About this time the Kings Majesty calling his high court of parliament, held the same at Westminster the three and twentith day of January, in this fifth yeaer of his reign, and there continued it, until the fifteenth day of April in the sixth yeare of his said reign. In this parliament the Book of Common Prayer, which in some part had been corrected and amended, was newly confirmed and established. In the end of this parliament, namely the fifteenth of April the infectious sweating sicknesse began at Shrewsbury, which ended not in the north part of England until the end of September. In this space what number died, it cannot be well accounted: but certeine it is, that in London in few day nine hundred and sixtie gave up the ghost. It began in London the ninth of July, and the twelfth of July it was most vehement which was so terrible, that people being in best helth, were suddenly taken, and dead in four and twenty hours, and twelve, or less, for lacke of skill in guiding them in their sweat. And it is to be noted, that this mortality fell chiefly or rather upon men, and those also of the best age, as between thirty & forty yeers. The speedy riddance of life procured by this sickness, did so terrify people of all sorts, that such as could make shift, either with money or friendship, changed their soil, and leaving places of concourse, betook them (for the time) to abodes, though not altogether solitary, yet less frequented: to conclude, manifold means were made for safety of life. The first week died in London eight hundred persons.

The manner of this sweat was such, that if men did take any cold outwardly, it stroke the sweat in, and immediatly killed them. If they were suffered to sleep, commonly they swooned in their sleep and departed, or else died immidiatly upon their waking. But the way to escape danger was close keeping moderatly with some air and a little drink, and the same to be posset-ale, and so to keep them thirty houres, and then was the danger past; but beware of sudden cold. Before men had learned the manner of keeping, an infinite number perished. This disease at that time followed Englishmen and none other nation; for in Antwerpe and other countries, our Englishmen being there amongst diverse other nations, only our Englishmen were sick thereof, and none other persons. The consideration of which thing made this nation much afraid thereof, who for the time began to repent and give alms, and to remember God from whom that plague might well seem to be sent among us. But as the disease in time ceased, so our devotion in short time decayed. At this time also the King with the advise of his privy councel, and having also great conference with merchants and others, perceiving that by such coins and copper monies, as had beene coined in the time of the King his father, and now were commonly current in the realm; and indeed a great number of them not worth half the value that they were current at, to the great dishonor of the Kings Maiesty and the realm, and to the deceit and no little hinderance of all the kings maiesties good subiects, did now purpose not only the abasing of the said copper moneys, but also meant wholly to reduce them into bullion, to the intent to deliver fine and good monies for them. And therefore in the month of July by his graces proclamation, he abased the piece of twelve pence, commonly called a teston unto nine pence, and the piece of four pence unto three pence. And in August next following, the piece of nine pence was abased to six pence, and the piece of three pence unto two pence, and the pennie to an half-pennie.