1518. After this great triumph, the king appointed his guests for his pastime this summer ; but suddeny there came a plague of sickenesse, called the sweating sickenesse, that turned all his purpose.

This malady was so cruel, that it killed some within three hours, some within two hours, some merrie at dinner, and dead at supper. Many died in the kings court, the Lord Clinton, the Lord Grey of Wilton, and many knights, gentlemen, and officers. For this plague Michaelmass term was adjourned. And because that this malady continued from Julie to the middle of December, the king kept himself ever with a small company, and held no solemn Christmass, willing to have no resort for fear of infection: but much lamenteble number of his people, for in some one town half the people died, and in some other town the third part, the sweat was so feruent and infectious. [By the extremity whereof, and the multitudes with such suddenness and present mortality dropping away: it should seem that they little remembered, or at leastwise neglected the preseruative remedie used in the first great sweating sickeness in King Henry the Seventh's time, whereby as then many a mans life was saved, so now the like benefit (by applyng of the same wholesome means) might have redounded to the patients.]