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Sunday 17 March 2013

'Annales of England' by John Stow: Essex Extracts


Annales of England – John Stow

The following are extracts from a book published in 1605, the year of John Stow’s death.  The book is introduced as “A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES AND CORNWALL”, set out in chronological order and running to 1437 pages, abruptly ending in July 1605.

The book has recently been accessioned to the Library of The Essex Society for Archaeology and History in the Albert Sloman Library, University of Essex.

Page 1115
“1565
Tempest at Chelmsford
The 16 of July, about nine of the clocke at night began a tempest of lightning and thunder, with showers of haile, which continued till three of the clock the next morning so terrible that at Chelmsford in Essex 500 acres of corne were destroyed, the glass windows on the east side of the tower, and the west & south sides of the church were beaten downe, with also the tiles of their houses, beside diverse barnes, chimneies, and the battlements of the church which were overthrown.  The like harme was done in many other places, as at Leedes, Cranelnooke, Dover & c.”

Page 1135
“1572
Sir William Peter deceased.
The thirteenth of January deceased William Peter knight, who for his judgement and pregnant wit, had bene Secretary and of privy counsell to foure kings and queenes of this realme, and seven times lord ambassador abroad in foraine lands: he augmented Exeter colledge in Oxford with lands to the paine of an hundred pound by yeare: and also builded ten almes houses in the parish of Ingerstone for twenty poore people, ten within the house, and ten without the house, having every one two pence the day, a winter gowne, and two loade of wood, and among them feeding for six kine winter and sommer, and a chaplaine to say them service daily.”

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