The different Species of BIRDS found in this country, including the

_water-fowl_, are very numerous. The following List includes the chief

of them, and is taken mostly from Sir Thomas Browne’s Paper inserted in

the 20th volume of the Monthly Magazine. 1. The _Sea_ or _Fen_ EAGLE.

Some of this species are said to be so large as to measure three yards

and a quarter in the extent of their wings, and are capable of being

perfectly tamed, and will feed on fish, red herrings, flesh, or any kind

of offal. 2. The OSPREY, which hovers about the fens, and will dip his

claws into the water, and often take up a fish, and likewise catch

_Coots_. It is sometime called the _bald-buzzard_. 3. The KITE. This

species is said not to be very numerous. 4. The MERLIN, or _Hobby-bird_:

said to be subject to the vertigo, and sometimes caught in those fits.

5. The WOODCHAT, or _bird-catcher_; a small bird of prey about the size

of a thrush. 6. The RAVEN. 7. The ROOK. 8. The JACKDAW. 9. The

ROLLER: a very uncommon bird. 10. The CUCKOO. 11, 12, 13, 14. The GREEN

WOODPECKER; The GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER; The MIDDLE SPOTTED

WOODPECKER; and the NUTHATCH. 15. The KINGFISHER. 16. The HOOPOE, or

_Hoope-bird_, so called from its note. 17, 18, 19. The SKYLARK,

WOODLARK, and TITLARK. These are very common; but another, called _the

great crested lark_, it seems, is not so. 20. The STARES, or STARLINGS,

are in vast, and almost incredible numbers about the fens, where they

roost at night, about the autumn on the reeds and alders, from whence

they take their flight in the morning like thick clouds. The rooks,

though very numerous in some parts of the kingdom, are never any where

seen in such flocks as these birds are about the fens. 21. The HAWFINCH.

This bird is chiefly seen in summer, about cherry time; and is said to

feed on the kernels of cherries and some other kinds of stone fruit; and

by means of its amazingly strong bill it breaks the stone without much

difficulty. 22. The WAXEN CHATTERER; which is said to be a very

beautiful bird, but now a more uncommon bird than formerly. 23. The

CROSSBILL; is migratory, and arrives about the beginning of Summer. 24.

The GOLD-FINCH, otherwise _Fools-coat_ or _Draw-water_. 25. The

WHEATEAR. These breed in rabbit burrows, and warrens are full of them

from April to September. They are caught with a hobby and a net, and are

accounted excellent eating. 26. The GOAT-SUCKER, or _Dorhawk_, so called

from the circumstance of its feeding on dors, or beetles. It breeds here

and lays a very handsome spotted egg. [It flies about later than most

other birds except the owl; and while perching in the evening on a tree,

it makes a noise somewhat like the croaking of frogs, or rather the

twirling of a spinning wheel, from which it has in some parts been

called, _The Spinner_.] 27. The BUSTARD. A writer whose signature is X.

P. S. in the 20th volume of the Monthly Magazine, says that “the bustards

are at this time all extirpated out of Norfolk;” but he is certainly

mistaken: they are still to be found in the open parts of the country,

but not so frequently as formerly. They become more and more rare; and

they will, perhaps, be soon extirpated; but it is not the case yet. The

bustard is the largest of British birds, and is remarkable (says Sir

Thomas Browne) for the strength of its breast-bone, and for its short

heel. It lays two eggs which are much bigger than those of a turkey, as

the bustard itself is also larger, as well as handsomer than that bird.

It is accounted a dainty dish, and those who have eaten it, speak much in

its praise. This famous bird seems incapable of being tamed or

domesticated. {196} 28. and 29. BLACK and RED GAME, now unknown here.

Some of the latter, or grouse, were found, it seems, about Lynn, in Sir

Thomas Browne’s time. 30. 31. _PARTRIDGE_ and QUAIL are here in great

numbers. 32. The _CORNCRAKE_, or RAYLE is also commonly found here. 33.

The SPOONBILL, now but seldom found here, though formerly, it seems,

pretty common. 34. The CRANE, was formerly common here, but now scarcely

deemed a British bird. 35. The WHITE STORK, now rarely seen, though

formerly not so uncommon a bird. 36. The HERON still abounds here. 37.

The BITTERN, or _Bitour_, is also very common: both this and the

preceding are deemed good dishes. 38. The GODWIT or _Yarwhelp_, is very

common in Marshland, and deemed a dainty dish. It frequents the sea

shore and salt marshes in winter, and the fens and interior parts in

summer. 39. 40. The REDSHANK, and CURLEW, are not unfrequent in the

marshes and about the sea coast. 41. The GNAT or KNOT. This is a small

bird, but is at times very fat, and in much request for the table. They

are caught with nets. 42. The LAPWING is common here on all the heaths,

and in other parts. 43. The RUFF: so called from the feathers of the

neck projecting like a ruff. This is a marsh bird, and varies greatly in

its colours; no two of them are found alike. The female is smaller than

the male, has no ruff about the neck, and is called a _Reeve_. It is

very seldom seen. The males when put together will fight most bloodily

and destroy each other. They lose their ruffs towards the end of autumn,

or beginning of winter. They are very handsome birds. 44. The DOTTEREL,

is a bird of passage; comes in September and March, and is accounted

excellent eating. 45. KING DOTTEREL, or _Fen Dotterel_: somewhat less,

but better coloured than the former. 46. The STONE CURLEW, is a tall

handsome bird, remarkably eyed. It is said to be so common in this

country, as to have the name of the Norfolk plover. 47. The AVOSET, or

_skooping horn_, is a tall, black and white bird, with a bill

semicircularly bent upwards. It is a summer bird, and not unfrequent in

Marshland. 48. The OYSTER CATCHER or _Sea-pie_. 49. The Common Coote.

These birds are frequently observed in great flocks on broad waters, said

to be remarkable for their dexterous-defence of themselves and young,

against kites and buzzards. 50. 51. The MOOR, or WATER-HEN, and

WATER-RAILE. 52. The WILD SWAN, or ELKE. It is probable they come from

great distances, for all the northern travellers are said to have

observed them in the remotest parts. Like other northern birds, if the

winter be mild they usually come no further south than Scotland, if very

hard they proceed onward till they arrive in a country sufficiently warm.

53. 54. 55. _BARNACLE-GOOSE_, _BRENT-GOOSE_, and SHELDRAKE. The two

former are common; and the latter pretty much so, especially about

Norrold, where they are said to breed in rabbit-burrows. 56. 57. 58. 59.

60. The _SHOVELER_, _PINTAIL_, or _Sea-pheasant_, _GARGANEY_, or _Teal_,

_WILD-GOOSE_, and _GOSANDER_, _or Mirganser_, are all found in this

country. 61. The _DUN-DIVER_, or _Saw billed diver_. It is bigger than

a duck; and distinguished from other divers by a remarkable sawed bill to

retain its slippery prey, which consists principally of eels. 62. The

SNEW, as well as the _WIDGEONS_, and other species of wild ducks, are

very common. {199} 63. The _PUFFIN_, has a remarkable bill, which

differs from that of a duck in being formed not horizontally but

vertically, for the purpose of feeding in clefts of rocks, on shellfish,

&c. 64. The SHEAR-WATER, somewhat billed like a cormorant, but much

smaller, is a strong and fierce bird, that hovers about ships when the

sailors cleanse their fish, &c. They will live some weeks without food.

65. The _GANNET_, is a large, white, strong billed bird: Sir Thomas

Browne saw one of them in Marshland, which fought, and would not be

forced to take wing. Another he saw taken alive, and for sometime kept

and fed with herrings. 66. 67. The SHAG and CORMORANT, are generally

confounded by the country people. The former builds upon trees, and the

latter only in the rocks. 68. The NORTHERN-DIVER. 69. The GREAT CRESTED

GREBE, appear about April, and breed on the broad waters. Their nest is

formed of weed &c. and float on the water, so that their eggs are seldom

dry while they are set on. 70. The LITTLE GREBE, _small diver_ or

_Dabchick_, is found in the rivers and broad waters here. 71. The SKUA

GULL, is sometimes found here in very hard winters. 72. The HERRING

GULL, is found here, but more commonly about Yarmouth. 73. The

BLACK-HEADED GULL, is here very plentiful. The eggs are used by the

country people in puddings, and otherwise. The birds are sometimes

brought to the markets in great number, and even sent to London. 74. The

GREATER FERN, or _Sea Swallow_, is a neat white and fork-tailed bird, but

much larger than a swallow. 75. The MAY CHITT, is a small dark-grey

bird. It comes in great plenty into Marshland in May, and stays about a

month, seldom beyond six weeks. It is fatter than most birds of its

size, and accounted excellent eating. 76. The CHURRE, another small

bird, is frequently taken among the preceding. 77. The WHINNE BIRD, is

marked with five yellow spots, and is less than a wren. 78. The CHIPPER.

This somewhat resembles the former; comes here in the spring, and feeds

on the first buddings of birches and other early trees.—To all these may

be added, 79. The NIGHTINGALE, which is here a constant visitor. 80. 81.

82. The SWALLOW, MARTIN, and SWIFT. Also a variety of FINCHES, and

likewise of DIVING-FOWL, _mustela fusca_, _and mustela variegata_, so

called from the resemblance they have to the head of a

weesel.—Stockdoves, or wild pigeons, are here found in great numbers; and

so are Pheasants, Snipes, and Woodcocks. {200} The Magpie likewise and

the Owl are found among the birds of this country.—Not to mention the

Blackbird, the Thrush, the Yellow-hammer, the Wagtail, the Titmouse, the

Sparrow, the Wren, the Redbreast, and others that are common to most

parts of this kingdom.

Many rare plants are said to be found in some parts of this country; but

as no good botanist is known to reside here, or to have drawn up a

catalogue of them, they cannot be now enumerated. The neighbourhood of

_East Winch_ is thought to be one very good spot for botanizing.

SECTION VI.

_Brief account of places before omitted_, _in the vicinity of Lynn_, _on

this eastern side of the

Ouse—Sechey—Runcton—Downham—Denver—Helgay—Southery—Feltwell—Methwold—

Stoke_, _&c._ _Feltwell

New-Fen-District—Fincham—Swaffham—Babingley—Sharnborne—Great

Malthouse—Hunston light-house_, _&c._

Before we conclude this chapter, and this first part the work, it may not

be improper, or unacceptable to the reader, to take some notice of a few

of the most remarkable places on this side, that have been omitted in the

preceding pages. We shall begin with

SECHEY, {201} commonly called _Sech_, a small market town, which lies

about three miles from Lynn, to the south, on the Downham and London

road. Anciently it belonged to the Lords Bardolf, as apart of their

manor of north Runcton. In 33. Hen. III. the then Lord Bardolf had a

charter of free warren here, with a weekly market on Mondays, and two

fairs annually. Afterwards it passed, with the rest of the said manor,

to the Earl of Warwick, who in the reign of James I. had a grant of a

market here every fortnight, on Tuesdays, for fat cattle. It seems

rather doubtful, if these markets were originally kept every other

Tuesday _throughout the year_: at least it is said not to have been the

case for many years past, but only for some of the latter months of the

year. They begin at the dawn of day, and are generally over pretty early

in the morning. They are also said to be well attended by butchers and

graziers from different parts of the country, and sometimes from a

considerable distance, even as far as Norwich, or further, and also from

Lincolnshire.—The river is navigable, for lighters, a considerable way up

into the country beyond this place. Sechey is in the parish of _North_

Runcton; some miles from which, in a southerly direction lies the church

of _South_ Runcton, now in a dilapidated state. This ruin presents a

semicircular east end of what has been thought an _ancient Saxon_ church,

and is believed to be the remains of one given to St. Edmund, in the

reign of Canute.—Of the reasonableness and tenability of this belief,

some doubts, perhaps, may be justly entertained. The said ruin has

certainly the appearance of considerable antiquity, but that appearance,

together with its uncommon and semicircular form, will not be quite

sufficient to satisfy every one, that it is altogether as old as the days

of Canute, or that it has actually stood the brunt and braved the blasts

of near a thousand winters.—A few miles further on, in the same

direction, is

DOWNHAM, or _Market Downham_, as it is sometimes called. {203} It is

pleasantly situated on the side of a hill, and upon the Ouse, over which

it has a good bridge. It had heretofore two weekly markets, Mondays and

Saturdays, but that is no longer the case; the latter only are now to be

considered as its proper market days, on which the town is said to be

well supplied with fish and wild fowl, from the adjacent fens. Downham

was formerly celebrated for its great butter market, which used to be

kept near the bridge, every _Monday_, and which it seems, has before now

supplied London with the immense quantity of ninety thousand firkins in a

year. From its being sent by way of Cambridge, it obtained the name of

Cambridge butter. These markets have been discontinued, and the butter

is now taken for sale to Swaffham. It is said that the privilege of a

market was granted to Downham by Edward the confessor, and that its

principal manor, with the whole hundred, were given by king Edgar to

Ramsey Abbey, whose abbot, as we are further informed, was authorized by

King John to hold a fair here. By Henry III. he was invested with the

additional authority to try and execute malefactors at his “gallows of

Downham.”—Some monastic buildings, and particularly a _priory_ of

Benedictine monks, stood formerly near the church.—There is in this town

a small dissenting congregation, the chapel belonging to which, was

erected in the early part of the last century. In 1801 the town and

whole parish of Downham contained 278 houses, and 1512 inhabitants.

Further on, in a low situation, is DENVER, a large village, noted as the

birth place of _Dr. Robert Brady_, the English historian. The church is

a mean structure, built of _Car_, _or rag-stone_, _camerated_ with

_wooden_ pannells, and covered with _reed_, or _thatch_. Near to this

place is _Denver Sluice_, termed the grand _erratum_ in our fen

improvements.—Not far from Denver and Downham lies the village of

_Helgay_, said by some authors {204} to be regularly infested, every six

or seven years, by an incredible number of field mice, which, like

locusts, would infallibly devour all the corn of every kind, but for the

friendly, seasonable, and effectual interposition of a prodigious flight

of owls from Norway, which never fail to arrive that year, and stay till

they have totally destroyed those mischievous vermin: after which they

quietly depart, re-cross the seas, and return to their native forests,

attended by the veneration and benediction of all the good people of

Helgay, who had derived from them, the most essential benefit, without

the least mixture of detriment; as they had, during their whole stay,

meddled with no one thing in the place, but the mice.—Such is the

substance and purport of this curious story, whose questionable and

improbable appearance might be supposed more than sufficient to prevent

its being ever passed upon the public as a matter of fact. That,

however, has not been the case: it has been therefore introduced here for

the purpose of exhibiting it in its true light, as a lying tale, that

those credulous people who have been imposed upon, and misled by others,

may be undeceived.

Beyond Helgay are the villages of _Southery_, _Feltwell_, _Methwold_,

_Northwold_, _Stoke-ferry_, _Wereham_, _West Dereham_, _&c._ some of them

of pretty large size and population. _West Dereham Abbey_ was formerly a

place of no small note, and founded as early as 1188. At the dissolution

it went into private hands, and about the close of the 17th. century it

was the seat of Sir Thomas Dereham, a diplomatic character. More

recently it has successively been the seat of Sir Simeon Stuart, and Lord

Montrath. _Wereham_ in former times was possessed by the _Clares_, who

then ranked high among the English barons; and it was the head lordship

of what was, and still is called the _honor of Clare_, of which several

neighbouring manors were held. Those great lords had here a _prison_,

and of course a _gallows_ also; which indicate the great sway they once

bore in these parts.—These places lie in and about a remarkable drainage

tract, called _the Feltwell new fen district_, which, like the river

Nene, has proved a very unfortunate concern to many of those whose

property had been unhappily entrusted in the hands of its commissioners.

Suspicions of some disreputable doings are said to have been entertained

respecting both the above concerns, which will probably deter many from

affording any pecuniary aid to the projected Eau-brink Cut, lest it

should turn out, or be managed as badly:—if indeed the present formidable

opposition to it should finally fail to effect its entire relinquishment:

an event which many seem to consider as not at all improbable.—Northerly

from these parts is the village and parish of _Fincham_. In that parish

church is a square font, supposed to have belonged to the old church,

which is mentioned in Domesday-book.—Further on, in the same direction,

and the most considerable place that way, is

SWAFFHAM. This respectable town stands on high ground, upon a dry

gravelly soil, and in a situation that seems greatly favourable to health

and longevity. Its streets are wide and airy, and the buildings

distributed over a considerable space of ground. The houses are

generally neat, and many of them large and handsome, inhabited by wealthy

and genteel families. The market-hill is pleasant and spacious, on which

was erected in 1783 an elegant cross, by the Lord Orford of that time.

The market is on Saturday, and plentifully supplied with good provisions.

The great butter-market, formerly kept at Downham, is now kept here. The

town stands so high, that some of the wells are said to be fifty-yards

deep. A handsome assembly-room has been erected on the west side of the

market-hill, in which subscription assemblies are held every month. But

the chief public structure of the town is the _Church_, a large and fine

edifice, built at different times, in the reigns of Henry VI. Edward IV.

and Henry VII. It is in the form of a cathedral, and consists of a nave

and two ailes, with two transepts on the south side, one to the north,

and a lofty well proportioned tower, which is surmounted with enriched

embrasures, and purfled pinnacles. The nave is very lofty, having

twenty-six cleristory windows, and its inner roof ornamented with carved

wood, figures of angels, bosses, &c. The north aile and steeple, are

said to have been built by one _John Chapman_, stated, but erroneously it

seems, to have been a _travelling tinker_; and who is also reported to

have been Church-warden in 1460.—In 1800 the houses of Swaffham amounted

to 452, and the population to 2220. Formerly there was here a rector and

a vicar; the latter presented by the former; so that the rectory was a

_Sinecure_, and probably a very rich one. The patronage of the vicarage

is in the bishop of Norwich.—Near this town is an extensive heath, which

forms a convenient race-ground. The races here are held about

michaelmas. Coursing matches are also frequent here, and the

_greyhounds_ are as regularly entered for the purpose, and placed under

the same restrictions as _running-horses_. {207a}

Further on, between Swaffham and the sea-coast, there are not many places

that seem to demand very particular notice. _Babingley_ and

_Sharnborne_, which both lie that way, are traditionally reported to

contain the sites of the two first christian places of worship among the

East-Anglians, and supposed to have been erected in the seventh century.

In the same way lies _Snettisham_, a large village, said to have been

formerly a town, with a weekly market on Fridays. Here also have been

dug up several of those instruments, in the shape of hatchet-heads, with

handles to them, usually denominated celts, {207b} which, if taken to be

British, as is most generally thought, or even Roman, as has been judged

by others, most denote that Snettisham is a place of no inconsiderable

antiquity. _Brancaster_ has been already noticed, as once a famous Roman

station; and it may be here added, that it has of late years attracted no

small attention on account of its _great malt house_, built with a view

to the export trade, and supposed to be the largest edifice of that kind

in the kingdom; being 312 feet in length, by 31 in breadth, and furnished

with all the necessary offices and conveniences for conducting the

malting process on a large scale: 420 quarters of barley, are said to

have been there wetted weekly, during the malting season.

To the west of Brancaster and the said great malt-house, and not far off,

is the village of _Hunstanton_, or _Hunston_, as it is most commonly

called: near to which, on a cliff, overlooking Lynn Roads and the

entrance into Lynn Haven, and elevated ninety feet above high-water mark,

stands the _Hunston Light-house_, which is upon a different construction

from other English light-houses, and supposed superior to any of them.

It is lighted by lamps and reflectors, instead of coals, on a much

improved and very judicious plan, the merit of which is due to MR. WALKER

_of Lynn_, by whom it was invented, and under whose direction it was here

executed in 1778.—This light is communicated by 18 concave reflectors,

each of eighteen inches diameter. They are fixed upon two shelves, one

placed over the other in such a manner that the strongest light may be

seen where it is most wanted. In the N by E direction a strong light is

necessary for ships to avoid the dangerous sands and shoals on the

Lincolnshire coast; here therefore are placed seven reflectors in the

space of two points of the compass, which will appear at some distance as

one light. In other directions a weaker light is sufficient. A single

reflector, with a lamp of ten single threads of cotton placed in the

focus of the curve, which is a parabola, will appear, at 15 miles

distance, larger than a star of the first magnitude:—that is, if the

glass be kept clean, and the lamp trimmed; otherwise, instead of light,

there will no doubt be found obscurity, for which no blame can attach to

the projector. {209}

This house remained for many years the only one of the kind in the United

Kingdom; but about the year 1787, several others, on the same plan, were

erected on the coast of Scotland, as appears by the following extracts

from one of the provincial papers of that time.—

“NORTHERN LIGHT-HOUSES. An Act of Parliament was obtained a few

years ago, by some gentlemen in Edinburgh, impowering them to erect

four Light-houses on the Northern parts of Great Britain. In

consequence of which the Trustees made diligent enquiry into the

several modes of erecting lights for the use of mariners, at sea.

These enquiries were made not only in this kingdom, but in foreign

parts, that their intended erection might be made on the best

principles. In September, 1786, the then Lord Provost of Edinburgh

applied to Mr. Ezekiel Walker of Lynn in Norfolk, for his opinion in

the construction of them. Mr. Walker’s answer to his lordship’s

enquiry, and the plan projected in it, gave such general satisfaction

to the Trustees, that they unanimously resolved on constructing and

lighting them on his principle; and in the spring of 1787, the work

was begun accordingly. The first of these lights stands on

_Kinnard’s Head_, [in the county of Aberdeen;] the second on _north

Ranaldshaw_, the northernmost of the Orkney Islands; the third on the

_point of Scalpa_ in the isle of Herris; and the fourth on the _Mull

of Kyntire_, which may be seen in Ireland.” {211}

_Cumberland Packet of Sept._ 10. 1788.

In the same paper, of Dec. 9. 1789, appeared the following passage—

“_Light-houses_. The excellent method of erecting light-houses

prescribed by Mr. E. Walker is now sufficiently proved. That it

produces a _strong light_ is well known, but that this desirable

object is attained at a small expence of _oil_, can only come under

the inspection of a few; however one argument, even in favour of this

is now made public. The Commissioners for erecting four light-houses

on the northern parts of Great Britain obtained another Act the last

session of Parliament, authorizing them to erect a _fifth_: “For the

light-house on the south west point of the Mull of Kyntire is found

to be of the greatest importance to the navigation of ships passing

to and from the _north_ channel; but not to ships passing to and from

the Firth of Clyde through the _south_ channel. It is for the

security of ships navigating this _south_ channel that the

commissioners purpose erecting another light-house on the island of

ARRAN, or upon the little island of PLADA, near the same; which is to

be done _without any increase of the duties_ authorised to be levied

by the former act.”—This act also authorizes the commissioners to

erect other light-houses on the coast of Scotland, whenever the

produce of the present duties on the tonage of ships will enable them

so to do.—This at once justifies the decided opinion of the

commissioners in favour of Mr. Walker’s projection, and pronounces

the most unequivocal encomium on his abilities.”

Being now about to close our remarks on the country about Lynn, it may be

here noted, in regard to Marshland and the fenny parts in general, that

so little care appears to have been taken there to counteract, or guard

against the natural insalubrity of the country, and promote the health of

the inhabitants, that not a few of the older dwelling-houses, and

particularly those of the cottagers, and lower classes, have their floors

actually underground, or below the surface of the land on the outside.

This can be said to furnish but a very indifferent sample or specimen of

the boasted wisdom of our ancestors. Those of the present generation,

however, cannot with much good grace blame them on this occasion, while

they are themselves at the expence and pains of keeping up and repairing

those same unhealthful dwellings. Our new houses indeed are generally,

if not always constructed upon a much better plan; and that may be said

to be one of the few things in which we appear to exceed our forefathers.

In other things we certainly fall short of them, and act our parts much

worse than they would have done—even so much worse, that they would

unquestionably have blushed for, and despised us, and that very justly,

had they foreseen some of our recent proceedings.

_End of Part_ I.

HISTORY OF LYNN, PART II.

OF THE ORIGIN AND ANTIQUITY OF LYNN, WITH A SKETCH OF ITS HISTORY FROM

ITS FIRST RISE TO THE NORMAN CONQUEST.

CHAP. I.

Of Lynn while Britain formed a part of the Roman Empire.

SECTION I.

_The present town_, _or borough of Lynn_, _of no great antiquity—its site

not the same with that of the original town—the probable site of the

latter_, _and era of its origin_.

What is now called _Lynn_, _Lynn Regis_, or the _Borough of King’s Lynn_,

is generally considered as a place of no very high antiquity. It arose

probably during the Heptarchy, out of the ruins of the old town, though

not built on the same spot, and must soon have become a place of no small

consideration in the kingdom of the East Angles, as may very reasonably

be concluded, from the convenience of its situation for trade and

commerce. We hear not much of it, however till after the conquest, when

it presently appears as a place of growing importance, under the

direction and management of its new French masters, the enterprising

companions and agents of the successful Norman adventurer, the Bonaparte

of the eleventh century.

But though no traces can be discovered of the existence of a town on the

_eastern_ side of the river, prior to the time of the Heptarchy, it is

more than probable, that there was a town on the opposite, or _western_

side, long anterior to that period. That town has not yet entirely

disappeared. It may still be recognized in the little village called

_Old Lynn_; a name which plainly indicates, that the original town must

have stood there. It is well known that the town on the eastern side was

formerly called _New Lynn_, or rather _New LEN_, and that the other was

then distinguished from it by the name of _Old Len_. No good reason can

be assigned for this, but that the latter was the original town, known by

the name of _Len_ long before the other had any existence. The attempt

made by Spelman, Parkin, and others to elude this conclusion is weak and

frivolous. It does not appear that there ever has been any period, since

the eastern, or modern town existed, when the inhabitants did not apply

the name of _Old Len_, or _Old Lynn_ to the other. There can therefore

be no manner of doubt, but that it is to this same old Lynn we are to

look for the site of the ancient and original town. It is probable,

indeed, that that town might extend much nigher to the spot now occupied

by the present town, than what the village of Old Lynn now does, as the

bed of the river was formerly very narrow, compared with what it is at

present; and the waters are allowed to have made considerable

encroachments on the western shore. When, and by whom the original town

was founded, as well as, what may be the true etymology, or real meaning

of its name, are points that are involved in no small obscurity, and

cannot, therefore, be very easily and clearly settled, or ascertained.

It seems, however, highly probable, if not certain, as shall be shewn by

and by, that it took its name from its marshy situation, and was founded

by the Romans, at the time when they undertook to drain the fen-country,

and rescue Marshland, by strong embankments, from the power and ravages

of the ocean. It may also pretty safely be concluded, that this must

have taken place within the first century of the christian era, and

probably in the reign of Nero, if not in that of Claudius. {215} The

foundation of Lynn may therefore be considered as coeval with the first

introduction of Christianity into this island; which was nearly if not

quite 1750 years ago: and though this fixes the origin of Lynn at a

pretty remote period, and much beyond what has hitherto been supposed,

yet it seems to be supported by no small degree of probability.

SECTION II.

_A short digression relating to the first Introduction of Christianity

into Britain—Bardism_.

Having, at the close of the preceding section, suggested an opinion that

the origin of Lynn was coeval with the first Introduction of Christianity

into this country, it will not, it is presumed, be any way improper, or

unacceptable to the reader to offer here a few observations toward

ascertaining the time when the last mentioned event took place,

especially as all our English writers and antiquaries have left the

matter very much in the dark.

_Gildas_, a writer of the sixth century, and the most ancient of all our

British historians, states that “the Gospel began to be published here

about the time of the memorable revolt and overthrow of the Britons under

Boadicea,” which happened in the year 60 or 61, and was followed by a

long interval of peace, which could not fail of proving favourable to the

introduction of the new religion and the general success of its

publishers. Speaking of the said revolt, together with its disastrous

termination and consequences, Gildas adds, “In the mean time, Christ, the

true Sun, afforded his rays, that is, the knowledge of his precepts, to

this Island, benumbed with extreme cold, having been at a great distance

from the sun; not the sun in the firmament, but the eternal sun in

heaven.”

This account, given by Gildas, is remarkably corroborated by the _Triads

of the Isle of Britain_, which are ancient British documents of undoubted

credit, though but little known. {217a} From them we learn that the

famous _Caradoc_, or _Caractacus_, having been overthrown in the war, and

afterwards basely betrayed and delivered up to the Romans, by _Aregwedd

Voeddig_ (the _Cartismandua_ of Roman authors) was, together with his

father _Brân_, (or _Brennus_) and whole family, carried captive to Rome,

about the year 52, where they were detained seven years, or more. At

that time Rome enjoyed the preaching of the gospel, and Brân with others

of the family became converts to the christian religion. After the

expiration of their captivity, they returned home, and were the means of

introducing the knowledge of Christ among their countrymen: on which

account, Brân is called, one of the three holy sovereigns, and his

family, one of the three holy lineages of Britain. The Triads also have

preserved the names of three of the primitive christians who accompanied

Brân on his return to this country, and who were probably the very first

christian ministers that ever set foot on this island: one was an

Israelite of the name of _Ilid_; of the other two, one was called

_Cyndav_, and the other _Arwystli Hên_, or Arwystli the aged. {217b}

This account is very curious, and, in all probability, authentic. {217c}

When Brân returned to his native country, it has been understood that

some of his family stayed behind and settled at Rome. Of them _Claudia_,

mentioned, along with _Pudens_ and _Linus_, in the second Epistle to

Timothy, is supposed to be one, and the very same with _Claudia the wife

Pudens_, mentioned by the poet _Martial_, who lived in those times, and

who celebrates her, in his Epigrams, as a _Briton_ of extraordinary

beauty, wit, and virtue. To this it has indeed been objected, that

Martial, living in the reign of _Trajan_, cannot be supposed to speak of

Paul’s Claudia, who flourished in the reigns of _Claudius_ and _Nero_.

But it might be urged in reply, that though he lived in Trajan’s reign,

he lived also, and resided at Rome, in the reign of _Vespasian_, if not

in that of _Nero_; and the Epigrams in which he mentions _Claudia_ might

be written in his younger years, when she was in the prime and bloom of

life. Some have made her to be the _daughter of Caractacus_, which seems

not at all unlikely. _Pomponia Græcina_, the wife of Aulus Plautius,

Claudius’ Lieutenant, and the first Roman Governor here, has also been,

thought a Briton and a christian, and one of the earliest British

Christians. Tacitus speaks of her as an illustrious lady, but accused

for having embraced a _strange_ and _foreign superstition_; {218} and

though he says she was acquitted, as to any thing immoral, yet he

represents her as leading ever after a _gloomy and melancholy kind of

life_: all which will strictly coincide with the idea of her being a

_christian_. Tacitus could conceive or express himself no otherwise of a

person dissenting from his own pagan tenets, or of a religion disallowed

by the Roman law, which was with him the standard of truth, rectitude,

and orthodoxy. The above accusation and trial of Pomponia Græcina took

place, it seems, while Nero and Calphurnus Piso were Consuls, and after

Paul had come to Rome the first time, and therefore she may not

unreasonably be supposed one of his converts.

Other authorities render it highly probable, that some of those captives

had embraced Christianity during their residence at Rome; but the

_Triads_, above-mentioned, may be said to settle the point, and reduce

the matter to a certainty. They were documents formed on purpose to

preserve and perpetuate the memory of remarkable and interesting events;

of which sort may justly be considered, the conversion of Brân and

family, and their introducing Christianity into this island. There is

every reason to conclude, that the religion of the first British

Christians was venerably simple, pure, and perfect, like what appears in

the New Testament, and very widely different from that of the men of the

present generation. But this subject we will now drop, and resume the

thread of the narrative. {219}

SECTION III.

_The ancient history of Lynn continued—the town supposed to have been

founded by a colony of foreigners_, _introduced by the Romans—etymology

of its name—mistakes of Camden_, _Spelman_, _&c. pointed out_.

The great project formed by the Romans of embanking, draining, and

improving these fens and marshes, is said to have been executed by a

foreign colony, {220} brought over and settled here for that purpose,

but, without doubt, powerfully assisted by the natives. This colony is

presumed to have been of Batavian or Belgic origin; for where could the

Romans have found a people so fit for their purpose as among the

inhabitants of a country that so much resembles this, and who must have

been, while at home, habituated to the work in which they were here to be

employed? The vicinity of those countries to this, and their then

subjection to the Romans, may be considered as further corroborating this

opinion. From the exposed situation of Marshland, and its lying next to

the inhabited part of the country, it may very reasonably be supposed,

that these colonists would begin their work there, and even on its

eastern side, about where Lynn now stands: and as they would immediately

want habitations, it is very natural to conclude, that the town of Old

Len, or Lynn, was built for, or by them, and that they were the very

people that gave it its _name_. These conclusions appear remarkably

countenanced and supported by that very name itself; for LEN, in the

_Celtic_ (or _Belgio-celtic_) dialect, or language, is said to signify a

_Fen_, _Morass_, or _Marsh_. {221} LEN, therefore, as they applied, or

used the word here, might mean a town by a morass, the town in the marsh,

or the chief town and mother town of Marshland and the Fens. This seems

to be, by far, the most tenable and satisfactory explanation of the name

of this ancient town, that has ever yet been offered or suggested.

_Camden_ derives the name of Lynn from the British word _Llyn_, which

signifies _a lake_; but circumstances do not at all support that idea.

There was anciently at Lynn no very large collection of waters: its very

river was inconsiderable, consisting only of the water of the _Little

Ouse_, and the _Wissey_, together with that of the _Nar_, or Setch river,

formerly called _Len_, and sometimes _Sundringham Ea_. {222a} The very

harbour also, for many ages, was remarkably narrow. As to the waters

below, in the roads, “It is very unlikely that the Britons should call

them _Llyn_, (_i.e. Lake_,) a name which they never appear to have given

to similar collections of water: but if we were to admit, that they

actually gave that name to these waters, still it would seem exceedingly

improbable, that this place should derive its name from thence, any more

than _Rising_, or other towns that are situated near to the like

estuaries, or arms of the sea.” _Spelman’s_ conjectures on this point

are weaker and more untenable still. He would have the name to be

derived from the _Saxon Læn_, or _Lean_, signifying, as he says, a

_farm_, or _tenure in fee_; but which sense, according to _Hicks_, is

unusual: nor is it likely, as _Gough_ has observed, that this tenure

should be more particularized here than elsewhere. {222b} Equally futile

is what he further advances, “that _Len_ is Saxon for church-land; whence

_Ter Llen_, in Welsh, is church-land:” which is most strangely

confounding those two languages, as if the one had sprung from the other.

Nor is it strictly true, that _Ter llen_ in welsh means _church-land_, or

even that there is such a welsh word in being. _Tir llan_ might, indeed,

have such a meaning, but it does not seem to be ever used in that sense.

_Llen_ or _Llëen_, in that language, means _literature_, and not church;

and as an adjective, it means _literary_, _scholastic_, or _clerical_;

whence _gwyr llen_, or _llëen_, signifies the _clergy_, as _gwyr lleyg_,

or _lleygion_ does _the laity_. But all this can make nothing for

Spelman’s point, and it must, of course, fall to the ground.—That Lynn

ever went by the name _Maidenburg_, from saint Margaret the virgin, seems

to be another of the idle whimsies of dreaming antiquarians. Of all such

dreamers none perhaps ever exceeded _Parkin_, the continuator of

Blomefield the Norfolk historian: whenever he is at a loss for the

etymology of the name of any town or village, he generally refers to the

_British_, and pretends to explain it accordingly. Never is he more

ready or flippant than when speaking of the signification of British

words; of which, at the same time, he knew nothing at all.

SECTION IV.

_Lynn the mother-town of the Fens—further account of its supposed

founders and original inhabitants—remarkable works executed by them—great

improvers of the country—the account continued to the extinction of the

Roman power_.

Lynn, as has been already suggested, was, in all probability, the very

first town built by the above mentioned colonists, and so the mother town

of that extensive country, which they were the means of recovering,

improving, and securing from the annoyance of the salt and stagnant

waters. Being their original dwelling place, it may naturally be

supposed, that it would continue afterward to be their principal

habitation or settlement, although in the progress of their work, and as

they advanced further on, other dwellings and villages would of course be

constructed and inhabited. Considering these people as originally from

Belgium or Batavia, than which nothing is more likely, it may from thence

be inferred, that the intercourse between Lynn and the Low Countries must

have been of very early origin. Some connection or traffick between

these colonists and their mother country may fairly be supposed to have

commenced from their very first settlement here: so that the trade and

intercourse between Lynn and the Netherlands may be concluded to be now

of above seventeen hundred years standing.

Those industrious colonists seem not to have, in the least, disappointed

the hopes or expectations of their employers. They appear to have

carried on and executed the work with great diligence, skill, and

success. It is probable, as before hinted, that they began on the

eastern side of Marshland, (that being nighest the habitable or inhabited

part of the country, and where also their first town or settlement would

naturally be erected) and from thence extended their labours to Wisbeach,

and so on to the Marshes of Holland, in Lincolnshire, and other parts of

the country which they were to recover and improve. The Banks which they

constructed in their progress were large, high, and firm, and such as

effectually secured the country from the incursion and depredation of the

sea. They are still known, in most places, and even on the eastern side

of the Ouse and in the vicinity of Lynn, by the name of the _Roman

Banks_. Nor does it appear that they were less judicious or successful

in their attempts to drain and improve the parts which they had so well

and effectually rescued from the Ocean’s destructive power; for by

accounts handed down from ancient writers, it would seem that the country

within their banks, at least a great part of it, was soon brought to an

admirable state of cultivation, improvement, and fertility, like another

paradise, and remained so for many ages. {225}

Even _roads_, of considerable length and width, appear to have been made

by the same people in this new recovered and marshy country, constructed

of gravel of no small depth and breadth, and formed in a most masterly

manner: of which that leading from _Denver_ to _Peterborough_, or rather,

perhaps, to _Castor_, or _Caister_ in Northamptonshire, is a most

remarkable, and very striking instance. This road, according to

_Dugdale_ (as has been already observed in the _Introduction_) was

composed of gravel, three feet deep, and sixty wide: at present, it is

said to be covered with a moorish soil, from three to five feet thick.

The constructing of such a road, and carrying it for so many miles,

through a country almost totally destitute of gravel, stone, or any other

materials proper for road-making, which must therefore have been procured

from a vast distance, and with immense labour and difficulty, must have

been a very extraordinary and stupendous achievement. In comparison with

which, how puny are the efforts and performances of our modern

adventurers, or commissioners of roads, in this flat country! A proof of

this we have in the great Turnpike Road that leads from _St. German’s_ to

_Wisbeach_, where attempts have been making now for some years to cover

it with gravel, but hitherto with no very great effect. At any rate, it

must appear, that those ancient Colonists, introduced by the Romans, for

the purpose of recovering and improving this great fen-country, were

eminently qualified for the work in which they were employed, and ought

to be still held in grateful remembrance by the good people of England,

especially those of Marshland and the Fens, and esteemed among their very

best benefactors.—The merit of those works and improvements, however,

should not be _all_ ascribed to them: the _Romans_, who introduced,

employed, and maintained them, and who projected the undertaking, should

be allowed some share of it. Nor are the _natives_, or Britons, who

laboriously, powerfully, and effectually assisted in carrying on those

works and improvements, to be entirely overlooked or forgotten on this

occasion. The latter are said to have borne so large a share in those

laborious undertakings, as to occasion very serious complaints and

remonstrances from some of their countrymen to, and against the Romans,

as having cruelly exhausted their strength, by the excessive hardships

and fatigues they had been obliged to undergo in that service. Nor is

this at all incredible; for the Romans are known to have been often very

unfeeling, severe, and cruel task-masters to the nations they had

subdued. If the country was improved it was always at the expense of the

sweat and treasure, and not unfrequently of the groans and lives of its

inhabitants.

The improvements begun in and about the fens, as well as in other parts

of the country, were probably in some measure attended to during the

whole continuance of the Roman power in this island. On the decline of

that power, and especially after the departure of the Roman legions,

there is reason to believe that they were neglected and relinquished.

The grievous and calamitous scenes which then ensued, would leave no room

or opportunity for such pursuits as could be attended to only in the

happy seasons of internal tranquillity.

Although we have considered the original inhabitants of Lynn, Marshland,

and the Fens, as consisting for the most part of colonists from the

continent, we are probably not warranted to conclude, that they were in

fact, a Roman Colony, or invested with the rights and immunities of Roman

citizens. It may, however, be very reasonably supposed, that they were

favoured with some particular privileges, to which, indeed, they appear

to have been very justly entitled. But whatever they might be, it is not

likely that they enjoyed them for any great length of time after the

dissolution of the Roman government here: the country then soon fell a

prey to foreign and merciless invaders, and everything was involved in

universal confusion and ruin.

CHAP. II.

On the immediate consequences of the abdication of the country by the

Romans, and the probable fate of Lynn.

SECTION I.

_Character of the Anglo-Saxons_, _with general observations on the

invasion and conquest of this country by them_, _and their barbarous

treatment of the inhabitants_.

The Saxons, who soon succeeded the Romans in the possession of this

country, were never very remarkable for forming and encouraging projects

of improvement, or for cultivating the arts of peace. They were, indeed

a very different sort of people from the others, and possessed all their

bad qualities without any of their good ones. They had long been

distinguished as a fierce and lawless race, a nation of pirates, and

freebooters, like the modern _Algierines_, whose chief delight consisted

in predatory expeditions, and all manner of acts of violence and

brutality, which passed with them for national virtue, patriotism, and

military glory.

Long before they had effected any settlement in Britain, they used to

make frequent descents upon the coast, particularly that of Norfolk,

Suffolk, and Essex. To guard against which, the Romans not only kept a

fleet cruising in these seas, but also built a chain of forts in the most

convenient places, which they had well garrisoned. These forts were nine

in number, and extended from Brancaster to Yarmouth, and thence down a

considerable way along the coast; and (as was before observed) the troops

here stationed, a good part of which consisted of cavalry, were under the

command of an officer called, _The Count of the Saxon shore_. This

provision, or precaution, however, proved, too often, but a very

imperfect security against the sudden inroads of those ancient and daring

marauders. {229}

Of all the nations of the north, the Saxons appear to have been the most

barbarous and most sanguinary. The _Francs_, who conquered Gaul, were a

civilised people compared with them. Of the use of letters they were

totally ignorant. All knowledge that had not some affinity with piracy,

or tendency to improve their system of rapine and devastation, was by

them held in the utmost contempt and abhorrence. _Gildas_, who was born

but a few years after their arrival in this country, describes them as a

most fierce and detestable people, “a nation odious both to God and man.”

{231} They were invited here to assist the inhabitants in opposing the

incursions of the _Picts_ and _Scots_; but they soon turned their arms

against their infatuated employers, and converted the war into a system

of extermination.

Their countrymen on the continent long retained the original character of

their nation. During many ages they continued preeminent for their

bloodthirsty disposition and savage manners. _Charlemagne_ subdued them,

after a thirty years war, and forced them to become converts to _his_

Christianity, and submit to baptism; but their ferocity he did not

subdue, nor had their conversion any effect towards humanizing them.

They were, however, _called Christians_: which was like calling evil,

good, or Satan, an angel of light. These Saxon Christians, in the

twelfth century, quarrelled with the _Venedi_, a neighbouring nation,

because they objected against embracing _their_ Christianity, and refused

to renounce their own paganism, which they seemed to prefer, for its

cheapness. The former they found to be an institution attended with an

expence which they could but ill support. Bishoprics were to be erected,

with large revenues, Monasteries to be endowed, and an annual tribute,

under the name of tithes, to be paid by the whole country. Against this

the Venedi remonstrated, to Bernard Duke of Saxony, the christian

champion. They protested that they were very poor, and unable to bear

any heavy burden, such as providing for the maintenance of priests, and

especially for the dignity and parade of mitred prelates; that they were

fully determined to suffer any extremity, even to abandon their country

and state, rather than submit to so tyrannical an oppression. This firm

opposition of theirs to the will of the christian potentate, or rather

the Saxon tyrant, involved them in a long and bloody war, the final issue

of which was, their utter extirpation, by Henry Duke of Saxony, surnamed

the Lion, the great champion of the church on that occasion. The cruelty

with which he disgraced his victory, was horrible. Few revolutions in

history were attended with such circumstances of barbarity, or proved so

destructive to the ancient inhabitants. {232} Even Charlemagne, after he

had subdued the Saxons, by a long and bloody war, did not attempt to

destroy their whole race, but only transplanted a part, and the remainder

he endeavoured to reconcile to his empire by the establishment of his

Christianity. But the Saxons, by far more cruel than the Francs, were of

all conquerors the most destructive, extending the utmost rigour of the

sword against those who dared to contend with them for liberty or empire.

“In the same ferocious manner, (says the historian) their ancestors

some centuries before had behaved in Britain, where they either

massacred or expelled the greatest part of the natives, who had

invited them over to their assistance. None of the other nations

that overran the Roman Empire behaved with such cruelty to the

conquered inhabitants, or were inflamed with such rancour and

animosity, as to attempt to convert those provinces into deserts.

The Goths, the Burgandians, the Lombards, instead of massacring the

Romans in cold blood, and endeavouring to extirpate their whole race,

enacted very just laws in favour of those people, in consequence of

which the Romans and those fierce barbarous, their conquerors, were

considered in the same light as fellow citizens. _Theodorick_ king

of Italy, a Gothic prince, upon sending an army into Gaul, makes use

of these words to his general, which deserve to be inscribed on

pillars of brass, “Let other kings delight in the plunder and

devastation of the towns they have subdued; we are desirous to

conquer in such a manner, that our new subjects shall lament their

having fallen too late under our government.” {233}

How much happier had it been for the Britons to have been invaded by

Theodorick than by the Saxons!

From the above account of the character of the ancient Saxons, one may be

enabled to form a pretty just, but shocking idea of the miseries in which

they involved the wretched inhabitants of this country, and those of Lynn

and its vicinity among the rest. The exterminating war which they here

waged, and the horrid devastation which attended their successful

progress, have been recorded by Gildas, who himself lived at that

eventful period, and must have been an eye-witness to no small portion of

the direful events which he describes. Nothing can exceed the tragical

description he gives of the diabolical and destructive operations of

those brutal invaders. He represents the whole country, and especially

the western parts, near to which he chiefly resided, as entirely laid

waste with fire and sword, and the inhabitants massacred wherever they

could be found. Of the wretched remnant, some fled to foreign countries,

others retired to the mountains, or hid themselves in deserts and

fastnesses, where, however, they could not long remain:—drawn forth by

the pressing calls of hunger and famine, multitudes were forced to

surrender to the merciless foe, begging that their lives might be spared,

on the abject and miserable condition of submitting to perpetual slavery.

Even of these not a few appear to have been instantly consigned to

destruction. {234a} Others, however, were spared; and from them, in all

probability, sprung the _Servi_, or slaves, with which the country

abounded for many ages after. {234b} Some of the wretched inhabitants

were so fortunate as to make their escape to their countrymen, either in

_Wales_, or in _Devon_ and _Cornwall_, or else in _Cumberland_ and the

northern parts, where they made a noble stand, and long maintained their

liberty and independence.

SECTION II.

_Of the_ ANGLES, _from whom England_, _and the English language derive

their names_—_they seize on the parts about Lynn_, _and the whole

province of the ancient_ ICENI, _which receives the denomination of East

Anglia_, _and forms one of the kingdoms of the Heptarchy—revival of Lynn

in the mean time—with remarks on the adjacent country_.

Those Saxon conquerors of our island consisted of different clans, or

tribes, one of which went by the name of _Angles_; and though they are

not generally supposed to have composed the principal or most numerous

part of the invaders, yet it so happened, that the whole of the conquered

country and also the language of its new inhabitants took their names

from them. They took possession of the ancient country, or province of

the Iceni, and there founded the kingdom of East Anglia, or of East

Angles, comprehending the present counties of Norfolk, Suffolk,

Cambridge, and Huntingdon, which made some figure among its sister

kingdoms in the time of the Heptarchy. The kingdom of Mercia and that of

Northumberland also, it seems, were inhabited by the same people.

Of Lynn, during that dark and disastrous period, no account has been

preserved. It was probably destroyed by those merciless invaders, during

their long and bloody contest with the ill fated natives, along with many

other towns, all over the country, which certainly met the same fate.

{236} At what time it revived, or rose again into existence, is no where

recorded. But from the convenience and advantage of its situation it may

be supposed to have done so pretty soon after the government of the

East-Angles had assumed a settled form, and acquired a competent or

tolerable share of stability. That it existed under the East-Anglian

kings, seems a very natural and credible supposition; but whether it

stood then on the western side only, or on both sides of the river,

cannot now be ascertained. Under the Saxon princes that succeeded the

dissolution of the Heptarchy, it is well known to have extended to the

eastern shore of the river; and it is then, most probably, that we are to

date the origin of the present town or borough of Lynn. In the time of

Edward, called the confessor, we find it a place of trade and

considerable note; a plain proof that it must have been in being, and

growing into consequence a good while before that period. It belonged

then to _Ailmar_, bishop of Elmham, and his brother _Stigand_, archbishop

of Canterbury, when blind superstition and ecclesiastical servility may

naturally be supposed to have been among the principal or most

distinguished characteristics of its inhabitants. It continued afterward

under episcopal domination and ghostly discipline till the memorable

reign of Henry VIII. who thought proper to take into his own hands that

power or supremacy which was before vested in the bishops. In

consequence of which, it has ever since been called KING’S _Lynn_,

instead of BISHOP’S _Lynn_, which was its former appellation: an

appellation, by the bye, which will serve further to corroborate the

idea, that it was formerly the deleterious abode of priest-ridden

credulity and ecclesiastical thraldom. Indeed it may be said to have

been long distinguished for illiberality, intolerance, and a persecuting

spirit: and it must appear somewhat remarkable, that the very first

person taken up and burnt, in England, under that diabolical law, _De

hæretico comburendo_, was a Lynn man, as was also the last, or one of the

very last that underwent persecution for nonconformity under the infamous

_conventicle Act_: The former was one of the preachers belonging to St.

Margaret’s Church, in the reign of _Henry IV._ and the latter a licenced

dissenting minister in that of _William_ III. Of each of them a more

particular account shall be given in its proper place.

Not only Lynn, but most, if not all, of the adjacent towns and villages

appear to have been in being long before the conquest. They are noticed

in the celebrated old record, called _Domesday_, as places then in

existence, and seemingly of long standing and remote origin. They had,

in all probability, been erected and inhabited many ages before that

period, though it seems not likely that many of their present names, or

those given them in the Domesday book, are to be traced to a British

origin, as Parkin and others pretend. {238a}

That Lynn had become a place of considerable trade in the Saxon times, or

before the Norman invasion, is evident from unquestionable existing

documents. It had then a toll-booth, and enjoyed certain duties and

customs, payable on the arrival of any goods or merchandise, of which the

bishop was in full possession of a moiety. This episcopal privilege is

supposed to have been as early as the conversion of the East Angles, and

establishment of Christianity among them. The town continued daily to

flourish and acquire increasing importance; and at an early period after

the conquest, one of the writers of that time calls it, “a noble city,”

on account of its trading and commercial magnificence. {238b} This was

at a period when Hull did not exist, and when Liverpool, if it did exist,

was but a very obscure and insignificant place.

SECTION III.

_Of the Saltworks formerly at and about Lynn—paucity of appropriate

materials—apology_.

The vicinity of Lynn in the Saxon times, and long after, appears to have

been remarkable for its numerous Saltworks. {239a} At Gaywood alone, in

the Confessor’s time, there were no less than _thirty_ Salt pans, or

pits. {239b} The Salt springs of Droitwich, Nantwich, Northwich, &c.

were then, it seems, not so much attended to as to afford a supply to the

distant parts of the kingdom. The people of these parts were therefore

obliged to manufacture their own salt. To what extent the work was

carried on, or what quantity was generally, or annually produced, cannot

now be ascertained. Nor are we informed of the particular mode, or

process adopted and pursued in carrying on this ancient manufactory. It

was, probably, pretty simple and not very unlike that used in latter

times in the salt-works of South-town, by Yarmouth, and at other places.

By the great number of Salt-works then at Lynn, or in its neighbourhood,

it seems probable, that a considerable part of the adjacent country, and

the interior districts, were supplied from thence with that necessary

article: which might easily, even at that early period, be conveyed

thither, by means of the inland navigation, which always gave to Lynn the

vast advantage of a free and easy intercourse with all those places,

however distant, that are situated near the banks, or in the

neighbourhood of its numerous rivers. The Salt manufactured here was

made, it seems, from the sea water which the tides brought up to the

town, and which must have been, of course, much less salt, and less fit

for the purpose than the water found below in the roads, or at sea: it

appears therefore rather odd, that those salt-works should be placed so

far up the country, or so distant from the sea: and yet so it was; every

village and hamlet, almost, had then its Salt-work, or the moiety of one.

{240} Here it may be proper to observe, that, at the periods of which we

have been speaking, salt was not an article of revenue, and must

therefore have been a pretty cheap commodity compared to what it is now,

when the duty laid upon it by government is said to be above ten times

its prime, or original cost.

In attempting to give an account of the state of things at Lynn during

the period which we are now contemplating, almost all our light must be

borrowed from the general history of the kingdom in the mean while, as

the paucity of materials, relating particularly to this town, leaves us,

for the most part, no other clew for our guidance. The reader must not

therefore be displeased with the method here generally pursued, in

exhibiting the state or history of Lynn under its East-Anglian and

Anglo-Saxon sovereigns.

CHAP. III.

Of the religious profession of the first Anglian inhabitants of

Lynn—their renouncing heathenism, and assuming the christian name—account

of their conversion, and character of their Christianity.

SECTION I.

_Heathenism the religion of the first inhabitants of this town after its

revival_, _or restoration_, _under the East-Anglian government—they_,

_and the rest of the East Angles_, _together with the other branches of

the Heptarchy_, _become professors of Christianity—account of their

conversion_.

The inhabitants of Lynn, after it had been rebuilt and repeopled by its

Anglian masters, appear to have been blind heathens, and gross idolaters;

for when the Angles, or Anglo-Saxons seized upon this country, and

founded the East-Anglian kingdom, they were a nation of pagans,

worshippers of _Thor_ and _Woden_, and the rest of the miserable objects

of northern, or Scandinavian adoration; and so continued till the seventh

century. At that period, one of their princes, named _Sigebert_, having

lived sometime in exile among the Francs, was there converted to

Christianity. At his restoration to his kingdom, he brought over with

him one _Felix_, a Burgundian priest, who was employed in recommending to

the people the religion of their sovereign, in which he appears not to

have been unsuccessful. He was consequently appointed the first bishop

of the East Angles, and had his see fixed at _Soham_, {242} in

Cambridgeshire, and afterwards at _Domnoc_, or _Dunwich_, in Suffolk. He

is said to have taken no small pains in promoting the conversion of the

inhabitants; and the parts about Lynn seem to have engaged a considerable

share of his attention. In these very parts he is reported to have

commenced his labours, which issued in the conversion of the whole

country. Tradition gives to _Babingley_, by Lynn, the honour of being

the place where he first landed, and where was erected the very first

christian chapel, or place of worship among the East Angles. The second

edifice of the same description is said to have been erected at

_Sharnborn_, in the same neighbourhood. At what time the first place of

that sort was built at Lynn, cannot now be determined; but it seems very

probable that it must have been as early, at least, as the middle part of

the seventh century. It cannot, however be said, that the Christianity

then introduced was of any great value. The national character was not

much, if at all, mended by it; and the people still remained grossly

ignorant, profligate, and savage. What they wanted in rational piety and

real Christianity, they made up in stupid credulity, blind zeal, and

miserable superstition; and it had been well if their descendants had

always carefully avoided the imitation of their wretched and pernicious

example.

It is somewhat remarkable that Christianity, as it was called, was not

received among the East-Angles till it had made considerable progress in

most of the other kingdoms of the Heptarchy. In Kent it had been

received about the year 526, or soon after, by the ministry of _Austin_

the monk: and even before that time, several years, some of the Kentish

people had been brought to think favourably of that religion, by the

means of _Luidhart_, a French bishop, who had accompanied the princess

_Birtha_, daughter of Cherebert, king of Paris, upon her marriage with

Ethelbert the Kentish king. The conversion of the East Saxons took place

about the beginning of the seventh Century under the ministry of

_Mellitus_, their first bishop: and soon after, that of the

Northumbrians, where _Paulinus_ appeared as a very active and successful

labourer.

Felix did not begin his labours among the East Angles till about the year

630, when that religion had made some progress in all the other kingdoms,

perhaps, except that of Mercia, which seems to have been the last of the

seven to adhere to the profession of paganism. The Mercians, however,

were afterwards converted, and their country, at one time, formed into an

archiepiscopal province, whose seat or metropolis was _Litchfield_. Thus

the different branches of the hierarchy were all, by degrees, nominally

christianized. Of the nature, character, and value of that Christianity,

a just and proper idea may be formed from the following representations.

SECTION. II.

_Effects of the conversion of the East-Angles_, _and the other

sister-kingdoms—character of their Christianity_.

No sooner were the good people of this country converted from paganism

than _monkery_ began to be in great request among them. Many monasteries

were accordingly founded in all parts of England, which were quickly

crowded with inhabitants. A fondness for the monastic life is said to

have been here very much increased by an impious doctrine which began to

be broached and believed toward the close of the seventh century, “That

as soon as any person put on the habit of a monk, all the sins of his

former life were forgiven.” This is said to have engaged many princes

and great men (who are sometimes as great sinners as their inferiors) to

put on the monkish habit, and end their days in monasteries; which,

whatever it might be to themselves, was, probably, no mighty loss to

their subjects and vassals, or to the world.

Another remarkable feature in the character of the English christians of

the seventh and following centuries, was an extravagant veneration for

_relics_; in which the Romish priests drove then a very gainful trade, as

few good christians thought themselves safe from the perils or disasters

of life, and the machinations of the devil, unless they carried about

them the relics of some paint: nor could any church be dedicated without

a decent or certain quantity of the same sacred and precious ware. {244}

Stories of _dreams_, _visions_, and _miracles_ were also propagated

without a blush, by the clergy, and believed without a doubt, by the

laity. Extraordinary _watchings_, _fastings_, and other arts of

tormenting the body in order to save the soul, became frequent and

fashionable; and it began to be believed in the seventh century, that a

journey to Rome was a most meritorious undertaking, and even, of all

others, the most direct road to heaven.—Such was the christianity of the

good people of Lynn and the rest of their countrymen in those days.

In the eighth century the humour of making pilgrimages to Rome, and of

retiring into monasteries, still increasing, _Coinred_ king of Mercia, as

_Henry_ informs us, laid down his sceptre, and took up the pilgrim’s

staff, in 709, and travelled to Rome, accompanied by _Offa_, a young

prince of the royal family of the East-Saxons, where they both became

monks. Not long after, _Ina_, the warlike and victorious king of the

West Saxons imitated their example, and ended his days in a cloister at

Rome, where he founded a house for the entertainment of English pilgrims,

and the education of English youth.

Great numbers of _nuns_ also, and other English women, were among those

devout pilgrims who then travelled to Rome: but we have the testimony of

_Winfred_, alias _Boniface_, archbishop of Mentz, who lived at that

period, that they were generally debauched before they returned, and even

that many of them became common prostitutes in the cities of France and

Italy: he therefore exhorts and charges his friend _Cuthbert_, then

archbishop of Canterbury, to put a speedy stop to these scandalous female

pilgrimages.

The religious prayers and songs, which constituted the church service,

were then all in _Latin_, and so not understood by the common people, who

were therefore directed by the 27th. canon of the first council of

Cloveshoos, or Cliff, in Kent, {246} held in 747, to affix any meaning

they pleased to the words in their own minds, and to pray in their hearts

for any or every thing they wanted, no matter how foreign to the real

sense of the public prayers. A curious salvo, says _Henry_, for the

absurd practice of praying in an unknown tongue. The same canon contains

also the following short form of _prayer_, _for the dead_; “Lord,

according to the greatness of thy mercy, grant rest to his soul, and for

thy infinite pity, vouchsafe to him the joys of eternal light with thy

saints.”

Some of the nobility, or great men of that time, not very fond, it seems,

of going themselves through all the fastings and prayers enjoined them by

their confessors, would fain be allowed to have the service performed by

proxy: and it appears that they actually hired and employed poor people

to fast and pray in their stead. It was, certainly, a very notable as

well as convenient device, and became, it seems, pretty fashionable,

though it is said not to have the good fortune of obtaining the

approbation of the said council of Cloveshoos. {247a}

A late historian, {247b} alluding to this period, observes, “that long

fasting was then ordered frequently; but as the wealthy might abstain by

proxy, a seven years fast might be performed in three days, if the

principal could prevail with 840 persons each to take his share. This

concise plan of atonement for crimes, (he adds) was condemned solemnly at

the council of Cloveshoos; but the decree was disregarded.” The practice

therefore seems to have gone on unchecked, notwithstanding the decree of

that council. It was not to be expected that so convenient a custom

could be very easily abolished. It may be worth while to inquire,

whether it had in it, after all, any greater absurdity, than there is in

the present practice of the _infants_ at the font, making a confession of

their faith _by proxy_.

Towards the latter part of the above period, a law was enacted, enjoining

every priest to learn some handycraft, or manual occupation: which might

be very useful; at least, it could do no harm. Another law enjoined,

that they should all be capable of repeating the _Creed_, and the _Lord’s

prayer_: which also might be very right and proper; but it indicates that

learning was then at a very low ebb among the English clergy. We learn,

however, that in the reign of _Ethelred_, styled _the unready_, a mission

was sent from hence to Norway, at the request of the king of that

country, to convert the Norwegians and Swedes to the christian religion,

and that the archbishop of York, and other divines, actually went over on

that occasion, and met with great success; though some of them afterwards

are said to have suffered martyrdom; which seems rather odd, if the king,

as above suggested, was their patron. Whatever their learning might be,

their zeal must have been highly commendable and exemplary.

SECTION III.

_Christianity of the ancient inhabitants of Lynn_, _and of this country_,

_further characterized—whether very materially improved during the reign

of Alfred—remarks on that reign—papal instructions to the first

missionaries_.

Ignorance and superstition, instead of diminishing, appear to have

increased in England, during the_ eighth_ century. Pilgrimages to Rome

became far more frequent, and were attended with worse effects than

formerly; the rage of retiring to monasteries became more violent in

persons of all ranks, to the ruin of every useful art; the clergy became

more knavish and rapacious, and the laity more abject and stupid, than at

any former period: of which the trade of relics, then at its height, and

which can never be carried on, but between knaves and fools, is a

sufficient evidence.

During the memorable reign of the celebrated Alfred, the state of

religion has been supposed to have improved; but how far we are warranted

to admit, or carry that idea, does not seem very clear. Alfred was,

doubtless, a most excellent prince, as may fairly and justly be inferred

from that notable clause in his Will, “that the English had an undoubted

right to be free as their own thoughts,” and particularly from his so

greatly magnifying, and acting upon that never to be forgotten precept of

Christ, “to do unto others as we would have others do unto us;” not to

mention the many other notable and commendable deeds ascribed to him:

{249} but that he was instrumental in very materially reforming, or

improving the religion of his country, appears rather doubtful, if not

improbable. His altering the Ten Commandments, leaving out the _second_,

and adding another, to humour the worshippers of images, make very

considerably against the notion of his having much advanced the work of

religious reformation. The commandment which he added, was expressed in

these words, “Make not thou gods of gold, or of silver,” a precept, as it

has been observed, which few of his subjects could afford to transgress.

{250}

From Alfred’s days to the conquest, the religion of England experienced

no amendment; nor ever after till the Era of the reformation, or the

16th. century, except what took place under the influence of Wickliff,

and the Lollards; but they were soon crushed under the heavy and strong

hand of priestly and royal persecution: the very first victim, as was

before observed, was a Lynn man.

From the above representation of the original christianity of the English

nation, and of the Lynn people among the rest, one cannot be very much

biassed in its favour. But we shall cease to wonder at its being no

better, when we consider whence it proceeded, and under what sort of

rules or maxims it was introduced. It was first brought hither and

promulgated by _Austin_, a monk of the convent of St. Andrew’s at Rome,

accompanied by forty other Romish monks, all sent by the then Pope, whose

name was _Gregory_, commonly called Gregory the first, and _Saint_

Gregory, who was advanced to the papal chair in 590. Austin and his

companions arrived here in 596. Among the instruction which pope Gregory

gave Austin for the regulation of his conduct and ministry, the following

are not the least remarkable.—

“He was not to destroy the heathen temples of the English, but only

to remove the images of their gods, to wash the wails with holy

water, to erect altars, and deposit relics in them, and so convert

them into christian churches; not only to save the expence of

building new ones, but that the people might more easily be prevailed

upon to frequent those places of worship, to which they had been

accustomed. He directs him further, to accommodate the ceremonies of

the christian worship as much as possible to those of the heathen,

that the people might not be much startled at the change; and in

particular he advises him to allow the christian converts, on certain

festivals, to kill and eat a great number of oxen, to the glory of

God, as they had done formerly to the honour of the devil.” {252}

These admonitions, (says Dr. Henry) which were but too well observed,

introduced the grossest corruption into the christian worship, and shew

how much the apostles of the sixth and seventh centuries had departed

from the simplicity and sincerity of those of the first.

CHAP. IV.

Miscellaneous observations, on the social distinctions, and the general

state of the community among the Anglo-Saxons.

SECTION I.

_State of society at Lynn_, _and in this country_, _before the Conquest_.

Of the state of Society in this country, as to the different ranks among

the inhabitants, the following is thought to be a pretty fair and true

representation.—The next rank below that of the royal family was held by

the _Thanes_, which were, it seems, of different degrees, and we are told

that the highest order among them went by the name of _king’s thanes_.

{253} These also are said to have been of two different sorts,

_Eoldermen_, and _Eorles_; the former supposed to be supreme in the

administration of justice; the latter comprehended military as well as

civil authority, but was not hereditary till the close of the Saxon

dynasty. The _Ceorles_ (Churles, or Carles) were next below the thanes.

They were free, descended from yeomen, and were chiefly engaged in

husbandry. To them the gate of nobility was open, and they might become

thanes by five different methods. {254a} Another order, or description

of men, in those times, was called _Huscarles_; (i.e. house-carles:) they

were retainers, or domestic dependents of the thanes, and reputed

freemen. All the rest of the community, it seems, were slaves, of

different descriptions. Of them however, it would sometimes happen,

though but very rarely, that some obtained manumission, and they formed a

particular class, denominated _Freed-men_; but we are told that they were

few, and little regarded. They could obtain, it seems, no rank in the

state; and applying, for the most part, to mechanical employments, seem

hardly to have been distinguished from the race which they had

quitted.—Slaves were never suffered to carry arms, and the very gift of a

weapon conferred freedom. Of the other orders no man went abroad without

his spear; and laws were enacted to guard against damages occasioned by

the careless bearer. In battle the ceorles who formed the infantry,

beside a broad sword, and sometimes a club, bore only a round shield with

an offensive pointed weapon in the centre. The cavalry being composed of

thanes, huscarles, and the richer ceorles, who could afford to keep

horses, was better provided with defensive armour. {254b}

The enslaved part of the inhabitants, and which is said to have

constituted by far the most numerous class of the community, went, like

the privileged orders, by different names. Of them the chief and most

remarkably were the _Villani_ and the _Servi_. In regard to the former,

we are told that Villenage was of two kinds: 1st _Pure Villenage_, to

which some were subject from their birth, from whom uncertain and

indeterminate service was due to the lord. The successors of these are

our _copy-holders_; who, though time has dealt favourably with them in

other respects, still retain one mark of their original vassalage, or

servitude; for as of old the former were not reckoned as members of the

commonwealth, but merely as part and parcel of the owner’s substance, no

way entitled to the privileges of freemen, so do their successors still

continue without any right to vote at elections by virtue of their

copy-holds. 2nd _Villenage by Tenure_, which bound the tenant to perform

certain services agreed upon between him and his lord; such as ploughing

his ground, reaping his corn, &c.

The lowest, as well as most numerous class of slaves among the

Anglo-Saxons were the _Servi_, who, (as well as all the rest of the

unfreemen,) were probably the descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants,

who had escaped the general massacre, or whose lives had been spared at

the reduction and conquest of the country. These were protected by

neither law nor religion, for a very long period; and they consequently

suffered the most unfeeling and cruel treatment. Christianity is said to

have ameliorated their condition. It certainly ought to have done so;

but from such a christianity no material amelioration could well have

been expected. Even our own boasted protestantism, how feeble has

generally been its influence in such cases! The long and bloody contest

between the rival and barbarous houses of York and Lancaster did more, it

seems, for the relief and emancipation of those poor English slaves than

any thing else; for the contending parties, in order to recruit and

reinforce their armies, found it convenient and necessary to liberate

great numbers of them: at length they were all manumitted, and Britain

now contains no people of that description. It would be well if the same

could be said of every other, part of the British dominions. These Servi

are often mentioned by Bloomfield and Parkin, and appear to have been

very numerous in the parts about Lynn before the conquest, and even long

after that period.

Beside the Villani and Servi, we meet with other descriptions of bondmen,

whose condition seem to have been less abject; at least, less so than the

latter. Of those one sort was called _Bordarii_, _Bordars_, or

_Borderers_: they were such as held a cottage, or some small parcel of

land, on condition of supplying the lord with poultry, eggs, and other

small provisions for his board and entertainment. Such small estates

were formerly called _Bord-lands_, now _demesnes_.—_Coliberti_ was the

name of another description of bondmen among the Anglo-Saxons; and they

were, it seems, a middle sort of tenants, between servile and free; they

had their patrons, to whom they paid rent, and were manumised as servants

used to be, but were not absolutely free. They were such of the Servi as

were enfranchised, or liberated in a certain degree, but still paid some

duties to the superior lord. They appear to have been held in scarcely

any higher estimation than the class to which they had originally

belonged.—The _Burgaris_, _Burgenses_, or _Burgesses_, was another order

of bondmen among the Anglo-Saxons. They were tradesmen in great towns,

and had their patrons, under whose protection they traded, and to whom

they paid an acknowledgement; but some of them were in a more servile

condition, and altogether under the power of the king, or other lords.

{257a} Some of the above descriptions of Anglo-Saxon bondmen, or British

slaves, and particularly the Villani, the Servi, and the Bordarii, were

very numerous in the parts about Lynn, in the times of which we are now

speaking, and long after. {257b} England did then so abound in slaves,

and was so much _a land of slaves_, as to be able to carry on a trade in

that commodity with other nations, and especially the _Irish_, whom

English merchants, for a long time, abundantly supplied with that

favourite article, out of their home stock, or native produce, with as

little shame or remorse as they have in modern times supplied the West

Indies and North America with the poor defenceless natives of ill-fated

Africa. {257c} And yet the English was then, as well as now, a christian

nation, priding herself in the fond idea of the purity and pre-eminence

of her goodness, faith, and piety. Alas, for poor christianity! How

often hath her venerable name been profaned and postituted on the vilest

occasions, and for the basest of purposes!

SECTION II.

_Of the WITTENAGEMOTE and other courts_, _maxims of jurisprudence_,

_institution of tythings_, _nuptial and funeral rites_, _sacerdotal_,

_domestic_, _and other customs_, _among the Anglo-Saxons_.

The _Wittenagemote_, or assembly of wise men, was the highest court among

the Anglo-Saxons, and from which our parliament seems to have originated.

Bishops, judges, and thanes composed it, and it does not appear that the

lower orders, or bulk of the people were there any how represented. The

business of this assembly was prepared and opened by the king.—Another

high court, but inferior to the former, was the _Shiregemote_, in which

much business was transacted in the way of a modern assize. The

Eolderman, or the Eorle was the president, and the domesmen, or judges,

with certain _lawmen_, as they were called, formed the bench. It was

held only twice in the year.—The _Hundred Court_ came next, over which

the Hundredary presided. Sales of estates, registering of Wills,

manumission of slaves, &c. were here transacted. It was also called

_Wapontake_, from the custom of always attending well armed. It was the

repository of deeds and records, was held monthly, and had the

jurisdiction of ten tythings.

Compensation to the injured party or his family, rather than the

annoyance of the criminal, being the principle of the Anglo-Saxon

jurisprudence, capital punishments were unfrequent. The chastity of

maidens was protected by very severe laws; the ravisher of a nun was

fined as an assassin, and the violator of a child incurred the penalty of

a severe mutilation. Murder, as well as manslaughter, might be atoned

for, at a stated price: every wound had its exact value; robbery was

venial, and when committed on a bordering country, (although in peace)

was almost deemed laudable. {259}

It was in the institution of _Tythings_, or neighbourships, that the

wisdom of the Anglo-Saxons appeared most conspicuous and admirable.

Every ten families were connected together, as fellows in arms and in

civil society. Each answered for the others’ good behaviour to the

magistrate, and each joined in paying the penalty which any one member

might casually incur. A man who was not inrolled in these tythings was

avoided by all, as a vagabond and person of bad character; nor could he

hope to be admitted to a tything unless his probity was generally

acknowledged. To Alfred this excellent institution is said to owe its

perfection; and its effects on society must have been very great and

salutary. {260}

Of the customs of the ancient inhabitants of Lynn, and of the

Anglo-Saxons in general, relating to _matrimony_, the following appear to

have been some of the most remarkable and striking.—Every unmarried woman

was supposed to have a guardian, or owner: the virgin belonged to her

father, brother, uncle, or nearest male relation; the widow claimed the

same protection from her husband’s male relatives; the lover was obliged

to buy his mistress, of her guardian, by a gift, the amount of which was

settled by a law, that set a higher price on the maid, by one half, than

on the relict. If unadvisedly the wooer wedded the lady without the

guardian’s consent, her property and goods were still the property of

that guardian, and an injury offered to her was to be atoned for to him,

and not to the spouse. At the wedding, the guardian delivered up his

ward to the husband, a friend of whom had previously avowed himself the

guarantee of a proper provision for the bride in case of his death. At

the feast which followed, the usual and large presents of gold, silver,

arms, cloths, household stuff, &c. made by the invited friends and

relations, formed the portion of the bride, who had beside, from custom

immemorial, a right to ask of her mate, on the next sun-rising after her

nuptials, a gift, to serve her as pin-money. As to what related to

_divorces_, among these people, we meet with no particular account. In

the _education_ of their children, they only sought to render them

dauntless, and apt for the two most important occupations of their future

lives, war and the chase. It was a usual trial of a child’s courage to

place him on the sloping roof of a building, and if, without screaming or

apparent terror, he held fast, it was deemed a favourable omen, and he

was pronounced a _brave boy_.

The _burial_ ceremony is said to have been much more joyous among them

than that of marriage; which seems to imply something very unnatural, as

well as barbarous. The house in which the body lay till its burial, was

a perpetual scene of feasting, singing, dancing, and every species of

riot. This, of course, was very expensive to the family of the deceased;

and it was in some places carried so far, that the corpse was forcibly

kept unburied by the visiting friends, till they were certain that they

had consumed, in games and frantic festivity, all the wealth the deceased

had left behind him.—Nothing can well exceed the barbarism and

brutishness of such a custom: and yet it seems to have long continued in

some parts of this island after the introduction of christianity, and

even of protestantism. Nay, some remains of it are known to have existed

in some places within the memory of some of the present inhabitants. It

is surprising how tenacious mankind often are of their ancient customs,

be they ever so vile, unseemly, or heathenish. Heathenish, certainly, or

of pagan origin, must this most odious practice have been: but it is not

the only English custom that comes under that description. The _Waites_,

that usually go about before christmas, may be considered as of the

self-same origin, and belonged, in all likelihood, to a certain pagan,

riotous, and lawless feast, celebrated at that time of the year: the

precursor and prototype of our principal christian festival. The

ushering in of May with the _blowing of horns_, a custom now almost, if

not _altogether peculiar to Lynn_, seems evidently to be of the same

class. It is still most tenaciously kept up in this town, by the boys

and children, though nobody pretends to know either its meaning or its

origin. But as May-Day is known to have been one of the highest and most

notable days of the year among our heathen ancestors, the said custom may

very safely be concluded to have originated with them; especially as that

day does not appear to have ever been very much thought of by the

papists.

A notable custom among the Anglo-Saxon christians of the eighth century,

and from which Lynn cannot be supposed exempted, was that of the _Clergy_

usually celebrating Mass, or administering the Sacrament _without Shoes

and Stockings_, and with chalices made of horn: which seems to shew, that

they had not then arrived at that sacerdotal pride and pomp, at least in

regard to their dress, which became so prevalent among those of their

order in latter times, when they thought proper to assume a consequence

so far above the other orders of the community.

In private life the Anglo-Saxons are said to have been devout to the

extreme of credulity, and hospitable to drunken extravagance. Their

manners were rough, but social; their tables were plainly, but

plentifully served. Large joints of roasted meat seem to have had the

preference; salted victuals also were much in use. At table, the rank of

the guests was strictly observed; and, by the laws of Canute, a person

sitting above his proper station was to be pelted out of his place with

bones, at the discretion of the company, without the privilege of taking

offence. The lady, (or, as the Saxons named her, _leaf-dien_, the bread

giver) sat, as now, at the upper end of the table, and distributed the

provisions to her guests. The liquors used at genteel tables were wine,

ale, and spiced ale, pigment (a composition of wine, spice, and honey,)

morat, (honey diluted with mulberry juice) and mead. {263} Such, as may

reasonably be concluded, was the state of things with regard to these

matters, in the best of the families of Lynn at those times.

SECTION III.

_State of learning_, _and of the medical profession_, _among the

Anglo-Saxons_.

Learning during the time now alluded to was at a very low ebb in this

Country. “Among the various discouragements, (says _Andrews_) which

literature was obliged to encounter in this ill-fated period may be

reckoned the extreme scarcity of materials for writing.” A strong proof

of which (he adds) “is that many of the MSS. of the 10th and 11th

centuries are written on parchment, from which older works (perhaps the

Decades of Livy) have been erased.” It was for want of parchment to draw

the deeds upon, (as he supposes,) that estates, were then frequently

conveyed from one family to another by the ceremony of a turf and a

stone, delivered before witnesses, without any written agreement.

However that was, England even in those dark times, exhibited some rays

of intellectual light, and produced some literary characters that would

have done honour to more enlightened ages. _Bede_, in particular, styled

_the Venerable_, who flourished in the 8th century, and has been called,

_the wise Saxon_, is believed to have comprised, in eight folio volumes,

the whole body of knowledge that his age afforded. To him may be added

_Egbert_, arch-bishop of York, and his pupil _Alcuin_, both distinguished

in their day for extraordinary literary attainments. _Alfred_ and his

learned associates appeared in the 9th century, and were the ornaments of

that dark age; but the light which they exhibited was not lasting, and

they left no successors that were any way worthy of them. In the 10th

(and most part of the 11th) century, scarce any man of literature

appeared among the English. _Elfric_ is said to have been by far the

most remarkable and eminent. He was styled _the grammarian_, from his

having written a Latin grammar. Two volumes of homilies, in MS.

translated by him from the Latin into the Saxon language, are said to be

still extant. Very few beside have in any degree contributed to

illuminate the gloom of that dismal period. _Gerbert_, however, who,

from a low origin, was advanced to the papal chair in 999, under the name

of _Silvester_ II. deserves to be respectfully noticed, as it is to his

experience, gained by travel, and a long residence among foreign nations,

that our arithmetic is said to owe the use of the Saracen numerals.—But

as none of these persons appear to have sprung from Lynn, or its

vicinity, no further notice can properly be taken of them in this work;

and what has been already said of them and other extraneous matters, was

chiefly intended for the purpose of pointing out the probable state of

things at Lynn in the meantime, for want of more suitable and appropriate

materials.

PHYSIC and SURGERY, during those early ages, were in a most wretched

state in this country, and, of course, among the inhabitants of Lynn.

Old women were then the chief professors of the medical art; and as they

mingled charms and spells with their prescriptions, the patient’s fancy

sometimes effected, or, at least, assisted in effecting the cure. As

Christianity gained ground, the clergy, having much time on their hands,

applied themselves to the study of medicine, but made so little progress,

that for a long time, _Holy Water_ seems to have been the prescription to

which they chiefly trusted. If holy water were still in use, as a

popular, fashionable, or favourite medical prescription, instead of the

innumerable patent medicines, and other vile quackeries that now disgrace

this ill-fated country, it had been better, no doubt, for the health and

constitutions of myriads of our unwary and credulous fellow-subjects.

There seems, however, but little prospect of an end to this great and

growing evil, while quackery continues to be so convenient and gainful to

the state, or to contribute so largely, as it now does, to the revenue of

the kingdom. But it is not the only public evil, the prospect of whose

extinction appears very distant and hopeless.

SECTION IV.

_Expressive and remarkable names of the months—state of the coinage_, _or

currency—general value of different commodities in this country before

the conquest—slavery—comparison with the present course of things_.

The inhabitants of Lynn and the rest of their countrymen, in the

Anglo-Saxon ages, could give more satisfactory reasons, it seems, for the

names of their months, than we can for those of ours. December, which

with them stood first, was called _Midwinter-monath_, the midwinter

month. January, was denominated _Aefter-yula_, that is, after Christmas,

or rather, after the feast called Yula, a pagan, riotous, lawless

festival, observed at that time of the year, and to which our Christmas

succeeded, with no small resemblance. February, they called

_Sol-monath_, the sun month, from the returning of the sun at that

season. March, they named _Rhede_, or _Reth-monath_, the rough, or

rugged month. April’s name was _Easter-monath_, from a favourite Saxon

goddess, whose festival was kept at that time, and may be said to be

still kept by us, under the idea of the christian passover, which we seem

to have dedicated to that same pagan goddess, by our continuing to

preserve her precious memory, and celebrating the feast still in her

name. May was called _Trimilchi_, from the cows being then milked three

times in the day. June’s name was _Seremonath_, the dry month, July was

called _Mœd-monath_, the mead month, from the meads being then in their

bloom and beauty, or the people being there employed in hay making.

August had the name of _Weod-monath_, the weed month, from the

luxuriance, or abundance of weeds at that time. September was named

_Hærfest-monath_, or the harvest month. October bore the name of

_Winter-fyllith_, or winterfall, from winter approaching with the full

moon of that month. November, their last month, they called

_Blot-monath_, blood month, from the blood of the cattle then slain and

stored for winter provision.

The Anglo-Saxons are said to have made use of coins as early as the reign

of Ethelbright, or Ethelbert, who governed Kent from 561 to 616; as the

fines ordered in his laws are all estimated by shillings, which was even

then a denomination of money. The money-pound of the Anglo-Saxons, is

thought to have been the same with the Tower-pound long in use at the

mint, and to have weighed less than the Troy-pound by ¾ of a Troy-ounce.

Its value was about 2_l._ 16_s._ 3_d._ of modern money. {268a} The

_Mark_, like the Pound an imaginary coin, weighed eight ounces, or two

thirds of the Pound. The merchant reckoned 12 ounces to the mark. Its

value was 1_l._ 17_s._ 9_d._ The _Mancus_, a real coin, was valued at

the 8th. of a mark, or 4_s._ and 8_d._ The Shilling, a real coin, was

worth about eleven pence farthing of our money. The Anglo-Saxon penny,

(pening, or sceata,) was a silver coin, and weighed near three-pence of

our money. This little piece would do more in those times for its owner,

than some shillings would do now. Halflings and Feorthlings, were the

half, and the fourth, or quarter of the Anglo-Saxon penny, and were of

silver. To these may be added a small brass coin called Styca. Beside

these coins, it was usual with the Anglo-Saxons to complete the sum

destined for any particular purpose, by adding what they called _live

money_, such as oxen, sheep, horses, or _slaves_; {268b} which last

species of traffick was carried to an almost incredible height of

brutality.

The value or price of cattle, land, and other commodities, in the times

of which we are now speaking, amounted to but a very small portion of

what they now fetch.

“By the laws of Athelstan, (says Dr. Mavor) a sheep was valued at a

shilling, or fifteen-pence of our money: an ox was computed at six

times the value of a sheep, and a cow at four. A horse was valued at

thirty shillings of our money, and a mare at twenty-four. Between

the years 900 and 1000, a hide of land was purchased for about one

hundred and eighteen shillings, which was little more than a shilling

per acre. {269} On the whole, (he adds) when we combine the

alteration in the weight of the pound, and the modern value of the

precious metals from their greater plenty, we may conceive every sum

of money mentioned by historians, during the Anglo-Saxon, and even

the Norman times, as if it were multiplied more than a hundred-fold

above a sum of the same denomination at present.”

SECTION V.

_Probability that Lynn was formerly concerned in the exportation of

slaves—comparison between the ancient and modern English

slave-dealers_—slaves and horses _the chief exports of this country in

those days—corn not then exported_, _though it had been

formerly—imports—commerce—miscellaneous hints and observations_.

Considering how very fruitful in slaves England appears to have been

under the Anglo-Saxons, and how commonly they bought and sold their

slaves, (and even their own kindred,) and that they were actually a

principal article of their exports to other countries, {270} it is more

than probable that Lynn and other Norfolk ports were then deeply

concerned in that traffic.—Slaves are known to have then abounded in the

parts about this town; and no other commodity, or produce of the country,

was more marketable, or saleable, both at home and abroad; we may

therefore be sure that the merchants and opulent people of Lynn were not

inattentive to so fashionable and profitable a branch of commerce. Some

indeed, even then, disapproved of it, and a bishop, of the name of

_Wolfstan_, is said to have firmly set his face against it at Bristol,

and to have made the people somewhat ashamed of their proceedings; but it

does not appear that they relinquished it, for Bristol continued to be

the chief English mart for slaves, long after his time. His conduct,

however, was highly laudable, memorable, and exemplary; but where among

our modern prelates, can we find one that has virtue or fortitude enough

to imitate the noble example of Wolfstan!

How vile and mercenary must the character of those ancient English

dealers in human flesh appear, when we contemplate them as selling their

own countrymen and neighbours, and even their kindred! It reminds us of

what has often been said of the modern commercial, or mercantile

character: that a merchant would sell his own father, if he could do it

safely and gainfully.—Between our ancient and modern English slave

dealers, there is some dissimilarity, though they both acted from the

same principle, and the conduct of each appears thoroughly unjustifiable

and atrocious.—The latter dealt only in strangers, at a great distance,

and of another colour; but the former trafficked, as was before observed,

in their own countrymen, and near neighbours, brought up among them, and,

occasionally, even in their own near relations. Of the two, therefore,

the conduct of the ancients appears, at first sight, as far the most

unnatural and stocking; but that will cease to be the case, upon further

consideration, and when times and circumstances are duly attended to.

Those ancients lived in rude and barbarous ages, when the natural rights

of man were not understood, and when darkness visible was every where

predominant; which must, in some measure, extenuate their misdeeds. But

our modern slave-dealers have carried on their operations in the open

day, and in the very face of the sun—they have adhered to this most

barbarous and savage traffick in the most enlightened age of the

world—they have persisted in it, in spite of the frequent and solemn

remonstrances of the most virtuous and enlightened of their countrymen,

and in defiance of the clearest demonstrations of the flagiciousness of

their conduct. They have, therefore, no cloak for their sin, no excuse

or palliating plea for their atrocities. To them belongs the

pre-eminence of turpitude and infamy, and they may be said to stand at

the head of those monsters who have been a disgrace to christianity, to

humanity, and to their country.

_Slaves_ and _horses_ appear to have been the principal, if not the only

articles exported from this country during the Anglo-Saxon ages. Corn

constituted then no article of our exports, though it had done so

formerly, in a considerable degree, while Britain formed a part of the

Roman Empire. Agriculture must therefore have miserably declined here

since the arrival of the Saxons, and the country had no reason to

congratulate itself on its change of masters. After the introduction of

Christianity the monks are said to have been, by much the best

husbandmen, and also the best, if not the only gardeners in the country.

They were certainly the most enlightened class of the community, and the

little knowledge and learning which the country then possessed were

chiefly, if not entirely, confined within the solemn precincts of the

monasteries.

Of our _imports_ in those days, _books_, _relics_, _pictures_, and

_images of saints_, _clerical vestments_, and _church ornaments_, are

said to have been the chief articles; which gives but a very miserable

idea of the state of the country, and its commerce, in the mean

time.—They were however, not the only articles, for it appears that

_wines_ also were imported from France and Spain, _cloths_ from Germany

and Flanders, _furs_, _deer-skins_, (and probably, _bear-skins_,)

_ropes_, _whale oil_, &c. from Scandinavian and even a portion of all the

different commodities then known in any part of Europe is supposed to

have been at that period imported to this country. Yet the balance of

trade is said to have been much in our favour—that is, we got much more

by the sale of our _Slaves_ and _horses_, in which our exports consisted,

than what we lost or laid out in the purchase of all the various articles

which we imported, many of which, at the same time, must have been pretty

expensive. This seems to imply, that those _Slaves_ and _horses_, with

which foreign markets were supplied from hence, must have been very

numerous, as well as very beneficial and lucrative to our English

merchants.

During some part of this period the shipping of England seems to have

been pretty numerous; but what portion of it belonged to the port of Lynn

does not appear. The royal navy too, was at times on a respectable

footing, particularly in the reigns of Alfred and Canute, as well as in

those of Edgar, surnamed the peaceable, and Ethelred: the latter is said

to have possessed near 800 sail of men of war, {274} but they were all

what would now be called small vessels. The military force of the

kingdom consisted generally of about 50,000, though on extraordinary

occasions it considerably exceeded that number.

For a long time, _markets_ were usually kept on _Sundays_, in or near

some _church_, but that being found somewhat inconvenient, as interfering

with the religious service of the day, they were afterwards changed to

Saturdays. The _fairs_ of those times were also generally kept within

the precincts of some great churches, or monasteries, on some notable

day, generally the anniversary of the patron saint, and it was customary

to oblige every comer to the fair, at the gate, before he entered, to

_swear_ that he would neither _lie_, _steal_, nor _cheat_: which might be

very useful, if the people had then a proper sense of the sacredness of

oaths, otherwise it would be of but little avail, as it is to be feared

it would also be in the present day, when, from the multiplicity or

commonness of oaths, a disposition to trifle with, or make light of them

is notoriously prevalent. For holding these fairs, bishops and abbots

obtained charters from the crown, with a view to increase their own

revenues by the tolls which such charters would authorise them to levy on

such occasions. Thus every thing contributed to the aggrandizement of

the church. Before the end of this period, the clergy had possession of

more than a third part of all the land in the kingdom, with the tithes of

all the rest.

Much attention was then bestowed on the decoration of churches and

religious houses. Organs and bells were introduced toward the latter

part of this period. The famous _Saint Dunstan_ gave a fine organ, in

the reign of Edgar, to the abbey of Glastonbury. Bells became very

common about the 10th century, and were hung in the towers of churches,

which were then all of wood: only the altars were, it seems, built of

stone. The first _set_ of bells in this kingdom, that we hear of, was at

_Croyland_, in Lincolnshire, in the reign of Athelstan, a gift of the

abbot _Turketul_ to that celebrated monastery. {275} There had, however,

been _single_ bells in England long before that period, and even as early

as the 7th century, as is attested by _Bede_. In the time of M. Paris,

bells were not allowed to ring at funerals, as inspiring too gay and

unsuitable ideas. Clocks also began to be introduced here toward the

close of this period. About the same time, the English began to be

expert and noted manufacturers of woollen cloth; the value of a sheep’s

fleece, of course, was then well understood, and rated at two fifths of

the animal’s whole price. Silk, though now beginning to be imported, was

not woven here until some centuries afterwards: linen, in the mean time,

was extremely scarce. It is very remarkable, but seemingly an

unquestionable fact, that highly finished works in gold and silver, were

the production even of our darkest ages. The monks, in those times, were

the best artists, and the famous St. Dunstan inferior to none of them.

Yet the means of supplying life with necessaries, appear to have been but

imperfectly known and cultivated. The pagans of Sussex, in the 7th.

century, though starving for want of food, knew not how to catch any

fish, except eels, until bishop Wilfred, who came thither in 678,

instructed them in the use of nets. He took 300 at a draught; and by

thus supplying their bodily wants, rendered their minds tractable to his

doctrines, and easily succeeded in their conversion. {276}—Our modern

missionaries to the south sea isles, and other foreign parts, would do

well to imitate his example, and not confine their attention or labours

solely to religious instruction. A goodly pattern of the same kind has

also been very lately set before them among the North American Indians by

the _Quaker missionaries_. But it is to be feared that they and their

employers are too wise in their own eyes to profit by such examples.

SECTION VI.

_Population of Lynn_, _and the country in general_, _before the

conquest—condition of the bulk of the inhabitants in the mean

time—sufferings of the inhabitants of Lynn and the adjacent country from

the Danes—intrepid and ferocious character of that people—instruments of

vengeance on the Anglo-Saxons—their disposition and character not much

changed by their conversion to christianity—remarkable instances of

imposition_, _superstition_, _and credulity_.