Henry Machyn facts for kids

Henry Machyn (born around 1496 or 1498 – died 1563) was an English cloth seller and a person who kept a detailed diary in London during the 1500s. He lived during a very interesting and sometimes difficult time in England's history. His diary gives us a special look into daily life and big events from long ago.

Machyn's Amazing Diary

Henry Machyn wrote his diary, which he called a Chronicle, between 1550 and 1563. This diary is like a news report from the past. It mostly talks about important public events. These included changes in who was king or queen, visits by important people, and big celebrations. He also wrote about public gatherings and other major happenings in London.

Life in Turbulent Times

Machyn wrote his diary during a very busy time in England. This period saw big changes in religion. King Henry VIII started the English Reformation, which changed the main religion from Catholicism to Protestantism. His son, Edward VI, continued these changes.

Then, Queen Mary I of England became ruler. She brought back Catholicism. During her rule, people who held different religious beliefs sometimes faced serious consequences. Machyn seemed to be Catholic himself. We can guess this because he wrote with excitement about moving the remains of Edward the Confessor in 1557.

Important Events Recorded

Machyn's diary also mentions the short time that Lady Jane Grey was queen. He carefully noted the dangers of supporting the wrong side in these power struggles. In 1561, he shared some false information about a Protestant preacher named John Véron. For this, he had to apologize publicly at a place called Paul's Cross. Machyn's diary stops in 1563, which is likely when he passed away.

What We Know About Henry

Henry Machyn sold items needed for funerals. This explains why his diary has so many detailed descriptions of funerals in London. He wrote about who attended and what happened at these events.

We don't know much about Machyn himself. He rarely wrote about his own life in his diary. He only mentioned his age twice. He said he was 56 in 1554 and 66 in 1562.

A Glimpse into Old English

Machyn's diary is also special because of how he spelled words. In his time, there wasn't one "correct" way to spell everything. His unique spelling gives us clues about how people spoke English back then. It helps us understand the different ways English was pronounced in the 1500s.