Part 35

1640. March 13. The sheriff’s precept arrived for the election of two members for this borough, to serve in the parliament summoned to meet at Westminster on the 15th of the following month; when Messrs. Doughty and Gurlyn, the two senior aldermen, were chosen, with an allowance of _five shilling a day_ while they attended their duty in the senate.—12 October about 3 weeks before the meeting of the Long Parliament, the mayor, _William Doughty_, apprised the Hall of two Letters just received from the _Earl of Arundell_, one to the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses, the other to the mayor himself, to induce them to return certain persons of his nominating and recommending to the said parliament. On which it was unanimously agreed and resolved, not to choose any other burgesses to serve in parliament but such as are resident and inhabitants within the corporation or borough. Messrs. _Thomas Toll_ and _John Percivall_, two of the alderman, were accordingly chosen as representatives of Lynn, in that memorable parliament: and they were the first ever elected here by the voice of the _freemen of large_—the _Hall only_, or some part of it, being till now the only and sole electors of our parliamentary representatives. [Some, perhaps will be ready to say, that the case is not much otherwise, even at present.]

1641. A sword-fish of an uncommon size came up to the town and was taken. The town now also began to be fortified, and seven pieces of brass ordnance or cannon were sent hither from London. Everything, in short, both here and throughout the kingdom, was fast advancing towards the great crisis which the nation soon after experienced. [How much that period resembled the present, may deserve some consideration.]

1642. The three gates (the East, the South, and Gannock,) furnished with draw-bridges.—Captain _Sherwood_, of Norwich, with a troop of dragoons appeared before the town, and came close under St. Catharine’s wall by the East Gate, demanding entrance, which the mayor and townsmen refused: the gate being shut; and bridge drawn. The Earl of Manchester soon after appeared with a strong force, and commenced the siege of the town on the 28th of August, and on the 16th of the following month the town surrendered to him, with the loss of only _four_ men killed, and a few wounded. According to the terms of capitulation every foot soldier of his had 10_s._ paid him, and every foot officer a fortnight’s pay; which, according to Mackerell, amounted to 3200_l._—We are told that our principal Lynn commanders or warriors on this occasion were Sir Horace Townshend, Captain Kirby, Capt. Atkin, Capt. Morse, Capt. Gurling, Capt. Wharton, Capt. Brady, Capt. Davy, Capt. Marsh, and Lieut. Porter:—all very loyal and royal, no doubt, but ingloriously conquered by their jacobinic and democratic assailants. During this memorable siege, in the afternoon of Sunday, September 3, an eighteen-pounder from a battery on the west side of the river entered St. Margaret’s church at the west window in sermon-time, took off a great part of one of the pillars, and terribly frightened the whole congregation, but no body was materially hurt—all left the church in the utmost terror and confusion. [_Of these matters_, _and subsequent proceedings and regulations here_, _see Part_ IV. _Chap._ IV. p. 754, &c.]

October 9. same year (1642) there was an order of the Hall, (or of the new constituted authorities,) that the _Charters_ should be _read_ by the Town-Clerk, in _English_, “that those of that body might the _better understand what then were sworn to maintain_.”—We cannot discover that any thing of the kind was ever thought of here, but at this time of republican predominance: at all other times the members of the Hall, as well as the freemen at large, were called upon to swear to maintain certain unknown rights—a something they knew not what.—Nineteen out of twenty, perhaps, of our present freemen have been thus solemnly sworn, which must render those freemen the most disreputable and contemptible part of our whole population: for what can degrade any man more than to submit to swear what he does not understand?

1643. January 2. Parliament ordered that the mayor, aldermen, and common council of Lynn, should pay and allow their two representatives, out of the town stock, as large an allowance per diem as they had used to pay any of their aldermen that had represented that town in parliament.—The corporation would fain have evaded this expense—partly on the plea, that the _whole body of freemen_ had a voice in the election of these two members, and _not the Hall alone_, as usual; and therefore that this payment should not rest solely on the latter. But their chief plea was poverty, and having no town stock. It was however not admitted, and our corporation at last agreed to pay their two representatives 5_s._ a day during their attendance in parliament.

March 20. _Oliver Cromwell_ (then called _Col. Cromwell_) visited this town, and was entertained here at the expense of the corporation. {1200}—The curious painted glass, in the windows of St. Margaret’s church, taken down this year, and replaced with plain glass.

1644. Ships coming hither from places infected with the plague obliged to observe quarantine fourteen days, one half in the roads and the other in White Friar’s Fleet—_Col. Valentine Wauton_ was now governor, and _Miles Corbet_ recorder of Lynn—both of whom sat afterwards as judges at the king’s trial, and finally suffered among the condemned regicides.

1645. In February _Sir Thomas Fairfax_ visited Lynn, and was entertained at the expense of the corporation.—_Dorothy Lee_ and _Grace Wright_ were also murdered here legally by the magistrates; or, in other words, _hanged for witchcraft_.—The plague visited the town again this year.—_Col. Hobart_ became now governor, and _Guybon Goddard_ deputy recorder of Lynn.

1646. The eleventh of May this year was rendered not a little conspicuous among our memorable days, by a most curious resolution of the Hall, expressed as follows in our volume of extracts—“It is this day ordered that alderman Th. Rivett be requested to send for Mr. _Hopkins_ the _Witch-Discoverer_ to come to Lynn, and his charges and recompense to be borne by the town.”—This year also the charge of the Town Records was committed to one _Ticket Browne_, who had been turned out for erasing and falsifying them, thirteen years before.—The town having suffered much by means of _Lord Paulet_, parliament ordered reparation to be made out of his estate.—see p. 761.

1648. A woman was hanged here, for killing her child: Her name supposed to be _Rose Warne_, of whose penitent death Mr. Horn, then vicar of South Lynn, published an account.—The ruinous state of the town being now represented to parliament, they voted “2000 oaks for reparation thereof.” see p. 761.

1649. Lease of three Ferry-rights granted to John Bird, at 10_l._ per annum, and a _brace of well-fatted Swans to the mayor_.

1650. An insurrection of royalists now took place in this county, and the Lynn garrison employed in its suppression.—One _Major Saul_ was then taken and hanged here in the Tuesday Market-place, see p. 769.—_Dorothy Floyd_ (or _Lloyd_,) murdered by our magistrates: (that is, _hanged for witchcraft_:)—one of the blessed effects, we may suppose, of Hopkins the witchfinder’s late visit.—October 16. Shops ordered to be shut up every Thursday during Lecture-time, to the end that people and their servants might attend the hearing the word of God—_This order was issued by the very people who had sent for the witchfinder_; so that we cannot attach much merit to it.

1651. Lynn petitioned parliament against the erection of Denver Sluice, which was probably no injudicious step.

1652. The Lynn garrison dissolved.

1653. One _Say_ hanged here for _killing her husband_—one account says it was by _poison_.—The South gate was now let to Henry Bloy at 1_l._ 5_s._ a year, and the East gate to James Browne at 1_l._ 15_s._ which shews that the town had then more intercourse with the country by the _East_ than by the _South gate_.—There being before this year only _six_ corn meters, but they were now increased to _ten_.

1654. The town obtained a very advantageous charter from the Protector, of which we have not been able to get sight of any copy or transcript. It was probably destroyed at the restoration.

1655. Lynn now again garrisoned.

1656. The generals Rippon and Desborow elected members for this town, and their charges (we suppose 5_s._ per diem) ordered to be paid by the corporation.—St. George’s Hall now converted into an _Exchange_.

1657. Front of the Free-School-Master’s house rebuilt at the charge of the corporation—Rent of the two gates advanced from 1_l._ 5_s._ and 1_l._ 15_s._ to 15_l._ a year, which seems to indicate the thriving state of the town during the protectorate.—During this and some of the preceding years, a mighty stir was made here for the suppression of vice, and especially of _profane swearing_, _excessive drinking_, and _tippling_, which greatly affected the publicans, or ale-house-keepers, who were then very heavily fined, which occasioned great discontents and complaints on their part and that of their customers.—The money thus raised said to be applied towards paving and improving the town. Of that stir see pp. 773, &c.—The mayor now agreed to take _forty shillings_ instead of two fatted swans from the Ferry-man.

1658. St. James’s church yard became the parish being-ground, there being no longer any room left for burying in St. Margaret’s churchyard.—One _Dorothy Warden_, alias _Billins_ hanged for killing her child.—_Oliver_ died, and was succeeded in the Protectorate by his son _Richard_, to whom an _Address_ was voted by this corporation on the 8th of October.

1659. Jan. 3. The right of electing burgesses or members of parliament determined to be in the _Hall_, and _not in the freemen at large_: the two members, _Toll_ and _Lloyd_ were accordingly now elected by the Hall.—Jan. 14. Ordered that the chamberlain take of all townsmen who build Booths at the Mart, 6_d._ and of strangers 10_d._ a foot for their ground.

1660. April 13. The freemen at large claiming again, rather clamorously, a voice at the election of burgesses, the Hall thought proper to give way; _Hare_ and _Walpole_ were accordingly elected by the freemen at large.—May 29, 300 Young maids, dressed all in white, (200 of them at the expense of two wealthy individuals,) paraded through the principal streets, by way of joy and triumph for the king’s restoration, see p. 797.—Divine service now performed at St. Margaret’s, in summer at 5, and in winter at 6 o’clock in the morning, which had not been the case for the last ten years.

1661. Alderman Keeling expelled the Hall for _non-residence_.—Rent of South-gate tolls lowered from 15_l._ to 5_l._ a year.

1662. An impost of 1_s._ per chalder laid on all coals brought by strangers, and applied to the relief of the Poor, who were here then very numerous and much distressed, notwithstanding, the blessed restoration.

1663. Several Friends or _Quakers_ were now also imprisoned here for nonconformity, which shews how friendly the restoration proved to liberty of conscience.—“Many musters and shews (says Mackerell,) were performed by the _Trained Bands_, who took the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to the king with all imaginable chearfulness.”—Tolls of the East gate let for one year at 11_l._

1664. Price of coals advanced this year from 17_s._ to 30_s._ and upwards.—Lord _Townshend_ elected _lord high steward_.

1665. The plague again this year visited Lynn and committed great ravages; on which account the gates were shut and even the mackerell carts not suffered to enter.

1666. Plague continued and no Mart kept—markets also discontinued, and all communication with the country suspended.

1667. A woman, named Wharton, hanged for killing her child.

1670. Duke of Richmond and lord Townshend entertained here at the expense of the Hall—great fear here of a Quo-warranto for issuing farthing tokens—_Worsted Weavers_ petition parliament to have a Dyer and Calender settled here.—Proclamation relating to decayed houses: [to be seized by the corporation unless timely repaired.]

1671. August 11. Sir Robert Steward apprizes the corporation of the king’s intention to visit Lynn in the course of the following month: 100_l._ is therefore ordered to be paid into the Chamberlain’s hands to provide for that occasion. Provision was accordingly made, but his said majesty did not come. Nov. 10. The whole banquet provided for the king, voted to the mayor for the sum of 10_l._

1672. Address to his majesty acknowledging his grace and favour in pardoning the corporation for coining farthings.—_Duke of Ormond_, &c. entertained here at the expense of the Hall.

1673. Giles Alden, common council-man expelled the Hall for non-residence or frequent absence.

1676. William Pearson hanged here for shop lifting.—Mr. _Helcote_ laid the foundation of _Broad-street Almshouse_, which was next year completed by _Framingham_.

1677. One _John Swift_, a shop-breaker, hanged.

1678. Application made by the Hall to Thomas Goddard Esq. son of the late Recorder, Guybon Goddard, for his father’s MS. Collections relating to the antiquities of this town—but it is supposed without success:—20 guineas however were offered for them.—The elder _Turner_ began now to acquire consequence here, being, as Mackerell says, common council-man, mayor-elect, parliament-man, and captain of the Trained Bands, all in the space of two years.

1679. The corporation signified their intention, not to have any in future to represent the town, in parliament, but some two of their own townsmen.—_Wm. Basset_, _M.D._ resigned his aldermanship; deeming its duties incompatible with those of his medical profession. [What would he have thought had he gone _out of town_ to live?]—One _John __Page_, an old offender, was hanged here this year: one account says, it was for breaking open several shops.

On the 3rd of July this year, there was a _great fire at Market-Dereham_, which burnt a great part of that town, and reduced the sufferers to great distress; which Lynn affected deeply to commiserate, and a collection was made here for them, amounting in all, if we are not mistaken, to 110_l._ but it ought surely to have been more, considering the state of the case, and that the aldermen went about to collect through their different wards:—(which appears from the book of Extracts so often referred to)

1680. Sir Henry Hobart and Sir Taylor returned burgesses for this town.—A grampus was taken 22 feet long and 7 feet deep.—Mackerell says, that St James’s church began now to be made a spinning-school for the collectioner’s children; but we know not what he meant by _Collectioner_.

1681. The mart this year kept in Common Stath yard. Nov. 4. a committee appointed to report if the said yard was convenient for keeping the mart there in future—[it probably did not appear to them a convenient place for that purpose, so that the mart was kept there but one year.]

1682. The mayor, with several aldermen and common council-men met the king at Newmarket, and there presented an Address to him.—A committee this year appointed for erecting a public workhouse: accordingly we find that St. James’s church was now fitted up for that purpose.—Two new _May-poles_ were also this year set up in the town; one in the Market place and the other at the Fort.

1683. Lord Mowbray, Earl of Arundell, Lord Lieutenant of the county, entertained at the public charge.—The governor and guardians of the workhouse incorporated, under the dignified names of _Master and Brethren of St. James’s Hospital_.

1684. The Earl of Arundell, Lord Lieutenant of the County, and now Duke of Norfolk, again entertained here at the public charge.—New altar-piece set up at the church, which cost near 200_l._—Our Charters were now also surrendered to the king, who on that occasion conferred on the two aldermen, _Turner_ and _Taylor_, the honour and dignity of _knighthood_.—On the 18th. of August this year it was ordered at the Hall, that every new-elected alderman, in lieu of the customary treat, should pay 10_l._ and a common-council-man 20 nobles, for the benefit of the new work-house; which was continued above 40 years.—(see under 1725)—None now admitted to their freedom unless they had taken the sacrament within the preceding year.

1685. Febr. 10. James the second proclaimed, and an address to him agreed upon, four days after—Nov. 9. The _may-pole_ in the market place taken down to be replaced by the _king’s statue_.—The two aldermen _Turner_ and _Taylor_ elected members for the town.—Petition transmitted and recommended to them concerning _the decay of the stocking trade_ here by the introduction of _weaving_, instead of _knitting_. See more about it under 1690.

1686. April 13. The anniversary of their majesties coronation kept here with no small pomp and parade; and the king’s statue set up at the same time with extravagant rejoicings, in the market place, where the may-pole had formerly stood.

1687. This town presented a very loyal address to his majesty, agreed upon 19th. September.—In November Lord Cornbury and others visited Lyon and were entertained at the public charge.

1688. Sunday 29th. of January being appointed a day of Thanksgiving for the queen’s pregnancy, was kept here with wonderful solemnity: the mayor and whole corporation, in their formalities, attended at morning and evening service, _to render thanks to Almighty God for so signal a blessing_; and after evening service they repaired to the custom-house to drink the king’s health with a bonefire.

29th. of June another thanksgiving day was kept here, for the queen’s delivery and birth of the prince.—The king was also now loyally addressed.—Such was the loyalty and piety of our ancestors in the reign of James the second.—His majesty after seizing the charters, and removing several members of the Hall, and replacing them with others whom he thought better of, had his pious projects, and paternal plans and purposes suddenly interrupted and frustrated, by the arrival of the Prince of Orange on the 5th. of November—which brought on the _Revolution_.

1689. The convention parliament, having met on the 22d. of January, declared the throne _abdicated_, and offered the same to the prince and princess of Orange, which they soon agreed to accept; and they were crowned on the 8th. of April.—On the 27th. of September the Fort guns at St. Ann’s, which had been removed to Hull, were returned, and placed in their former situation.

1690. In our extracts from the Hall books, the following passage occurs, under the date of Jan. 17th.—“On Petition of the Hosiers of this town in behalf of the poor, against the new invention of _weaving_ worstead hose, whereby many thousands of poor are destitute of employment. It is this day ordered and agreed that a Petition from this house (the _Hall_,) to the honourable House of Commons, representing that grievance, now read, to be sealed with the common seal of this Burgh.”

Aug. 29. Henry Framingham, now chosen mayor, remitted the usual fee of 100_l._ In other respects he was an unfeeling, intolerant being, as appears by the shameful persecution that was carried on here during his mayoralty, and that of his immediate successor, against one of the dissenting ministers and his congregations—see p. 861, &c.

1691. Dec. 21. Benjamin Holly’s fine of 30_l._ for declining the mayoralty mitigated to 21_l._

1692. March 13. Fishing in Gaywood river, as far as the double bridge, declared to be the right of the corporation.

1693. King John’s cop repaired at the expense of 12_l._ 10_s._

1694. Great inconvenience having arisen of late from large ships occupying Dowshill, Purfleet, Mill, and Whitefriars Fleets, to the exclusion of Keels, Barges, Boats, Lighters and other open vessels, whereby many of the latter, left exposed to the violence of the flood and ebb tides were damaged or lost.—the mayor, aldermen, and common council, on the 29th. of January this year, ordered that no person thenceforth do lay, or suffer to be laid, any vessel of the burden of 20 tons or upwards, in any of those Fleets, otherwise than ancient and accustomed ship seats, &c. under the penalty of 3_s._ 4_d._ for every tide they did as offend—the mayor reserving the power of permission on extraordinary occasions.—4th. June, Meter’s pay fixed at _one penny_ each chalder of coals of _freemen_, and _two pence_ of _strangers_; and on tonnage goods, a pence a ton of freemen, and 4 pence of strangers.

1695. March 11. The Hall signed an address to his majesty, in the feature of an association, to stand by and assist him against all his enemies.

1696. Outgoings or expences in maintaining the water-works for the last ten years exceeded the income by 288_l._ 13_s._ 6_d._—The expenditure being 1427_l._ 7_s._ 8_d._ and income 1338_l._ 14_s._ 2_d._

200 sail of Colliers and coasters, in running for Lynn deeps in a storm, were all wrecked, and near 1000 persons perished. (Norfolk Remem.) Scarcity of coals, and price greatly advanced.

1697. The Hall gained a cause in a trial with Leonard Hutton, before Lord Chief Justice _Holt_.—They also petition parliament for the removal of the dam and sluice near Salter’s Load, and preserving of navigation.—The _Bagges_, _Brownes_, and _Scarlets_, now begin to make some figure here.

1698. Pictures of Edward VI. and James I. presented to the Hall by alderman Robinson.—Juggard succeeds Haslewood as Lecturer.

1699. _John Cary_ succeeds, _Osborne_ as writing master, and is to teach 6 poor boys gratis, and to instruct all the children in the Church Catechism.—This is the first prominence of the Carys.—A ship now sent to Norway for pump-wood, or timber for water-pipes, at the adventure and charge of the mayor and burgesses.

1709. Another ship freighted to Norway for pump-wood for the water-works.

1701. The Head Porters and Meters being convicted of bribery and defrauding the king of his dues, were all discharged; but about a month after some of them were restored, by giving bond with one security in 20_l._—August 29. the elder Pyle appointed Lecturer.—Nov. 24. Noblemen, knights, esquires, and clergymen exempted from tolls here.

1702. Dr. Little succeeds Mr. Fysh as minister of St. Margaret’s.

1703. Sept. 24. The Boale, or World’s End, with the houses thereon, and the rights and duties attached to the same, bought of Robert Elsden, by the corporation, for 130_l._ and 20_l._ more at the end of five years from that date, (see p. 873)—Towards the latter end of November this year, happened that dreadful national calamity commonly distinguished by the name of _the great storm_, of whose effects here, see p. 874.

1704. The gloom of the former year succeeded and dissipated by the triumphs of Marlborough at _Blenheim_, which occasioned great rejoicings throughout the kingdom, of which Lynn largely participated, as appears by its address to the throne, see p. 874.

1705. The gentlemen of the counties of Bedford and Huntingdon prefer a serious charge of arbitrary and exorbitant exactions, or extortion against this corporation, see p. 879.

1708. Lynn harbour said to be now in a most wretched and alarming state, see 888.—In the course of this year also, according to one of our MS. accounts, two children were hanged here for felony, one eleven, and the other only seven years of age.