Part 11

As to Lynn, at and subsequently to the restoration, it appears to have largely shared the general joy and other effects produced by that memorable event. When we consider the extreme rigour of the former government or governors of this town, {796b} in attempting fines and imprisonment to restrain the tippling and other vicious and licentious propensities of the inhabitants, we cannot much wonder at the excessive joy which the restoration excited here, as it was very natural to expect that that event would effectually remove those severities, and introduce a more lax and indulgent system. How long the first transports of joy lasted we are not able exactly to ascertain; but that they were at their height on the first royal birth day, the 29th of May 1660, we may very reasonably presume. On that day the town was all festivity and triumph. Among the curiosities that graced that memorable carnival were 300 young maids, or lasses of the town, dressed all in white, and parading through the principal streets. {797} Whether this may, or may not be considered as an emblem of the predilection of the sex for Charles, or that of Charles for the sex, we will not take upon us to say. That it was a whimsical contrivance seems very evident; and that it was peculiar to this town appears more than probable, as we do not recollect having heard of any thing like it elsewhere on that day, or on that occasion.

This was certainly one of the most gladsome seasons that Lynn ever witnessed: but it was not the only season of that description that occurred here during the period now under review. There are others of the same kind that ought here not to pass unnoticed. One of these was in the spring of 1680, on account of the arrival of the duke of York from Scotland, and the discomfiture of the _Whigs_ or petitioners, (or the king’s rejection of the petitions of the people for the assembling of parliament,) and, of course, the success and triumph of the _Tories_ or court party, then called _Abhorrers_, as they professed to abhor such petitioning, and approve of the king’s governing without parliaments. On these interesting accounts there was much rejoicing at Lynn; and

“on the 30th of April that year, the following Address was read in the Hall, and signed the same day by every one of that House: and the mayor, (Giles Bridgeman) was desired to commend the same to the hands of the right honorable the Earl of Yarmouth (Lord Lieutenant of the County) to be presented by him to his Majesties.”

“To the King’s most excellent Majestie,

Dread Sir,—Wee your Majesties Dutifull and Loyall Subjects, the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, and Common-Councell of your Majesties ancient burgh of Lenn Regis, on behalf of ourselves and other the free Burgesses and principal inhabitants here doe in all humility prostrate ourselves at the feet of your most sacred Majestie, and in all duty acknowledge the infinite benefits wee of this burgh, with all other, the liedge people of this your Majesties Kingdom of England by your happy government and royall conduct next under God enjoye, and more particularly wee give your Majestie an oblation of our duty and thankfullness in your _pious_ and resolute support and maintenance of the religion established by the Lawes of this kingdome in the Church of England in your couragious conserving the Regalities of your Crowne _against insolent petitions_, and protecting the lawfull liberties and freedoms of your subjects. And _with our souls we bless Almighty God in the return of your royall brother_, _the Duke of Yorke_, _to your Majesties most Gracious presence_, and doe cheerfully profess to maintaine and defend your Majesties most Royall person your Heirs and lawfull successors in your and their just rights,

May it please your Majestie

Your natural Liegemen.”

In this remarkable and curious Address to the Throne, what choice matter of joy, thankfulness, congratulation, and triumph is exhibited on the part of the Addressers! The King appeared resolved to govern despotically, or without a parliament. Many of his subjects had petitioned and prayed him to call or assemble a parliament. He had rejected those petitions and prayers with disdain. The Lynn Corporation address him on the occasion, congratulating, praising and extolling him to the skies for acting the despot and turning a deaf ear to the prayers and supplications of his aggrieved subjects. For such royal doings, and for the arrival and presence of the Duke of York at court, which presence had always been a curse to the nation, the corporation of Lynn congratulated their profligate sovereign, and offered to stand by him at all events. Moreover, they exhibit, all the while, a most sanctimonious appearance, and profess _with all their souls to bless Almighty God_ for what was one of the greatest curses of their oppressed country.—So much for this royal and notable Address from Lynn. {800}

As to the accession of James to the throne, it appears to have been contemplated at Lynn with no small pleasure and satisfaction, and the day on which that memorable event was announced here to have been a day of uncommon rejoicing. We accordingly find the following note in the Town Books, “Febr. 10th. (1685) King James II. proclaimed with all due solemnities and signalls of Joy and Gladness.” Four days after was “ordered an _Address_ to the King’s Majestie.” But having never seen a copy of this Address the present writer cannot give a particular account of its contents. He cannot however doubt but it was in the usual style of Lynn Addresses to that monarch.

Another season of extraordinary festivity and exultation at Lynn occurred in 1686. It was on no less interesting an occasion than the erecting of the statue of the sovereign in the Tuesday Market place. We accordingly read, in _Mackerell’s_ “Chronological Account” of the town, of “great rejoicings here that year, at the setting up of the statue of king James II.” His majesty (as well as king John) seems to have been long the object of the admiration of the Lynn people. They admired him while Duke of York, and after his accession to the throne they never rested till they had set up his image or statue in the most public and conspicuous part of their town. Of this royal and memorable affair Mackerell has given the following information in another part of his work—

“_An account of KING JAMES IId’s statue_, _and the Rejoicings at the setting up of the_” [_same_.]

“On the 13th day of _April_ 1686. which was the anniversary of their majesties coronation, the same was kept with all due solemnity; the mayor, aldermen, and the rest of the body, meeting in their formalities in the _Guild-Hall_, after Divine Service at the church, proceeded from thence attended with musick, to the great Market-place; in the middle whereof, by the Gentlemen and other Loyal Inhabitants of the corporation, was then erected the Effigies of his Sacred Majesty upon a Pedestal, with several carvings and embellishments, inclosed with a Pallisade of Iron, under inscribed,

_Non Immemor_ _Quantum Divinis Invictiss. Principis_ _JACOBI II_. _Virtutibus debeat_ _Hanc Regiæ Majestatis Effigiem_ _Æternum Fidei et Obsequii_ _Monumentum_, _Erexit_ _S. P. Q. L._ _Anno Salutis_ 1686.

In English

“Not forgetting how much is due to the _Divine Virtues_ of the _Victorious_ King JAMES _the Second_, the Senate and People of Lynn, as a _lasting Monument_ of their _Faith_ and _Loyalty_, have erected this Statue of his Royal Majesty, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty six.

“N.B. The King, Queen, and the rest of the Royal Family’s Healths were drank; and the Day was concluded with Ringing of Bells, Bonfires, all sorts of loud Musick, Fire works, discharging the Great Guns, with all other Demonstrations of Joy and Loyalty.” {803}

Such is Mackerell’s account of the extraordinary festivities and rejoicings at Lynn on this great and important occasion. It was, no doubt, worth recording, and it may still be worth preserving here, if it were only for this special reason, that it may help to give us just ideas of the general character of corporations, and of their proceedings. Here is a _Statue_ erected to one of the vilest of human beings; and here are _virtues_, and even _Divine Virtues_! ascribed to one who was as devoid of every thing of that kind as the very devil: and here is an _Inscription_ denominating the erection of the Statue a _Lasting Monument_ of _Faith_ and _Loyalty_; and yet this boasted _faith_ and _loyalty_, and _lasting Monument_, lasted only about _three_ or _four_ years. The Statue was pulled down mutilated, decollated, disfigured, dismembered, and buried in dirt and rubbish, where it remains to this day.

There was here also a remarkable exhibition of joy and gratitude, as well as loyalty, in 1687, excited, it seems, by his majesty’s royal and memorable Declaration, and the consciousness of its being the duty of every member of the Church of England to defend and support him with their _lives_ and _fortunes_.—The following Address to the Throne was accordingly agreed upon and ordered to be sealed with the common Seal, September 19. 1687.—

“GREAT SIR,—The known principles of the Church of England being such as oblige every member thereof with their Lives and Fortunes to defend and maintain your Majestie Your Royall Prerogative with all other rights belonging to your Majesties Imperiall Crown, makes us at this time humbly to begg your Majesty to receive this further attestation, not in the least doubting of the peaceable enjoyment of our religion under Your Majesties most sacred protection, returning our most hearty and humble thanks for Your Majesties late repeated Assurance thereof, expressed in Your Majesties late gracious Declaration.”

Such was the Address which was sent at that time from Lynn. But his sacred majesty soon found that the boasted principles of the Church of England were not sufficient to secure to him the attachment of his subjects and the quiet possessions of his throne, unless he relinquished those favourite projects of his which appeared hostile to that church. For the very next year a very alarming defection took place, and the majority of those of that communion became inimical to his government. Even the _Life and fortune men_ forsook him, and beheld his downfal without concern or commiseration. So false did that description of his subjects prove to him, and so unavailing also in the end did he find even the great orthodox doctrine of _passive obedience_ and _nonresistance_, which had been the favourite doctrine of the Church of England during the whole of his brother’s reign.

A few months after the last mentioned affair took place in January 1688, a fresh occasion of rejoicing was presented to the Lynn people. This was the annunication of the queen’s pregnancy; which proved not a little satisfactory and gratifying to our corporation, as appears from the following note in their books:

“January 26. Ordered and agreed that Sunday the 29th Instant being appointed by his Majestie a day of Thanksgiving for her Majesties being happily with child, the several members of this House doe attend Mr. Mayor (Robert Sparrow Esq.) in their formalitys at morning and evening service, to render thanksgiving to Almighty God for so signall a blessing, and after evening service to repair to the Custom House to drink the king’s health with a Bonefire.”

On the 2nd. of the following July, the Gentlemen and good people of Lynn were furnished with matter of still higher gratification, by the knowledge of her majesty’s safe delivery, and the birth of a _prince_ {805} who would be likely to inherit his royal sire’s faith, piety, sapience, and sublime virtues. This important intelligence, as might be expected, was very joyfully received, and occasioned the immediate assembling of the corporation. In that assembly, or meeting, was proposed and voted an Address to his Majesty, of which the following is a copy:

“GREAT SIR—Wee Your Majesties Dutifull Subjects crave leave of Your Majesty and your Royall Consort that we join with Your Majestie in offering our most humble and hearty thanks to God Almighty in sending Your Majestie a Sonn and a Prince, and farther we begg of your Sacred Majestie to accept our Cordial thanks for your Majesties late favor to the body of this Corporation, {806} and also for your Princely condescension and affection by both your gracious Declarations, not only extending to the Church of England but to all other your peaceable and loyall Subjects, Assuring us by Your royall word you will stand by us, whereby we are not only obliged but resolved, when your Majestie shall think fitt to call a Parliament, wee will endeavour to elect such members as shall make your Majesty happie and Your Subjects easie, and shall pray for Your Majestie’s long and peaceable reigne over us. In witness whereof we have fixed our Town Seale the 2nd of July in the 4th year of your most gracious reign, Anno Domini 1688.”

In conclusion, it is presumed that we are fully warranted to affirm, that Lynn has never been more attached to any of our sovereigns than to King _John_ and King _James_ the second; and that even his present majesty, with all his shining virtues, is not more, if so much beloved here as those two monarchs were. It may perhaps be difficult to account for it, yet it seems unquestionably to be the fact, that of all the princes that ever swayed the British Sceptre, none ever shared more largely in the affection admiration, and veneration of the good people of this town than those three potentates. Nor have there been any other reigns under which our townsmen seemed more ready to congratulate themselves on the superior happiness they enjoyed, or the transcendent benefits and blessings they derived from the throne.

SECTION II.

_Brief account of divers other remarkable circumstances relating to Lynn during this same period—decay of trade—increase of poor—Anmer coal_, _&c._

After Charles’ restoration, or accession to the throne, it was not to be expected that he should remain long unaddressed by this town. Accordingly we find that within the very first month of his actual reign, (June 16. 1660,) a congratulatory Address to him was voted and ordered in the Hall; and moreover, “that the Fee farm rents formerly paid from this town to the Crown, and lately purchased by the mayor and burgesses, amounting to 41_l._ 6_s._ 2_d._ be restored to his majestie.” Having never seen this Address, or any copy of it, we can give no particular account of its contents; but we need not to doubt but it teemed with servility, or was in no small degree of a fawning, crouching or cringing cast. As to the _Feefarm rents_ which belonged to the Crown, but had been lately purchased by the Mayor and burgesses, and were now restored to his majesty, they appear to require no comment, or farther elucidation in this place. The restoring of them to his majesty was a matter not of choice but of necessity: and in purchasing them the Corporation evidently _gained a loss_; but to what amount we cannot say, having never learnt how much was paid for them.

A week after, (on the 23rd of the same month,) our Corporation agreed and ordered, that _Oliver’s Charter_ confirming the priviledges [of the town] be _cancelled_. This also appears to have been a matter of absolute necessity; but whether so or not, that charter would be of no further use to the body corporate. Oliver’s day was now past, and whatever had sprung from him, if it did not actually disgrace the character of the holder or owner, yet was no longer held in any manner of estimation. That there is a copy now extant of this Charter of his we have not learnt.

Soon after the restoration this town began to suffer considerably from the decay of trade and consequent increase of the poor, which did not seem very well to accord with the excessive rejoicings that had then taken place. Within two years after that event those effects had made so alarming a progress, and the complaints of the sufferers had become so loud, that the body corporate found it necessary to take the affair into their immediate and most serious consideration, in order to check as much as possible the growing evil, and alleviate in some degree the sufferings of the poor inhabitants. The truth of this statement, and the mode of proceeding adopted then in the Hall in order to relieve or mitigate the distresses of the poor will appear by the following extract from the Corporation books.

“May 12. 1662. Forasmuch as the Poor of this Burgh thro’ _great losses_ and _decay of trade_ are grown very numerous, and the charge of them greater than can be well born by the inhabitants, and a great part of the coal trade carried on by Strangers and Foreigners, which bring their coals hither to sell in Ships and Vessells belonging to other Ports, who tho’ they reap a profit bear not the least part of the burthen, to the great discouragement of the Navigation belonging to this town and the impoverishing of the inhabitants thereof, It is thereupon [at the earnest request of the most considerable freemen Burgesses and Inhabitants of this town] this day ordered that every freeman or burgess of this burgh that shall from henceforth buy or cause to be bought of any stranger or foreign person not being free of this burgh any coals called Newcastle, Sunderland or Sea-water being lading or freight in any Ship or Vessell belonging to any such Stranger or outward Port whether the same be to sell again or for there (their) own expense shall pay for every chalder of coals so bought as aforesaid to the use of the mayor and burgesses of this burgh and their successors the sum of 12_d._ to be employed for and towards the necessary reliefe and maintenance of the poor of the said borough, the same to be levyed of every such freeman or burgess so buying the same as aforesaid by distress and sale of their Goods, or by such other ways and means as shall be thought most fitt and meete—And it is further ordered that no burgess or inhabitant of this burgh shall take any such coals out of any such strangers’ Ship or Vessel with intent to sell the same again untill the end of three working days next after the arrivall of such Strangers’ Ship within this Port, to the end the inhabitants of this town may be served with coales in that time for their own firing, according to severall former orders made to that purpose, and publication of this order to be made by the bellman.”

How long this law remained in force, or this impost continued to be paid does not appear; but it is not very likely that it ceased, or was discontinued till the arrival of better times, and the removal of those evils which led to its adoption. _Fourpence_ a chalder, if we are not mistaken, is still charged on the coals brought by strangers, and applied in like manner to the relief of the poor. Why should it be no more, when thrice as much was charged so long ago? and a shilling then was worth a great deal more of our money. Surely the present pressure of the poor rates, which so large a proportion of the householders so severely feel, would justify the adoption of such a measure now, if it be allowable.

Towards the close of the year when the above transaction took place this town was visited by Lord Townshend, Sir John Tracy, Sir Edward Walpole, John Spelman and Roger Spelman Esqrs. as commissioners under a late act of parliament for the well-governing and regulating of Corporations. This act seems to have sprung from the narrow and arbitrary policy of the Stuart princes, who aimed at having corporations as much as possible under their direction and management, or subject to their immediate and absolute power and control. These commissioners were entertained here at the expense of the mayor and burgesses. They were, it seems, invested with large powers, so as to be authorized to displace any they happened to dislike of our municipal functionaries, and put others whom they thought better of in their room. In this town they expelled _alderman_ Robert Thorogood and appointed one Lawrence Withers in his stead. A few weeks before “Mr. Fr. Rolfe was discharged from his office and place of Town-clerk, and Mr. Owen Barnes was elected in his room.”—This is said to have been done by the _mayor and aldermen_; but it is probable that the Commissioners were privy to it, and that it was a step taken in compliance with an intimation from them, for the time of their visit had been previously fixed. Those appear to have been the only changes which then took place in the Hall.

Under 1663 a circumstance has been recorded which casts some light on the ideas or sentiments which the Lynn people then entertained of their parliamentary representatives; and though they no longer allowed them daily wages, as formerly, yet they evidently considered the honest and diligent discharge of their trust or service as entitled to more than mere thanks. Had they on the other hand failed in the performance of their delegated functions, their constituents undoubtedly would have deemed that failure censurable.—The circumstance alluded to is explained in the following extract from the Hall books: “June 13. 1663, It is this day ordered that the Chamberlaine remitt to London 40_l._ to buy two pieces of Plate, of the value of 20_1._ each, to be presented as a gratuity from this House to Sir Edward Walpole and Sir William Howell (Hovell) {812} burgesses in parliament for this burgh, for their faithfull services in behalf of this burgh.” What were those services in behalf of this burgh, which are here glanced at, and were deemed so meritorious, we are not told; but it is very clear that these representatives had acquitted themselves entirely to the satisfaction of their constituents. It is much to be wished that the same could be said of all our present national representatives.

Under the same year an occurrence is mentioned in one of our MSS, which leaves a foul stain on the memory of our ancestors of that period, and shews how much they were then the slaves of bigotry and intolerance. This was the persecution and imprisonment of several members of that pacific and respectable sect called _Quakers_, which seems to have been the only description of sectaries, except the _Presbyterians_, that had then attempted to introduce themselves into this town. But they were bitterly opposed here, as they were then also throughout the nation; and their sufferings were very great and grievous during almost the whole reign of _Charles_ and _James_ the second, to the lasting disgrace of a pretended christian and protestant government. It is to _William_ and the _Revolution_ that we owe, under providence, the adoption of a wiser policy and the enjoyment of better times.