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.