January 1 A humble petition on behalf of Garter King of Arms is shown the King, together with testimony of the Heralds in his favor.
4. The manor of the Earl of Arundel at Greenwich, which Henry Earl of Northampton had erected, burned by an accidental fire.
5 George Viscount Villiers is created Earl of Buckingham in the audience chamber at Westminster in the afternoon, in the presence of the Queen and the Prince.
The revival of the recently-quashed Company of Adventurers was sharply debated and discussed, and it was re-founded.
Consultations about raising funds for the King’s Scottish journey.
At the end of the month southerly winds blew hard, and the weather was wholly southerly, so much so that throughout gardens and fields flowers came into bloom, and (not without our astonishment) thrushes laid their eggs.
February 3 Elisabeth Darcy, Baron Lumley’s widow, died.
4 de Toure, the French King’s Ambassador, paid a call on the King at Westminster.
On the same day the Earl of Buckingham was taken onto the Privy Council. Soon he persuaded the King not to visit Scotland, at which the King was peeved, but quickly soothed.
12 Sir Thomas Monson showed the Chief Justice of the Royal Bench the writ of pardon which he had obtained from the King, which (as the lawyers say) was allocuted.
An assembly of the M. A.’s of Oxford University was held at Baynard’s Castle, London, and William Earl of Pembroke, whom (the Chancellor of England having resigned from this postion) the University had elected as its Chancellor, accepted that high office.
13 The King sat in the Star Chamber, and sentence was pronounced against the youths Bellingham and *** Christmas, who had acted in despite of the proclamation against duelling. They were fined £1000, and the King delivered an eloquent speech against duels.
15 The French Ambassadors dined with the King. They were given a most elegant banquet by Baron Hay.
22 *** le Toure said his farewell to the King.
Altham, Baron of the Exchequer, died.
24 The Household Chapel at Greenwich, founded by Henry Earl of Northampton, was consecrated by the Bishop of Rochester, in the presence of the Earls of Arundel, Dorchester, the Bishops of London and Ely, and some members of the Merchants Company.
Edward Hoby dies.
March 3 Delegates acting on behalf of the Earl Marshal of England convened in the College of Arms, called Darby Place, and made many proposals about increasing the Heralds’ salaries, removing their wives from the College, and putting a stop to abuses. The King visited the Chancellor, who was ailing and because of the infirmity of his old age wishing to resign his office, and he handed over his Seal to the weeping King.
4 The newly-built theater in Drury Lane is pulled down by an unruly crowd, and its scenery ripped to shreds.
7 The Great Seal is given to Francis Bacon, the King’s Attorney, age 54, whom the King admonished that he seal nothing except well-advisedly, that he judge according to the right and the good, nor over-extend the royal prerogative.
13 It is conceded to Mervin Audley, who has taken upon himself the name of Lord Audley, that he may be summoned to trial in the Star Chamber under the name of Lord Touche, but not to any other courts. But the next day his father, the Earl of Portchester, died.
14 Towards four in the afternoon the King began his journey to Scotland.
Yelverton was appointed Attorney, and Coventry Sollicitor.
Anthony Benn is elected Recorder of London in Coventry’s place.
15 Viscount Brackley, lately the Chancellor, after the Earl of Buckham had visited him first, and then the Keeper of the Seal, and they had indicated that the King was granting him the title of an Earl and an annual pension, expired at age 77. Possibly the nearer he saw evils approaching the State, being an upright man, he desired an honorable end.
A great sum of money is levied on the Londoners, not without their muttering.
James Baron Hay taken onto the Privy Council.
Baron Roos has returned from Spain.
Edward Noel, Baronet of Dalby, becomes Baron Noel of Ridling in the County of Rutland (since Dalby sold his patrimony to the Earl of Buckingham for a fair price), without investiture.
24 Proclamation about the wool stape in England.
28 Walter Ralegh, who has had designs on Guiana and for that purpose has outfited a fleet, departed London, even though the Spanish King’s Ambassador attempted to obstruct him with many arguments.
Baron Evers has died, from whom Thomas Baron Gerard purchased the office of Governor of Wales.
April *** John Baron Hunsdon has died.
5 Viscount Brackley, lately the Chancellor, was bured at Dodleston in the countryside of Cheshire without a funeral pomp.
14 The Marquess d’Anché, Marshal of France, dies at Paris, and his body is monstrously savaged by the dregs of the common people.
May 7 Jacob Augustus de Thou, splendor of France and prince of historians in our times, for whom I am obliged to lament, has died.
On the first day of term, Francis Bacon, Keeper of the Seal, proceeds with solemn pomp to Westminster Hall, in this order: 1. scribes and lesser officials of the Chancery; 2. students of the law; 3. servants of the noble Keeper, sergeants, and a bearer of the Seal, on foot; 4. he himself on horseback, in a purple satin gown, between the Tresasur and the Keeper of the Privy Seal; 5. Earls, Barons, Privy Councellors; 6. the nobles thrust themselves in here; 7. judges, who were appointed a place next after the Privy Councellors. The Treasurer and the Keeper of the Privy Seal take his oath, as the Crown Clerk reads it out.
The Bishop of Durham, William James, is dead. Richard Neile, Bishop of Lincoln, is appointed in his place.
13 The King entered Scotland.
16 Edinburgh.
28 Viscount Brackley is created Earl of Bridgewater. This day letters patent are sealed.
39 On Ascension Day Sir Roger Owen dies, mentally incompent.
June 14 John Bennett, Doctor of Laws and knight, returns from the Archduke [of Austria], with whom he expostulated about a libellous pamphlet written (as is believed) by Ericus Putaneus.
16 Doctor Chetwind is elected Dean of Bristol.
John Digby, the Vice-Chancellor, makes preparations for his journey to Spain.
30 The Parliament in Scotland is dissolved.
July *** John Herbert, Second Secretary, died in Wales, leaving behind a single daughter, married to William Dodington of Bremer.
A quarrel has grown up between Edward Coke, the former Justice, and his wife, about the betrothal their daughter to John Villiers, brother of the Earl of Buckingham.
31 Wedding of Francis Lee to Banning’s widow.
August 4 Coming from Scotland, the King arrives at Carlysle, where Marquess Hamilton is taken onto the Privy Council of England.
Darella Lady Abergavenny, wife of William Sidley, Baronet, died while setting out for the hunt.
At this time William Baron Roos removes himself from England.
12 Proclamation of restoring the Merchant Adventurers’ Company, given at Aston, and published on August 23.
Anthony Mildmay died.
September 13 The King arrives at Westminster, received by the Lord Mayor of London at Hyde Park.
Sir Daniel Dun of the Requests died.
Edward Coke recalled to the Privy Council.
29 At Hampton Court was celebrated the marriage between John Villiers, brother of the Earl of Buckingham, and Frances, younger daughter of Edward Coke the ex-Justice.
James Montagu Bishop of Winchester taken onto the Privy coiuncil.
October 20 George Mountaigne, Dean of Westminister, is elected to the bishopric of Lincoln.
Deaths of Chaplain Bruce, Sylvanus Scory, and Elizabeth Bruges.
27 Ralph Winwood, Secretary to the King, breathed his last, having occupied this office for three years and about five monaths.
November 1 The Venetian Ambassador called on the King.
2 Elizabeth, sister of Edward Coke, is restored to her liberty.
3 The Bishop of Winchester entertains the nobles who acccompanied the King to Scotland at a banquet at Winchester Houie in Southwark, which he had restored.
4 The Ambassador of Muscovy is splendidly entertained by the citizens of Lodnon.
Baron Cobham is sent back to the Tower, most destitute of all resouces.
5 Henry Rich, second son of Baron Rich, is made Captain of the King’s Bodyguard, Viscount Fenton resigning the position (for a price).
Westminster School entertained the Keeper of the Seal and the justices of the kingdom at a banquet, where the Keeper of the Seal showed himself generous to the royal boys.
6 Lucy, daughter of the Earl of Northumberland, married James Lord Hay of Sawley at the Wardrobe at London. The King honored the marriage with his present at the dinner.
9 The Ambassador from Czar Michael of the Russians, paid a call on the King, and giave him hawks, precious furs, small animals, a dagger, and a Persian bow.
10 The King departed Westminster for Royston.
Francis Godwin, Bishop of Llandaff, is translated to the See of Hertford, after the decease of Bishop Bennett, and George Carleton is promoted to the bishopric of Llandaff.
The King is enraged at the Doctors of Cambridge because of the growth of the Arminian sect among the academics.
Blount Montjoy, natural son of the Earl of Devonshire, is created Lord Montjoy of Fort Montjoy in Ireland, and Lambart Baron of Cavan.
December *** Ambassador from King Gustav of Sweden.
8 son of Prince Anhalt, who had visited our King at Newmarket and the King of France at Paris, pays a call on the Queen at Denmark House, and is honorably received.
The Swedish Ambassador undertakes a journey to Newmarket.
9 Villeroi died at Rouen, when he had served the Kings of France fifty years and twenty-seven days, at the age of seventy-five.
14 Nicholas Fenton, Doctor of Sacred Theology, rector of St. Mary-of-the-Arches, London, and George Mountaigne, Dean of Westminster, having been duly elected, were consecrated, the one Bishop of London, the other Bishop of Ely, with the Bishops of Rochester, Lichfield, and Spalato laying on hands, and Dominus Sutton delivering the sermon.
The Scotsman Belcanquell was made Master of the Household of the Savoy.
16 Robert Tolson is intsalled as Dean of the Church College of Westminster, having sworn the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and oaths against simony and for the good welfare of the Church of Westminster.
22 A second son was born to the Palatine Elector on the 22nd (old style), which is Janaury 1 in the new style.
29 The King was informed that his daughter Elizabeth has given birth to a son for the Palatine Elector, and there was public joy, ringing of bells, and bonfires.
29 Baron Clifton was given into custody at the Tower of London, because he said that he regretted not stabbing the Lord Keeper of the Seal when he had pronounced sentence against him.