Neil Younger

Holidays are over for me, so back to the live-tweeting (dead-tweeting?) of 1582. Two significant events which I've missed in the past two weeks or so away: firstly, the French expedition to the Azores was soundly beaten by the Spanish off Sao Miguel on 26 July, apparently the ... 1/
#earlymodern

Scottish soldiers. John Norris writes with his usual fare of quarrels among English captains and self-congratulatory battle reports. Horatio Palavicino writes from Paris that the king is sending his brother Anjou some money, which we will believe when we see it. He's not a francophile. 10/

Lots of news from the Netherlands today too; another plot to assassinate William of Orange and the duke of Anjou has been uncovered; they were going to poison the soup, according to one report. The culprit has been tortured and hanged. Lier, near Antwerp, has been betrayed to the Spanish by ... 9/

Shrewsbury also begs to be allowed to come to court, 'desyring nothing mor in this woreld than sone to have her Majestie's gracius presence'; he's been stuck holding the baby in Yorkshire for a very long time indeed. 8/

So, on to today, 5 August 1582: The earl of Shrewsbury writes to Walsingham about an indirect row between Elizabeth and Mary queen of Scots about whether Mary was allowed to write to the Privy Council or not; Mary, 'cutting me shorte', says she'll write to the boss directly in future. 7/

There's no really hard evidence that I can see, but both the Spanish and French ambassadors reported in late July that Elizabeth is supporting the malcontent Scots lords, led by the exiled earl of Angus, to strike against Lennox; events are moving fast now. 6/

Back refreshed and restored!

about the situation by the clergy, but this is the first hard evidence I've seen of resistance by the men with swords and guns. 5/

... and wicked men', the threat to the king and (significantly) the amity with England. They swear, therefore, to resist this threat and secure redress, by lawful means (of course). No names are listed, but we'll probably be able to guess fairly soon. Anyway, we've seen extensive grumbling ... 4/

The other event is in Scotland, sometime in July, where we have a bond or agreement made by Scots nobles against Lennox (or as the text reads, 'Dobany') - this, of course, a very familiar tool of Scottish politics. It talks about the 'eminent dangers' to 'God's true religion' from 'godless ... 3/

first large-scale battle between sailing ships. The French commander Strozzi was killed and the Spanish, Santa Cruz, had his reputation made. Terceira, however, was not taken and held out for the Portuguese pretender Dom Antonio; Philip II will have to come back again. (image from the Escorial). 2/

Holidays are over for me, so back to the live-tweeting (dead-tweeting?) of 1582. Two significant events which I've missed in the past two weeks or so away: firstly, the French expedition to the Azores was soundly beaten by the Spanish off Sao Miguel on 26 July, apparently the ... 1/
#earlymodern

Update: two apparently healthy chicks.

You promise?

Rather like Churchill getting the Nobel for his writing, you think?

Surely everyone has a favourite Mahler symphony?

He definitely had it in for Christopher Hatton...

Looks like rather a decent portrait there!

2025 Conference (TSIXIII) The 13th Annual Tudor and Stuart Ireland Conference (TSIXIII) takes place in University College Dublin from 21-22 August 2025. Please register for the conference via Eventbrite here. Our confe…

We have now published the programme for the 2025 Tudor & Stuart Ireland conference at UCD on 21-22 August. All details can be found here: tudorstuartireland.com/2025-confere...

15 July 1582: More material from the 'missing' Privy Council records today, including a letter to Lord Scrope and the sheriff of Cumberland about 'a notorious riott' there when officials were trying to apprehend 'certaine of the Grames & other inhabitantes of Cucklington' ... 1/
#earlymodern

15 July 1582: Edmund Spenser #poet takes out a 21 year lease of the former #Franciscan New Abbey near Kilcullen #Kildare #otd

Almost exactly two years until his recall then!

Finally, and not strictly historical, I read an analysis which argues that Romeo and Juliet is set in 1582, and (if I follow the argument correctly) this is the night on which the lovers meet at Capulet's house. Discuss. 6/

... was resolved by 'Colonel Morgan, who took great pains in the matter, and ventured his life among them, for they would speak to no man but him.' Still, about 200 good soldiers have joined the enemy at Kortrijk. 5/

Walsingham's agent Stokes reports from Bruges on the mutiny of English soldiers for their pay, which was habitually far in arrears. He says that they had been threatening to defect to the Spanish (again, not an unknown occurrence), but the issue ... 4/

According to a note in the state papers, the government currently holds £72,636 of bullion and foreign coin; Burghley writes to Walsingham today that 'ther is come good store of bullyon out of Spayn and more is lyk to come this sommar' - profit from piracy? He wants to coin some of it, anyway. 3/

... [Kirklinton, I assume] 'where it is said the Commissioners were assaulted, & putt in such a perill of their lives, as that they could not execute the said Commission'; the perpetrators are to be sent for and committed to prison. 2/

15 July 1582: More material from the 'missing' Privy Council records today, including a letter to Lord Scrope and the sheriff of Cumberland about 'a notorious riott' there when officials were trying to apprehend 'certaine of the Grames & other inhabitantes of Cucklington' ... 1/
#earlymodern

14 July 1582: Mary queen of Scots writes to Elizabeth, a courtesy letter, thanking her for allowing Mary to receive letters from her son James (after James effectively backed down). She wishes Elizabeth 'madame ma bonne sœur', a long and happy life (no laughing at the back please). 1/
#earlymodern

catches him to conclude a land deal: he writes in his diary that he 'made vp my Bargen with my Lorde Treasorer for the Castle in Holburne & with Richard Mattyson for his howses ther & after Sealyd our bookes at my Lordes howse in London & so endid that day with thankes to god at night'. 4/