•
1620 • 27 April – treaty with Spain arranges marriage between the
Prince of Wales and Infanta
Maria Anna of Spain in return for relaxation of laws concerning
Roman Catholics. • 15 July – the armed merchant ship
Mayflower embarks about 65 emigrants for New England at or near her home port of
Rotherhithe on the Thames east of London. • c. 19 July – the
Mayflower anchors in
Southampton Water to rendezvous with the
Speedwell which on 22 July (1 August
NS) sets out from
Delfshaven carrying English separatist
Puritans from
Leiden, arriving on 26 July. On or about 5 August the ships set sail, but the
Speedwell is found to be leaking. She carries 41 "saints" (English separatists largely from Holland), 40 "strangers" (largely secular planters from London), 23 servants and hired workers, and c. 30 crew. • Publication of
Novum Organum by
Francis Bacon. •
Cornelius Drebbel demonstrates the first navigable
submarine in the
River Thames; his third is first demonstrated on 12 September 1624. • A severe frost freezes the Thames. •
1621 • 16 January – the
Parliament of England sits for the first time since 1614. • 3 May – Francis Bacon is imprisoned in the
Tower of London on charges of corruption; he is pardoned by King
James I later in the year. • 24 July – while hunting at
Bramshill,
George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury, accidentally kills a keeper with his crossbow. •
Robert Burton publishes his treatise
The Anatomy of Melancholy. •
1622 • 6 January (probably) – the
Banqueting House, Whitehall, is opened with a performance of
Ben Jonson's
The Masque of Augurs designed by the building's architect,
Inigo Jones. • 7 January –
John Pym arrested for criticizing the King in Parliament. •
William Burton's
Description of Leicester Shire published. • Second part of
Michael Drayton's
Poly-Olbion published. •
1623 • February –
Amboyna massacre: English East India Company traders killed by agents of the
Dutch East India Company. • Between 8 November and 5 December – publication in London of the "
First Folio" (
Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies), a collection of 36 of the plays of
Shakespeare (d.
1616), half of which have not previously been printed. • 12 December – treaty with
France arranges the marriage of the Prince of Wales to Princess
Henrietta Maria of France. •
The Latymer School and
Latymer Upper School in London are founded by the bequest of
Edward Latymer. • The 15-arch
Berwick Bridge by James Burrell is opened to traffic. •
1625 • 27 March – Prince Charles Stuart becomes King
Charles I of England upon the death of his father, James I, at
Theobalds House. • 7 September –
Treaty of Southampton makes an alliance between England and the
Dutch Republic against
Spain. • 8 October –
Cádiz expedition: Admiral
George Villiers' fleet sails from
Plymouth for
Cádiz. • 1–7 November – Cádiz expedition: English forces are decisively defeated by the Spanish and the expedition is abandoned. • A
house of correction is established at
Shepton Mallet in Somerset; it will still be functioning as
HM Prison Shepton Mallet until 2013. •
1626 • 2 February – Coronation of King Charles I (but not the Queen) in
Westminster Abbey. • 6 February – Parliament meets, and refuses to grant funds to King Charles without redress of various grievances. •
Cornelius Vermuyden appointed by the King to drain
Hatfield Chase. •
Spa waters found at
Scarborough, North Yorkshire, by Mrs Thomasin Farrer. •
Little Gidding community formed by
Nicholas Ferrar and his family. •
1627 , built in 1627. • January – French ships are seized in the
English Channel, resulting in an undeclared war with
France. •
Pitstone Windmill in Buckinghamshire known to exist; it will survive into the 21st century. •
Francis Bacon's
New Atlantis published posthumously. • 17 March – Charles I reconvenes Parliament.
Oliver Cromwell becomes an MP for the first time. • 2 March – Parliament criticises Archbishop
William Laud's religious reforms. • March –
Maldon grain riots begin: people in Essex led by "Captain"
Ann Carter protest against food prices. The local magistracy lowers the corn price but the ringleader is executed. ==Births==