"It is worthy of observation, that every year, upon St. Bartholomew's Day, when the fair is held, it is usual for the mayor, attended by the twelve principal aldermen, to walk in a neighbouring field, dressed in his scarlet gown, and about his neck a golden chain, to which is hung a golden fleece, {6} and besides, that particular ornament {7} which distinguishes the most noble order of the garter. During the year of his magistracy, he is obliged to live so magnificently, that foreigner or native, without any expense, is free, if he can find a chair empty, to dine at his table, where there is always the greatest plenty. When the mayor goes out of the precincts of the city, a sceptre, a sword, and a cap, are borne before him, and he is followed by the principal aldermen in scarlet gowns, with gold chains; himself and they on horseback. Upon their arrival at a place appointed for that purpose, where a tent is pitched, the mob begin to wrestle before them, two at a time; the conquerors receive rewards from the magistrates. After this is over, a parcel of live rabbits are turned loose among the crowd, which are pursued by a number of boys, who endeavour to catch them, with all the noise they can make. While we were at this show, one of our company, Tobias Salander, doctor of physic, had his pocket picked of his purse, with nine crowns du soleil, which, without doubt, was so cleverly taken from him by an Englishman who always kept very close to him, that the doctor did not in the least perceive it." [ Travels in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth by Paul Hentzner, 1598.]

Henry VII began his reign 22nd August 1485

Regnal Year

Mayor

Term

1st Henry VII	Sir William Stokker John Warde Sir Hugh Bryce	1485-86
2nd Henry VII	Henry Colet	1486-87
3rd Henry VII	William Horne	1487-88
4th Henry VII	Robert Tate	1488-89
5th Henry VII	William White	1489-90
6th Henry VII	John Mathewe	1490-1
7th Henry VII	Hugh Clopton	1491-92
8th Henry VII	William Martin	1492-93
9th Henry VII	Ralph Ashtry	1493-94
10th Henry VII	Richard Chawry	1494-95
11st Henry VII	Sir Henry Colet	1495-96
12nd Henry VII	John Tate	1496-97
13rd Henry VII	William Purchase	1497-98
14th Henry VII	Sir John Percyvale	1498-99
15th Henry VII	Nicholas Ailwyn	1499-1500
16th Henry VII	William Remyngton	1500-1
17th Henry VII	Sir John Shaa	1501-02
18th Henry VII	Bartholomew Rede	1502-03
19th Henry VII	Sir William Capel	1503-04
20th Henry VII	John Wynger	1504-05
21st Henry VII	Thomas Kneseworth	1505-06
22nd Henry VII	Sir Richard Haddon	1506-07
23rd Henry VII	William Browne	1507-08
24th Henry VII	Sir Lawrence Aylmer Stephen Jenyns	1508-09

Henry VIII began his reign 22nd of April 1509

Regnal Year

Mayor

Term

1st Henry VIII	Thomas Bradbury	1509-10
2nd Henry VIII	Sir William Capel Henry Kebyll	1510-1
3rd Henry VIII	Roger Acheley	1511-2
4th Henry VIII	William Copynger	1512-3
5th Henry VIII,	Sir Richard Haddon	1513-4
6th Henry VIII	Sir John Tate/George Monoux	1514-5
7th Henry VIII	William Boteler	1515-6
8th Henry VIII	John Rest	1516-7
9th Henry VIII	Thomas Exmewe	1517-8
10th Henry VIII	Thomas Mirfin	1518-9
11st Henry VIII	Thomas Yarford	1519-20
12nd Henry VIII	John Brugde	1520-1
13rd Henry VIII	John Milbourne	1521-2
14th Henry VIII	John Mundy	1522-3
15th Henry VIII	Thomas Baldry	1523-4
16th Henry VIII	John Aleyn	1524-5
17th Henry VIII	William Bayley	1525-6
18th Henry VIII	Sir Thomas Semer	1526-7
19th Henry VIII	James Spencer	1527-8
20th Henry VIII	John Rudstone	1528-9
21st Henry VIII	Ralph Dodmer	1529-30
22nd Henry VIII	Thomas Pargeter	1530-1
23rd Henry VIII	Nicholas Lambarde	1531-2
24th Henry VIII	Stephen Pecocke	1532-3
25th Henry VIII	Christopher Ascue	1533-4
26th Henry VIII	Sir John Champneys	1534-5
27th Henry VIII	Sir John Aleyn	1535-6
28th Henry VIII	Ralph Warren	1536-7
29th Henry VIII	Sir Richard Gresham	1537-8
30th Henry VIII	William Forman	1538-9
31st Henry VIII	Sir William Hollyes	1539-40
32nd Henry VIII	William Roche	1540-1
33rd Henry VIII	Michael Dormer	1541-2
34th Henry VIII	John Cotes	1542-3
35th Henry VIII	William Bowyer	1543-4
36th Henry VIII	Sir Ralph Warren William Laxton	1544-5
37th Henry VIII	Sir Martin Bowes	1545-6
38th Henry VIII	Henry Huberthorn	1546-7

Edward VI began his reign 28th January 1546

Regnal Year

Mayor

Term

1st Edward VI	Sir John Gresham	1547-8
2nd Edward VI	Henry Amcotts	1548-9
3rd Edward VI	Sir Rowland Hill	1549-50
4th Edward VI	Andrew Judde	1550-1
5th Edward VI	Richard Dobbis	1551-2
6th Edward VI	George Barne	1552-3
.

Mary began her reign 6th July 1553

Regnal Year

Mayor

Term

1st Mary	Thomas Whyte	1553-4
2nd Mary	John Lyon	1554-5
3rd Mary	William Garrarde	1555-6
4th Mary	Thomas Ofley	1556-7
5th Mary	Thomas Curtes	1557-8
6th Mary	Thomas Leigh	1558-9

Elizabeth I began her reign 17th November 1558

Regnal Year

Mayor

Term

1st Elizabeth I	William Hewet	1559-60
2nd Elizabeth I	Sir William Chester	1560-1
3rd Elizabeth I	William Harper	1561-2
4th Elizabeth I	Thomas Lodge	1562-3
5th Elizabeth I	John Whyte	1563-4
6th Elizabeth I	Richard Malorye	1564-5
7th Elizabeth I	Richard Champyon	1565-6
8th Elizabeth I	Christopher Draper	1566-7
9th Elizabeth I	Roger Martyn	1567-8
10th Elizabeth I	Thomas Rowe	1568-9
11th Elizabeth I	Alexander Avenon	1569-70
12th Elizabeth I	Rowland Heyward	1570-1
13th Elizabeth I	William Allen	1571-2
14th Elizabeth I	Lionel Duckett	1572-3
15th Elizabeth I	John Ryvers	1573-4
16th Elizabeth I	James Hawes	1574-5
17th Elizabeth I	Ambrose Nicholas	1575-6
18th Elizabeth I	John Langley	1576-7
19th Elizabeth I	Thomas Ramsey	1577-8
20th Elizabeth I	Richard Pype	1578-9
21st Elizabeth I	Nicholas Woodroffe	1579-80
22nd Elizabeth I	John Branche	1580-1
23rd Elizabeth I	James Harvye	1581-2
24th Elizabeth I	Thomas Blanke	1582-3
25th Elizabeth I	Edward Osborne	1583-4
26th Elizabeth I	Thomas Pullyson	1584-5
27th Elizabeth I	Wolstan Dixie	1585-6
28th Elizabeth I	George Barne	1586-7
29th Elizabeth I	George Bonde	1587-8
30th Elizabeth I	Rt Hon Martin Calthrop	1588-9
31st Elizabeth I	Richard Martin John Harte	1589-90
32nd Elizabeth I	John Allott	1590-1
33rd Elizabeth I	Sir Rowland Heyward William Webbe	1591-2
34th Elizabeth I	William Rowe	1592-3
35th Elizabeth I	Cuthbert Buckell	1593-4
36th Elizabeth I	Sir Richard Martin Sir John Spencer	1594-5
37th Elizabeth I	Stephen Slanye	1595-6
38th Elizabeth I	Thomas Skinner Henry Billingsley	1596-7
39th Elizabeth I	Richard Saltonstall	1597-8
40th Elizabeth I	Stephen Soame	1598-9
41st Elizabeth I	Nicholas Mosley	1599-1600
42nd Elizabeth I	William Ryder	1600-1
43rd Elizabeth I	John Garrarde	1601-2
44th Elizabeth I	Robert Lee	1602-3

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