A, D. 1593- 203 



That one dwelling-houfe, either in London or in Weflminfter, fliould 

 not be converted into more. Ill) That no inmates or underfitters (hould 

 be in the places aforefaid. IV) That commons or wafte grounds lying 

 within three miles of London ihould not be inclofed. And thereto was 

 added, V) That the length of a ftatute mile for the future fhould be 

 eight furlongs, each furlong containing forty poles or perches, and every 

 pole to contain iixteen feet and a half in length ; fo that an Englilh mile 

 was hereby to contain 1760 yards in length. [;^^ E/iz. c. 6.] 



We may here obferve, that as this law was doubtlefs made by the in- 

 fluence of the landholders, with a view to prevent their people from 

 leaving the country to fettle in London, which made their rents fall, for 

 want of a fufficient demand (as they then imagined) for provifions, &c. 

 in their refpedive countries ; the landed gentlemen in our days under- 

 ftand their true intereft much better, and therefor have forborn fuch 

 fort of complaints, although the fuburbs of London be at leaf! four 

 times as large as they were then ; fince it is certain, that people from 

 the country fettling in London can afford to ufe and confume confider- 

 ably more in quantity, and better in quality, of the provifions, manu- 

 factures, &c. produced in the country, than the fame number of people 

 could have done, had they remained there. 



Queen Elizabeth gave a commiflion to the enterprifing George Clif- 

 ford, earl of Cumberland, for fitting out any number of fhips of war 

 by him and his affociates, not exceeding fix, at his and their expenfe, 

 for annoying the dominions of Spain, or of any others not in amity 

 with her ; and fhe granted them the ufe of two of her own fliips of war, 

 to be vidiualled and manned at their expenfe, to join their own fhips. 

 The fpoils fhe empowers the earl to divide amongfl: the liibfcribers to 

 the expedition. 



This fquadron, confi fling of eleven fliips, was deflined to intercept 

 the Portuguefe carracks bound to Eafl-India ; but failing of that, he 

 went and facked the ille of Lancerota, one of the Canary ifles. From 

 thence he failed to the Weft-Indies, and took the town of Porto Rico, 

 with an intent to fettle at it, and to make it the principal ftation for his 

 future enterprifes againft the Spaniards in thofe parts. He therefor 

 turned out all its inhabitants ; but by difeafes there he loft 700 men in 

 forty days, whereupon he returned home with lefs booty than glory. 



The plague being now in the city of London, the queen ifllied a pro- 

 clamation, which fhews the antient greatnefs of Bartholomew fair in 

 that city, though now dwindled nito nothing, in fubftance as follows . 

 Whereas the licknefs is in fundry places in and about London ; to pre- 

 veiit its being communicated to other parts of the realm, fhe exprelsly 

 prohibits the keeping of Bartholomew fair, there being wont to be a 

 general refort of all kinds of people out of every part of the realm to 

 it ; therefor there fhould not be any market kept in the ufual place of 

 3. C c 2 



