In Nov 1580 Edward Denny (age 33) led a company at Smerwick, County Kerry during the Siege of Smerwick. Walter Raleigh (age 26) was present at Smerwick. Arthur Grey 14th Baron Grey of Wilton (age 44) laid siege to the Smerwick garrison at Smerwick, County Kerry during the Siege of Smerwick.

The Papal commander parleyed and was bribed, and the defenders surrendered within a few days. The officers were spared, but the other ranks were then summarily executed on the orders of the English commander, Arthur Grey 14th Baron Grey of Wilton (age 44).

22 Aug 1582. The Raid of Ruthven was a plot by several nobles led by William Ruthven 1st Earl Gowrie (age 39) to kidnap the fifteen years old King James VI of Scotland (age 16), son of Mary Queen of Scots (age 39), (before he became King of England) to reform the government of Scotland.

The nobles included John Erskine 19th Earl Mar (age 20), Thomas Lyon Master of Glamis, Robert Boyd 5th Lord Boyd (age 65), Patrick Lindsay 6th Lord Lindsay of the Byres (age 61), and David Erskine Commendator of Dryburgh.

They were opposed by Esme Stewart 1st Duke Lennox (age 40) and James Stewart 1st Earl Arran who controlled the government.

King James VI of Scotland (age 16) was captured whilst hunting near Ruthven Castle.

The rebels were joined by Francis Stewart 5th Earl Bothwell (age 19) and James Cunningham 7th Earl Glencairn (age 30).

Esme Stewart 1st Duke Lennox (age 40) was exiled; he died a year later in Paris. James Stewart 1st Earl Arran was imprisoned.

In Jul 1583 the King (age 17) gained his freedom after nearly a year of being imprisoned. Most of the rebels appear to have been pardoned except William Ruthven 1st Earl Gowrie (age 40) who continued to plot against the King.

Robert Douglas Master of Morton and his brother-in-law Laurence Oliphant Master of Oliphant were exiled.

After 20 Dec 1583 the heads of John Somerville (deceased) and Edward Arden (deceased) were set on London Bridge [Map] next to the head of the Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond (deceased).

On 06 Jul 1586 Anthony Babington (age 24) wrote to Mary Queen of Scots (age 43), telling her that he and a group of friends were planning to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 52).

On 04 Aug 1586 John Ballard was arrested and, under torture, he confessd and implicated Anthony Babington (age 24).

After 04 Aug 1586 Christopher Wray (age 62) passed sentence of death on those implicated.

On 22 Sep 1586 Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester (age 22) fought at the Battle of Zutphen. William Russell 1st Baron Russell (age 26) distinguished himself being noted for maintaining an effective fighting force in difficult circumstances.

Before 14 Oct 1586 Walter Mildmay (age 65) went to Fotheringay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map] to inform Mary Queen of Scots (age 43) of her forthcoming trial in which he subsequently took part as one of the special commissioners.

On 14 Oct 1586 Henry Compton 1st Baron Compton (age 42), Lewis Mordaunt 3rd Baron Mordaunt (age 48), Henry Wentworth 3rd Baron Wentworth (age 28), Christopher Wray (age 62), John Stourton 9th Baron Stourton (age 33) and Edward Zouche 11th Baron Zouche Harringworth (age 30) sat in judgement on Mary Queen of Scots (age 43) in the Presence Chamber of Fotheringay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map].

Anthony Browne 1st Viscount Montagu (age 57), George Clifford 3rd Earl of Cumberland (age 28), Henry Clinton 2nd Earl Lincoln (age 45), Henry Grey 6th Earl Kent (age 45), Edward Manners 3rd Earl of Rutland (age 37), Henry Stanley 4th Earl of Derby (age 55), Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 56), George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 58), Edward de Vere 17th Earl of Oxford (age 36), William Somerset 3rd Earl of Worcester (age 60), William Cecil 1st Baron Burghley (age 66), Henry Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 48) and Thomas Bromley (age 56) were present on the side of the Presence Chamber of Fotheringay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map].

John St John 2nd Baron St John (age 51) was present on the left side of the Presence Chamber of Fotheringay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map].

John Stourton 9th Baron Stourton (age 33) was a juror.

Edward Manners 3rd Earl of Rutland (age 37) was a commissioner.

On 25 Oct 1586 Mary Queen of Scots (age 43) was convicted and sentenced to death. Only Edward Zouche 11th Baron Zouche Harringworth (age 30) offered any dissent against the judgement.

On 12 Apr 1587 an English fleet commanded by Francis Drake (age 47) left Plymouth, Devon [Map].

On 29 Apr 1587 the English fleet commanded by Francis Drake (age 47) entered the Bay of Cádiz Spain in the evening to discover sixty Spanish and twenty French ships. The Spanish ships, under the command of Pedro de Acuña, sailed out to meet the English fleet but were forced to retire back to Cadiz before the superiority of the English. Gun positions on the shore opened fire, shelling the English fleet from the coast with little effect. During the night of the 29th and all the following day and night the battle raged in the bay. At dawn on 1 May, the English withdrew having destroyed around thirty-two Spanish ships, with a combined capacity of 10,000 tons, and captured four other ships, laden with provisions.

On 08 Jun 1587 the English fleet commanded by Francis Drake (age 47) sighted a Portuguese carrack, the São Filipe, twenty leagues from the Island of São Miguel, returning from the Indies laden with treasure. After a brief exchange of fire it was captured, the first ship to be so on the return run from the Indies. Its enormous fortune of gold, spices, and silk was valued at £108,000 (of which 10% was to go to Francis Drake (age 47)); the fleet returned to England, arriving on 06 July 1587. The expedition led by Francis Drake (age 47) was a resounding military success: over one hundred Spanish vessels of different tonnages were destroyed or captured during the expedition. Economic and material losses caused to the Spanish fleet by the English attack ensured that Spanish plans for the invasion of England had to be postponed for over a year. It was not until Aug 1588 that the Armada was ready to leave for the British Isles.

On 25 Jul 1588 Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 26) was captain of the Golden Lion in the attack on the Spanish Armada.

On 26 Jul 1588 Roger Townshend (age 44) was knighted.

On 14 Apr 1589 Philip Howard 20th Earl of Arundel (age 31) was condemned to death. He was attainted and his titles Earl Arundel Sussex, Earl Surrey, Baron Maltravers and Baron Arundel forfeit. Elizabeth I never signed the death warrant; Howard was never told. Henry Stanley 4th Earl of Derby (age 57) was present.

On 18 Apr 1589 Christopher Wray (age 65) acted as judge during the Trial of Philip Earl of Arundel.

On 02 Aug 1591 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 57) left at Nonsuch Palace [Map] to commence her Royal Progress. She travelled south to Mansion House Leatherhead, Surrey [Map]; the home of Edmund Tilney (age 55).

After 02 Aug 1591 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 57) arrived at East Horsley, Surrey [Map] where she stayed with Thomas Cornwallis 1518-1604.

On 15 Aug 1591 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 57) arrived at Cowdray House [Map] the home of Anthony Browne 1st Viscount Montagu (age 62) and Magdalen Dacre Viscountess Montague (age 53). She was welcomed by a breakfast for some 300 guests. George Browne (age 36) was knighted. Henry Browne organised the hunting. Elizabeth stayed until the 21 Aug 1591.

On 22 Aug 1591 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 57) arrived in Chichester [Map] as a guest of John Lumley 1st Baron Lumley (age 58).

After 22 Aug 1591 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 57) arrived in Titchfield, Hampshire [Map] as a guest of Henry Wriothesley 2nd Earl of Southampton.

On 22 Oct 1591 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 58) arrived in Elvetham Hall, Hampshire [Map] where she was entertained in magnificent style by Edward Seymour 1st Earl Hertford (age 52).

On 26 Oct 1591 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 58) arrived in Oatlands Palace, Surrey [Map].

On 23 Apr 1593 Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 59) created three new Garter Knights ...

380th Thomas Burgh 9th Baron Cobham 7th Baron Strabolgi 3rd Baron Burgh (age 35).

381st Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave (age 27).

382nd Francis Knollys (age 81).

Pepy's Diary. 24 Dec 1662. This evening Mr. Gauden sent me, against Christmas, a great chine of beef and three dozen of tongues. I did give 5s. to the man that brought it, and half-a-crown to the porters. This day also the parish-clerk brought the general bill of mortality, which cost me half-a-crown more¹.

Note 1. The Bills of Mortality for London were first compiled by order of Thomas Cromwell about 1538, and the keeping of them was commenced by the Company of Parish Clerks in the great plague year of 1593. The bills were issued weekly from 1603. The charter of the Parish Clerks' Company (1611) directs that "each parish clerk shall bring to the Clerks' Hall weekly a note of all christenings and burials". Charles I in 1636 granted permission to the Parish Clerks to have a printing press and employ a printer in their hall for the purpose of printing their weekly bills.

On 03 Oct 1594 Archibald Campbell 7th Earl Argyll (age 19) commanded during the Battle of Glenlivet.

On 13 Jun 1596 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 30) departed from Plymouth, Devon [Map] with a fleet of 150 English and Dutch ships divided into four squads with 6,360 private soldiers, 1,000 English volunteers, and 6,772 sailors.

Charles Howard 1st Earl Nottingham (age 60) was admiral in command. Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 30) commanded the land forces. Edward Conway 1st Viscount Conway (age 32) commanded a foot Regiment.

Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 34), Walter Raleigh (age 42), Francis de Vere (age 35) each commanded a squadron.

Anthony Ashley 1st Baronet (age 35) represented Queen Elizabeth (age 62).

Toby Caulfeild 1st Baron Caulfeild (age 30) was present.

On 27 Jun 1596 William Hervey 1st Baron Hervey (age 31) was knighted at Cádiz by Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 30) at the Sack of Cádiz.

On 29 Jun 1596 the fleet arrived in Cádiz Spain. In the Bay of Cádiz some 40 Spanish ships, ranging from galleys to galleons, as well as 16 other vessels from the Spanish convoy, which were disarmed and ready to depart for the West Indies. These unarmed vessels immediately fled to Puerto Real for refuge.

On 30 Jun 1596 at two in the morning the Anglo-Dutch fleet could be seen from Cádiz Spain, but it could not enter the bay due to bad weather. At five o'clock in the morning, both sides commenced an intense artillery barrage. After two hours, the Spanish fleet, outnumbered by the English, had to retreat to the interior of the bay. In the fray, the Spanish galleons San Andrés and San Mateo were captured, while the San Felipe and Santo Tomás sank, set fire by their captains in the face of possible capture by the Anglo-Dutch forces. They entered the bay at eight o'clock in the morning.

On 14 Jul 1596 the English burned Cádiz and the next day they left the bay, taking the hostages with them since the Spanish authorities had not been able to pay the ransom. The sacking of Cádiz in 1596 was one of the worst Spanish defeats in the course of the war, together with the attack on Cádiz of 1587 and the loss of the Armada in 1588. The economic losses produced by the Earl of Essex's expedition against the city and the anchored fleet in the port, estimated at 5 million ducats,contributed to the bankruptcy of the royal treasury that same year. The city of Cádiz remained devastated; in addition to the churches and hospitals, 290 out of a total of 1,303 houses burned.

Robert Radclyffe 5th Earl of Sussex (age 23) was knighted by Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 30) for the taking of Cadiz.

Governor Thomas Gates was knighted by Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 30) for his bravery.

In 1596 William Segar (age 42) accompanied Gilbert Talbot 7th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 43) on his trip to invest Henry IV King France (age 42) with the Order of the Garter.

On 24 Sep 1599 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 33) sailed from Ireland reaching London four days later.

On 28 Sep 1599 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 33) presented himself to Elizabeth (age 66) in her bedchamber at Nonsuch Palace [Map] where he found the queen newly up, the hair about her face. Elizabeth had just a simple robe over her nightdress, her wrinkled skin was free of cosmetics and, without her wig. Essex saw her bald head with just wisps of thinning grey hair 'hanging about her ears'. The Queen confined the Earl to his rooms with the comment that "an unruly beast must be stopped of his provender.".

On 29 Sep 1599 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 33) was compelled to stand before the Council during a five-hour interrogation. The Council, which included his uncle William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury (age 55), took a quarter of an hour to compile a report, which declared that his truce with O'Neill was indefensible and his flight from Ireland tantamount to a desertion of duty. He was committed to the custody of Sir Richard Berkeley (age 68) in his own York House [Map] on 1 October.