Suffolk The second of May Ione Butcher was burned in Smithfield for heresie she held that Christ took no flesh of the Virgin Mary Richarâ— Lion Godard Gorran and Richard Ireland were executed the fourteenth of May for attempting a new rebellion in Kent In the moneth of May a miller at Battle-bridge was set in the pillory in cheap-side and had both his ears cut off for speaking some words against the Duke of Sommerset On Saint Valentines day at Feversham in Kent one Arden a gentleman was murdered by consent of his wife for the which fact she was on the fourteenth of March burnt at Canterbury Michael Master Ardens man was hanged in chains at Feversham and a maiden burnt Mosby and his Sister were hanged in Smithfield at London Green which had fled came again certain years after and was hanged in chains in the high-way over against Feversham and Black-VVill the Ruffin that was hired to do the act was burnt in Zealand at Flushing The twenty fourth of April a Dutch-man was burnt in Smithfield for an Arrian The twenty fifth of May an earthquake about Croydon and those parts did put the people in great fear An. Dom. 1552 The twenty sixth oâ— February Sir Richard Vine and Sir Martin Patridge were hanged on tower-hill Sir Martin Stanhope with Sir Thomas Arundel were beheaded there the last of April a house near to the tower of London with three barrels of powder was blown up the Gunpowder-makers being fifteen in number were all slain The third of August at Middleton eleven miles from Oxford a woman brought forth a child which had two perfect bodies from the navel upwards and were so joyned together at the navel that when they were laid out at length the one head and body was West and the other East the legs of both the bodies were joyned together in the midst they lived eighteen daies and they were women children The eighth of August were taken at Queenborough three great fishes called Dolphins and the week following at Black-wall was six more taken and brought to London The seventh of October were three great fishes called Whirl-pools taken at Gravesend The eighth of October was three more great fishes called Whirlpools taken at Gravesend and drawn up to the Kings Bridge at VVestminster King Edward being at the age of sixteen years ended his life at Greenwich on the sixth of Iuly when he had reigned six years five moneths and odd daies and was buried at VVestminster The tenth of Iuly was proâ—lamation made of the death of King Edward and how he had ordained that the Lady Iane Daughter to Frances Dutchess of Suffolk which Lady Iane was married to the Lord Gilford Dudley fourth son to the Duke of Northumberland should be Heir to the Crown of England The eleventh of Iuly Gilbert Pott draweâ— to Ninion Sanders Vintner dwâ—lling â—â— the sign of Sâ—int Iohn-Baptâ—st-head within Ludgate was set on the pillory in Cheap wiâ—h boâ—h his ears nailed to the Pillory and cut off for words speaking at the time of Proclamation of the Lady Iane. Lady Mary eldest daughter to King Henry the eight fled to Frammington Castle in Suffolk where the people of the countrey almost wholly resorted unto her In Oxford Sir Iohn Williams in Buckinghamshire Sir Edmond Peckham and in divers other places many men of worship offering themselves as guides to the common people gathered great powers and with all speed made towards Suffolk where the Lady Mary was Also the thirteenth of Iuly by the appointment of the Councel the Duke of Northumberland the Earl of Huntington the Lord Grey of Wilton and divers others with a great number of men of Armes set forward to fetch the Lady Mary by force and were on their way as far as Burie The ninteenth of Iuly the Counsel assembled themselves at Baynards Castle where they communed with the Earl of Pembrook and immediately with the Lord Mayor of London certain Aldermen of London and the Sheriffs Garter King of Arms and a Trumpet went into Cheap where they proclaimed Lady Mary daughter to King Henry the eight Queen of England France and Ireland The twentieth of Iuly Iohn Earl of Northumberland being at Saint Edmonsbury and having sure knowledge that the Lady Mary was at London proclaimed Queen of England returned back again to Cambridge and about five of the clock in the Evening he came to the market-place and caused the Lady Mary to be likewise proclaimed Queen of England but shortly after he was arrested and brought to the Tower of London the twenty fifth of Iuly under the conduct of Henry Earl of Arundel thus was the matter ended without any bloodshed which men feared would have brought the death of thousands Queen Mary An. Reg. 1 MAry the eldest daughter to King Henry the eight began her reign the sixth of Iuly in the year 1553. She came to London and was received with great joy and entred the Tower the third of August where Thomas Duke of Norfolk Doctor Gardner late Bishop of Winchester and Edward Courtney son and heir to Henry Marquess of Exeter prisoners in the Tower discharged the fifth of August Edmond Bonner late Bishop of London prisoner in the Marshal Seas and Cutbert Tunstal Bishop of Durham prisoners in the Kings Bench were restored to their Seas shortly after all the Bishops which had been deprived in the time of King Edward the sixth were restored to their Bishopricks again also all beneficed men that were married or would not forsake their opinions were put out of their livings and others set in the same The eleventh of August certain gentlemen minding to pass through London Bridge in a Wherrie were there overturned and six of them drowned The thirteenth of August master Bourn a Canon of Pauls preached at Pauls Cross so offended some of his audience that they breaking silence cryed out pull him down and one threw a dagger at him whereupon master Bradford and Master Rogers two preachers in King Edwards dayes with much labour conveyed the said master Bourn out of the audience into Pauls School The twenty second of August Iohn Duke of Northumberland Sir Iohu Gaites and Sir Thomas Palmer Knights were beheaded on tower hill The Queen was crowned at VVestminster the first of October by Doctor Gardiner Bishop of Winchester The twenty fâ—fâ—h of October the Baâ—ge of Gravesend was overturned and forty persons drowned In the beginning of the moneth of Ianuary the Emperour sent a nobleman called Egmont and certain other Embassadours into England to conclude a marriage between King Phillip his son and Queen Mary The twenty fifth of Ianuary Sir George Gage Chamberlain certified the Lord Major of London that Sir Thomas VViat with cettain other Rebels were up in Kent whereupon great watch was kept and that night the Lord Major himself rode about the City to look to the same and every night after two Aldermen did the like in the day time the gates of the City were guarded by substantial Citizens The
Cleba a Schoolmaster and three Gentlemen in Lincolns-Inne being brethren in Norfolk were hanged and quarter'd at Bury for conspiracy About this time began the hot burning Feavers whereof died many old persons so that in London died seven Aldermen in the space of ten moneths The 21 of November a man was brought from Westminster with a paper on his head riding with his face toward the horse tail to the Standard in Cheap-side and there set on the pillory and after burned in both the cheeks with the letters F and A for falsly accusing a gentleman of treason The sixteenth of December a stranger born was arraigned for making keyes to Newgate to have murdered the Keeper and let forth the prisoners at which time of his arraignment he thrust a knife into the side of his fellow prisoner that had given witness against him so that he was in peril of death thereby for the which fact he was taken from the Bar into the street before the Justice Hall where his hand being first stricken off he was then hanged on a Gibbet the Keeper of Newgate was arraigned and indicted for that the said prisoner had a weapon about him and his hands loose The Lord Sturton murdered two men for the which he was conveyed from the tower of London to Salisbury and there hanged with four of his servants the sixth of March. A Blazing-star was seen at all times of the night from the sixth to the tenth of March. The twenty third of April Thomas Stafford and others to the number of thirty two persons coming out of France took the Castle of Scarborough which they enjoyed two daies and then were taken and brought to London The twenty eighth of May Thomas Stafford was beheâ—ded on the tower-hill and on the morrow after three of his companions were drawn to tyburn and there hanged and quartered The first of Ianuary the Frenchmen came to Calice with a great Army and within four daies were masters thereof and shortly after won all the pieces on that side of the Sea The French King also invaded Flanders spoiled and burnt Dunkirk before King Philip could come to the rescue The seventh of Iuly within a mile of Nottingham a tempest of thunder as it came through two towns beat down all the houses and Churches the bells were cast to the outside of the Church-yard and some webs of lead four hundred foot in the field writhen like a glove the river of Trent running between the two towns the water running was with the mud carried a quarter of a mile and cast against trees trees were pulled up by the roots and cast twelve score off a child was pulled out of a mans hands and carried a hundred foot and then let fall and died five or six men were killed there fell some hail-stones that were fifteen inches about The Quartain Agues continued very sharp insomuch that many old folk died especially Parsons and Priests so that a great number of Parishes were unfurnished King Philip being absent out of the Realm Queen Mary ended her life the seventeenth of November in the year 1558. when she had reigned five years four moneths and odd daies the same day deceased Cardinal Pool and a little before two of her Physitians beside many Bishops and Noble men Queen Mary was buried at Westminster and Cardinal Pool at Canterbury Queen Elizabeth An. Reg. 1 THe seventeenth of November 1558. came certain news unto the Parliament House of the death of Queen Mary whereat many rejoyced and many lamented and forthwith her death being generally known they proclaimed Lady Elizabeth second daughter to Henry the Eight Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith this was done in London and Westminster the Queen was then at Bishops Hatfield but not proclaimed there till two daies after The Queen came shortly after from Hatfield to the Charterhonse until the time of her Coronation she stayed there the Bishops kneeling down acknowledged their alleageance the fourteenth of Iannary she rode in triumph to the Palace of Westminster and the next day was crowned by Doctor Oglethrop Bishop of Carlisle The twentieth of Ianuary began a Parliament wherein the fruits tenths and supremacy were reserved and connexed to the Crown In this Parliaments time the Queen granted license for a free disputation to be held in Westminster Church concerning some different points in Religion but it came to no effect The twenty fourth of Inne the book of Common-prayer was established and the Mass clean suppressed in all Churches In ancient time many images were in Churches which were maintained by Queen Mary but by Queen Elizabeth beaten down and burned in the open streets The fifth of Inly through shooting off a gun in a house in Crooked-lane a barrel of gunpowder took fire which blew up four houses shatter'd many other houses slew twenty persons outright and hurt as many besides great damage to houses and goods The tenth of April William Geffery was whipped from the Marshalsea to Bedlam for publishing that one Iohn Moor was Jesus Christ which said Iohn Moor after he had been well whipped confessed himself a cozening knave An. Reg. 3 An. Dom. 1561 The fourth of Iune between four and five a clock in the afternoon a terrible tempest chanced of thunder and lightning and chiefly about London where amongst many harms it fired the lofty Spire of Pauls-steeple and began about the top thereof which was two hundred foot high from the top of the stone battlements the fire ceased not till it came down to the roof of the Church and consumed all the bells lead and timber-work An. Reg. 4 In March a Mare brought forth a Foal with one body and two heads and a long tail growing out between the two heads A Sow farrowed a pig with four legs like to the arms of a child with hands and fingers In April a Sow farrowed a pig with two bodies eight feet and but one head many calves and lambs were monstrous some with collers of skin about their necks like to the double cuffs of shirts and neckerchiefs then used An. Dom. 1562 The fourteenth of May a man-child was born at Chichester in Sussex the head legs and arms were like an Anatomy rhe brest and belly big from the navel a long string hanging about the neck a coller of flesh like the ruff of a neckerchief coming up about the ears An. Reg. 5 An. Dom. 1563 The sixteenth of Ianurry a great tempest of winde and thunder happened in the town of Leicester which uncover'd many houses and overturned many Pestilence in 108. Parishes in London besides eleven in the Suburbs The eighth of Iuly a great tempest of thunder and lightning by the same was slain a woman and three kine in the Covent-garden near Charing-cross in Essex a man was torn in pieces his Barn beaten down and his hay burnt An earthquake in the moneth of September in Liucolnshire and Northamptonshire From the first of December to the â—â—elfth was
and quartered as being actors with the Earl of Essex March the fifteenth a new Scaffold was carried from Leaden Hall in the night to the Tower hill and there set up by torch light The eighteenth of March Sir Charles Danvers and Sir Christopher Blunt Knights were upon the new scaffold beheaded Two men were set on the Pillory in Fleetstreet whipped with gaggs in their mouths and their ears cut off for attempting to have robbed a Gentlewoman in Fetter lane in the day time putting gaggs into the mouths of the servants of the house because they should not cry out one of these thieves was afterward hanged and quartered at Saint Thomas Watrings August the twenty sixth Desmond and an other Knight brought out of Ireland were sent to the Tower of London In November the Lady Mary Ramsey widow to Sir Thomas Ramsey sometime Mayor of London was buried in the Parish Church or Hospital of Christ-church by Newgate-market a charitable dole or armes was given for her on the same day in the afternoon at the Leaden Hall seventeen poor people being weak and aged were there among the sturdy beggars crushed and troden to death Lightning and Thunder often before Christmas and in the holydayes and an Earthquake at London on Christmas Eve at noon In the month of Ianuary news came out of Ireland that on Christmas day that the Spaniards and Irish were overcome and slain in great numbers and the English were victors The eighteenth of Ianuary at night Bonfiers were made with ringing of Bells for joy of the news out of Ireland the victory of our men against Tyrone Windsor Boate was cast away against Black Friers stairs by a tempest April the nineteenth Peter Bullock Stationer and one named Ducket for printing of books offensive against the Queen and State were hanged at Tyburn April the twentieth Stichborne William Kenson and Iames Page Seminary Priests were drawn to Tyburn and there hanged and quartered The last of Iune Atkenson a customer of Hull was set on the Pillory in Cheap and with him three other who had been brought thither on horseback with their faces towards the horse tail and papers on their heads they were there whipped on the Pillory and lost their ears by judgement of the Star-Chamber for slanderous words by them spoken against the Counsel The same day in the afternoon fell great lightning and thunder with hail-stones in many places of nine inches compass which in Sandwich in Kent lay a foot deep on the ground broke the glass windows of their Churches and many tiles off their houses some barnes were fired with lightning February the seventeenth William Anderson alias Richardson a Seminary Priest was drawn to Tyburn and there hanged and quartered for being found in England contrary to the Statute In the month of March the Q lying at Richmond dangeros sick strait watches were set in London with warding of the Gates Lanthornes with lights all the night hanged out of Windowes at which newes the people were sore perplexed Thursday the twenty fourth of March about two of the Clock in the morning deceased Queen Elizabeth at her Mannor of Richmond in Surrey being aged seventy yeers and had Reigned four and forty yeers five moneths and odd dayes whose Corps was privily convaied to White Hall and there remained till the twenty eight of Aprill and then buried at Westminster The same day aforesaid the Nobility and Councell of State with as great peace prudence and providence as the heart of man could imagine assembled themselves together and far beyond the general imagination of all men being a matter of remarkable conscernment took speedy order aswell for the instant manifesting the Queens death as in publishing to the whole Realme for their lasting comfort the true and lawfull Successour and about eleven of the clock the same Thursday in the forenoone which according to the computation of the Church of England is the last day of the yeer 1602. being accompanyed with the Lord Major Aldermen and Sheriffes of London and many other of most Reverend and Honourable quality at the Cross in Cheape Proclaimed Iames the Sixth of that name King Scotland to be the right King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the faith being lineally descended from Margaret the eldest daughter to King Henry the Seventh by Elizabeth his wife which was the eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth the said Margaret was married to King Iames the fourth of that name King of Scotland in the yeer of our Redemption 1503. who had Issue Iames the fifth Who was father to Mary Queen of Scotland and the said Mary was mother to Iames the Sixth Monarch of the Island of great Brittany and King of France and Ireland This forenamed Proclamation was most distinctly and audibly read by Sir Robert Cecill Principall Secretary unto Queen Elizabeth also the Lords and Privie Counsellors of Estate with great diligence send speedily Condinge Messengers to his Majesty into Scotland who manifested their whole proceeding with tender of their zealous love and duty and the peoples universall joy and great desire to see their King which his Majesty most graciously accepted approved all their proceedings and returned them all Princely thanks Authorizing the Lords and others late Privie Counsellours of Estate to the Queene to persist as they had begun until He came personally unto them This Change was very Plausable and well pleasing unto the Nobility and Gentry and generally to all the Commons of the Realm among whom the name of a king was to strange that few could Remember or had seen a King before except they were aged persons considering that the Government of the Realme had continued neer the space of fifty yeeres under the Reigne of two Queens which is the far greater part of an old mans age but tidings hereof being brought to the king in Scotland he called a Coâ—nsell to him and taking order for setling all things in his Realme of Scotland began his voyage towards England King Iames. An. Reg. 1 PResently upon the death of Queene Elizabeth of Famous memory the Nobility of this land and Pâ—ivie Councellors of estate unto the said Queen accknowledged Iames the sixth then King of Scotland for their lawfull king and within six houres after her death the said Lords and Counsellors gave full satisfaction unto the people by three proclamations the first at the Court Gate the second at the Cross in Cheapside and the third at the Tower by the name of Iames the First King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith the King being then full thirty six yeers of age and Crouned King of Scots in his infancie began his Raign over the Isle of Great Brittany the 24. of March 1602. The Nobility and State aforesaid with â—ll speed sent Charles Piercy and Master Thomas Sommerset with Letters unto the King signifiying the death of the Queene and the tender of their duties love and alegianâ—e but Sir Robert Carie rid
and Condemned Henry Garnet Provinciall of the Iesuites in England for being acquainted with the Gunpowder plot and consealing the same for the which he was condemned to be Drawn Hanged and Quartered and his head to be set upon London Bâ—idge and according to that Sentence he was Executed the third of May at the West end of Saint Pauls Church where he acknowledged the greatnesse of his offence in consealing the treason and besought all Catholikes to forbear and desist from Treason and all other violent attempts whatsoever against Kings and Princes saying that all such practises were utterly against the Catholike Religion The twenty nine and thirtieth of March the winde was extreame violent so as it caused much Shipwrack upon the Coasts of England France and the Low Countreyes in brought in the Sea and drowned much Cattell and in Picardie neer Dyope it blew down a steeple which Slew sourscore persons in the fall thereof in Flanders and up towards Germany there were many Churches Townes Windemills and Trees blown down and the eighth of Iune following it rayned twenty four houres and the next day there arose great land floods which carried away Mills Trees and Houses made new Currants where never any was before it carried away great store of Cattell Timber and other things from off upland grounds The tenth of Iune Proclaimation was made for the banishing of all seminaries Jesuites and Roman-priests The fifteenth of Iuly the wife of Richard Homewood of East Grimsteed in Sussex without any known cause murdered her own three children and threw them into a pit and then cut her own throat likewise The twentieth of Ianuary it pleased God to send a mighty westwind which continued sixteen houres which brought in the sea by reason whereof and of high spring-tides both which encountred the land waters after a great raine which caused the River of Severn beginning as far as the Mount in Cornwal to overflow her banks all along on both sides up into Somerset shire and Glocester-shire in some places the water overflowed the banks three foot in other places five foot and some places seven foot by reason of which suddain inundation much people and cattle were drowned many Churches and villages borne down and spoyled and some utterly destroyed and in Wales in several places it did great harme in manner as aforesaid the like before was never known Maundy Thursday the second of April there hapned great inundations of water in Kent Essex Suffolk and Norfolk and the seventeenth of April there arose in the City of Coventry a most strange and dreadful inundation November the twenty sixth proclamation was made concerning the Earl of Tyrone Terconnel and others of Ireland signifying their purpose and practise to exterpit the English Nation out of Ireland and to confer and yield the kingdome of Ireland to the Pope and Tyrones soliciting forraign Princes to attempt the conquest thereof The twentieth of December proclamation was made to apprehend the Lord Maxwel who wounded the porter and so brake prison out of Edenborough Castle this Lord Maxwel ayded Iames Mackdonel to escape likewise December the eighth begun a hard frost and continued till the fifteenth of the same and then thawed and the twenty second of December it began again to freez very violently so as some persons went halfe wap over upon the ice and the thirtieth of December many people went quite over in many places and so continued till the third of Ianuary the people passed dayly between London and the Bank-side at every half ebb for the floud removed the ice and forced the people dayly to seek new paths except onely between Lambeth and the ferry at Westminster by which it became very firme passage untill the great thaw and from Sunday the tenth of Ianuary untill the fifteenth of the same the frost grew extreame so as the ice became firme and removed not and then all sorts of men women and children went boldly upon the ice in most parts some shot at pricks others bowled and daunced with other variable pastimes by reason of which concourse of people were many that set up boothes and standings upon the ice as fruit-sellers victuallers that sould beer and wine shoomakers and a barbers tent every of them had fire near unto them the fifteenth of Ianuary it began somewhat to thaw and so continued four daies together yet nevertheless the great ice upon the Thames held firm and passable and became somewhat smooth like as in the last great frost in the year 1564. which before were very craggy and uncertain the nineteenth of Ianuary the frost began again but not so violently until Sunday the twenty fourth of Ianuary and held on until the thirtieth of the same the first of February the ice began to break by little and little and the next day in the afternoon all the ice was gone and quite dissolved so as no sign remained thereof Many bridges were spoiled by this frost and much fowle peâ—ished especially small birds which in many places were found frozen to death this frost was more grievous in France and Ireland then in England February the ninth Sir Iohn Ramsey Knight Baron of Barnes Viscount Hadington married Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Robert Earl of Sussex the King gave her in marriage and at dinner he drank to the Bride and the Bridegroom in a fair cup of gold which he gave him and with it six hundred pound a year pension out of the Exchequer to the longest liver of them both this the King did do to reward his faithful service against the dangerous treason of Earl Gowry in Scotland March the tenth was laid the first stone for the new building of Algate but it was not fully finished till the next year after this ouldgate was taken down and finished at the charges of the Citizens April the eleaventh George Iervas a Seminary was drawn to Tyburn and there executed April the eleaventh being Munday the quarter Sessions was held at Edmonsbury and by negligence an out malthouse was set on fire from whence in most strange and suddain manner through fierce winds the fire came to the farther part of the town and as it went left some streets and houses safe and untouched the flame flew cleare over many houses near unto it and did much spoile to many fair buildings fardest off and ceased not untill it had consumed one hundred sixty houses besides others and in dammage of wares and household goods to the full value of threescore thousand pound the King shewed a great deal of kindness to the distressed inhabitants as in giving them five hundred load of Timber to repair their houses as in preferring their best means to raise their general and particular estates and in giving them a new Charter the Knights and Gentlemen likewise of the County performed great kindness unto the townsmen the City of London gave freely towards their relief April the nineteenth at White-Hall dyed Thomas Earl of Dorcet Lord High Treasurer
thousand and five hundred were taken prisoners and six men of war were sunk the English pursued their victory to the very mouth of the Texell and blocked up the Hollanders in their own ports In the mean time on the beginning of July Gen. Cromwell called another Parliament which by reason of the sudden and unexpected dissolution of it was called the short Parliament On the latter end of this moneth there was a memorable fight betwixt the Dutch and the English during the time of a treaty betwixt both Nations this battel was fought with admirable resolution on both sides The fight began in the evening which though but short was very smart The Dutch in the night-time being recruited with five and twenty gallant ships did fall of themselves the next morning on the English fleet with a great deal of gallantry and resolution In this fight Admirall Van-trump was slain there were twenty men of War of the Hollanders sunk or burnt in this fight Of the English there were slaine outright eight Captains and five hurt the Triumph and the Andrew two Frigots were sorely put to it and received great dammage in their sails and rigging The Hollanders seeing so great a number of their ships lost did face about and did bear away with al the sail they could make unto the Texell and the Engl. not judging it expedient to ingage too far upon them did set saile with the whole Fleet towards Yarmouth to dispose of such ships as were disabled and to put their wounded men on shore The Paâ—liament before mentioned being conceived too weak to go on with the management of the great and high affairs of State it was dissolved on the 12 of Decemb. following And presently afterward the Lord G. Cromwell was declared sworn Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland at Westminster in the presence of all the Judges the Barons of the Exchecquer and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the city of London At this time certain Articles were presented which he took a solemn oath according to his custome to see them kept protesting moreover that he would mind nothing so much as the good of the Common-wealth and the glory of God Presently after this he was proclaimed Protector at the Palace-yard in Westminster and at the old Exchange by the Lord Mayor His Highness being now where he would be desired to know the affections of the people A report was raised that a great part of the army was discontented at his inauguration unto his new dignities whereupon the disaffected in severall counties thinking to joyn with them did take up arms and finding the succourse promised and expected to stand out against them they cryed out they were betrayed and most of them being taken were sent to forreign plantations On this account Sir Henry Slingsby was taken prisoner in York-shire beheaded afterwards upon another account of the same nature M. Penruddock M. Luces M. Thorpe M. Kensey M. Graves who cryed out much against Sir Ioseph Wagstaffe were condemned and executed in Wiltshire Much about the same time Mr. Peter Vowel was hanged at Charing-cross and on the same monday M. Iohn Gerrard and the brother to the Portugall Ambassadour were beheaded on Tower-hill On the third of September another Parliament was assembled which was dissolved again on the January following This year the Marquess of Leda came over in a magnificent manner as an Ambassadour from Spain but his Highness at that time having no desire to make any alliance with Spain did conclude a peace with the Crown of France This year on the latter end of December a gallant Fleet under the command of Generall Pen and Generall Venables did put forth to sea who on the tenth of May following arrived at Iamaica the design having miscarryed as Sancto Domingo in Hispaniola On the fifth of April the articles of peace were signed and delivered on the behalf of the two Nations of England and Holland the Protector to testifie his joy did most sumptuously intreat the Holland Ambassadours This year the Highlanders in Scotland disdaining the subjection of Generall Middleton but Generall Monk falling into the North of Scotland did give them so full a charge on the latter end of July that he absolutely defeated them and made them incapable of ever appearing in arms again An. Dom. 1655 This year his Highness constituted Major Generals for the preservation of the peace of the Common-wealth in the respective Counties of this Nation whose power appearing to be of too great a latitude they were afterwards disinvested of it The Lord Bulstrode Whitlock was sent Ambassadour into Sweden where he entred into a close league with that nation Generall Blake arriving with his fleet at Sunis sent unto the Governour of the place to demand satisfaction for some English ships which the pirats in those parts had taken away which being denied he came with the Vice-admirall and Rear-admirall within musket shot of the Castle on which he incessantly fired and on the other forts whilest the other ships took the opportunity to fire part of the Turkish Navy then riding in the Haven This was so well performed that in four hours space nine great vessels were burnt down to the very keels the English losing but five and twenty men and five and forty wounded Hereupon the King of Tunis sought to the English for peace and restored the prisoners which Blake had demanded for little or nothing The Lord Willougby of Parham the Lord Newport Mr. Seamor and M. Newport were sent to the Tower upon the suspition of a new Conspiracy His Highness going into S. Iamses Park for his recreation had his coach ready for him which was drawn with six Flanders horses he undertook to drive the coach himself but the horses impatient of his command did flie forth and threw him out of the coach-box on the ground being much hurt and bruised Not long afterwards his eldest son had a fal from his horse and did break his leg of which he still goes lame His Highness sent twelve good men of War well manned and well provided with all necessaries to Iameica with Colonel Humpheries Regiment not long afterwards Gene. Pen and after him General Venables arrived from Iameica who had not the same countenance from his Highness as when they did put forth to sea In the yeer 1656 Seven Spanish Ships comming from Lime in the Indies most richly laded were incountred in the way by Generall Montague about nine leagues from Cadis The fight was violent and the rather because it was known with what mettall the Ships of Spayn were laded In the fight the fortune of England easily prevailed there was one Ship burned another sunk two were taken and two run a ground one got away with a Portugall prize In the ship that was burned was Marquess of Budex his wife and one daughter In another of the Ships that were taken was the young Marques his brother and a sister
that was set on shore in Spain The two brothers were brought to England and a long time prisoners in Chelsy Colledge from whence they had the fortune to make their escape An. Dom. 1657 The rich Plate fleet being after much expectation come to Spain Blake understanding where they had unladen resolved with himselfe though he missed of the money to be revenged on the purse and made up to them with the greatest part of the strength he had and burned and sunck sixteen great vessails amongst which there were five Gallions the Admirall Vice-Admirall and Rear-Admirall the greatest part whereof had Brasse Ordnance mounted on them His Highness rewarded this service of Blakes with a Diamond Ring worth a thousand pound On the beginning of May the English were sent to assist the French with a body of six thousand Foot under the Command of the Noble Sir Iohn Reynolds In the middle of the moneth of Iune his Highness was installed in the Protectorship when the Trumpets sounded there were few or almost no acclamations of the people although the numbers were almost infinite who thronged to behold him at his Investment into his new dignities This veer the Fort of Mardike was convaied unto the English and Sir Iohn Reynolds comming for England was at Sea most unfortunately if not cruelly cast away Generall Blake being sick died in the sight of Plimmouth and had the Honour to be buried in the Chappell of Henry the Seventh Henry Cromwell the younger son of the Protector was made Lord Deputy of Ireland and not long afterwards the Court began to be full of Jealousies for now there was a new report of another conspiracy against the Protector for the effecting whereof VVhitehall should have been set on fire by one Iohn Syndercombe and some others Syndercombe was apprehended and sent to the Tower and sentenced to lose his life which many that knew his crime affirmed would never be by a publike Execution he died suddenly in the Tower on the night before his execution to the murmuring of many and the admiration of all howsoever his Body was brought to Tower Hill where it was buryed under the Scaffold and to increase yet more the noyse of the people it had a stake drove through it On the fourth of February 1658. his Highness put a period to the Parliament then being on the proceedings whereof so many hopes depended he said he would trust no more to men but rely on GOD onely The Parliament being thus dissolved a high Court of Justice was presently erected Many young men were acccused and at this court of Justice were condemned to dye whose last words on the ladder and the haltars about their necks were that they were drawn in by those men who afterwards did accuse them the old Knight Sir Henry Slingsby said he was trappanned Colonel Ashton and some others who were hanged drawn and quartered confessed rather a desire then any ability to put the plot in execution and all of them absolutely denied and seemed to abhor that most barbarous and desperate design of setting the City on fire At the same time and for the same plot Doctor Iohn Hewyt was beheaded on the Tower hill whose death was much lamented by many learned Divines but above all by the pious Lady his wife who not long afterwards petitioned to the Parliament for justice for the death of her husband In this year on the second of Iune a Whale of a prodigious bulk being sixty foot in length and of a proportionable bigness was cast upon shoar not far from Greenwich which was taken to be a presage of new events to come The English and French having overthrown the Spaniards in a memorable battail not far from Dunkirk which was at that time besieged by them it was the means that not long afterwards the most considerable Town of Dunkirk was surrendred to the English In Iuly the Lady Elizabeth Cleypole second daughter to the Protector departed this life she was a Lady of a gallant spirit and dyed in the flower of her age which struck more to her Fathers heart than all the heavy burden of his affairs so great a power hath nature over the dispositions of men when the tye of blood is seconded by love likenes she dyed with good lessons in her mouth and seemed to despise the frailty of greatness and the pomp of the earth her last words were very memorable and left a great impression in the brest of her Father Not long afterwards it pleased God that the Protector fell sick himself he languished about a fortfortnight of a disease which at the beginning was but an Ague but on Friday morning the third of September he had all the signs of a dying person and about three of the clock in the afternoon he departed the world being disserted his vital parts were found to be sound and whole only his heart was dryed up and no blood in it to make it either moist or warm His greatest care was to name a Protector to be his successor which was Richard his eldest Son a Gentleman of great hopes of a generous spirit and beloved even of those who were enemies to his Father of whose short Protectorship we will give you as short but as precise a view as possibly we can committing nothing that is superfluous nor omitting any thing that is memorable The Life of RICHARD Son to OLIVER during the short time of his Protectorship OLiver the Protector of these three Nations was no sooner dead but on the day following being Saturday Septem 4. Richard his eldest son was proclaimed Protector with great solemnity both at the old Exchange and in other places the Commanders of the Army were the first that acknowledged him and they were the first that forsook him The flatteries of the people did seem to promise a long continuance to his regency for from the first week of his Protectorship almost to the last there were nothing but gratulations from one place or another to him with as many protestations that they would live and die in his service The very same they presented to the Parliament when the supremacy of power was restored unto them to be as officious no doubt to third interest if a third interest had gained the predominancy The first care of our neece Protector was for the funerals of his father which were resolved should be solemnized with extraordinary magnificense to leave more glory on the name of his father and to beget a greater estimation in his own Wherefore being imbalmed and wrapped in a sheet of Lead the hearse on the 26 of September was conveighed about ten of the clock at night from White-hall to Somerset house where it remained some daies in private before it could be in a readiness to be exposed to the publike view The Effigies more richly adorned then ever was any King of England was lâ—id first on a bed of state afterwards it was set upright there was nothing admitted that was