Part 41

“June 9. 1706—The Humble Address of the mayor, recorder, aldermen, and common-councell of your Majesties ancient Burgh of King’s Lynn.—May it please your Majestie—Having ever since our happy revolution (which restored our English Constitution) undergone the various events of a long war with the utmost cheerfullness and alacrity, our zeal can never slacken (but increase) under your Majesties reign of wonders, who is raised by Providence to extricate us out of the greatest difficulties, and to putt a hooke into the nostrills of that great Leviathan who hath so long sported himself upon our waters.—It is your Majesties genius that inspires, ’tis your choice that enables your brave generall the Duke of Marleborow to make our streets thus often resound with the joyfull noise of victorys. These strokes are master-pieces not to be found in the Louvre at Versailles. Whilst with one blow he reduces the treacherous Bavarian and makes him fly his own country; with the other he drives him out of his French government too, effectually confirming the just Ban of the Empire, (where your generall hath so well deserved the prime dignity) and restores the flourishing Provinces of Brabant and Spanish Flanders to its rightfull Prince. The haughty Spaniard will hereby see if they would preserve their unwieldy monarchy entire, it is your majesties protection they must have recourse to. But no lest wonderfull are all the rest of the steps of your Majesties government upon the main continent (even the farthest parts of Spain nearest France) wee see the large provinces of Catalonia and Valentia (with ane amasing success reduc’d to their lawful sovereigne), where our brave Englis’h Peterborough’s zeale, for the honour of his Prince and Country hath rivalled even the longest experience. And as it is as difficult to preserve as gaine, how have wee seen half a hundred capitall ships reach the length of the distant Barcelona before the time they almost used to put to sea. At their approach Lewis’s blood chills in the veins of Anjou and Tholouse. They fly from before us. Wee hope (the former) to increase the numbers of the French king’s pretended and abdicated Princes, who crye to him for succour (tho’ in vain) which might convince Lewis (as Alexander’s wound did him) that notwithstanding the statues and Panegyricks,) he is not yet arrived at immortality.—But our prospects are still more comfortable att home, wee find an universal calme amongst us, and as one effect of it the nationall credit advanced to a degree even beyond what the most peaceable times could boast off, which is the best evidence in the Body Politick as the face is of health in the body naturall. Wee are thankfully convinced your Majestie is the best Protector, as well as the greatest Ornament and Benefactor of our established Church, and are best Judge of what is for its advantage: and if any party ffaction (out of a private ambition) should endeavour to insinuate any groundless ffears, or erect as any other guarautees (that your Majesties daily actions) as wee are satisfied it is, endeavouring to allieniate and transfer from your Majestie the affection of your subjects and their just depending on your Person, so it is to robb us of our peace and quiett.—That your Majestie may be always fear’d and honor’d abroad and reverenc’d at home, as it shall be always (in our low sphere) our utmost wishes and endeavours, so may he be deemed unworthy of the name of ane Englishman that doth not heartily say Amen.”

{885} What occasioned the decay and demolition of our water-mills seems to have been the want of a sufficient supply of water to work them, owing, perhaps, partly, if not chiefly to the neglect of keeping the different water-courses in due repair, and especially those connected with the Middleton river. The following articles from the Hall-books will throw some light on this subject—“August 29. 1706; ordered the cutting and opening a trench in the common ditch from Kettlewell to a sluce at Gannock gate in order to carry the water from thence to the same water-mills.” Again—“Nov. 8. It is ordered that it be referred to a Committee to state the case touching the flow and reflow of the salt waters in Middleton river for the service of the corn water-mills, and the benefite of continuing or deserting those priviledges to this corporation, and to inform themselves now far this corporation will be obliged, in case of deserting that river to the ditching or scouring the same or any or what part thereof.”—Again—Dec. 20. The committees report is,—

1. We find that the flow and reflow of the salt-waters for the service of the corn-water-mills is an antient right and priviledge enjoyed time out of mind by this corporation, under a fee farme rent of 20_s._ payable to the lords of the manor of Gaywood, heretofore the bishop, prior, and convent of Norwich—2. That whilst the said corn-mills did bear a considerable rent the charges of ditching and scouring the rivers and drains in which these waters had their course, were easy and supportable, and the said mills were of great service and benefits to this corporation—3. That the rents and profits of the same mills of late years are much reduced and lessened, and the rivers and drains so silted and grown up that the charges of ditching and scouring those rivers, will be greater than the future rents and profits thereof will compensate. We are therefore of opinion that it will be of less disadvantage to this town to disanul the said flow and reflow of the salt waters than to continue the same under the present great and unavoidable charges of opening the said rivers; and that the use of the fresh waters constantly descending in these rivers not being obstructed by the salts, will be of great advantage to the country adjacent draining by these rivers, and will also in a great measure be serviceable to the working the said mills and preserving the said drains and outfalls.—4. That in case the said flow and reflow be deserted, wee are of opinion that the said rivers and drains ought to be ditched and scoured at the equal charge of all the lands draining thereby according to the ancient laws and customs of sewers.—Signed by Ch. Turner Esq. mayor, Hen. Framingham, &c. &c.

{887} It is not said who presented this address. Perhaps it might be the noted Framingham, who was then high sheriff of the county, as well as one of our leading aldermen. Perhaps too, it might be on this occasion that her majesty called him her _cousin_, which compliment is said to have so highly gratified his vanity, that he used to boast of it ever after, in his ostentatious way, to the no small divertisement of his companions and acquaintance.

{888a} The circumstance is thus stated in the MS.—“1708—Michael Hamond and his Sister, both children—one seven and the other eleven, were hanged for felony on the gallows out of South Gates.” What the particular crime was does not appear.

{888b} This affair is thus stated in our book of extracts—

“June 27. 1709. We having taken several views of the condition of this Harbor and the banks, walls, and defences thereof, the dolphins and stakes antiently erected for the security and safe mooring of ships, and of the dangers of undermining the foundations of the houses and buildings next the Haven there: It appears to us that in the space of a few years last past, by the rapid and violent descents of the waters in the Ebb Tides, the course of the chanell is much altered and diverted and the deep run brought under the said Dolphins and stakes, and so near the said banks, walls, and defences, and the danger of undermining the said foundation daily more increasing, that the charges of preserving the said Harbour are become insupportable. Wee are [therefore] of opinion that it is absolutely necessary that some speedy care be taken for erecting one or more large Jettys of timber and stone in fitt places for reducing the chanell to its usuall course, and that Engineers experienced to such works, be consulted, and endeavours considered for obtaining ane act of parliament for some reasonable tax or assessment upon tunnage for the enabling the performance of such works, and that the vast charges and expences already laid out on this behalf be inspected and computed.—Signed _Hon. Chennery_ mayor, _Robt. Auborne_, _Ed. Rolfe_, _John Berney_, _Dan: Scarlett_, _Saml. Browne_.”

Afterwards, under the date of Aug. 29, the same year, it is added, “Capt. Hawley is desired to come down to view the Harbor.” Then it immediately follows—“Referr’d to a Comittee Lord Townshend’s Letter respecting the employing of poor _Paletines_ come over, and to consider how many.”—It would seem by this, that they were to be employed in improving the harbour, erecting jetties, repairing the sea-banks, &c.

{891} Of that benefaction Mackerell says nothing; but there is some account of it in the Town-books, under April 1. 1713, and in the Monthly Magazine for July 1810, page 568.

{894} See Coxe’s mem. of Walpole, vol. I.

{897} On the 26th. of the preceding January, it was decreed in the Hall, that no person under 60 years old should be elected, or admitted into Gaywood Hospital. The same rule, we presume, has been ever since strictly observed.

{901a} Here it may be proper just to observe, that the author rather thinks he was mistaken at page 889, in supposing that Browne had been _complimented_ with the _freedom_ of this town. He has since examined the book which contains a list of the names of all our freemen, and cannot find the doctor’s name there. This is not to be wondered at, considering the bad terms on which he lived with the corporation.

{901b} About the same time that the pens of _Armstrong_ and _Badslade_ were thus engaged, that of the elder _Kinderley_ also was employed in the same cause, as appears by the dedication and preface to his son’s volume on the _ancient and present state of the navigation of Lynn_, &c. About these times, the names of Messrs. _Steph. Allen_, _John Cary_, and _Geo. Hogg_, became enrolled among our freemen, whose descendants have ever since figured among the first families of this town.—They are thus noticed in our volume of Extracts—“Augt. 29th. 1724. Mr. St. Allen to have his ffreedom, paying 20 nobles.—Sept. 27. 1727. John Cary elected free upon paying 20 nobles.—Febr. 3. 1728–9. Granted the ffreedom to Geo. Hogg, marriner, at the request of alderman John Kidd, as his mayor’s ffreeman.”

{902} Two Irishmen, as the story goes, served in the German or imperial army during a war with the Turks. One of them, in a skirmish with some Tartars, was by one of them overpowered and taken prisoner. Upon which he called out to his comrade, “By Jasus, I _have caught a Tartar_!” “Very well,” said the other, “bring him away then;’” “_he wont come_,” answered paddy; “then come yourself,” replied his comrade; “arrah now, my dear honey,” cried he, “_but he wont let me_.” Hence the origin of the proverbial saying, when a sharper has been overmatched, that he has _catched a tartar_.

{912} The gentlemen of this town, with all their superabundant zeal for the church, ought to consider how much they owe, for what morality and religion exist here, to the exertions of those who dissent from that church. Every candid and discerning person in the town must see and acknowledge that the labours of these dissenters have very largely contributed to the reformation of the inhabitants. But for our dissenting chapels, far more than one half, perhaps three fourths of our population would have been effectually precluded from the possibility of being benefited by the public ministry of the clergy, for want of room or proper accommodation in the churches. This is a known fact. Must not the labours of the dissenters therefore be evidently and unquestionably entitled to the gratitude and encouragement of our rulers, even if their mode of instruction had _not_ been better calculated to enlighten the common people than that of the church ministers?

{913} The _Harwicks_ seem to have been peculiarly unfortunate in being treated unhandsomely and rudely by some of their townsmen, during their mayoralty. _Richard_ Harwick was said to be so treated, by _Browne_, in 1723, and _Charles_ Harwick now by this _Rudkin_. How to account for this, we are unable to say. The Harwicks might carry themselves with too much haughtiness, or, on the other hand, with too much condescension; for the one as well as the other kind of conduct has sometimes exposed people to rude and unbecoming treatment. However that was, the fact itself, as above stated, appears no less clear than remarkable.

{914} Rudkin’s successor in the common-council was the late Thomas Sommersby, the elder. Hence the following note occurs in the Hall books—“Nov. 26. 1731, Mr. Th. Sommersby chosen into the common councel, in the room of John Rudkin amoved.”—Sometime previously to the expulsion of Rudkin, Edw. Bradfield, the Town clerk, was also expelled, or discharged from his office, as appears by the following notes in the same books—“August 29. 1729, Ed. Bradfield, Town-Clerk suspended.”—again . . . “Sept. 29. 1729; Ed. Bradfield, Town-Clerk discharged.”—His offence, or the cause and reason of his discharge is not mentioned: but by the _Epitaph_ drawn up for him by his friend Dr. _Browne_, it would seem not to have been any thing very honourable or creditable to the corporation. This Epitaph, as it is of an unusual cast, and in the doctor’s best manner, may be worth preserving, and reads as follows.—

“_Behold a rare Monument of Friendship_, _Dedicated to the Remains of_ EDWARD BRADFIELD, ATTORNEY AT LAW. _Happy while he was Master of himself_; _Unfortunate when he became the Servant of others_. _His fine Patrimony_, _And a Profession wherein he excell’d_, _Gave him Independency_, _And every Enjoyment_ _That could make Life agreeable_: _But alas_! _His accepting the office of Town-Clerk_ _Subjected him to Servility_, _And to every Disappointment_ _That could make Death desirable_. _His Experience of both Fortunes was remarkable_: _In the Prosperous_, _he was follow’d_ _As if he never had an Enemy_; _In the Adverse_, _he was deserted_ _As if he never had a Friend_. _He died September_ 6_th_. 1736, _aged_ 47. _Leaving a Widow_, _and an only Daughter_. _He was Defended while living_; _He is Covered now Dead_, _By one who commenced_, _Almost from the Cradle_, _And continues his Friend_, _Even beyond the Grave_. William Browne, M.D. in both Universities, And Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.”

This Epitaph is certainly creditable to the feelings and memory of Sir William Browne.—Having this occasion to mention him again, the author begs leave here to correct what he said above at page 901 relating to the question, whether or not he had been complimented with the freedom of this borough? He has since ascertained that that honour was actually conferred on him _gratis_, Febr 3 1717–18; which must have been previous to his having incurred the displeasure of the Hall. Nor can this writer discover that the same honour was withheld from any _physician_, who had settled here for any length of time, before our two present ones: (only Dr. Hamilton _purchased_ his freedom, but that was, it seems, before he had received his Doctor’s degree.) Nor yet does this same honour appear to have been withheld from any of the _clergy_ who were _Lecturers_ here, except the present Lecturer and his predecessor _Eyre_. We know not how to account for this omission on the part of our corporation, (at a time when the honour itself is daily decreasing in value,) but from a mere _want_ of _urbanity_; and we hope, in what we may have occasion to say of them hereafter, we shall never have any reason to lay any thing worse to their charge.

{917} This _Edmund Keene_ was the late bishop of Ely.

{920} The spire or steeple of South Lynn Church was not then blown down, but stood twenty years longer, and its fall was among the memorable events which distinguished the commencement of this reign. It is somewhat remarkable that the Grey Friars Steeple, the slightest of all our buildings of that kind, has hitherto withstood the severest blasts.

{927} It is said that when they had nearly completed one part of their work, and were ready to congratulate themselves on its impervious, impassable, and impregnable aspect, a _greyhound_ that followed one of the gentlemen, making a sudden spring, flew over it in an instant, which so cooled their ardour, damped their spirits, and discouraged them, that they had no longer any heart at all to proceed: for they concluded, that if that greyhound could do so, the _Highlanders_, if they came, would not fail to storm every thing of that kind that might happen to stand in their way.—So apprehensive and confident were they for some time that the rebels would come this way, that they readily gave heed to every flying and idle report that coincided with that notion. It was at one time believed, that their vanguard had nearly reached _Wisbeach_, and even that some of their scouts or spies were actually in _Marshland_. The last belief arose from the circumstance of two travelling Scotchmen happening then to pass through Marshland, whom every body took to be no other than rebel spies. A strong party was sent from Lynn to take them up, who, among other things, questioned them, if they had _arms_? To which they answered, “Yes, they had _twa_,” lifting up both their arms at the same time.

{932} The present writer is earnestly desirous to do ample justice, and give all due commendation to the persevering and unwearied exertions of the different descriptions of our Lynn dissenters. They have certainly done much good, here as well as elsewhere. After all, it must be allowed and confessed that the miserable _bigotry_, _illiberality_ and _intolerance_, which they have often discovered, and particularly _on a recent occasion_, constitute a vast and sad drawback from the merit of their exertions, and the praise to which their labours are entitled. But on this head we shall be more explicit, when we come to the _present state_ of the town.

{935} That the _evangelical clergy_ and their _patrons_ should be at all alarmed, at the growth, or progress of methodism, seems not a little singular and strange, considering that they themselves are looked upon as one sort of methodists, and have certainly and evidently contributed, in a very large measure, to the increase and prosperity of that sect. They, sorely, did not mean or wish to make their hearers dissenters, but the spirit of their system and the drift of their ministry appear to have a strong tendency that way.

{936} At Lynn, and some other places, the _Wesleyans_ alone bear the name of _Methodists_: whereas the _Whitefieldians_ are here denominated _Independents_, which name they have likewise assumed in many other places. In some of the western parts the name of Methodists is given only to them, and the others are called _Wesleyans_, and sometimes _Wesleys_: but on this subject we will say more hereafter.

{937} Whether it will so happen or not, it is certain that the _methodist Constitution_ is well worth the attention of the statesman and philosopher, as well as the historian. It is admirably calculated for making numerous proselytes, and becoming the predominant religion of a country—especially that of the _Wesleyan_ community; whose whole plan and organization discover exquisite skill and judgment, with a most deep and accurate knowledge of human nature. In all which respects John Wesley appears no way inferior to any of the heads of our modern orders or sects, from Francis and Dominic down to Emanuel Swedenburg and Joanna Southcote; not excepting Ignatius Loyola, Martin Luther, John Calvin, or even Fox and Penu and count Zinzendorff.

{941} See Belsham v. 414, &c.

{942} Belsham v. 86.

{950} The writer of the above extract further says, that during the said electioneering tumult,