Yorkshire Almanac William Strickland arrives at Flamborough and interviews witnesses of the northerly passage along the coast of Mary, Queen of Scots

17 August 1561: William Strickland arrives at Flamborough and interviews witnesses of the northerly passage along the coast of Mary, Queen of Scots

Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, Ed. 1888. The Manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of Rutland, Vol. 1. London: HMSO. Get it:

Unedited excerpt

If an excerpt is used in the book, it will be shorter, edited and, where applicable, translated.

William STRICKLAND to the Earl of RUTLAND, Lord President in the North
1561, August 17. Flamborough. I came here today. I have learned by the report of credible men, “testes occulati,” John Butcher and Thomas Wafrar, that about three o’clock yesterday afternoon two very great galleys were “espyed” to let their anchors fall within half a quarter of a mile of this pier. These men, joining their sights and judgements, say that immediately upon falling of their anchors they put out two swimmers or dowkers [divers] out of either galley, who swam from them a good space and forthwith they set out two boots which plumbed the depth, and Butcher says the swimmers came to the boots, and within three quarters of an hour many of the inhabitants drew to the cliff. And upon due examination this I find for true, that both the sail galleys were very great. This town’s men reporte may be credited therein, because they have seen many. The better galley, which they term the Admiral, was all coloured red very finely and trimly appointed, and the most men suppose fifty oars of one side; her flag of blue silk with a flower de luce of gold [i.e. the arms of France]. In her stern she bare a cognisance all white silver glistering which the multitude judged to be a white harnessed man, but the wiser sort took it to be some white fowl or beast whereof the galley took her name. The other galley was all white and the bigger, but no flag. At the very instant of these galleys coming to anchor, there appeared in sight well to discern 32 sails, and shortly after other 20 sail, which, all the wind being northerly and no great blast, tried the seas, and never one of them seamed to shun the galleys, saving one which seemed to be a hoy. Many of the rest seemed tall ships, specially those to the seaboard. There was neither boat, crayer [small trading vessel], nor fisher ship, that came in here or at Bridlington that bespake them, so that it is not known here what act this was, nor none of them descried, saving the two galleys in form aforesaid. About one hour after this matter was perceived, people began to gather, some to serve, some to gaze, some to relieve those that stood no great need. Bruits [rumours] went diverse, but lastly all people quietly departed and the country in good stay.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Comment

The same source says that Mary arrived in Scotland on the 19th and has an amusing piece of fishwifery from just before:

Sir Richard CHOLMELEY to the EARL OF RUTLAND, Lord President in the North.
1561, August 17, Roxby. On Wednesday last I was at Scarborough, where I gave your orders to the bailiff. He says that a fortnight since a Flemish ship lay at anchor in the wick [bay] at Scarborough. Mr Herynes, a fishmonger who takes fish for the Queen, sent his man on board, and he saw in a handsome cabin two fair young gentlewomen, one of whom lay on a cushion of cloth of gold. The mariners told him that they were going into Scotland. I hear that certain great ships were seen yesterday off the coast near Bridlington. I have sent to Scarborough to know the truth.

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Comment

The same source says that Mary arrived in Scotland on the 19th and has an amusing piece of fishwifery from just before:

Sir Richard CHOLMELEY to the EARL OF RUTLAND, Lord President in the North.
1561, August 17, Roxby. On Wednesday last I was at Scarborough, where I gave your orders to the bailiff. He says that a fortnight since a Flemish ship lay at anchor in the wick [bay] at Scarborough. Mr Herynes, a fishmonger who takes fish for the Queen, sent his man on board, and he saw in a handsome cabin two fair young gentlewomen, one of whom lay on a cushion of cloth of gold. The mariners told him that they were going into Scotland. I hear that certain great ships were seen yesterday off the coast near Bridlington. I have sent to Scarborough to know the truth.

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19 October 1775: Mayor Joseph Outram lays the first stone of Hull’s first dock and customs quay, dooming the town’s walls and commencing its great expansion

30 July 1798: The homeward-bound Greenland whaler Blenheim fights off a Royal Navy press gang in Hull harbour, killing two boarders

23 December 1689: A Danish soldier is beheaded at Beverley for killing a comrade in a duel, inspiring some doggerel

26 April 1543: Robert Rawson, warder for the crown of the misses Levening, suggests to their mother at Acklam that she may wish to purchase them from him

28 January 1069: In the first major northern battle after Hastings, Tynesiders slaughter a Norman army at Durham, whereupon William the Conqueror ravages the north

14 May 1604: One of the compensatory “northern poems” registered today by Dr John Favour, Vicar of Halifax, to celebrate the union under James of Scotland and England a year ago

25 September 1066: The Stamford Bridge massacre by Harold Godwinson’s army of Harald Hardrada and Tostig Godwinson’s force – symbol of the end of the Viking Age

26 December 1570: Edmund Grindal, Puritan archbishop of York, orders the removal of rood-lofts (and their superstitious images), and the erection of pulpits

11 July 1787: Advertisement for The Commercial and Mathematical Academy, Hull

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Comment

Browne speculates that W.M. is Writing Master.

When in 1788 the 18-year-old William Butterworth of Leeds arrived in London from the West Indies, he was offered such an education:

I had not been ship-keeper more than two or three days, when two gentlemen came on board and looked over the ship. Addressing themselves to me, they inquired if I had considered to remain on board? “I have determined, Gentlemen,” I answered, “to have nothing more to do with the sea.” ” Indeed! young man,” said one of them, “perhaps your reason against a seafaring life may be overcome by sound arguments, if we knew it.” “ To me, Sir,” said I, “it is as irksome as precarious, and, hitherto, has proved as unprofitable as unpleasant !” “That we can and will remedy,” replied the other, “if you can reconcile yourself to the life, under more auspicious circumstances, than you have as yet been placed. You are highly recommended by Captain Smith; we have a vessel intended to sail up the Mediterranean, and have waited on you to engage you, if possible, to hold a situation in that vessel, well worth your attention.”. When I pointed out the impossibility of ever soaring higher than a man before the mast, from being ignorant of the important science of navigation, I was asked if I knew the four great rules of arithmetic – addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division?” “As schoolboys generally do,” said I, “ but I have not had much practice since I left the desk.” “If you will engage with us, we will be at the expense of educating you in navigation, during the arrangement for the ship leaving England.” “I can only thank you, gentlemen,” returned I, “for your attention to my welfare; but I have resolved to return home, where I have a prospect of advancement superior to any that you can offer, at the same time that it is more congenial to my own inclination and the wishes of my friends.” Finding me inflexible, we parted; they to return ashore, whither my good wishes followed them, in return for their intended kindness to me (Butterworth 1823).

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