1091. On the 5th of October, there fell a violent storm in several parts of England, especially at Winchelscomb, in Glocestershire, where the steeple of the church was thrown down by thunder and lightening, and the crucifix, with the image of the Virgin, was broken to pieces. The hurricane was followed by a noisome stink. Holingshed.

During the above, there was also a thick smoke which darkened the sky. Sir J. Hayw.

On the 17th of the same month, there hap­pened a storm of wind at S. W. the same that blew in the late tempest, so dreadful to the whole nation. In London, it threw down above 500 houses, and unroofed Bow-church. At Old Sarum, the steeple and many houses were blown down. Holing.

1094, was remarkable for the number of gliding stars, that seemed to dash together, in manner of a conflict. Sir J. Hayw.

Also for a great mortality of men and beasts, so that the ground lay untilled in many places, which caused a severe dearth. Holing.

1111. The river Trent, near Nottingham, ceased to run its course for twenty-four hours, so that the channel was dried up. Holing.

There was, this year, a great mortality among men, cattle, and fowls. Sir J. Hayw.

1113. The water of the river Medway failed so much, that the smallest boats could not float in the channel; also, the Thames was so low between the Tower and the bridge, that wo­men and children waded it over; owing to so great an ebb in the ocean, that laid the sands bare several miles from the shore, which con­tinued a whole day. Sir J. Hayw.

In December, the air appeared red, as though it burned, Holing.

1134. On the 2d of August, just as King Henry was about to take ship, and sail for Normandy, an eclipse of the sun and moon appeared; at which time, William of Malmsbury, who was then living, writes, he saw the stars plainly about the sun. This eclipse was followed by a most terrible earthquake.

[Page 43]During the earthquake, flames of fire burst out of certain riffs of the earth with great violence. Holing.

1171. A great tempest happened in Scotland, Eng­land, and Ireland. Holing.

As King Henry was about to take horse at Cardiff, in Glamorganshire, an apparition ap­peared to him, and, having threatened him with some dreadful plagues, if he did not amend his life, it vanished. Holing.

1179. On the 18th of June, after sun-set, the new moon then shining out fair, with her horns to the east, on a sudden, seemed to be divided in two, out of which there appeared to rise a burning brand, casting forth sparks and flames, as if it had been on fire. The body of the moon seemed to wriggle like an adder that is beaten; it did so above twelve times, and then turned black. Holing.

[Page 44]At Christmas, at a place called Oxen-hall, near Darlington, in the bishoprick of Durham, the earth raised itself up like a lofty tower, and remained several hours in that posture; on a sudden, it funk down again, with a horrid noise, and the earth so sucked it in, that it made there a deep pit, which continues to this day. Mr. Camden supposes it to be the wells that are now called Hell-kettles. Rog. Hov.

1233. It thundered for fifteen days together. The next year began with terrible tempests of thun­der, rain, and floods, which spoiled the fruits of the earth.

In April, at seven in the morning, there ap­peared four false suns, in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The true sun was of a red co­lour, with a great circle, of chrystaline colour, whose circuit seemed as large as the kingdom of England; from its sides went forth certain half circles, in whose sections the four false suns appeared. Holing.

1251. The chimney of the chamber where the Queen and her children lay, was blown down by a terrible storm, and her whole apartment at Windsor shaken and torn. Oaks in the park were rent asunder, and turned up by the roots, and all was accompanied with such thunders and lightnings as had not been known in the memory of man. Holing.

In May, the new moon appeared three days before her time, and the sun, moon, and stars, for fifteen days successively, seemed of a red colour. A dearth, and a murrain among cattle followed this prodigy. Holing.

1346. While the battle of Crecy was fighting, there fell a violent storm of hail, accompanied with an eclipse, and terrible thunder; at which time, prodigious flights of crows hovered over the English and French armies.

This was also the time when Edward, the black Prince, first adopted, in memorial of this victory, the Bohemian crest and motto, viz. three ostrich feathers, and Ich dien (i. e.) I serve, the King of Bohemia being slain in the action. Succeeding Princes of Wales have continued it ever since.

1371. On the 22d of February, died at London, David, King of Scotland.

In March, a comet appeared between the north and west; the beams were darted to­wards France, and were thought to presage new troubles to that kingdom the year fol­lowing.

[Page 50]The western parts of England, particularly Oxford, were greatly afflicted with a pestilence.

1382. May 21, several churches were thrown down by an earthquake. Holing.

This year the use of guns came in, and Sir Hugh Calverly, governor of Calais, was the first that employed them in the English ser­vice.

1386. Wine was so cheap, that the best was sold at twenty shillings the ton, and the second sort at thirteen and four pence.

Sir John Montacute, a follower of Wick­liffe, ordered all the images to be taken out of his church at Shenley, in Buckinghamshire. Holing.

1394. An apparition of fire was seen in divers pla­ces in England, in several forms; sometimes like a turning wheel, burning; sometimes like a barrel, with flames gushing out of the head; and sometimes like a long burning lance. When it appeared to any persons, it would go as they went, and stop as they stopped.

In April, a fiery dragon was seen in several counties, and, some time before there happen­ed a conjunction of the two greatest planets, Saturn and Jupiter. Holing.

1407. In October, a violent plague broke out in England, which is said to have carried off 30,000 in London, and as many, in proportion, in the country.

A little before Christmas began a frost of that violence and long continuance, that the like was scarce ever heard of in England. It lasted fifteen weeks, and, being accompanied with abundance of snow, it was so destructive to the birds especially, that almost all the smaller birds died with cold and hunger.

1415. This year the church-service was changed throughout England, from the use of St. Paul, to the use of Sarum.

On Candlemas day, seven dolphins were dis­covered playing in the river Thames, and four of them were taken.

1426. On Saturday, the eve of St. Michael, in the morning, began a very dreadful earth­quake, accompanied with thunder and light­ning.

John Rainwell, fishmonger, was chosen Mayor of London, who was a great benefactor to the city, and began building of the Tower at the draw-bridge of London.

1438. There was a great dearth, so that, in many places, they made bread of fern roots and ivy­berries.

Nov. 25, a gust of wind blew off the leads of the Grey Friars church, and almost beat down the whole side of a street called the Old Exchange.

At Bedford, on the day of the assizes, eigh­teen persons were killed, and many hurt, by the fall of a stair-case.

1453. John Norman, Lord Mayor of London, was the first that went to be sworn in Westminster­hall, by water.

Constantinople was taken by the Turks.

1467. The people had an extravagant way of adorning their feet. They wore the beaks or pikes of their shoes so long, that they en­cumbered them in their walking, and were forced to tye them up to their knees; the fine gentlemen did theirs with chains of silver, or silver gilt, and others, with laces. This ri­diculous custom was in vogue ever since the year 1382, but now it was prohibited, on the forfeiture of twenty shillings, and the pain of cursing by the clergy.

[Page 55]This year the King concluded a league with the King of Castile and Arragon, by which he allowed certain Cotswold sheep to be trans­ported into Spain, where the breed so increas­ed, that their fine wool has since proved very detrimental to England.

1483. There happened such a flood in Gloucester­shire, that all the country was overflowed by the Severn; several persons were drowned in their beds, children in cradles swam about in the fields, and beasts were drowned even on the hills. The waters did not abate in ten days, which hindered the Duke of Buckingham's passing that river into Wales, to join the Welchmen, who were risen against the King, and occasioned his misfortune and death. Holing.

Bannister, who betrayed the Duke of Buck­ingham, his master, was sorely afflicted with God's judgments. His eldest son went mad, and died raving in a hog-sty. His eldest daugh­ter, a beauty, was suddenly stricken with a [Page 56]foul leprosy. His second son taken lame in his limbs. His youngest son was suffocated in a puddle of filthy water; and himself, in an extreme old age, found guilty of murder, but saved by his clergy. Holing.

1485. In September raged the sweating sickness, that carried off an infinite number of people.

This year the yeomen of the guards were first instituted.

1493. April 28, Joan Boughton, a widow, was burnt in Smithfield for heresy, and professing Wickliffe's opinion.

This year, wheat was sold in London for four shillings a quarter, and claret for thirty shillings a hogshead.

1600. East India company established. Their stock consisting of 72,000l. they fitted out four ships, and, meeting with success, they have continued ever since.

About this time, London was almost en­tirely built of wood, and, in every respect, a [Page 58]very ugly city. The Earl of Arundel first in­troduced the practice of brick-buildings.

1614. Baronets first created.

Lotteries were first established.

New River brought to London.

King of Denmark revisited England.

1621. A parliament met, June 16, and was re­markable for being the epoch in which were first regularly formed the parties of court and country.

The power of granting licences to public houses was about this time first vested in Sir Giles Mompesson and Sir Francis Michel, for their own emolument.

1638. Queen-mother of France arrived in England in October.

Episcopacy abolished in Scotland.

1660. Oct. 10, ten of the regicides were tried, and executed soon after.

Dec. 30, The Royal Society instituted.

1664. Jan. 5, a plot of the fanatics in the north discovered, for which about twenty-one were executed.

Dec. 4, 130 sail of Dutch merchantmen ta­ken by the Duke of York.

1666. Jan 6, the plague ceased.

Sept. 2, a great fire happened in London, that consumed 13,200 houses.

1669. The Royal Exchange finished.

Coventry act passed.

1678. Sept. 6, Dr. Tongue and Titus Oates, an infamous clergyman, made discovery of a pre­tended plot, said to have been entered into by the papists, for destroying the King, and in­troducing popery. The Queen, and the Duke of York, and almost all the Popish noblemen in England, were accused of being in this plot, and the lives of many Roman Catholic clergy­men, who were executed at Tyburn, were most villainously sworn away by Oates, and other wretches, who were too much encouraged by [Page 60]the Parliament, out of hatred to the Duke of York, and the Papists.

Oct. 25, the Popish Lords were committed to the Tower, upon the oath of Oates.

1683. June 12, the charter of the city of London was declared, by the court of King's-bench, to be forfeited to the crown.

June 28, the Earl of Essex and Lord Russel were committed to the Tower, where the Earl of Essex cut his own throat.

1690. In April, great part of the palace of White­hall was consumed by fire, through the negli­gence of a female servant.

Nov. 7, 12,000 Irish Catholics transported themselves to France.

1698. A new East India company established.

Jan. 5, Whitehall palace was totally con­sumed, by the carelessness of a laundress.

The Society for the reformation of manners was formed.

1700. The old East India company re-established.

June 12, the succession settled on the house of Hanover.

1703. Nov. 26, 27, there happened such a dreadful tempest as frightened the whole kingdom. The houses in London shook, and many fell. The water rose to a great height in Westmin­ster-hall, and London-bridge was choaked up with wrecks. Thirteen ships of war were lost, and 1500 seamen. The damage at London was computed at a million sterling.

Charles, King of Spain, landed at Ports­mouth, Sept. 26, 1703, on a visit.

1716. The act passed for septennial parliaments.

May 6, the South Sea act passed.

1717. This year was the last the houses of convo­cation sat to do business.

Charters granted to the Royal and London assurance-offices.

1750. Jan. 8, and Feb. 8, were felt two shocks of an earthquake in London.

In the month of May, the Lord Mayor, one alderman, two judges, the greatest part of the jury, and a number of spectators, caught the jail-distemper, at the sessions-house in the Old Bailey, of which they died.

1753. The game-act passed, as did the naturaliza­tion-bill, and the marriage-act.

The parliament purchased Sir Hans Sloane's museum.

The affair of Elisabeth Canning was on the carpet.

1755. July 15, account arrived of the French ships the Alcide and Lys being taken by Admiral Boscawen.

Nov. 1, happened an earthquake that laid all Lisbon in ruins.

1756. The marine society established.

One hundred and twenty-three persons pe­rished in the black hole at Calcutta.

1758. Raine's charity, for portioning out two maid­ens annually of his hospital, took place.

Magdalen charity and the asylum established.

1762. London was, at this time, amused with the Cock-lane ghost.

In May, three Indian chiefs arrived in Eng­land.