Yorkshire Almanac As the First English Civil War draws to a close, Mrs Eyre rages at Mr for criticising her clothes

8 June 1646: As the First English Civil War draws to a close, Mrs Eyre rages at Mr for criticising her clothes

Henry James Morehouse, Ed. 1877. The Journal or Diary of Captain Adam Eyre of Haslehead. Huddersfield: Parkin. Get it:

Unedited excerpt

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

This morn my wife began after her old manner to brawl and revile me for wishing her only to wear such apparel as was decent and comely and accused me of treading on her sore foot with curses and oaths; which to my knowledge I touched not, nevertheless she continued in that ecstasy till noon.

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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

Via Arthur Ponsonby, who has more excerpts, including this New Year’s resolution seven months later, which indicates that his wife, if guilty of anything, was not the only party at fault:

January 1. This morn I used some words of persuasion to my wife to forbear to tell me of what is past and promised her to become a good husband to her for ye time to come and she promised me likewise she would do what I wished her in anything save in setting her hand to papers; and I promised her never to wish her thereunto (Ponsonby 1923).

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Comment

Via Arthur Ponsonby, who has more excerpts, including this New Year’s resolution seven months later, which indicates that his wife, if guilty of anything, was not the only party at fault:

January 1. This morn I used some words of persuasion to my wife to forbear to tell me of what is past and promised her to become a good husband to her for ye time to come and she promised me likewise she would do what I wished her in anything save in setting her hand to papers; and I promised her never to wish her thereunto (Ponsonby 1923).

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23 January 1643: Thomas Fairfax, the Rider of the White Horse, captures Leeds from the Beast with the help of Psalm 68

3 July 1643: The Royalists take Bradford after the Second Siege, but are warned off massacring the inhabitants by a ghost

1 November 1643: Sam Priestley of Soyland (22) saves a Royalist enemy from drowning in Hebden Water at the Battle of Heptonstall, and himself dies later of pneumonia

25 April 1668: Susannah Eyre rewards curious neighbours in her will

28 December 1642: Four months into the Civil War, the Puritan John Shawe of Rotherham preaches iconoclasm at St. Mary’s, Beverley

18 December 1642: “Bradford quarter” is given to a Royalist besieger during the First Siege

18 March 1647: Penistone Puritans request the Committee for Plundered Ministers to remove their vicar, Christopher Dickinson, “a man of scandalous life and conversation”

15 October 1645: Unable to distinguish Cavaliers from Roundheads, Lord Digby’s victorious Royalist army flees the battlefield at Sherburn in Elmet and is destroyed

23 April 1642: Having promised parliament to safeguard for it Hull’s crucial arsenal, John Hotham tells it how today he shut the gates of Hull to Charles I

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Comment

The best account I’ve read is Anna Maria Wilhelmina Stirling’s (Stirling 1918), which includes a delightful detail: “family tradition further asserts that he caused refreshments to be lowered from the walls of the town to the King and his attendants.” Perhaps it is a wry response to the king’s talk in March of starving the town:

The Earl of Holland … was appointed at that time to disband the army that had lately been raised against the Scots and was then with the army near Doncaster, and I there in attendance on him, to whom in the head of the army there, the King in his journey towards York came and dined at Doncaster, at the lady Carlingford’s house, and at dinner asked Sir Thomas Glenham, who had lately been governor of Hull, and whom I stood next unto: “Cannot I,” said the King, “starve Hull: I am told,” said he, “I can take their fresh water from them;” (this was before any wars were begun), to whom Sir Thomas answered “Your Majesty is misinformed; for though you may cut off from them the fresh spring that runs to Hull, yet the very haven is fresh at low-water, and every man can dig water at his door;” and said, “they cannot bury a corpse there, but the grave first drowns him ere it buries him” (Shawe 1824).

Images: see also Wenceslaus Hollar’s 1640ish plan of Hull, and his Magna Britannia Divisa.

Rushworth:

His Majesty continuing his Residence at York, on the 22d. of April 1642, there came to Hull the Duke of York, the Prince Elector, the Earl of Newport, the Lord Willoughby, and some other persons of honour with their attendants to see the town, who were respectfully entertained by the Major and the Governor, who spending that day in viewing the beauty and strength of the place, were invited to a banquet by the Major, and to dinner by the Governor the next day (being St. George’s Day;) but a little before dinner time [on the 23rd], Sir John Hotham, being busy in his entertainment of their Highnesses, entrance into was suddenly saluted by Sir Lewis Dives with a message from His Majesty, that he also intended to dine with him that day, being then within four miles of Hull with three hundred horse and upwards, whereat being startled for the present, he consulted with Master Pelham, a Member of the House, and Alderman of Hull, and with some others what to do, whereupon, a messenger was thought fit to be forthwith sent to His Majesty, humbly to beseech him to forbear to come, forasmuch as he could not without betraying the trust committed to him, set open the gates to so great a guard as he came attended withal; upon the return of the messenger, who certified concerning the King’s advance towards the town, he drew up the bridge, and shut the gates, and commanded the soldiers to stand to their arms round about the walls.

About eleven of the clock His Majesty with his attendants came to the gate of the town called Beverly Gate, where calling for Sir John Hotham, he commanded the gate to be opened; whose frequent answer, to that reiterated command was, that he was intrusted by the Parliament, for the securing of the town for His Majesty’s honour, and the Kingdom’s use, which he intended by God’s help to do; and herein he desired His Majesty not to misinterpret his action, protesting his loyalty, and proffering that if His Majesty would be pleased with the Prince and twelve more to come in, he should be very welcome, otherwise he could not, without betraying his trust to the state, admit entrance to so great a guard. But His Majesty refusing to enter without his whole train, about one of the clock the Duke and the Prince Elector with their attendants, went forth to His Majesty, who departed not from the gates till four of the clock. During all which time not the least disturbance was offered to Sir John Hotham or his soldiers, from the townsmen, although they exceeded their numbers, but rather encouragement and offers of assistance, if need should require. About five of the clock, having given to Sir John Hotham one hour to consider what he did, His Majesty returned to the gate, and receiving the same answer as before, he commanded Sir John Hotham to be proclaimed traitor by two heralds at arms, and then retreated to Beverly six miles off, where he lodged that night. And the next morning sent again an herald and some others with conditions of pardon, if yet he would open the gates: But the same answer being returned as before, His Majesty advanced forwards towards York (Rushworth 1692).

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