Henry Machyn's Diary. After 24 May 1560. The .. day of May [was buried mistress Allen (deceased) the] wyff of master Wylliam Allen (age 45) altherman and lethers[eller; and] she ded in chyld-bed, and ther wher mony morners in blake, and the masters of the hospetalle with ther gren stayffes; and he gayff to pore women (blank) gownes ... when the compeny of ys craftes and the compene of [the Clerks,] and after to ys plase, and ther spyse-bred and wyne.

Note. P. 235. Funeral of mistress Allen. At St. Leonard's Fish street hill [Map] was this inscription: "Here under this stone lieth Joane wife of William Allyn citizen and alderman, who died in childbed of her 9th child the 22. of May 1560." (MS. Lansd. 874, f. 10b.) Sir William Allen (for he was afterwards knighted) was the son of William Allen, citizen and poulterer of London; was sheriff 1562–3, lord mayor 1571–2. "He was at first free of the Leathersellers, afterwards a Mercer. And dwelled when he was sheriff in Bow-lane; when he was maior, in Tower-strete. But buried at St. Botulphes without Bishopsgate, in which parish he was borne." Arms, Per fess sable and argent, a pale engrailed counterchanged, and three talbots passant of the second, collared gules. (List by Wm. Smith, Rouge-dragon.)

Henry Machyn's Diary. 01 Jul 1562. The furst day of July was the Marchand-tayllers' fest, and dynyd my lord mare (age 66), the yerle of Sussex (age 37), the yerle of Kyldare (age 37), ser (blank) Stanley, and ser Thomas Whytt, ser Thomas Offeley (age 62) and master Ro .., ser Wyllyam Huett, ser Marten Bowes (age 65), master Cowper, master Allen, master Gyl[bert,] master Chamburlayn altherman, master Champyon, master Avenon, master Malere, and master Baskerfeld, and the master and the iiij wardens and the clarkes and the bedyll of the Skynnars, and mony worshephull men, and mony lades and gentyllwomen, and they had agaynst the dynner iijxx and (blank) bukes [bucks] and iiij stages; and master Wylliam Allen (age 47) electyd shreyff for the quen, and master Whettelle the master, and master Raff Whytt hed warden and master Mar .. and master serjant Halle and master Browne wardens; and master Garter (age 52) and master Clarenshux (age 52) dynyd there.

Note. P. 287. The Skinners attend the Merchant-taylors' feast. In the 1st Rich. III. a dispute for precedency between the Skinners and Merchant-taylors was determined by agreement that either should take precedence in alternate years, and that the master and wardens of each should dine with the other company on their respective feasts of Corpus Christi and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. See the ordinance effecting this arrangement in Herbert's Twelve City Companies, vol. ii. p. 319; and see remarks by the present writer in Archæologia, vol. xxx. p. 500.

In 1571 William Allen (age 56) was elected Lord Mayor of London.