A history of Norwich selected from 'A Comprehensive History of Norwich, by A. D. Bayne' free out of copyright - Selection from Foundations of Norwich until 1824. Transribed from the 1869 Jarrold & Sons edition by David Price.

A long read but easy to search and dip in. - RAB

The destruction of all documents relating to East Anglia, during the irruptions of the Danes, has rendered this period the most obscure of any period of our history. The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes having subjugated the fair territory of England, they divided it into seven kingdoms, called the Heptarchy, in which Norfolk formed a part of East Anglia. The Anglo-Saxon leader, Uffa, established himself in this part of the island, in 575; and assumed dominion over that portion of the eastern district now divided into Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, giving it the name of East Anglia, of which Norwich was made the metropolis. Norwich was, therefore, a royal city, and the residence of the kings. Uffa, the first king, is supposed to have formed here a strong entrenchment of earth on the site of the present castle, encircled by broad ramparts and a ditch, as under the present Saxon arch. Uffa, who died A.D. 578, was succeeded by his son Titul; on whose demise, in 599, his son Redwald assumed the reins of government and embraced Christianity, but by the influence of his wife renounced it again. He was succeeded, A.D. 624, by his son Erpenwald, who was killed by a relation named Richbert, A.D. 633. His half brother Sigebert, who succeeded to the crown, established the bishopric of Dunwich, in Suffolk, and formed the first seminary for religious instruction, which led to the establishment of the university in Cambridge. Fatigued with the crown and its cares, he resigned it, A.D. 644, to his kinsman Egric, and retired into the famous monastery at Bury St. Edmund’s.

Norwich then became one of the chief seats of Anna, king of the East Angles, who gave the castle, with the lands belonging to it, to his daughter Ethelfrida on her marriage with Tombert, a prince of the Gyrvii or Fenmen, who inhabited the fens of Lincolnshire and the adjacent parts of Norfolk. At the same time Tombert granted to Ethelfrida, as a marriage settlement, the isle of Ely, which for greater security was to be held by castle guard service to the castle of Norwich.

From the time of Anna till the reign of Alfred the Great there are few events on record except the frequent incursions of the piratical Danes, who at last over-ran East Anglia, and had their head quarters at Thetford in 870. But the reign of the Great Alfred was distinguished by his decisive victories over those Northern marauders. One of his chief objects was to fortify the principal parts of his kingdom against hostile attacks. Finding the walls or ramparts of Norwich Castle too weak for repelling the attacks of the Danes, he caused others to be erected with the most durable materials. That it was a noted military station, and a royal castle in his time, is evident from a coin struck here in the year 872, having round the head AElfred Rex, and on the reverse Northwic. After making peace with the Danes in 878, he assigned to them, for their residence, the whole of East Anglia, and their leader Guthrum fixed his seat at Norwich; but, breaking his faith, the city and county were wrested from him, and reverted again to the Angles under six successive sovereigns.

The Danes became settled in the city, and fortified themselves against all enemies, about 1011; and the next year, Turkil or Turketel, a Danish earl, took possession of all Norfolk, having expelled the English Earl Ulfketel, and held it under Sweyn till his death, which happened in 1014. Then the Danish army chose Canute his son for their king: but upon Sweyn’s death the English took courage and sent for Ethelred out of Normandy, who returned and drove Canute out of the country. Turkel, however, continued governor of the East Angles, and he persuaded Canute to return; and he became king of England in 1017. That monarch assigned all Norfolk to Earl Turkel; and according to the old author of an Essay on the Antiquity of the Castle:—

“Committed to him the custody of Norwich, which his father Sweyn burnt and destroyed; and to keep the East Angles secure to him, he (Canute) was most like to be the builder of the present stone Castle of Norwich. For when by compact with the English nobles, the law called Engleshire was made by universal consent, for the safety of the Danes that were by agreement to remain in England, Canute sent home to Denmark his mercenary army of Danes, but in great caution built several strong forts and castles, garrisoning them with such Danes as had been settled in England before his time, intermixed with such English as he had confidence in.”


The author of this ingenious Essay produces sufficient arguments to show that there was a building in the fortifications in the reign of Canute, and that there had been one since the time of King Alfred, and that Canute might have repaired or even rebuilt it. Indeed, there must have been a castle before the Conquest, as in Domesday Book a number of tenements are stated to have belonged to the castle. The present building was probably reared after the Conquest, it being so like Rising Castle and others. Roger Bigot very likely built it, and Thomas Brotherton repaired it in the reign of Edward I., as proved by his arms still in the stone work. Certain it is, from the time of Sweyn’s settling in the city in 1010, and the Danes swarming hither in large numbers, it rose almost at once to great importance, as appears from the Survey in the reign of Edward the Confessor. This is highly probable if we believe the best authority on the subject, namely the Saxon Chronicle, which states that the city rose from desolation, in 50 years, to be a place of great magnitude, far exceeding its former size. The Danes came hither in such numbers that they became the parent stock of the people of Norwich and Norfolk; and this is proved by the names of many places in Norfolk.

Edward the Confessor began his reign in 1041, and the Earldom of Norfolk was given to Harold, son of Earl Godwin, who was afterwards king of England, and on his rebellion was seized by the king and given to Algar, son of Leofric, Earl of Chester, who resigned it again to Harold at his return; and in 1052, on the death of Earl Godwin, Harold, in recompense for his generosity, gave Algar his earldom again; but he being banished in 1055, it came to the king, who pardoned him at Harold’s request, so that he enjoyed it till his death, when it came again to the king.


Edward the Elder succeeded his father, the illustrious Alfred, in the year 901, and kept the Danes at bay. Ericke, one of their chiefs, held East Anglia under the king, till he rebelled in 913, when he was overthrown and slain. Athelstan, who succeeded Edward, totally expelled the Danes, and reduced the whole kingdom under his government. In his reign Norwich flourished, and it is probable that he was here in 925, for a coin still extant has on the obverse Ethalstan, and on the reverse “Barbe Mon Northwic,” that is “Barbe, mint master of Norwich.” Among the other East Anglian coins struck here, the following may be mentioned; one of Edmund, the successor of Athelstan, inscribed round the head Edmund Rex, and on the reverse Edgar Mon Northwic; several of Edred, coined about 946, and inscribed round the head Eadred Rex, and on the reverse Hanne Mo Northwic; two of Edward the Martyr, having on the obverse Edward Rex. Angl. and on the reverse Leofwine Mon Nor.; and three of Ethelred the Unready, having on the obverse Edelred Rex.

There is no account of the castle after the time of Anna till the Danish wars; and then it was often won and lost by the contending powers.

Blomefield, in his History of Norfolk, vol. II. p. 4, notices the coins of several Anglo-Saxon princes, Alfred, Athelstan, Edmund I., Edred, Edward the Martyr, and Ethelred II. The circumstance of Alfred coining money here is remarkable, as at the date of this coinage, (872) the government of East Anglia could only have just come into his hands, upon the extinction of the East Anglian dynasty in the person of St. Edmund, and the country either was or had just been in the military possession of the Danes.

During the reign of Athelstan the city appears to have been in a flourishing state. In the reign of Edward, 941, and his successor Edred, 945, it greatly increased in wealth and extent. The greater part of the city was then built on the north side of the river Wensum, with a small population. The city is certainly of Anglo-Saxon origin, but as an Anglo-Saxon city it was destroyed by the Danes, and no vestiges remain of its Anglo-Saxon buildings, excepting, perhaps, one or two round towers of churches.

The Norman Conquest of England caused many changes in Norfolk and Norwich. One of the immediate results of the invasion, in 1066, was a vast influx of foreigners into the county and city; and the pressure of the Norman yoke was felt as much in Norwich as in any part of the kingdom. It was about the same period that Jews began to settle here for the first time, enriched by the extortions incident to a conquest, and, as Fuller says, “buying such oppressed Englishmen’s goods as Christians did not care to meddle with.”

William the Conqueror caused a survey to be made of all the lands in the country, the register of which is called the Domesday Book, and was finished in 1081. It is written in Roman with a mixture of Saxon, and is still preserved in the chapter-house at Westminster, amongst the national archives. It was printed in the 40th of George III. for the use of the members of both houses of parliament, and the public libraries of the kingdom. It specifies the extent of the land in each district; the state it was in, whether meadow, pasture, wood, or arable; the name of the proprietor; the value, &c. Domesday Book, p. 13, states:—

“In Norwic, in the time of King Edward, were 1320 burgesses, of whom one was so much the king’s vassal, that he might not depart or do homage (to any other) without his licence. His name was Edstan; he possessed 18 acres of land and 12 of meadow, and two churches in the burgh and a sixth part of a third, and to one of these churches there belonged one mansion in the burgh and six acres of meadow: these six acres Roger Bigod holds by the king’s gift. And of 1238 (of the said burgesses) the king and the earl had soc, sac, and custom; and of 50 Stigand had the soc, sac, and patronage; and of 32 Harold had the soc, sac, and patronage,” &c., &c.

Soc, sac, and custom was the entire jurisdiction, for soc is the power that any man had to hold courts, wherein all that dwell on his land, or in his jurisdiction are answerable to do suit and service; sac is the right of having all the amerciaments and forfeitures of such suitors; and custom includes all other profits. At this time, also, there were no fewer than 136 burgesses who were Frenchmen, and only six who were English in the new burgh, which comprised the parishes of St. Giles’ and St. Peter’s Mancroft. The Dutch and the Flemings, about this time, came over the sea and located themselves in the city and county, and introduced the worsted and other manufactures.

William I. gave the Earldom of the city of Norwich to Ralph de Guader, who designed to wed the daughter of one William Fitz-Osbern, sister of Roger Earl of Hereford, and a relative of the king. This matrimonial scheme not pleasing the king, it was prohibited, but barons in those days would sometimes have a will of their own, and the fair affianced was made a bride within the castle walls, whose doorway in an angle marks the site of the act of disobedience to the sovereign. After the sumptuous feast, with its attendant libations, a rebellion was planned by Waltheof, Earl of Northumberland, Huntingdon, and Northampton, and Roger, Earl of Hereford. Having carried the forbidden marriage into effect, they became bold in their language and designs, until a chorus of excited voices joined them in oaths as conspirators against their lord the king. Treachery revealed the plot, and the church lent its aid to the crown to crush the rebels. Lanfranc, then the primate and archbishop, sent out troops, headed by bishops and justiciaries, the highest dignitaries of church and law, to oppose and besiege them. The bridegroom fled for succour to his native Brittany, leaving his bride for three months to defend the garrison with her retainers, at the end of which time the brave Emma was forced to capitulate, but upon mild terms, obtaining leave for herself and her followers to flee to Brittany. Her husband became an outlaw, her brother was slain, and scarcely one guest present at that ill-fated marriage feast escaped an untimely end.

Nor did the city go unscathed. The devastation carried into its midst was heavy; many houses were burnt, many were deserted by those who had joined the earl, and it is curious to read in the valuation of land and property, taken soon after this event, how many houses are recorded as void, both in the burgh or that part of the city under the jurisdiction of the king and earl, and in other portions, subject to other lords; for it would seem that the landlords of the soil on which the city stood were the king or earl of the castle, the bishop, and the Harold family. Clusters of huts were then built round the base of the hill, and constituted the feudal village; its inhabitants consisting of villains, of which there were two classes, the husbandmen or peasants annexed to the manor or land, and a lower rank described as villains in gross, or absolute slaves, transferable by deed from one owner to another, the lives of these slaves being a continual state of toil, degradation and suffering.

After the banishment of Earl Ralph, the king, having obtained possession of the castle, appointed Roger Bigod constable, with a limited power as bailiff, he having to collect the rents and revenues belonging to the crown. He retained these honours during the reign of the succeeding monarch, William Rufus, though he joined in the fruitless attempt to place that king’s elder brother, Robert Curthose, on the throne. These troubles were not ended till 1091, when the king made peace with his brother Robert, agreeing that the lands of those who had assisted him should be restored to them.

About the commencement of this century, a considerable addition was made to the population of the city by a vast influx of Jews, who originally came from Normandy, and were allowed to settle in England as chapmen for the sale of confiscated goods. They afterwards became numerous, and were so much in favour with William Rufus that he is said to have sworn, by St. Luke’s face, his usual oath, that “If the Jews should overcome the Christians, he himself would become of their sect.” In his reign the present castle is supposed to have been built.

Henry I., on his accession to the crown, met with great opposition from many of the nobles who were in the interest of his elder brother, Robert, Duke of Normandy; but Roger Bigod strongly espousing his cause, became a great favourite. In the first part of his reign, the king gave him Framlingham in Suffolk, and continued him Constable of the Castle till his death. He was succeeded by his son William Bigod, on whose decease Hugh Bigod, his brother, who inherited his estate, was appointed Governor of the Castle. In 1122, the king kept his Christmas in Norwich, when, being pleased with the reception he met with, he severed the government of the city from that of the castle, the constable of which had been heretofore the sole governor. Henry I. granted the city a charter containing the same franchises as the city of London then enjoyed, and the government of the city was then separated from that of the castle, the chief officer being styled Propositus or Provost. The liberties of the city from the time of Henry I. to Edward III., were often suspended and gradually enlarged. In 1403 the city was separated entirely from the county of Norfolk, under the name of the county and city of Norwich; and the first Mayor was then elected by the citizens. The old corporation generally comprised a dignified body of men, who maintained the hospitalities of the city. Under the ancient charter the corporation of Norwich consisted of a mayor, recorder, steward, two sheriffs, twenty-four aldermen, including the mayor, and sixty common councilmen. The Municipal Reform Act transferred its government into the hands of a mayor, a sheriff, and a town council consisting of forty-eight councillors, and sixteen aldermen elected by the council, who unitedly elect the mayor and sheriff. To these, and to a recorder, with an indefinite number of magistrates appointed by the crown, the government of the city is entrusted.

King Stephen, on his accession, granted the custody of the castle to his favourite, Hugh Bigod, who was a principal instrument in advancing him to the crown, by coming directly from Normandy where Henry I. died, and averring that he on his deathbed had disinherited his daughter Maud, the empress, and appointed Stephen, Earl of Bolyne, his heir. The citizens, therefore, taking this opportunity, used what interest they could with the king to obtain a new charter, vesting the government of the city in coroners and bailiffs instead of provosts; but the affair took a different turn to what they expected, for the king, upon a distrust of Bigod favouring the cause of the Empress Maud, seized the castle and all the liberties of the city into his own hands, and soon afterwards granted to his natural son William, for an appanage or increase of inheritance, the town and burgh of the city of Norwich, in which were 1238 burgesses who held of the king in burgage tenure; and also the castle and burgh thereof, in which were 123 burgesses that held of the king in burgage, and also the royal revenue of the whole county of Norfolk, excepting what belonged to the bishopric, &c. The whole rent of the city, including the fee farm, was then about £700 per annum. The king restored the city liberties for a fine in 1139.

During the reign of King Stephen more Flemings came over; and these successive immigrations were a real blessing to the land. England had not been a manufacturing country at all till the arrival of the Flemings, who introduced the preparation and weaving of wool, so that, in process of time, not only the home market was abundantly supplied with woollen cloth, but a large surplus was made for exportation. The Flemings were kinsmen of the Anglo-Saxon race, and were distinguished for that probity in their commercial dealings which afterwards became the characteristic of the English merchants at large.

Henry II., in the first year of his reign, 1155, took the city, castle, and liberties from William, the natural son of Stephen; but, as a recompense, restored to him all those lands which his father held in the reign of Henry I. He also prevailed upon Hugh Bigod to yield up all his castles, whereby the whole right became vested in the crown; the king governing the city by the sheriff, who paid the profits arising therefrom into the exchequer. About the year 1163 Hugh Bigod was restored to the title of the Earl of Norfolk, and at the same time appointed Constable of Norwich Castle, by which means he became sole governor of the city. In 1182, the citizens recovered the liberties of the city on paying a fine of 80 marks to the king.

Richard I. was crowned September 4th, 1189, and a riot happened on account of a Jew attempting to enter Westminster Hall contrary to the king’s express command. Many of the Jews were killed, and their houses plundered and burnt. A rumour was thereupon spread throughout the nation that the king did not favour them, on which the people of Bury, Lynn, and Norwich, took occasion to rise and rob great numbers of them. On November 27th following, Roger, son of Hugh Bigod, was created Earl of Norfolk, and steward of the king’s household. By his means the city regained as ample a charter as London then possessed, for in 1193, the king granted the city in fee farm to the citizens and their heirs, for a fee farm rent of £180 yearly.

King John ascended the throne in 1193, and in a few years afterwards the barons rebelled against him. In 1215, Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, joined the insurgent barons. The king seized the castle, expelled the earl, and appointed the Earl of Pembroke and John Fitz-Herbert Constables of the Castle. Lewis, the Dauphin of France, having obtained a grant of the kingdom from the pope, brought over a large force, ravaged the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, took the castle, and reduced the city. He made William de Bellomonte his marshal and constable, and placed him with a garrison within the castle walls.

King John granted two charters to the citizens, bestowing certain privileges; and he came to the city in 1256, as is evident from the Charter of Liberties granted to the port of Yarmouth, it being dated March 25, 1256, by the king at Norwich. On the same day he likewise granted his third Charter to the city, bestowing certain commercial privileges. In 1265 Simon Montfort and his adherents seized all the king’s castles and committed the custody of them to their own friends, and having also gotten the king’s person into their power, they obliged him to send letters to the sheriffs of counties, including Norfolk, commanding them to oppose all attempts in favour of the king. But the king having routed the barons at Eversham, removed all the constables which the confederates had appointed, and amongst the rest Roger Bigod; in whose stead, John de Vallibus, or Vaux, was made Constable of this Castle, and Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, and soon afterwards, in consequence of great disturbances in the city, he was ordered to enter it, and did so, notwithstanding its liberties. In December, 1266, the displaced barons, headed by Sir John de Evile, entered the city and killed many persons, imprisoned more, plundered the town, and carried away the wealthiest of the inhabitants.

According to Blomefield, about this time, on a Good Friday, the Jews were accused of having crucified a boy, twelve years of age, named William; and the date of his alleged death, March 24th, was marked as a holiday. No evidence is adduced that the crime was committed, and no motive is assigned for it. The date of the year is not given, and the boy’s name besides William is not stated. The Jews denied the charge, but it was generally believed, and they were terribly persecuted. The people then seized upon every pretence for robbing and plundering the poor Jews. It is said that the crime was discovered by Erlward, a burgess, as they were going to bury the body in Thorpe Wood. On this the Jews applied to the sheriff, and promised him 100 marks if he would free them from this charge. The sheriff sending for Erlward obliged him to swear that so long as he lived he would never accuse the Jews nor discover the fact. About five years afterwards, Erlward, on his deathbed, made known the whole affair, and the body, it is said, having been found in the wood, was taken and buried in the churchyard of the monks. They alleged that many miracles were there wrought by it which occasioned its being removed into the church and enshrined in the year 1150.

Edward I. succeeded to the throne in 1272, and in the next year the king appointed Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, to be Constable of the Castle. The interdict, which was removed on Christmas eve, was renewed on the day after Epiphany, but was taken off till Easter, when it was renewed the third time. In 1274, the affair between the monks and citizens continuing unsettled, it was referred to the pope, who left it to the decision of the king, who adjudged the citizens to pay 500 marks yearly for six years, and to give the church a cup of the value of £100, and weighing 10 lbs. in gold. The monks were to repair their gates and to have access to all parts of the city, and some of the chief citizens were to go to Rome to beg the pope’s pardon. These conditions being agreed to, the king restored to the city all its ancient privileges on payment of a fine of 40s. yearly, besides the old fee farm. The interdict was also removed on November 1st, 1275. The king kept his Easter in the city in 1277, and he granted a new charter in 1285. In 1289 the liberties were seized, but were restored again at the end of the year. Soon afterwards the king, while on a pilgrimage to Walsingham, granted a new charter. In 1296, the city first sent representatives to parliament, originally four in number, who were paid for their services, but on account of the expense the number was reduced to two members.

In this century this city and other towns began to obtain political privileges. The kings of the middle ages found themselves obliged to summon burgesses to parliament in order to obtain supplies. The early parliaments appear to have been convened chiefly for this purpose, and were constantly dissolved as soon as the business for which they met was transacted. Formerly the burgesses returned were always citizens, who really were representatives of the city and its interests, and not merely supporters of the ministry of the day. There is no record of the early local elections, but lists will be given of the burgesses returned.

Edward II. began his reign on July 7th, 1307, and he reigned nineteen years. Walter de Norwich, son of Jeffry de Norwich, was so much in favour with the king as to be one of the Barons of the Exchequer in 1311, and in 1314 was summoned as a parliamentary baron, and afterwards made the Treasurer of the Exchequer, which office he held several years. He obtained liberty for free warren in all his demean lands, and a fair to the manor of Ling in Norfolk, on July 20th, and two days following. He continued in favour till his death.

In the reign of Edward III., A.D. 1328, the king, by a statute, made Norwich a staple town for the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, by which the trade of the city was much increased. In the “Paston Letters” we find the following reference to articles of Norfolk manufacture:

“I pray that you will send me hither two ells of worsted for doublets, to happen me this cold winter, and that ye enquire where William Paston bought his tippet of fine worsted which is almost like silk, and if that be much finer that ye sh’d buy me, after seven or eight shillings, then buy me a quarter and the nail thereof for collars, though it be dearer than the other, for I would make my doublet all worsted for the honour of Norfolk.”

In 1340, Norwich Castle was made the public prison for the county of Norfolk, and the custody thereof was committed to the sheriff. A great tournament was held in Norwich, at which the king, with his queen Phillippa, was present; and they kept their court at the bishop’s palace. In 1342 the king and queen honoured the city with another visit.

In 1344 a new charter was granted, by which the liberty of the castle was reduced to the outward limits of the present ditch, and so continues. By this charter, the citizens became proprietor’s of the ancient fee of the castle, that is, the castle ditches, and the great croft, now the market place.

In the reign of Richard II., A.D. 1381, Wat Tyler’s rebellion broke out in London. Insurrection became prevalent in many parts of the kingdom, manufactures declined, and discontent became general. Norwich and Norfolk shared in the general plunder at the hands of armed bands. Under John Lyster, Litister, or Linster, a dyer, 50,000 men attacked the city and committed great depredations. They were, however, pursued to North Walsham by the king’s troops under the command of Henry Le Spencer, Bishop of Norwich, and defeated. Their leader and many of his adherents were taken and executed for high treason. They were hung, drawn, and quartered, according to the barbarous usage of the times. In 1399, the bailiffs having put the city into a proper posture of defence, openly declared for Henry Duke of Lancaster, son and heir of John of Gaunt, the late deceased duke, their especial friend. On this declaration, Henry gave them strong assurances that, whenever it was in his power, the charter which they so earnestly desired for electing a mayor, &c., should be granted them, and he was afterwards as good as his word. The great connection there was between John of Gaunt and this city, arose through William Norwich, a knight, who was a friend of the Duke’s, and who frequently visited the town, for which he always expressed great regard. In 1389, the great John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, visited this city, and was honourably received.

In the first year of Henry IV., Sir Thomas Erpingham, knight, a Norfolk man, Warden of the Cinque Ports, and Lord Chamberlain, obtained the King’s Charter, dated at Westminster, February 6th, 1399, confirming all the former charters ever granted to the city. In 1409, through the interest of Sir Thomas, a grant was made to the city for a certain term of years of the alnage and survey of all manner of worsteds made in Norwich and Norfolk.

St. George’s Company took its rise in the second half of the fourteenth century, and consisted of a society of brethren and sisters associated in honour of the Martyr St. George, who by voluntary contributions supported a chaplain to celebrate service every day in the cathedral before the altar, for the welfare of the brethren and sisters of the Guild, whilst living, and of their souls when dead. In this state they continued till the fourth year of Henry V., when that prince granted them a charter dated at Reading, incorporating them by the name of the Aldermen, Masters, Brethren, and Sisters of the Fraternity and Guild of St. George in Norwich; and empowering them to choose yearly, one Alderman and two Masters, and to make all reasonable orders and constitutions for their own government; to have a common seal; to sue and be sued; and to maintain a chaplain to pray daily for the health of the king, the alderman, masters, and sisters whilst alive, and their souls when dead; and lastly to purchase £10 per annum in mortmain. The prior, mayor, sheriffs, and aldermen of the Guild, had power to expel or remove any member for bad behaviour. In consequence of this charter, ordinances were made for the well-governing of the society, and for yearly choosing one alderman, four masters, and twenty-four brethren, for the Assembly or Common Council. In 1451, by the mediation of Judge Yelverton, the disputes between the Guild and the city were settled; when it was agreed that the mayor for the time being should yearly, on the day after the Guild, be chosen Alderman of the Guild for the year following his mayoralty, that the Assembly of the Guild should consist of twenty persons, and that the common council of the city should be eligible for admission into the company, but be liable to the charge of the feast. Indeed, the chief object of the Guild was feasting. Every brother took an oath on admission. The Aldermen and Common Council of the Guild had power to choose such men and women, inhabitants of the city, to be brethren and sisters of the Guild, as they might think fit. But no man living out of the city could be chosen unless he was a knight, esquire, or gentleman of note. Many other orders were made in regard to their procession, which was always very grand. This Guild, with the other ancient crafts or companies of the city, made a very splendid appearance on all public occasions. The companies were then on the same footing as those of the city of London now are, and some of the trades long continued as a fraternity, and chose wardens among themselves. From the Friday after May day, to the Friday before the Guild day, the members of St. George’s Company used to meet every evening at the Guildhall in the Market Place, where they refreshed themselves with as much sack and sugar rolls as they pleased, besides two penny cakes from the baker’s. Being thus assembled they sent for the last chosen feast-makers, and asked them whether they intended to bear the charges of the feast, “which” (said they) “will cost you more than you think.” By this they so terrified timorous, wary people, that they were persuaded to buy it off, though, had they agreed to make the feast, it would not have cost them much more than £6 or £7, which sum they were glad to save. The Company continued till February 24th, 1731, when the committee appointed for the purpose reported to an assembly held that day, that they had treated with St. George’s Company, who had agreed to deliver up their charters, books, and records, into the hands of the corporation, provided the latter would pay their debts, amounting to £236 15s. 1d., which, being agreed to, they were accordingly delivered up and deposited with the city records in the Guildhall. Thus terminated this ancient feasting company by the surrender of all their goods to the corporation.

At the commencement of this century (in 1402) the grand affair of obtaining a new charter occupied the greater part of the time of the citizens, but as nothing could be done without the concurrence of Bishop Spencer, they at last found means to soften him, and to obtain his promise that he would not oppose them in this their favourite object. All obstacles being now removed, they offered to lend Henry 1000 marks, which so far obliged the king that he was willing to give them as full a charter as they could desire. This was accordingly done, and the new charter was granted on January 28th, 1403. By this charter the city obtained a full power of local self-government.

Henry V. began his reign on March 20th, 1412, in which year the city was in great disorder, occasioned by the disputes between the Mayor and the Commons, respecting the election of mayors, sheriffs, and other officers of the corporation, and the powers granted by the charter, concerning which they could not agree. These contentions exhausted the city treasury, and at length they were settled by the mediation of Sir Robert Berney, John Lancaster, William Paston, and others. The burgesses who served in Parliament in this reign were R. Brasier, R. Dunston, W. Sedman, J. Biskelee, H. Rufman, W. Eton, J. Alderfold, W. Appleyard, R. Baxter, and Henry Peking.

In 1422 the doctrines of the Reformation were introduced into the city, and several persons were executed as Wickliffites or Lollards. A large chalk pit, in Thorpe Hamlet, on the outskirts of the city, is to this day called “Lollards’ Pit.”

Henry VI., when only nine months old, was proclaimed king on August 31st, 1422, and in his reign a general persecution of the Lollards broke out in this diocese. The Lollards were men who earnestly desired the reformation of the church, and they were followers of that great and good man John Wickliffe, but they were called Lollards as a name of infamy. They were so zealous for the truth that they chose rather to suffer grievous torments and death than forsake their faith. On this account about 120 persons were persecuted for their profession of the pure gospel of Christ.

On June 6th, 1448, the king paid a royal visit to the city, and among other preparations the gates were decorated, and the King’s arms, and the arms of St. George, were painted and raised on six of the gates. In 1449, his Majesty paid another visit, after a sojourn with the Earl of Suffolk at Costessey. The king entered Norwich by St. Benedict’s Gate, which was especially ornamented for the occasion. These peaceable entries, with the picturesque pomp of a royal procession, always pleased the loyal citizens.

In 1452, it being rumoured that Edward earl of March, son to the duke of York, was advancing towards London, the queen, much terrified thereat, tried to make as many friends as she could, and for that purpose came to this city, when, in full assembly, the Commons resolved to advance 100 marks as a loan to the king; and the aldermen at the same time presented the queen with 60 marks, to which the Commons added 40 more, so that the king had now 200 marks of the city. The citizens then obtained a new charter, dated March 17th, and consented to in full parliament. It contained a restitution of all liberties, a general pardon of all past offences, and a confirmation of all former charters.

In 1460, during the contest between the houses of York and Lancaster, the mayor and aldermen raised forty armed men and the Commons eighty, and appointed Wm. Rookwood, Esq., their captain, with whom they agreed for six weeks’ pay, at six-pence a day for each soldier, and sent them to the assistance of the king, who wrote them a letter of thanks, with a request that they would maintain the soldiers for one month longer, which was readily complied with. In 1474, the king visited the city, and was presented with a sum of money by way of benevolence; but in the following year the city had to pay £80 6s. 11d. for the forces employed in France.

In July 1469, Elizabeth Woodville, the queen of Edward IV., visited Norwich and remained here several days. Her majesty, with a great retinue, entered the city through “Westwyk Gate,” which was decorated for the occasion. John Parnell was brought from Ipswich to exercise his skill in ornamentation; and under his superintendence, a stage covered with red-and-green worsted was erected, adorned with figures of angels, escutcheons, and banners of the royal lady and the king, with a profusion of crowns, roses, fleur-de-lys, &c. Gilbert Spurling exhibited a fragment of the salutation of Mary and Elizabeth, which required from him a speech in explanation.

In 1486, being the 1st Henry VII., on the rebellion of Lambert Simnel, who assumed the name of Edward Plantagenet, the king, expecting an invasion of the eastern parts of his kingdom, made a progress through Norfolk and Suffolk to confirm the inhabitants in their loyalty, and spent his Christmas at Norwich, when the city made him a handsome present. Hence he went a pilgrimage to Walsingham, so famous for its pretended miracles, where he made his vows; and after he returned victorious, he sent his banner to be offered there as an acknowledgment of his prayers having been heard.

The monastic institutions of this city might claim the honour of having some learned men connected with them in the 15th century. Thomas Brinton, or Brampton, a monk of Norwich, attained to such an eminence in the schools of England that his fame was spread abroad, and he was sent for by the pope to Rome. He often preached before the pope in Latin, and being first made his penitentiary was afterwards raised to the see of Rochester. His sermons preached before the pope were published, with some others. John Stow, who flourished in 1440, was a Benedictine monk of the monastery of St. Saviour, in Norwich, and doctor of divinity of Oxford. It appears, by his works, that he was at the council of Basil. His works were The Acts of the Council at Basil; various Collections; and Solemn Disputations, &c. John Mear, a monk of Norwich, and D.D. of Oxford, was a person of subtle art for explaining difficulties. He was divinity reader at several monasteries, and the author of several works, which have all been lost.

At the commencement of this century most of the houses in the city were built of wood with thatched roofs. This accounts for the number of fires which broke out at different times, and which, in 1507 and 1509, reduced a large portion of the city to ashes, no fewer than 718 houses being consumed in the latter year. These conflagrations induced the corporation, in 1509, to issue an order that no newly-erected buildings in the city should be covered with thatch, but this injunction not extending to those previously erected, some few still retain this dangerous covering.

In 1501, John Rightwise, then mayor, began building the cross in the Market Place, and finished it in 1503. It was a commodious and handsome pile, but falling into decay, it was sold by the Tonnage Committee in 1732 for £125, and soon afterwards it was taken down. About 1506, St. Andrew’s Church was built, near the site of the old church of St. Christopher.

Henry VIII. began his reign on April 22nd, 1509, when the city was in a state of great distraction, on account of the terrible fires which caused much destruction of property. In that year a great part of the cathedral, with its vestry, and all the ornaments and books were destroyed by a fire, which broke out on St. Thomas’ night. In 1515, the Lady Mary, sister to the king, and her consort the Duke of Suffolk, visited the city on their return from France, and were nobly entertained. Henry VIII., while he continued a papist, burned the reformers; and when in a fit of anger he disowned the pope and assumed the English tiara, he was no less zealous against both Papist and Puritan, who would not bind their consciences to his royal decrees. During the prelacy of Richard Nykke or Nix, the bigotted bishop of Norwich, several church reformers were burnt here and at other places.

In 1517, Cardinal Wolsey visited the city to mediate between the citizens and the monks, but their disputes were not finally settled till 1524, when the jurisdiction of the convent was ascertained and separated from that of the corporation until 1538, when they were converted into a dean and chapter.

On March 2nd, 1520, Queen Catherine and Cardinal Wolsey visited the city, and all the city companies went to meet the queen “in Puke and Dirke Tawney Liveries,” and the city presented her with 100 marks.

In 1522, in consequence of the many vexatious suits in the Sheriff’s Court for words and trifling debts, it was agreed that four aldermen be named, one out of each of the great wards, to sit in person, or by deputies, every Wednesday, from eight till nine in the morning, to adjust all debts under two shillings, and all actions on words, for the ease and peace of the city. This institution was of great benefit, and in some measure answered the purpose of the old Court of Conscience.

In 1524, on September 2nd, through the mediation of Cardinal Wolsey, a composition and final agreement was sealed between the prior and the city at the Guildhall, by which the city resigned all jurisdiction within the walls of the priory, the whole site thereof being hereby acknowledged to be part of the County of Norfolk and in the Hundred of Blofield; and the church gave up all right of jurisdiction in every place without their walls and within the walls of the city; so that now, Tombland, with the fairs kept thereon, and all things belonging to those fairs—and Holmstrete, Spytelond, and Ratten Row, with their letes—were adjudged to belong to the city, and to be part of the county thereof. The prior and convent and their successors were also exempted from all tolls, customs, and exactions whatever, by land or water in the whole city, or county of the city and its liberties, for goods or chattels bought or sold for the use of the prior and convent, their households, or families.

In 1525 the king granted the city another charter, confirmed likewise by parliament, in which the late composition and agreement between the city and prior was fully recited and established, and new privileges were granted.

In 1530 the king was declared supreme head of the church of England; and was acknowledged so by act of parliament in 1535. In the latter year an act was passed for recontinuing liberties in the crown, by which all cities, boroughs, and towns corporate, had their liberties and privileges fully confirmed.

A short account of the martyrdom of Thomas Bilney, in 1531, may serve to illustrate the persecuting spirit of the age. He had renounced the tenets of the Church of Rome, and was condemned on the following passages extracted from two sermons which he had preached in 1527, at Ipswich.

“Our Saviour Christ is our Mediator between us and the Father; what need have we therefore for any remedy from saints? It is a great injury to the blood of Christ to make such petitions, and blasphemeth our Saviour.”

“Man is so imperfect by himself, that he can in no wise merit by his own deeds.”

“The coming of Christ was long prophesied before, and desired by the prophets; but John Baptist, being more than a prophet, did not only prophesy, but with his finger shewed Him, saying, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.’ Then, if this was the very Lamb which John did demonstrate, that taketh away the sins of the world, what injury is it to our Saviour Christ, that to be buried in St. Francis’ cowl should remit four parts of penance? What is then left to our Saviour Christ, which taketh away the sins of the world? This I will justify to be a great blasphemy to the blood of Christ.”

“It is great folly to go on pilgrimages; and preachers in times past have been antichrists; and now it hath pleased God somewhat to shew forth their falsehoods and errors.”

“The miracles done at Walsingham, Canterbury, and Ipswich, were done by the devil through the sufferance of God, to blind the poor people; and the Pope hath not the keys that St. Peter had, except he followeth Peter in his living.”

“Christian people should set up no lights before images of saints, for saints in heaven need no lights, and images have no eyes to see; and, therefore, as Ezechias destroyed the brazen serpent that Moses made by the commandment of God, even so should the kings and princes of these times destroy and burn the images of saints set up in churches.”

It was further deposed against Bilney, that he was notoriously suspected to be a heretic, and that in his sermons he had exhorted the people to put away their gods of silver and gold, and to desist from offering to them either candle, wax, money, or any other thing; and that in rehearsing the litany he said, “pray you only to God and no saints;” and when he came to that part, Sancta Maria, &c., or, O Saint Mary pray for us, he called out, “stop there.”

These and many other articles of the like nature being proved, he was exhorted to recant and abjure them; and upon his refusing to do so, the Bishop of London, having pulled off his cap, and made the sign of the cross on his forehead and breast, pronounced the following sentence:—

“I, by the counsel and consent of my brethren here present, do pronounce thee, Thomas Bilney, who has been accused of divers articles, to be convicted of heresy; and for the rest of the sentence we will deliberate till to-morrow.”

The next day Bilney was again asked whether he would recant and return to the unity of the church; when he desired a day or two for consideration and to consult his friends. In fear of a dreadful death at the expiration of the time, he subscribed his abjuration; and being absolved, he had the following penance enjoined him; to bear a faggot at the procession at St. Paul’s, bareheaded, and to stand before the preacher during the sermon there, and to remain in prison till he should be released by Cardinal Wolsey. When in prison, the reflection on what he had done drove Bilney almost to despair, and he suffered all the agonies of remorse for more than twelve months.

At length he resolved to seal that truth which he had so shamefully abjured, with his blood. For this purpose he travelled to Norwich, and on his way to the city he openly preached those doctrines for which he had been condemned; and being apprehended, was confined in one of the cells under the Guildhall. On August 19th, he was taken to Lollards’ pit, outside of Bishopsgate, and burnt there in the presence of a crowd of horrified spectators.

This and many other instances may serve to show the persecuting spirit of a church which had arrogated to itself a dominion over the consciences of men, and dared to propagate a religion of fear as the religion of Christ. After the Reformation, which had now begun, the same persecuting spirit was manifested by the Church of England; and many suffered here for their nonconformity to the Establishment. Several other martyrs were burnt in Norwich during the same reign, and in 1539, one William Leyton, a monk of Eye, in Suffolk, was burnt here, for speaking against a certain idol which used to be carried about in procession at Eye; and for asserting that the sacrament ought to be administered in both kinds.

In the same year peace and amity were settled between the church and the city on a much more stable foundation than had been previously effected, by an arrangement as to jurisdictions of the authorities.

In 1534 an act was passed for rebuilding those parts of the city which were laid waste by the late fires; by which it was enacted that if the owners of such void grounds should, by the space of two years after proclamation made by the mayor for all persons to rebuild or enclose their grounds, neglect to rebuild on such ground, or sufficiently enclose the same with mortar and stone, then it should be lawful for the mayor, etc., to enter on such vacant grounds, and hold and retain them to their own use and their successors’ use for ever, discharged of all rents and outgoings whatsoever, provided that, within two years after such entry made, they either rebuild or enclose them as aforesaid.

If, in giving an account of the state of society in the middle ages, we were to omit from our enumeration of causes the vast influence of the clergy of the church of Rome, we should present a very imperfect view of the subject. The priests dominated over the minds of men for many centuries, and their influence either for good or evil pervaded all classes of society. This influence caused the erection of monasteries, nunneries, priories, and friaries, nineteen in number, in Norwich before the 16th century. Monastic institutions were originally beneficial to society. In the dark ages, they preserved learning to some extent, and were houses of refuge for the destitute. No doubt there were many good self-denying men and women amongst the monks and nuns, who did some service to the poor who then abounded in the land. But in time the monasteries sunk for the most part into dissolute confraternities; stupid and sleepy, where not vicious; and banded together against the liberties of the nation; and there were constant broils between the monks and the citizens in Norwich.

The king having entirely renounced the authority of the church of Rome, and assumed the title of Head of the Church of England, caused a very strict inquiry to be instituted into the state of all monastic institutions. This inquiry resulted in their suppression, more for the gratification of the monarch’s avarice than from his desire to benefit his subjects; and most of the monks in Norwich and Norfolk, as well as in other parts of England, were sent adrift with small pensions. The king, indeed—in revenge for being excommunicated by the pope—suppressed 1148 monasteries in England, whose revenues amounted to £183,707 yearly. He either seized the property for himself or divided it amongst his favourites, and the Duke of Norfolk obtained a great part of it in Norwich. The dissolution of those ancient institutions caused a great deal of poverty; the priests were driven out homeless over the land, and the poor had no houses of refuge and no means of relief.

In 1538, Thomas Cromwell, lord privy seal, the king’s vicegerent, sent injunctions to all bishops and curates, charging them to take care that an English bible of the largest size be placed open in each parish church, for every one to have recourse to. The open bible was generally read in this city and elsewhere, and this, no doubt, promoted the reformation of religion. In spite of the tyranny of kings, the domination of priests, and the superstition of the people, the Reformation still advanced, and the national mind was emancipated by degrees from ancient thraldom.

In 1545, one Rogers, of Norfolk, was condemned and suffered martyrdom, for opposing the six articles of an act passed for abolishing diversity of opinions in religion. This act inflicted the penalty of death upon those—1st, who by word or writing denied transubstantiation; 2nd, who maintained that communion in both kinds was necessary; 3rd, or asserted that it was lawful for priests to marry; 4th, or that vows of chastity might be broken; 5th, or that private masses are profitable; 6th, or that auricular confession is not necessary to salvation.

The king died on the 28th January, 1546; and his exequies were celebrated here with great pomp, as appears from the chamberlain’s account; though what good he ever did for the city it would be hard to say. He was a king who spared no man in his anger and no woman in his lust. In his reign, 72,000 persons were hung for political offences or for the crime of poverty as a warning to others. The “Merry England” of those days was in fact a terrible country to live in. Men were beaten, scourged, branded with hot irons, and killed without mercy or limit.

Edward VI. was proclaimed king on January 28th, 1546; and on February 25th, his coronation was celebrated with much pomp in Norwich, where great rejoicings took place. Six large guns were fired on Tombland; the populace were treated with plenty of beer; and bonfires were lighted in several of the streets. There was a grand procession with a pageant, in which the king was represented by an effigy of king Solomon.

On March 8th, 1546, Edward VI., and the executors of his deceased father, granted to the mayor, sheriffs, citizens, and commonalty, the hospital of St. Giles’ in this city, now called the Old Men’s hospital, with all the revenues belonging thereto for the maintenance of poor people dwelling therein, all which the late king had promised to give them at the request of the citizens, a short time before his death.

Norwich has always been noted for its civic feasts and good cheer; and Bale, writing at this time (1549), in his “Continuation of Leland’s Antiquities,” says:—

“Oh, cytie of England, whose glory standeth more in belly chere than in the searche of wisdome godlye, how cometh it that neither you nor yet your ydell masmongers have regarded this most worthy commodytie of your countrye? I mean the conservacyon of your antiquyties, and of the worthy labours of your learned men. I thynke the renowne of such a notable act would have much longer endured than of all your belly banquettes and table triumphes, either yet of your newly purchased hawles, to keep St. George’s feast in.”

And again he says:—

“I have been also at Norwyche, our second cytie of name, and there all the library monuments are turned to the use of their grossers, candelmakers, sope sellers, &c.”

Small credit is here given to the city for the patronage and promotion of intellectual pursuits.

In 1549 the city was the scene of an insurrection resembling that of the Jacquerie in France, and the War of the Peasants in Germany. The facts of this local rebellion were simple enough. The poor people objected to the enclosure of waste lands, in the neighbourhood of Attleborough and Wymondham, by the nobility and gentry, who had been put in possession of the abbey lands, which had been previously appropriated for the use of the poor, who still considered that they had a right of commonage on the waste lands and open pastures. The rebellion commenced at Eccles, Wilby, Attleborough, and the neighbouring villages, the inhabitants of which were enraged at Mr. John Green, lord of the manor of Wilby, who had enclosed that part of the common belonging to his manor, which had from time immemorial been open to the adjoining commons of Hargham and Attleborough, and in which the people had enjoyed all rights of intercommoning with each other. The people continued quiet till Wymondham fair, on July 7th, when they collected in large numbers. The leaders of the movement, accompanied by a large number of others, went to Morley, about a mile from Wymondham, and laid open the new enclosures; and on returning to Wymondham, they destroyed all the fences by which the commons and wastes were enclosed. John Flowerdew, of Hethersett, incensed at the destruction of his fences, gave forty pence to a number of the country people to throw down the fences of Robert Kett, alias Knight, whose pasture lay near Wymondham Fairstead. They carried out his wishes to the full, and on the following morning returned to Hethersett, where, at Kett’s instigation, they laid open other enclosures of Flowerdew’s. After this, the rioters appointed Robert Kett and his brother William, a butcher, to be their captains, and the movement soon assumed the form of an organized rebellion. The numbers of the rebels quickly increased, and marching on Mousehold Heath, they took possession of the mansion of the Earl of Surrey; and thence proceeded to lay siege to the city. They held courts of justice under a large tree, called the “Oak of Reformation:” and having augmented their numbers to 16,000 from the citizens, and strongly fortified their camp, they summoned the city to surrender. For months they maintained hostilities, and the country round was pillaged and laid waste, until at length they gained an entrance to the city, and took the mayor and several councillors prisoners to their camp. A strong force was thereupon sent down for the defence of the city, under the Marquis of Northampton, and a regular battle was fought at the base of the hill on St. Martin’s Palace Plain. In this engagement Lord Sheffield was slain; and the rebels, having forced the Marquis to retreat, plundered the city, and set fire to it in many parts. In short, all attempts to quell this violent insurrection were ineffectual, till a large army, which had been raised to proceed against the Scots, was ordered to march to the relief of Norwich, under the command of the Earl of Warwick, who arrived under the city walls on the 23rd of August. On the following day, after making an ineffectual offer of pardon to the insurgents, on the condition that they should lay down their arms, the king’s troops commenced their attack; and having made several breaches in the walls, and forced open some of the gates, they soon entered the city, and took possession of the Market Place. In the midst of this scene of blood, the king’s ammunition carriages, having entered apart from the main body of the army, were captured by the enemy, but were soon retaken by a detachment from the Market Place. A large body of the rebels still remaining in the city now made a lodgement on Tombland, and through their superior local knowledge, greatly annoyed the soldiers by posting small parties at the angles of the different streets leading to the Market. The Earl of Warwick, however, brought out his whole force to scour the city, and the rebels, after setting fire to their camp, were obliged to quit their post on the hill and retreat to Dussyn’s Dale, on Mousehold, resolving to finish the business by a general engagement in the valley.

On August 27th, being re-enforced by a newly-arrived detachment of troops, the Earl marched out of the city to attack the rebels, to whom he again offered pardon, provided they would quietly lay down their arms; but, confident in their numbers, they refused to capitulate. A bloody conflict ensued, but the rebels, being unaccustomed to the discharge of artillery, were soon in confusion. Of this the Light Horse took advantage, and advancing to the charge, drove the rebels from the field and pursued them with great slaughter. Over 3000 were killed, and about 300 of the ringleaders were afterwards executed. The gates of the city suffered much damage during this insurrection. The rebels set Bishop’s gate on fire, with some of the houses in the street, and those belonging to the Great Hospital. Pockthorpe, Magdalen, St. Augustine, Coslany, and Ber Street gates, shared the same fate. When the disturbances ceased, the repair of the city generally was commenced, and especially of the gates. Outside Magdalen Gates a gallows was erected, at which place and at the cross in the Market Place 300 rebels were executed. Two, styled prophets, were hanged, drawn, and quartered, their heads being placed on the towers, and their quarters on the gates.

Robert and William Kett were tried in London for high treason and rebellion, and convicted. On November 29th, they were delivered to Sir Edmund Windham, High Sheriff of the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, to receive punishment. Robert was conveyed to Norwich, and being brought to the foot of the castle, was drawn up to a gibbet erected at the top, and there left hanging alive till he died by famine; and his body, being entirely wasted, at length fell down. A similar sentence was executed upon William, who was suspended alive upon the top of Wymondham steeple. This fearful rebellion having been thus brought to an end, the citizens, after the departure of the kings troops, began to repair the damages to the walls and gates. Unhappily, however, their trials were not yet over, for the late disastrous occurrences were followed by such a scarcity and dearness of provisions, that the corporation issued an edict, requiring all the wealthier inhabitants to find corn for their own households elsewhere, so that their poorer neighbours might have the exclusive benefit of the city markets.

The Princess Mary was proclaimed here on July 18th, 1553, and was the first English Queen in her own right, and the people of Norwich and Norfolk rushed to her standard, impelled by the memory of Kett’s rebellion. The queen was a bigoted Roman Catholic, and in her reign popery was revived in its worst form, associated with all the atrocities of the most sanguinary persecution. Protestants were gathered like fuel for burning; and as for the Puritans, no fate could be too severe for them.

In March, 1556, William Carman, of Hingham, was burnt in Lollards’ pit, outside of Bishop’s Gate. He was charged with being an obstinate heretic, and actually having in his possession a bible, a testament, and three psalters in the English tongue.

On July 13th, of the same year, Simon Miller, merchant of Lynn, and Elizabeth Cooper, a pewterer’s wife, of the parish of St. Andrew, were burnt together in Lollards’ pit. On August 5th, Richard Crashfield, of Wymondham, Thomas Carman, William Seaman, and Thomas Hudson, were burnt for heresy in the same place.

On July 10th, 1557, Richard Yolman, a devout old minister, seventy years of age, was burnt for heresy. He had been curate to that learned and pious martyr, Mr. Taylor, of Hadleigh.

As if a judgment had come on the country for such atrocities, the quartan ague and a new sickness soon afterwards raged so violently, that it was said that “fire, sword, and pestilence,” had swept away a third part of the men of England; and it is recorded that ten of the Norwich aldermen fell victims to the latter scourge.

During this short reign, the city was afflicted by the presence of those merciless persecutors, Bishop Hopton and Chancellor Dunnings, at whose instigation several martyrs to the reformed religion were burnt here in 1557 and 1558. Happily the career of this bigoted, blood-thirsty, priest-ridden queen, was cut short, and a new and brighter era dawned upon the nation.

This queen ascended the throne on Nov. 7th, 1558, and was proclaimed here on the 17th of the same month. She was a zealous promoter of the Reformation. The form of worship used in the churches was similar to that in the time of Edward VI.; but the protestants were almost as intolerant in this reign as the Romanists had been before, though they claimed the right of private judgment; and the principle of toleration was not recognised for centuries by any church, or sect, or party.

In 1561, on the Guild day, the Duke of Norfolk, and the Earls of Northumberland and Huntingdon, with many other nobility and gentry, dined with the Mayor, William Mingay, Esq., in St. Andrew’s Hall, which could scarcely contain the company and their retinue. The entertainment is said to have been very magnificent, and the expense of the feast amounted to 32s. 9d.

In 1565, the prosperity of the city, which had begun to decline, was again revived by the settling here of 330 Flemings and Walloons, who had fled from the Netherlands, from the rigid persecution under the sanguinary Duke of Alva. In 1570, by the fostering encouragement of Queen Elizabeth, the number of these foreign settlers had increased to 3925, and by the introduction of bombazine, and other manufactures, they contributed much to the wealth and prosperity of Norwich.

During the long reign of Elizabeth, numerous conspiracies were formed for the re-establishment of Popery, and in 1570, John Throgmorton, Thomas Brooke, and G. Redman, were hanged and quartered here for having joined in these traitorous enterprises. In 1572, the Duke of Norfolk and several other noblemen were attainted and beheaded for similar offences, at London, York, and other places. The Duke not only espoused the cause of Mary, Queen of Scots, but even offered to marry that Roman Catholic Princess.

In 1574, a rumour was spread of invasion by the so-called invincible Armada. Norwich, towards the general defence, exhibited on its muster roll 2120 able men, of whom 400 were armed; the total number enrolled in the whole county of Norfolk, being at the same time, 6120 able men, of whom 3630 were armed. Happily there was no occasion for their services, the Armada being destroyed by a storm at sea.

Queen Elizabeth made a progress through Suffolk and Norfolk, from the 16th to the 22nd August, 1578. She came on horseback from Ipswich to Norwich, though she had several coaches in her train; and she lodged in the Bishop’s Palace. For several days she was entertained by splendid pageantries, principally allusive to the trade and manufactures of the city. Whilst here she dined publicly in the North Alley of the Cathedral Cloister, and often went a hunting on horseback, and to witness wrestling and shooting on Mousehold heath. The city records contain full details of the pageantries on the occasion of the royal visit. In no other city was the Queen received with greater cordiality and pageantry than in Norwich. The corporation, the inhabitants, the clergy, with the nobility and gentry of the county, contributed largely to afford the royal lady as pleasant and costly a reception as should be pleasing to her as a spectacle, and demonstrative of exuberant loyalty. This joy was soon turned into mourning; for, says a record known as the Norwich Roll, “The trains of Her Majesty’s carriage being many of them infected, left the plague behind them, which afterwards increased and contynued, as it raged about a year and three quarters.” Nearly 5000 fell victims to this dreadful malady.

In 1578, Matthew Hamond, of Hethersett, wheelwright, a heretic and blasphemer, being convicted of reviling the queen and of denying the authority of the Scriptures, the Godhead, the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the existence of the Holy Ghost, was set in the pillory on May 13th, and both his ears were nailed. Afterwards, on May 20th, he was burnt in the castle ditch. In 1587 and 1588 Francis Knight and Peter Cole, of Ipswich, were burnt in the same place for their deistical sentiments.

The Reformation was not only stayed, but thrown backward by this arbitrary, despotic queen. Though she was well disposed to reformation in the abstract, yet the fear of popish influence and a jealousy for her ecclesiastical authority over the church, made her act in the spirit of the worst excesses of popery. She persecuted all who disputed her authority in religious matters. In vain did the exiles return, hoping for peace and “freedom to worship God.” The expulsion of a multitude of clergy, who refused to conform to many impositions, and the many hardships suffered by the puritans, especially in Norfolk and Suffolk, evinced that no concession was to be expected from her. Her great idol was perfect uniformity. To enforce it, she passed many laws, which made nonconformity worse than felony, and she treated the Puritan as a rebel against all authority, both human and divine. A beautiful “Memorial” of the ministers of Norfolk is still preserved in vindication of their loyalty, and in advocacy of greater liberty of conscience. The result of it, however, was that seven or eight of them were suspended in Norwich. But instead of this being the means of stopping the progress of Puritanism, the sincere inquirers after truth were incited by such harsh measures to fresh investigations, and more emboldened to declare their views.

In 1582, on a second return made of the strangers settled here, they were found to be 1128 men; 1358 women; 815 children, strangers born; 1378 children, English born; in all 4679. The whole population was about 15,000, and the citizens continued to return burgesses to parliament from time to time, but not so frequently as in former reigns. During this reign William Kemp, a comic actor of high reputation, and greatly applauded for his buffoonery, danced a morris dance all the way from London to Norwich in nine days, and was accompanied by crowds of people as he passed on from town to town. When he arrived in Norwich he was very kindly treated by the citizens, who turned out to meet him in large numbers.

Norwich Pageants were celebrated during the middle ages, and occupy a large space in the records of the corporation. Books of the several companies relating to the pageants have been lost except that of St. George, but some additional information has come to light on the subject. A series of extracts were made early in the last century from the Grocers’ book, showing the proceedings and expenditure of that company in regard to their pageants from 1534 to 1570, and also the versions of the plays in 1533 and in 1563. All the plays of that period were called mysteries or miracle plays, and were founded on bible history. The play was performed in a carriage called a “House of Waynscott, painted and builded on a cart with fowre whelys.” Painted cloths were hung about it, and it was drawn by four horses, “having head stalls of brode inkle with knoppes and tassels.” The vehicle had a square top with a large vane in the midst, and one for the end, and a large number of smaller ones. The company was evidently unable to afford the cost of four horses in 1534; only one was hired, and four men attended on the pageant with “Lewers.” One of the plays was called “Paradyse,” and was performed by the Grocers and Raffmen. It begins much in the same manner as the Coventry play, with God the Father relating the planting of the garden of Eden, the creation of man and placing him there, and God’s intention to create woman. The other characters are Lucifer, Adam, and Eve, who exhibit the incidents related in Genesis. Of the good taste or propriety of these entertainments any observation is needless. They formed a remarkable feature in the life of the middle ages, and show the childishness of the people. The dialogues in all these plays are puerile doggerel.

Eminent Citizens of the Sixteenth Century.

Dr. Legge.

Few of the citizens of Norwich could make any pretensions as to birth, whatever they might say about their birth-place. Among the natives of this city of obscure parentage may be mentioned Thomas Legge, LL.D., who was educated in Trinity College, where he was fellow, as also at Jesus College, till he was chosen by Dr. Kaye as second master of Kaye’s College. He was Dean of the Arches, one of the Masters of Chancery, twice Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and thirty-four years Master of Kaye’s College. Justus Lipsius eulogised him as a very excellent antiquary, and as an oracle of learning. He was a great benefactor to this college, bequeathing £600 for the building of the east part thereof, besides several lesser liberalities. Thomas Bacon, the fifteenth Master of Gonville Hall, had done great damage to it, and left it in debt; but Dr. Legge and his two successors repaired all losses, acting not so much like the masters as the stewards of the house. Dr. Legge was the author of two tragedies, namely, “The Destruction of Jerusalem,” and “The Life of King Richard III.,” which last was performed before Queen Elizabeth, with great applause, in St. John’s College Hall. The doctor died July 12th, 1607, leaving the college his heir, and he was buried in it, so that he left his native city only the barren honour of his name.

John Kaye.

John Kaye, or as he is sometimes called, Caius, was born at Norwich in 1510, and studied in Gonville Hall, Cambridge, from which he removed to travel abroad. He took his degree of M.D. in the University of Padua. In the reign of Edward VI. he was appointed principal physician at court, a place which he enjoyed under both the Queens Mary and Elizabeth. The College of Physicians of London elected him one of their Fellows, and he presided over that body several years. Being very rich and desirous to promote learning, he procured a charter from Queen Elizabeth dated 1565, to turn Gonville Hall into a College; and he endowed it with the greater part of his estate. He lived as an ornament to his profession till July, 1573, when he died, aged 63, at Cambridge. He wrote the “Antiquities of Cambridge,” an excellent book; and he presented it to James I. as he passed through his college. The King said, “Give me rather Caius de Canibus,” a work of his as much admired, but hard to be got. He was master of his college for some time, but in his old age he resigned that office to Dr. Legge, a fellow commoner in his college, and a native of Norwich.

Archbishop Parker.

Archbishop Parker, a native of Norwich, flourished in this reign, and was a great benefactor to the city. He was born August 6th, 1504, being the son of William Parker, a wealthy citizen. He was educated at the Grammar School here, and in 1520 he was sent to Corpus Christi College, where he took his degrees of B.A., M.A., and D.D., before 1538. The Queen afterwards appointed him Archbishop of Canterbury, and he was very active in persecuting the Puritans here. He was the author of many works which showed much learning. He died on May 17th, 1575, and was buried in Lambeth Chapel.

This was a very eventful period in the annals of the city. The century opened with storms and inundations in the physical world, heralding commotions in the political world. On April 9th, 1601, a sudden storm of hail and rain passed over the city, whereby the upper part of the Cathedral spire, which had been lately repaired, was beaten down. It fell on the roof of the church, which it broke through, doing great damage to it as well as to the walls of the choir. The spire was split on the south-east side from top to bottom.

James I. was proclaimed king on March 24th, 1602; and soon after he was seated on the throne he granted a general pardon to the mayor, sheriffs, and commons of this city, for all past offences. The local occurrences were not very important during this reign of 23 years. There were, however, great disturbances between the citizens and Dutch strangers respecting trade rights and privileges.

In 1602, the plague raged with unusual fury in this country. As many as 30,578 persons died in London, and 3076 in Norwich. This visitation was attended with so great a scarcity of food, that wheat sold for ten, rye for six, and barley for five shillings per bushel. In the summer of 1609, the city was again visited by the plague, though but few died of it.

At the assizes held August, 1617, a dispute arose between Sir Henry Montague, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench, and John Mingay, Esq., then Mayor, concerning precedence. This was occasioned by the indiscretion of Sir Augustine Palgrave, Sheriff of Norfolk, who had imprudently informed the Chief Justice that it was his right to sit in the chair at the preaching place in the Green yard, with the Mayor on his left hand. This the Mayor opposed, resolutely asserting his right to the chair; and the Chief Justice as resolutely insisted, being misled by the information of the sheriff. But this matter was afterwards set right, and the sheriff was obliged to acknowledge his error, after having been severely reprimanded by the Judge for misleading him. On the next day, a contest of the same kind happened between the High Sheriff and the Sheriffs of Norwich; when, to prevent any disputes of the like nature in future, it was determined that only the High Sheriff should attend the Judges when they are upon the county business, and only the Sheriffs of Norwich when they are on the city business.

Charles I. was proclaimed king, on March 1st, 1625. The mayor of Norwich, stewards, justices, sheriffs, and aldermen, were present at the ceremony.

On March 31st, 1625, Charles I. was proclaimed in Norwich, and on May 13th following, Thomas, Earl of Arundel and Surrey, Earl-Marshal of England, was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Norfolk, and of the city of Norwich, and county of the same.

On October 19th, 1625, the citizens petitioned the king to be released of taxes, on account of their poverty and the ravages of the plague; and in 1641, the citizens petitioned Parliament, to be discharged from paying £2500 assessed upon them, on account of their great poverty and the impossibility of raising the money.

In 1626, writs of quo warranto were brought against the mayor, &c., for refusing to furnish two ships of war demanded of them; and the corporation, on the trial, which took place in 1629, obtained a verdict in their favor, having proved that they neither used nor usurped any privileges but what their charters warranted. During this contest the city raised a sum of money, and presented to the king by way of loan, as settled by the lord keeper, lord treasurer, comptroller, and chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, who came hither for that purpose.

In 1627, an order arrived for levying 250 foot soldiers in the city of Norwich and county of Norfolk, of which number the citizens were ordered to furnish 25; but they would raise no more than 17, that being their full proportion.

During this reign the plague raged with great violence in the city and county. On July 12th, 1625, the king issued a commission to the mayor, &c., to scour the city ditches, to remove all nuisances in and about the city, to repair the walls and turrets, and to tax all residing in the several wards, according to their ability, toward the work; it being thought very necessary, in order to stop the plague which had been brought from Yarmouth, and begun to spread here. The mayor had previously requested the bailiffs at Yarmouth to order all the wherrymen to carry no infected persons dwelling in their town to the city. Constables of every ward gave notice that no person coming from London should be entertained without notice given to the aldermen of their ward; and watch was set at every gate, day and night, to hinder all persons coming from infected places entering the city, and the carriers were commanded to bring no such persons, nor any wool whatever. Notwithstanding all this caution, the plague began to spread, so that on July 23rd, the aldermen of every ward appointed “Searchers” in each ward, to be keepers of such persons as were suspected of being infected. The bellman warned all the citizens to take their dogs and swine outside of the walls, on pain of being killed. On July 30th, the watch of the gates ceased, it being known that the plague raged within the city. Twenty-six persons died of it in that week; and before August 11th, it had so much increased, that it was resolved that every alderman should have power to send his warrants to the city treasurers to relieve the infected persons; and the plague abated that very week. Orders were issued that the doors of all persons who died of the disease should be nailed up and watched. Every one who begged about the streets was whipped, because all the poor were then relieved, so that no one had any excuse for begging for food.

In 1634, under date of March 23rd, a letter signed by the king, was directed to the mayor, sheriff, and aldermen, requiring their constant attendance at the sermon preached every Sunday morning, either in the Cathedral or Green yard, and that they would be there at the beginning of the service, after the manner observed in the city of London; and that none be absent without the consent of the bishop. On this point a court was held, and it was ordered that the mayor and court should constantly meet at the Free School, and thence proceed to church agreeably to his majesty’s instructions; the king having great regard for their spiritual welfare.

The first parliament of the reign of Charles I., in 1625, has been severely censured on account of the penurious supply which it doled out for the exigencies of a war in which its predecessors had involved the king. Nor is the reproach wholly unfounded. A more liberal proceeding, if it did not obtain a reciprocal concession from the king, would have put him more in the wrong. But the Puritans in parliament formed a majority, and were determined not to vote money without a redress of what they deemed to be grievances. The king finding he could not obtain the supplies he required from the House of Commons, determined to rule without a parliament, and to raise money by some other means. Hence the contests between the king and the parliaments, which were often called and soon dissolved. This served only to aggravate the embarrassments of the crown. Every successive House of Commons inherited the feelings of its predecessor, otherwise it would not have represented the people. The same men, for the most part, came again to parliament more irritated and difficult of reconciliation with the sovereign than before. Even the politic measure, as it was fancied to be, of excluding some of the most active members from seats, by nominating them sheriffs for the year, failed of the expected success because all ranks partook of a common enthusiasm.

In 1642, July 12th, the parliament voted and declared the necessity of recourse to arms, and on the 29th of the same month, Moses Treswell was apprehended for attempting to enlist men into the king’s service, after having been forbidden to do so by the corporation. The citizens supposing that this act would be deemed a declaration against their sovereign, ordered a double watch to be set in every ward, and a provision of all military stores to be made. They received a letter from the parliament thanking them for their great services in sending up Captain Treswell, and exhorting them to raise the militia, and to prevent anyone from levying troops within their jurisdiction without consent of parliament. Soon afterwards, the king issued proclamations requiring the assistance of his subjects against the rebels, but no regard was paid to them in Norwich. On the other hand, the magistrates ordered a general muster of the trained bands and volunteers, and put the city into the best state of defence, fearing an attack from the gentlemen of Norfolk and Suffolk who had declared for the king. As a further proof of their zeal they sent fifty Dragoons for Colonel Cromwell’s regiment, which composed part of the troops under Lord Grey of Wark, raised for the preservation of the peace in the associated counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, and Huntingdonshire. As soon as these had marched, the magistrates raised a hundred more dragoons, and to mount them, gave orders for seizing the horses of those citizens who favoured the cause of the king, and who were called malignants. On March 13th, the city raised fifty more Dragoons, and on March 26th, 1643, a hundred men were ordered to be raised and sent to Cambridge to re-enforce the associated army. The weekly contribution levied by parliament on the county was £1250 in the following proportions: Norfolk £1129, Norwich £53, Lynn £27, Yarmouth £34 16s. 5d., Thetford £5 11s. 9d. On April 2nd, being Easter day, Captain Sherwood marched to Lynn with a hundred volunteers to secure that town from any sudden surprise by the king’s forces. On August 12th, a meeting of the associated counties was appointed on account of the danger with which the city was threatened by the approach of the enemy, and the castle was ordered to be fortified. Lincolnshire was also admitted amongst the associated counties. Lynn was garrisoned by the forces of the parliament, and fortified at the expense of the Association. On November 18th, four of the Court, representing the Association, were fined £10 each for want of expedition in collecting the proposition money, and the Earl of Manchester ordered the immediate assessing and levying of such sums of money as should have been raised by any edict of parliament. This stringent commission was carried out by force of arms.

In 1643, it having been agreed between the English and Scotch commissioners that £100,000 should be immediately advanced to the Scots, to enable them to put their army in march for England, an order was sent down to Norwich for levying £6000, part of the said sum in the following proportions; in Norwich, £265; in Yarmouth, £174; in Lynn, £132; in Thetford, £27 18s. 9d., and the remainder in the county of Norfolk.

By order of the Court, on March 9th, 1644, seven pictures, taken from St. Swithin’s Church, the Angel and Four Evangelists from St. Peter’s, Moses and Aaron and the Four Evangelists from the Cathedral, and other paintings, were publicly burnt in the Market Place. A committee was appointed to “view the churches for pictures and crucifixes,” in consequence of which, these over-zealous Reformers committed all kinds of outrages and excesses by destroying monuments in the churches, and burning valuable paintings, as stated by Bishop Hall in his “Hard Measure,” a pamphlet on the proceedings of the Puritans. On Christmas eve, 1645, the mayor issued orders to all the city clergy commanding them neither to preach, nor to administer the sacrament, in their respective churches on the day following, and to the inhabitants, charging them to open their shops as on other days; so little did the Puritans in that age understand the principles of toleration.

In 1648, a petition was presented to the mayor, &c., signed by 150 persons, praying for a more speedy and effectual reformation, and complaining that their faithful ministers were discouraged and slighted; the ejected ministers countenanced and preferred; old ceremonies, and the service book constantly used, and the directory for worship almost totally neglected; and further praying, that the ordinances against superstition and idolatry might be put in strict execution; “so, shall the crucifix on the cathedral gate be defaced, and another on the roof of the cathedral neere the west door in the inside, and one upon the free school, and the image of Christ on the parish house of St. George at Tombland be taken down, and many parish churches more decently made for the congregations to meet in.” The mayor, John Utting, paying little regard to this petition, was sent for to London, and Mr. Alderman Baret put in his place. After he was gone, the common people, having a great affection for the mayor, went to the committee house, then on the site of the present Bethel, where the gunpowder was kept, and set fire to ninety-five barrels, which killed and wounded about one hundred persons and greatly damaged the adjacent buildings. For this outrage six of the perpetrators were hanged in the Market Place.

On January 30th, 1649, King Charles was beheaded at Whitehall. Soon after the death of the king the House of Commons published a decree to forbid the proclaiming of Charles Stuart, eldest son of the late king, or of any person whatsoever, on pain of high treason; and afterwards enacted that the kingly office should be abolished as unnecessary, burdensome, and dangerous; and that the state should be governed by the representatives of the people without king or lords, and under the form of a Commonwealth.

In 1650, on discovery of an intended insurrection in Norfolk in favour of King Charles, which was to have broken out on October 7th, several of the conspirators were apprehended and tried at the new hall, in Norwich, before three judges, commissioned by the parliament for that purpose. Their sitting continued from December 20th to December 30th, and they condemned twenty-five persons, who were all executed, some of them at Norwich and others in different parts of Norfolk.

On June 24th, 1654, an ordinance was published for the six months’ assessment for the maintenance of the armies and fleets of the Commonwealth, at the rate of £120,000 per month for the first three months, and £90,000 per month for the rest. Towards each monthly payment of the last sum, Norwich raised £240 and Norfolk £4660. On August 29th, an ordinance was issued for ejecting scandalous and insufficient ministers and schoolmasters; whose qualifications were to be tried by commissioners appointed for that purpose in every county. In consequence of this ordinance many able divines in the kingdom were ejected from their livings, and their places filled by such as best suited the views of the ruling party. During the Commonwealth, the city was put in defence against the royalists, the castle was fortified for the service of Cromwell, the goods of the bishops and clergy were sequestrated, the bishops palace was sacked, the cathedral and churches were plundered and defaced, and Bishop Hall was turned out and driven into retirement at his palace in Heigham, which is still in existence, being used as a tavern called the Dolphin. He died there and was buried in the old church in Heigham. We shall speak more at length of this distinguished prelate in our notice of “The Eminent Citizens” of the 17th century.

On the death of Oliver Cromwell, which happened on September 3rd, 1658, the mayor of Norwich, like the mayors of other towns, received letters from the privy council, notifying that event and the election of his son Richard Cromwell to the dignity of Protector, and commanding him to proclaim the said Richard protector of the three kingdoms, which was done accordingly on the seventh of that month. The new protector’s honours were, however, but of short continuance; for in the month of April, 1659, the army obliged him to dissolve the parliament which he had convoked, and soon afterwards deposed him from his high office. During the fatal contentions respecting the prerogatives of the crown and the privileges of parliament, the city suffered less than might have been expected, and Norfolk less than many other counties.

The citizens, tired of strife and commotion, were among the first to hail the return of monarchy in the person of Charles II., who was proclaimed here on May 10th, 1660, and the sum of £1000 was presented to His Majesty, on behalf of the city, by the mayor, who received the honour of knighthood. In 1663 the king granted to the city the charter by which, with little interruption, it was governed till 1835, when the municipal act came into force. In 1670, Lord Howard presented the corporation with a noble mace of silver gilt, and a gown of crimson velvet for the mayor. In 1671, the king and queen and many nobles visited the city, and were entertained in grand style at the palaces of the bishop and the Duke of Norfolk.

In 1682, a majority of the corporation surrendered to the king the charter which he had granted them nine years before, and in lieu of it a new one was substituted not so favourable to the city; the king having reserved the right of removing magistrates of whom he did not approve.

In 1687, by the mandate of James II., ten aldermen and nineteen councillors were displaced; but the arbitrary conduct of that monarch soon brought about his ruin, and when Henry, Duke of Norfolk, rode into the Market Place at the head of 300 knights and gentlemen and declared for a free parliament, the corporation and citizens responded with loud acclamations. After the glorious revolution of 1688, the first charter of Charles II. was restored to the city, and the aldermen who had been removed were reinstated in their offices.

William and Mary, king and queen of England, began their reign on February 13th, 1688, and during their reign the city flourished exceedingly, and the country in general was prosperous.

In 1697 the coin was regulated afresh, the old money being called in and recoined, for which purpose, mints were established in various places, among others one in this city, which coined £259,371. The quantity of coin and plate brought in here to be coined was 17,709 ounces.

We may here give the statements of two eminent writers respecting Norwich and Norfolk in this century. Sir Thomas Browne, jun., in 1662, wrote as follows about the city and county:—

“Let any stranger find me out so pleasant a county, such good ways, large heaths, three such places as Norwich, Yarmouth, and Lynn, in any county of England, and I’ll be once again a vagabond and visit to them.”

And he wrote so with good reason. Few, if any, of the cities of England then contained more handsome buildings, or presented so good an appearance as did the old city of Norwich, while only London and Bristol surpassed her in the extent and importance of their commerce. Lord Macaulay, in his graphic History of England thus describes the state of the city in the 17th century:—

“Norwich was the capital of a large and fruitful province. It was the residence of a bishop and of a chapter. It was the seat of the manufacture of the realm. Some even distinguished by learning and science had recently dwelt there, and no place in the kingdom, except the capital and the universities, had more attractions to the curious. The library, the museum, the aviary, and the botanical gardens of Sir Thomas Browne were thought by the Fellows of the Royal Society well worthy of a long pilgrimage. Norwich had also a court in miniature. In the heart of the city stood an old palace of the Duke of Norfolk, said to be the largest town house in the kingdom out of London. In this mansion, to which were annexed a tennis court, a bowling green, and a wilderness extending along the banks of the Wensum, the noble family of Howard frequently resided. Drink was served to the guests in goblets of pure gold; the very tongs and shovels were of silver; pictures of Italian masters adorned the walls; the cabinets were filled with a fine collection of gems purchased by the Earl of Arundel, whose marbles are now among the ornaments of Oxford. Here, in the year 1671, Charles and his court were sumptuously entertained; here, too, all comers were annually welcomed from Christmas to Twelfthnight; ale flowed in oceans for the populace. Three coaches, one of which had been built at a cost of £500 to contain fourteen persons, were sent every afternoon round the city to bring ladies to the festivities, and the dances were always followed by a luxurious banquet. When the Duke of Norfolk came to Norwich he was greeted like a king returning to his capital; the bells of St. Peter’s Mancroft were rung, the guns of the castle were fired, and the mayor and aldermen waited on their illustrious citizen with complimentary addresses.”

Eminent Citizens of the Seventeenth Century.

Bishop Hall.

Dr. Hall, Bishop of Norwich, the first English Satirist, was a noted character in this century. He was born July 1st, 1574, in Bristow Park, within the parish of Ashby de la Zouch, in Leicestershire. He was educated by a private tutor till he was fifteen years of age, when he removed to Cambridge, and was admitted to Emmanuel College, of which he was a chosen scholar, and took the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His satires were published in 1597, 1598, and 1599, and added greatly to his reputation by their pungency and classical style. They equal the satires of Juvenal and Persius on similar themes, and in lashing the vices of the age.

Dr. Hall, in 1624, refused the bishopric of Gloucester, but in 1627 he accepted that of Exeter, holding with it in commendam the rectory of St. Breock in Cornwall. At this time he seems to have been suspected of a leaning to the Puritans, and it must be allowed that his religious views were more consonant with theirs than with the lax Arminianism of Laud. But at the same time, Dr. Hall was a zealous supporter of the church.

On November 15th, 1641, he was translated, by the little power left to the king, to be Bishop of Norwich, but having joined with the Archbishop of York and eleven other prelates, in a protest against the validity of such laws as should be made during their compulsory absence from parliament, he was ordered to be sent to the tower, with his brethren, on the 30th of January following. Shortly afterwards they were impeached by the Commons for high treason, and on their appearance in parliament were treated with the utmost rudeness and contempt. The Commons, however, did not think fit to prosecute the charge of high treason, having gained their purpose by driving them from the House of Lords, and Hall and his brethren were ordered to be dismissed; but upon another pretext they were again sent to the tower. In June following, Hall was finally released on giving bail for £5000! He returned to Norwich, and being received with rather more respect than he hoped for, in the then state of public opinion, he resumed his duties, frequently preaching to large congregations, and enjoying the forbearance of the predominant Puritan party till April, 1643, when the destruction of the church was contemplated. About this time, the ordinance for sequestrating notorious delinquents having passed, and our prelate being included by name, all his rents were stopped, his palace was entered, and all his property was seized. A friend, however, gave bond for the whole amount of the valuation, and the bishop was allowed to remain a short time in his palace. While he remained there, he was continually exposed to the insolence of the soldiery and mob, who demolished the windows and monuments of the cathedral. At length he was ordered to leave his palace, and would have been exposed to the utmost extremity, if a neighbour had not offered him the shelter of his humble roof. Some time afterwards, but by what interest we are not told, the sequestration was taken off a small estate which he rented at Heigham, to which he retired. The house in which he lived, now called the Dolphin Inn, is still standing, and should be carefully preserved as a memorial of a great and good man.

Bishop Hall, in his tract Hard Measure, has given a most touching account of the treatment he experienced. He says in his tract “The Shaking of the Olive Tree:”—

“It is no other than tragical to relate the carnage of that furious sacrilege whereof our eyes and ears were the sad witnesses, under the authority and presence of Linsey, Tofts the sheriff, and Greenwood. Lord, what work was here; what clattering of glasses, what beating down of walls, what tearing up of monuments, what pulling down of seates, what wresting out of irons and brass from the windows and graves, what defacing of armes, what demolishing of curious stone work which had not any representation in the world, but only of the cast of the founder, and skill of the mason; what toting and piping upon the destroyed organ pipes, and what a hideous triumph on the market day, before all the country, when, in a sacrilegious and profane procession, all the organ pipes, vestments, both copes and surplices, together with the leaden crosse which had been newly sawn down from over the green yard pulpit, and the service book and singing books that could be had, were carried to a fire in the public Market-place; a lewd wretch walking before the train in his cope trailing in the dirt, with a service book in his hand, imitating in an impious scorne the tune and usurping the words of the litany formerly used in the church. Neer the publick crosse all these monuments of idolatry must be sacrificed to the fire, not without much ostentation of a zealous joy in discharging ordinance to the cost of some who professed how much they longed to see that day.”

The good bishop’s sufferings did not damp his courage, for in 1644, we find him preaching in Norwich whenever he could obtain the use of a pulpit; and with yet more boldness, in the same year he sent A modest offer of some meet considerations in favour of Episcopacy addressed to the Assembly of Divines. During the rest of his life he appears to have remained at Heigham, unmolested, performing the duties of a faithful pastor, and exercising such hospitality and charity as his scanty means permitted. He died, September 8th, 1656, in the 82nd year of his age, and was buried in the church of St. Bartholomew, in Heigham. In his will, he says:—

“I leave my body to be buried without any funeral pomp, at the discretion of my executors, with the only monition that I do not hold God’s house a meet repository for the dead bodies of the greatest saints.”

He left a family behind, according to Lloyd, of whom Robert, the eldest son, was afterwards a clergyman, and D.D. His wife died in 1647. His prose works were published at various periods in folio, quarto, and duodecimo. They were collected in a handsome edition of 10 vols., octavo, by the Rev. Josiah Pratt, and are his best memorials. The “Meditations” have been often reprinted. As a moralist, he has been called the British Seneca.

Sir Thomas Browne.

Sir Thomas Browne flourished in this century in Norwich, as a Physician. Dr. Johnson wrote a memoir of him, from which we learn the following particulars. He was born in London, in the parish of St. Michael, in Cheapside, on October 19th, 1605. Of his childhood or youth there is little known, except that he lost his father very early; that he was, according to the common fate of orphans, defrauded by one of his guardians; and that he was placed for his education at the School of Winchester. He was removed in 1623 from Winchester to Oxford, and entered a gentleman commoner of Broadgate Hall, which was soon afterwards endowed and took the name of Pembroke College, from the Earl of Pembroke, the Chancellor of the University. He was admitted to the degree of B.A., January 31st, 1626–7, being the first man of eminence who graduated from the new college, to which the zeal or gratitude of those that love it most can wish little better than that it may long proceed as it began. Having afterwards taken his degree of M.A., he turned his attention to physic. He practised it for some time in Oxfordshire, but soon afterwards, either induced by curiosity or invited by promises, he quitted his settlement and accompanied his father-in-law, who had some employment in Ireland in the visitation of the forts and castles, which the state of Ireland then made necessary. He left Ireland and travelled on the Continent, and was created an M.D. at Leyden. About the year 1634 he is supposed to have returned to London; and the next year to have written his celebrated treatise, called Religio Medici, or, “The Religion of a Physician,” which excited the attention of the public by the novelty of paradoxes, the dignity of sentiment, the quick succession of images, the multitude of abstruse allusions, the subtlety of disquisition, and the strength of language. At the time when this book was published the author resided at Norwich, where he had settled in 1636, by the persuasion of Dr. Lushington, his tutor, who was then rector of Burnham Westgate, in West Norfolk. His practice became very extensive, and in 1637 he was incorporated Doctor of Physic, in Oxford. He married in 1641, Mrs. Mileham, of a good family in Norfolk. He had ten children by her, of whom one son and three daughters survived their parents. In 1646, Sir Thomas Browne published his “Enquiries into Vulgar and Common Errors,” which passed through many editions. In 1658, the discovery of some ancient urns in Norfolk, gave him occasion to write “Hydriotaphia, Urn-burial, or, a Discourse of Sepulchral Urns;” in which he treats with his usual learning on the funeral rites of ancient nations, exhibits their various treatment of the dead, and examines the substances found in the Norfolcian urns. To this treatise on Urn-burial was added the “Garden of Cyrus; or, the Quincuxial Lozenge, or Network Plantation of the Ancients, Artificially, Naturally, Mystically Considered.” He doubted the Copernican hypothesis, on the same ground as some divines distrust the Cuvierian system of Geology, as opposed to Genesis. These were all the tracts which he published, but many papers were found in his closet. Of these, two collections were published in 1722, and all his works were issued in a cheap form by G. H. Bohn, and are in the Norwich Free Library. To the life of this learned man there remains little to be added, but that in 1665 he was chosen Honorary Fellow of the College of Physicians, as a man “Virtute et literis ornatissimus,” eminently embellished with literature and virtue. In 1671, he received at Norwich, the honour of Knighthood from Charles II., a prince, who, with many frailties and vices, had yet skill to discover excellence and virtue, to reward it with such honorary distinctions, at least, as cost him nothing.

Sir Thomas Browne, in 1680, wrote a Repertorium, or Account of the Tombs and Monuments in the Cathedral Church of Norwich. The basis of the work was a sketch hastily drawn up twenty years previously on the information of “an understanding singing man,” ninety-one years old, in order to preserve the remembrance of some of the monumental antiquities which barbarous zeal had destroyed. The reckless character of these ravages has thus been exhibited in a description made on the spot and at the moment, by one who suffered in his person, property, and health.

Thus the knight lived in high reputation, till he was seized with a colic, which, after having tortured him for about a week, put an end to his life at Norwich, on his birthday, October 19th, 1682, having completed his 77th year. Some of his last words were expressions of submission to the will of God, and fearlessness of death. He lies buried in the Church of St. Peter Mancroft, within the rails at the east end of the chancel, with this inscription on a mural monument, placed in the south pillar of the altar:—

Mr. Simon Wilkin, F.L.S., in a supplementary memoir, states that Dr. Browne steadily adhered to the royal cause in perilous times. He was one of the 432 principal citizens, who, in 1643, refused to subscribe towards a fund for regaining the town of Newcastle. Charles II. was not likely to have been ignorant of this, and he had, no doubt, the good feeling to express his sense of it by a distinction which was, no doubt, gratifying to Sir Thomas Browne. Sir Thomas is supposed to have lived in the last house at the south end of the Gentleman’s Walk, where the Savings’ Bank now stands. Blomefield asserts that he lived where Dr. Howman then lived, (1760) and that he succeeded Alderman Anguish in that house; and Mr. Simon Wilkin says that he ascertained by reference to title deeds, that the last house at the southern extremity of the Gentleman’s Walk, Haymarket, belonged, in Blomefield’s time, to Dr. Howman. This house was for many years a china and glass warehouse, and tradition has always asserted it to be Dr. Browne’s residence. The last occupier was Mr. Swan, and the house was pulled down to make room for the Savings’ Bank. It contained some spacious rooms. In the drawing room there was, over the mantel-piece and occupying the entire space of the ceiling, a most elaborate and richly ornamented carving of the royal arms of Charles II., no doubt placed there by Sir Thomas to express his loyalty, and to commemorate his knighthood. In Matthew Stevenson’s poems, 12mo, 1673, there is a long poem on the progress of Charles II. into Norfolk, in which the honour conferred on Browne is thus noticed:—

“There the king knighted the so famous Browne,

Whose worth and learning to the world are known.”

Early in October, 1673, Evelyn went down to the Earl of Arlington’s, at Euston, in company with Sir Thomas Clifford, to join the royal party. Lord Henry Howard arrived soon afterward, and prevailed on Mr. Evelyn to accompany him to Norwich, promising to convey him back after a day or two. “This,” he says, “as I could not refuse I was not hard to be persuaded to, having a desire to see that famous scholar and physician, Dr. T. Browne, author of the Religio Medici, and Vulgar Errors, &c., now lately knighted.” After arriving in Norwich, Evelyn says:—

“Next morning I went to see Sir Thomas Browne, with whom I had some time corresponded by letter, though I had never seen him before. His whole house and garden being a paradise and cabinet of rarities, and that of the best collections, especially medails, books, plants, and natural things. Amongst other curiosities, Sir Thomas had a collection of the eggs of all the foule and birds he could procure, that country (especially the promontory of Norfolk) being frequented, as he said, by severall kinds, which seldome or never go further into the land, as cranes, storkes, eagles, and a variety of water foule. He led me to see all the remarkable places in this ancient city, being one of the largest, and certainly, after London, one of the noblest in England for its venerable Cathedralle, number of stately churches, cleanesse of the streets, and buildings of flints so exquistely headed and squared, as I was much astonished at; but he told me they had lost the art of squaring the flints in which they once so much excelled, and of which the churches, best houses, and walls are built. The Castle is an antique extent of ground which now they call Marsfield, and would have been a fitting area to have placed the ducal palace in. The suburbs are large, the prospects are sweete, with other amenities, not omitting the flower gardens, in which all the inhabitants excel.”

At that time the hamlets of Thorpe, Lakenham, and Heigham, were all fields or cultivated grounds and gardens, and the city was interspersed with gardens.

Dr. Samuel Clarke.

Samuel Clarke, D.D., was the son of Edward Clarke, one of the Aldermen of Norwich, where he was born in 1675, and where he was educated at the Grammar School, his father being at that time one of the representatives of the city in parliament. In 1691, he was entered as a student in Caius College, Cambridge, where his great capacity for learning was soon developed, and where he became distinguished as a metaphysician, mathematician, and divine. He was the author of many works, the chief of which was a “Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God.” Upon his entering into holy orders, he became Chaplain to the learned Dr. Moore, Bishop of Norwich, with whom he lived in great esteem, having the advantage of the fine library of that prelate. In 1704, he was called to an office worthy of all his learning, namely, that of lecturer on Mr. Boyle’s foundation. He preached sermons concerning the Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion, which will always be highly esteemed. Soon afterwards, he was presented to the living of St. Bennet’s, near Paul’s Wharf, London, and where he constantly preached without notes. In the same year he translated the Optics of Sir Isaac Newton into elegant Latin, which was so acceptable to that great philosopher, that he presented £500 to the divine, being £100 for each of his children. He was soon after made one of the Chaplains in Ordinary, and in 1709, Queen Anne presented him to the Rectory of St. James’, Westminster, when he went to Cambridge and took his degree of Doctor of Divinity. He died on May 17th, 1729, aged 54 years.

Robert, Viscount of Yarmouth.

In 1683 died the Rt. Hon. Robert, Viscount of Yarmouth, Baron of Paston, Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk and Norwich. He was buried at Oxnead. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. John Hildeyard, LL.D., then rector of Cawston, and it was afterwards published. At page 27 there is the following passage, referring to the deceased viscount:

“Great was his love to the ancient, loyal, and honourable corporation of Norwich, because the members of that body, generally speaking, loved the king; they found him their friend and, maugre the blast of calumny, the new charter shall remain a token of it. He spared no cost nor pains, as themselves can witness, to make the world believe that he loved them. Most of the tables of his house were spread together for their entertainment, and all his friends employed to bid them welcome; nay, his very sleep was ofttimes broken to find out ways how best to serve them, and he commended the care of the city with his last breath, to all his best friends, and the blessing of God.”

Happy corporation, that had such a friend; but Blomefield says,

“Whatever the Dr. (Hildeyard) might think of it, the effects of the new charter now began to be too visible, for Mr. Nic Helwys was chosen mayor, and eleven common council in room of those eleven of the sixty common council appointed by the charter, which were not qualified; but such choice was of no force till confirmed by the king, who sent a letter under the privy seal, dated at Windsor, May 17th, signifying by the Earl of Arundel that he approved of them, and the names of the two elected sheriffs were signified to the Lord Lieutenant, and that they were persons of loyalty, and therefore they desired his lordship to give his gracious Majesty information thereof in order to his approbation.”

Dr. John Cosin.

John Cosin, D.D., was born in this city in 1594, and finished his studies in Caius College, Cambridge, where he took his last degrees. When he entered into holy orders he was presented to a Prebendary in the Cathedral Church of Durham, and appointed Archdeacon of the East Riding of Yorkshire. But the civil wars breaking out, and he being an active Papist, he was obliged to seek refuge abroad till the Restoration in 1660, when he returned, and was promoted first to the Deanery of Peterborough, and then to the Bishopric of Durham. He died at Durham, aged 78, in 1672.

Dr. John Pearson.

John Pearson, D.D., was the son of a Clergyman in Norwich, where he was born in 1613. He received the first rudiments of learning at Eton, whence he was removed to King’s College, Cambridge, where he finished his studies, and took his degrees. His first ecclesiastical preferment was a Prebendary of Salisbury; and soon afterwards he was chosen Rector of St. Clements, East Cheap, where he remained till 1660, and where he wrote his learned explanation of the Creed. At the Restoration, he was appointed Archdeacon of Surrey, and afterwards he was promoted to the See of Chester, where he continued till his death, in 1686.

John Goslin.

John Goslin, a native of Norwich, flourished in the 17th century. He was first Fellow and then Master of Caius College, in Cambridge, Proctor of that University, and thrice Vice Chancellor thereof, a general scholar, eloquent Latinist, and a rare physician, in which faculty he was Regius Professor. He was a great benefactor to Catherine’s Hall, but left his native city only the honour of his name. He died in 1625.

The Rev. John Carter.

The Rev. John Carter was an eccentric character in the city during this century. He was born at Bramford, in Suffolk, in 1594, and became upper minister of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, which position he held from 1638 to 1653. He preached three extraordinary sermons before the corporation, preparatory to the guild day festival in 1644, 1647, and 1650. The title of the first is “The Nail Hit on the Head, and Driven into the City and Cathedral Wall of Norwich;” of the second, “The Wheel Turned by a Voice from the Throne of Glory;” and the third, “A Rare Sight; or, the Lyon Sent from a Far Country, and Presented to the City of Norwich in a Sermon upon the Solemne Guild Day, June 18th, 1650.” The third sermon fills 150 pages, is the length of several modern sermons, and must have occupied two hours and a half in the delivery; a terrible long grace to a guild day dinner. It is ornamented with many wood cuts, among which is the lion in various attitudes, couchant, guardant, rampant, passant, &c., giving the preacher opportunities of displaying his knowledge of, at least, the terms of heraldry, and sarcastically to apply them to the magistracy. He says:—

“In one respect, your city arms do very well befit you. It is a lion with a castle over it. Many of you can be like lions, very courageous, so long as you have a castle over you for protection and countenance; but take away the castle, and who will expose himself to danger? What a sordid thing is this! There is a lion couchant, but never did I hear of a lion crouchant, or current, a fearful and dastardly lion. Who among you will strike down a disorderly ale-house, if the brewer that serves it be an alderman, a rich man, or a friend?”

The rest of the discourse is replete with coarse expressions, biting sarcasms, and party prejudices, not likely to have edified, and much less to have pleased the congregation.

The Church of Rome reigned supreme over all Europe for a thousand years, but in the 15th century, reason revolted against her authority. Lutheranism and Calvinism were the first forms of the revolt on the Continent, and they assumed the names of Presbyterianism and Puritanism in England and Scotland. Norwich, in common with Norfolk and Suffolk, eventually took up the cause of the Reformation with a zeal and vehemence which make them stand alone in the annals of history.

Norwich Nonconformists, in times of the fiercest persecution, held many prohibited meetings, which were sometimes discovered in different parts of the city. Norfolk, situated as it is in the eastern coast, was the refuge of many protestants, who fled from the Netherlands to escape from the severe persecutions of the infamous Duke of Alva. Even before this time, there were many in the county and city who objected to the new service book, or English liturgy, published by the authority of Edward VI.

The Reformation made much progress here in the reign of this young and pious king; but even then a disposition lingered to retain and enforce some of the Romanist rites and ceremonies. The excellent Bishop Hooper, who after all became a martyr, would probably have lost his life simply for refusing to wear the priestly vestments, through the rigour of Bishop Ridley (who himself afterwards suffered martyrdom) had he not at length consented to wear them at his consecration. The Baptists, the Unitarians, and all who went beyond the new state model were consigned to the flames.

Bishop Hooper was born in the year 1495, and was burnt in the reign of Queen Mary. The sixty years of his life formed the most important period of English history. When he was born, the Reformation had just begun; when he died it had struck such deep roots amongst the people, especially of Norwich and Norfolk, that neither force, nor persecution, nor argument could stop its progress. In Bishop Hooper’s time, and in his diocese of Gloucester, the ignorance of the clergy was amazing. Out of 311 of his clergy he found 168 unable to repeat the ten commandments; 31 out of the 168 could not tell in what part of the Bible the ten commandments were to be found; 40 could not tell where the Lord’s prayer was given, and 31 did not know who was the author of it. In Norfolk and Norwich the clergy were quite as ignorant of Scripture. They practised all kinds of impositions on the people who were debased by superstition, immorality, and vice. There was over all the land a darkness which might be felt. The people had no bibles nor testaments, and the prayers of the church were all in Latin, and of course the people could not understand them. There was scarcely any preaching at all, but instead thereof profane miracle plays were performed in the cathedral, and were paid for like any other dramatic performance.

In 1574, so notorious was the city for the nonconformity of many of the ministers, that when orders were given to Archbishop Parker “to punish the Puritan ministers, and put down the prophecyings, and readings, and commenting on the Scriptures, which had been introduced into the church,” the queen gave him private orders to begin with Norwich. Accordingly, in 1576, many of the Norwich ministers were suspended and treated so severely, that even the Norfolk justices presented a petition to Her Majesty, praying for lenity towards them.

Robert Brown, a clergyman of Norwich, originated the sect of the Brownists, afterwards called the Independents. He was at one time a zealous promoter of that system, but English societies existed before him, holding similar views. According to Sir Walter Raleigh, 20,000 persons at least held independent principles of ecclesiastical polity. Amongst these were many men of great learning and distinction, all of whom were commanded to quit the realm. Wherever found, they were imprisoned, with or without law, for life. Elias Thacker and John Copping suffered death at Bury St. Edmund’s. John Lewis was burnt at Norwich. Francis Kett, M.A., for holding “detestable opinions,” was also burnt alive in Norwich. William Dennys was a martyr in the same cause, at Thetford. Greenwood, Barrow, and Penry fell as martyrs of conscience. Johnson, Smith, Answorth, Canne, Robinson, and Jacob, only escaped by flight to Holland, and found liberty there to form several churches, and to compose an elaborate account of their doctrines and principles, a fact which testifies to their enlightened piety and superior learning.

In the reign of James I. no favour was shown to the Puritans, but on the contrary, severities were continued. The king amply fulfilled his threat to the Puritans at the Hampton Court conference;—“If this be all your party has to say, I will make them conform or harrie them out of the land, or else do worse.” By these proceedings the country was rendered almost destitute of preachers, and scandalous men undertook the care of souls in place of the zealous refugees. This King James published the “Book of Sports,” in vindication of the encouragement of various games on the sabbath day. Bishop Kennett styles it “A trap to catch tender consciences,” and a means of promoting the ease, wealth, and grandeur of the bishops. This book was, in the next reign, (Charles I.) republished by the bigotted Archbishop Laud; and it was ordered to be read in every church throughout the kingdom. The bishop of Norwich, then Bishop Wren, was very peremptory on this and other points. He is said to have driven upwards of 3000 persons to seek bread in a foreign land. The woollen trade of Norwich, which had been created by the Flemish refugees, was mostly in the hands of the Puritans, and the rigorous measures of this prelate nearly destroyed it by banishing them.

Mr. W. Bridge, M.A., was the lecturer of St. George Tombland, Norwich, up to the year 1637. He was a pious and learned man, who held other livings and performed his duties well. To him, on a certain day, came Bishop Wren’s order to read the “Book of Sports” on the next Sunday in church. He sat in dejection, with the odious volume before him, abhorring the profaneness of its contents and its daring contradiction of Scripture. He resolved not to read it. He took counsel of his brethren, and several of them together refused compliance, fled to Yarmouth, and thence with sad hearts embarked for Holland, where they spent many anxious years, hoping to be allowed to return. Laud informed King Charles I. that Bridge had left two livings and a lectureship and had fled to Holland; and the king wrote against his name this bitter sentence: “We are well rid of him.” It was an expression worthy of a bigoted and worldly mind. Thus it appears that the reformation was not the work of kings or bishops, or the great and learned. The history of those times is the history of persecuting power in opposition to the progress of the Gospel—an opposition the more dreadful inasmuch as it was carried on under the pretence of doing service to religion.

The Reformed Church of England acknowledged the right of private judgment in theory, but ignored it in practice. The Puritans, on the other hand, carried it out to its legitimate consequences; and Milton, their great champion, advocated absolute freedom of thought and speech as the birthright of every man. No doubt Puritanism ran into some excesses of bigotry and intolerance, but it was an intolerant age. Puritanism, however, preserved civil and religious liberty and the right of private judgment, and perpetuated that right to all sects and classes of the nation. Puritanism has been charged with the sin of schism, but the early reformers were forced into it by persecution for conscientious scruples respecting points of doctrine and discipline. William Bridge, Asty, Allen, Cromwell, and Fynch, all were thrown out of their livings by the Act of Uniformity, and became Nonconformist ministers in Norwich. Without any conference the question put to them was, “Will you upon oath conform?” The answer was, “We cannot.” Immediate expulsion followed. Where, then, was the sin of schism? Their sin would have been in conformity. They would have proved to the world that they were mere hirelings, like the “Vicar of Bray,” who changed his religion to please the reigning sovereign of the day. Bridge, returning with some others to his native county, founded the first Independent church at Yarmouth about 1642. A year later the church at Norwich was formed into a distinct body. They met at first in a brew-house in St. Edmund’s, afterwards in the refectory over the cloisters in the convent formerly belonging to the Black Friars.

We shall now briefly advert to the rise of the Nonconformist religious denominations in this city, and quote a passage from a discourse by the Rev. A. Reed, delivered at the Old Meeting House, Norwich, on February 27th, 1842, on the occasion of the second centenary. He said,—

“There is no doubt that in or about 1641 many refugees returned to their homes in Norwich, Yarmouth, and other places. Those who returned to the two former localities had been united together in fellowship with the church at Rotterdam. They earnestly desired that, as they had been companions in suffering, they might not cease to form one church. The difficulty was where to fix the joint society. Norwich offered liberty and opportunity. But the proximity of Yarmouth to the sea was desirable for safety. Early in 1642 they met, probably in Norwich, to discuss the point; and agreed to send to Rotterdam for leave to gather in fellowship here. The assent reached them in the autumn, authorizing them to form a church at Norwich or other place. On November 23rd, 1642, they met to form a church. Most of the members’ names, twelve in all, we find afterwards attached to the Norwich covenant. They did not settle the question of place at this meeting. The Yarmouth church book records a resolution to fix the church at Norwich for the present. They met again for this purpose, and the brethren at Norwich, out of an earnest desire to finish the work of incorporating a church, yielded that the church meetings (i.e. ordinances and meetings for admission of members) should be for the present at Yarmouth. The church was to settle with all convenient speed where most liberty and opportunity appeared, and wherever the increase of the church was greatest; but none of them were required to remove their habitations at present. Soon after this agreement, however, the Norwich brethren find these concessions too inconvenient; they beg that the church may be settled at Norwich, and that the Yarmouth people would remove to the city. At length they consent reluctantly to part company, and a separate church is formed at Norwich. But the materials for the society already existed, and owing to these facts, the early date of 1642 appears to me to belong as much to us as to our sister society at Yarmouth.”

The records of the congregational church at Beccles contain information of much historic value to all the congregational churches in Norwich, Norfolk, and Suffolk, and from those records the following particulars are derived. On June 10th, 1644, the Church at Norwich in the Old Meeting House was regularly formed. Mr. Oxenbridge, assistant pastor at Yarmouth, and several of the Yarmouth brethren were present, when the covenant was adopted and signed afresh. On July 26th, 1647, Mr. Timothy Armitage was unanimously chosen pastor. The members were 32 in number.

After the death of Mr. Armitage, in 1655, Mr. Thomas Allen, M.A., gave up the station he held of “Preacher to the City” in January, 1656, to become pastor of the Old Meeting. During his long ministry of 17 years, the cause continued to flourish, the congregation being large. He died September 21, 1673.

On October 9th, 1675, Mr. John Cromwell was ordained pastor, and Mr. Robert Asty an assistant pastor. Mr. Asty was an ejected minister of Suffolk, an author, and a useful, devout preacher. Still the church grew, and was the centre of much good to the city and county, for many congregations were established in Norfolk and Suffolk, at Wymondham, North Walsham, Guestwick, Tunstead, Stalham, Edgefield, and other places.

Then followed, about 1685, Mr. Martin Fynch, who was an ejected clergyman of Totney, in Lincolnshire. An elaborate inscription yet remains on his tombstone, to record his worth and usefulness. He was carried to his grave on the shoulders of his deacons, amidst great lamentations of the whole church and congregation. About two or three years before his death, a handsome and spacious brick edifice was erected, which is the present Old Meeting House. In 1688, the Revolution promoted the cause of religious liberty. Many distinguished residents in the city now joined the nonconformists, and the resources of the society were increased by endowments left for the benefit of the poor, and other purposes.

Mr. John Stackhouse succeeded Mr. Fynch in 1690, and continued pastor for 17 years. Towards the close of his pastorate, the church began to suffer from its altered circumstances. It had become far too worldly for its spiritual welfare. The bonds of unity, so long preserved by Christian charity, grew weak. The members divided in reference to the choice of a co-pastor, and the dispute ran so high, that the minister and most of the congregation were actually driven out of their place of worship, and were obliged to fit up a meeting house in the ruins of the Black Friars’ convent. Mr. Stackhouse died without witnessing a reconciliation between the mutually offended parties.

Mr. Thomas Scott left the pastorate of the church of Hitchin, in Herts, and settled in Norwich in 1709. The two parties were reconciled under his ministry, and he returned to the Old Meeting House about 1717, under very favorable auspices. His son, Mr. Nichol Scott, became his assistant, and a most unhappy difference on a point of doctrine once more kindled the flame of discord. The son was dismissed in 1737, and numbers of his hearers left with him. For a time he lectured in the French Church, but finding little encouragement, he became a doctor of physic, and practised in the city. The father’s mind was so shattered by the dispute, that he became almost unfit for ministerial work. He died in 1746.

Mr. Scott was, in his latter years, assisted by Mr. Abraham Tozer, who now succeeded to the charge at Norwich. Dr. Doddridge assisted at his ordination, and Mr. Samuel Wood was chosen co-pastor with Mr. Tozer. On the removal of the latter to Exeter, Mr. Wood, afterwards Dr. Wood, held the pastoral office for twenty years. The church enjoyed, under his care, a season of prosperity and peace, and the meeting house was densely crowded. He died, November 2nd, 1767, much lamented.

Mr. Samuel Newton, who had been assistant preacher, was ordained pastor February 16th, 1768, and continued in the office fifty-six years. He gave the second list of the whole number of members, which had increased to 108. He had five assistants in succession. Mr. Hull was the last assistant, and on the death of Mr. Newton, June 29th, 1809, succeeded him in the pastoral office. The number of members increased to 112 in 1811, and to 156 in 1820. Mr. Hull officiated fourteen years, and then resigned in consequence of a disagreement with the deacons. He became a church clergyman and perpetual curate of St. Gregory’s in this city.

The Rev. Stephen Morell removed from Exeter and was chosen pastor in June 17th, 1824, and he died in October of the same year. The church next invited the services of the Rev. J. B. Innes, of Weymouth, in 1825, and being chosen pastor, he continued in the office twelve years. He died in April, 1837. He was greatly beloved by his personal friends, and his character and talents were held in general esteem.

The vacant office was next filled by the Rev. J. H. Godwin, who was ordained to it on December 6th, 1837. After fulfilling the pastoral duties for two years, he became resident tutor of Highbury College. The Rev. A. Reed was then invited to fill the office, and became pastor over a church of 190 members. He continued till 1855, and then removed to a wider sphere of labour. The Rev. John Hallett was invited in the following year, and is now the esteemed minister of the church. Mr. Hallett, in a recent contribution to the pages of the Evangelical Magazine on the history of the Old Meeting House, says:—

“The Rev. A. Reed, B.A., now of St. Leonard’s, was Mr. Godwin’s successor till 1855. Under his superintendence, bicentenary services, commemorating the foundation of the church, were held, which, judging from published and oral reports, must have been of a stirring and deeply interesting character. Spacious school-rooms were erected, and large day-schools established. Many still live in our midst who gratefully attest the faithfulness and success of Mr. Reed’s pastorate.

“In April, 1856, the writer was, he believes, divinely led to occupy the vacant post. For obvious reasons, the history of the last twelve years must remain untold. It may, however, be stated that the present pastor, like his predecessor, has had the privilege of celebrating a bicentenary. For reasons before assigned, it will probably be conceded that nowhere was it more proper that a bicentenary commemoration of the ejectment of 1662 should be held than in this Old Meeting House, and that a more fitting way of commemorating it could not be devised than that of enfranchising the building in which some of them laboured, and the ‘yard’ in which they sleep. This was accordingly done. The premises, which were leasehold, and the lease of which was nearly expired, were purchased and repaired at a large outlay, and then put in trust for the denomination. ‘Thus, for nearly two centuries, has the Lord preserved to Himself a worshipping people in this place. Thousands have found this ancient sanctuary the very ‘House of God,’ and, literally, ‘the gate of Heaven,’ and are now enjoying the full glory they anticipated here. And,’ adds my predecessor, with a thankfulness and faith in which I fully share, ‘still the waters flow strong and deep, and the banks are green with promise, and through future ages the brook shall not be dried up, but with purer, wider, stronger, and more fertilizing current, shall form one of those millennial streams wherewith the whole earth shall be watered as a fruitful garden of the Lord.’”

Mr. Martin Hood Wilkin, in his life of Joseph Kinghorn, gives the following account of the origin of the Baptist denomination. A General (Arminian) Baptist Church was formed in Norwich in 1686 by the learned and zealous Thomas Grantham. They purchased a part of the White Friars’ Priory in St. James’s, on the site of which they built the Meeting House now known as the Priory Yard Chapel. From this Church several members separated at a very early period and formed the Particular (Calvinistic) Baptist Church, over which Mr. Kinghorn afterwards presided. Of its history he has left a somewhat elaborate sketch in the notes of the last sermon he preached in the Meeting House, in St. Mary’s, before it was taken down in 1811. He says,

“Of the origin of this Church I find no record. The first date in our old Church book is 1691. In 1693, we find an account of admonition given to a brother who had, ‘for several years past,’ withdrawn himself from the Communion of the Church. * * * I find a statement of the sentiments of the Church in that time, entitled, ‘The several articles of our faith, in which with one accord we agree.’ Of the state of the Church I can say but little. A list of 55 members follows, which appears to have been the number at that time. Of their minister I can say still less, except that the second and third articles in the book are drawn up with that precision which marks the junction of talent and education, especially at a time when few had any claim to the advantages of a classical education. One of these is signed ‘Edward Williams, pastor.’ * * * * At this time our ancestors met for the worship of God in the ‘Granary,’ in St. Michael’s Coslany. Their baptisms were performed in the river. At one period, a friend had premises convenient, and in the memory of some now alive, they were used for that purpose; but such is the effect of habit, that the prejudice in favour of a mode so primitive continued some time after better conveniences were obtained. From this period nothing of importance is to be discovered till 1745. Then the premises which stood on this spot were purchased and the Meeting (house) was erected, which was nearly two-thirds the size of the present building. When it was finished I do not find, but from a private record I am informed, that Mr. Lindoe, who for many years was an honourable and valued deacon, was the first person baptised in this house, and this was on March 15th, 1746. From this period, for some time, the Church seems to have worn a flourishing appearance on the whole. They had a minister, Mr. John Stearne, who was evidently a superior man. He died in July, 1755. Rev. George Simson, M.A., from Cambridge, accepted a call from Mr. Stearne’s Church, went to Norwich, in 1758, continued there two or three years, and then removed to Warwick, where he had formerly been pastor, and where, weighed down by age and infirmities, he died suddenly in 1763. After this period there was an evident decline for some years, though to what extent I am not able to say. Afterwards there was an appearance of prosperity. In 1766 I find a list of members again, amounting to 59, the largest number hitherto met with, but alas! after that period, there was much to be lamented. There was the evil conduct of some, and a spirit of division in others, which all tended to mischief. * * * * But we are now approaching a period within the remembrance of many of you, in which it will be useless to attempt to trace the history of events which you know. Suffice it then, to say that causes already mentioned brought the Church and congregation down to a very low ebb, when Mr. David, whose name I have heard so many of you repeat with esteem and affection, first came here. On his ordination, the list of members that appeared in the Church book, and which included all the members as they stood at that time, was only 31; and now events took a turn. The short period of his life was distinguished by its utility. The Meeting House became too small for the congregation, and in 1783, it was enlarged to its present size.”

Such is Mr. Kinghorn’s account (condensed) of the early Baptist Churches. After a visit to the North, he returned to Norwich in July, 1789, and then commenced the long career of his ministry at St. Mary’s Chapel, though the invitation to the pastoral office was not received till some months afterwards. He rigidly adhered to what is called “strict communion” in his Church, admitting only those who had been immersed to the Lord’s supper; and on this point he maintained a long controversy with Mr. Robert Hall, of Bristol, who advocated “free communion” with all believers in a Work published in 1815. The Rev. J. Kinghorn was much esteemed by his numerous friends, including Mrs. Opie, J. J. Gurney, Esq., Rev. J. Alexander, Bishop Bathurst, Mr. W. Wilkin, Mr. W. Taylor, and others, of Norwich, and many more men of learning all over the country. He took rank among the Nonconformists with Mr. R. Hall of Bristol, Mr. Foster, the author of Essays on Decision of Character, Mr. Innes, and Mr. James A. Haldane, of Edinburgh.

The following Tributary Lines are by Mrs. Opie, on hearing it said that J. Kinghorn “was fit to die.”

“Hail! words of truth, that Christian comfort give!

But then the ‘fit to die,’ how fit to live!

To live a bright example to mankind,

‘Feet to the lame and eyesight to the blind!’

To lift the lamp, the word of God, on high;

To point to Calvary’s mount the sinner’s eye;

To tread the path the first Apostles trod,

And earn that precious name, ‘a man of God.’

He lived whom Christian hearts deplore,

And hence the grief—he lives for us no more.

But faith exulting joins the general cry,

He, fit to live, was greatly fit to die!”

Mr. Kinghorn was succeeded by the Rev. W. Brock, who was the esteemed pastor for many years, and is now the minister of Bloomsbury Chapel, London. He was followed by the present minister, the Rev. G. Gould.

The Calvinistic Methodists in Norwich seem to have been originated by Mr. James Wheatley, who came to the city about 1750, and preached at first in the open-air, on Tombland and the Castle Hill. Great excitement was produced, and a temporary building was soon erected, and called the Tabernacle. The site has been changed, but the name is still retained. The present Tabernacle was built in 1784.

The Wesleyan Methodists first appeared in Norwich in 1754, when the Revs. John and Charles Wesley visited the city, and the Rev. J. Wesley preached here for some time, and on leaving, appointed Mr. T. Oliver in his room. One of his successors was the Rev. R. Robinson, afterwards at Cambridge, who also preached for some time at the Tabernacle; and another was Dr. Adam Clarke, the learned Commentator, who was appointed in 1783, but left in 1785. Their first chapel was built in 1769, in Cherry Lane.

Before we proceed to chronicle the leading local events of the 18th century, it may not be altogether unprofitable to review briefly the social state of the city during some 300 or 400 years preceding. In doing this we may now and then have to advert to matters to which we have alluded already; but at the risk even of an occasional repetition, it will be worth while—in order to help our readers to appreciate subsequent improvements at their proper worth—to consider a little more minutely than we have yet done, the physical circumstances under which the citizens have lived in former centuries, and the various influences to which they have been subject.

A “Chapter of Horrors” might be written, descriptive of the plagues, pestilences, famines, floods, and fires, which devastated the city and county for 300 years. It would seem as if the darkness and gloom of the physical world corresponded at times with the superstitions and vices of the people. The dark ages were ages of terrible calamities, and England was then a terrible country to live in. Plagues and pestilences now and again desolated the whole land, and Norfolk and Norwich did not escape the ravages of diseases emphatically named the “Black Death.” Exaggerated accounts must have been given of the desolations caused by these various scourges, or else both city and county must have more than once lost the great part of their inhabitants.

Blomefield is responsible for very dark pictures indeed; but his statements, right or wrong, have been endorsed by later compilers of local history. We are told, by one writer, for instance, that:—

“In 1348, the plague, which had lately ravaged the greatest part of the known world, broke out in this city; wherein there died, according to the most credible accounts, within the space of twelve months, upwards of 57,000 persons, besides religious and beggars; and this will not appear very surprising, when we consider that in some places not one-fifth part of the people were left alive, and that Norwich was more populous at that time than it has ever been since. It then contained sixty churches, besides conventual ones, within the walls; and the large parishes of Heigham and Pockthorpe, and the large chapel of St. Mary Magdalene without them.”

Such is the astounding statement in a local history printed by John Crouse, in 1768. Where he got his “credible accounts” he does not say, and he moreover gives the statement of the Domesday Book, that in 1086, the city contained only 1565 burgesses; so that the population must have increased in 250 years to a most fabulous extent, for 57,000 persons to have died of the plague in 1348. In 1377, a census was taken of some large towns, and Norwich was then found to contain 5300 people. But in truth the number, 57,000, very probably applied to the whole diocese, for the same local history states:—

“This severe visitation was not confined to the city alone, but cruelly extended itself all over the diocese; so that in many monasteries and religious houses, there were scarce two out of twenty left alive. From the register book it appears that in the course of the year there were 863 institutions. The clergy dying so fast, that they were obliged to induct into livings numbers of youths who had but just received the tonsure.”

The register in question was, no doubt, one of the whole diocese.

In 1361 there happened a great dearth, attended by the plague; this was called the second pestilence. And on January 15th, in the same year, there arose so furious a storm of wind from the south west, as to throw down the tower of the cathedral, which falling on the choir demolished a great part of it. The storm raged violently for six or seven days, and was succeeded by a prodigious fall of rain, which occasioned incredible damage by inundations. Where the inundations occurred is not stated in the local history, but if in the city the damage must have been great indeed.

In 1369, the plague broke out afresh and carried off great numbers of people very suddenly. Yet in 1371, the citizens were commanded to furnish the king with a good barge, sufficiently equipped for war to serve against his enemies, the French and Spaniards. This does not indicate that the city had been almost depopulated only a few years before. Indeed, during all this time the citizens had been doing their best by legal contests to hinder Yarmouth being made a staple town, though they did not succeed.

About 1390 a great mortality broke out in the city, occasioned by the people eating unwholesome food; and this not so much from a scarcity of corn as of money to purchase it. The plague raged greatly in Norfolk and in many other counties, and was nearly equal in severity to the first great pestilence. So states the local narrative which we have just quoted; and yet, according to the census of 1377, as already stated, the population was only 5300! What reliance then can be placed on such accounts? The calamities recorded were, no doubt, sufficiently awful without the aid of exaggeration.

In 1578, the plague again broke out, and continued to rage nearly two years; destroying 2335 natives and 2482 strangers. During the infection, it was ordered that every person coming from an infected house, should carry in his hand a small wand two feet in length; and that no such person should appear at any court or public place, or be present at any sermon; and that the inscription, “Lord have mercy on us,” should be placed over the door of every infected house, and there remain until the house had been clear of the infection for one month at least.

In 1583, the plague broke out once more, and 800 or 900 persons died of it, chiefly “strangers;” and in 1588, the same disease again raged in the city, but not very violently. Notwithstanding all these awful visitations, no proper sanitary measures appear to have been adopted.

In 1593, there happened so great a drought, that many cattle perished for want of water; but it is stated that in the year following it scarcely ceased raining, day or night, from June 21st to the end of July.

In 1602, the plague again raged with almost unprecedented fury, there dying thereof 30,578 in London, and 3076 in Norwich. This visitation, moreover, was attended with so great a scarcity, that wheat sold for ten, rye for six, and barley for five shillings a bushel—a very high price in those days; and the poor in the city must then have been in a dreadful state of destitution. Again, in the summer of 1609, the city was visited by its former scourge, though but few died of it. The mayor received a letter from the privy council to keep up the ancient strictness and severity of lent, as if the poor had not fasted long enough!

In 1625, we find that something like sanitary measures were begun. On July 12th of that year, the mayor received a commission authorising the body corporate to levy a tax on all the inhabitants, to be applied towards scouring the ditches, and the removal of all nuisances in and about the city, the better to prevent the spreading of the plague which had lately broken out in Yarmouth, having been occasioned by the arrival there of some infected persons. These precautions not having the desired effect, the Black Tower, then on Butter Hills, was fitted up for the reception of the afflicted poor. In September, about 40 died in a week, and the plague raged till May, 1626, when it began to abate. As many as 1431 persons died while the disease continued.

In 1646, the plague again made its appearance in Norwich, but its effects were not very fatal. In 1665, however, it broke out once more, and made dreadful ravages; carrying off 2251 persons. During its continuance, at the instance of the County Magistrates, the Market was held in the Town Close, and the City was not quite cleared of the disease till the end of 1667. The Bishop then ordered September 19th to be observed as a day of general thanksgiving to God for His great mercy in putting a stop to the pestilence. All quite right and proper, but had there been more cleansing as well as praying, the city might not have suffered so severely. The Corporation had utterly and entirely ignored its chief duty in regard to all sanitary rules and regulations. There was scarcely an apology for a system of drainage, and never a sufficient supply of water. The poor people were cooped up in narrow yards, courts, and streets, and, on account of high prices, could seldom obtain wholesome food. They had a terrible revenge in these direful plagues, which destroyed the rich in their fine houses, as well as the poor in their hovels.

Some idea of the social state of the city during this period may be formed from a few gleanings from the City Records, from which it will appear, that from the 14th till the 18th century, though the authorities neglected to improve the sanitary condition of the city, they took great care to protect the people from frauds of brewers, traders, and manufacturers, who were at least strongly suspected of being addicted to dishonest practices. Mr. R. Fitch, of this city, has published some interesting notices of “Brewers’ Marks and Trade Regulations.” These are of great historical interest, and we therefore make no apology to our readers for reproducing the following extracts:—

“Scarcely a trade was exempt from these regulations, some of which were attended with espionage so peculiar and strict as to lead us to wonder why public opinion, although in those days admittedly weak, was not so far aroused as, by its own voice, to free the community from some of the petty, if not the heavier restrictions.

“Brewers, we discover, had especial symbols of their own, which they registered when licensed to follow their occupations, and it was also found that these marks were borne by successive followers of the same trade, until the business of succeeding firms became extinguished by the death or retirement of the last of a long line of brewers, and then only did the particular symbol fall into disuse.

“From the year 1606 to 1725, no less than fifty separate marks have been found in the City of Norwich, some of them being borne as symbolical of a particular brew-house, by eight or nine persons, who followed each other in one and the same occupation. These marks were noted in a variety of documents, belonging to the Corporation, one preserved in their muniment room. They appeared, for instance, in a ‘Brewer’s book,’ or the book of the ‘Clarke of the Market,’ and in books recording the proceeding of city courts and assemblies. The following extracts taken from the ‘Brewers’ Book’ relate to the government of all brewers’ houses and tippling houses, fully bearing out the opinion previously expressed as regards the strictness of the laws by which such places were regulated.

“‘The enquirie for Brewers to ye Booke of ye Clarke of ye Market, and is taken out of his booke:—

“‘Items, to be enquired of Ale brewers; whether they brewe their ale of anie maner of fustie, dustie, or wealved maulte, mixed or mingled with any hoppes, roson, chalke, or any other noisome or unwholesome corn or liquor.

“‘And yt they make noe rawe ale or long roping ale, keeping their Ale fixed, yt is to say, twelve pence highning and twelve pence lowning in a quarter of maulte. For when ye mace buy a quart of maulte for two shillings, then ye may sell a gallon of ye best ale for an halfe penny; three shillings, three farthings; foure shillings, foure farthings; five shillings, five farthings; six shillings, six farthings; seven shillings, seven farthings; eight shillings, eight farthings; nine shillings, nine farthings; and so forth and no further.

“‘And to sell a quarte of the best ale for a halfe penny, with measures true sized, and sealed according to the King’s standard, and doing the contrarie to be punished.

“Thus it appears that brewing was a very ancient business in this city in the 16th century, and the best ale was sold for a half penny per quart before the iniquitous malt-tax was imposed.

“The following are extracts from the statutes, &c.

“‘Statute 23, Henry 8. That no Brewer shall hence forth occupie ye misterie or craft of coupers, no make any barrells, &c., wherein they shall put their beer or ale. Penalty 3d. 4d. for every vessell.

“‘Every vessell to be made of seasonable wood, and marked with ye coupers’ mark, ye contents of every vessell for Beer, as above said or more.

“‘Coupers not to inhance ye prices of vessells, but keepe this rate, on forfeit of 3d. 4d. for every vessell, defective or enhanced, viz. Barrell for beer, ixd.; Kynderkyn, vd.; Ferkyn, iijd.; Ale Barrell, xvjd.; Kynderkyn, ixd.; Ferkyn, vd. Brewers not to put Beer or Ale to sale but in Barrells, &c., conteyning as above said. And to sell at such prices as affixed by ye Justices of ye Peace of ye County, or Maior, Sheriff, or other head officers of City, Borough, and Town Corporate, under forfeiture as above, under Beere brewers out of Clarke of Markets book, half to ye king, and half to him who will sue.’”

“No doubt other traders, as well as brewers and keepers of tippling houses, were regulated by corresponding laws. Indeed this appears from the records and orders in the books of the corporate assembly. In the 8th year of Edward IV., the mayor issued an order in the name of the king, that brewers were not to sell yeast, but to give it away to whoever wanted it, as it had been freely given away time out of mind. By the 4th and 5th of Philip and Mary, it was enacted that:—”

“No bere bruer to brewe nor sell to any typpler, or other person, any bere called doble doble bere, but only two sorts of bere, viz., best bere and small bere, upon forfeit of ye beer and cask.”

“According to the Brewers’ Assembly book, 30th July, 1657, the brewers agreed, by reason of 2/6 excise per barrel, that they would not sell any strong beer to any ale-house keeper, under 12/- per barrel of beer, and excise. It was also agreed in August, 1657, that ale-house keepers might sell one wine quart of strong beer for a penny. There were three sorts of beer of different prices, viz., 4/-, 6/-, and 10/- per barrel, beside excise. The brewers of beer petitioned strongly against the tax of 2/6 per barrel, as a great hardship and injustice. The names of 40 brewers are recorded in this city, from 1600 to 1725.”

“Brewers’ marks are entered as early as 1606, and as late as 1725. The mark, No. 1, John Boyce, was first borne by Henry Woodes, in 1606, and after him by five successive brewers, ending with this John Boyce, in 1725. As yet, the regulations relating to trade marks generally are very imperfectly known, leaving a wide field of research to those who desire further information. The same marks passed from one brewer to his successors, and they were held in all their integrity, till within a century and a half of our own time. It would be an important contribution to local history, if all the rules relating to trade could be collected and elucidated.”

The Reformation had now become an established fact in the Churches of England and Scotland; the glorious Revolution of 1688 had been accomplished; the civil wars were over, and the country enjoyed a long period of repose. Local events had, it is true, become of less importance, because less connected with general history; but the narrative will not be the less interesting to local readers. Walls and gates still surrounded the old city, and confined it within narrow limits. All the principal streets within the walls were now built. The population had increased to 28,000, the working classes being chiefly employed in textile manufactures, which were in great demand all over Europe. The operatives were well employed and well paid during the greater part of this century. It was, in short, a flourishing period in the history of Norwich, as regards its manufactures and its trade.

Queen Anne was proclaimed here on March 12th, 1701, and was crowned on April 3rd, 1702, with extraordinary exhibitions of joy. In this year, too, the art of printing, which had been for some time discontinued here, was revived, and Francis Burgess soon afterwards opened a printing office near the Red Well. In 1701, the first newspaper, called the Norwich Gazette, was published by Henry Cosgrove, he being assisted in the undertaking by the celebrated Edward Cave, the original planner and founder of the Gentleman’s Magazine, which was first published in 1731. The Gazette was subsequently enlarged, and called the Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette, published by Messrs. Stevenson and Matchett. The former gentleman was a learned antiquarian, and published “The Antiquities of Ely.”

In 1705, the Weavers’ Hall was broken open, and the books were destroyed, since which time the custom of sealing stuffs has been disused. What was the cause of the tumult does not appear.

In 1706, a great part of the city was laid under water by two violent floods, both of which happened in the month of November.

In 1711, the first act was passed for erecting workhouses, &c., in this city; by which it was provided—

“That from and after the first day of May, 1712, there shall be a corporation to continue for ever, within the said city of Norwich and county of the same, and liberties thereof, consisting of mayor, recorder, and steward, justices of the peace, sheriffs, and aldermen of the said city for the time being, and of thirty-two other persons of the most honest, discreet, and charitable inhabitants of the said city and county, in the four great wards of the said city, and the towns, and out parishes in the county of the said city, in such manner as is hereinafter expressed, and the said thirty-two persons shall be elected on the third day of May next ensuing, or within three days after, at an assembly of the said city, for that purpose to be held, by the votes of the mayor, sheriffs, citizens, and commonalty, in common council assembled, or of the major part of them present.”

Then follow the provisions of the act by which all the parishes in the city were incorporated for the relief of the poor. The Court of Guardians was constituted, and empowered to assess to the poor rates all lands, houses, tenements, tithes, stock, and personal estates. The assessment of stock and personal estate, as may be easily imagined, caused great dissatisfaction amongst the rate-payers possessed of property, and was abolished in 1827, when a new act was obtained which considerably altered the constitution of the court. This act was further amended by another passed in 1831, and that was superseded in 1863, by the act at this time in force.

In 1712, the steeple of the new Hall, now St. Andrew’s Hall, fell down and was never rebuilt.

In 1713, the Duke of Ormond was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk and Norwich, in the room of Lord Townshend.

George I. was proclaimed here on the 3rd of August, 1714, two days after Queen Anne died.

In 1714 a Bethel was built for the reception of poor lunatics by Mrs. Mary Chapman—one of the first charitable foundations in this country for those unhappy persons. In 1717 she endowed the same by her will, in which is the following pious clause:—

“Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to visit and afflict some of my nearest relations with lunacy, but has blessed me with the use of my reason and understanding; as a monument of my thankfulnesss for this invaluable mercy, I settle Bethel, &c., for this purpose.”

She was the widow of the Rev. Mr. Chapman, minister of St. Lawrence.

In 1715, in consequence of the rebellion in the north, an artillery company of 100 men was first raised in Norwich. William Hall, Esq., was their captain.

On January 8th of the same year, Sir Peter Seaman, an Alderman, died and left provision for binding out two poor city boys yearly. On December 17th of the same year, Thomas Hall, Esq., merchant, died. He founded a monthly sacramental lecture; bequeathed several legacies to charities, and left £100 for a gold chain to be worn by the Mayor of Norwich, and which is the same as is now worn by the deputy mayor. It weighs 23 ozs. 6 dwts. Mr. Hall was interred with great funeral pomp at St. George’s Colegate. His portrait was presented by John and Edward Taylor, Esqs., to the corporation, and was placed in the common council chamber, May, 1821.

An act was passed in 1722 for the better qualifying of the manufacturers of stuffs and yarns to act as magistrates, and for regulating the elections of such officers.

About this time another act was passed for clearing, deepening, extending, maintaining, and improving the haven and piers of Great Yarmouth, and for deepening the rivers flowing into the harbour; and also for preserving ships wintering in the haven from accidents by fire. For these purposes certain duties were to be paid for 21 years after Lady day, 1723, on all goods unladen in the haven of Yarmouth, or in the sea called Yarmouth roads. This act was very important to the navigation between Yarmouth and Norwich.

In 1724 the Sheriff’s Office was rebuilt, and the statue of Justice placed on the Guildhall. Alderman Norman died the same year, and left an estate in Norwich for charitable purposes.

About this time the society of “Free and Accepted Masons” appeared publicly in this city. Mr. Prideaux, son of the Rev. Dr. Prideaux, Dean of Norwich, author of “The Connection between the Old and New Testaments,” was the first Master here. Their lodge was at the Maid’s Head Inn. B. Bond Cabbell, Esq., has within the last few years bought the old Assembly Rooms in Theatre Street for the Order.

On September 28th, 1725, a petition was presented to the mayor and corporation, signed by the principal traders in Norwich, requesting the use of the New Hall in St. Andrew’s for an Exchange, which was immediately granted. On October 4th of the same year, the court, attended by nearly 200 gentlemen and principal tradesmen, came to the New Hall in St. Andrew’s, which was then opened and solemnly proclaimed to be an exchange, on which occasion the Recorder (Stephen Gardiner, Esq.) delivered the following address:—

“Gentlemen,—This place is now opened with an intent to promote traffic and commerce. Here, formerly, God was worshipped, though in a corrupt manner; and may the consideration of the sacred use this building has been put to so far influence all that shall resort hither, that nothing in the course of business may be here transacted but with great justice and honesty. I wish success to this undertaking, and the prosperity of the city in every respect.”

The hall continued open as an exchange only one year, and it was open every day in the week except Saturdays and Sundays, which proves that a considerable mercantile trade must have been carried on in the city at that time. Soon afterwards was begun the impolitic system of local taxation in trade, which has almost ruined Lynn and Yarmouth, and which greatly retarded the prosperity of Norwich. In 1725 the corporation obtained an act, which came into operation on May 1st, 1726, for levying tolls upon all goods or merchandise brought up the river higher than Thorpe Hall. The dues were to be applied towards rebuilding the walls and bridges, &c., but this was done to a very small extent.

On February 24th, 1726, in consequence of the proceedings of the Pretender, Charles Stuart, who endeavoured to secure the crown of England, a loyal address of the corporation was presented to King George I. by the city members. That monarch died at the palace of the Bishop of Osnaburgh, on his way to Hanover, on June 11th, 1727.

George II. and his Queen Caroline were crowned on October 11th, 1727, and there was a grand illumination and bonfire here in honour of the event.

In 1729 an act was passed for the better regulating the city elections, and for preserving the peace, good order, and government of the city; and at an assembly on the Guild eve, the mayor and aldermen of Norwich first sat in the council chamber, and the common council in their own room; for by that act a majority of each body was required to a corporate order, whilst, before it passed, the two bodies sat, debated, and voted together. In 1730, under this act, three nominees for each of the four great wards were first elected, who returned the remaining number of common councilmen, sixty in the whole.

In 1730, the Norwich Mercury was first issued by William Chase. It was afterwards published for many years by the late Mr. Richard Mackenzie Bacon and Mr. Kinnebrook. Mr. R. M. Bacon was the editor, and one of the most talented men who ever appeared in this city as a political writer and critic. He was the author of “The Elements of Vocal Science,” and other works.

At the quarterly assembly held in 1730, on St. Matthias’ day, 161 freemen were admitted and sworn, and afterwards it was reported by the committee, appointed for that purpose, that they had treated with St. George’s Company, who had agreed to resign their books, charters, and records, into the hands of the corporation, which was done accordingly, and the power of the company ceased. In consequence of this, the form of a procession was arranged for the Guild day instead of that formerly exhibited, by the St. George’s Company. It was further ordered that, for the future, every mayor shall be excused making a Guild breakfast, or holding any mayor’s feasts in May or August, as heretofore, and that, in lieu thereof, the new mayor shall make a feast, on the day on which he is sworn, at the New Hall, and there entertain the recorder, steward, sheriffs, justices, aldermen, and their ladles, and the common councilmen; and every mayor who makes such a feast shall be entitled to the sum of £100, to be paid by the chamberlain immediately after the said feast.

In 1732, Sherers’ Cross, commonly called Charing Cross, a neat ancient stone pillar, was taken down. The cross was so called from the sheermen or cloth cutters, who principally dwelt in this part of the city. The corner house, in the reign of Edward II., belonged to Christopher Shere-hill, or at Sherers’ hill. In the same year the old Market Cross was demolished, being sadly out of repair.

In 1733, July 11th, the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Walpole, of Houghton in Norfolk, was, in person, sworn a freeman of the corporation, and presented by the mayor with a copy of his freedom in a gold box.

In 1734, Sir Robert Walpole presented the city with a gilt mace, beautifully enchased, weighing 168 ounces. On the cup part are the arms of Sir Robert and of the city. A new damask gown was also bought by the corporation, to be worn by the Speaker on all public occasions.

On October 30th, 1739, being the king’s birthday, war was proclaimed here against Spain. The mayor and aldermen attended on horseback in their scarlet gowns, with the two sheriffs, who appeared for the first time in the gold chains given by Thomas Emerson, Esq., of London, a native of this city, to be worn by the sheriffs of Norwich for the time being. A portrait of him was placed in St. Andrew’s Hall at the expense of the corporation, and the honorary freedom of the city was afterwards presented to him.

In 1740, the cathedral was cleaned and repaired. It was again repaired and beautified in 1763, in Bishop Younge’s time; and in 1777 and 1780, two painted windows, representing the Transfiguration and the twelve Apostles (finely executed by the Lady of the late Dean Lloyd), were placed in the east end of the choir. Subsequently, these windows were removed to another part of the cathedral.

In 1741, April 4th, it was ordered by the corporation of Norwich, that no stranger should exercise any trade in the city more than six months without taking up his freedom.

In 1744, May 3rd, war was proclaimed here against France, by the mayor and corporation, on horseback.

In September, 1745, the magistrates and principal inhabitants associated in support of the government and in defence of the liberties of the land, in consequence of the rebellion in Scotland. An artillery company, of about 100 men, was raised in Norwich, and Lord Hobart appointed commander.

In 1746, October 9th, there was a general thanksgiving on the suppression of the Rebellion in Scotland. A magnificent arch was erected in Norwich Market Place, which, with the whole city, was illuminated.

In 1747, an act was passed for holding the county summer assizes and sessions in the city, till a new Shirehall could be built.

On February 7th, 1748, peace with France and Spain was proclaimed here, the mayor and corporation attending on horseback, preceded by a party of dragoons and the artillery company.

On October 22nd, 1751, a fire broke out, which destroyed the bridewell and several adjoining houses. That extraordinary man, “Peter, the Wild Youth,” was confined there at the time. When a child, he was lost in a wood in Germany, and was found, at the age of 12, naked and wild. This bridewell house was built about the year 1370, by Bartholomew Appleyard, whose son William was, in 1403, the first Mayor of Norwich. There are some fine arched vaults under the premises, and the wall next St. Andrew’s church, built with flint, is well worthy the observation of the curious.

An act was passed this year (1751) to open the Port of Yarmouth for the importation of wool and woollen yarn from Ireland, which was very beneficial to the city.

The number of houses and inhabitants, in the city precincts and hamlets, in 1752, was as follows:—7139 houses, 36,169 souls, being an increase of 7288 inhabitants since 1693, when the population was only 28,881.

In 1755, a table was drawn up settling the habits to be worn by the mayor and corporation at public meetings.

A slight shock of an earthquake was felt here on January 10th, 1756. On May 3rd of the same year, the freedom of the city was voted to the Right Hon. Wm. Pitt, and Henry B. Legge (the former being late secretary of state, and the latter, chancellor of the exchequer), for their conduct during their honourable but short administration. The freedom of the city, and thanks of the corporation, were also voted to Matthew Goss, Esq., for his present of the gold chain which has ever since been worn by the mayors. A public subscription was made for the poor, in consequence of the high price of wheat, and scarcity of work, and 12,000 persons in Norwich were supplied with household bread at half-price for some time.

On July 12th, 1756, the Earl of Orford put the act for the better regulating the Militia in execution. This act fixed the number of men to be raised for Norfolk and Norwich at 960, of which the city furnished 151.

On June 21st, 1759, there was a most violent storm here, some of the hailstones being two inches long, and weighing three-quarters of an ounce. On July 4th and 5th, the Norfolk Militia, commanded by Lord Orford, marched from Norwich to Portsmouth, and passed in review before His Majesty George II., at Kensington.

In digging under the rampart of the Castle Hill in 1760, two very curious bones were discovered, supposed by some to be amulets, which the Druids wore at their sacrifices.

In 1760, King George II. died at Kensington, on October 25th, and his grandson, George III. was proclaimed king, in Norwich, on the 29th, by the mayor and corporation, preceded by the four Norwich companies of militia, with flags, banners, and music. On September 22nd, 1761, the coronation of their Majesties was celebrated with great splendour in Norfolk, and in Norwich there was a general illumination, and a grand display of fireworks from a triumphal arch erected in the Market Place.

On October 27th, 1762, there was a sudden flood in the city, which laid near 300 houses and 8 parish churches under water. It rose 12 feet perpendicular in 24 hours, being 15 inches higher than St. Faith’s flood in 1696.

In 1763, January 3rd, John Spurrell, Esq., died, leaving £1355 to the corporation, the interest to be applied for the benefit of the poor in the Great Hospital, and for other charitable purposes. The Earl of Buckinghamshire, alderman Thomas Harvey, and Mr. Robert Page, gave £100 each to Doughty’s Hospital.

In the same year Sir Armine Wodehouse, Bart., gave a valuable volume to the corporation containing some old statutes, in which the prescriptive right of the corporation to its present legal name is supported. It had been the property of the Wodehouse family for 200 years. A vote of thanks was passed to Sir Armine Wodehouse for his present. He was a member of parliament for Norfolk from 1736 to 1768 (32 years), and died in 1777. His death was occasioned by a herring-bone sticking in his throat.

On January 7th, 1769, the church belonging to the Dutch congregation was opened for the poor of the workhouses. The poor continued to attend till the New Workhouse was built in Heigham, after which they attended divine service in the chapel there.

On November 19th, 1770, there was a great flood in Norwich, four inches higher than that of 1762. The sufferers were relieved, by a subscription, with money, coals, and bread. On December 19th, of the same year, there was a violent storm of wind and rain, such as had not been remembered since 1741. Happisburgh, Postwick, and Strumpshaw windmills were blown down, and much damage was done in the city and county; many ships with their crews were lost on the Norfolk coast. In the same year the following turnpike roads were made and opened, from St. Stephen’s Gates to Trowse, from St. Stephen’s Gates to Watton, from St. Benedict’s Gates to Swaffham, from Bishop Bridge to Caister near Yarmouth, and from Norwich to Dereham, Swaffham, and Mattishall.

On March 1st, 1771, the names of the streets and highways in the city were ordered to be fixed up for the first time; but this order appears to have been very imperfectly carried out. In the same year the foundation stone of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital was laid by Wm. Fellowes, Esq., who was a great promoter of that benevolent institution. It was erected by a public subscription in the city and county; and it was opened on July 11th, 1772, for out-patients; and on November 7th, in that year, for in-patients. It has been of great benefit to the poor, who have always been attended by the principal physicians and surgeons in the city.

In 1774, St. Andrew’s Hall underwent a complete alteration. The old gateway and wall next Bridge Street were taken down, part of the green yard was taken in, and the old city library room was rebuilt over the gateway, thus defacing all that part of the hall. At the last restoration the old city library room was pulled down, and a new porch was erected, with many other improvements.

In 1779, the new year was ushered in with a most terrible storm of wind and rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning. The lead on St. Andrew’s Church was rolled up, and great damage was done in several parts of the city. In October of this year, the navigation from Coltishall to Aylsham was completed for boats of thirteen tons burthen, at a cost of £6000. About this time smuggling was carried to a great height, even in broad day.

On January 20th, 1780, at a numerous meeting of citizens and county gentlemen, a petition was agreed to and signed, praying the house of commons to guard against all unnecessary expenditure, to abolish sinecure places and pensions, and to resist the increasing influence of the crown. A strong protest was afterwards signed against the proceedings of this meeting. Mr. Coke presented the petition. Armed associations were formed against the government at Yarmouth, Lynn, Holt, and other places.

On March 24th, 1783, manufactures of textile fabrics in the city being very prosperous, the pageant of the Golden Fleece, or what is called Bishop Blaize, was exhibited by the wool combers, in a style far surpassing all former processions of the kind in Norwich. The procession began to move at 10 a.m. from St. Martin’s at Oak, and thence passed through the principal streets of the city. On December 3rd, of the same year, the Black Friars’ Bridge was opened.

In January, 1784, the Amicable Society of Attorneys, in Norwich, was instituted. On May 1st, at an assembly of the corporation, the freedom of the city was voted to be presented to Mr. S. Harvey, Mr. Windham, and Mr. Pitt. On December 13th, the Norwich Public Library was first opened and located in the old library room, formerly over the entrance to St. Andrew’s Hall.

On March 25th, 1785, mail coaches, between Norwich and London, were established, performing a journey of 108 miles in fifteen hours, by which alteration in the post, letters arrived from London a day sooner. This was considered a great improvement. Subsequently, half a dozen stage coaches ran between Norwich and London daily. In July, after various ascents by several persons, Major (afterwards General) Money, at 4.25 p.m., ascended with a balloon from Quantrell’s gardens, and at 6 p.m. the car touched the surface of the sea. During five hours the major remained in this perilous situation, and at 11.30 p.m. was taken up by the Argus revenue cutter, eighteen miles off Southwold, bearing west by north, and he landed at Lowestoft on the following morning. On October 18th, of the same year, the “Friars’ Society for the Participation of Useful Knowledge” was instituted. This society first suggested the scheme of the association for the relief of decayed tradesmen, their widows, and orphans. With them also originated the Soup Charity in this city, and it was long supported and conducted by them, but of late years it has been a separate charity.

On April 26th, 1786, the Norwich and Norfolk Benevolent Medical Society was instituted. In May, an exact account of the inhabitants of Norwich was taken from house to house, and the population was ascertained to be 40,051 souls, exclusive of those living in the precincts of the Cathedral, being an increase of nearly 4000 since 1752. This entirely contradicts the statement of Mr. Arthur Young, in his Tour of England, published in 1770, to the effect that 72,000 persons were then employed in manufactures in this city.

On November 5th, 1788, the centenary of the glorious Revolution of 1688 was celebrated in this city and county by illuminations, bonfires, public dinners, &c., but more particularly at Holkham, where Mr. Coke, the late Earl of Leicester, gave a grand fête, ball, and supper, and a display of fireworks, &c. The citizens appear to have been more sensible then than they are now of the immense benefits they derived from that great change in the British constitution and government.

Next year (1789) a revolution broke out in France and astounded all Europe. It caused a mighty commotion and a general war, which lasted many years, and destroyed millions of men. Norwich, like every other city in England, was affected by it, and lost nearly all its foreign trade during the terrible conflict. On July 14th, the Revolution was commemorated by republicans at the Maid’s Head Inn, in this city. Among the toasts of the day after a dinner were “The Revolutionary Societies in England,” “The Rights of Man,” and “The Philosophers of France.” The Revolution, however, had not advanced very far in its atrocities when most people regarded it in a very different light, and associations were formed here against “Levellers” and “Revolutionists.”

On December 5th, 1792, the mayor, sheriffs, and seventeen aldermen of Norwich, pledged themselves to support the constitution of Kings, Lords, and Commons, as established in 1688. Meetings of the inhabitants were also held in this city, and in Yarmouth, Lynn, &c., and declarations of loyalty and attachment to the constitution were unanimously agreed to and signed; for men had begun to be alarmed by the “Reign of Terror” in France.

In 1793 a petition for parliamentary reform, signed by 3741 inhabitants of Norwich, was presented to the House of Commons by the Hon. H. Hobart, but was not received, it having been printed previous to presentation. This indicated a great advance in liberal opinions towards the end of the last century, chiefly amongst the Nonconformists, who had greatly increased in numbers, whilst the church was asleep. The vast expenditure in the long war against France caused a great increase in taxation.

On April 12th, 1794, a great county meeting was held at the Shirehall, to consider the exertions which should be made at that crisis for the internal defence and security of the kingdom. The High Sheriff, T. R. Dashwood, Esq., presided. The Honble. C. Townshend moved resolutions, supported by the Marquis Townshend, Lord Walsingham, Mr. Buxton, Mr. Windham, and Mr. Joddrell, for forming volunteer corps of cavalry, and for entering into subscriptions to maintain the same. Mr. Coke condemned the war in toto, and insisted that it might have been avoided, or at the least brought to a conclusion, by a negociation for peace, and he moved as an amendment:

“That it is our duty to refuse any private subscriptions for public purposes and unconstitutional benevolences.”

So much altercation and confusion ensued, that when the High Sheriff put the question, it was impossible to tell which party had the majority; and a division being deemed impracticable, the chairman proposed that such gentlemen as chose to subscribe would retire with him to the Grand Jury Room, which was agreed to. Nearly £6,000 was subscribed, and the amount was afterwards increased to £11,000!

On October 21st, 1795, a memorial was transmitted from the court of mayoralty of Norwich to the representatives of the city on the high prices of every necessary of life, requesting them to support such measures as might have a tendency to reduce them, and to facilitate the restoration of peace. Prices of corn and provisions had risen to an alarming height; wheat to 100s., barley to 30s., and oats to 30s. per quarter, and symptoms of rioting had in consequence appeared in Norwich market.

At a county meeting held on July 20th, 1796, in the Angel Inn (now the Royal Hotel) it was resolved to petition parliament for the removal of the Lent assizes from Thetford to Norwich, and a petition was presented accordingly. The bill brought for this object into the House of Commons was strongly opposed, and finally rejected; but afterwards the assizes were removed to the city, and have been held there ever since. This year the sum of £24,000 was collected for the maintenance of the poor in Norwich, while the population was under 40,000, or half the present number.

In 1797, February 14th, the Norwich Light Horse Volunteers were organized, of which John Harvey, Esq., was afterwards appointed captain and major. On February 22nd, the Norwich Loyal Military Association was formed, of which John Patteson, Esq., was appointed captain, and afterwards major; and R. J. Browne, C. Harvey, and A. Sieley, Esqs., were appointed captains. Military matters then occupied a great deal of the attention of the citizens.

On March 4th, intelligence was received here of the defeat of the Spanish fleet by Admiral Jervis, and served in some measure to dissipate the general gloom which at this time pervaded the public mind.

On April 25th, a great county meeting was held in the open air on the Castle Hill, and a petition was almost unanimously adopted, praying His Majesty to dismiss his ministers, as the most effectual means of reviving the national credit and restoring peace. This was moved by Mr. Fellowes, seconded by Mr. Rolfe, supported by Lord Albemarle, Mr. Coke, Mr. Mingay, Mr. Plumptre, Mr. Trafford, and others. On April 28th a counter county meeting was held, and an address to the king was adopted, expressing confidence in the ministry of the day.

On May 16th the citizens followed suit. At a numerously attended common hall a petition to His Majesty, praying him to dismiss his administration, was carried unanimously, with the exception of one spirited Tory, who had nearly fallen a victim to popular vengeance on the spot. A counter address of the citizens was afterwards signed and presented to the King, who must have been a good deal bothered at the time by such evidences of the violent agitation of his subjects.

On May 26th, attempts were made here to seduce the military from their allegiance; and on the following day the republican orator, Thelwall, arrived in this city, which caused a great commotion. On the 29th, a party of the Inniskilling Dragoons proceeded to his lecture room, opposite Gurney’s bank, drove out the persons assembled, destroyed the tribune and benches, and then attacked the Shakespear Tavern adjoining, in which a disturbance had taken place. After destroying the furniture and partly demolishing the house, and also breaking the windows and destroying the furniture of the Rose Tavern, in which they supposed the lecturer had concealed himself, the dragoons, on the appearance of their officers and the magistrates, retired to their barracks. Thelwall, in this affray, fortunately for him, escaped and fled to London. Davey, the landlord of the Shakespear Tavern, on being pursued by the soldiers, threw himself from the garret into the street, and was much injured. At the subsequent assizes, Luke Rice, a tailor of this city, was indicted capitally for aiding and abetting the soldiers in this outrage; but as the offence charged in the indictment did not come within the meaning of the statute, he was acquitted. He had, however, a very narrow escape. On June 1st of the same year, (1797) a mutiny broke out on board the fleet at Yarmouth, and several sail of the line hoisted the red flag of defiance.

In January, 1798, the sword of the Spanish Admiral Don Francisco Winthuysen, presented by Admiral Nelson to the corporation of Norwich, was placed in the Council Chamber of the Guildhall, with an appropriate device and inscription.

On February 28th, at a general meeting of the inhabitants of this city, more than £2,200 were immediately subscribed as voluntary contributions towards the defence of the kingdom. In a few weeks afterwards, the whole subscription amounted to more than £8000, a proof of the loyalty as well as liberality of the well-to-do citizens. In May, the following Loyal Volunteer Corps were formed for the purpose of preserving internal tranquillity, and supporting the police of this city, viz., the Mancroft Volunteers, Capt. John Browne; St. Stephen’s Volunteers, Capt. Hardy; St. Peter per Mountergate, &c., Capt. Herring; St. Saviour’s and St. Clement’s, Capt. Fiske; St. Andrew’s, Capt. T. A. Murray.

On June 19th, the Norwich Light Horse Volunteers and Loyal Military Association attended J. Browne, Esq., to the cathedral, previous to his being sworn into the office of mayor; afterwards the Association fired a feu de joie in the Market Place.

On October 11th, at a meeting of the wealthy inhabitants of the city, a subscription was entered into for the relief of the orphans of those brave seamen who fell on August 1st in the ever memorable battle of the Nile; and on the 24th of the same month, at a special assembly of the corporation, an address of congratulation was adopted to his Majesty on the late victory; and it was agreed that a request should be made to Lord Nelson to sit for his portrait, to be placed in St. Andrew’s Hall. His Lordship assented and the portrait was painted by Beechey and placed in the hall, where it may still be seen.

November 29th was appointed as a day of a public thanksgiving for the late naval victories, and was celebrated as such in Norwich with the greatest festivity. In the morning the mayor and corporation, accompanied by the Light Horse Volunteers and the Parochial Associations, attended divine service at the cathedral, where an excellent sermon was preached by the Rev. T. F. Middleton, afterwards Bishop of Calcutta. The sword, taken by Lord Nelson was borne in the procession. On their return to the Market Place there was a feast, and in the evening an illumination.

In 1799, October 28th, the Guards and several other regiments, to the number of 25,000 cavalry and infantry, landed at Yarmouth from Holland. Next night the Grenadier Brigade of Guards, commanded by Col. Wynward, marched into Norwich by torchlight, and were soon afterwards followed by upwards of 20,000 more troops. Through the exertions of John Herring, Esq., mayor, and the attention of the citizens in general, these brave men received every accommodation that their situation demanded. The mayor soon afterwards received a letter from the Duke of Portland expressive of the high appreciation by the government of the mayor’s loyalty and activity on this occasion, and of the humanity of the citizens who supplied the wants of the soldiers. The mayor was afterwards presented to his Majesty at St. James’, and offered the honour of knighthood, which he declined. The Duke of York, Prince William of Gloucester, and several other officers employed in this unsuccessful expedition, also passed through the city on their way to London. The sum of £18,000 was raised this year for the maintenance of the poor of the city.

On January 23rd, 1800, John Herring, Esq., then mayor, summoned a general meeting of the inhabitants at the Guildhall, to consider the propriety of applying to parliament for an act for the better paving, lighting, and watching of the city, for removing and preventing annoyances and obstructions, and for regulating hackney coaches. At this meeting a committee was appointed to consider the plan proposed, and to report to a future general meeting. This committee held several meetings, and at length made a report, which was laid before a general meeting of the citizens on March 3rd. The estimated cost of lighting, watching, paving, &c., was only £2770. The produce of the tolls was estimated at £1715, and of a rate of 6d. in the pound at £3000; making the total receipts £4715, and leaving a balance of £1945 for the commencement of the work, which sum would have been increased by some annual payments. The general meeting adopted the report, and a petition was signed by most of the inhabitants of the city in favour of a bill to carry out the improvements. Unfortunately, however, the petition could not, from some unforeseen circumstances, be presented that session. The project was, for a time, postponed; but an act was obtained in 1806 to carry out the object, and commissioners were appointed for the purpose. This body consisted of the dean and prebend, the recorder, 28 members of the corporation, and 24 parochial commissioners, annually elected, in all 136. This heterogeneous body continued for about forty years, and after spending over £300,000, left Norwich the worst paved town in England, and also left a debt of £17,000, which still remains as a legacy to the city!

Before the end of the 18th century, various improvements were made, among which may be mentioned, the demolition of the old gates, the widening and opening of several streets, and the erection of a new flour mill, worked by steam power, near Black Friars Bridge, for better supplying the people with flour. Still, large numbers of the poor appear to have been for a long time in a very destitute condition. Famines were of frequent occurrence, and riots often took place on account of the high prices of every kind of food. In 1720, on September 20th, a dangerous riot broke out, and rose to such a height, as to oblige the sheriffs to call in the aid of the Artillery Company, at whose approach the rioters instantly dispersed. Again, in 1740, riots occurred in several parts of the country, and in most of the towns in Norfolk. The magistrates of this city called the military to their aid, and six or seven lives were lost before the rioters could be quelled. Again, in 1766, in consequence of the great scarcity and advanced price of provisions of every sort, some dangerous riots broke out in several places. In this city the poor people collected on September 27th, about noon, and in the course of that day and the next, committed many outrages by attacking the houses of bakers, pulling down part of the New Mills, destroying large quantities of flour, and burning to the ground a large malthouse outside of Conisford gate. Every lenient measure was tried by the city magistrates to pacify the poor starving people, but to no effect. The magistrates therefore were compelled to repel force by force. On Sunday afternoon they, with the principal inhabitants, attacked the rioters with such vigour, while they were demolishing a house on Tombland, that they were dispersed. About thirty of the ringleaders were taken and tried, and eight of them were sentenced to death, but only two were executed. They suffered the extreme penalty on January 10th, 1767.

Strange as it may seem, Norwich was, at this time, in a more flourishing state as regards trade than it has ever since been known. Wages were not high, but employment was universal. On April 25th, 1796, fine flour having risen to 70s. a sack, a mob attacked several bakers’ shops in the city. The magistrates and inhabitants assembled and proceeded to the places against which the attacks of the populace were directed, but the mob did not disperse till after the riot act had been read and three persons apprehended. On May 17th, a dreadful affray took place near Bishop Bridge, between the soldiers of the Northumberland and Warwickshire regiments of Militia. Several were terribly bruised and others wounded with bayonets before their officers could part them. Education was, at this time, at a very low ebb, and the clergy neglected the poor. Few schools were yet opened for their children, who grew up in ignorance and vice. Working-men spent their hard-earned money in drunkenness, or indulged in the most brutal sports, such as prize-fighting or cock-fighting. They were also demoralised by bribery and treating at contested elections. In fact, ward elections were so frequent that the city was kept in a perpetual state of agitation and turmoil. We can now form no notion of the misery, poverty, and vice, which these local elections inflicted on the city. It was often said that a single ward election did more harm than all the sermons in all the churches and chapels did good. These local contests at length prevented capital being employed in manufacturers, and made politics the first object of all the influential citizens, who, if they were not, strove to become, members of the old corporation, not from any consideration of public duty, not to promote the welfare of the citizens, but to serve their own political or personal interests. There is abundant evidence that the prosperity of the city, and private friendships, were alike poisoned by the party spirit, engendered by frequent ward elections; at the same time the moral character of the whole working population was greatly deteriorated, and the working classes themselves greatly depraved.

During this 18th century the Nonconformists became very numerous and powerful in the city and county. Methodism imparted a healthful stimulus to the revival of religion. It aroused the church and all denominations. Besides the very flourishing bodies of Wesleyans and Baptists, the Independents made great progress. Within two centuries, in place of one, several chapels arose; and throughout all England, few towns exhibited a greater increase of Nonconformists than Norwich. We have already given an account of their rise and progress in the 17th century, but we have not yet noticed the Unitarians. A history of the Octagon chapel in Norwich, by Mr. John Taylor, formerly of this city, and continued by his son, Mr. Edward Taylor, contains a full account of the rise and progress of the Unitarians here. They were at first called Presbyterians, but that name was inappropriate, as they never had the Presbyterian polity nor doctrine. Mr. John Taylor says, the first Presbyterian chapel was built in 1687, on a piece of ground, formerly part of the great garden or orchard, “sometime belonging to the prior and convent of the late friars’ preachers,” of whose deserted walls the Dissenters took possession. The building was so constructed that it might be converted into dwelling houses in case their preachers were compelled to abandon it.

Blomefield, in his History of the City, says:—

“In 1687, the Presbyterians built a meeting house from the ground, over against the Black Boys; and at the same time the Independents repaired a house in St. Edmund’s formerly a brew house.”

After the passing of the Toleration Act, in 1689, this meeting house, which, had not been long finished, was duly licensed. Dr. Collinges, a learned Presbyterian minister, was the first pastor appointed to preach by the congregation. He had a considerable hand in the “Annotations to the Bible,” which were begun and carried on by Mr. Matthew Poole, and which go under his name.

Dr. Collinges died in January, 1690, and was probably succeeded soon after by Mr. Josiah Chorley, who was not a native of Norwich, but came from Lancashire. He officiated about thirty years, and was succeeded by the Rev. Peter Finch, a highly esteemed preacher for many years. After he died his funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Taylor, who said:—

“Surely the character of Mr. Finch, drawn out so even and clear without any remarkable spot or flaw, through the long course of sixty-three years in this city, must be deserving of remembrance and imitation, since it must be the result of a steady integrity and solid wisdom.”

The Rev. Mr. Finch was one of the first pupils who entered into the first dissenting academy, erected after the Reformation, by the Rev. Mr. Frankland; and he survived almost all the 300 gentlemen who, in the space of thirty years, were educated in that academy. He died October 6th, 1754, on his 93rd birthday, and was buried in St. Peter’s Church, in this city. His descendents were residents here till 1847. His son was many years clerk of the peace for the county of Norfolk.

Mr. John Brooke was invited to take his place towards the end of the year 1718. This minister was born in or near Yarmouth, where some of his descendants have generally resided. He resigned in 1733, and removed to York, where he died. Dr. John Taylor was elected to the vacant office in 1733, and continued till 1757, when he resigned. He was the author of many works of a religious character. In 1753 the old chapel was pulled down, and a subscription was raised of nearly £4000 for a new one. The first stone of the new building was laid on February 25th, 1754, by Dr. Taylor; and within three years the present elegant chapel was completed at a cost of £5174.

Mr. Samuel Bourn, son of Mr. Bourn of Birmingham, was ordained co-pastor with Dr. John Taylor, and he published volumes of sermons which established his reputation in that kind of composition. He resigned in 1775, and retired to a village near Norwich. Several gentlemen, who afterwards attained considerable eminence in science, were brought up under Mr. Bourn’s ministry, viz., Sir James Edward Smith, so long president of the Linnean Society; Mr. Robert Woodhouse, the eminent mathematician and professor of astronomy at Cambridge; and Dr. Edward Maltby, afterwards bishop of Durham. Mr. Bourn removed to Norwich not many months before his death, and died in the 83rd year of his age; he was interred in the burying ground of the Octagon Chapel. Mr. Bourn was succeeded by the Rev. John Hoyle, who was minister for seventeen years. He died in the 51st year of his age, on November 29th, 1775, and was interred in the Octagon burying ground.

On December 15th, 1776, Mr. Alderson was chosen minister, and soon afterwards Mr. George Cadogan Morgan became co-pastor. He had been educated under the inspection of his uncle, the celebrated Dr. Richard Price, so that great expectations were formed of his abilities, and the congregation were not disappointed. He soon, however, resigned and went to Yarmouth; and in 1755, Dr. William Enfield was invited to become co-pastor with Mr. Alderson, and he accepted the office. In 1786, Mr. Alderson resigned; and in 1787 was succeeded by Mr. P. Houghton.

In 1784, Mr. P. M. Martineau projected the establishment of the Public Library at Norwich, in which he was cordially seconded by Dr. Enfield, who was one of the earliest presidents of an institution, which for the extent and variety of its catalogue surpasses most provincial libraries. In the early periods of the first French Revolution, a periodical work was established by the liberal party in Norwich, entitled “The Cabinet;” to which the principal contributors were Mr. John Pitchford, Mr. Wm. Youngman, Mr. Norgate, Mr. C. Marsh (afterwards M.P. for Retford), Mrs. Opie (then Miss Alderson), Mr. John Taylor, and Dr. Enfield. After publishing many learned works, Dr. Enfield died in the 57th year of his age, on November 3rd, 1797. After his death, three volumes of his sermons were published by subscription; and among the subscribers were persons of almost every sect in Norwich, from the cathedral prebendary to the independent minister. More than twenty beneficed clergymen’s names appear in the list, and it is very well known that Dr. Enfield’s sermons have been heard from many pulpits of the established church. Professor Taylor, late of Gresham college, thus wrote in a supplementary memoir:—

“With his dissenting brethren Dr. Enfield was always on the best terms, especially with Mr. Newton and Mr. Kinghorn, the ministers of the Independent and Baptist congregations. The Presbyterian congregation, comprising many individuals of station and influence in the city, took the lead in every movement of the dissenting body, who never appeared in a more united and honourable position than when Dr. Enfield was their acknowledged head. The state of society during his residence in Norwich, was eminently suited to his habits and tastes. Parr, Peel, Walker, Howes, and Smyth were his contemporaries. Parr was the head master of the grammar school, Potter was a prebendary of the Cathedral, and Porson was occasional resident at the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Hawes of Coltishall, a village a few miles from Norwich. Dr. Enfield was a welcome visitor at the bishop’s palace; for though Dr. Bagot had no political or religious sympathy with the minister of the Presbyterian congregation, he knew how to estimate his talents, his manners, and his admirable conversational powers. Among the residents in Norwich at this time, with whom Dr. Enfield associated, were Dr. Sayers, Mr. William Taylor, Mr. Hudson Gurney (afterwards M.P. for Newport and a vice-president of the Society of Antiquaries), Dr. Rigby, Dr. Lubbock, Sir James Edward Smith, the Rev. John Walker (an accomplished scholar and one of the minor canons of the Cathedral), Mrs. Opie (then Miss Alderson), Mr. Bruckner, the minister of the Dutch and French protestant congregations at Norwich, and others, who though unknown to the world as authors, were yet worthy associates in such a society.”

Dr. Enfield’s estimate of the character of society at Norwich, is thus expressed in a letter from Liverpool to Professor Taylor’s father:—

“You will easily imagine the pleasure I feel in enjoying the society of my old friends here, especially that of Mr. Roscoe and Dr. Currie; but with these and a few other exceptions, I find more congenial associates at Norwich. For a man of literary tastes and pursuits, I can truly say that I know of no town which offers so eligible a residence.”

Mr. Roscoe and Dr. Currie, referred to above, were then in high reputation in Liverpool.

The altered state of society in Norwich, about the end of the 18th century is thus depicted in a paper in the Monthly Magazine for March, 1808, under the title of “Fanaticism—a Vision,” which was generally attributed to the pen of Sir James Edward Smith:—

“You know the flourishing and happy state of this ancient city in the early part of your life, and particularly how peaceably and even harmoniously its inhabitants lived together on the score of religion. Christians of various denominations had each their churches, their chapels, or their meeting houses, and in the common intercourse of life all conducted themselves as brethren. The interests of humanity would even frequently bring them together on particular occasions to pay their devotions in the same temple. The bishop (Bathurst) treated as his children all who, though they disowned his spiritual authority, obeyed his Divine Master; while the Presbyterian, the Independent, the Catholic, and the Quaker, partook of his hospitality and repaid his benevolence with gratitude and respect. This state of society, worthy of real Christians, was broken up by those who wore that character only as a mask. A set of men, interested in promoting dissensions, by which villany and rapacity might profit, and in decrying those genuine fruits of religion, that salutary faith and pure morals, which by comparison shamed their own characters, after long in vain attempting to exalt blind belief in general, and their particular dogmas, in preference to a useful and virtuous life, but too successfully obtained their end. On all the great truths of revealed religion, honest men could never be long at variance. On disputable points they had learned a salutary forbearance, which enabled them, while they thought for themselves, to let others do the same. The only resources of those who wish to stir up religious animosity, is to bring forward something that no one can determine. The less mankind understand a subject, the more warmly do they debate and strive to enforce the belief of it.”

Among the eminent citizens of this century may be first mentioned the chief merchants and manufacturers, who were very intelligent, wealthy, and enterprising. They were also benevolent, and the founders of various charitable institutions. Many of them were Nonconformists, and active supporters of their chapels, while they carried on a great foreign trade. The correspondence which they had begun on the continent they extended in every direction. By sending their sons to be educated in Germany, Italy, and Spain, they cultivated a more familiar connection with those countries. Their travellers also were acquainted with various languages, and went all over Europe, exhibiting their pattern cards in every town on the continent. Norwich could then boast of rich, energetic, enterprising, and intelligent men, who made the city what it was in their day.

As it has been often stated by local historians that Norwich formerly contained a very large population, and as this statement is very generally believed, we may here correct the mistake by giving the returns, which show a very gradual, and very slow increase from the earliest period to the present time. The parochial returns show that in 1693 the population was only 28,881; in 1752 it had increased to 36,169; and in 1786 to 40,051. This was the greatest number up to the end of the last century. In 1801 it was 36,832, not including 6,000 recruits for the army, navy, and militia; making the total number 42,832. This indicates a very slow increase of population. The following are the returns for the present century: 1801, 36,832; 1811, 37,256; 1821, 50,288; 1831, 61,116; 1841, 62,294; 1851, 68,713; 1861, 74,414, being an increase of about 500 yearly. Norwich in 1752 contained only 7131 houses, and in 1801 8763, of which 1747 were returned as empty. In 1831 the number was 14,201, of which 13,132 were inhabited. Now the number is over 21,000, and the rateable value is £178,882.

We must now leave the stately march of history for a more broken and interrupted step. There is some difficulty in detailing the events of this period, for every reader is more or less acquainted with it, and has viewed it in relation to his own interests and prejudices. The records of facts are so voluminous, that every reader may think that there is something omitted, or misrepresented, or exaggerated. It is impossible, however, to mention every local occurrence which some one may think important, every accident, or fire, or crime, or every grand concert or entertainment. We have to deal with events more connected with general history; and we shall first state the more remarkable occurrences of a civil or municipal character, reserving political matters for a subsequent chapter. But in order to render our narrative of local events, and especially local elections, more intelligible, it will be necessary to give a brief account of the old corporation, whose proceedings occupy so large a part of our records.

This body claims a prescriptive origin. Certain privileges were granted to the city by the charters of different sovereigns, the first being that of Henry I., which was annulled and again renewed by Stephen. The particular privileges conceded by it cannot now be ascertained. The next charter is that of the 5th Henry II., but this is only confirmatory of former grants, and the original is still preserved in the Guildhall. One granted by Richard I. contains some estimable clauses. The most prominent are, that no citizen shall be forced to answer any plea or action in any but the city courts, except for those concerning possessions out of the city; that the citizens should have acquittance of murder, which is equivalent to granting them a coroner; that they should not be forced to duel, that is, should be exempt from the general law which was then in force, of deciding causes by single combat; that they should be free from toll throughout all England; and that they should have other liberties, all highly important, and no doubt justly appreciated by the citizens of that period. King John’s charter is similar to the preceding, and that of Henry II., with the addition that all persons living in the city, and participating in the liberties of the citizens, shall be talliated or taxed, and pay as the aforesaid citizens of Norwich do, when tollages and aid shall be laid upon them. It is probable that the principal authority was invested in bailiffs, instead of a provost, in 1223, as there is no evidence of the existence of such officers before that time.

Two deeds of Henry III., and several of succeeding kings, all either confirmed or enlarged the privileges granted to the city; but our attention is most attracted by the concessions of Henry IV., which established the constitution of a mayor, sheriffs, &c. The original charter is lost, but those of his son and more modern princes have sufficiently preserved the spirit of it. The charter of Henry V. made the extensive territory within the corporation limits a county of itself, excepting only the castle, which belonged to Norfolk. This territory was, by the boundary act, included for the purposes of representation. Twenty-five charters, the latest by James II., are known to have been granted, and probably others existed and have been lost. When the innovations, made in old establishments during the Commonwealth, were gradually reformed, the citizens petitioned for a renewal of their rights. The charter of 15th Charles II. was obtained, and under it the city was governed till the passing of the Municipal Reform Act. Most of the old charters were granted in consideration for sums of money given or lent to kings to enable them to carry on wars. Many of the charters were more injurious than beneficial to the city, as they created monopolies of one kind or other, or gave powers to the old corporation which were frequently abused. Those who wish to study those old documents more minutely may find them in Blomefield’s history.

The old corporation was more ornamental than useful to the city for 400 years. Under it the sanitary state of the city was so bad, the drainage of the city so defective, and the supply of water so insufficient, that plagues and pestilences, which carried off thousands of the citizens, were of frequent occurrence. Ward elections were so often contested, that bribery, treating, and intimidation, were quite common, and the corruption of the freemen and lower classes was universal. Physically and morally the city was for centuries in the worst possible condition. The ward elections were carried on with a spirit which was surpassed in no other place. They were considered as trials of strength between different parties; and if they happened at a period when a general election was anticipated, an enormous sum of money was spent in treating and bribery. Indeed, it has been asserted on good authority that no less a sum than £16,000 was wasted in the contest for a single ward in 1818! The city was divided into four great wards, each of which was subdivided into three small wards. The mayor was elected by the freemen on May 1st, and sworn into his office on the Guild day, which was always the Tuesday before Midsummer day. He was chosen from the aldermen, and afterwards he was a magistrate for life. One of the sheriffs was chosen by the court of aldermen, the other by the freemen on the last Tuesday in August. The twenty-four aldermen were chosen for the twelve smaller wards, two for each ward, whose office was to keep the peace in their several divisions. When anyone of them died, the freemen of that great ward in which the lesser ward was included, for which he was to serve, elected another in his place within five days. The common councilmen were elected by the freemen dwelling in each of the four great wards separately; for Conisford great ward on the Monday; Mancroft on the Tuesday; Wymer on the Wednesday; and the Northern ward on the Thursday in Passion week, thence called “cleansing” week. They chose a speaker yearly, who was called speaker of the commons. The old freemen therefore formed the whole of the local constituency for municipal purposes.

Memoirs are often the best sources of information respecting public matters, as they let us behind the scenes and show us what the actors really thought and did. A good memoir of the late Professor Taylor, which appeared in the Norfolk News, of March 28th and April 4th, 1863, contained the following, “So far back as 1808 we find Mr. Taylor recording that he was ‘elected a common councilman for the fourth time.’” He also states that the contest for nominees in the Long ward was “the severest ever remembered.” Few people now-a-days could realize the import of those few words. Few understand how much was implied by the once common phrase “a battle for the Long ward.” The combatants would have scorned such mealy-mouthed appellations, as “conservative” and “liberal,” or indeed any name but that of the colors under which they fought. They were “blue-and-whites,” or “orange-and-purples;” the former being what would now be called the “liberal,” and the latter the “conservative,” party. To be a blue-and-white or an orange-and-purple, was to be an angel or a devil, as the case might be; the angels being of course those of your own side, to whichever you belonged. Great was the potency of colors: though not supposed to be worn at municipal elections, they were a rallying cry, and they were always at hand to be flouted, like a red rag at a turkey, in the face of the enemy. Even housemaids and children concealed them about their persons, in readiness to show them slyly from some window, both to encourage their friends and exasperate their enemies, whenever a procession passed. Great were the preparations for the contest. A sort of civic press-gang prowled the streets by night for the purpose of “cooping chickens,” which, being done into English, means carrying men off by force, and keeping them drunk and in confinement, so that if they could not be got to vote “for” it would be impossible for them to vote “against.” If they could not be safely secured in the city, they were “cribbed, cabined, and confined” in wherries on the river, or the broads, or even taken to Yarmouth and carried out to sea. When the day of battle came, great was the shouting, the drinking, the betting, the bribing, and the fighting, till the longest purse contrived to win the day. Of course, the dirty work was done by dirty men. But leading men on both sides were so used to see this sort of thing, that they considered it only as a necessary part and parcel of an election. It was regarded rather as a limb which could not be safely severed from the body, than as a shabby coat which disgraced the wearer. Besides, palliating rhetoric was not absent. Better do a little evil than surrender a cause essential to the welfare of the state! “What we did,” we honest orange-and-purples, or we pure blue-and-whites, “was done in mere self-defence.”

1801. January 1st, 1801, being the first day of the nineteenth century, and the day on which the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took place, the 13th Regiment of Light Dragoons dismounted, and the Militia fired a feu de joie in the Market Place.

January 3rd. The old Theatre (built in 1757) was re-opened after extensive improvements. The alterations were executed after the designs of William Wilkins, Esq., the patentee. This theatre was formerly a good school for young actors, and many promising performers have first appeared on these boards. Of late, operatic performances appear to be most in favour with the gentry.

February 24th. Charles Harvey, Esq., the steward, was unanimously elected Recorder of Norwich, vice Henry Partridge, Esq., resigned.

April 4th. Mrs. Lloyd, widow of the Rev. Dean Lloyd, died at Cambridge, aged 79. This lady painted the Transfiguration, and other figures in the eastern windows of the Cathedral.

In April, the ward elections were the causes of great contention. In consequence of objections being made to the elections of two nominees of the Wymer ward, and three of the Northern ward, on the ground of their being ineligible under the corporation act, having omitted to receive the sacrament within a year previous to the election of the common council, the mayor did not make the returns till several days after the usual time. At a court held April 4th, after the objections had been fully heard by counsel, the recorder (Mr. Harvey) declared that the persons objected to who had the majority of votes, having omitted to come into court according to summons, were not duly elected, but as no regular notice had been given previous to the election, the candidates in the minority could not be returned. A new election for the above wards accordingly took place on May 25th and 26th.

June 16th. Jeremiah Ives, Esq., of Catton, was elected mayor a second time. There was no guild feast this year at St. Andrew’s Hall.

June 25th. An awful fire, which lasted two hours, broke out on the roof of the Cathedral, and in less than an hour, 45 feet of the leaded roof, towards the western end of the nave, were consumed. Some plumbers had been at work repairing the roof, and set fire to it either accidentally or intentionally. The damage was about £500. The Lord Bishop (Dr. Sutton) was present, and distributed refreshment to the soldiers and people who assisted in arresting the progress of the conflagration.

1802. Peace was proclaimed throughout the city on May the 4th, in due form; and the mayor and corporation went in procession from the hall through the principal streets. There was a general illumination at night. At a quarterly assembly of the council, a congratulatory address to his majesty on the restoration of peace, was voted unanimously.

On May 21st, the city address was presented to the king, at the levee at St. James’ Palace, by Jeremiah Ives, Esq., Junr., the mayor, and Sir Roger Kerrison.

On May 29th, a county meeting was held, when a similar address was adopted.

October 4th to 7th. A grand musical festival was held in Norwich, under the direction of Messrs. Beckwith and Sharp of this city, and Mr. Ashley of London. Mrs. Billington, Mr. Bartleman, and Mr. Braham, were the principal performers.

October 21st. There was a severe contest for the election of an alderman in the great northern ward, in the room of Francis Colombine, Esq., resigned. The numbers were—for E. Rigby, Esq., 261; Jonathan Davey, Esq., 259.

1803. February 8th. At a full meeting held at the Guildhall, a committee was appointed to prepare a bill to be laid before a future meeting, for better paving, lighting, watching, and cleansing the city. A petition to the house of commons for leave to bring in a bill, was afterwards presented, but it was strongly opposed as not being then expedient. An act was, however, ultimately carried.

March 7th. At a special assembly of the corporation, an address of congratulation was adopted, to be presented to his majesty, on the providential discovery of the late traitorous conspiracy against his royal person and government, entered into by Colonel Despard and six other persons, who were executed on the top of the New Surrey prison, in Horsemonger Lane. The high sheriff and grand jury of Norfolk, at Thetford, also voted an address of congratulation to the king, and a similar address was adopted at a county meeting held at the Shirehall.

March 21st. The portrait of Captain John Harvey, of the Norwich Light Horse volunteers, painted by Mr. Opie, at the request of the troop, was placed in St. Andrew’s Hall.

April 27th. A public dispensary was established in Norwich, and has been a great benefit to the poor people of the city.

August 16th. France having again threatened to invade this kingdom, a meeting of the inhabitants of the city was held at the Guildhall, for the purpose of forming a regiment of volunteer infantry under the regulations of the Acts for the defence of the realm, when resolutions to that effect were adopted, and upwards of £6400 subscribed, and 1400 citizens enrolled themselves under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Harvey. A rifle corps was also formed, of which R. M. Bacon, Esq., then editor of the Mercury, was appointed Captain. Both parties manifested the greatest enthusiasm, but fortunately the services of the local warriors were not required. On September 29th, a new telegraph was erected on the top of Norwich Castle, to communicate with Strumpshaw Mill, Filby Church, and Yarmouth, so as to give notice of any danger. In October, the Norfolk and Norwich volunteer regiments agreed to perform permanent duty at Yarmouth in case of invasion, and many of them were stationed in the port during the succeeding two months. The victory of the Norfolk hero, Lord Nelson, at Trafalgar in 1805, discouraged Napoleon I., and he relinquished his intention to invade this land of freedom. In July 1806, the local militia act was passed, and many of the volunteers transferred their services to that body. The volunteer corps of Norwich and Norfolk were disbanded on March 24th, 1813. The West Norfolk militia returned to Norwich from Ireland, on May 11th, 1816, and were disembodied on June 17th in that year. A long peace of 40 years ensued, but the old trade of Norwich destroyed by the war, never revived. In January, 1817, upwards of £3000 were contributed to relieve the poor, many of whom were employed in making a new road to Carrow, and in other public works, the trade of the city being in a state of stagnation.

1804. January 18th. The city of Norwich Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, 600 strong, commanded by Lieut. Col. Harvey, received their colours. The banners, given by the mayor and corporation, were first consecrated in the Market Place, by the Rev. E. S. Thurlow, prebendary of Norwich, with a suitable address and prayer, and were afterwards presented by the mayor, John Morse, Esq., to the colonel in due form. The king’s and regimental standards were then delivered to the ensigns. The Artillery, under Capt. Fyers, stationed on the Castle Hill, fired salutes; the Regiment fired three vollies; and St. Peter’s bells rang merry peals.

June 1st. The city of Norwich (or 7th) Regiment of Norfolk Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Lieut. Colonel Harvey, entered on one month’s permanent duty in Norwich. The Regiment mustered 500 strong, exclusive of officers.

June 4th. The anniversary of His Majesty’s birthday was celebrated in Norwich by the grandest military spectacle ever witnessed here. Upwards of 1700 men of the Royal Artillery, 24th Regiment of Foot, and the Norwich Volunteer Corps, assembled on the Castle Hill and fired a feu de joie with fine effect. During this year the citizens were often entertained with military displays. June 18th, Major General Money was appointed to the staff of the eastern district; in which a force of 32,000 men was now fully completed for the reception of any invading enemy.

June 18th. The corporation granted the site of the Blackfriars, in St. Andrew’s, to the court of guardians, for 200 years at their old rent for the purpose of improving the same, and repairing the Old Workhouse for the poor, the plan of erecting a New Workhouse having been abandoned. Subsequently, large sums of money were wasted in repairing the old house, sufficient to build a new one, and ultimately it was found to be absolutely necessary to build a new house, which was done at a cost of £30,000.

1805. January 17th. At a public meeting held at the Guildhall, it was resolved to establish an hospital and school for the indigent blind, in Norwich and Norfolk. Towards the foundation of this admirable institution, Thomas Tawell, Esq., contributed a house and three and-a-half acres of land in Magdalen Street, valued at £1050. Mr. Tawell, who was unfortunately blind, introduced his humane proposal in an able speech, appealing for subscriptions. A large sum was at once subscribed. The hospital was opened on the 14th October following.

February 2nd. Dr. Charles Manners Sutton, bishop of Norwich, was nominated by the king, and chosen, February 12th, archbishop of Canterbury. On the 13th, His Grace arrived at the palace, Norwich, from London. On the 15th, the mayor and court of aldermen proceeded in state from the Guildhall to the Bishop’s Palace, where the recorder, Mr. Harvey, delivered an address of congratulation to the archbishop on his translation, to which His Grace returned a dignified answer. Next day, the clergy of Norwich waited on His Grace, when the Rev. Dr. Pretyman, prebendary, addressed the archbishop in an appropriate speech, to which His Grace made an impressive reply. On the 17th His Grace preached his farewell sermon in the Cathedral.

February 24th. The clergy of Norwich having intimated an intention of applying to Parliament for an increase of their incomes, then very small, by assessment, the council, at a quarterly assembly, resolved to oppose the application; the citizens, in vestry meetings, being unanimous against the measure, which was never carried out.

March 18th. Dr. Henry Bathurst (one of the prebendaries of Durham) was elected bishop of Norwich by the dean and chapter. He soon made himself universally beloved by the clergy and the citizens. Professor Taylor gave the following account of the late and also of the newly appointed bishop:—

“In 1805, Dr. Bathurst succeeded Dr. Sutton as bishop of Norwich. The latter, who had been translated to the See of Canterbury, was a man of polished manners, extravagant habits, and courtier-like address. He was too polite to quarrel with anybody and too prudent to provoke controversy. He neither felt nor affected to feel any horror of Unitarians. He invited them to his table, and at the request of the mayor, he preached a charity sermon at St. George’s Colegate, knowing that my father had been asked and had consented to write the hymns.”

“Dr. Bathurst removed from Durham to Norwich, and as he was a stranger in his new residence, never having taken any prominent part as a public man, little expectation was excited as to his future conduct. He was known to owe his elevation to his relation, Lord Bathurst; and it was generally taken for granted that his views on public affairs were similar to those of the administration of which that noble lord was a member. Curiosity led me to the Cathedral to hear the new bishop’s primary charge, and I soon found the spirit it breathed to resemble the benevolence that beamed from his countenance.”

“What the bishop preached he also practised. He never shrunk from appearing to be what he really was, nor while he received a dissenter in his study with politeness would he pass him unnoticed in the street. He was to be seen walking arm-in-arm with persons, of all persuasions, whom he respected, in the streets of Norwich. He was not afraid of shaking ‘brother Madge,’ as he called him, by the hand, nor of welcoming Unitarians to his table. What he was as a member of the house of peers, on all occasions in which the great principles of religious liberty were concerned, is well known. I have only here to speak of his conduct as a resident in Norwich.”

Sept 3rd. The committee of the court of guardians appointed to examine the poor rates of the city and hamlets, for the purpose of obtaining a more equal assessment, made their report, in which they stated that an increase of £16,000 stock and £1800 rent, calculating on the half rental only, might be made, and recommended a general survey and new valuation to be taken, in consequence of the great alteration which had taken place in property since 1786, when the previous survey was taken.

December 17th. There was a grand entertainment at the Assembly Rooms, in honour of Lord Nelson’s glorious victory off Cape Trafalgar; more than 450 ladies and gentlemen of the city and county were present. The rooms were decorated with transparencies and brilliantly illuminated for a grand ball and supper. The victory so celebrated, and which had been won on October 21st, was dearly purchased by the death of Viscount Nelson. The last order given before the action began, was by the newly-invented telegraph:—“England expects every man to do his duty.”

1806. January 9th. This day the great bells of the several churches in the city were tolled from twelve till two o’clock, it being the day on which the remains of the immortal Lord Nelson were interred under the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The body, after lying in state in the hall of Greenwich Hospital, was brought thence on January 8th by water to Whitehall stairs, and carried on a bier to the Admiralty Office, and deposited in the Captain’s room for the night. Next day the corpse was removed on a funeral car, drawn by six horses, to St. Paul’s. The Duke of York headed the procession, the grandest ever witnessed; 500 persons of distinction attended at the funeral.

February 24th. At a quarterly assembly of the corporation, a loyal address was unanimously adopted, to be presented to His Majesty, “expressive of their gratitude for the paternal affection which he has shown to his subjects, by waiving every consideration, but the public good, in the appointment of men of the first abilities in the country to the high offices of state!”

1807. March 4th. A committee of the House of Commons declared Mr. Windham and Mr. Coke not duly elected, and another election took place for two members for the county. Sir J. H. Astley, Bart., and Edward Coke, Esq., (of Derby) were returned without opposition. Mr. Windham afterwards took his seat for New Romney, and Mr. Coke was returned for Derby vice his brother, who had previously accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.

May 14th. The anniversary of the birthday of that illustrious statesman, the Right Hon. Wm. Windham, was celebrated at the Angel Inn (now Royal Hotel) by a large party of his numerous friends. William Smith, Esq., M.P., presided.

June 16th. Robert Herring, Esq., was sworn into the office of mayor of Norwich; and he afterwards gave a dinner to 150 gentlemen at Chapel-field house.

October 6th. The first meeting was held of the revived Norfolk Club at the Angel Inn, Norwich. Sir John Lombe, Bart., was in the chair. The Hon. Colonel Fitzroy, Mr. W. Smith, and Mr. Windham were also present.

1808. January. By the telegraph, orders from the Admiralty Office were received at Yarmouth, in 17 minutes. The chain of communication was by Strumpshaw, Thorpe Hills, Honingham, Carlton, and Harling, and from thence proceeded between Thetford and Bury, over Newmarket Heath to London.

Captain Manby’s invention for rescuing persons stranded on a lee shore, was approved by the Lords of the Admiralty. Parliament rewarded Captain Manby at different times with grants amounting to £6000, and adopted his apparatus at many parts of the coast.

July 29th. At a special assembly of the corporation of Norwich, an address to his majesty was agreed to unanimously, on the subject of the noble struggle of the patriots of Spain and Portugal against the Ruler of France, and of the generous aid given to their endeavours by the government.

1809. January. In consequence of Colonel Robert Harvey not being joined by a sufficient number of the Volunteers under his command to become a local Militia Battalion, he resigned the command of the Norwich Volunteer Regiment, and was succeeded by Colonel De Hague.

May 9th. The six Regiments of Norfolk Local Militia first assembled to perform 28 days’ exercise. They were stationed at Norwich, Yarmouth, Swaffham, and Lynn.

October 15th. The Norwich corn merchants demanded of the farmers a month’s credit, instead of paying ready money for their corn as heretofore, but it was resisted by the growers, and ultimately abandoned by the merchants.

November 2nd. After an interval of seven years, there was a grand musical festival here, combining oratorios at St. Peter’s Church, and concerts at the Theatre, under the direction of Mr. Beckwith, eldest son of the late Dr. Beckwith. Professor Hague, of Cambridge, led the band.

1810. January 20th. The disputes between the corn growers and buyers in the city and county, having been amicably adjusted, a reconciliation dinner took place at the Maid’s Head Inn. Amongst the toasts was, “Fair Play—ready money on both sides, or ready money on neither.”

February 4th. Died at Gunton, in his 77th year, the Rt. Hon. Harbord Lord Suffield. He represented Norwich from 1756 to 1786. He was much respected by his constituents.

April 26th. The first stone of the new bridge at Carrow was laid by the mayor, T. Back, Esq., in due form.

August 6th. The first stone of the Norwich Foundry Bridge was laid by Alderman Jonathan Davey, the projector of the undertaking.

September 27th. A contest took place for the office of alderman of the great Northern ward, in the room of John Herring, Esq., who died on the 23rd, aged 61. The poll closed as follows—for William Hankes, Esq., 258; N. Bolingbroke, Esq., 229. The former was declared duly elected.

December 8th. The Rev. Edward Valpy, B.D., was elected by the aldermen, master of the Free Grammar School, Norwich, in the room of the Rev. Dr. S. Forster, resigned. Under Mr. Valpy, the school attained great celebrity, and here Rajah Brooke and other eminent men were educated.

1811. January 15th. Mr. Thomas Roope was convicted at the sessions of having sent a challenge to Mr. Robert Alderson, Steward of the Corporation, to provoke him to fight a duel; and was sentenced to pay a fine of 40/- to the king, and to be imprisoned for one month.

June 29th. Mr. Thomas Roope was sentenced in the Court of King’s Bench, to be committed to the custody of the marshal for three months, and to find sureties afterwards, for a libel on Thomas Back, Esq., late mayor of Norwich.

August 6th. A portrait of Thomas Back, Esq., was placed in St. Andrew’s Hall. It was painted by Mr. Clover, a native of the city.

September 11th. A numerous meeting was held in St. Andrew’s Hall, with the mayor, J. H. Cole, Esq., in the chair, when the Norfolk and Norwich Auxiliary Bible Society was instituted. The Bishop of Norwich (who was present) was appointed president, and the three secretaries of the British and Foreign Bible Society also attended. Annual meetings have been held ever since.

1812. June 16th. Starling Day, Esq., was sworn in Mayor of Norwich for the second time; but in consequence of his advanced age and infirmities, there was no dinner in St. Andrew’s Hall, on the guild-day. Mr. Alderman Davey (who was one of the unsuccessful candidates for the office of mayor on May 1st and 2nd) gave a dinner under the trees adjoining his house at Eaton, to about 500 freemen of the liberal interest. Strange as it may seem now, contests often took place for the office of mayor, during the old corporation.

July 17th. At a meeting of noblemen, gentry, and clergy, held at the Shirehall, (Lord Viscount Primrose in the chair,) the Norfolk and Norwich Society for the education of the poor in the principles of the Church of England, was established. Upwards of £3000 was subscribed for the object. The Lord Bishop of Norwich was elected patron, and Lord Suffield, president.

1813. May 1st. A contested election for the office of Mayor of Norwich came on, and was not finished till next morning, when Alderman Davey and J. Harvey were returned as the two highest; but on May 3rd, an objection was made to Alderman J. Harvey, as being ineligible, from his not being a resident inhabitant of the city, as required by charter. Counsel’s opinion was obtained in favour of that objection, and another election took place on June 7th, when another contest ensued, and after a spirited poll the numbers were—for Alderman Leman, 797; Alderman Davey, 801. The Court of Aldermen elected the former gentleman.

July 4th. Great rejoicings took place here on the arrival of the news of the great victory obtained by the British army commanded by the Marquis of Wellington, over the French army, under Joseph Buonaparte, at Vittoria in Spain, on June 21st, when the enemy lost 151 pieces of cannon, 415 waggons, all his baggage, and many prisoners. The Marquis of Wellington was promoted to be a Field-Marshal. A form of prayer and thanksgiving for this victory was used in all the churches on August 1st.

1814. May 1st. An election took place for the office of Mayor of Norwich, and the contest lasted two days. Aldermen Back and Robberds being the highest on the poll, a scrutiny was demanded on behalf of Alderman Davey. The scrutiny commenced on the 12th, and continued till the 19th, when Alderman Davey declined proceeding further. Aldermen Robberds and Back were then returned to the Court of Aldermen, who elected J. W. Robberds, Esq., to serve the office of Mayor.

June 3rd. The Expedition coach being the first to arrive in Norwich with the news of the definitive treaty of peace, (signed at Paris on the 30th ult.,) was drawn by the people four times round the Market Place, and through the principal streets.

June 8th. The Newmarket mail arrived in Norwich with news of the Corn Importation Bill having been thrown out of the House of Commons by a majority of 10, and was dragged by the excited people for hours through the streets. At night a great bonfire was made.

June 27th. Peace with France was proclaimed. The mayor and corporation went in a procession of carriages from the Guildhall through the principal streets, preceded by trumpets, and accompanied by thousands of people.

July 7th. The thanksgiving day for the happy restoration of peace. The mayor and corporation attended divine service at the Cathedral. About 700 children from the church schools went in procession to St. Andrew’s Hall, where a plentiful dinner of roast beef and plum pudding was provided for them by the treasurers of the charity schools. The poor in their several parishes participated in the general joy, and were regaled with plentiful dinners, paid for by subscriptions.

1815. March 4th. The late Professor Taylor stood a contest, for the third time, for nominee of St. Peter’s Mancroft ward. Of course he was beaten, this being an orange-and-purple ward, but he polled 107 votes. However, he was soon afterwards elected a common councilman, without difficulty, in the Northern ward, where the blue-and-whites had always a large majority. This was on March 16th, and on May 3rd he was elected a member of the court of guardians. He took a very active part in local politics, and was the first man who ever reported and published the proceedings of the common council.

June 23rd. The glorious news was received in Norwich, with triumphant rejoicings, of the ever memorable victory obtained by the Duke of Wellington over the French army, commanded by Buonaparte in person, at Waterloo, near Brussels, on the 18th. Buonaparte fled to Paris, leaving upwards of 200 pieces of cannon in the hands of the allied armies.

June 27th. Rejoicings were renewed here on the news being received of the second abdication of Buonaparte, the immediate consequence of the grand victory of La Belle Alliance.

1816. January 18th. This day was appointed a thanksgiving day for the restoration of peace, and it was solemnly observed. The mayor and corporation of Norwich attended divine service at the Cathedral. Sermons were preached at the different places of worship, and collections were made for the poor.

January 25th. At the 51st anniversary of the Castle corporation, Thomas Back, Esq., alderman, presented two medals to be worn by the recorder and steward of the society. Each medal bore a good likeness of Mr. Pitt, on a beautiful cameo; the motto round which was Non Sibi sed Patriæ Vixit. On the reverse were the words, “Presented by Thomas Back, Junior, Esq., to the Castle Corporation, Norwich, in commemoration of the great victory of Waterloo, obtained on the 18th June, 1815, by the Allied Armies under the command of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington;” and around this was the motto, “In memory of the Right Hon. William Pitt; died the 23rd January, 1806, aged 47.”

January 29th. Died, aged 86, Robert Harvey, Esq., called the Father of the City of Norwich, for his great benevolence and liberality and promotion of trade.

February 20th. A numerous meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, with the mayor, J. H. Yallop, Esq., in the chair, when resolutions against the property tax, and a petition founded thereon, were passed unanimously. Similar petitions were sent from Lynn, Yarmouth, and other towns. County meetings were also held to petition against the tax.

March 29th. At a public meeting held at the Guildhall, Norwich, with the mayor in the chair, it was resolved to establish a bank for savings, where servants and others might deposit a portion of their earnings. It was opened on April 29th, and has continued to be very prosperous.

April 3rd. A meeting of merchants, manufacturers, and others, was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, John Harvey, Esq., presiding, when resolutions were passed to instruct the city members to watch and oppose the intended measure for allowing the exportation of wool free of all restrictions. This measure was for the time relinquished.

April 4th. At a public meeting held under the presidency of the mayor, a petition to parliament was adopted for the repeal of the Insolvent Debtors’ act as being injurious to trade and commerce. It was not repealed for a long time.

May 11th. The West Norfolk militia returned to Norwich from Ireland, and were disembodied on the 17th of June.

May 16th. A number of riotous persons, chiefly youths, broke into the New Mills, in Norwich, threw some of the flour into the mill pool, and committed several outrages on persons and dwellings before they dispersed. The pretext for the disturbance was the want of employment. They assembled again on the next evening, but were dispersed by the magistrates and military, and several of the rioters were taken into custody. Similar proceedings took place at Downham and other places in Norfolk.

June 17th. At a quarterly assembly of the corporation, an address of congratulation to the Prince Regent was voted, to be presented to his Royal Highness, on the occasion of the marriage of the Princess Charlotte of Wales, and Prince Leopold of Saxe Coburg. The address was presented by the city members. The marriage took place on May 2nd.

June 18th. This day being the anniversary of the glorious victory of Waterloo, the non-commissioned officers and privates of the First Royal Dragoons, and other soldiers quartered in Norwich, were treated with a handsome dinner in the cavalry riding school, several gentlemen having entered into a subscription for that purpose, the corporation adding the sum of £10. Robert Hawkes, Esq., first suggested the entertainment.

July 10th. An address of congratulation was voted by the court of mayoralty of Norwich, to be presented to the Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold on their marriage.

October 14th. A public meeting was held in St. Andrew’s Hall (Mr. Sheriff Bolingbroke in the chair), when certain resolutions, and a petition to parliament founded thereon, were agreed to. The petition was for the greatest possible retrenchment of the public expenditure, and for a Reform of the House of Commons. Thus early began the Reform movement, and it continued to extend all over the country. It became stronger and stronger, till at last it overcame all opposition.

1817. January 1st. At a public meeting in the Guildhall, with the mayor, William Hankes, Esq., presiding, a subscription was commenced to relieve the labouring poor, which amounted to £3050. The poor people were employed on works of public improvement, and were supplied with soup, &c. Upwards of £1000 was also raised at Yarmouth for the same laudable purpose, and 460 men were employed in forming roads to the Bath House, Jetty, &c. The committee in Norwich granted £270 to be expended for labour on cutting a road through Butter Hills to Carrow Bridge, which was effected in the course of the summer.

March 26th. The severest contest took place ever known for nominees of Wymer, or the Long ward, very few votes remaining unpolled. Some of the freemen came in post-chaises from Thetford to poll. The numbers were, Messrs. S. Mitchell, 306; J. Reynolds, 305; A. Thwaites, 292; Messrs. W. Foster, 297; R. Purland, 288; C. Higgen, 283. Mr. Foster was successful, having five votes above Mr. Thwaites, one of the old nominees.

April 4th. On Good Friday morning, Wright’s Norwich and Yarmouth steam packet had just started from the Foundry Bridge, when the boiler of the engine burst with a tremendous explosion, by which the vessel was blown to atoms, and of 22 persons on board, five men three women, and one child were instantly killed. Six women with fractured arms and legs were conveyed to the hospital, where one died. The remaining seven escaped without much injury. A subscription amounting to £350 was raised for the sufferers. Soon afterwards, a packet was introduced on the river, worked by four horses, as in a thrashing machine; the animals walking in a path 18 feet in diameter. The vessel was propelled from six to seven miles an hour, as wind and tide favoured. This packet did not long run, and steam packets were again introduced, which went from Norwich to Yarmouth daily.

September 26th. A meeting was held in St. Andrew’s Hall, when an auxiliary association to the London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews was established. The Lord Bishop of Norwich was appointed president. Annual meetings have been held ever since to promote the objects of the society.

December 3rd. At a special meeting of the corporation, two addresses of condolence, one to the Prince Regent, and the other to Prince Leopold, of Saxe Coburg, were voted, expressive of the grief of the citizens on the death of the Princess Charlotte.

1818. January 5th. The court of guardians having determined to proceed in the valuation of the property in the city and hamlets, Messrs. Rook, Athow, and Stannard were appointed to make such valuation. They were to be paid £850 for their trouble.

A repository was established in Norwich for the sale of articles of ingenuity, to increase the funds of the society for relieving the sick poor in Norwich. The first exhibition took place on Tombland fair day, at Mr. Noverre’s room.

March 11th. This year, the several wards in Norwich (except the Northern ward) were strongly contested, particularly the Wymer ward. After a spirited poll for nominees of the common council, the numbers were for Mr. Foster, 361; Mr. Higgen, 357; Mr. Purland, 355; Mr. Mitchell, 345; Mr. Culley, 340; Mr. Beckwith, 322. The liberal party at last obtained the ascendancy, but had to pay for it. The expenditure at this local contest was estimated at some thousands. From £15 to £40 were given for votes, and the freemen were brought in carriages from the country.

May 16th. This being Guild-day, Barnabas Leman, Esq., was sworn in mayor of Norwich for the second time. The corporation went in procession to the Cathedral, preceded by the Blue and White Clubs, the freemen wearing those colours in their hats, which was considered improper and ill-timed. Mr. William Smith, before the procession started, after recommending his friends to abstain from this display of party feeling on such a day, pulled his colours from his hat and put them in his pocket. It being quite a matter of taste, his example was not followed.

1819. This year some important meetings were held, and a good deal of political excitement prevailed in the city. Mr. E. Taylor was elected sheriff after a contest with Mr. T. S. Day. The former was evidently the popular candidate, the numbers being for Taylor 807, for Day 530. In acknowledging the honour which had been conferred upon him he said,—

“There are times, gentlemen, when the post of honour is the post of duty—times when it is the duty of every man to stand forward to maintain and uphold the laws of his country, and prevent them from being outraged. Such, gentlemen, are the present. Scenes have recently been exhibited in a distant part of this country which I blush to mention. The laws have there been outraged and trodden under foot, not by the people, but by the magistrates, whose duty it was to protect them. At Manchester we have seen a merciless soldiery, or rather, I should say, persons wearing red coats, and pretending to be soldiers, let loose to butcher men, women, and children in cold blood who were peaceably and legally met to discharge a duty which they owed to their country. The right of petitioning is a right which, till lately, we have enjoyed uninterruptedly, none daring to make us afraid; and where is the man who will tell me that these people did not legally and constitutionally meet? But, gentlemen, they have been treated in a manner so brutal and inhuman, that our history furnishes no parallel.”

He alluded to the “Peterloo Massacre” as it was then called, and which excited universal indignation throughout the country.

January 25th. The birthday of Mr. Fox was commemorated, by nearly 250 gentlemen, at the Assembly rooms. The earl of Albemarle presided, supported by Mr. Coke and Viscount Bury. The high sheriff was at the head of the right hand table, and Mr. Wm. Smith of the left. After dinner, speeches were delivered, setting forth the views of the Liberal party.

April 15th. A public meeting was held in St. Andrew’s Hall, when a petition to the House of Commons against the duty on coals (6s. 6d. per chaldron) was adopted by acclamation. R. H. Gurney, Esq., M.P., assured the meeting that he should support the prayer of the petition, and do everything in his power towards alleviating the burdens of his fellow-citizens. The tax was ultimately abolished.

April 22nd. The duke of Sussex arrived in Norwich and lodged at the house of William Foster, Esq., in Queen Street, where his royal highness was waited upon by the mayor and corporation. Mr. Steward Alderson, in an address of congratulation on his arrival, informed his royal highness that the whole body corporate had voted to him the freedom of the city, which the royal duke was pleased to accept, at the same time returning a dignified answer. On the next day a grand meeting of the Masonic brethren, 320 in number, was held in Chapel-field house. The large Assembly room was decorated in the most splendid style. At 10.30 a.m., the duke of Sussex (as grand master of England) installed Thomas Wm. Coke, Esq., M.P., as provincial grand master, with the accustomed Masonic ceremonies. His royal highness delivered an impressive charge, on investing Mr. Coke with the jewel, apron, and gloves. After this ceremony a procession was formed, every officer and member of the assembled lodges wearing his full masonic costume and jewels, and the banners were carried in the procession to the Cathedral. In the evening, there was a sumptuous banquet in St. Andrew’s Hall, at which the royal duke presided, supported by Mr. Coke and I. Ives, Esq., the deputy provincial grand master. About 254 persons dined, and many ladies were present to witness the festive scene. Toasts were proposed in right royal style, and duly responded to. Next day His Royal Highness was admitted to the honorary freedom of the city at the Guildhall, where he took the customary oaths. After visiting the exhibition of the Artists’ Society, the royal duke left Norwich about noon and proceeded to Holkham, paying a visit to Sir George Jerningham, at Cossey Hall, on his way thither.

May 28th. The anniversary of the birthday of the Rt. Hon. Wm. Pitt was commemorated at the Assembly rooms, Norwich, by a very numerous company of noblemen, gentlemen, and citizens.

June 4th. The anniversary of the birthday of the long afflicted sovereign, George III., who had entered on the eighty-second year of his age, was celebrated for the last time in Norwich, Yarmouth, Lynn, and other towns, with the accustomed demonstration of loyalty and attachment.

July 15th. Meetings were held in Norwich, and resolutions were passed, and petitions to parliament adopted, against the proposed additional duties on malt and on foreign wool. Petitions were also presented to parliament praying for an alteration in the corn laws, in consequence of the depressed state of agriculture.

September 16th. A public meeting was held in St. Andrew’s Hall, in order to take into consideration the late disastrous transactions at Manchester, on August 16th. The mayor, R. Bolingbroke, Esq., presided, when resolutions were adopted asserting the right of the subject to petition the king, and the legality of the late meeting at Manchester, censuring the conduct of the magistrates and yeomanry, and recommending a subscription for the relief of the sufferers. An address to the prince regent was agreed to for the removal of ministers from his presence and councils for ever. The address was afterwards presented by the city members.

October 18th. A public meeting was held by adjournment at the Guildhall to take into consideration the propriety of erecting a bridge over the river, near the Duke’s Palace, to connect Pitt Street with the Market Place. A proposition to that effect was negatived, but a bill for erecting the bridge was introduced into parliament and ultimately passed. Nearly £9,000 were proposed to be raised, by shares of £25 each, to complete the same. The bridge was built in course of time, and toll had to be paid for many years. By the exertions and influence of the late T. O. Springfield, Esq., the bridge was made a free thoroughfare, greatly to the convenience of the citizens.

1820. January 5th. At a special meeting of the Diocesan Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, held in Norwich, (the Lord Bishop presiding) resolutions were adopted to counteract the evil effects of infidel and blasphemous publications, by issuing tracts of the Parent Society at very reduced prices, and a subscription was entered into for that purpose.

January 24th. The anniversary of the birthday of the Right Hon. C. J. Fox was commemorated by a grand public dinner in St. Andrew’s Hall by 460 noblemen and gentlemen, amongst whom were the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Albemarle (who presided), Viscount Bury, Lord Molyneux, and many other leading gentlemen of the liberal party. The hall was handsomely decorated, and the names of Fox and Albemarle appeared in variegated lamps, and in a semi-circular transparency was that of Sussex, in letters of gold upon a ground of purple silk.

January 30th. A messenger from London brought to Lord and Lady Castlereagh (who were at Gunton Hall) the melancholy tidings of the death of King George III., which became known in Norwich on the following morning, when nearly all the shops were closed, and the bells of the churches were tolled for three hours. The king died on January 29th, in the 82nd year of his age, and the 60th of his troubled reign, during which long wars desolated Europe, doubled our national debt, and impoverished the country. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, (who was appointed regent on February 6th, 1811,) immediately ascended the throne. King George IV. was soon afterwards seriously indisposed with inflammation in the lungs, but happily recovered from the attack in the course of a week.

February 1st. King George IV. was proclaimed on the Castle Hill by the High Sheriff, Sir William Windham Dalling, Bart., amid the cheers of those assembled. On the same day His Majesty was proclaimed in the city in full form and with great rejoicings.

March 6th. A spirited contest took place for the gown, vacant by the death of Starling Day, Esq., alderman of Wymer ward. At the close of the poll the numbers were for Henry Francis, Esq., 413; John Lovick, Esq., 372; majority for Mr. Francis 41, who was declared duly elected. In this month Messrs. Mitchell, Beckwith, and Culley were elected nominees for the long ward without opposition. The other three wards were contested. After the elections for Wymer and the Northern wards, processions took place at night to celebrate the triumph of the two contending parties.

August 2nd. A common hall was held for the purpose of getting up an address to be presented to Queen Caroline. Mr. Alderman Leman presided, and Mr. Sheriff Taylor introduced the subject, declaring that their duty was not merely to vote an address to Her Majesty on her accession, but to protest against the proceedings adopted by His Majesty’s ministers, against her “whom we ought to honour as our Queen, and esteem as a woman.” He denied the imputation that this meeting was held for factious and seditious purposes. He reviewed the various charges which had been brought against Her Majesty, and mentioned several instances of noble conduct on her part. He regarded the erasure of her name from the liturgy as a gross insult, and spoke of the firmness, and sagacity, and judgment which characterised her determination to return to England. He reminded his hearers of the enthusiasm which attended her entry into London. But no sooner was she arrived than a large green bag was laid on the table. Now he had an instinctive horror of a green bag, as he had once the honour of occupying a small corner of one. He then challenged the ministers, through Mr. Coke, to prove any one of the charges brought against him in the green bag; and he received an answer that it was all a mistake, and that Norwich should not have been inserted. The resolutions were carried by acclamation, and he afterwards presented an address to the Queen at Brandenburgh house.

There was but one opinion here as to the character of George IV., and with respect to the Queen, all the world agreed that she was much to be pitied. Men’s passions were so strongly excited, that whichever side they took, whether for her or against her, her conduct was viewed through a false medium. Nothing showed this more strongly than the behaviour of the two parties upon her death. The blue-and-whites, many of whom had never put on black for a royal personage before, were to be seen dressed in black and white, while on the other hand the orange-and-purples, not content with appearing in their ordinary attire, flaunted about in the gayest colours.

December 12th. In consequence of the numerous robberies committed in the city and county, public meetings were held, and resolutions passed to grant high rewards to watchmen who might apprehend offenders. More burglaries had been committed in that year than in the preceding twenty years. Increased poverty had produced crime, and the “Old Charlies” were of little use.

1821. March 7th. E. T. Booth, Esq., (sheriff) was elected an alderman of Great Wymer ward in the room of the late William Foster, Esq., who had died on March 3rd. There was an opposition; at the close of the poll the numbers were, for Mr. Booth 444, Mr. R. Shaw 433.

March 31st. The freedom of the city having been voted at the quarterly assembly of the corporation on the 24th ult., to be presented to Captain William Edward Parry of the Royal Navy; that gallant officer attended in full uniform, and was sworn in at a full court of mayoralty. The parchment containing the freedom of the city was presented to him in a box formed of a piece of oak, part of the ship Hecla, with an appropriate inscription.

April 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th. Cleansing Week ward elections took place. Conisford ward no opposition, Messrs. J. Kitton, J. Angel, and J. P. Cocksedge (nominees); Mancroft ward no opposition, Messrs. P. Chamberlin, J. Bennett, and J. Goodwin, (nominees); Wymer ward, Mr. A. A. H. Beckwith 432, Mr. J. Culley, 432, Mr. J. Reynolds 423 (nominees), Mr. J. Parkinson 254, Mr. Newin 249, Mr. R. Purland 236, Mr. S. Mitchell 45; Northern ward, Mr. T. Barnard 418, Mr. T. O. Springfield 416, Mr. S. S. Beare 416, (nominees), Mr. G. Morse 231, Mr. Troughton 230, Mr. T. Grimmer 231.

May 1st. The election for mayor came on. At the close of the poll the numbers were for Alderman Rackham 986, Alderman Hawkes 950, Alderman Marsh 630, Alderman Yallop 631. The former two were returned to the court of aldermen, who elected William Rackham, Esq., to serve the office of chief magistrate.

June 18th. This being Guild day, William Rackham, Esq., was sworn in mayor, on which occasion he gave a sumptuous dinner to about 650 ladies and gentlemen in St. Andrews Hall, the hall having previously undergone various alterations and improvements.

July 27th. The coronation of George IV. was celebrated here in a very splendid manner, and gave occasion for a display of the exuberant loyalty of the citizens. This king, called “the finest gentleman in Europe,” had governed the realm for nearly ten years, and visited the city in 1812. His reign was peaceful and prosperous, and he was a great promoter of the arts and sciences. The most important event of his reign was the passing of the act for Roman Catholic emancipation, by which Roman Catholics became entitled to all the rights and privileges enjoyed by the rest of the community, a measure strongly supported here by the liberal party. During this reign the citizens of Norwich took a very active part in all the great movements of the age—the Roman Catholic Emancipation movement, the Anti-Slavery movement, and the Reform agitation. Strong contests at elections took place on all these questions. Bribery, corruption, treating, cooping, and intimidation, were resorted to by both parties on every occasion, as will appear in a subsequent chapter, on our political history. Party spirit never ran higher in any town than in Norwich.

1822. January 24th. The anniversary of the birthday of the Rt. Hon. C. J. Fox was commemorated by a public dinner of the liberal party at the Assembly Rooms.

February 24th. At a quarterly meeting of the corporation it was unanimously resolved, that a piece of plate, of the value of 150 guineas, be presented to Charles Harvey, Esq., the recorder of Norwich, as a testimony of the high appreciation entertained by that assembly of his upright and impartial conduct in the performance of the duties of his office, and of his zeal on all occasions for the interests of the city.

March. When the elections came on in Cleansing Week, there was no opposition for the Conisford and Mancroft wards, and the orange-and-purple party maintained their ascendancy. Wymer ward, Mr. J. Reynolds 401, Mr. A. A. H. Beckwith 401, Mr. J. Culley 401, (nominees); P. Greenwood 56, W. Simmons 56, R. Widdows 54. Northern ward, Mr. A. Shaw 379, Mr. S. S. Beare 368, Mr. E. Taylor 200, (nominees); W. G. Edwards 189, A. Beloe 193, T. Grimmer 190, St. Quintin 190.

May 1st. The election of mayor came on. At the close of the poll the numbers were for Alderman Hawkes 957, Alderman J. S. Patteson 908, Alderman Thurtell 364, Alderman Yallop 318; the former two were returned to the court of aldermen, who elected Robert Hawkes, Esq., to serve the office of chief magistrate.

June 18th. This being Guild day, Robert Hawkes, Esq., was sworn in as mayor, and he gave a grand dinner to the citizens in St. Andrew’s Hall.

September 27th. The weavers, 2,361 in number, subscribed for, and presented a piece of plate to John Harvey, Esq., as a testimony of the high esteem in which they held him; and he deserved it, for he was a great promoter of the manufactures of the city, and a friend of the operatives. They were then in a prosperous state, and well employed by many large firms who executed orders for the East India Company to the extent of 20,000 pieces of camlets yearly. This trade continued till 1832.

1823. January 23rd. At a meeting held in the Old Library Room, St. Andrew’s Hall, a society was formed for supplying the poor with blankets at a reduced price; and upwards of 1100 were distributed during the winter.

February 24th. At a quarterly assembly of the corporation a lease was granted to the magistrates of the city, for 500 years, of the piece of land outside of St. Giles’ Gates, on which it had been decided to build the new jail, at the annual rent of £50.

March 4th. At a meeting held at the Guildhall, petitions to parliament were adopted against the Insolvent Debtors Act.

March. Cleansing Week for the ward elections passed off without any opposition; the orange-and-purple party kept the Conisford, Mancroft, and Wymer wards, and the blue-and-white the Northern ward.

April 14th. At a special assembly of the corporation, a petition to His Majesty was adopted, praying for two jail deliveries in the course of the year.

April 25th. At a meeting held at the Guildhall, to take into consideration the state of the West India Colonies, with a view to promote the abolition of slavery, resolutions in favour of the object were carried.

May 1st. The election of mayor took place, and at the close of the poll the numbers were, Alderman J. S. Patteson 835, Alderman Francis 774, Alderman Leman 101, Alderman Yallop 94. The two former were returned to the court of aldermen, who elected J. S. Patteson, Esq., to serve the office of chief magistrate.

May 3rd. At a quarterly assembly of the corporation, the freedom of the city was voted to the Hon. John Wodehouse, lieutenant of the city and county.

June 17th. This being Guild day, J. S. Patteson, Esq., was sworn in mayor; and he gave a splendid dinner to a large party in St. Andrew’s Hall.

1824. In September of this year the first Norfolk and Norwich Musical Festival was held in St. Andrew’s Hall, and the concerts given were well attended by the nobility and gentry of the county. This Festival was very much promoted by Mr. Edward Taylor, Mr. R. M. Bacon, then editor of the Mercury, and other amateurs in the city, and proved eminently successful, the hospital receiving the sum of £2,399 out of the profits. In 1825, King George IV. presented the hospital with a copy of Arnold’s edition of Handel’s Works. It was determined that a triennial festival should be held in aid of the funds of the institution, and that the Norwich Choral Society should be maintained in an efficient state for that purpose.