Part 47

But how the _exception_, in regard to _Methodists_, could _exclude all suspicion of sectarian partiality_, we cannot clearly understand.

{1140} This appears from the following passage in an old MS. extracted from the Hall Books—

“1580. Sept. 26. Mr. Iverye recd. 4_l._ to buy books necessarye to be in the school for his scholars. This day he accounted for the bookes, and also repaid ye sd. moneye: 5_l._ allowed him for reparations and other necessarie charges by him bestowed about his house.”

Decr. 15. 1587, it was agreed in the Hall to provide an _usher_, with a salary of 8_l._ a year. The first usher was _John Gybson_, clerk, but after a few months he had 5_l._ _given him_, _for the town to be discharged of him and family_. His successor was _Rich. Emott_, B.A. whose salary was advanced to 10_l._ a year. He was succeeded in the spring of 1593, (or rather 1594) by _John Man_, B.A. of Bennet Col. Cambridge, with the same salary. It does not appear who, if any, immediately succeeded him; but 18 Decr. 1612, the Hall agreed to choose an _usher_, whose salary, (he boarding himself,) should be 16_l._ a year. The person chosen was probably Edwd. Labourne, who held that situation in 1617, and had 5 marks gives him towards his commencing M.A.—He appeared to be much approved and held his place in 1626, and perhaps much later. Of his successors we have no regular account.

{1142a} Our school, in Knox’s time was rendered very remarkable by having _Eugene Aram_ for its usher; a man of uncommon acquirements and learning, but still more distinguished by his unhappy and miserable exit, and the horrid flagitiousness of at least one part of his life. He was apprehended here in 1759, under a charge of _murder_, committed in Yorkshire, 14 years before, and tried and convicted at York the ensuing assizes, and soon after executed. His defence at his trial was plausible and masterly; but it could avail against the preponderating evidence of his guilt. The extent of the learning in which he had made eminent proficiency was wonderful, considering the disadvantages under which he acquired it; and he died a melancholy proof that a very learned man may yet be desperately wicked, and commit the most heinous crimes.

{1142b} It is remarkable that this seminary, founded about 232 years ago, has had but _three masters_ for the greatest part of that time—viz. _Edw. Bell_, _John Horne_, and _David Lloyd_: who presided here in the whole 125 years—and all the rest but 107.

{1146a} It ought to have been for a much larger number.

{1146b} The amount of the expenditure for the last year was 73_l._ 19_s._ 3_d._ ½ which seems a large sum for a mere Sunday school. Half the sum, it is presumed, would go much further, and do far more good, if the Lancasterian plan were adopted.—Some such measure is understood to be now in the contemplation of some of our good townsmen.

{1147} _Mr. Keed_, senior, and Mr. _S. Newham_, were two of the most active promoters of this institution, and the late _Dr. Bagge_, much to his credit, was one of its very zealous patrons, and used to subscribe for the support of it _Five Guineas_ a year.

{1150} At some former periods, and especially before the reformation, our corporation members or officers appear to have been more numerous than at present, and some of them differently denominated. Hence in some records of the time of Henry V. we read of _aldermen of the Gilds_, twenty four _Jurats_, twenty seven _Common-council-men_, TWELVE _burgesses_ annually elected, whose business it was to choose the new mayor, and nominate divers other officers, including even the _town-clerk_ and _chamberlain_. These twelve were chosen as follows: The Alderman of the gild of merchants chose _four_ burgesses: those four chose _eight_ more, making their whole number then _twelve_.—These twelve chose the mayor, &c. for the ensuing year, after taking an oath which was tendered to them thus—

“Serres [i.e. Sirs,] ye shall well and truiye, upon your discressions, without affection, favour, fraude, or male engyn, chese our mayster the Mayre for the yeear coming from Mighelmass forth, a burgess of the 24, abyll, sufficient, and profitable, for the worship and profitt of the commons; and also ye shall chese 4 sufficient burgesses to occupye the office of Chamberlein for the same yeear, a comon Clerke and two Sergeants, thereof one shall be clerke of the Markett and keeper of the East Yates, a porter for the South Yates, and anoder for Doucehille’s Yates: which officers chosen, theyr names with my mayster the Mayre that shall be, ye shall present; so God ye help at the holy dome.”

The oath tendered to the said _four_ burgesses was worded thus.—

“Serres—ye shall well and trulye, upon your discressions, chese and call to you _eight_ abyll burgeys, without any affection, fraude, or male engyne, of the most indifferent, and not suspect persones, for the election of my mayster the Mayre that is to come; so God you help at the holy dome.”

The oath tendered to the Gild _alderman_ (or rather, as it would seem, _aldermen_) empowered to choose the above four burgesses, was thus expressed—

“Serres;—ye shall well and trulye upon your discressions, without any affection, favour, fraude, or male-engine, chese and call up _four_ burges, abyll, of the most indifferent, and not suspect persons, for the election of my mayster the Mayre: so God you help at the holy dome.”

The oath tendered to each of the 24 _Jurats_ was as follows—

“Serre;—ye shall be ready and buxom to my mayster the Mayre at all tymes when ye be called by him, or warned by the Sergeante, for the nedes and worship of this towne and the commonaltie thereof, and well and trulye councill him, for the proffitte and worshipe of this towne after your discression, and the counsell of this towne trulye kepe; so God you help at the holy dome.”

As to the 27 Common-councilmen, their oath ran in much the same strain, only referring to their particular designation, as overseers or superintendents of all _taxes_, _tallages_, _dymes_, _fiftenes_, _loones_, _reparacions_, _amending of houses_, _walles_, _brigges_, _fletes_, and _dyches_, _&c._

That tendered to the _Sergeant_ began thus—

“Ser; ye shall swere that ye shall be redy and buxom to my mayster the Mayre at all tymes, and truelye warne the 24 and 27 to come to the gild halle, or into any other place.” &c. &c.—

That tendered to the _Keeper of the East Gate_ was expressed thus—

“Ser; ye shall well, duelye, and truelye kepe the East Yates, and the Gannock Yate, and lete out and in the pepyll in dewe tyme, and lete the Couses shake in dewe tyme, to scoure the fletes of this towne, and oversee the markett, that the vitalls that come to the towne by land or by water be not ferestalled, nor hydde in no prive place, and every day be attendant on your mayster the Mayre, and all other things truelye to do and use that belongeth or perteyneth to the office of the portership, and keper of the markett; so God you help at holy dome.”

The oath tendered to the _keeper of the South Gate_ was in this form.—

“Ser, ye shall well and trewlye kepe the South Yates, and lete the pepyll in and oute in lawful tyme, and buxom be to my mayster the Mayre, and to his commandments, for the proffitte and worshipe of this towne; so God you help at holy dome.”

The oaths tendered to the rest of our officers and functionaries of those times are in a similar strain, and they are very curious, but are too long to be all inserted here. All the other officers being sworn by the _town-clerk_, the oaths are so expressed as to denote that circumstance; but the case in respect to _his own oath_ being different, it is varied in its form accordingly, and thus worded—

“Ser, I shall be obedient to you as my mayster Mayre, and truelye write and trewe recorde make and trewe councell gyffe after my discression, when I am cleped thereto or boden, and all other things truelye do and use that perteyneth to the office of common clerk of this towne, and the councell of the towne truelye kepe: so God me help at holy dome.”

Such were our forms of swearing before the reformation.—As to a _Lord High Steward_, it does not appear that there was here then any such officer or functionary; which appears to have sprung up about the time of the _first_ or _second_ CHARLES: and it seems an empty insignificant office.—Quere, if its origin was not suggested or occasioned by the _bishop’s_ HIGH STEWARD of former times?

{1154a} A like refusal to serve the office of _alderman_ is liable to a fine not exceeding 40_l._ and that of a common-council-man 20_l._

{1154b} The mayor, recorder, aldermen, common-council-men and all other officers and their deputies, take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy when they enter into office, and thereby have all the laws, liberties, usages, & customs, granted and confirmed to them, without lett or molestation.—See Charles 2nds _first_ Charter; also Mackerell, 213.

{1155} _Lovecop_, or _Lovecoup_ is what some now _improperly call Lastage_ two a-penny per quarter on corn carried out by _unfreemen_.

{1157} The _mart_ is said to have been formerly kept in _Damgate_; but latterly, for a great length of time, it has been kept in the _Tuesday market place_. Thither, at the opening of it, the mayor and his brethren set out from the Hall in solemn procession, when the following _proclamation_, according to _Mackerell_, is made by the crier—

“Whereas by a charter granted unto this corporation by king Henry viii. in the 27th. year of his reign, that the mayor and burgesses of the burgh of _King’s Lynn_, and their successors, might from thenceforth for ever, have, hold, and keep, within the said burgh, _one mart_, _or fair_, to begin upon the day next after the feast of the purification of the blessed virgin _Mary_ yearly, and to continue six days then next following, with all the liberties, jurisdiction, and privileges, there contained in the Letters patents, granted by the said king unto the said mayor and burgesses; any act of parliament before that time made to the contrary notwithstanding; as by the transcript of the said patent under the great seal of England, more at large appeareth:—Now Mr. Mayor, the Aldermen and Common-council-men of this burgh _Do Publish and make Known_, That the said _Fair or Mart_ to be holden this year, doth _Begin_ this present _Day_, and shall continue for the space of _Six Days_ from hence next following, with the ancient liberties, jurisdictions, and privileges thereof, and of holding the court of _Pie-Powder_ for the hearing, trying, and determining, of all accidents and suits incident thereunto.—Also the mayor commandeth all common victuallers, that they utter and put to sale no other victuals but such as shall be sweet and wholesome for man’s body, and that they do afford the same at reasonable prices; and keep all assizes according to law.—And that all weights and measures which shall be used, be lawful and sealed according to the laws and statutes in that behalf made.—And also that all persons do forbear to put to sale, or shew forth wares on the Lord’s day.—And further, that all such persons as may be justly suspected of evil behaviour, do avoid this burgh and the liberties thereof; and that all others do keep within their several lodgings from _nine_ of the clock every evening until six of the clock next morning. GOD SAVE THE KING.”

Afterwards in the _Common Stath-yard_—

“All persons that have any Lastage, Wares, or Linen Cloth, to sell by wholesale, shall lay the same in the Common-stath-yard, or in Warehouses, Booths, or Chambers there, as heretofore hath been used, or as they or any of them shall be thereunto appointed. GOD SAVE THE KING.”

Lastly in the _Custom House Porch_ [or rather at the _Cross_]—

“All manner of persons that have any Action, Suit, or Plaint, to enter or prosecute for any matter, cause, or thing, arising within the jurisdiction of the court of _Pie-Powder_, here to be holden for and during the time of this _open Mart_, _or Fair_, let them repair to this place, and the same shall be retorted. GOD SAVE THE KING.”

{1160} ☞ But here again, before he proceeds further, or begins the next section, the author begs leave to acknowledge that be was mistaken at page 1140 in supposing the Lynn Grammar School to have been established in 1580, or about the middle of the reign of Elizabeth. He has since discovered that this seminary existed in 1570, in which year, on Monday next after the feast of St. Michael, or Michaelmas-day, at the commencement of the mayoralty of _Edward Waters_, _Ralph Johnson_ was chosen master, in the room of Mr. _Bacster_. How long the latter held the mastership does not appear. If we suppose ten or a dozen years, and that this _Bacster_, or _Baxter_, was the first master, it would fix the origin of this school about the commencement of that queen’s reign, which seems not an unnatural supposition. The reader therefore is requested to correct what may appear contrary to this statement in the page above referred to; and also in the last line of that page instead of 1570 to read 1590.—The author also apprehends that he was not quite correct at page 1133 in supposing the South Lynn Almshouse not originally endowed with any land of money.

{1161} Exclusive of _fishing smacks_.

{1162a} Comparative view of the imports and exports to and from Lynn from 1761 to 1811, with the revenue thence arising.

In the year Tons of Chaldrons Quarters of Amount of _Wine_ of _Coals_ _Corn_ Revenue. imported. imported. exported. 1761 810 64,100 207,700 £37,600 {1162b} 1771 1030 103,900 151,900 58,800 1781 350 69,400 118,800 36,900 1791 1030 90,600 183,200 56,600 1801 1280 79,100 195,600 74,800 1806 560 103,700 147,600 84,200 1811 450 115,500 212,500 75,300

The correctness of the above may be relied upon; and so it is supposed may also that of the following table, which has appeared in the _Norfolk Tour_, and is there said to have been extracted from the Lynn Custom-house books, and is to be considered as the _yearly average_ which has been exported to foreign markets and coastways, for the years 1791, 1792, and 1793.

Quarters Per Quarter Amount _£._ _s._ _d._ _£._ _s._ _d._ Wheat 30,016 2 4 0 66,035 4 0 Wheat flour 3,138 2 16 0 8,786 8 0 Barley 112,944 1 4 0 135,532 16 0 Malt 10,703 2 0 0 21,406 0 0 Rye 12,298 1 5 0 15,372 10 0 Peas 3,855 1 8 0 5,397 0 0 Beans 4,708 1 4 0 5,649 12 0 Vetches 73 1 10 0 109 10 0 Rape Seed 2,423 1 16 0 4,361 8 0 262,650 8 0

{1162b} _Of which_ 125,000 _were exported to foreign parts_.

{1168} Here we must own that the service in our churches, defective as it is in many respects, has yet greatly the advantage over that of our meeting houses in regard to the _reading_ of the scriptures; for large portions of them are there read every time: and even in the cathedral service we may find a nearer resemblance of the primitive practice than in most dissenting chapels, in the _frequency_ of the administration of the _Lord’s supper_, which is there administered weekly, as it was in the first age, and a good while after. There is something very queer and whimsical in the _lunatic_ administration of that ordinance in most dissenting congregations as well as parish churches.

{1169} The knowledge and mental culture of these assuming beings have been said to be chiefly derived from _Cocker_ and the _venal newspapers_; but the present writer looks upon that as an incorrect and hyperbolic representation; though he suspects that but few of them possess very expanded minds. In time, it is to be hoped, they will become more wise, liberal, public-spirited, and patriotic.

{1170} Seventy two baskets per week, upon an average, each of 40 pounds weight, have been, we are told, sent from hence by the coaches to London, which in the whole year amounts to 65 tons 12 hundred and eight pounds. It is supposed that no other port or place beside has ever supplied the metropolis with so large a quantity of the said article, and that Boston, though it is known to deal largely in the same line, yet falls much short of the quantity here specified.

{1173} We are told that by the report of the commissioners for auditing the public accounts in 1784, the annual duties of Lynn exceeded those of all the other English ports, except _London_, _Bristol_, _Liverpool_, and _Hull_.—They might then amount to about 40,000_l._ But they have since more than doubted that sum.—See Britton’s account if Lynn, p. 299, and the table here at page 1162.

{1174} It may be however not altogether improper just to observe here that the _Gaol_ or prison, and _Bridewell_ or House of Correction, stand contiguous to the town-hall. This building makes a respectable appearance on the outside, and probably no less so within; but that it is really so, the present writer cannot positively say, having never had the curiosity to visit the inside of it.—Here he begs leave to observe in addition to what he has before said of our _Grammar-school_, that that seminary now appears to have existed before the reformation, as may be concluded from the following note extracted from the Hall-books, and transmitted to the author by the present worthy town-clerk.—

“Friday next after the Feast of holy Gregory the pope, anno 25 Hen. 8. [i.e. 1534.] Lynn Bishop: the Mayor, Aldermen, and Com. Council have elected in to their Charnel priest William Leyton, Chaplain; he to have it from Lady Day next coming, during his life natural, except cause reasonable, and he to perform the testament of old _Mr. Thorsby_, and _maintain a grammar school_; and further to keep the house, and tenements, in sufficient repairations in all things as he can, as it has been used.”

{1176} The first of them runs thus—

“Every subscriber to this Library shall pay _one guinea_ annually in advance, or in proportion to the time of the year when his subscription commences. And after the general meeting in 1798, each subscriber shall pay _half a guinea_ on his admission, and the same annual subscription as above. The sum to be paid upon admission to be afterwards increased by _five shillings_ and _three pence_ every year, until it shall amount to _two guineas_. But the property which each subscriber has in the Library may be transferred to any other person, who shall subscribe and conform to these rules; in which case such new subscriber shall pay nothing upon admission.”

The 17th is as follows:—

“No book or pamphlet, except it be a duplicate, shall on any account be alienated from the Library, without the consent of every subscriber. But if ever the number of subscribers should be reduced to _Five_, and continue at or below that number for _three_ years together, the whole Library shall be transferred to the Mayor and Burgesses, to be added to that of St. Margaret’s church.”

Thus the want of liberality in the Mayor and Burgesses, who neglect to contribute towards any augmentation of their own Library, will eventually be made up, probably, by this institution, most of whose members, it is presumed, are unconnected with the corporation. Had the latter shewed some liberality in furnishing this society with a convenient place for a library, there would have been certainly a more colourable pretence for this article, or proviso.

{1177} Old Lynn is said to contain 345 souls, and Gaywood about 500.