30 Dec 1623: Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of #Oxford freed from Tower of #London #otd James VI & I had had him imprisoned for his vocal criticisms of the Duke of Buckingham (NPG)

30 Dec 1684: Arthur Forbes of Castle Forbes #Longford (where he’d been besieged in 1641) is created Earl of Granard #otd Later involved in procuring the grant of the Regium Donum for the Presbyterian church in #Ireland

Pack of 52 playing-cards, each with several lines of Latin text. The suits are millstones, harps, goats and cupids, Paris, 1544 Hand-coloured woodcut (British Museum)

30 Dec 1654: Augustine Garland and Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper move #otd that Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell be crowned (British Museum)

30 Dec 1604: Richard Parry, reviser of the #Welsh #Cymraeg Bible (1620) & Prayer Book (1621) consecrated as Bishop of St. Asaph #otd (British Museum)

30 Dec 1578: b. Ulrik of Denmark, titular Duke of Holstein and Schleswig, and titular Bishop of Schleswig. Brother of Anne of Denmark, wife of James VI & I. Visited her in Scotland 1598 & England 1604-5 where he caused more than one diplomatic/etiquette headache.

Portrait study of an old woman wearing a close linen cap, ruff and fur-trimmed coat, her hands in a muff. Gerard Dou, c. 1630-35. (British Museum)

30 Dec 717: d. St Egwin of Evesham, 3rd Bishop of Worcester, & founder of Evesham Abbey #otd (Jules&JennyFromLincolnUK)

30 Dec 1641: Twelve bishops are impeached #otd by Parliament and then imprisoned (BM)

Reliquary bust of St Thecla, Strasbourg, c. 1290-1350 (Rijksmuseum)

Finger-ring. Beneath glass, a paper inscribed with the Lord's Prayer, followed by this inscription: "William Mason Writing Mr [Master] in the Minories, April 2[?] Anno Domini, 1676". (British Museum)

Windmill cup, Antwerp , c. 1594 - c. 1595 (Rijksmuseum)

A print of Elizabeth I, c. 1560. Perhaps reflecting that point where her iconography had not quite settled down yet? (British Museum)

30 Dec 1591: d. Innocent IX #otd one of shortest reigning Popes having been elected on 29 Oct 1591 (Bede753c/Utente)

30 Dec 274: d. Pope St. Felix I #otd

30 Dec 1546: Bishop Stephen Gardiner is not named one of the 18 executors of Henry VIII #otd (TCC/BM) He would go on, however, to preach at Henry’s Requiem Mass

Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Small Portraits of the Popes from Peter to Innocent IX [d. 30 Dec 1591, after only 62 days as Pope] (Met Museum) Peter is prefaced, of course, by Salvator Mundi, his source of authority.

The Holy Family c. 1512–13 Joos van Cleve (Met Museum)

30 Dec 1678: d. Richard Mason known by his #Franciscan name Angelus à Sancto Francisco #otd at Douai. An important theologian & historian of #English Franciscans - he clashed with #Irish friars on the nationality of Duns Scotus.

30 Dec 1568: d. Roger Ascham #otd writer, Latin and Greek tutor to Elizabeth I when she was princess and then Latin secretary to Mary I

30 Dec 1678: Parliament prorogued. 11 days earlier Ralph Montague MP had produced letters in the House of Commons #otd relating to a proposal that Charles II would prorogue Parliament in return for a #French subsidy

The Baker Arent Oostwaard and his Wife, Catharina Keizerswaard, Jan Havicksz. Steen, 1658

30 Dec 1691: Robert Boyle FRS, #philosopher, #scientist, patron of the Bible in #Irish #Gaeilge (with his sister Katherine Ranelagh) spends his last full day on earth #otd - he would die in the early hours of 31 Dec

The Nativity c. 1406–10 Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) (Met Museum)

A windmill from the sketch book of Nicholaes Berchem c. 1645 - 1646 (British Museum)

Scenes from the lives of 17th century women from the Rijksmuseum: rowing, walking, in a garden, holding up a puppet

30 Dec 999: Brian Boru's army meets the Norse of #Dublin at Glenn Máma (near Rathcoole), in a vicious battle which he wins #otd (MarshallHenrie)

30 Dec 1619: A royal proclamation bans #tobacco growing in #England #otd (British Museum)

30 Dec 1546: Henry VIII's revised will confirms the succession of Edward, Mary, Elizabeth #otd He died 28 Jan 1547

30 Dec 1525: Jakob Fugger, merchant & wildly rich & influential banker. (Staatsgalerie Altdeutsche Meister, Augsburg)

30 Dec 1546: Henry VIII. Makes his will #otd - under whose terms he appointed 18 executors part of whose task was to look after/advise the heir Edward (VI) [Coin of Edward VI, British Museum]

30 Dec 1598: Elizabeth I confirms Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex's appointment as Lord Lieutenant of #Ireland #otd (BrumMusTrust) This will not end well... for anyone really

Tuesday 30 Dec, Dublin

28 Dec 1621: Sir Thomas Roe, ambassador of James VI & I and his entourage arrive in #Constantinople #otd (NPG)

28 Dec 1681: d. John Parker Church of #Ireland archbishop of #Dublin #otd Consecrated for Elphin by John Bramhall in Jan 1661, his term of office in #Dublin was just under two years. He is buried in Christ Church Dublin (NLI)

28 Dec 1648: Dudley North, 3rd baron North, joins a delegation of peers #otd to Oliver Cromwell pleading against the trial of the King (National Trust images/V&A)

28 Dec 1637: The Barber Surgeons Company resolve #otd that Othowell Meverell 'shall be Reader of our anatomical lectures at the next public discection to be held in the new erected theatre' (Rijksmuseum - showing the anatomical theatre at #Leiden where Meverell was trained)

28 Dec 1542: Edward Seymour, future Protector of #England at this point Lord Hertford is made Lord High Admiral #otd He'd be created Duke of Somerset by Edward VI in 1547. (NPG)

28 Dec 1522: James Beaton receives the pallium #otd for the archbishopric of St Andrews (Hunterian, U Glasgow)

28 Dec 1579: John Dee reveals alchemical secrets to Roger Cook, a fellow alchemist #otd - they would fall out in 1581. Dee’s magic disc is below (Wellcome/BM)

28 Dec 1665: b. George FitzRoy, future 1st Duke of Northumberland third and youngest illegitimate son of King Charles II and Barbara Villiers #otd (British Museum)

8 Dec 1641: Godfrey Goodman, bishop of #Gloucester and William Piers, bishop of #Bath & Wells are the only two bishops who manage to make their through hostile crowds to take their seats in the House of Lords #otd (The Bishop’s Palace & Gardens - Piers)

8 Dec 1706: d. Pierre Bayle, compiler of Dictionnaire Historique et Critique (1647), philosopher. #otd

28 Dec 1694: d. Mary II, Queen of #England, #Scotland & #Ireland #otd (NPG) of smallpox

28 Dec 1622: d. Francis de Sales, bishop & massively influential spiritual #writer whose works were translated by #Catholic & #Protestant alike. First image here is of the #nuntastic #English language translation from the Cambrai Benedictine convent(eebo)

28 Dec 1096: Máel-Ísu Ua hAinmire [Malchus] is consecrated first bishop of #Waterford by Anselm and two other bishops at #Canterbury #otd

Barbara Palmer, née Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland with her son, Charles Fitzroy, as Madonna and Child. Right so. Peter Lely (1618–1680) National Portrait Gallery, London

Roelant Savery, Landscape with Birds, 1628. (Kunstshistorisches Museum Wien) On the right by the swans, a dodo, extinct by 1681.

28 Dec 1065: Dedication of Westminster Abbey #otd Due to illness King Edward the Confessor was unable to attend, he died a few days later and was buried there. Within a year William the Conqueror would be crowned there - on 25 Dec 1066. (BM)

28 Dec 1567: William Herbert, 1st earl of Pembroke draws up his will #otd (NMW/AC) He died on St. Patrick's Day 1570.