1620-1639 Charles I Accedes is in 17th Century Events.
Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock
On 11 Dec 1620 the Maylower landed at Plymouth Rock Massachusetts and went on to found Plymouth Colony. The first documented reference to the landing at Plyouth Rock was in 1741.
1621 Creation of Peerages
On 29 Jun 1621 ...
Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 58) was created 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire.
Thomas Palmer 1st Baronet (age 81) was created 1st Baronet Palmer of Wingham in Kent. Margaret Poley Lady Palmer (age 79) by marriage Lady Palmer of Wingham in Kent.
Vere's Expedition to the Electorate of the Palatinate
In 1622 William Waller (age 25) was knighted during the Vere's Expedition to the Electorate of the Palatinate.
Spanish Match
1614. The "Spanish Match" was the proposed marriage between Prince Charles (age 13), the son of King James I of Great Britain (age 47), and Infanta Maria Anna of Spain (age 7), the daughter of Philip III of Spain (age 35). Negotiations took place over the period 1614 to 1623, and during this time became closely related to aspects of British foreign and religious policy, before breaking down completely.
John Evelyn's Diary. 1624. I was not initiated into any rudiments until near four years of age, and then one Frier taught us at the church-porch of Wotton, Surrey [Map]; and I do perfectly remember the great talk and stir about Il Conde Gondomar (age 96), now Ambassador from Spain (for near about this time was the match of our Prince (age 23) with the Infanta (age 17) proposed); and the effects of that comet, 1618, still working in the prodigious revolutions now beginning in Europe, especially in Germany, whose sad commotions sprang from the Bohemians' defection from the Emperor Matthias; upon which quarrel the Swedes broke in, giving umbrage to the rest of the princes, and the whole Christian world cause to deplore it, as never since enjoying perfect tranquillity.
Charles I's Trip to Spain
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 17 Feb 1623. There happened on Monday, the 17th day of the month, so strange an accident as after ages will scarce believe it. For Charles Prince of Wales (age 22) began his journey from London into Spain on Monday, the 17th day of February, with the beloved Marquis of Buckingham (age 30), Sir Francis Cottington (age 44), and Mr. Endimion Porter (age 36), only in his campaign; who only, besides the King himself, were the alone men aquainted with the Prince's resolution. Their going was so secretly carried as none, I believe, knew of it in England till they were landed in France, through which kingdom they passed by posthorse into Spain.1 The journey was thought so dangerous, being above 1100 English miles by land, besides the crossing of the seas between Dover and Calais, as all men were generally ensaddened at the ad- venture, often wishing it had been better advised upon; although they knew the Spaniards durst do the Prince no harm, so long as his royal sister and her illustrious oflspring survived. Soon after followed the Lord Hays (age 43), Earl of Carlisle, and passed into France to excuse to that King the Prince's sudden and secret passing through his kingdom without giving him a visit. All men now took it for granted, that the Prince's marriage with the Infanta Maria, the King of Spain's sister, was concluded on, and that he went over only to consummate it; no man imagining that he would take up such a resolution upon uncertainties, especially occasioning so vast and unnecessary expense at a time when the King's wants pressed him much. But God, whose decree binds princes as well as peasants, had otherwise disposed, so as our royal suitor, arriving at Madrid in Spain on Friday the 7th (or 17th) of March, about three weeks later his departure from London, and taking ship for his return to England on the 18th (or 28th) of September, then next ensuing, stayed in Spain about seven months; in all which time he seldom saw or spoke with the Spanish Princess, nor could ever receive a fair or sincere denial from her brother, although her marriage had been absolutely disposed of by her father's last will and testament; he bequeathing her to Ferdinand, son and heir of Ferdinand the Second, Emperor of Germany, who afterwards did accordingly espouse her.
Note 1. "And now behold a, strange adventure and enterprise! The Prince and the Marquis of Buckingham, accompanied with Cottington and Endimion Porter, post in disgiuse to Spain to accelerate the marriage. The 17th of February they went privately from Court, and the next day came to Dover, where they embarked for Boulogne, and from thence rode post to Paris, where they made some atop. The Prince, shadowed under a bushy peruque, beheld the splendour of that court, and had a full view of the Princess Henrietta Maria (age 13), who was afterwards his royal consort. For, besides the great privacy of the journey, they had so laid the English ports, that none should follow or give the least advertisement, until they had got the start of intelligencers, and passed the bounds of France. Howbeit they escaped narrowly, and a swift intelligence sent to the King of Spain from Don Carlos Coloma was even at their heels before they arrived at Madrid. The Prince and Buckingham being in the territories of Spain, to make but little noise, rode post before their company.
On 07 Mar 1623 King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 22), accompanied by George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 30), Endymion Porter (age 36) and Richard Wynn 2nd Baronet (age 35), arrived in Madrid [Map], incognito, in an attempt to bring to a conclusion his betrothal to Maria Anna of Spain Holy Roman Empress (age 16), much to the surprise of her brother Philip IV King Spain (age 17) and the English ambassador John Digby 1st Earl Bristol (age 43). The negotiations ultimately failed.
Happy Parliament
On 30 Dec 1623 the fourth Parliament of James I (age 57) known as the Happy Parliament was summoned.
On 19 Feb 1624 the Happy Parliament held its first session.
Roland Egerton 1st Baronet (age 29) was elected MP Wootton Bassett.
Arthur Lake (age 25) was elected MP Minehead.
James Wriothesley (age 18) was elected MP Winchester.
Richard Edgecumbe (age 53) was elected MP Grampound.
On 03 Feb 1624 Henry Mildmay (age 31) was elected MP Westbury.
Death of James I
On 27 Mar 1625 King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland (age 58) died at Theobalds House, Hertfordshire. His son King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 24) succeeded I King England Scotland and Ireland. Duke York merged with the Crown.
On 07 May 1625 King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map].
Useless Parliament
In 1625 Henry Mildmay (age 32) was elected MP Maldon during the Useless Parliament.
In 1625 Hugh Portman 4th Baronet (age 19) was elected MP Taunton in the Useless Parliament.
On 02 Apr 1625 the first Parliament of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 24) known as the Useless Parliament sat.
1625 Plague
John Evelyn's Diary. 1625. I was this year (being the first of the reign of King Charles (age 24)) sent by my father (age 38) to Lewes [Map], in Sussex, to be with my grandfather, Standsfield (age 58), with whom I passed my childhood. This was the year in which the pestilence was so epidemical, that there died in London 5,000 a week, and I well remember the strict watches and examinations upon the ways as we passed; and I was shortly after so dangerously sick of a fever that (as I have heard) the physicians despaired of me.
In 1625 a plague killed around 40,000 Londoners.
Proxy Marriage of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France
On 01 May 1625 King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 24) and Henrietta Maria Bourbon Queen Consort England (age 15) were married by proxy at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral [Map]. She by marriage Queen Consort England. She the daughter of Henry IV King France and Marie de Medici Queen Consort France (age 50). He the son of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland and Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland. They were third cousin once removed.
Charles I and Henrietta Maria's First Meeting
On 13 Jun 1625 King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 24) and Henrietta Maria Bourbon Queen Consort England (age 15) met for the first time at St Augustine's Abbey [Map].
1625 Cádiz Expedition
The Cádiz expedition of 1625 was a naval expedition against Spain by English and Dutch forces led by George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 33).
The expedition left Plymouth, Devon [Map] on 06 Oct 1625.
In Nov 1625 the fleet attempted, unsuccessfully, to capture Cádiz.
In Dec 1625 the English returned home having achieved nothing other than spending £250,000, losing 62 out of 105 ships and 7000 English troops.
John Felton (age 30) served.
English Coronation of Charles I
On 02 Feb 1626 King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 25) was crowned I King England Scotland and Ireland at Westminster Abbey [Map] by Archbishop George Abbott (age 63). His wife Henrietta Maria (age 16) was not crowned since she being Catholic refused to attend an Anglican service. She watched Charles at a discreet distance.
Robert Radclyffe 5th Earl of Sussex (age 52) carried the Orb.
Francis Talbot 11th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 3) bore the Second Sword of State.
Philip Herbert 4th Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Montgomery (age 41) carried the Spurs.
Francis Manners 6th Earl of Rutland (age 48) bore the Rod with the Dove.
William Cavendish 3rd Earl Devonshire (age 8), James Stanley 7th Earl of Derby (age 19), James Howard 3rd Earl Suffolk (age 6), Roger Palmer (age 49) and Mildmay Fane 2nd Earl of Westmoreland (age 24), John Maynard (age 34) were appointed Knight of the Bath.
John Rayney 1st Baronet (age 25) was knighted.
1627 Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré
On 12 Jul 1627 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 34) led an English force of 100 ships and 6,000 soldiers to capture the city of Saint-Martin-de-Ré on the Île de Ré.
In Aug 1627 more troops, including the newly promoted Lieutenant John Felton (age 32), arrived.
On 03 Sep 1627 two thousand Irish troops arrived under Ralph Bingley (age 57)
On 27 Oct 1627 a final assault was attempted; it failed because the attackers' siege ladders were shorter than the walls of the fortress.
In Nov 1627 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham retreated and returned to England having lost thousands of his men.
Battle of the Pont du Feneau
On 08 Nov 1627 Mountjoy Blount 1st Earl Newport (age 30) was captured at the Battle of the Pont du Feneau in Pont du Feneau, Île de Ré. He was released soon after.
On 08 Nov 1627 Ralph Bingley (age 57) was killed in action at the Battle of the Pont du Feneau.
Murder of the Duke of Buckingham
Universal Review. Long as we could linger upon other parts of this volume, and much as we should like to quote a passage from the letter of the "head and fellows of Trinity college, Cambria, to Lord Burghley, to borrow the robes in the Tower of London, to wear in a tragedy to be acted by them," — we find it must not be: but as this volume contains many curious particulars relating to James I., the two Charleses, and James II., we are quite sure that it cannot fail to be as acceptable as its companions. There is a letter of "Dudley Lord Carleton to the queen, announcing the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham," which we give a brief extract: premising (in the language of the editor of the truth of which it has been our good fortune to have had ocular demonstration) that "the paper, which was found in Felton’s hat," and by which he was identified as the assassin of the Duke of Buckingham, is STILL PRESERVED. It was recently found among the Evelyn papery at Wotton in Surrey; and is now in the possession of Mr. Upcott, of the London Institution. The pedigree of this singular sip of paper is satisfactorily given by Mr. Ellis. The passage from Carleton’s letter to the queen, relating to the assassination of Buckingham, is as follows:
23 Aug 1628.
"This day, betwixt nine and ten of the clock in the morning, the Duke of Buckingham, then coming out of a parlour, into a hall, to go to his coach, and so to the king, (who was four miles off) having about him divers lords, colonels, and Captains, and many of his own servants, was, by one Felton, (once a lieutenant of this our army) slain at one blow with a dagger knife. In his staggering, he turned about, uttering only this word 'villaine!’ and never spake more: but presently, plucking out the knife from himself, before he fell to the ground, he made towards the traitor two or three paces, and then fell ainst a table, although he were upheld by divers that were near him, that (through the villain's close carriage in the act) could not perceive him hurt at all, but guessed him to be suddenly mare with some apoplexy, 'till they saw the blood come gushing from his mouth and the wound so fast, that life and breath at once left his begored body."
We have taken the liberty to modernise the spelling of this very curious description, in order to meet the tastes of the greater number of readers.
On 23 Aug 1628 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 35) was murdered at Greyhound Pub, Portsmouth by a disgruntled soldier John Felton (age 33). He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham succeeded 2nd Duke of Buckingham, 2nd Marquess of Buckingham, 2nd Earl Buckingham.
Felton was considered a hero by many who blamed Buckingham for the failures of the 1625 Cádiz Expedition and 1627 Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. Felton was subsequently hanged.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 02 May 1661. Up, and Mr. Creed and I to walk round the town upon the walls. Then to our inn, and there all the officers of the Yard to see me with great respect, and I walked with them to the Dock and saw all the stores, and much pleased with the sight of the place. Back and brought them all to dinner with me, and treated them handsomely; and so after dinner by water to the Yard, and there we made the sale of the old provisions. Then we and our wives all to see the Montagu, which is a fine ship, and so to the town again by water, and then to see the room where the Duke of Buckingham was killed by Felton 1628. So to our lodging, and to supper and to bed. To-night came Mr. Stevens to town to help us to pay off the Fox.
1630 Knight of the Garter Appointments
In 1630 King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 29) created four Knights of the Garter ...
428th Richard Weston 1st Earl of Portland (age 52).
429th Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey (age 47).
430th William Cecil 2nd Earl Exeter (age 64).
431st James Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton (age 23).
Baptism of future Charles II
On 27 Jun 1630 the future Charles II was baptised by Archbishop William Laud (age 56) at Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. Louis XIII King France (age 28) and Marie de Medici Queen Consort France (age 55) were godparents.
Robert Kerr 1st Earl Ancram (age 52) was created 1st Earl Ancram.
1631 Eruption of Vesuvius
16 Dec 1631. Account of the beginning of the tragedy written by an eyewitness, Giulio Cesare Braccini, and translated from his book "Dell’Incendio fattosi nel Vesuvio a 16 dicembre 1631", Naples 1632:
[This] story … will live on in the memory of our descendants through the [various] sad reminders and vestiges [of the disaster]. On the 10 of December, the Torresi [the townsfolk of Torre del Greco], the villagers of Massa di Somma, of Polena, and San Bastiano, began to hear noises coming from inside the mountain – the contortions of underground spirits – [so terrifying] that they couldn’t sleep at night. Some, knowing of an ancient tradition that an old river used to rise from Vesuvius – but had got trapped in the mountain – thought it was now trying to force its way out. Others of a more pious nature, were mindful of the stories of Peter Damian who wrote that there was a door in that place leading down to hell, where the most wicked souls were taken; and no one doubted that it was there that the demons held court to avenge the great misdeeds of the world, in their capacity as agents of God. Another group, distracted by their daily affairs, did not worry because the tremors remained constant, and relatively gentle. At the same time, others noticed that the water in the wells was becoming fouled and, in some cases, had disappeared altogether; but if they had been good students of Pericles and Pythagoras they would have been able to predict the earthquakes from that information alone, and save themselves. But as someone said perituri non recipiunt consilia [they die who do not take advice].
A trustworthy person from Ottaviano said that he had been upon the mountain, at the mouth of the crater, one month earlier and then again two weeks later. And on the second occasion he noticed that the ground had risen so much that there was no depression in the middle at all, as Aristotle notes in describing the how the land bulged in Sarga, one of the Aeolian islands…
On Monday morning, 15 [December], when the weather was calm and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, an enormous star was seen over the mountain, which aroused in me standing forty miles away a sense of awe. But during the night at around five o’clock [midnight according to the modern clock], a servant of the Marquis of Arena left Portici to come to Naples and he told us that when he was on the Bridge of the Magdalen he saw a beam of fire that seemed to him to run from all the way from Pozzuoli to Vesuvius. And the men of Resina [Ercolano] confirmed that they saw the same thing just below the top of the crater, which remained stable for several hours, while fiery exhalations danced all around as if they were thunderbolts. At that time…having just arrived at my abbey of Civita Luparella, I felt a little earthquake. Yet in the places closer to the mountain, from that hour until twelve o’clock [5am], the ground shook continually and, in some places they felt 18 quakes and in others 50, each more forceful than the last. And from what I have been able to gather, the mountain opened up on its flank, or to be more precise in the Atrian levels, the plain [nearby]. [This fissure] was visible at first only from the south side, from Torre dell Greco and from Annunziata and higher up the mountain from the church of S. Maria a Pugliano where according to tradition the Prince of the Apostles [St Peter] said mass…. Then, it spewed smoke and fire and ash and stones and flames from more than one side. And I heard from Santolo di Simone from S. Anastasia, who bravely with four friends from the village climbed the mountain that morning, that on arriving at a place called Mountain of the Devils…less than half a mile from the crater, he saw smoke and fire coming from several sides. [He related that the fissures] were opening up still further, bit by bit, throwing up from the cracks an explosion as if made up of little firecrackers of the type used on feast days; and the holes seemed to them like the bottom of great vats that grew ever larger owing to the exhalations. These exhalations then joined together in the air to form a great cloud…from which rained thunderbolts and massive rocks, one of which fell so close that it almost hit him. He stood there for half an hour looking at the spectacle and all the time he saw new fissures appear, and all the while the stones that fell burned and consumed everything they touched. The one that fell near him landed on a rock and shattered into many pieces, burning everything around. And when it had cooled down he picked up a piece and took it home and he found that it was much heavier and stronger than expected, …like wrought iron……
The sight of these flames for those living nearby – also terrified by the constant shaking – caused …them to throw up their hands to heaven to ask mercy from God. And abandoning their possessions… they fled wherever they thought it was safest. The more pious ran to the churches to confess their sins and to receive the sacraments, and because there were many gathered there, they thought their united prayers would be effective.
After a while, even though the sun had come out, one could still see a dense and extraordinary cloud over the mountain from as far away as Naples. It looked like an exceptionally tall leafless umbrella-pine, as it had seemed to Pliny, who saw it in the year of our Lord 81 [actually 79 CE]. It had a huge trunk, like a vast round tower but rising to such a great height that it almost became lost from sight. Then, either because its spirit could rise no higher or because it could not sustain its own weight, it fell, spreading itself in great, branch-like canopies, extending many miles across the area. Because it was hidden from the clear light of day, it appeared now black and evil, now stained and livid, but always with some red in it, like fire.
On seeing all this some … simple folk ran through the streets screaming… At the beginning I stayed put, as I was not in a place where I could see the mountain. But it struck me in the end, when it had risen so high and spread so far, just what it was, and I went to a bookshop and took the collected letters of Pliny off the shelf. And showing it to various people I told them how 1550 years earlier Pliny had described precisely what we were seeing. One of them who was there, overcome with curiosity, went up to the roof-top terrace with his quadrant and worked out that it had risen up over thirty miles into the sky. And this is believable … as it could also be seen from as far away as Rome.
Siege of Maastricht
On 07 Aug 1632 Robert de Vere 19th Earl of Oxford (age 56) was killed at the Siege of Maastricht. His son Aubrey de Vere 20th Earl of Oxford (age 5) succeeded 20th Earl of Oxford.
1633 Knight of the Garter Appointments
In 1633 King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 32) created four Knights of the Garter ...
423nd Charles Louis Palatinate Simmern (age 15).
433rd James Stewart 4th Duke Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 20).
434th Henry Danvers 1st Earl Danby (age 59).
435th William Douglas 7th Earl Morton (age 51).