And the ship Swallow was this year taken by the Turks. And on the 8th of November was seen in the skie a blazing starr, which came from the west unto the east; and so it continued every evening for ten days together.

1580. Upon Tuesday in Easter-week there was an Earthquake in the city of Bristol and diverse other places of this Realm, which made people much afraid. Also this year Sir William Morgan went out of Bristol, for Ireland, with seven hundred soldiers and officers thereto belonging.

1583. This year the Earle of Ormond came to Bristol, and brought with him out of Ireland the Earl of Desmond's head, who was beheaded at Main Castle: his head was shewn to the Mayor and his brethren in the Tolzey; and the Earle departed hence to London, and presented the head unto the Queen; and it was afterwards set upon a pole on London Bridge.

1584. This year the Earle of Pembroke was made Lord Lieutenant of the Trained Soldiers in Bristol, Somersetshire, and Wiltshire.

The

1585. This year the Earle of Pembroke came from Wells to Bristol, to take a generall muster of the Trained Soldiers, but while he was in the city of Bristol, he presumed to take the upper hand of the Mayor. Queen, being informed thereof, sent for him, and gave him a check, and sent him to the Tower of London, and there kept him prisoner, untill he had paid a fine for his offence. Also this year wheat sold at 17 shillings per bushell, and all other graine very dear. and for reliefe the Commons begun to make an insurrection; but the Mayor wisely pacified them, and caused the Pensford Bakers to come into the City with bread every day in the week. And the Mayor

also having notice that a Barque being in Hungroad who had taken in kinterkins of butter for France, he himselfe went down by water aboard the barque, and seized upon the butter; and notwithstanding the sailors resisted him what they durst, and misused him in reproachful words, yet the butter was unladed into a barge and brought up to the Key, and the Mayor caused it to be sold for 2d per pound. And afterwards the sailors that resisted the Mayor was by him committed to Ward, where they lay in irons untill they had paid the price set upon them for their disobedience. Also the Mayor caused and procured corne to come from Dantzick unto the City of Bristol; whereby great store of rice came hither, and was sold for four shillings per bushell untill Michaelmas.

1586. This year, on the 15 April 1587, the Earles of Leicester and Warwick came from Bath to Bristol; and upon Easter-day, after dinner, the Earle of Leicester, with the Mayor and Councell, gathered together in the Councill-house, about some secret matters; and the next day they departed.

1587. This year, or at least in this Mayor's Reigne, on the 20th April 1588, there departed from the city of Bristol four of her Majesties men of warr, well furnished with men and amunition, for Plymouth, for to meet with the rest of her Majesties fleet. Their names were as follows, vizt the Great Unicorne, the Minion, the Handmaide, and the Ayde. Also this year all the Canvass that was brought to St James's fair and laid in the Back Hall to be sold, was carryed from the city of Bristol unto London, for to make Tents for the field, for her Majestie and the Camp, being pitched upon Tillbury hill. Also in this City, John Pitt, preacher,

preached every morning; and dayly prayers was made unto God, for our safety, and the enemies', being the Spaniards, overthrow.

1589. This year Richard Ferris, a wherryman, of London, having liberty given him for twelve months, to saile from London to Bristol, and that upon a great wager laid down by him, gave the adventure, and departed from London in his wherry upon Midsummerday, being the 24th June; and upon the 3 of August she came safely to Bristol, at halfe ebb, up against the tide, with his wherry under saile, and landed at the lower slipp of the Back; and presently his wherry was brought upon men's shouldiers, up to the Tolzey, and so put in the storehouse under the Guildhall, for a monument, Also this year the Gaunts Church in the Colledge-Green was made an hospitall, and called Queen Elizabeth's hospital, the gift being Mr. Wm. Carr's, merchant, of the City of Bristol, but furthered by Mr. William Bird, the Mayor, who gave freely five hundred pounds, and also disbursted money to purchase the fee-simple of the house and orchard adjoining thereunto, for the poor children's lodging; and in this his mayoralty he obtained of the merchants and others, for eight years space, to pay for every tonn of Lead that came to Redcliffe Hill, 4d. and for every tonn of Iron that came to the Key, 4d. and for every peice of Raisons, two pence; and so every thing was rated accordingly, the which was yearly gathered untill the time expired, for the benefitt of the poor children.

1591. This year in the month of March, S: Walter Devereux was brought dead through the city of Bristol, having his head shot off in France, as he was viewing the walls of Roan; and was buried in Carmarthen with

great pomp. Also this year the 16th of September, there came up with the spring-tide a Porpice or Tortoise, the which was caught before the Castle, and delivered unto the Mayor.

1596, This year there was a great famine in diverse places, and in this City; and all kinds of grain was very dear, so that the poor was in great want; but the Mayor and Councill concluded, that every Alderman and Burgess should keep and find every day, at their houses, so many poor people, according to their ability; because they should make no insurrection, and that they should not perish for want of food.

1601. This year there came 1012 soldiers to Bristol, whose Generall was the Earle of Toomonth; and the Mayor was much troubled in shipping of them, and in seeing good order kept by them in the City. They were so unruly, that the Citizens could not pass the streets in quiet for them, especially in the night; so that many frays were made on both sides, though the soldiers had still the worst of it. And when they should have taken barge to go down to the shipping, they begun to draw their weapons in the Marsh, against the Mayor; whereupon the Citizens were raised by the ringing of the Town-Bell, and by the Serjeants of the Mace and others, so that many Citizens came running into the Marsh, some with clubbs and some with other weapons; where they beat the soldiers so that they were glad to betake themselves to the barges and go away quickly. Some of them were sore hurt, and one soldier kill'd; and the chiefest of them that begun the fray was put into prison.

1602. This year, the eighteen July, the pestilence begun in Marsh-street in Bristol, and lasted all the year.

This year King James was proclaimed in the city of Bristol the 28th of March, at the High Cross. Also his picture was put up at the High Cross, against his proclamation.

1603. This year the sickness was very hott in Bristol. 1604. This year the plague ceased in Bristol, whereof dyed in all 2956 persons-of the plague 2600, of other diseases, 356.

1606. This Mayor, John Barber, with the rest of the Councill, took a lease of the Dean and Chapter, for to have so much room in the Cathedrall or Colledge Church as to build a fair Gallery, for the Majestrates to sitt in to hear sermon; the which was built this year, at the costs of the Mayor and Councill. It stood upon pillars, right against the pulpitt; all the fore-part being of joyner's work, curiously wrought; wherein was three seats, placed by the middle pillar, reserved for the Mayor, Dean and Councill of this city, and if occasion were, for the King, or any nobleman that should come into this city. And upon the top of the seat was the King's arms, guilded and painted. Under which gallery there was seates placed in like order, for the Majestrates' wives.

Also this year, upon the 20th January, being Tuesday ́in the morning, at high water, there arose a great flood. And in this City all the lower parts were drowned, about four or five foot; so that a Boat of about 5 tonns came up to St. Nicholas crowd door: the boatman put his boat-hook against the lower step, and thrust off his boat again. It was up in St. Steven's, St. Thomas and Temple churches, half way the seats; and the Bridge was stop'd so that water buoy'd up higher toward Temple and Redcliff sides than in other parts.

[To be continued.]