The 7 of November the Erle of Hertford was committed to the Tower.1

The xiiijth of Decembre I receyved a lettre from my brother Alibaster written from Tenby in Wales2 concernynge his ill success in his Irisshe iourny.

The last of December Francis Snellocke came to my house.

A festo natiuitatis Domini Anno 1595.

The blank Day of January the butcher of Wetherden Woodde was cruelly murdered viz. his hed was cutt of and his body devided into iiij quartres and wrapt in a sheet and layd vpon his owne horse, as he came from Bury markett; and so brought home to his wyfe, who vppon the sight therof presently died.3

The ixth of January Mr. Henry Sandes was taken sicke grauiter.

The xxth of January my brother Thomas Mildmay did sett vppon a Commission at the Whight Lion in Boxford street within Groton.

The same daie Richard Edwardes my man did fall sicke.

The third day of Feb. Carue Mildmay4 was borne.

The vth of Feb. mother5  Agnes Baker died.

The vijth of Feb. I Received a lettre from my Lord of Bathe.

The xth of Feb. I was at my Fathers Browne, and the xvth at my brothers Thomas Mildmayes.

67

The xvi. of Feb. Sara Winthrop was maried to John Froste.6

The xixth of Feb. Robert Brand the Phisition died, etatis 61.7

The blank of Feb. William Nutton had an ewe yeaned v lambes.

The xxth of Feb. my brother killed ij Badgers in Semer.8

The xxjth of Feb. I had a lambe killed with a dogge.

The last of Feb. my brother Roger Alibaster and his wife came to Colchester.9

The seconde of Marche Sir William Waldegrave kept a Court at Edwardeston.10

The viij day of Marche my wife egrotavit de profluuio sanguinis.

The xth day of March John Clarke the woade setter died beinge of th’age of lxxvj yeres.11

The xvijth day of Marche Mr. Thomas Nicholson was robbed.

The xixth day Mr. Knewstub12 preached at Boxforde.

The blank of Marche Sir Robert Winckfild13 the ancientest knight in Suffolk died and Sir Francis Hynd14 of Cambridgeshire died the 21 of the same moneth.

The xth of Aprill John Wade died and was buried at Prittlewell.

The xj of Aprill, being Ester day, the Bell did Ringe at Groton for Mr. Clopton,15 Anno 1596, but he recouered.

The xvth of Aprill Richard Spenser asked Mr. Gurdon forgivenesse for Slandringe of him.

The xviijth day of Aprill I bargayned with goodman Gosling for Larkes to pay at Micheltyde next xxxv li.

The xxijth of Aprill Edward Aulston was maried to Susan Brand.16

The xxiijth of Aprill my northen brended cowe died of the gargett17 being great with Calfe.

The last of Aprill Sir John Puckringe, Lord keper of the great seale died of the deadde palsey.18

The xth of May blank Grymolde19 of Nedginge20 did hange himselfe in his Barne.

The xvijth of May Adam Seely went privilie from my house and caried awaye xv s. which he did steale from Richard Edwardes, pro quo facto dignus est capistro.

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The xviijth of May John Spencer the elder died.

The xxviijth of May Mr. Pie of Colchester died suddenly.

The xjth of June Sir William Waldegraue trayned his whole band of footemen and horsemen on Babarheathe.21

The 16 of June my brother John Winthrop departed from my house towards Ireland, and my brother Roger Alibaster went with him.

The 18 of June Purdeys v kyne spoiled my Corne.

The xvth day of June Dr. Fletcher22 Bishop of London died.

The xxiiijth of June my Father Henry Browne camme to my house.

The xxvth my daughter Anne23 went to Howghton.24

The 26 day of June I went to London and returned the vth of July next followinge.

The vjth of July thassises were holden at Bury.

The same day was the Comencement at Cambrige, and Mr. Overall was made Dr. of Divinitie.25

The xvjth of July my wife fell sicke and the next day I rode to my Fathers and retorned the xxjth of July.

The 26 day of July my brother Thomas Mildmay camme to Edwardeston to my house.

The 2d of August George Alibaster died, Anno 1596.

The ixth of August my brother Roger Weston26 preched at Boxford super 13 Marcum versu vltimo, pie et eloquenter.

The xvth of Aug. fell a great Rayne which made a floud at Boxford. 21

1.

Edward Seymour (1539?–1621), Earl of Hertford, was sent to the Tower for renewing the petition to have the declaration of the invalidity of his marriage with Lady Catherine Grey set aside, but was released on January 3, 1595–96. D. N. B. , LI. 311.

2.

Tenby was settled by Flemings in the time of Henry I. It is in the county of Pembroke, South Wales.

3.

“This paragraph has lines drawn over it by a later hand, perhaps to throw doubt or denial on the story.” L. and L. , I. 407.

4.

Carew, son of William Mildmay and Margaret, daughter of Sir George Harvey of Marks in Romford, co. Essex, and grandson of Sir Thomas Mildmay of Barnes and Alice Winthrop, sister of the diarist. He was adopted by his cousin Sir Gawen Harvey and as his heir took the name Carew Harvey. He married Dorothy, daughter of William Gerrard of Harrow on the Hill, co. Middlesex. Muskett, 47.

5.

“The terms ’father’ and ’mother’ will be frequently found in this Diary; applied evidently to aged persons who were probably so called in the neighborhood, but having no reference to any parental connection.” L. and L. , p. 407. Her death is mentioned, supra, p. 42.

6.

Sara Winthrop (1571–1603), daughter of William Winthrop (1529–82) and Elizabeth Norwood (d. 1578), of Kent. This William was uncle to the diarist. Muskett, 25.

7.

Of Boxford.

8.

Semer, a parish in the hundred of Cosford, co. Suffolk.

9.

A borough and market town in the hundred of Lexden, co. Essex.

10.

Edwardstone, a parish in the hundred of Babergh, co. Suffolk.

11.

Described in his will as a “woodsetter.” He was of Boxford.

12.

John Knewstub (or Knewstubs) (1544–1624) held for forty-five years the living of the rectory of Cockfield, to which he had been presented by Sir William Spring. D. N. B. , XXXI. 244. Cockfield is a parish in the hundred of Babergh.

13.

Son of Sir Anthony Wingfield, K. G., and lord of the manor of Letheringham, co. Suffolk. Letheringham is a parish in the hundred of Loes, co. Suffolk. D. N. B. , LXII. 182.

14.

Sir Francis Hynd, of Madingley, in co. Cambridge, son of Sir John Hynd (d. 1550) and Ursula (Cursonn) Hynd. He married Jane, daughter of Edmund Verney of Penley, co. Bucks. Visitation of Cambridge (H. S., Pub. , XLI), 113; D. N. B. , XXVIII. 406.

15.

Thomas Clopton, who died in 1598. Muskett, 143.

16.

Daughter of John Brand. Sudbury Archdeaconry, Acta Book V, fo. 218.

17.

An inflammation of the throat or udder.

18.

Sir John Puckering (1544–96) had been lord keeper of the great seal since April 28, 1592. D. N. B. , XLVI. 443.

19.

Spelled also Grymwade. Cf. p. 140, infra.

20.

Nedging is a parish in the hundred of Cosford, co. Suffolk.

21.

Babergh heath, the meeting place of the hundred of Babergh. The name means, according to Professor Skeat, Bada’s hill or barrow.

22.

Richard Fletcher, whose second marriage, soon after his translation from the see of Worcester to that of London, cost him the queen’s favor. D. N. B. , XIX. 317–319.

23.

Anne Winthrop (1586–1619), who married Thomas Fones of London, February 25, 1604–05. Infra, p. 88.

24.

Probably Houghton Hall in Cavendish, co. Suffolk.

25.

John Overall (1560–1619), son of George, of Hadleigh. He entered St. John’s College, Cambridge, when Dr. Still of Hadleigh was master, and in 1596 was appointed Regius Professor of Theology, in succession to William Whitaker. D. N. B. , XLII. 375.

26.

He was vicar of Wormingford, co. Essex, and married Margerie, sister of the diarist’s wife. He died December 2, 1608. Muskett, 82; infra, p. 100.