25 Martii 1603. Ab anno primo Regni Regis Jacobi primi.

On thursday the 24th of Marche Queene Elizabeth died at Richemonde of the age of lxix yeres vj monethes and blank dayes.

The same daye was James the vjth Kinge of Scotts proclaymed at London, Kinge of England, France and Irelande.

The iiijth of Aprill Dr. Thomas Nevill1 Master of Trinitie College in Cambrige and Deane of Canterbury went towarde Scotlande to the Kinge, as sent by the Archbishop of Canterbury,2 in the name of the Clergie.

The xvjth of Aprill being Saturday the Kinges Maiesty came to the Citty of Yorke.

The xviij of Aprill Mr. William Clopton toulde me that the Kinge had sworne the Erles of Northumberland and Cumberland of his privy Counsell, and also the Lord Thomas Howard and the Lord Mountioye, and that the lord Howarde should be Lord Chamberlayne.3

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The xth of Aprill the Erle of Southanton4 and Sir Henry Nevill5 were deliuered out of the Tower by a lettre or warrant sent from the Kinge out of Scotlande, Dated 5° Aprilis.

The blank of Aprill Sir Robert Cicill6 and Diuers others went to meete the Kinge at Yorke.

The 21 the Kinge did come to Shrewsbery, the 22 to Nuewarcke, the 23 to Bever Castle.7

The xxiijth of Aprill the Justices of the peace were sworne to the Kinge, and appointed Justices by force of a nue Commission.

The 28th day was the funeralles kept at Westminster for our late Queene Elizabethe.

The blank day the Kinges maiesty was at Cambrige.

The third of May the King came to Teboldes Theobalds 8 to Sir Robert Cicilles howse.

The first daye of May being Sondaye there were iiij howses burned at Leigham Layham.9

The iij and iiij day Coky drowned my medowe at Edwardston.

The xth Day of Maye Nicholas Coky the yonger was maried to Elizabeth Cooke.

Memorandum that the Kings maiestie sett forthe a proclamation giuen at Theobaldes the vijth of May against licenses granted by the late Queen to private persons of all monopolies, and against prophaning of the Saboth by interludes, Bulbaytings and all other games.10

The xi of May I sent to Hacwell and writt lettres to my Lord Bisshop of Bathe.

The xvjth of May John Coe11 of Tomblyns distreined my beastes in Stone meadowe and would haue driven them to Waldingfilde,12 but I tooke them from him beyond Parkefielde.

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The 22 of Maye a Subpena was served uppon me at the suite of my cosen Adam Winthrop and Johane his wife in my howse at Groton.

On Munday the seconde of Maye, one Keitley a blackesmythe dwellinge in Lynton in Cambridgeshire had a poore man to his Father whom he kepte. A gentleman of the same Towne sent a horse to shoe, the father helde vp the horses legge whilest his soonne did shoe him. The horse struggled and stroke the father on the belly with his foote and ouerthrewe him. The soonne laughed therat and woulde not helpe his father vppe, for the which somme that were their present reproved him greatlye. The soonne went forwarde in shoinge of the horse, and when he had donne he went vppon his backe, mynding to goe home with him. The horse presently did throughe him of his backe against aposte and clave his hed in sonder. Mris. Mannocke did knowe the man, for his mother was her nurse. Graue judicium Dei in irrisorem patris sui. 28

1.

D. N. B. , XL. 302.

2.

John Whitgift (1530?–1604).

3.

Henry Percy (1564–1632), ninth Earl of Northumberland; George Clifford (1558–1605), third Earl of Cumberland; Thomas Howard (1561–1626), first Earl of Suffolk, who held the office of lord chamberlain of the household until 1614; and Charles Blount (1563–1606), eighth Lord Mountjoy. D. N. B. , V. 240; XI. 59; XXVII. 71; XLIV. 411.

4.

Henry Wriothesley (1573–1624), third Earl of Southampton, had been in prison since February, 1601, for participation in the conspiracy of Essex. D. N. B. , LXIII. 143.

5.

Sir Henry Neville (1564?–1615), also imprisoned for a supposed connection with Essex’s attempt, D. N. B. , XL. 258.

6.

Sir Robert Cecil, later Earl of Salisbury (1563?–1612). D. N. B. , IX. 400. The King reached York on the 16th of April.

7.

Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, seat of the Earls of Rutland.

8.

In Hertfordshire. It was taken in 1607 by the King in exchange for Hatfield, since that time the seat of the Cecil family.

9.

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

10.

“Desiring to recompense the affection of his people, all monopolies of Elizabeth, except those granted to any Corporation or Company, are suspended. No assignments of debts to be made to the King in Satisfaction of other liabilities; Saltpetre men, Purveyors, and Takers to use due moderation; all complaints will be investigated, but frivolous ones will receive due punishment: Sunday is to be kept, and no Bear or Bull-baiting, Interludes, Common Plays, &c., are to be frequented on any Sabbath day.” Summary in Bibliography of Royal Proclamations of the Tudor and Stuart Sovereigns, I (Bibliotheca Lindesiana, v), 108. See the text in John Strype’s Annals of the Reformation (1824), IV. 528–531.

11.

December 1, 1600, John Coo, Sr., and John Coo, Jr., gents, of Groton, sued John Winthrop, lord of the manor of Groton, concerning lands there to which John Coo, Sr., was admitted on the death of his father, Thomas Coo. John Winthrop replied that the lands in dispute had been conveyed to his brother Adam Winthrop (the diarist). Note supplied by Mr. Redstone.

12.

Great or Little Waldingfield, parishes in the hundred of Babergh, about four miles east of Sudbury.