1610s in England

Events from the1610sinEngland.

Incumbents

• Monarch–James I

Events

• 1610
  • 9 February – Parliament assembles and debates theGreat Contractproposed byRobert Cecilwhereby in return for an annual grant of £200,000, the Crown should give up itsfeudalrights ofWardshipandPurveyance,as well asNew Impositions.
  • 23 May – theHouse of Commonspetitions KingJames Iagainst imposed duties.
  • 9 July –Arbella Stuart,a claimant to the throne, imprisoned for marryingWilliam Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset,another claimant, on 22 June.
  • 23 July – Parliament prorogued.
  • 3 August –Henry Hudsonleads an expedition toHudson Bay.
  • 20 September –Case of Proclamationsrules that the monarch cannot make decisions by proclamation unsupported by legislation.
  • 16 October – Parliament assembles.
  • 6 December – Parliament prorogued and does not assemble again until 1614.
  • December –Thomas Harriotbecomes one of the first astronomers to observesunspots.
  • Winter – the decision inDr. Bonham's Caseasserts the supremacy of thecommon law.
  • Stained glasswindows installed in the chapel ofHatfield HousebyRobert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury,are the first in the country since the start of theEnglish Reformation.
  • First performance ofBen Jonson's satirical comedyThe Alchemist.
  • First performance ofWilliam Shakespeare's late romanceCymbeline.
  • The first edition ofWilliam Camden's antiquarian chorographyBritanniainEnglishis published in an enlarged translation byPhilemon Holland.
• 1611
  • 4 March –George Abbotenthroned asArchbishop of Canterbury.
  • 2 May – theAuthorized King James Versionof theBibleis published,printed in London byRobert Barker.
  • 11 May – first recorded performance ofShakespeare'sThe Winter's Tale,probably new this year,by theKing's Menat theGlobe Theatrein London.
  • 22 May – the first hereditarybaronetsare created byletters patentfrom the King, largely as a means of funding the army.Sir Nicholas Bacon, 1st Baronet, of RedgraveinSuffolkbecomes the premierbaronet of England.
  • 22 June – the crew ofHenry Hudson's shipDiscoverymutiny leaving him adrift inHudson Bay.
  • 1 November – atWhitehall PalaceinLondon,William Shakespeare's romantic comedy and last solo playThe Tempestis performed, perhaps for the first time.The Winter's Taleis presented at Court on 5 November.
  • John Donne's poemAn Anatomy of the Worldpublished.
  • Ben Jonson's playCatiline His Conspiracypublished.
  • Cyril Tourneur's playThe Atheist's Tragedypublished.
  • Last known traditional performance of an Englishmystery play,atKendal.
  • Thomas SuttonfoundsCharterhouse Schoolon the site of the oldCarthusianmonastery inCharterhouse Square,Smithfield, London.
• 1612
  • 18 March –Bartholomew Legate,ananti-Trinitarian,isburnt at the stakeinLondonfor heresy.
  • 11 April –Edward Wightman,aradical Anabaptist,is burnt at the stake inLichfieldfor heresy, the last person to be executed for this crime in England.
  • 24 May – Secretary of StateRobert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury,dies and is succeeded by the King'sfavouriteRobert Carr, Viscount Rochester.
  • 22 July – four women and a man are hanged following theNorthamptonshire Witch TrialsinNorthampton.
  • 20 August – ten 'Pendle witches' are hanged having been found guilty of practising witchcraft inLancashire.
  • John Webster's playThe White Devilpublished.
  • Michael Drayton'stopographical poemPoly-Olbionpublished.
  • Jacob Barnet(a Jew) is imprisoned by theUniversity of Oxfordfor changing his mind about converting to Christianity; he is later exiled.
  • The value of theangelis raised from ten to eleven shillings.
  • probable date–Robert Doverstages the firstCotswold Olimpick GamesnearChipping Campden.
• 1613
  • 14 February –Elizabeth Stuart,daughter of King James I, marriesFrederick V, Elector Palatine,at theChapel RoyalinWhitehall.
  • 29 June – the originalGlobe TheatreinSouthwarkis destroyed by a fire started during a performance of the Shakespeare playHenry VIII.
  • 6 August – Great fire ofDorchester, Dorset.
  • 15 September – death ofThomas Overburyby poisoning in theTower of London,having been imprisoned after quarrelling withRobert Carr, Viscount Rochester.
  • 29 September – theNew River(engineered by SirHugh Myddelton) is opened to supplyLondonwith drinking water fromHertfordshire.
  • 3 November –Robert Carr, Viscount Rochester,is created Earl of Somerset.
  • 23 December – marriage of the Earl of Somerset toFrances Howard,occasioningJohn Donne'sEclogue.
  • Copper (tin-faced)farthingsare produced byJohn Harington, 1st Baron Harington of Extonand his family under royal licence.
  • English colonists destroy a French settlement atPort Royal, Nova Scotia.
  • The King condemnsduelsin his proclamationAgainst Private Challenges and Combats.
  • Elizabeth Cary, Lady Falkland'scloset dramaThe Tragedy of Mariamis published.
• 1614
  • 5 April – Parliament assembles for the first time since 1610 and debates the imposition of taxes by the King.
  • 7 June – King James dissolves theAddled Parliamentfor refusing to impose new taxes.
  • June – King James raises money through a Benevolence; non-contributors are arraigned before theCourt of Star Chamber.
  • 31 October – first performance of Ben Jonson'sBartholomew Fayre: A Comedy;it receives a Court performance the following day.
• 1615
  • Early February – SirThomas Roesets out to become the first English ambassador to theMughal EmperorJahangir,sailing in theLyonunder the command of captainChristopher Newport.
  • 27 September –Lady Arbella Stuartstarves herself to death in theTower of London.Her aunt,Mary Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury,is released, partly in recognition of her role in helping to discover the murder of SirThomas Overbury.
  • 'TheEarl of Oxford's Case' determines thatEquityshould prevail overCommon lawif the two are in conflict.
  • John Browneis created firstKing's Gunfounder.
  • The Perse SchoolinCambridgeis founded by Dr.Stephen Perse.
  • Wilson's Grammar SchoolinWallingtonis founded byroyal charter.
  • Roger Brereleybecomesperpetual curateatGrindletonin Lancashire; his preaching originates the sect ofGrindletonians.
  • The first part ofWilliam Camden'sAnnales Rerum Gestarum Angliae et Hiberniae Regnate Elizabethais published.
  • Gervase Markham'sThe English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Womanfirst published in London.
• 1616
  • 1 January –King Jamesattends themasqueThe Golden Age Restored,a satire byBen Jonsonon fallen court favorite theEarl of Somerset.The king asks for a repeat performance on 4 January.
  • 3 January – the King's current favouriteSir George Villiersis appointedMaster of the Horse;on 24 April he receives theOrder of the Garter;and on 27 August is created Viscount Villiers and Baron Waddon, receiving a grant of land valued at £80,000.
  • 10 January – EnglishdiplomatSirThomas Roepresents hiscredentialsto theMughal EmperorJahangirinAjmer,opening the door to theBritish presence in India.
  • 1 February – King James grantsBen Jonsonan annual pension of 100marks,making himde factopoet laureate.
  • 11 March –Roman CatholicpriestThomas Atkinsonishanged, drawn, and quarteredatYork,at age 70.
  • 19 March – SirWalter Raleghis released from theTower of London,where he has been imprisoned for treason, to organise an expedition toEl Dorado.
  • 26 March–30 August –William Baffinmakes a detailed exploration ofBaffin Baywhilst searching for theNorthwest Passage.
  • 23 April – playwright and poetWilliam Shakespearedies (on or about his 52nd birthday) in retirement inStratford-upon-Avonand is buried two days later in theChurch of the Holy Trinitythere.
  • 25 April – SirJohn Coke,in theCourt of King's Bench,holds the King's actions in a case ofIn commendamto be illegal.
  • 25 May – the King's former favourite theEarl of Somersetand his wifeFrancesare convicted of the murder ofThomas Overbury.They are spared death and are sentenced to imprisonment in the Tower of London.
  • 12 June –Pocahontas(now Rebecca) arrives in England, with her husband,John Rolfe,their one-year-old son,Thomas Rolfe,her half-sister Matachanna (alias Cleopatra) and brother-in-lawTomocomo,theshamanalso known as Uttamatomakkin (having set out in May). TenPowhatanIndiansare brought by SirThomas Dale,the colonial governor, at the request of theVirginia Company,as a fund-raising device. Dale, having been recalled under criticism, writesA True Relation of the State of Virginia, Left by Sir Thomas Dale, Knight, in May last, 1616,in a successful effort to redeem his leadership but neither Dale nor Pocahontas see Virginia again.
  • July – King James begins to raise revenue by the sale ofpeerages.
  • October
    • King James's School, KnaresboroughinNorth Yorkshireis founded by Dr. Robert Chaloner.
    • John Donneis appointed as Reader in Divinity at his oldinn of courtin London,Lincoln's Inn.
  • October/November –Ben Jonson's satirical five-act comedyThe Devil is an Assis produced at theBlackfriars Theatreby theKing's Men,poking fun at credence in witchcraft and Middlesex juries.
  • 4 November –Prince Charles,the 15-year-old surviving son of King James andAnne of Denmark,is invested asPrince of Walesat Whitehall, the last such formal investiture until1911.
  • 5 November – BishopLancelot Andrewespreaches the annualGunpowder Treasonsermon before the King atWhitehall,both having been intended victims of the plot.
  • 6/25 November –Ben Jonson's works are published in a collectedfolioedition; the first of any English playwright.
  • 14 November – SirEdward Cokeis dismissed asChief Justice of the King's Benchby royal prerogative.
  • 25 December
    • CaptainNathaniel Courthopereaches thenutmeg-rich island ofRunin theMoluccasto defend it against theDutch East India Company.A contract with the inhabitants accepting James I as their sovereign makes it part of theEnglish colonial empire.
    • Father Christmasis a main character ofChristmas, His Masque,written byBen Jonsonand presented at the royal court.
  • Epidemic typhusoutbreak.
  • Witch trialsunder theWitchcraft Act 1603:Elizabeth Rutter ishangedas a witch inMiddlesex,Agnes Berrye inEnfield,and nine women inLeicesterat asummer assizepresided over by SirHumphrey Winch.
  • Inigo Jonesdesigns theQueen's HouseatGreenwichas the first major example ofclassical architecturein the country (work is suspended in 1619 and resumed 1630–38).
  • TheAnchor Breweryis established in London by James Monger next to theGlobe TheatreinSouthwark;it will be the world's largest by the early nineteenth century and brew until the 1970s.
  • Publications:
    • Beaumont and Fletcher's comedyThe Scornful Lady(19 March).
    • Dr.John Bullokar's dictionaryAn English Expositor:teaching the interpretation of the hardest words used in our language, with sundry explications, descriptions and discourses.
    • John Deacon's tractTobacco Tortured in the Filthy Fumes of Tobacco Refined.
    • Robert Fludd's defence ofRosicrucianismApologia Compendiaria, Fraternitatem de Rosea Cruce suspicionis… maculis aspersam, veritatis quasi Fluctibus abluens(atLeiden).
    • Ben Jonson's poem "To Celia".
• 1617
  • January
    • Sir George Villiers made Earl of Buckingham.
    • Pocahontasreceived at court; she dies two months later atGravesend.
  • 7 March –Francis BaconappointedLord High Chancellor of England.
  • 17 March – SirWalter RaleghinThe Destinyleaves on a second expedition to theOrinoco Riverin search ofEl Dorado.On 12 June, soon after leaving Plymouth, his fleet is scattered by a storm and it is unable to set out again (fromCork) until 19 August.
  • 23 August – the firstone-way streetsare created in alleys near theRiver ThamesinLondon.
• 1618
  • July –Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolkimprisoned for embezzling state funds while serving asLord Treasurer.
  • 29 October – execution at thePalace of Westminsterof Sir Walter Ralegh who has angered theSpanishon his final voyage by attacking one of their settlements on the Orinoco. The Spanish ambassadorDiego Sarmiento de Acuña, conde de Gondomarhas pressurised King James I over the matter.
  • King James issues theDeclaration of Sportsnationally permitting certain sports to be played on Sundays and other holidays.
  • John Selden's workThe History of Tythessuppressed by thePrivy Council.
  • The Company of Adventurers of London Trading to the Ports of Africafounded; establishes trading posts in Guinea.
• 1619
  • January – the royalBanqueting House, WhitehallinLondonis destroyed by fire.Inigo Jonesis commissioned to design a replacement.
  • 11 March –Witches of Belvoir:Margaret and Philippa Flower are burnt at the stake having been found guilty of witchcraft.
  • 2 June – a treaty is signed to regulate trade and resolve disputes between theEnglishand theDutch East India Company.
  • 16 November –William Parker School,Hastings,is founded under the will of William Parker.
  • Act of parliament forbidding the growing of tobacco inEngland.
  • The value of theangelreturns from eleven to ten shillings.
  • FirstLizard Lighthouseerected inCornwall.
  • Publication ofFrancis BeaumontandJohn Fletcher's playsA King and No KingandThe Maid's Tragedy.

Births

• 1610
  • 1 March –John Pell,mathematician (died1685)
  • 23 April –Lettice Boyle,noblewoman (died1657)
  • 8 July(bapt.)–Richard Deane,military commander and regicide (died1653)
  • 28 July(bapt.)–Henry Glapthorne,dramatist (died c.1643)
  • Abraham Wood,explorer in America, Indian trader, member of the Virginia House of Burgesses (died c.1682 atFort Henry (Virginia))
  • approx. date–George Carteret,Jersey-born Royalist statesman (died1680)
• 1611
  • 24 February(bapt.)–William Dobson,portrait painter (died1646)
  • 1 September –William Cartwright,dramatist (died1643)
• 1612
  • 17 January –Thomas Fairfax,English Civil War general (died1671)
  • 22 February –George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol,statesman (died1677)
  • 28 February –John Pearson,theologian (died1686)
  • 4 December –Samuel Butler,satirist (died1680)
  • John Hingston,court composer, viol player and organist (died1683)
• 1613
  • 2 February –William Thomas,bishop (died1689)
  • 26 March(bapt.)–Henry Vane,politician (died1662)
  • Richard Crashaw,poet (died1649)
• 1614
  • 14 February –John Wilkins,bishop, academic and natural philosopher (died1672)
  • 10 July –Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey,royalist statesman (died1686)
• 1615
  • 14 January –John Biddle,theologian (died1662)
  • 7 September –Colonel John Birch,soldier (died1691)
  • 12 November –Richard Baxter,clergyman (died1691)
• 1616
  • 23 January –Ralph Josselin,vicar of Earls Colne in Essex (died1683)
  • June –John Thurloe,secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell (died1668)
  • August –William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford,peer and soldier (died1700)
  • 17 September(bapt.)–Obadiah Walker,academic and Master of University College, Oxford from 1676 to 1688 (died1699)
  • 18 October –Nicholas Culpeper,botanist (died1654)
  • 23 November –John Wallis,mathematician (died1703)
  • 17 December –Roger L'Estrange,pamphleteer and author (died1704)
  • Henry Bard, 1st Viscount Bellomont,Royalist (died1656)
  • Thomas Harrison,puritan soldier and Fifth Monarchist (died1660)
  • William Holder,music theorist (died1698)
  • John Owen,Nonconformist church leader and theologian (died1683)
  • Edward Sexby,Puritan soldier and Leveller in the army of Oliver Cromwell (died1658)
• 1617
  • 30 January –William Sancroft,Archbishop of Canterbury(died1693)
  • 23 May –Elias Ashmole,antiquarian (died1692)
  • 5 October –Dorothy Spencer, Countess of Sunderland(died1684)
  • 9 December –Richard Lovelace,poet (died1657)
• 1619
  • 10 January –Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester,politician (died1698)
  • 7 September –John Lambert,Parliamentarian general and politician (died1684)
  • 17 December –Prince Rupert of the Rhine,Bohemian-born Royalist commander in the English Civil War (died1682)

Deaths

• 1610
  • 15 April –Robert Parsons,exiled Jesuit priest (born1546)
  • July –Richard Knolles,historian (born1545)
  • 2 November –Richard Bancroft,Archbishop of Canterbury(born1544)
  • Peter Bales,calligrapher (born1547)
• 1611
  • Henry Hudson,sea explorer and navigator (lost at sea) (born c. 1565?)
• 1612
  • 9 January – SirLeonard Holliday,a founder of the East India Company and a Lord Mayor of London (born c. 1550?)
  • 15 January –Hadrian à Saravia,theologian (born 1532 in the Spanish Netherlands)
  • 11 April –Edward Wightman,Baptist preacher (burned at the stake) (born1566)
  • 24 May –Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury,statesman and spymaster (born1563)
  • 4 August –Hugh Broughton,scholar (born1549)
  • 6 November –Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales,heir to the throne (born 1594 in Scotland)
  • 12 November –Sir John Harington,courtier, writer and inventor of a flush toilet (born1561)
• 1613
  • 28 January –Thomas Bodley,diplomat and library founder (born1545)
  • 7 August –Thomas Fleming,judge (born1544)
  • 15 September –Thomas Overbury,poet (murdered) (born1581)
  • 22 December (2 January 1614NS) –Luisa Carvajal y Mendoza,Catholic missionary to England (born 1566 in Spain)
• 1614
  • 15 June –Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton,politician (born1540)
  • 1 July –Isaac Casaubon,classical scholar and philologist (born 1559 in Geneva)
• 1615
  • 27 September –Arbella Stuart,noblewoman and woman of letters (born1575)
• 1616
  • 6 January –Philip Henslowe,theatre manager (born1550)
  • 6 March –Francis Beaumont,playwright (born1584)
  • 23 April (O.S.) –William Shakespeare,playwright and poet (born1564)
  • 19 June –Henry Robinson,Bishop of Carlisle (born c.1553)
  • 23 November –Richard Hakluyt,author, editor and translator (born1553)
• 1617
  • 27 October –Ralph Winwood,politician (born c.1563)
  • 10 November –Barnabe Rich,soldier and writer (born c.1540)
  • December –William Butler,physician (born1535)
• 1618
  • 7 June –Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr,Governor of Virginia (born1577)
  • 20 July –James Montague,bishop and academic (born1568)
  • 28 September –Joshua Sylvester,poet (born1563)
  • 29 October – SirWalter Ralegh,soldier, politician, courtier, explorer, historian, poet and spy (executed) (born1552or 1554)
• 1619
  • 7 January –Nicholas Hilliard,miniature painter (born c.1547)
  • 3 February –Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham,conspirator (born1564)
  • 2 March –Anne of Denmark,queen consort ofJames I of England(born1574)
  • 13 March –Richard Burbage,actor (born c.1567)
  • 7 May –John Overall,bishop and academic (born1559)
  • 14 October –Samuel Daniel,poet (born1562)