01 Jan 1543. On Newyeares daie they departed from London homewards towards Scotland, and rode to Enfield to sée the prince, and there dined that day, greatlie reioising, as by their words and countenance it séemed, to behold so proper and towardlie an impe. From thence they kept on their iournie till they came to the north parts, where they found the duke of Suffolke the kings lieutenant there, and with him remained till such pledges were come forth of Scotland, as it was couenanted they should leaue behind them.

The duke then after he had receiued the hostages, permitted them to depart, and so they returned into Scotland, where they were gladlie welcomed by their kinsmen and friends. With them went also the earle of Angus, who had béene banished Scotland, and hauing remained here in England a long time, receiued of the kings fée, a thousand marks by yeare; and likewise his brother sir George Dowglas, who had fiue hundred markes yearelie likewise of the kings gift. They were now both restored home into their countrie, and that (as was said) by the kings last will. The said earle of Angus, and diuerse of the lords that had beene prisoners here in England, were made of the priuie councell of the realme by the earle of Arraine, that was chosen gouernour to the yoong quéene, and of the realme, as next heire apparent: notwithstanding that the archbishop of saint Andrews, and cardinall of the sée of Rome, enimie mortall vnto the king of England for the popes cause (and partlie set on by the French king) had forged a will, expressing how the king had made him gouernour (associat with two earles of his affinitie) as well of the queene as realme, contrarie to the lawes of Scotland. Wherevpon the said earle of Arraine, according to his right (as he pretended) with the helpe of his friends, tooke vpon him the authoritie of gouernor, and put the said cardinall in prison, and deliuered sir Robert Bowes, and the other English prisoners, by their bonds, according to the custome of the marches.

All this yeare was neither perfect peace nor open warre betwixt England and France, but the merchants ships were taken and robbed on both parts, and at length merchants goods were seized, and the ambassadors of both realms staied. Howbeit, shortlie after the ambassadors were deliuered: but the merchants still were robbed, and no warre proclamed. In the end of this yeare came from the gouernor of Scotland as ambassadors, sir William Hamilton, and Iames Leirmouth the secretarie of Scotland, whose message was so meanlie liked, that they were faine to send an herald into Scotland for other ambassadors, and so came hither the earle of Glencarne, and sir George Dowglas: but whatsoeuer their answer was, sir George returned in post, and within twentie daies came backe againe with an answer that was well liked of. But shortlie after they brake promise, and went from that which they had couenanted, greatlie to their reproch.

Wood was sold verie deare in the winter season of this yeare, and likewise vittels both flesh and fish grew to an high price towards the spring, by reason (as was thought) of the vntemperate wet summer last past, causing great death among cattell. A quarter of mutton was sold for two shillings, or seuen grotes, a lambe at thrée shillings, or thrée and foure pence, which afore that time was esteemed scarse woorth sixteene pence. Against Easter at a court of aldermen kept in the Guildhall the twentith of March 1542 it was enacted by the lord maior and his brethren, that the maior and shiriffs should be serued at their tables but with one course at dinner and supper in their houses; the maior to haue but seuen dishes at the most at one messe for his owne table, and the shiriffs and euerie other alderman but six dishes, vpon paine to forfeit for euerie dish fortie shillings at euerie time when they offended in this ordinance. Also that the sargeants and yeomen of their houses should haue but thrée dishes at dinner or supper, the swordbearers messe onlie excepted, which should be allowed to haue one dish more. It was also enacted, that from the feast of Easter then next insuing, neither the maior nor his brethren should buie anie crane, swan, or bustard, vpon paine to forfeit for euerie foule by them so bought, twentie shillings, the offense to be tried by oth, if it should be presented.

In the beginning of this yeare, on Trinitie sundaie, was a new league sworne betwéene the king and the emperour at Hampton court, either of them to be friends to the others friends, and enimies to the others enimies. Whit meats licenced to be eaten in Lent, and noble men punished for breaking the law. In this yeare also a proclamation was made, whereby the people were licenced to eate whit meats in Lent, but streictlie forbidden the eating of flesh. Wherevpon shortlie after the earle of Surrie, with diuerse lords, knights, and gentlemen, were imprisoned for eating of flesh in the same Lent, contrarie to the said proclamation. The eight of Maie, one Léech, sometimes bailie of Louth, who had killed Summerset one of our heralds of armes at Dunbar in Scotland, was drawne to Tiburne, and there hanged and quartered. And the twelfe of Iune, Edward Leech his brother, and with him a priest, for the same fact were likewise executed at Tiburne.

This yeare the first cast péeces of iron that euer were made in England, were made at Buckesteed in Sussex, by Rafe Hoge, and Peter Bawd.

03 Jun 1542. The third of Iune came to the court from the realme of Ireland, thrée Irish lords, Obrin, Macke William a Burgh, and Macke Gilpatrike. In Iulie the said Obrin was created earle of Townon, Macke William a Burgh, earle of Claurickford, and sir Dunon Obrin was made baron of Ebrankie, and so with rewards they tooke leaue and returned. The same moneth also, the Scotish ambassadors returned with great rewards.

12 Jul 1542. The twelfe of Iulie, at Hampton court, the king maried the ladie Katharine Par, widow, late wife vnto the lord Latimer deceased, and then she was nominated quéene, and so proclamed.

In the parlement holden this yeare at Westminster, a subsidie was granted to the king, to be paied in thrée yeares. Euerie Englishman being woorth in goods twentie shillings & vpward to fiue pounds, paied foure pence of euerie pound. From fiue pounds to ten pounds, eight pence. From ten pounds to twentie pounds, sixtéene pence. From twentie pounds and vpward, of euerie pound two shillings. Strangers as well denizens as other, being inhabitants, doubled this summe: and euerie stranger not bring an inhabitant, that was sixteene yéeres of age and vpwards, paid foure pence for euerie poll. And for lands, fées, and annuities, euerie one borne within the kings dominions, paid eight pence of the pound, from twentie shillings to fiue pounds. And from fiue pounds to ten pounds, sixtéene pence. From ten pounds to twentie pounds, two shillings. And from twentie pounds and vpwards, thrée shillings; strangers still doubling this summe. The cleargie granted a subsidie of six shillings the pound, to be paied of their benefices in perpetuities in three yeares insuing: and euerie priest hauing no perpetuitie, but an annuall stipend, paid yearelie (during the said thrée yeares) six shillings and eight pence.

About the same time, the king and the emperour sent Garter and Toison Dor, kings at armes, to demand the performance of certeine articles of the French king, which if he denied, they were commanded then to defie him, but he would not suffer them to come within his land, & so they returned. Whervpon the king caused the said demands to be declared to the French ambassador at Westminster. And in Iulie the king sent ouer six thousand men, vnder the leading of sir Iohn Wallop, appointed to haue the generall conduction of them, accompanied with diuerse other knights, esquiers and gentlemen right hardie and valiant. Sir Thomas Seimer was marshall of that armie, sir Robert Bowes treasuror, sir Richard Cromwell capteine of the horssemen, and sir George Carew his lieutenant. There were likewise sir Thomas Palmer, sir Iohn Reinsforth, sir Iohn saint Iohn, and sir Iohn Gascoigne, knights, that were capteines of the footmen. They were appointed to ioine with the emperours power, and so to make warre into France. They departed from Calis the two and twentith of Iulie. The third of August open warre was proclamed in London betwixt the emperour and the king of England on the one part, and the French king on the other, as enimie mortall to them both, and to all other christian princes beside, as he that had confederated himselfe with the Turke.

The armie that was sent ouer vnder the leading of sir Iohn Wallop, passed foorth from the marches of Calis, and keeping alongst betwixt the borders of the French and Burgonion pales and confines, and ioining with the emperors forces, Spaniards, Wallons, and Dutch, came at length before Landerseie, a towne latelie fortified by the French, within the borders of the emperors dominions, to the which they laid a strong siege. At length the emperour hauing dispatched his wars against the duke of Cleue, who had submitted himselfe vnto him, came now to the siege of Landerseie, with a mightie power of sundrie nations, so that the towne was sore constreined and in danger to haue béene lost, if at that present the French king had not likewise with an huge armie of Frenchmen, Switzers, Lantsquenets, Italians, and others, come to the rescue, pitching downe his campe, making countenance as if he ment presentlie to giue battell: and verelie it was thought that two such powers as were there at that time so néere togither, should neuer haue departed without battell. The emperor thinking suerlie to fight, raised his siege, and drew his people into the field. The Frenchmen thereby espieng their aduantage, put as well fresh men as vittels, and all kind of munition necessarie into the towne, and in the meane while kept the emperours people occupied with hot skirmishes.

But now after the towne was thus reléeued, which thing the French king onelie wished to accomplish, the next daie when the emperor was readie with his armie ranged in battell to haue fought with his aduersaries, the French king put his armie also in order; but hauing no mind to come forward, he trifled foorth that daie, and in the night following, secretlie departed with as much haste as was possible. When the next morning had discouered the Frenchmens flight (for manie so termed this their sudden retire) it was no néed to bid diuerse troops of the emperours armie to hie after them: but some made too much haste. For the French king suspecting what would insue, appointed his eldest sonne Henrie the Dolphin to remaine behind with the rereward, accompanied with diuerse noble capteins, which ordered their people in their retire with such warinesse and héedfull skill, as the reason of warre required, that such of the emperours campe as aduentured ouer rashlie, and shewed themselues more forward than wise, fell within danger of such ambushments as were by the waie couertlie laid in places of aduantage: and so diuerse were taken, as sir George Carew, sir Thomas Palmer knight porter of Calis, Edward Bellingham, and others. But neuerthelesse a great number of such Frenchmen as could not make waie, and kéepe pase with their maine troops, were snapped vp, slaine, and taken in no small numbers by their enimies, who followed them as egre as tigers, and as the describer of that pursute saith:

Imbuit & gladios manante cruore Britannus.

This was after Alhalowentide, so that now by reason the winter was farre entred, and the weather waxing extreame foule, and contrarie to an armie that should lie in the fields, the emperour brake vp his campe and licenced the most part of his people to depart home into their countries, for all hope to win Landerseie at that time was cleane cut off, sith it was vittelled and newlie furnished with fresh men and munition. After that the warres were once open betwixt England and France, sundrie enterprises were attempted by the parties on either side in the marches of Calis and Bullognois, in which, for the most part, the Englishmen got the vpper hand of their enimies.

At one time the Frenchmen, to the number of eight hundred, comming in the night season to enter into the English pale by the turne pike at Hammes, in purpose to make some spoile in the countrie there, were assailed vpon the sudden by sir George Summerset, and sir William Walgraue, latelie before come ouer with two hundred men out of Suffolke, to strengthen the English pale against the enimies, and at this time did behaue themselues so valiantlie, that they disappointed the enimies of their purpose. For whereas they were entered into a lane inclosed with hedges on either side, sixtéene archers getting into the grounds on the backe side of the hedges lieng alongst the lane, through which the Frenchmen were marching, placed themselues as they saw their aduantage, and so bestowed their shot, that they galled the Frenchmen in such wise, that they were forced to recule in so great disorder, that other of the Englishmen comming vpon them, easilie slue and tooke of them no small number.

Beside this, at sundrie times the Englishmen inuading the countrie of Bullognois, wasted the townes and villages, brought awaie great booties of goods and cattell, to the great impouerishing of the countrie. They burnt at one time the towne of Audinghen, and tooke the stéeple of the church there, into the which were fled six score pezzants with their wiues and children, whome the Englishmen threw downe headlong out of the steeple, bicause they had most stubbornelie refused to yéeld. In this yeare a great death of the pestilence reigned in London, and therefore Michaelmasse terme was adiourned to S. Albons, and there kept till the end thereof.

18 Dec 1543. The eighteenth of December the archbishop of Canturburies palace at Canturburie was burnt, and therin was burnt his brother-in-law¹, and other men.

Note 1. It isn't clear who is meant by this. The Archbishop of Canterbury was Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (age 54).

25 Dec 1543. In Christmasse weeke came to the king lieng at Hampton court, Ferdinando Gonzaga viceroie of Sicilie, prince of Malfeta, duke of Iuano, the emperours capteine generall. The chiefest cause of his comming was, to appoint what time the emperours armie should be readie to inuade France. He had great chéere, and at his departure was rewarded with a hundred and fiftie thrée ounces of gold in plate, and foure thousand and thrée ounces in guilt plate, all verie curiouslie wrought, and all the time of his being here, his charges were borne by the king. The sundaie before Christmas, the lord William Par brother to the quéene, who had married the daughter & heire of Henrie Bourchier erle of Essex, at Hampton court was created earle of Essex, & sir Will. Par knight vncle to them both, was made lord Par of Horton, & chamberleine to the quéene.