Calendars. 12 Dec 1307 King Edward II of England (age 23). Westminster Palace [Map]. To John de Brittania, Earl of Richmond, [keeper] of Scotland. Order to restore to Aymer de Valencia (age 32), Earl of Pembrok, his lands, etc., in the counties of Sellekyrk [Selkirkshire] and Twedale and in the forest of Sellekyrk, which he has seized into the king's hands because the men and tenants of the same had late traitoroursly adhered to Robert de Brus (age 33), the king's enemy and rebel.

Calendars. 12 Dec 1461. Westminster Palace [Map]. Grant for life to Richard Wydevill (age 56), lord of Ryvers, of the office of chief rider of the king's forest of Saucy. co Northampton, with all trees and profits, viz dry trees, dead trees, blown down, old hedges or copice-hedges, boughs fallen without date, cahettels, waifs, strays, pannage of swine, 'derefall wode', 'draenes' brushwood and brambles, prerquisites of courts, swainmote and other issues within the forest, from the time when he had he same by letters patent of Henry VI.

Chronicle of Gregory 1462. 12 Dec 1462. But within schorte tyme aftyr the said Syr Raffe Percy (age 37) by fals colysyon and treson he lete the Fraynysche men take the castelle of Bamborowe [Map] fro him nolens volo [Note. voluntarily]. As for the castelle of Anwyke [Map] alle the men of werre that were of worschip brake out of the castelle by fors and warre and rescuyd Syr Perys de Brasylle (age 52) on xij day by [v] the morne, and they that were with yn the castelle gaffe hit uppe by a-poyntement, &c.

On 12 Dec 1546 Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 73) and his son Henry Howard (age 30) were imprisoned at Tower of London [Map]. Henry was accused of having assuming the royal arms of Edward the Confessor as part of his personal heraldry; an act of treason.

Wriothesley's Chronicle 1551. 12 Dec 1551. The 12 of December at the sessions of the gayle delivery holden at Newgate, Nicholas Ballard (age 41), gentleman, which in August last past was punished for an adulterer with one Middletons wyfe, and after sent to Newegate for a rape, and after was bayled with sureties from tyme to tyme till nowe, was this day araigned for the sayd rape, which was indyted for the same, and by a jury this day found guilty of the rape, havinge great witnes for the proofe of the same rape; and after verdyte giuen against him he asked the benefyte of his booke [Note. Benefit of the Clergy], and read, and so was burnt this daye in the hand and had to the bishops convicte prison [Map].

After 12 Dec 1610. Memorial to Christopher Freeman died aged fifty-one. Brass plate with semi-kneeling figures of him, his wife, fgour sons and four daughters.

Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 05 Oct 1622. Upon Saturday, the 5th day of the said October, came my father with his family to London; and on Tuesday, the 15th day of the same month, I was admitted into the best part of my chamber, to which belonged a very fair and pleasant study; and I had a new chamber-fellow admitted into that which had formerly been my part. This gave me much content, and was a special furtherance to my studies for the time to come; beginning also myself, this term, to go to the Court of Star Chamber on Wednesdays and Fridays, in the forenoon, and to take notes of such cases as I heard there adjudged. On Monday, at night, November the 18th, after supper, our reader of New Inn, as be was accustomed in term-time, went thither to argue a case, or moot-point, with two students only of the same Temple, and I making one, performed the exercise with good success, this being the second public law-case I argued. The third being more difficult than either of the former, soon after followed, on Thursday, the 12th day of December, when I argued a like moot-point in our Middle Temple Hall, in law-French, after supper to my good content.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1661. From thence to Westminster to my Lord's house to meet my Lord Privy Seal (age 55), who appointed to seal there this afternoon, but by and by word is brought that he is come to Whitehall, and so we are fain to go thither to him, and there we staid to seal till it was so late that though I got leave to go away before he had done, yet the office was done before I could get thither, and so to Sir W. Pen's (age 40), and there sat and talked and drank with him, and so home.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1663. Up and to the office where all the morning, and among other things got Sir G. Carteret (age 53) to put his letters to Captain Taylor's bill by which I am in hopes to get £5, which joys my heart. We had this morning a great dispute between Mr. Gauden, Victualler of the Navy, and Sir J. Lawson (age 48), and the rest of the Commanders going against Argier, about their fish and keeping of Lent; which Mr. Gauden so much insists upon to have it observed, as being the only thing that makes up the loss of his dear bargain all the rest of the year.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1663. This day I heard my Lord Barkeley (age 61) tell Sir G. Carteret (age 53) that he hath letters from France that the King (age 33) hath unduked twelve Dukes, only to show his power and to crush his nobility, who he said he did see had heretofore laboured to cross him. And this my Lord Barkeley (age 61) did mightily magnify, as a sign of a brave and vigorous mind, that what he saw fit to be done he dares do.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1664. This day (to see how things are ordered in the world), I had a command from the Earle of Sandwich, at Portsmouth, Hampshire [Map], not to be forward with Mr. Cholmly (age 32) and Sir J. Lawson (age 49) about the Mole at Tangier [Map], because that what I do therein will (because of his friendship to me known) redound against him, as if I had done it upon his score. So I wrote to my Lord my mistake, and am contented to promise never to pursue it more, which goes against my mind with all my heart.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1664. Thence homeward, called at my bookseller's and bespoke some books against the year's out, and then to the 'Change [Map], and so home to dinner, and then to the office, where my Lord Brunkard (age 44) comes and reads over part of our Instructions in the Navy-and I expounded it to him, so he is become my disciple. He gone, comes Cutler to tell us that the King of France (age 26) hath forbid any canvass to be carried out of his kingdom, and I to examine went with him to the East India house to see a letter, but came too late.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1665. Up, and to the office, where my Lord Bruncker (age 45) met, and among other things did finish a contract with Cocke (age 48) for hemp, by which I hope to get my money due from him paid presently.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1665. At noon home to dinner, only eating a bit, and with much kindness taking leave of Mr. Hill (age 35) who goes away to-day, and so I by water saving the tide through Bridge [Map] and to Sir G. Downing (age 40) by appointment at Charing Crosse [Map], who did at first mightily please me with informing me thoroughly the virtue and force of this Act, and indeed it is ten times better than ever I thought could have been said of it, but when he come to impose upon me that without more ado I must get by my credit people to serve in goods and lend money upon it and none could do it better than I, and the King (age 35) should give me thanks particularly in it, and I could not get him to excuse me, but I must come to him though to no purpose on Saturday, and that he is sure I will bring him some bargains or other made upon this Act, it vexed me more than all the pleasure I took before, for I find he will be troublesome to me in it, if I will let him have as much of my time as he would have. So late I took leave and in the cold (the weather setting in cold) home to the office and, after my letters being wrote, home to supper and to bed, my wife being also gone to London.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1666. He tells me how the King (age 36) hath lately paid about £30,000¹ to clear debts of my Baroness Castlemayne's (age 26); and that she and her husband (age 32) are parted for ever, upon good terms, never to trouble one another more.

Note 1. Two thousand pounds of this sum went to Alderman Edward Bakewell (age 48) for two diamond rings, severally charged £1000 and £900, bought March 14th, 1665-66 (Second addenda to Steinman's "Memoir of the Duchess of Cleveland", privately printed, 1878, p. 4.).

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1666. They talked for certain, that now the King (age 36) do follow Mrs. Stewart (age 19) wholly, and my Baroness Castlemayne (age 26) not above once a week; that the Duke of York (age 33) do not haunt my Lady Denham (age 26) so much; that she troubles him with matters of State, being of my Lord Bristoll's (age 54) faction, and that he avoids; that she is ill still.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1667. Thence walked to my bookseller's, and there he did give me a list of the twenty who were nominated for the Commission in Parliament for the Accounts: and it is strange that of the twenty the Parliament could not think fit to choose their nine, but were fain to add three that were not in the list of the twenty, they being many of them factious people and ringleaders in the late troubles; so that Sir John Talbott did fly out and was very hot in the business of Wildman's being named, and took notice how he was entertained in the bosom of the Duke of Buckingham (age 39), a Privy-counsellor; and that it was fit to be observed by the House, and punished. The men that I know of the nine I like very well; that is, Mr. Pierrepont (age 59), Lord Brereton (age 36), and Sir William Turner (age 52); and I do think the rest are so, too; but such as will not be able to do this business as it ought to be, to do any good with. Here I did also see their votes against my Lord Chiefe Justice Keeling (age 60), that his proceedings were illegal, and that he was a contemner of Magna Charta (the great preserver of our lives, freedoms, and properties) and an introduction to arbitrary government; which is very high language, and of the same sound with that in the year 1640. I home, and there wrote my letters, and so to supper and to bed. This day my Chancellor's (age 58) letter was burned at the 'Change [Map].'

Pepy's Diary. 12 Dec 1667. Rose before day, and took coach, by daylight, and to Westminster to Sir G. Downing's (age 42), and there met Sir Stephen Fox (age 40), and thence he and I to Sir Robert Longs (age 67) to discourse the business of our orders for money, he for the guards, and I for Tangier, and were a little angry in our concerns, one against the other, but yet parted good friends, and I think I got ground by it.

Before 12 Dec 1676 Jacob Huysmans (age 43). Portrait of John Middleton 1st Earl Middleton.

Before 12 Dec 1676 Jacob Huysmans (age 43). Portrait of William Morice (age 74).

Evelyn's Diary. 12 Dec 1680. This evening, looking out of my chamber window toward the west, I saw a meteor of an obscure bright color, very much in shape like the blade of a sword, the rest of the sky very serene and clear. What this may portend, God only knows; but such another phenomenon I remember to have seen in 1640, about the trial of the great Earl of Strafford, preceding our bloody Rebellion. I pray God avert his judgments! We have had of late several comets, which though I believe appear from natural causes, and of themselves operate not, yet I cannot despise them. They may be warnings from God, as they commonly are forerunners of his animadversions. After many days and nights of snow, cloudy and dark weather, the comet was very much wasted.

Roger Whitley's Diary. 12 Dec 1690. Friday, I went to Kensington with Mainwaring, Bidolph & my sonne (age 39); kissed the King's hand in the Bedchamber; dined (with them) at the Blew Posts, Bidolph & I went at night to Wood, then to Swinfen, then home past 7; a man came (in the morning) from Howard about Manley's money.

On 12 Dec 1799 John Stuart 1st Marquis of the Isle of Bute (age 55) was appointed Fellow of the Royal Society.

Greville Memoirs. 12 Dec 1830. In the meantime the Government is going on what is called well—that is, there is a great disposition to give them a fair trial. All they have done and promise to do about economy gives satisfaction, and Reform (the awful question) is still at a distance. There has been, however, some sharp skirmishing in the course of the week, and there is no want of bitterness and watchfulness on the part of the old Government. In the Committee which has been named to enquire into the salaries of the Parliamentary offices they mean to leave the question in the hands of the country gentlemen; but they do not think any great reductions will be practicable, and as Baring (age 56) is chairman it is not probable that much will be done. They think Brougham speaks too often in the House of Lords, but he has done very well there; and on Friday he made a reply to Lord Stanhope, which was the most beautiful piece of sarcasm and complete cutting-up (though with very good humour) that ever was heard, and an exhibition to the like of which the Lords have not been accustomed. The Duke of Wellington made another imprudent speech, in which (in answer to Lord Radnor, who attributed the state of the country to the late Government) he said that it was attributable to the events of July and August in other countries, and spoke of them in a way which showed clearly his real opinion and feelings on the subject.

Greville Memoirs. 12 Dec 1830. After some delay Lord Lansdowne made up his mind to fill up the vacancy in my office, and to give it to William Bathurst (age 39); but he first spoke to the King, who said it was very true he had told Lord Bathurst (age 68) that his son should have it, but that he now left the matter entirely to his decision, showing no anxiety to have William Bathurst (age 39) appointed. However, he has it, but reduced to £1,200 a year. I was agreeably surprised yesterday by a communication from Lord Lansdowne that he thought no alteration could be made in my emoluments, and that he was quite prepared to defend them if anybody attacked them. Still, though it is a very good thing to be so supported, I don't consider myself safe from Parliamentary assaults. In these times it will not do to be idle, and I told Lord Lansdowne that I was anxious to keep my emoluments, but ready to work for them, and proposed that we Clerks of the Council should be called upon to act really at the Board of Trade, as we are, in fact, bound to do; by which means Lack's place when vacant need not be filled up, and a saving would be made. My predecessors Cottrell and Fawkener always acted, their successors Bailer and Chetwynd were incompetent, and Lack, the Chancellor's Clerk, was made Assistant-Secretary, and did the work. Huskisson and Hume, his director, made the business a science; new Presidents and Vice-Presidents succeeded one another in different Ministerial revolutions; they and Lack were incompetent, and Hume was made Assistant-Secretary, and it is he who advises, directs, legislates. I believe he is one of the ablest practical men who have ever served, more like an American statesman than an English official. I am anxious to begin my Trade education under him.

The Diary of George Price Boyce 1855-1857. 12 Dec 1857. Went down to Burges (age 30). Miss Cook (of 18 Clipstone St.) was sitting to him for the figure in his fountain?