Part 34

1271. Lynn said to be then a fortified town: but it was probably so ever since, or very soon after it received its first charter, if not before.

1330. The queen dowager _Isabel_ took up her residence at _Rising Castle_ by Lynn, where she continued to reside afterwards as long as she lived, which was 28 years; in the course of which time her son Edw. III. his queen Philippa, and their son the black prince, repeatedly visited her there: and there can be no doubt of their having also frequently visited this town in the mean time.

1340. The king and queen were at Rising for some time, as appears by the account rolls of Adam de Reffham and John de Newland of Lynn, who sent his majesty at the same time a present of wine.—Previous to the king’s arrival the queen dowager sent her precept to the mayor of Lynn, for 8 carpenters to assist in making the necessary preparations.

1344. The king and his court were here for some time, as appears from certain letters which he sent from hence to the bishop of Norwich, then at _Avignon_, to be there delivered by him to the pope.

1349. A dreadful plague or pestilence, which had broke out in the north of Asia, made its destructive way soon into Europe, and now to England. It is said to have raged so much in some countries that scarcely a tenth part of the population escaped. It was called _the black death_, and is said to have swept away in Norfolk alone, 57,374 persons, from January to July, and 7000 of them in the town of _Yarmouth_. We cannot find how many perished then at Lynn, but the number was doubtless very great, as the disorder then raged terribly throughout the whole county. Most of the clergy seem to have then perished; hence we are told that 850 persons were, by the bishop of this diocese instituted and collated to benefices which had now become vacant—50,000 persons were carried off in _London_, and as many at _Paris_.—see p. 358 of this work, and Andr. 1. 372.

1369. An order was made that no Roadsman should charge more than 3_s._ 4_d._ for pylotting in any stranger’s ship from the channel to the town.

1380. The pope granted his license for christening in St. Nicholas’s chapel; which must of course, in the public estimation, have added greatly to the sanctity and dignity of the place.

1381. An ordinance made for the inhabitants of this town to merchandise.—Another account says—it was an order, or ordinance for settling of merchandise in this town—both seem too ambiguous and mysterious to make out. But it was in the reign of Richard 2. when many strange ordinances were made, and many vile measures pursued. Except his _mother_, and especially his _queen_, whom his subjects used to call _the good queen Ann_, {1190} there was about his court but little that could be deemed respectable. His favourite method of raising money was by a loan: a few instances of the respective sums he demanded of his subjects as they stand in the _Fædera_, will shew the comparative wealth of Lynn, and other places at that period.—From _London_ 10,000 marks: from _York_, _Gloucester_, _Salisbury_, and _Lincoln_, each 200 ditto.—From _Cambridge_, _Canterbury_, and _Southampton_, each 100 ditto.—From _Bristol_, 300 ditto.—From _Norwich_, 500 ditto.—From _Lynn_, 400 ditto.

1384. Our _bishop Spencer_ went abroad at the head of a crusade, or army, of 50,000 foot and 2000 horse, to fight for pope _Urban_, against pope _Clement_: for there were then two heads of the catholic church, which made it a perfect monster. In this memorable crusade great numbers of Norfolk and Lynn people were doubtless enlisted.

1399. _Sir William Sawtre_, (minister of St. Margaret’s,) prosecuted here for _Lollardism_, (much the same with what we call _protestantism_,) and forced to recant; but relapsing soon after, he was taken up and burnt for his reputed heresy. He is called the English proto-matryr.—see more of him at p. 580, &c.

1403. Two fierce factions sprung up here and disturbed the peace of the town for 30 years; at their heads were two aldermen of that time, _Wentworth_ and _Pettipas_.—see p. 364, &c.

1417. Our mayor and aldermen and other merchants obtained from Henry V. a warrant to elect an alderman for Denmark and Norway: of which see more, p. 485.

1446. King Henry VI. came to Lynn and ordered the sword to be borne before the mayor.—Next year the sword was carried before the mayor for some time, and then before the bishop as formerly, the mayor following him.

1449. King Henry came to Lynn again, and ordered the sword to be carried before him. {1191}

1469, or 1470. About this time Edward IV. (put to flight by the great Earl of Warwick,) came to Lynn out of Lincolnshire; and in crossing the washes lost his baggage and money, according to some of our MS. accounts.—One account says that he arrived here on Michaelmas Day, 1470, and took shipping here for Flanders on the 2nd of October; so that his stay was only three or four days. At that time we are told that he _pardoned Robert Gregory_, _Coney_, _and company_, who had probably sided with the house of Lancaster. The Red Mount is said to be the place at which he then took up his abode; whose buildings must have been very extensive and capacious, as he is said to have been attended by a large retinue. It may also be supposed a place of strength, and the most so of any at Lynn, or a kind of fortress; for in a place of no other description would so wary and able a leader choose to trust himself for so many days and nights together, as he was then circumstanced.

1471. March 9. Edward landed here on his return from Flanders, in his way to London.

1476. Walter Coney built the roof of the cross aisle of St. Margaret’s church: also the Trinity chapel there, which has been lately pulled down.

1482. A great law-suit between the town and the bishop about the right of holding the Court Leet. It does not appear which party gained the cause.

1493. A great fray between the inhabitants and the under sheriff of the county. But neither the occasion, not the result or consequence is mentioned.

1493. King Henry VII. his queen, his mother, and his eldest son Arthur, with a numerous retinue, visited this town; and were lodged and entertained at the Austin Convent, which then stood behind Mr. Rishton’s house, and partly it seems on the same site. It was doubtless a sumptuous edifice, and the most suitable for the accommodation of the royal visitors of any place then in this town.—see p. 513, &c.

1501. The town-walls new cast, with mortar, broken glass, and terras.

1502. Thomas Thorisby built the south part of St Margaret’s church, the college, and the south gates. It was then his third mayoralty. It does not appear at what time he founded the Grammar School.

1506. The service suspended in St. Margaret’s church, and christenings performed in the Charnel house—the occasion not specified, or how the affair terminated.

1510. A suit between this town and Cambridge about the toll of Stirbitch Fair:—the precise ground of the dispute not stated. Nor is it clear who gained the cause.

1512. Parishioners of St. James’s rose against the Prior, for certain wrongs he had done them—such as cutting down the trees in the churchyard.

1515. A woman burnt in the Market-place, for the murder of her husband.

1519. Cardinal Wolsey came to Lynn in great state, and with a princely retinue of lords, knights, and gentlemen, as was his usual manner of travelling.

1520. Thomas Miller now became mayor for four years successively. In the meantime he had a law suit with the bishop for precedence, or the right of having the sword carried before him; and is said to have got the cause. A few years after his lordship lost most of his consequence here, being obliged by his sovereign to resign his temporal jurisdiction at Lynn to him, in exchange for the abbey of St. Bennet in Holme: at which time the name of the town was changed from _Bishop’s Lynn_ to _King’s Lynn_.

1527, (or 1528, according to other accounts) Mary, queen dowager of France, and sister of Henry VIII, with the duke of Suffolk, her second husband, came to Lynn, and lodged (as Mackerell says,) _at Mr. Coe’s place_: but nothing further is said of Coe’s place, or yet of Coe himself.

1531. A maid servant boiled to death in the market-place, for poisoning her mistress.

1535. A Dutchman burnt in the market-place for reputed heresy; in other words, for presuming to think for himself, and acting conscientiously—which was deemed a crime in former times, and is so deemed still in some places.

1536. The four great orders of Friars, together with the other religious orders, were here suppressed, which was followed by the dissolution of the convents and other religious houses, which diminished in a great measure the respectable appearance of the town.

1537. William Gisborough, a friar, was hanged here, and his father at Walsingham, for attempting to relive their order, in opposition to the royal decree.—Two marts or fairs were also then instituted here, one at the _assumption_, the other at the _purification_ of the Blessed Virgin.

1540. The town much afflicted with hot burning agues and fluxes, on which account there was no mart kept.

1541. The East Gates repaired, and the king’s arms set up there.

1546. The Gilds and Chauntries suppressed, and their possessions seized by the king:—His majesty now also granted his licence for uniting South Lynn to the borough, it being before unconnected with it, and a separate jurisdiction. This however seems not to have been brought to full effect till about ten or eleven years after, in the reign of Philip and Mary.

1549. St. James’s church demolished, (all perhaps but the cross aisle which still remains; though there is said to be some further demolition of it in 1623.)—also what is called _Kett’s rebellion_ now occurred: one body of the insurgents had a camp at _Mousehold heath_, by Norwich, and another body of them had a camp here on _Rising Chase_. _Lord Willoughby_ in the meantime was governor of Lynn, which he secured against all the attempts of the insurgents to obtain possession of it.

1553. _Lord Audley_ came to Lynn, and proclaimed _Lady Jane Grey_ queen of England, the mayor and corporation concurring with him: but Jane’s party did not prevail—the voice of the nation being decidedly in favour of Mary.

1554. Trinity Hall underwent considerable alterations; the council room being divided from the Stone-hall; &c.—The South-gates then also covered with lead.

1555. A whale caught near this town—one account calls it a _small_ whale, and another calls it an _enormous_ whale: both describe, it as no less than 40 feet long.

1556. The pipes taken up, which formerly supplied the Austin Convent with water from Wootton common. That convent being dissolved it no longer wanted that supply. But it shews how well provided it was in its day.

1558. The _plague_ was in the town, and carried off great numbers of the inhabitants: among them the _mayor and four aldermen_—one account says, the whole five were mayors successively, in the course of that year; in which case five mayors must have died here in the course of the year.

1559. Rood-Lofts and Images taken down, the ground at the east end of the churches levelled with the other parts, and the windows furnished with _glass_, instead of wooden shutters.

1560. Several persons came to Lynn by order of the privy council, to take the state of St. James’s Church, but were opposed by the corporation: of the strict correctness of which some doubt may be entertained.

1561. Popish relics and mass-books burnt in the Tuesday market place.

1562. Sir Nic. Le Strange entered into a law-suit against Lynn, for the _house of Corpus Christi_: (the hall, we suppose, belonging to the late Gild of that name,) but nothing is said of the ground of the action, or how it terminated.

1564. Marshland inundated, and much stock lost, especially in Tilney and Terrington.

1566. Chimes first set up in St. Margaret’s, which played a different tune each day of the week.

1567. St. Margaret’s Spire, with divers little crosses and ornaments on different parts of the church, shot down by a Dutch ship that lay then in the harbour. Which seems rather a blind and queer kind of a tale.

1568. Popish vestments and relics brought from St. John’s and Tilney, and burnt in the market place.

1569. Marshland drowned, to the great loss and damage of the inhabitants, many of whom were forced to leave their houses, and glad to save their lives in boats which came to their assistance.

1570. Monday and Tuesday, the 2nd. and 3rd. of October, Marshland and Wiggenhale overflowed with salt water, so that from Old Lynn to Mawdlin bridge there were not left ten roods of the bank whole and firm, to the great damage of the whole country, (see p. 116.)—Quere, _If this flood and the preceding were not the same_: _some careless writer of memoranda antedating it under_ 1569?—another account seems to have post-dated it under 1570.

1574 or 1575. Earthquake and plague in this town. Also in the latter year _Henry Wodehouse_, vice admiral of Norfolk, seized two fly-boats here by process, which the mayor refused to serve, and thereby brought great trouble on himself and several others.—In one MS. the admiral is called _Sir Thomas Wodehouse_.

1576. Commissioners of Sewers cut off the water from Sechy river, which worked the town mill, which caused great loss; no less than 1000 marks having been laid out to bring the water hither.

The Queen about this time coming into Norfolk, was presented by our corporation with a rich purse, finely wrought and adorned with pearl and gold, containing 100 old angels of gold: the whole valued at 200_l._

1579. The town-ditches from the South-gate to Kettle-mills scoured, and the walls also repaired and cast with black mortar.

1581. That part of St. James’s church that had not been demolished repaired, and fitted up for a workhouse, to employ the poor in the manufacture of Bays; which not found to answer the cost, was afterwards given up.—St. Nicholas’ also was then repaired at considerable expense.

1582. Ringing having been here for some time disused, certain young fellows, attempting to revive it, were opposed by divers of the aldermen, which occasioned no small disturbance and the spending of a great deal of money. But it is not said in what way it was spent, or how the affair ended.

1583. Gaywood river new cast, from the Kettle-mills to the Purfleet bridge.

1584. Lynn again visited by the Plague; on which account the _mart_ was _removed from Damgate to the Tuesday market-place_; where it has been kept ever since.

1585. The stone-bridge (High Bridge) taken down, and two arches of brick added to it. The drain in Webster’s row, (Broad Street) also vaulted over with brick.

1586. The manufacture of Bays having failed, divers poor people were now employed at the Work-house in dressing hemp and making strings and tows for the fishermen.

The stone bridge, or High Bridge, was now also new built: that is, as we presume, the houses on each side, which had been pulled down: for the new arches had been built the year before.

1587. The pinnacle or top part of St. James’s steeple taken down, and the remaining part made flat and covered with tiles.—_Sir Robert Southwell_, admiral of Norfolk, with several commissioners and justices held a court of admiralty at Lynn, at which sixteen _pirates_ were condemned, most of whom were executed at _Gannock_.

This year also _John Wanker’s wife_ and the _widow Porker_, were both _carted_ here for _whoredom_, a crime which appears to have been then greatly discountenanced in this town; so that those found guilty of it were put in a cart, or fastened to its tail, and driven or dawn, through the whole town, as spectacles of detestation. The business is now managed differently.

1588. The memorable _Feast of Reconciliation_, which far excelled all our other Lynn Feasts, was this year instituted. It was a meeting of the mayor, some of the aldermen, common council-men, and the clergy, held the first Monday in the month, to check discord, reconcile differences, and decide all manner of controversies among the inhabitants. It was well calculated to do good, and did much good, no doubt, while it was duly attended to; but is become now as a tale that is told, and seems like other feasts to be now fast passing towards oblivion.—This year Lynn is also said to have furnished a pinnace to oppose the dreaded Spanish Armada.

1589. Five sail of ships from this town formed part of the squadron of Drake and Norris in their expedition against Spain; and it is said they returned home safe without any loss.

1590. One _Margaret Read_ burnt here for _Witchcraft_—a reputed crime deemed in those days as atrocious as murder, if not much more so. The history of Lynn is sadly stained and disgraced with accounts of these executions, or rather legal murders committed by the magistrates.—The same year the foundation of the South-gate was secured from the danger of being undermined by water.

1594. A violent storm or tempest, which began September the twenty-first and lasted till the twenty-fourth.

1596. A new wind-mill erected at Gannock—occasioned probably by the difficulty of obtaining a sufficient supply of water to work the town water-mill.

1597. The great Mill-dyke from Sayer’s Marsh new cast. But the Mill afterwards seems to have been in general but ill supplied with water. It was at last given up, after having been the grist mill of the town time immemorial. It stood by the Lancastrian school and new bridge. The lane below took from it the name of _Mill-lane_.—Great sickness and mortality in the town this year; particularly from March to July, when 320 persons are said to have been buried in St. James’s church yard.—Other accounts place this mortality in the following year.

1598. One _Elizabeth Housegoe_ executed for _Witchcraft_.—Another legal, but most foul murder committed by Lynn magistrates.—One MS. mentions two men of war, as fitted out this year, at the expense of this town and Yarmouth.

1602. A severe shock of an Earthquake felt here on Christmas Eve.—also the Windmill removed from the South gates to Kettle-mills: but not by the earthquake, we suppose.

1604. A man executed for a rape, on a child under ten years of age.

1605. King James’s Charter was this year obtained, which greatly augmented the privileges of the corporation; particularly in exempting them from the jurisdiction of the Lord High Admiral, and investing the mayor and burgesses with that power within this borough and its liberties. This Charter is long and its grants most ample.

The town-clerk, _Vallenger_, also this year built the South Lynn Almshouses, for four poor men. (see p. 1133, 1160, and 1185.) A great fire broke out in High street, in which a man and his wife and family perished. The Cistern at Kettle mills was made.

1606. A vessel of one hundred tons overthrown in this haven, in February, and not recovered till April.

1607. A very high tide, which flowed up quite to the Tuesday market-cross.

1616. One _Mary Smith_ executed here for _Witchcraft_ on the twelfth of January:—one account says that she was _burnt_, and another that she was _hanged_; but all may safely say she was _murdered_. Alexander Roberts, one of the Lynn clergy, is said to have given an account of her execution, in a treatise he published that year on Witchcraft.

1617. St. Nicholas’s Library founded by the mayor and burgesses.—One Dr. Pearse gave 1000_l._ to the corporation, they to pay for it 5 per cent. interest; but they disclaimed and would not accept it. (see Joseph Cooper’s book, and Hall books No. 7,)—It is not said how the interest was to be applied.

1620. Two large fishes cast here on shore, one thirty feet long, and the other eighteen yards; but Mackerell is loath to believe the latter to be so large, and thinks it could be only eighteen feet.—The old custom-house now pulled down and rebuilt.—eight or nine ships driven up to St. Germans, and several sunk at the Ball, so as not to be seen at low water or dead neap. (J. Cooper’s MS.)

1621. A man drawn up by the rope of St. Margaret’s great bell and killed.—The people prohibited going to Gaywood Fair; but the reason not told.

1623. St. James’s church underwent additional demolition: one account says, that it was now “_entirety_ pulled down,” which must be a mistake, as the cross aisle is still standing, and forms a principal part of the present workhouse.

1626. St. Ann’s Fort erected, and furnished with a number of great guns from the Tower. The house adjoining, and the piazza, or covered walk, supposed to have been erected about the same time.

1628. Chimes said to be now _first_ set up in St. Margaret’s: but it seems to be a mistake, as we had heard of chimes there many years before, (see under 1566.) Chimes are also said to be now first set up at St. Nicholas’s.—On the 20th. December this year, the four varlets, or sergeants at mace being absent from the mayor, his worship caused them to be cried in different parts of the town:—what success attended this curious experiment, or whether his worship ever found his lost or strayed sergeants, does not appear.

1629. The Bedehouse repaired, and a pipe laid to it conveying thither St. Margaret’s water.—Writing school established in the chamber over the Butcher’s shambles, in Saturday market.—Those shambles furnished with a weighing stool to weigh children. But it seems an odd idea, to have children taken to the butcher’s shambles, to be weighed like hogs or sheep.

1630. April 29. The White Friars steeple, or tower of the Carmelite Convent in South Lynn, fell with a tremendous crash.—Draining of Paradise now took place, which seems to have been before in a hoggish state—The great muck-hill, at the East-gate, spread over St. Catharine’s ground, close by.—One Beane, a tailor, indicted for ravishing his maid, but got off, on paying a fine of 50_l._

1631. A high tide, overflowing the lands about the town, deprived it of fresh water for a long time.

1633. The Ferry-boat sunk, by which eighteen persons were drowned.

1634. The mayor, Thomas Gurling, buried his wife, and married another the next week.

1635. Five lads, who were here at school, going to wash in the river, near the Ball, were there drowned.

1636. The Plague again in this town; on which account sheds or pest-houses were erected under the town walls for the diseased, where about 200 persons are said to have died.—Also 4th. November, a terrible storm here; fourteen sail of ships lost in the harbour, and all hands perished, according to one account.

1637. An order arrived from the archbishop, for the ground at the East end of the churches to be raised, railed in, with steps to ascend thither, and the communion tables, or alters to be there placed. This was one of _Laud’s_ high-church projects, and one of those that increased the public discontents, and hastened his and his sovereign’s downfal.—The town this year assessed 200_l._ towards building a ship of war.—[Three years before, the town, according to one account, was also assessed 1192_l._ towards building a ship of war, of 800 tons, and 260 men.] Twelve Grampuses here cast on shore, seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen feet long.

1638. The town store of gunpowder lodged in the Red Mount. Two weekly foot-posts appointed for London: to go by turns, and have 30_s._ a year for their wages.—The water-rent of a Brewhouse and Malthouse fixed at 5_l._ a year, and of a Brew-house only at 3_l._

1639. Thomas Toll, mayor elect, being very ill on Michaelmas day, had the oaths administered to him in bed, at his own house.