Year 1592

Jan. 1st, my daughter Frances born on New Year's Day at sunrise exactly. Jan. 2nd, Bartholomew and his brother Ambrose came this Sunday to Mortlake. Jan. 9th, Frances christened in the afternoon. Frances went with her nurse to Barn Elms. Mr. Edward Maynard born in the morning between 2 and 3 after midnight. Arthur fell into a quotidian gentle ague at 9 o'clock in the morning as he was at the service in the hall. Jan. 24th, Mr. Thomas Oliver became acquainted with me at Mortlake. March 6th, the Queen granted my suit to Dr. Aubrey. March 9th, the privy seal at night. March 16th, the great seal. March 18th, Arthur and Katharine were bled in London on Doctor Dodding's advice. March 24th, £25 Mr. Tho. Mownson. March 25th, I paid £10 to Nicholas Fromonds a little before sunset, when he most abominably reviled me. March 30th, on Thursday Mr. Saunders of Ewell sent home my great sea compass, but without a needle; it came in the night by water.

April 5th, the Lady Russell robbed a little after midnight of pearls, diamonds, &c. One John Smyth is suspected, a young man of thirty years old, very ingenious in many handiworks, melancholic. April 8th, Richard came to my service, 40s. yearly and a livery. April 9th, 10th, I agreed with my brother Nicholas Fromonds and Mr. Webb, at 8 o'clock on Wednesday night, and 8 on Tuesday night. April 14th, Winifred Goose, wife of goodman Goose of Tuddington, daughter of Harry Wyse, tempted by evil, came to me with her sister. April 16th, +from the treasury+ a box [cipher decoded]. April 27th, the son of Mary Nevell at half past three in the afternoon and rather late near Chichester. May 3rd, Wednesday, at 10 o'clock Arthur was put to Westminster School under Mr. Grant and Mr. Camden. May 11th, I borrowed ten pounds of Master Thomas Smith to be paid at Christmas next. May 12th, great wind at north. May 15th, Marian came again at seven in the afternoon. May 16th, I rode to Harfelde to the Lord Anderson, Lord Justice of the Common Pleas, 12 miles off. May 25th, at six in the afternoon there might have been a quarrel between Mr. Webb and Mr. Morgan, who had one eye, over £4 left unpaid upon a bill. June 16th, Sir John Perrot judged to be drawn, hanged, and quartered.

July 23rd, at Greenwich about midnight following this day began the first evident sign of my grief of kidneys; whereupon Doctor Giffard caused me to have an enema, and so the next day I was eased of my grief. July 29th, Robert Thanet of Rushmere near Ipswich made acquaintance with me: he told me of Mr. Carter, a man of 80 years old in Yorkshire. Aug. 6th, I went to Nonsuch to the court, and the Countess of Warwick sent me word there by Mr. Ferdinando of the Queen's gracious speeches at St. Cross's, and the Lord Archbishop told me the same. Aug. 8th, after the midnight of Monday, being the 7th day, the second fit of the stone in my kidneys did molest me for 6 or 7 hours. Aug. 9th, the Lord Treasurer invited me to dinner at Mr. Maynard's at Mortlake, where Sir Robert Cecill and Sir Thomas Cisell and his lady were also. The Lord Treasurer also sent me some venison to supper. He invited me to dinner also the tenth day, where the Lord Cobham came also to dinner, and after dinner he requested the Lord Treasurer to help me to St. Cross's, which he promised to do his best in. Aug. 11th, Mr. Kemp of Mitcham, my old acquaintance, about eleven o'clock (almost) before noon, told me of the rare appearance. Aug. 17th, I went to Mitcham to Mr. Kemp. Aug. 21st, I went to the Lord Cobham and the Lady Cobham to London. Aug. 23rd, Mr. Cholmely and his maid before noon at half past eleven. The humor fell so suddenly into the calf of my left leg as if a stone had hit me. Aug. 26th, Mr. Heriot 40s. Auditor Hill, £4. Remember all is paid to our nurse at Barnes for the girl Frances Dee from her birth until the end of her eighth month, lacking 12s., and on Sunday, the 27th of this August, we so concluded, when we gave the nurse ten shillings. The eighth month ended (from New Year's Day morning last) the 12th of this month. Sept. 4th, 5th, 6th, very tempestuous, windy at West, Southerly. Sept. 5th, the Thames very shallow at London. Sept. 6th, goodman Warren of Market Harborough. Robert Web came from Mr. Pontoys's to write, and is to come again within three weeks. Sept. 7th, Robert Charles of Northamptonshire and goodman Warren of Market Harborough in my house at Mortlake promised me to help Bartholomew Hikman with £12 to pay on Michaelmas Day next to discharge the bond for his brother-in-law. This they promised upon condition that I would be bound to them to see them repaid again. I sent a letter to Sir Robert Thanet to Rushmere near Ipswich by the wagoner who is at the inn at the George in Lombard Street. He said that Robert Thanet was at home and well. Sept. 19th, I had on the Sunday about 7 o'clock in the afternoon the cramp most extremely in the very center of the calves of both my legs, and in the place where I had the sudden grief on Bartholomew's Eve last I had pain so intolerable as if the veins or arteries would have broken by extreme stretching, or how else I cannot tell. The pain lasted about half a quarter of an hour. I took my purgation of six grains. I began in the morning to take the drink for the stone in the kidney. Sept. 28th, Mr. Laiesley promised me ten sheep and four quarters of wheat. Sept. 30th, Elizabeth Denby went from me to Mistress Herbert's to service.

Oct. 13th, I exhibited to the Archbishop of Canterbury two books of blasphemy against Christ and the Holy Ghost, desiring him to cause them to be confuted: one was Christian Franken, printed in 1585 in Poland; the other was of one Sombius against one Carolius, printed at Ingolstad in 1582 in octavo. Oct. 14th, 15th, a mighty wind at southwest. Oct. 30th, 31st, one of these two days I hurt my left shin against the sharp small end of a wooden rammer about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Nov. 1st, Mr. Ashley, his wife, and their family, did come to my house and remained there. They had my mother's chamber, the maid's chamber, and all the other house. Nov. 9th, Her Majesty's grant of my supplication for commissioners to come to me. The Lady Warwick obtained it. Nov. 22nd, the commissioners from Her Majesty, Mr. Secretary Wolley and Sir Thomas George, came to Mortlake to my house. Nov. 28th, to Richard Walkdyne, 20s. of his wages. Dec. 1st, a little after noon the very virtuous Countess of Warwick sent me word very speedily by her gentleman Mr. Jones from the court at Hampton Court that this day Her Majesty had granted to send me speedily a hundred marks, and that Sir Thomas George had very honorably dealt for me in the cause. Dec. 2nd, Sir Thomas George brought me a hundred marks from her Majesty. Dec. 24th to 31st, at Mr. Lurensey of Tooting all these days, and New Year's Day also, and so came home by coach (as we went) by Tuesday noon, I, my wife, Arthur, Kate, &c. Dec. 31st, at Tooting at Mr. R. Lurensey's house; about three o'clock after dinner the Bishop of Laigham served process upon me for the Nangle, but most unduly.

Jan. 1st, my daughter Francys born on New Year's Day at sunrise exactly. Jan. 2nd, Bartholomew and his brother Ambrose came this Sunday to Mortlak. Jan. 9th, Francys christened in the afternoon. Francys went with her nurse to Barne Elms. Mr. Edward Maynard born in the morning between 2 and 3 after midnight. Arthur fell into a mild daily ague at 9 o'clock in the morning as he was at the service in the hall. Jan. 24th, Mr. Thomas Oliver became acquainted with me at Mortlak. March 6th, the Queen granted my suit to Dr. Awbrey. March 9th, the privy seal at night. March 16th, the great seal. March 18th, Arthur and Katharine were bled at London on Doctor Dodding's advice. March 24th, £25 Mr. Tho. Mownson. March 25th, I paid £10 to Nicholas Fromonds a little before sunset, when he reviled me most abominably. March 30th, on Thursday Mr. Saunders of Ewell sent home my great sea compass, but without a needle; it came in the night by water.

April 5th, the Lady Russell robbed a little after midnight of pearls, diamonds, &c. One John Smyth is suspected, a young man thirty years old, very skillful in many kinds of handiwork, melancholy. April 8th, Richard came into my service, 40s. a year and a livery. April 9th, 10th, agreed with my brother Nicholas Fromonds and with Mr. Webb, at 8 o'clock on Wednesday night, and 8 on Tuesday night. April 14th, Winifrede Goose, wife of goodman Goose of Tuddington, daughter of Harry Wyse, grievously tempted, came to me with her sister. April 16th, +from the treasury+ a box [cipher decoded]. April 27th, the son of Mary Nevell at 3½ in the afternoon and somewhat late, by Chichester. May 3rd, Wednesday, at 10 o'clock Arthur was put to Westmynster School under Mr. Grant and Mr. Camden. May 11th, I borrowed ten pounds of Master Thomas Smith to be paid at Christmas next. May 12th, great wind at north. May 15th, Marian came again at seven in the afternoon. May 16th, I rode to Harfelde to the Lord Anderson, Lord Justice of the Common Pleas, 12 miles off. May 25th, at six in the afternoon there might have been a quarrel between Mr. Webb and Mr. Morgan with one eye over £4 left unpaid upon a bill. June 16th, Sir John Perrot judged to be drawn, hanged, and quartered.

July 23rd, at Grenwich about midnight following this day began the first clear sign of my pain in my kidneys; whereupon Doctor Giffard had me given a glyster, and the next day I was eased of the pain. July 29th, Robert Theneth of Rushmer by Ypswych made acquaintance with me: he told me of Mr. Carter a man of 80 years old in Yorkshyre. Aug. 6th, I went to Nonsuch to the court, where the Countess of Warwik sent me word by Mr. Ferdinando of the Queen's gracious words at St. Crosses, and the Lord Archbishop told me the same. Aug. 8th, after midnight of Monday, being the 7th day, the second fit of the stone in my kidneys troubled me for 6 or 7 hours. Aug. 9th, the Lord Treasurer invited me to dinner at Mr. Maynard's at Mortlak, where Sir Robert Cecill and Sir Thomas Cisell and his lady were also. The Lord Treasurer also sent me some venison to supper. He invited me to dinner again on the tenth day, where the Lord Cobham also came to dinner, and after dinner he asked the Lord Treasurer to help me to St. Crosses, which he promised to do his best in. Aug. 11th, Mr. Kemp of Micheam, my old acquaintance, about eleven o'clock (almost) before noon, told me of the rare appearing. Aug. 17th, I went to Micheam to Mr. Kemp. Aug. 21st, I went to the Lord Cobham and the Lady Cobham to London. Aug. 23rd, Mr. Cholmely and his maid before noon at 11½ o'clock. The fluid so suddenly fell into the calf of my left leg as if a stone had hit me. Aug. 26th, Mr. Heriot 40s. Auditor Hill, £4. Remember that everything is paid to our nurse at Barnes for the girl Francys Dee from her birth until the end of her eighth month, short 12s., and on Sunday, the 27th of this August, we so settled it, when we gave the nurse ten shillings. The eighth month ended (from New Year's Day morning last) the 12th of this month. Sept. 4th, 5th, 6th, very stormy, wind at West, Southerly. Sept. 5th, the Tems very shallow at London. Sept. 6th, goodman Warryn of Marketharborogh. Robert Webb came from Mr. Ponsoys to write, and is to come again within three weeks. Sept. 7th, Robert Charles of Northamptonchyre and goodman Warren of Marketharborow in my house at Mortlak promised me to help Bartholomew Hikman with £12 to pay on Michelmas Day next to discharge the bond for his brother-in-law. This they promised upon condition that I bind myself to them to see them repaid. I sent a letter to Sir Robert Thaneth at Rushmer by Ypswych by the wagonman who is at the inn at the George in Lombard Street. He said that Robert Thaneth was at home and well. Sept. 19th, I had on the Sunday about 7 o'clock in the afternoon the cramp most extremely in the very center of the calves of both my legs, and in the place where I had the sudden pain on Bartilmew's Eve last I had pain so intolerable as if the veins or arteries would have broken from extreme stretching, or how else I cannot tell. The pain lasted about half a quarter of an hour. I took my purge of six grains. I began in the morning to drink the drink for the stone in the kidney. Sept. 28th, Mr. Laiesley promised me ten sheep and four quarters of wheat. Sept. 30th, Elizabeth Denby went from me to Mistress Herbert's into service.

Oct. 13th, I put before the Archbishop of Canterbury two books of blasphemy against Christ and the Holy Ghost, asking him to have them refuted: one was Christian Franken, printed in 1585 in Poland; the other was of one Sombius against one Carolius, printed at Ingolstad in 1582 in octavo. Oct. 14th, 15th, a mighty wind at south-west. Oct. 30th, 31st, on one of these two days I hurt my left shin against the sharp small end of a wooden rammer about four o'clock in the afternoon. Nov. 1st, Mr. Ashly, his wife, and their family came to my house and stayed there. They had my mother's chamber, the maid's chamber, and all the rest of the house. Nov. 9th, her Majesty's grant of my petition for commissioners to come to me. The Lady Warwik obtained it. Nov. 22nd, the commissioners from her Majesty, Mr. Secretary Wolly and Sir Thomas George, came to Mortlak to my house. Nov. 28th, to Richard Walkdyne of his wages 20s. Dec. 1st, a little after noon the very virtuous Countess of Warwik sent me word very quickly by her gentleman Mr. Jones from the court at Hampton Court that this day her Majesty had granted to send me quickly a hundred marks, and that Sir Thomas George had dealt very honorably for me in the cause. Dec. 2nd, Sir Thomas George brought me a hundred marks from her Majesty. Dec. 24th to 31st, at Mr. Lurensey of Tooting all these days, and New Year's Day also, and so came home by coach (as we went) by Tuesday noon, I, my wife, Arthur, Kate, &c. Dec. 31st, at Tooting at Mr. R. Luresey his house; about three o'clock after dinner the Bishop of Laigham served process upon me for the Nangle, but very wrongly.