilence wel ceassed in London: neuerthelesse for feare therof, Hillarye terme was kept at Hertford castell, be syde Ware.* 1.15

The .xxiii. day of Apryll was a ioy∣full peace proclaimed with the sounde of trompettes betwene Englande and Fraunce.* 1.16

This yeare through the earnest suite of the arinorers, there was on the Di∣gile of Sainct Peter, a watche in the Citie of London, whiche dyd onely stand in the hyghest stretes of Cheape, of Cornhyll, and so foorthe towardes Algate: whiche was to the commons of the same citie (for the moste parte)

〈◊〉〈◊〉 chargeable 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when in times paste, it was most cōmendably done, wher••s this being to very smal purpose, was of as smal a number w••l ••iked.

The second day of October in the a•• te•• ho•••••••• was a solem••ne obsequi•• kept at sainct Paules churche in Lon∣don, for F••rdinando the Emperor, late beyng departed out of this mortal life, and lyke wyse the moro••••next after 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the for••none.

Anno. 6.

M

• Richard Mala••y 〈◊〉〈◊〉

S

• [date] Edwarde Iack∣man
• Ly••nell, Du••ket

The .xx. daye of Nouember in the* 1.17 morning about vi. of the clock through negligence of a may••••n with a can∣del, the shuffe ••a••lynge in an hundred pound weight of gunpouder, th••e hou¦s••s in Bu••klers bur••, wer ••ore shake, the maiden was so bu••••t, that she died therof within 〈◊〉〈◊〉 d••y•• after. It is to be li••ted, that if, this 〈…〉〈…〉 h••d layne in a low••••part of the house, as it lay in a garret, it had done much more 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Wherfore I ••d••ys•••••••• to loke ware∣ly to suche ware.

The .xxi. day of December being S. Thomas day began a frost, which con¦tinued

••yl the .iii. day of Ianuary: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 new yeres euen, people went ouer the Thames on the yce, & along the Tha∣mes from London bridge to Westmin∣ster, and great number of people, plaid at the footeball: on newe yeres daye▪ beyng monday, on tu••sday and wednes¦day dyuers gentlemē & others, set vp prickes on the Thames, and shotte at the same. And the people bothe men & women went on the Thames, in grea¦ter numbres then in any strete in Lon∣don? The costardemongers played at the dyce for apples on the yce: on the wednesday at night it began to th•• w•• but men went ouer and along the Tha¦mes on thursday al night: but on 〈◊〉〈◊〉 day beyng the fyfth day of Ianuary at nighte, was no Ice on the Thames to be sene: but that all men mought come ouer and along the same, to was so so∣berly consumed: which sodayne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 caused such great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and hye wa∣ters, that it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 downe many bridges and houses, and dro••ned many people.

The .26. day of Ianuary beyng ••••••••∣day* 1.18 at night wer two sides in the spa••••of .ii. houres at London, on the morow was like wise .ii. in the morning, & .i••. at night: on sonday being the .28. day of

Ianuary were likewise .••••. ••ides in the morning, and at right but one.

The ▪xx. day of Iune the lady Lin•••••••• was ••ente prisoner to the Tower of London.

This yere on Saint Peters euen at night was the ly••e ••••anding watche in London as was the ••ame nighte .xii. monthes.

The .xvi. day of Iuly about .vi. of* 1.19 the clock at night, began a terrible tem¦pest of lightning and thunder, with sho••res of ••ayle, which lightning and thūder continued vntil .iii. of the clock on the next morning. In the which tem¦pest much harme was doone in and a∣bout Chelmsford in Essex, as by destro¦yng of fyue hundred acres of corne, the beatinge downe of all the glasse win∣dowes on the east syde of y^• sayd town, and of the west and south sides of the church, the beating of the ••yles of theyr houses, throwing downe diuers bar∣nes and ••hymneys with the batilmen∣••••s of theyr church. &c. The hayle ••••o∣nes beyng measured, were found to be ••i▪ ynches about. At the same time was much harme done in many other pla∣ces of this realme, as at Ledes, at Cran broke, at Douer in Rent. &c.

This yere Christopher prince and margraue of Baden, with the lady Cicily his wife syster to the kinge of Swe••hland arriued at Douer, and the xi. day of September, they cam to Lon¦don, and wer lodged at the er••e of Bed¦fordes place, nere vnto Iu••e bridge, where within .iiii. dayes after, she tra∣uailed, and was deliuered of a man chylde: which the laste of September was baptised in the Quenes maiesties chapel of Whitehall. The Quenes ma∣iestie in her owne person beyng God∣mother gaue the name Edwardus for∣tunatus.

Anno. 7.

M

• [date 1565] Richard Champion Draper

S

• Iohn Ri∣uers
• Iam. Hawes

The .xi. of Nouember, the right ho∣norable, Ambrose Earle of Warwike, maryed Anne eldest daughter to the Earle of Bedforde: for the honour and celebration of whiche noble mariage a goodly chalenge was fyxed vpon the court gate at Westminster, to be obser∣ued and d••n the .xi. day of the same, the ••••nor wherof ensueth.

You that in warlike wayes, and dedes of armes delight, You that for countries cause, or els for Ladies loue dare fight: Knowe you foure knightes there be, that come from foren land, Whose hau••ie hartes and corage great, hath moued to take in hand, With sweard, with speare and shilde, on fote on horsebacke too, To trye what you by force of fight, or otherwise can doo. Prepare your selues therefore, this chalenge to defende. That trōpe of fame, your prowes gre•• abrode may sound and sende. And he that best can do, the same shall haue the prise, The day, the place, and forme & fight, Lo here before your eyes.

At the tylt, with eche one .vi. cour∣ses, at the torney .xii. strokes with the swearde, thre pushes with the punche∣on staffe, and .xii. blowes with the sweard at bariars, or twenty, if any be so disposed.

At x. of the clocke at night the s••me day, a valiant seruisable man, called Roberte Thomas Master gonner of

England, desirous also to honour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••east and mariage day, in consideration the sayd erle of W••rwike was generall of thordinanc•• within h••••Maiesties realme and domin••ans made three gret traines of chambres, which terribly•• yelded forth•• the nature of theyr voyce to the gret astonishment of diuers, who at the ••yri••g of the second was vnhap∣pely stayn•• by a pece of one of the cham¦bers to the great sorowe and lamenta∣tion of al those that loue theyr country & de••ence of the s••me, for further expli∣cation of who••e pra•••••••• the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rome of this abri••ged summary wil not suffice.

The .xxviii. day of December there rose a gre•• storme and tempest of wind,* 1.20 by whose rage the▪ Th••mes and Se••••ouerwhelm••d many persons, and the gret gates at the west ••nd of S. Pauls churche in London (betwene whiche standeth the br••senpylor) were through the forc•• of the wynde then in the We∣stern part of the world blowen open.

In Ianuary Mo••••si••••Rambuley a 〈…〉〈…〉 in France was sent ouer into England by the French king Charles the .••••. of that name, with the ••rd••••of saint M••••••••ell, who at Wind∣s••r was 〈…〉〈…〉 the sayd

French kinge with the knighthoode of the most honorable order of the Garter and the .xxiiii. of Ianuary in the chapel of her maiesties pallace of Whitehall. The sayd Mo••••sie•• Rambuley inue∣sted Thomas duke of Norfolk & Ro∣bert erle of Leicester, with the sayd or∣der of saint Mighell.

Thus (good reader) I haue brought as thou seest this abridged Summary to these our present dayes, meaning as tyme shall encrease so to augment the same, desyringe thee to take these▪ my trauayles in good part, ••yke as I haue m••u••e th••m to wardes▪ thee.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A parlia∣mētnt west minster.
• * 1.2

  Images burned.
• * 1.3

  An. reg. 2. The maior of London begynneth his yeare y^• 18. daye of October, whiche is in the firste yere of the quenes ma¦iesties rei∣gne. And y^• quenes se∣cond yeare beginneth on the .17. day of No∣uember fo∣••owyng. Houses ••lowen vp ••n croked ••ane ••ase mo∣••eys called ••n:
• * 1.4

  New coy∣nes.
• * 1.5

  A grāmer schole▪ bu••••¦ded by the marchaunt taylers.
• * 1.6

  One fay∣ning hym∣selfe to be Christ.
• * 1.7

  Poule•• ste¦ple a fyre.
• * 1.8

  An. reg. 4▪ M••strous byrthes.
• * 1.9

  A monstros child
• * 1.10

  New hauē
• * 1.11

  Anno. 5
• * 1.12

  108. pary∣shes in Lō¦don.
• * 1.13

  A threfolde or a treble plague.
• * 1.14

  No Ma∣iors feast.
• * 1.15

  An. reg. 6.
• * 1.16

  Watche on S. Peters euen at Lōdon.
• * 1.17

  An. reg. 7. Houses sha¦ken with gunpouder
• * 1.18

  Eight tides in .ii. nigh∣tes and a day
• * 1.19

  Great tem∣pest
• * 1.20

  An. reg. 8.