Eighth Parliament
Henry VIII opens his eighth Parliament at Westminster, beginning a session dealing with major Tudor political and religious business.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1542 in England
Explore 28 historical events and records for England in 1542.
Historical records for England in 1542
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 28 of 28 unique records.
28Unique records
1 of 1Page
25Named events on this page
16Named people on this page
15Places on this page
January
Speaker of House of Commons
Serves as Speaker of the House of Commons during Henry VIII's 1542 parliamentary session.
February
Catherine Howard Attainder
Parliament passes the attainder condemning Catherine Howard and Jane Rochford; Henry VIII gives effect to the measure through royal assent.
Catherine Howard Condemned
Is condemned for treason by parliamentary attainder rather than a conventional criminal trial.
Execution of Catherine Howard
Is executed by beheading on Tower Green following the parliamentary attainder.
Execution of Jane Rochford
Is executed on Tower Green with Catherine Howard after being condemned for assisting the queen's meetings with Thomas Culpeper.
March
Created Viscount Lisle
Is created Viscount Lisle, advancing his position at Henry VIII's court.
June
Bristol City Status
Bristol gains city status in connection with the creation of the new cathedral diocese.
Diocese of Bristol Created
Creates the Diocese of Bristol, with the former Augustinian abbey church becoming Bristol Cathedral.
First Bishop of Bristol
Is consecrated as the first Bishop of Bristol for the newly created diocese.
August
Battle of Haddon Rig
Leads an English raiding army near Kelso but is defeated and captured when Scottish forces under the Earl of Huntly counterattack at Haddon Rig.
October
Scottish Border Campaign
Leads a large English army into southern Scotland; the campaign burns Roxburgh and Kelso before withdrawing as supplies become difficult.
November
Battle of Solway Moss
Benefits politically from the Scottish defeat and uses captured nobles to increase English pressure on Scotland.
Battle of Solway Moss
Leads about 500 English cavalry in repeated attacks on the Scottish flank, worsening confusion as the Scots attempt to deploy and withdraw.
Battle of Solway Moss
Commands about 3,000 English troops against a Scottish army of roughly 17,000–18,000; English cavalry and Scottish disorder turn the encounter into a rapid English victory.
Warden of Scottish Marches
Is appointed to senior responsibility on the Scottish Marches during preparations for renewed war with Scotland.
December
Lord High Admiral
Is appointed Lord High Admiral late in 1542 and assumes senior responsibility for English naval affairs.
Marriage Project for Mary
Promotes a future marriage between Prince Edward and the infant Queen Mary, seeking a dynastic settlement favorable to England.
Release of Scottish Prisoners
Allows captured Scottish nobles to return home under political conditions, seeking to turn prisoners from Solway Moss into supporters of English policy.
Other events (month unknown)
Crown of Ireland Act
As Lord Deputy, oversees royal government while the Irish Parliament recognizes Henry VIII and his heirs as Kings of Ireland.
First English Bankruptcy Statute Passed
Parliament creates a statutory process for dealing with certain insolvent traders who evade creditors, an early foundation of English bankruptcy law.
First Tudor Witchcraft Act Passed
Parliament makes specified forms of witchcraft and sorcery felony offences punishable under secular criminal law.
King of Ireland
Assumes the title King of Ireland under legislation passed by the Irish Parliament, replacing the older title Lord of Ireland.
Lord Privy Seal
Takes office as Lord Privy Seal, becoming one of the senior officers of Henry VIII's government.
Magdalene College Refounded
Refounds Buckingham College as the College of St Mary Magdalene at Cambridge.
Member of Parliament
Serves in the House of Commons as member for Horsham during the 1542 Parliament.
Member of Parliament
Returns to parliamentary activity as a member for Kent during Henry VIII's 1542 Parliament.
Reform of Parliament
Passes the Attainders through Parliament, first instigated by Catherine Howard
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.