THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES THE EASTERN COUNTIES COLLECTANEA : ON SUBJECTS RELATING TO THE COUNTIES OF NORFOLK, SUFFOLK, ESSEX, AND CAMBRIDGE. EDITED BY JOHN L'ESTRANGE, 1872-3. NORWICH : PRINTED FOE THOMAS E. TALLACK nv MILLEE AND LEAVINS. EASTERN COUNTIES COLLECTANEA, ON SUBJECTS RELATING TO THE COUNTIES OF NORFOLK, SUFFOLK, ESSEX, AND CAMBRIDGE, TO OUR' READERS. THE advantages of notes relating to the Eastern Counties being preserved in a publication specially set apart for them will, it is thought, be appreciated by all who have had occasion to search the numerous volumes of the Gentleman's Magazine, Notes and Queries, and other periodicals, in which lie buried, as it were, much valuable in- formation relating to the locality. The usefulness of a means of communication between literary men is generally recognised, and experience shows that local queries are most likely to be answered in a local publication. It is conceived that a sphere of usefulness may thus be found for the Eastern Counties Collectanea, without trenching on the ground occupied by the various learned societies of the district. They have done good service by printing many valuable essays and papers which otherwise would not have seen the light. But the field of labour is wide, the harvest is ample, and labourers are not wanting. The mere gleanings of the district would form many a goodly sheaf. 877174 EASTERN COUNTIES NOKFOLK SUPEKSTITIONS. IF the following notes on some of the best known superstitions and ghost stories of Norfolk induce others to send in particulars of some less generally known, they will not have been written in vain, and it will be time enough to theorize on their origin when we have got together a quantity. The most curious superstition is that of the existence of the " Shuck Dog," otherwise known as " Old Shuck " or " Black Shuck." He is not generally known out of East Norfolk, and there he is believed to be a shaggy black dog, as big as a calf, that pads along noiselessly under the shadow of the hedges, in the gloom of which you can see his great yellow eyes glaring coldly at you. To meet him means death to the meeter in the course of the year, and, as he occa- sionally leaves his head behind him at home, he is an animal more avoided than respected. Neatishead Lane especially he affects, and I don't mind confessing that when, after having been talking about him all the evening at a farmhouse, I have turned out to walk home, and have heard a stirring in the hedge at my elbow my heart has often given a great jump, and I have fully expected to see the awful beast cross my path. He also frequents the road between Beeston and Overstrand, at which place is a lane called Shuck Lane. A headless variety is said to cross Coltishall Bridge nightly. A friend writes me that an acquaintance of his, whose father formerly lived at Salhouse, says that in his boyhood the Black Shuck scoured the country for some twelve miles round. " It was a gigantic dog with a blazing eye in the middle of its forehead. He and his brothers went out at night armed with sticks to search for it the people of the village thought they were going to certain death." My friend also writes : " The Shuck dog is, no doubt, a Scandi- navian fiend,* but he is strongly suspected to have, in later times, degenerated into a smuggler that is, the fellows who ran the cargoes sent a pony made hideous with black cloth and so forth, probably, and with a dark lanthorn tied to his head up the lanes along which they ran their kegs." I fancy, also, that practical joking had a good deal to do with increasing the beast's reputation. I heard, not long ago, of a facetious farmer waylaying some friends near Cromer with a large ram, having a lantern tied to its head, and a long chain dragging and clanking after it, and letting it loose just behind them through a gap in a hedge. The Will of the "Wisp, better known as Jack of Lanterns, Lantern * Vide Munford's Local Names in Norfolk, p. 150, for note as to the large black dog called the mauthe dog, which haunted Peel Castle, in the Isle of Man, a peculiarly Danish locality, and which the late lamented author thought might be connected with the derivation of Mautby. COLLECTANEA. 3 Jack, or Lantern Man, in East Norfolk, not satisfied with haunting the hundred and one fens and broads, has an unpleasant habit of following the wayfarer home and lighting up his windows from the outside. He is said to be awfully angry if you cross the meadows at night with a lantern. Once I heard of one following a man while he was carrying a lantern one night. " The man knew what to do. He set the lantern down and ran away as if the devil kicked him. When he ventured to look round there was the Lantern Man kicking the lantern over and over again." Other spiritual visitants are the " Hyter-sprites," a kind of fairy rather beneficent than otherwise a special habitat for which is a lane called Blow Hill, in Great Melton, prettily overshadowed with beech trees. At the end of this lane, by the way, is a beech tree, an old landmark (where Mr. Edward Lombe's harriers used to meet) called Great Melton Beech, under which at midnight sits a ghostly woman rocking herself to and fro, and nursing a child, seeming in a great distress. Great Melton, now I come to think of it, is a fine place for ghosts, for not far from this beech down the lane, on the left hand, is a large field divided from the Yare by a slip of plantation (" a carr ") along the side of which, tradition says, the old Norwich Road ran. Close by the edge of where the road is said to have run is a deep pit or hole full of water, locally reputed to be fathomless, and every night at midnight and every day at noon a carriage drawn by four horses, driven by headless coachman and footmen, and containing four headless ladies in white, rises silently and dripping- wet from the pool, flits stately and silently round the field, and sinks as quietly into the pool again. The rustics tell you that long long ago a bridal party, driving along the old Norwich Eoad, were accidentally upset into the deep hole, and were never seen again. Strangely enough the same story is told of fields near Bury St. Edmunds, and at Leigh in Dorsetshire. Little Melton Lane was said to be haunted by a tall man in black, or a tall black man, (nobody seemed to know which,) who pounced forth from a marl pit upon belated travellers. In Flegg hundred I have heard of a "dole stone" that was re- puted to coine down regularly from its hedgerow to drink at the nearest water. This is a most curious coincidence with the Breton superstition that their "menhirs" and " Dolmens" come down every night to the nearest running stream. Lady Ann Boleyn is said to ride down the avenue of Blickling Park once a year with her bloody head in her lap, sitting in a hearse-like coach drawn by four black headless horses, driven by coachman and attendants who, presumably out of compliment to their mistress, have also left their heads behind them. Her father is rumoured to be obliged to atone for a share he is said 4 EASTERN COUNTIES to have had in her decapitation, by being compelled to ride on horse- back in and out over every " County Bridge " on the Bure and Yare every night. On the splendid ghost story of " The Grey Lady of Houghton " (Lady Dorothy Walpole) I hope to touch at some future time, when I have more material. WALTER EYE. PARISH COWS. IN early wills, and particularly in those of the fifteenth and the first half of the sixteenth century, bequests of cows are not unfrequently met with. In many (perhaps in most) instances, cows bequeathed for religious purposes came into the possession and were under the management of the parish oflicers, the income being applied to the maintenance of the church, or for the use of the poor. To provide for the keeping of a light before the high altar of the parish church, or before the shrine of some saint, was a frequent object of solici- tude in mediaeval times, and a cow (if the testator possessed one) was often bequeathed for that purpose. In 1531, Elizabeth Davye, of Pulham Magdalen, " bequethyd one kowe to fiynd one cotynuall light before y" sacrament in Pulham p'd, and Wyllm Wyllyson to have y e kowe to ferme for xvj d by yer, and y e seyd xvj d to be d e d to y e chyrch wardeyns to see y e lyght kept, and y e kowe to be re- newyd by y e seid chyrch warden as yey shall thynk best for y e cotynuance of y e seyd lyght." The old account-books of this parish, (Pulham St. Mary Magdalen, Norfolk,) extending from the year 1557 to 1620, show that an un- usually large number of cows were at that time the property of the parish. In 1563 the total number of these cows was 69, which were farmed by the parishioners, the income arising from 25 of the number being applied to the church, and the rest being given to the poor. From an inventory of the church cows made in 1557, we learn that 12 of them were the gift of Richard Rusmere, 4 of Margery Moore, 7 of Robert Arborowe, and 2 of Nicholas Dawes. Some of the parish cows were farmed at the rate of one shilling a-year, whilst for others the sum of sixteen pence a-year was paid. Additional gifts of cows continued to be made to the parish until 1582, when the last gift was made by Elizabeth Palgrave. The value of each cow belonging to the church in 1572 was put at xs. In 1581, immediately following the inventory of the cows then belonging to the parish, is entered " The acownte of the forsayd churche wardyns, liobt. Prentis and John More, of serten stocks which they have reseyvyd as hereafter folowythe : " f.first Reseyvyd on stocke whj ch was the gyfte of John browen v marke whiche was in the hands of Robt. -wyllton. COLLECTANEA. 5 P Reseyvyd on other stocke off v hecfforda of the gyfte of Robt. Kyryson \li., whych was in the hands of Robt. wyllton. I' Reseyvyd on other stock of v hecfords of the gyfte of John browen v marke whiche was in the hands of liewe taller. I' Reseyvyd of the say.l hewe taller for the fearme of the forsayd v marke vj*. viijrf. The holle su, xijli." It appears from this entry that these eows had been converted into stock or money, and a subsequent entry shows that the sum of 12 received for them had been expended in the purchase of " Branches meadow," which is still in the possession of the parish, and forms part of the charity estate. The income arising from the cows given for the use of the poor was received by the " collectors for the poor," who kept a separate book of their receipts and payments until the year 1597. it does not appear to have been customary in this parish to require sureties from the farmers of the cows ; and it is likely that the death of some of the cows, and the conversion of others into a money value, caused the gradual decrease of their number. Towards the close of the sixteenth century, the cows which then remained were rapidly converted into stock, and in 1601 the overseers of the poor received the income. The price of each cow was generally twenty shillings. In 1604, the sum of xls. was "receyved of Thomas Moore for a stocke of two heckforthes, which were gyven by the last will and testament of John Moore his ffather, to the vse of y e poore ; " and the gradual extinction of the parish cows seems to have been completed in 1615, when the churchwardens received of Richard Elmer, for one stock, liijs. The last reference to the cows in these old account-books is singular as being the record of a law-suit to recover from Robert Hannor (or Hanworth) the value of the cows or stock which he held of the parish. The story (so far as we know it) is best told by the items in the parish books; but it may be explained that, in 1573, Hanworth hired 20 cows (the gift of Thomas Palgrave) at xxs. a-year, and two others (the gift of John Brown) at ijs. viij<. a-year, and he paid for the hire of these cows until 1582. After that time he made no other payments, and probably repudiated the debt. The action, however, appears to have been brought for one cow only ; and the following are the entries referring to the legal proceedings against him : 1615. I payd to the register for the oathe of iiijor. wittneses for the proof of hanors payment of xij?. by the yere for the Cowe iiij. vjrf. I 1 for v of o r dyners ther iiijs. ijrf. I < for a sytation serven of the witnesses .... xijrf. I for charges at Norwich at ij sessions .... iiJj*. 1616. 1' for taken ovt the Depossions at straton Cort for hanor and my dynor ........ iiij*. ij next tow (horse-shoe) . ....... 94 thence to St. Sennets gate ........ 66 to y* next tow (horse-shoe) . 56 to y next tow' (horse-shoe) \ 040 to Heigham gate, Hellgate ) ' * " ' ." * Still standing. t Thomas Chickering, Mayor, 1676. (Fid. seq.) J Robert Bene, Mayor, 1710. Probably Alex. Anguish, Mayor, 1629. EASTERN COUNTIES All this from Consf to Heigh in 56 minutes hence to y* River another pt, & a tower (round) is abt. . . 30 together Paces . . 3,060 thence on y* backside of St. Martin's Street is y" Course of y River from y (round) tower by y* river ascending is . . . 35 St. Martin's gate 14 above y arch of the gate is placed y* City's arras carvd in stone & beneath y same this incription REPARATA TEMPORE MAIORATU8 ROBERTI FFREEMAN ARI ANNO DNI 16 ... 80 and upon a stone to yo r right hand ward you may read this REPARAT TEMPORE SAMUELIS WARKHOUSE AKMIGIRI MAJORI3 CIVITATI8 NORWICI ANNO DNI 1699 hence to y first (round) tower ....... 58 thenue to y' next tow* (oblong) . 132 here new wall and an inscript to St. Austins gate 65 on this an inscript to y next tow' (horse-shoe) 61 to y* next tow) (horse-shoe) 97 to y e next towt (horse-shoe) ........ 83 to y next tow' (horse-shoe) 90 to y next tow' (horse-shoe) 82 to Maudlin gate .......... 64 to y next tower (round) 150 to ynejtf (horse-shoe) 64 to y neR (polygonal) 98 to y next (round) 125 to y* next (pentagonal) 113 to Pockthorp gates ......... 50 thence to y next Tow (round) by y' river side is .... 50 1,314 no more walls 107 1,421 from these gates along Pockthorp Street or Suburb as far as opposite to y great (round) Tower cal'd y Cows Tower*. . . . 600 from thence to Bp gate & bridge 294 from thence to Sandlin's Ferry* . . . . . . . 310 from thence to y corner of Lord's gard 720 from thence to y e round triple turretted tower * by ye river side, over against y tower by Conisford gates, where y wall begins there by y river . . . 790 * Still standing. COLLECTANEA. upon Bishopgate above y arch of yt gate is placed y City armi with this inscription under them REPARATA TEMPORE MAIORATU8 MATTHvEI MARKHAM ARMEOIRI ANNO DNI 1666 between Bear Street Gate & Brasen doors on y outside of y" wall REPARATA TEMPORE THOME CHICKERIXG ARI MAJOR1S ANNO 1676 upon y new square tower next St. Giles gate THIS TOWER WAS BUILT ANNO 1657 SAMUEL PUCKLE upoc St. Bennets gate y kings arms in y midst y* City and St. Geo. Cross on y 2 sides of y* K TEMPORE HENRICI "WATTS HAJORIS CIVITAT18 NoRWICI ANNO DOMINI 1646 upon y" House within adjoining to y* So: side REPARATA TEMPORE HENRICI CROWE ARMI HUJU8 CIVITATIS MAIORI8.* N.B. Examine all again, note y form of y e gates, their ornaments, the form of y towers, of y' wall of those parts wl h Sheltring places, of the ditches, of its course from tower to tower, according to y ' points of y e compass. OLD MAP OF NOEFOLK. I HAVE in my possession " A new and accurate MAP of the County of NORFOLK. London : Published 17th Aug., 1797, by Laurie & Whittle, 53 Fleet St." In the north-east corner is " The West Prospect of the Town of Great Yarmouth, likewise of Denes & Roads. This Town is near a Mile from the South Gates to the North Gates." In the south- west corner is " The North East prospect of Norwich," with the churches numbered, the Cathedral Church being No. 1, St. Augustine's No. 36. In the south-east corner is a " West prospect of Lynn," with a concise summary of the history of the Borough. The sides of the map are taken up with alphabetical lists of the names of all the places in the county, of the hundreds, and of the * 1679. 10 EASTERN COUNTIES Market Towns. There are, in addition, eight coats of arms viz. : the Duke of Norfolk's, Earl of Yarmouth's, Viscount Townshend's, Lord Lynn's, Lord Walpole's, Lord Level's, Lord Hobart's, with their crests, supporters, and mottoes, and the Most Noble Sir Robert Wal- pole's within the Garter. The towns in the liberties of the Duke of Norfolk, and the Duchy of Lancaster, are respectively distinguished by an asterisk and a cross. At the foot are engraved six lines of de- scription and history of the County, the names of the twelve Members of Parliament, directions how to find any Town in the Map, and the following bit of history, to the latter part of which I would draw atten- tion : " Castle Rising is a very ancient Corporation, and hath a Mayor & 50 Free Burgesses. There is a very ancient Castle, built not long after the Conquest, but now much decay *d. Their Prison is 2 Logs of "Wood, wth. a Chain to fasten to ye Prisoner, who carrys them about where ere he Walks. Names Roring Megg & Pretty Betty." The map itself gives some information which strikes me as worth noting, but before troubling you with any further remarks, I should be glad to learn whether it is of frequent occurrence. A. EXTEACTS FROM THE PARISH REGISTER OF EDING- THORPE, NORFOLK. THE following memoranda are taken from the parish Register of Edingthorpe, co. Norf. : " 1681. Mary, y* wyfe of Nath. Michel, min'r, buried y 13: of June." Beneath has been added, in a contemporary hand, this remark : " This knave Michel, of Detestable & most odious Memory, was Holder-forth, Mr. George Lockwood, of Honble. & worthy mem r , being Sequest d in those Rebellious times." On the third page of the Register is an account of the Rectors of Edingthorpe, by Mr. Theophilus Rice, who was Rector there, 1710 48, and this memorandum " That George Lockwood kept the Register till 1640 & thereabout, & was sequestered about An'o 1652, when y* knave Michel held forth, who in effect turn'd the Temple of God into a tabernacle of Robbers, & then Resigned it to one Roger Lowd." In the north-east corner of the chancel is a curious monumental in- scription, (not printed in Blomefield's History of the County,) of which I will send you a copy next month. G. N&rth Walsham. COLLECTANEA. 1 1 BELFEY EHYMES, ELVEDON, SUFFOLK. THESE verses were copied by the late Mr. Jermyn, the Suffolk anti- quary, in February, 1819, from a painted board in the steeple of Elve- don church, Suffolk. "If that to ring you do come here, You must ring well with hand & eare ; But if you ring with spur or hat, Tow-pence he sure you pay for that. " Or stay you hreak, or hell do throw, Sixpence you pay before you go. This Law is ould, it is not new ; We ringers now must have our due. " September 19, 1707 B.C." It would thus appear that there was a peal of bells at Elvedon in 1707. At the present day there is only one bell in the tower, cast in 1664 by John Darbie. INCENSE IN CHUECHES AFTER THE EEFOEMATION. GEORGE HERBERT mentions the use of incense to perfume the church, and in the churchwardens' account-book of St. Margaret's parish, Norwich, I find under the year 1581 "Item for perfume when Mrs. Jernyngham was beryed, 2^.;" and under 1589 "Item for 2 bosumes, when that the churche was made clean, Id. Item paid for ffrankynge sence, 3d. Item paid for beare, when that the churche was made cleane, 2d." A zealous ritualistic friend urges that these entries tend to show that incense was used in the divine offices in the English church fifty years after the Eeformation. The accompanying entries of brooms and beer are, I think, fatal to his argument. Can anyone, familiar with churchwardens' accounts, give me instances of payments for incense ? A. Would not a bishop at the present day, visiting one of the churches in his diocese, be surprised to be presented with a few ounces of tobacco ? Yet this took place in 1639, when Bishop Montague went to St. Gregory's Church, Norwich ; for in the parish account-book of that year there appear these entries : Paid to the ringers at the Lord Bishop's comeing to the Parish Church ij*. Sent to Alderman Lane for tobacco for the Lprd Bishop then delivered ' . . vj?. A. 12 EASTERN COUNTIES NORFOLK NOMENCLATURE. IN no part of England does the custom of substituting the surname of a friend or relation, (generally the mother,) for a Christian name proper obtain so much as in Norfolk. And as some of our surnames are as crabbed as well may be, the results are amusing, if not musical ; e.g. (from the Norfolk Poll-Book of 1802) : Cockle Cadywould Eoyal Watson Haseleys Peascod Xeave Bullitaft Koyall'Ringer Rowing Brasnet Porter Bringloe Pitchers Eburn Salem Goldsworth Isagsey Hedley Guyton Jollye Brunning Maddison Briggs Race Griffin Swansea Crisp Stoakham appear among others, whose doubly euphonious names must have rendered life a positive burden to them. W. E. QUEEIES. IN what parish in Norwich did Samuel Puckle, who was Mayor in 1656, reside? The same information is desired concerning Martin Puckle, who was living 1710. 0. I should be glad to learn on what occasion the following letter, copied from MS. in Lib. Camb., E. C. 11, 34 fol. 2, was written. A. These are to will and require you in the Queen's ma 1 "* name to charge and comand you that, presently upon the sight hearof, y e bringe before me Drewe Drewerye, to my- house at Norwich one Sir T. Peter, a priest and son of the towne of Hep worth, to answer to such things as shall be objected against him in the Queen's rna ties behalfe, and hearof fail y e not as y e will answere to the contrarye at your utmost perills. from my house at Norwich this xviij of March, 1513. Your loving friend D. DBEWKY. To y e constables of the Towne of Lakenham, &c. COLLECTANEA. 13 THE EKPINGHAM GATE, NOEWIOH. BLOMEFIELD'S description of the Erpingham Gate is tolerably correct with the exception that he misreads the word " Yenk " "pena," which Sir Thomas Browne in his Repertorium had done before him. The Repertorium was published in 1712, and contains an engraving by Hulsbergh of the gateway. Between the date of this engraving and the period at which Blomefield wrote, the effigy of Sir Thomas Erping- ham was found and placed in the niche it now occupies. It would be interesting to ascertain when and how the discovery was made, and also to learn at what time the " chamber of wood fixed in the arch for a dwelling " was removed. The view of the gate in the Repertorium shows the four evangelistic emblems and the gable cross, and Blome- field mentions them as remaining when he wrote. The plate in the Excursions through Norfolk shows only one emblem which is now lost. Blomefield says of the figures on the arch that those on the north side are "most if not all men," those on the south side " most if not all women." But this is far from correct. Mr. Harrod, in his Gleanings amongst the Castles and Convents of Norfolk, gives a good description of the gateway, and cleverly demolishes Blomefield's fabric of fictions as to the gate being erected by Sir Thomas Erpingham as a penance for Lollardy. The story, however, is too good to be lost, and has been repeated in print quite recently. The vitality of a good big lie is something remarkable. Mr. Harrod says, " The arch mouldings are divided into two parts, the outer containing a series of fourteen female saints, the inner one twelve male saints." The twelve male saints are, I believe, the Apostles ; some can be identified. There are but twelve female saints, the other two being angels, kneek ing and censing the five wounds of our Lord, which are out on a shield at the apex of the arch. There have been published numerous engravings of this gate, and latterly it has been often illustrated by photography. It is, however, deserving of a much more careful delineation than has yet been attempted ; and I should much like to see the sculpture, which is the best of its date in Norfolk, illustrated on a large scale. Will any of your readers, versed in hagiology, help me to identify the female saints in the outer mouldings of the arch ? The first on either side commencing at the base are crowned Virgins ; the second are crowned Abbesses, probably St. Etheldreda and With- burga ; the third figure on the north side may be St. Katherine, but I cannot distinguish her emblem. The corresponding figure on the south side is, I believe, St. Barbara. The 4th on the north side is St. Agnes ; opposite her is a crowned Virgin, with a book in her left, and an emblem, which I cannot distinguish, in the other hand. Above St. Agnes appears St. Appolonia, and opposite her St. Mary Magdalen, above whom is St. Mary of Egypt. e 14 EASTERN COUNTIES THE LOST EEGISTEE OF SPEOWSTON, NOEFOLK. THE following entries are on a leaf of parchment which came into my possession a few years ago I quite forget in what manner, but I have some recollection of having tried at the time to trace the companion leaves, unfortunately without success. The entries are all in one (contemporary) handwriting and in two columns : the lower portion of the leaf has been cut off. The earliest register book now in the pos- session of the parish of Sprowston begins as late as 1727. BURIALLS. 41 This part of the booke maketh mention of all the Burialls -which hath hene in the Towne of Sprowston since the daie of the date mentioned in the first part of this booke as followeth : William Chopyn was buried the xviii th daie of October A Agnes was buried the xxviii th daie of October A "William Eymers a straunger was buried the xii th daie of March Margarett Hardinge was buried the first daie of Maye A 1539 Christian Smith widowe was buried tbe xvi th daie of Maye A 1539 Robert Smith was buried the xiii th daie of August A 1539 Thomas Lettyl was buried the xi th daie of ffebruarie A 1539 M r John Corbett * was buried the xvi th daie of August A Cicelie Houson was buried the vi th daie of October A Halicy Wryte was buried the xvii th daie of October A Thomas Hannock was buried the xv th daie of Januarie A Susanne Bacon was buried the 3 daie of October A . . . - . . . buried the x th daie . , (CUT AWAY.) Second Column. John Care was buried the xxi th daie of November A 1546. John Benslinge buried his childe on Wednesdaie before Ester last past. M 1 " 08 Katherine Corbett was buried the tuesdaie before Ester last past. Margerett "Wigge, of Beestonf, was buried the x th daie of Januarie in the first yere of Q. Mary. Agnes Grene was buried the xx th daie of October A Regis Phillippi et Marie, primo et secundo Thomas Bolton, of Beeston, was buried the xxv th daie of October in the first and second yeares of Kinge Phillipp and Queue Marye Alice was buried the vii th daie of August in the first and second years of K. Phillipp and Q. Mary Elyn Warns was buried the xvii th daie of ffebruarie in the first and second yeares of Kinge Phillipp and Q. Mary George Leach was buried the sii th daie of August in the yeres of Kinge Phillipp & Q. Marie. * The regicide came of this family who bore or a raven proper, t Beeston S Andrew. COLLECTANEA. 15 Robert Maes had his childe buried the xxiiii th dale of Septemb. in the yeres of King Thillipp & Queue Mary. (CUT AWAY) m BURIALLS. 42 William "Wegge of Beeston was buried the vi daie of November in the 7 th & vi th yeres of K. Phillipp & Q. Marie. Robert Cottingham was buried the xxvii th of Novemb 1 ^ in the first yere of soveraigne Ladie Q. Elizabeth. Robert Manning of Beeston was buried the xxx th daie of December in the first yere of Quene Elizabeth. Mr. John Corbett Esquire was buried the iiii th daie of Januarie, A<> Elizabethe Regine primo Edward Bacon was buried the xvi th daie of Januarie in the first yere of o r Sovraigue Ladie Quene Elizabeth Anne Manninge was buried the daie of Januarie in the first year of o r Sovraigne Ladie Q. Elizabeth "Will Croft was buried ye xvii th daie of Januarie in the first yere of o r Sovraigne Ladie Q. Elizabeth John Smith was buried ye daie of Januarie in the first yere of o r Sovraigne Ladie Q. Elizabeth John Hewett was buried .... (CUT AWAY.) (Second Column.) Ales. Hill was buried the xx th daie of ffebruarie^in the ffirst yere of Or Sovraigne Ladie Quene Elizabeth Jone Stere was buried the xxvi th daie of ffebruarie in the first yere of o r Sovraigne Ladie Quene Elizabeth Thomas Mynns was buried the xxvi th daie of ffebruarie in the first yere of o r Sov- raigne Ladie Quene Elizabeth Agnes "Wryte was buried the xxvi th daie of ffebruarie in the first yere of o r Sov- raigue Ladie Q. Elizabeth Sybly Sopp was buried the xv th daie of march in the first yere of o r Sovraigne Ladie Q. Elizabeth. Nicholas Mayson was buried the 2 daie of Aprill. Ilenrie "Winsdon was buried the ffirst day of August. "Will 1 " Leach was buried the vii th daie of November in the 2 yere of o r SovraJj-r.e Ladie Q. Elizabeth. lluke Elyn was buried the xi tl1 daie of September, in the 3 yere of our sovraigne Liulie Q. Elizabeth. Mother Etheritch was buried the vi* 1 * daie of March, in the ffourth yere of o r Sov- raigne Ladie Q. Elizabeth. (CUT AWAY.) . T. E. T. 16 EASTERN COUNTIES GEANT OF A CKEST TO MARK MOTT, OF BRAINTEEE, CO. ESSEX. THE following grant of a crest and confirmation of arms by William Segar, Garter King of Arms in the reign of James I., is transcribed from a 17th century MS. in the possession of A. W. Morant, Esq., F.8.A. : To ALT, and singuler persons as well noble as others to whom theise p'sents shall come William Segar principall Kinge of Armes sendeth his due comendacons & greetinge Knowe yee that Whereas auncientlie from the begininge it hath bene a Custome in all Countries and Comonwealthes well gou'ned, that the beareing of certaine marks in Sheildes (comonly called Armes) haue bene and are the only signes and demonstrations either of prowesse & valour atchived in tymes of warre, or of good life or Civell conversacon in tymes of peace diverslye distributed according to the deserts of the p'sons demeritting the same Among the which number J find Marke Mott of Brayntree in the County of Essex, the sonne of Thomas Mott sometymes of Bockinge in the said County gent, who bare for his Auncient Coate Armo r Sable, a Cressant or halfe moone Argent, And now wantinge further for an oriment vnto his said ffathers Armes a Convenient Creast or Cognis- ance fitt to be borne, Hath requested me the said Garter, to appoint him such a one as he may lawfully vse, and beare without wronge doeinge or p'udice to any p'son or p'sons whatsoever. Which according to his due request J haue accomplished & granted in manner & forme followinge (Viz : on a helme forth of a wreath of his Cullours A starre of eight points Argent mantled & dubled as in the margent are depicted All which Armes and Creast J the said Garter doe by these p r sents ratifie confirme & grant vnto the said Marke Mott and to his heyres for ever And that it shall be lawfull for him & them to vse beare & shew forth the same with their due differences in Sig- netts Sheilds Ensignes Coat Armors or otherwise as his or their free libtie & pleasure Jn wittnes whereof I the said Garter haue herevnto sett my hand and seale of office the Tennth day of November 1615 in the Thirteenth yeare of the Eeigne of our Sou'aigne lord James by the grace of God King of England Ffrance & Ireland Defender of the faith And of Scotland the ffortith nyne. WILLM SEGAR, Garter. OLD MAP OF NORFOLK. (P. 9.) I SAVE a map of Norfolk, measuring 3 ft. 4 in. by 2 ft., the title of which is the same as that quoted by A< ; but instead of " Published 17 August, 1797," &c., it reads, " Printed for Robert Sayer, Map and Printseller, at the Golden Buck, in Fleet Street." In every other par- ticular it answers to the map A. describes. It is engraved by William COLLECTANEA. 17 Roades, and is not dated ; but the list of members of Parliament points to the years 1727-8.* A. W. M. The date (1797) of the old map of Norfolk must be wrong, as the last Earl of Yarmouth (a Paston) died in 1732, and Sir Eobert Wai- pole became Earl of Orford in 1742. BARRY GIRLING. BISHOP HOPTON'S VISITATION AETICLES AND INJUNCTIONS, 1555. ARTICLES to be enquired of in the Visitation within the Dioces of Norw ch kepte in the yere of ou r lorde god a thowsande five hundreth fiftie and fire by the Reuerende father in god John Bisshoppe of Nor- wich, by vertue of a Commission directed vnto him from the most Reuerende ffather in god the lorde Reynolde by the diuine sufferaunce of sanct Marye in Cosmedin of tholie church of Rome Cardinall named Pole Legate de Latere of ou r most holie ffather the Pope and sec apostolicke to the most noble Princes Philippe and Marye Kinge and Quene of Englond and to thole Realme of Englonde FFIRST yowe and euerye of yowe shall diligentlye enquire whether yower neybors have and doo Diligentlie come to ther parrissh church vppon the Sabaoth Daye and other festiual dayes accordinge as thei ar bounde to doo by the Lawe And if thei or anye of them be neg- ligent in that behalf yowe shall present the same ITM yowe shall enquire if anye of you r neybors have refused to take holie water holie bredde goo in procession, beare ther candle vppon candlemas daye and offre the same, beare ther palme, and kepe ther fower offringe dayes in ther owne parsonnes, cr_eepe to the crosse vppon good fridaye and Easter daye in the morninge as is accustomablie vsed, And whether thei and euerye of them haue recyeuid at Easter last past the blessed Sacrament of thaltar accordinge vnto the ordinuce of the church or no ITM whether thei haue comaunded ther servunts and ther childrin to come to the church the dayes appointed and to obserue all such ceremonyes and ordres as ar vsed within the church And if thei haue not yowe shall present both such M res and parents as have not so done and allso ther saied servunts and childrin. ITM yf yowe knowe anye suspected of euill Doctryne or opinions within yower parrishes yowe shall present the same and shewe the cawse of yower suspicon. ITM yowe shall enquire of all such as haue take anye thinge from yower church as in pullinge doune of lead both from the Bodie of the church, and from the Chauncell, takeinge awaye of Bellys roodeloft, or * It is evident that Laurie and Whittle published a map in 1797 as new which was then seventy years old. The Norfolk Topographers' Manual states that a map en- grayed by W. Roades was published by Goodman and Goddard,in 1740. ED. E.C.C. C2 18 EASTERN COUNTIES anye other Ornaments perteyninge vnto yower saied church and present the names of such offenders and the valewe of all such things belonginge vnto yower saied church w eh thei haue so taken awaye. ITEM yowe shall enquire whether you parrissh haue sufficient and decent ornaments for the meyntennce of goddes service. ITM whether yower chauncellis and churches be in sufficient repe- racons or noo, and whether yower church yard be sufficientlie fensed. ITM yowe shall enquire if there be anye that Hue incontinentlye w th in yower parrissh and present the same. INJUNCTIONS GEVEN IN THE SATED VISITATION. FFIRST yowe shall bring in and exhibet a trewe Inuentorye of all such ornaments as vestmentes, coopes, albes, chalacis, candilsticks, crosses, Banners, crucifixes, with all other manner of jewellis and bookes belonginge to yower church. ITM I will and commaunde that y e questmen of euery parrish shall kepe abowte the steple in the lower parte of the church, to see that euerye one in the church behaue themselfe honestlye and deuoutlye duringe y e tyme of goddes Service, and that the laye people vnlearned vse ther beades. ITM I commaunde that all parsons vicars and parrissh prest to haue procession in ther churches euerye wednisdaye and ffrydaye willinge them allso that thei exhorte ther parrohianers to resorte to the same and to praye to allmightie god for grace marcy and other thinges necessarye. TEEATING BISHOPS. A parallel case to a Bishop being treated when visiting his diocese, mentioned at p. 11, occurs in the Chamberlain's account of the borough of Stamford. Under date of Sept. 8, 1745, is this item : " Thomas Darlow, expences of treating Bishop of Lincoln, 3 Is. 6d." This prelate was John Thomas, who held the see from 1740 till 1761, when he was translated to that of Salisbury. Stamford. JUSTIN SIMPSON. BISHOP PAEKHUEST'S INJUNCTIONS TO THE DEAN AND CHAPTEE OF NOEWICH, 1570. JNIUNCTIONS GIVEN BY THE EEVBRENT IFFATHER IN CHRIST John by gods diuine prouidence Bisshoppe of Norwich to the Deane and prebendaris petticannons Clerks and all other persones of the Cathedrall Churche of Norwich to be obserued of euery of them in ther offices and degrees as to them shall app'teyne for th' advance- ment of gods honor for thincrease of vertue and for Good order to be continewed in the sayd Churche. INPRIMIS they shall obserue and kepe ther ffoundacyon in all poyntes especiallye in admittinge non to be Deane or prebendary of COLLECTANEA. 19 the Churche but such as be priests and preachers and if eny be alredy admitted contrarie to the ffoundacion aforesayd that they do not accompte him as any eyther in p'mittyng him to haue a Voyce in the Chapter, or by payment of any mony in the name of his Stipend or any otherwise excepte he be sufficiently dispensed w th all by the prince. ITEM that according to the Quene hir Maiesties jniunctions the Divinitie lecture be redd twise in the Weke or once at the leaste and that the Deane and reader call diligently upon all sortes to note marke and obserue what is redde to thlntent they maye be in rediness when the Bysshopp or any other appoynted by him shall examen them. ITEM that the Diuinitie Eeader shall at diuers tymes call the peti- cannons before him and examen them howe they have p'fited and enioyne them to some godly exercise and eu'y quarter take an account of ther procedinges. ITEM that all such sumes of moneye as shall be due to the Churche heareaft' shall wt'in fforetene dayes after the same be receyved by the Deane prebendarie or any other officer be put into the comon Theasureye of the sayd Churche which thesaure monye and stocke shall not hereafter remayne in priuate Menes keping : but in some comon chest vnder thre lockes wherof the Deane or his Substitute shall haue one key the eldest prebendarie at home one other key and the Treasurer for the tyme beinge the thred keye. ITEM that the Comon seale evidences Charters and other muni- ments of the Churche shall remayne in lyke Custodie and saftie and that nothinge passe the Comon seale onlesse the same be p'used by the Deane and Chapter and of them allowed & so Ingrossed and Registred and then Sealed at thensealinge Wherof the lesse * shall deliu'r a Counter pane sealed and subscribed and the Deane and thre of the prebendaries at the least shall Subscribe ther Names and sette ther Chapiter seale to the other p'te of that their Indenture. ITEM that no minister Singingman or other officer be admitted into this Churche but that aft' the sayd minister Singingman or officer is p'sented by the Deane vnto the Chapter and by them allowed the same minister Singingman or officer so p'sented and allowed : shall take A corporall othe to the Queues maiestie accordinge to an acte of p'liament made in the first yeare of hir highnes reygn. And also be Sworne to p'forme due obedience to the Deane and Chapter and to doo his dutie in that his office. ITEM that the ministers so p'sented and allowed shall Subscribe to the Articles of Religion agreed vpon by the Clergie and the Declaracion set forth by the Two Archbisshoppes and shall reade the said declara- cions openlye in the Quere before his Admission. ITEM that they take order that the Songes in the Quere be allwayes * Lessee. 20 EASTERN COUNTIES such as shallbe allowed by publigue Aucthoritie & by the Ordinari and all the Reste of the diuine service to be ordered as they may best set forth the glory of god and ediefie the people : and that non of the Ohanons Singingmen or other ministers absent themselues from any diuine service w l out lycence of the Deane or Eldest p'bendarie in resi- dence Vpon payne to paye such mult as by the Deane and Chapter shall be appoynted and that none of them w*owt like lycence eyther com shorte or dep't before all be done vnder halfe the punishment ap- poynted for the hole absence. ITEM that all ministers and others hauinge stipend of this Churche shall so often as theare is any Sermonde in the Q-rene yard * or any p'te of the Cathedrall Church or any lecture of Diuinitie : resorte vnto the sayd sermands and lectures and ther singe such godly psalmes in meter as for that tyme shalbe appoynted : and not to dep't before the sermond & lecture be ended. ITEM that the Almes men be compeled to resort dalye to the Churche and According to the Will and intent of the prince and ther Duties to continewe ther in prayer hauinge Gownes in such comlie sorte as to them app'teyneth and as the like hath in other Churches. ITEM that the Choristers & other Schollers be poore mens Children and such as haue most nede and not inheritoures or rychmens Sones, and that they haue Gownes & otherwise comely e App'eled as to them app'teyneth. ITEM that they deface all ymages and places Wheare images stand and fyll vpp the same places w* stone agayne and that they bourne all graieles, masse bookes, p'cessioners portasses and such like sup'sti- cious bookes in whose custodie soeu' they be founde. ITEM that they p'uide ther Bibles and p'rafrasses w ch they nowe wante and repaire and furnish their library w*in size monethes. ITEM that eu'ye officer hauinge fFeod and patent for his feod be com- pelled to gyve his attendance vpon his office in his owne p'son w*out Sufficient cause to be allowed by the Deane and thre of the p'bendaries and then his substitute to be allowed by lyke Aucthoritie and no man to serue more offices then one in ther howse. ITEM that they suffer not ther Churche dedicated to the Studye of Holy scriptures to preaching and to prayer to be p'faned w* any popysh Sup'sticion whoredome or such like detestable vice but that w* all conuenient spede they remove all such as are vehemently Sus- pected of eyther of thes Crimes or the lyke and that y ey suffer no drinking, Swilling, or tipling to be vsed within the sayd Churchf in ani comon tipling house onelye yt shalbe lawfull for them to haue A comon Bruer and he in cases of necessitie to victale such as do in- habit w*in the Churche & none other. Also that they p'mitt no * On the north side of the Nave, now the Bishop's garden, t Churche here=Close or Precinct. COLLECTANEA. 21 Slauter house or Bucherie or any lyke semile or manure trade to be vsed w l in ther sayd Churche other then for ther owne p'vicion of house. ITEM they shall obs'ue and kepe all such iniunctions as wer niinistred vnto them fro' the Queues maiestie by hir graces visitors in the fyrst year of hir highnes Reygn : and shall cause both those Jniunctions and theis to be ingrossed on p'chment & to be redd openlye in thir Chapter house twyse eu'y year: viz. within one moneth aft' Easter, and wi'in one moneth aft' miclemas. Gyven in the Chapter* house the Seacond daye of the moneth of Maye, A*, 1570 mo , Regni vere due nre Regine Elizabeth, &c., Anno Duodecimo et nre Coils, Anno Decimo. Ledger III. p. 53. VERSES IN THE PARISH REGISTER OF HORSEY, NORFOLK. 0, Horsey, keep thou well this Booke, Before it need for parchment look, A former age hath done for Thee, Provide thou for Posterity. That no confusion herein bee, But each place written orderly. Horsay Regester men me call That shew the age of great and small, Their Marriage and Buriall Day From date ensuing see you may. _______ Whether we be baptised we be baptised unto the Lord, whether we be marryed we be marry ed unto the Lord, whether we be buryed wo be buryed unto the Lord, therefore whether we be marryed, baptized, or buryed, we are the Lord's. (Rom. xiv.) TANNER'S M.S. at Norwich. ANSWER TO QUERY. Martin Puckle, living in 1710, was a hosier, and his shop was in St. Peter's, Mancroft. As I gather this information from the Norwich Poll Book of that year, I may as well add that Martin Puckle voted for the Whig candidates, Bacon and Gardiner. Your correspondent " C," is probably aware that Samuel Puckle, who was Mayor of Norwich in 1656, died on 22nd August, 1661, aged 73, and was buried at Stalham. T. R. T. * There is not a Chapter house at the present day. 22 EASTERN COUNTIES FIRE AT HOLT-MAEKET, NOEFOLK, 1708. A NUMBER of papers belonging to the late Dr. Newdigate, of Holt, are in my possession. I think some of them, relating to the fire which happened there in 1 708, and to the subsequent restoration of the Church, may be interesting to readers of the Collectanea. Threxton. THOS. BARTON. HOLT-MARKET CHURCH, IN COM' NORFOLK. Charge 1,229 and upwards. GEORGE, By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, &c. To all and singular Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacons, Deans, and their Officials, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, and all other Spiritual Persons ; And to all Teachers and Preachers of every Separate Congregation ; And also to all Justices of the Peace, Mayors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Church-wardens, Chapel-wardens, Headboroughs, Collectors for the Poor, and their Overseers ; And also to all Officers of Cities, Boroughs, and Towns Corporate; And to all other Our Officers, Ministers, and Subjects, whatsoever they be, as well within Liber- ties as without, to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. "\\7HEREAS it hath been Represented unto Us, as well upon the humble Petition of the Minister, Church-wardens, and Inhabi- tants of the Parish of Holt- Market in the County of Norfolk; As also by Certificate under the Hands of Our Trusty and Well-be- loved the Reverend Doctor Thomas Tanner Chancellor of Norwich, Henry Davy, John Peck, John Hall, Francis Longe, and George Warren, Esquires, Our Justices of the Peace for Our said County of Nor- folk, made at' their General Quarter-Sessions of the Peace, held by Adjournment, at the Castle of Norwich in and for the said County, upon Saturday the Seven and twentieth Day of October, in this pre- sent Ninth Year of Our Reign ; That upon the First Day of May, which was in the Year of Our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eight, there happened a sudden and lamentable Fire at Holt-Market aforesaid, which in the Space of Three Hours burnt down to the Ground almost the whole Town, and the Parish-Church standing therein, which was then a well-built Fabrick, kept in very good Re- pair, and consisted of Three large Isles, covered with Lead; that since the said Fire the Parishioners have raised by Contributions amongst themselves, and have laid out a considerable Sum of Money in Repairing and making up Seats in the Chancel of the said Church, which was left standing, that they might not be alto- gether destitute of a Place for the Publick Worship of Almighty God: But notwithstanding all their Endeavours, and having con- trived every thing to the best Advantage, the said Chancel is not capable of containing One Fourth Part of the Parishioners ; so that COLLECTANEA. 23 unless the said Parish-Church be Eebuilt, very few of the Inhabi- tants can meet together at Divine Service ; and that the Petitioners being all Tenants, and likewise burthened with a ^Numerous Poor, which are greatly increased by the Losses most of them suffered by the said Fire, they are not (without the Charitable Assistance of Our lov- ing Subjects) able to Rebuild their said Parish-Church. THAT the Truth of the Premisses hath been made appear to Our said Justices in their Open Sessions of the Peace held for Our said County of Norfolk, not only by the said Minister, Church- wardens, and Inhabitants of the said Parish, but also upon the Oaths of Able and Experienced Workmen, who made an Estimate of the Charge of Rebuilding and Finishing the said Church, in as plain a Manner as is consistent with Decency, and the same, upon a moderate Computation, will amount unto the Sum of One thousand two hundred and twenty nine Pounds and upwards ; and the said Petitioners having given full Satisfaction of the Truth of the Matters aforesaid, and that they have done and are willing still to do to the utmost of their Power to Rebuild their said Church and Steeple ; But finding themselves unable to raise a Sum sufficient to go on with and finish so great a Work, they have therefore most humbly besought Us to Grant unto them Our most Gracious Letters Patents, Licence, and Protection, under Our Great Seal of Great Britain, to Impower them to Ask, Collect, and Receive the Alms, Benevolence, and Charitable Contributions of all Our Loving Subjects, throughout England, Wales, and Berwick upon Tweed, to enable them to Rebuild their said Parish-Church and Steeple. UNTO which their humble Request We have Graciously Con- descended ; not doubting but that when these Our Inclinations for promoting so good a Work shall be made known to our Loving Subjects, they will readily and cheerfully Contribute their Endeavours for accomplishing the same. KNOW YE THEREFORE, That of Our especial Grace and Favour, We have Given and Granted, and by these Our Letters Patent under Our Great Seal of Great Britain, We do Give and Grant unto the said Minister, Church-wardens, and Inhabitants of the Parish of Holt- Market, in Our said County of Norfolk, and to their Deputy and Depu- ties, the Bearer and Bearers hereof (Authorized as is herein after directed) full Power, License, and Authority, to Ask, Collect, and Receive the Alms, Benevolence, and Charitable Contributions of all Our Loving Subjects, not only Masters and Mistresses, but also Lodgers, Servants, and Strangers, within all and every Our Counties, Cities, Towns, Boroughs, Hamlets, Cinque-Ports, Districts, Parishes, Chapelries, and all other Places whatsoever, throughout England, Wales, and Berwick upon Tweed, for Rebuilding their said Parish Church and Steeple. AND THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Tenor of an Act of Par- liament made in the Fourth and Fifth Years of the Reign of Her late Majesty Queen, Anne, Intituled, An Act for the better Collecting Charity* 24 EASTERN COUNTIES Money on Briefs by Letters Pattnts, and Preventing Abuses in relation to such Charities, Our Will and Pleasure is, and We do hereby (for the better Advancement of these Our Pious Intentions) Eequire and Command all Ministers, Teachers and Preachers, Church-wardens, Chapel- wardens, and the Collectors of this Brief, and all others concerned, That they, and every of them, observe the Directions in the said Act contained, and do in all things Conform themselves thereunto ; and that when the Printed Copies of these Presents shall be tendered to you the respec- tive Ministers and Curates, Church-wardens, Chapel- wardens, and to the respective Teachers and Preachers of every Separate Congregation that you, and every of you, under the Penalties to be inflicted by the said Act, do receive the same. AND you the respective Ministers and Curates, and Teachers and Preachers of every Separate Congregation, are, by all persuasive Motives and Arguments, earnestly to Exhort your respective Congrega- tions and Assemblies to a liberal Contribution of their Charity for the good Intent and Purpose aforesaid. AND We do by these Presents Nominate, Constitute and Appoint the Bight Eeverend Father in God, Thomas Lord Bishop of Norwich, the Eeverend Doctor Humphrey Prideaux Dean of Norwich, Sir Jacob Astley and Sir John Hobart Baronets, the Eeverend Thomas Tanner Chancellor of Norwich, Thomas Coke, Thomas De Grey, Ash Windham, Harbord Harbord, and Robert JBritiffe, Esquires, the Eeverend Henry Briggs Sector of Holt, and Joseph Ward Eector of Cley, Edmond Sritiffe John Newdigate, and John Sutler, Gent. Trustees and Eeceivers of the Charity to be Collected by Virtue of these Presents, with Power to them, or any Five or more of them, to give Deputations to such Col- lectors as shall be Chosen by the Petitioners, or the major part of them : And the said Trustees, or any Five or more of them, are to make and sign all necessary Orders, and do all other reasonable Acts for the due and regular Collection of this Brief, and Advancement of the said Charity, and to see that the Monies, when Collected, be effectually applied and laid out in Eebuilding the said Church and Steeple. AND LASTLY, Our Will and Pleasure is, That no Person or Persons shall Collect or Eeceive any the Printed Briefs, or Monies Collected thereon, but such only as shall be so deputed and made the Bearer and Bearers of these Presents, or Duplicates hereof. IN WITNESS whereof, We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents, and to continue in Force for One whole Year, from Michaelmas next, and no longer. WITNESS Our Self at Westminster, the First Day of June, in the Ninth Year of Our Eeign. Roberts, GOD SAVE THE KING. London, Printed by John Baskett Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty, And by the Assigns of Thomas Newcombe, and Henry Hills, deceas'd. 1723. COLLECTANEA. 25 DEAFT AGEEEMENT TO SEAT THE NAVE. ARTICLES of Agreement made this 20th day of Jan. I72f, between William Parsons, Joyner, on the one part, and Mr. John New- digato and Mr. Henry Briggs, Trustees for the Church of Holt, as follows, on the other. THE said William Parsons doth promise and agree with the said Trustees to seat the church according to the draught. The seats to be as follows, to be four foot and half high from the pavement, the outside framing of Inch and half stuff, the Inside to be Inch and quarter ; outside pannels to be three-quarters of an inch ; the inside pannels half an inch ; the outside to be raised Quarter round, and the inside square work, and to find wainscot and Hinges for the same. And also to make the Pulpit, Reading desk, clerk's seat, and to find Wainscot and Hinges for them. He doth also Agree to make the Altar-piece, Communion table, and Hails and Ballisters, the Ballisters to be three inches at least, and the top five inches ; he finding wainscot and joints and all Materials for finishing the whole work workman like. And also to wainscot the north and south walls with seats, the wainscot to be two foot from the seats. And also to make three doors for the South, West, and North, the Wainscot to be Inch and Quarter thick, and Battond on both sides, and he find nails and all Materials, except the Hinges only. He doth agree to finish the above mentioned work workman like and to find wainscot for the whole at the price of one hundred and fifty pounds, and the said Trustees do agree to give him the said sum. AGEEEMENT TO CEIL AND SEAT THE CHANCEL. ARTICLES of agreemt. made this fourth day of March in y e year of o r L d 1724-5. Between W m Parson of Holt Joyner and Mr. Briggs and Mr. Newdigate Trustees for y e church of Holt as follows The said William Parson to wainscot w th Deal square work the roof of ye chancel seven pannels to encompass the roof the Framing to be whole deales y e pannels inch or thereabouts, and to paint y same, with Cornish and other proper members, also to paint y e joints twice over on y e back sides and to finish all in a workman like manner ; and y 6 B d Trustees agree to give him for y e s d work y e sum of twenty four pounds when fixed up. Also the said W m Parson agrees to make all y e seats in y e chancel and forms to put under at five shills a yard as witness or hands. HENRY BRIGGS WILL PARSON JNO. NEWDIGATE 26 EASTERN COUNTIES An Acct of Disbursemts. for y* Church at Holt. Plate and engraving 28 Iron chest and Locks 07 11 Hood 01 6 Velvet 06 Upholster . 06 19 Books 0811 Box and cord 002 Coach and expencea 05 "Warfage, Carman, porter Sufferance and carriage by Land 10 59 04 Jan. 3, 1729-30 EEO D of M'. Newdigate the sum of two pounds two shillings in full for a Weathercock for y e steeple, I say Eec d ^ me ANTHO. HINGHAM. AGEEEMENT FOE CLOCK. November the 27, 1731. MEM D it is agreed between Hen. Briggs DD. and John Newdigate Gent and Isaack Nickalls clockmaker of Wells, that the s d Tsaack Nickals is to make a clock for the parish church at Holt Substantial and good an eight day peice and a Dyal plate large and proper on y west end of y e steeple and another into y e church with a minute hand both properly adorned and painted with a wood case to enclose it also to put it up and do all things necessary and proper and maintain it a year and y* above sd Hen. Briggs and John Newdigate to pay to the said Isaac Nickals the sum of thirty five pounds when the work is compleated as witness my hand ISAAC NICKALS. Test. ED. NEWDIGATE Aug* 16 1732 EEC D of M r . John Newdigate the sum of Thirty six pounds fiften shillings in full for the Town clock according to agreement as witness my hand ISAAC NICKALS LETTEE FEOM THOMAS NICKALLS TO DE. NEWDIGATE. SIR Yours of the 13th Instant I was favord with and at the last Genralls at Walsingham D r Briggs came to me to know what COLLECTANEA. 27 was the reason the Holt ace* was not setled and it was then agreed that I should come over at Mich, next to Holt and bring a stated acc along with me. this I dare be bould to say D r Briggs will acert to be true, however I am oblig d to you for your directions and the acct. is as under. Under takers D rs to Holt Mark* Church. \ To acct 12 Sep r 1729 V T O Briefs 9948 London Total Money 136 1175 19 3 To Easter 1 730 7 1 2 7 6f Sent up 24 Aug 4 1726 Blanks w th small Indorsm ta amounting to 126 d 9955 282 90 137 1178 6 9| More Blanks bro' in since y l time . . 19 10346 Undertakers Crd rs By Patent Fees .................................. 95 8 2 By Salary for 9955 whereof 137 London ........... 419 7 2 Pd. Trustees tf T. Ward 300" tf T. Nicolls 292 6 10. . 592 10 5 May 1731 due to Balance ....... 71 1 5| 1178 6 9| Sir you see on the other side how the acct. stands be twixt your Church and our under takers I dare say the acct is Right as I have sent it if you want any thing further desire you'l wright to me as before and you shal have all the satisfaction that I am capable of giving you and if you and the parishners are satisfied with it I will give you a Bill upon Mr. Thos. Ward Bookseller in the Inner Temple Lane London for the money which will be paid to content I meane at sight for the money lies dead and is of noe use to us other wise I will pay the money when I come in to Norfolk at Mich: which I believe will be ab* y e first week in October next. I am with service to D r Briggs y r most oblig d Humble Serv 4 to command THO. NICOLAS. Stafford 28 July 1731. It appears from another account that the sum of 95, 8s. 2d., charged as Patent Fees, was made up as follows : . s. d. Fiat ............ 38 10 Patent .. " ...... 25 18 2 Printing .......... 13 10 Stamping ...... .. .. 13 10 . Clarkes and other allowances . . . . 400 The fees and the salary together amount to 5 1 7 odd, nearly half the amount collected. 28 EASTERN COUNTIES DEAFT OF DE. NEWDIGATE'S LETTEE TO THOS. NICKALLS. SR. We receiv'd yours of the ult. and in answer to it can only say that it is so far from giving us satisfaction that it makes your Account still more intricate : Tho' we should allow all the deductions you mention in this letter, and those in the Account signed by you at Norwich, they both together fall short of the number of Briefs layd by some hundreds, w ch still remain to be accounted for : We must also acquaint you that the Number of Briefs, sayd to be layd at London in your Books, fall short of the Number you have charg'd us w th in your account at Is. 6d. p' Brief All w ch mistakes we shall expect to have rectifyed when you come to Holt w oh we desire may be as soon as you can. We are very much surpris'd to find an addition to the number of Blanks if that way of reckoning be allowd you may easily account for all deficiencies hoping when we meet at Holt ab l Michaelmas next as you mention, that matters will be settled to y e satisfaction of all as well as Y r humble Servt. Augt. 6, 1731. J. N. 1725. In repairing the chancel at Holt was found a hollow place in the south wall, between Mr. Hobart's Monument and the window towards y e East (w ch is in y e Vestry) w ch contains an Arch and 2 persons a man and a woman in a very antient dress and praying posture w th hands lifted up much broken and shattered, ye stone tender have bin painted no inscription nor Arms to be found but in ye North side was a Circular window w th the Arms of de Yaux, being chequy, &c. and other Arms so decayd as not to be discovered who they belonged to the broken monument supposed to be y e effigies of ye Found of ye church wheth r Petronilla de Vallibus or Petronilla Nerford ? they being L d8 of y e mannor very early after y e conquest. The place is covered over to preserve these antiquities from being lost. JNO. NEWDIGATE. FOLK-LOEE : A NOTE ON SPELLS. SPELLS are supposed to deprive those who are the objects of them of the power of action and sometimes of volition. Charms are common enough in every country village ; but there are few persons, however superstitious they may be, who profess to know anything about spells. COLLECTANEA. 29 Only three instances have come under my own observation : the first I met with nearly forty years ago, but, as I did not copy it, the words have entirely faded from my memory. Some years later, when I found, a second time, what professed to be a spell, I made a note of it ; the words, omitting the invocation, run thus: * * * This house I bequeath round about, And all my goods within and without, In this yard or inclosed piece of land, Unto Jesus Christ that died on the tree, The Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, all three. Thieves ! Thieves ! Thieves ! By virtue of this blessed Trinity * * * * That you stir not one foot from this place until the rising of the sun next morning with beams full clear. And this I charge you by the virtue of the Trinity ; Jesus save me and mine from them and fetching. Amen. This formula was to be repeated three times whilst walking round the place, and seems to have been used as a supposed protection against thieves. The third form of spell I obtained from a lady in whose family it had been treasured up for a very long period : her uncle, who was in a respectable position in life, and who died many years ago, had a copy of it always sewn up in the dresses of his daughters as a protection from danger ; and in cases of emergency, the wearer was directed to repeat the words to ward off the threatened evil. It thus appears to have been used both as a charm and a spell. The following is a copy of one of these papers now in the possession of the lady I have referred to, which was taken from the dress of one of her cousins after her decease : "Whoever thou art that meanest me ill, Stand thou still ! As the river Jordan did When our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, "Was baptized therein In the name of the Father, &c. On one occasion whilst living with her father, one of the daughters on her way home from market, was stopped by a man with the evident intention, as she believed, of assaulting her. Being very much alarmed, she instantly thought of the spell, and, repeating it with great earnestness, she was immediately relieved from her fears by the sudden departure of her assailant. This incident was firmly believed by all her family, and her preservation was attributed to the potency of the spell and her presence of mind in repeating the formula. G. E. P. D 2 30 EASTERN COUNTIES BARGAIN AND SALE AND INVENTORY OF BREWING UTENSILS, 1653. THE following bill of sale and inventory of the contents of a brew-house in this parish may perhaps be interesting to your readers. To ALL XPIAN PEOPLE to whome this psent writeinge shall come Thomas Pettus of Norwich gent and Bridgett his wife executrix of the last will and testament of Samuel Feake her late husband deceased send greeting in our Lord God everlastinge KNOWE YEE that wee the sayd Thomas Pettus and Bridgett my wife as well for and in con- sideracon of a certaine valuable sum of good and lawfull mony of England to us in hand payed or otherwise for us or one of us otherwise satisfied and payed by Thomas Beverly of Poringland in the county of Norff. yeoman att and before then sealeing and delivery of theise psents, the w ch wee doe hereby acknowledg and confess as alsoe for diverse other good causes and consideracons us and either of us hereunto moveinge HAVE bargained sold aliened deliu'ed and con- firmed and by these psents doe bargaine sell alien deliuer and confirme to the sayd Thomas Beverly his executors administrators and assignes for ever ALL and singuler the goods and chattells ptaineing to the trade of Brewinge and other things late of the sayd Samuel Feake deceased pticularly mentioned and expressed in the schedule hereunto annexed as the same and every of them are standinge and beinge in the Brewhowse and other houses or Rooms wherein wee the sayd Thomas Pettus and Bridgett nowe dwell in the pishe of S*. Giles in Norwich (nowe alsoe bargained and sold by us to to the sayd Thomas Beverley) To HAVE AND TO HOLD all and singuler the sayd bargained goods and chattells and pmises afore mentioned and every pt and pcell of them and every of them in the said schedule hereunto annexed mentioned, unto the sayd Thomas Beverly his executors administrators and assignes to the only use and behoofe of the sayd Thomas Beverly and of his executors administrators and assignes for ever, without any condicon or other limitacon whatsoever : IN WITNESSE whereof wee the sayd Thomas Pettus and Bridgett have hereunto sett our hands and seales and made delivery of all and singuler the sayd bargained pmises by the delivery of a rudder pt thereof in liew & seizin of all the residue unto the said Thomas Beverly the seventeenth day of October in the yeare of o r Lord Christ according to the computacon of the Church of England One Thousand six hundred fifty and three : 1653 : THOMAS PETTUS The X mrke of BEIDGETT PETTUS [Two seals attached.] THE SCHEDULE whereof mention is made in this psent Bill of Sale hereunto annexed of all and singuler the goods and chattells ptaineing COLLECTANEA. 31 to the trade of brewing ment mentioned & intended to be bargained & sold by the say bill of sale as the same and every of them are standing and beinge in the brewhouse and other houses and roomes wherin the within named Thomas Pettus and Bridgett his wife nowe dwell and have in use in the pishe of S l . Giles in Norwich Imprimis the copper and the cover thereof the ffloor of yron the yron (lore one colerake one yrone slice and one iron rake Itm one mashfatt & bottom boards & the underbecke one cisterne of leade three coolers three dales one gildfatt 7 doz. and 8 barrells two doz. halfe barrells 3 doz. firkins 8 pipes 7 beerestooles w th troughs One worte pump 16 mealetubs 3 jetts & one paile 1 brasse kettle 1 floate & an apron of leade & a horse 3 licour tubbs 2 tunnels with brasse spouts the stools about the copp'. a horse mill w th two stones & a hopper and one ffatt w th the ffurniture 2 kellers 2 paire of slings 1 Carte 3 Rudders 1 Bushell I Wire Riddle the woodden pump w th irons thereunto 1 long ladder & one short ladder Endorsed. Sealed and delive'd in the pnse of us MICH: BRANSBY DANIEL SHABPE & me JOHN MATHEWE scr. I have also Thomas Beverley's bond, dated 25 March, 1654, to Thomas Southgate of Norwich, Beer Brewer, for the performance of the covenants of certain indentures made between the said Thomas Beverley and Mary his wife on the one part, and the said Thomas Southgate on the other part. These indentures are, I am sorry to say, lost. The bond is witnessed by John Norman and John Mathewe, Scrivener, and is endorsed, " Tho : Beverleye bond to M r . Southgate for y e Cow esteate." MICHAEL BEVERLEY, M.D. St. Giles, Norwich. 32 EASTERN COUNTIES FAEMEES VEESUS SPABEOWS. THE antipathy which farmers of the old school had, and have, towards sparrows and small birds is well known to residents in agricultural districts, hut that whole parishes were involved in the war of destruc- tion may be doubted in future times, unless some record of that fact be made before those concerned are all departed. We have written evidence in the parish account book of Pulham St. Mary the Virgin, in Norfolk, which discloses the wholesale slaughter of the feathered tribes ; provided we can entirely credit that the sums mentioned in the book as paid for destroying them, do not include a few items not convenient to appear separately. The first item I found was in the churchwardens' account for 1 760. "Paid for 393 dozen and hf. of Sparrows 4. 18s. 4|d." With this reduction of 4722 birds one would naturally suppose the parish would be almost free from songsters and chirpers for at least a year or two; but no, the item once in became an "institution" in the parish, and nearly the same amount is charged every year until 1808, when 6. 6s. 8d. was paid. The amount fluctuated between five and six pounds till 1818, when 7. 8s. was paid. This sum little varied till 1826, when it amounted to 8. 7s. 5d., and it remained annually about the same until 1838, when it reached the sum of 9. 5s. lOd. This is the highest amount I noticed, but I must add that in one year the "hedgehogs" were included in the entry with sparrows. The payments by the parish appear to have ceased in 1841. Taking the highest number of birds killed in one year at 8920, and the lowest at 4722, and striking an average, there appear to have been destroyed in one village alone during eighty-one years in round numbers about 460,000, at a cost to the parish of about 480, it appearing by the first entry that one farthing per head was the price allowed. Very many tales are current as to the manner in which sparrows' heads were, in the dark nights, dug up from the pit where the parish officers deposited them, after they had been counted and recorded, and made to do duty a second or may be a third time ; but perhaps it was " village scandal." I am, however, assured by a worthy gentleman resident in an adjoining parish, that it was a common trick in his young days amongst the boys to sharpen up and reduce the beaks of the larger birds, to make them more resemble sparrows, and deceive the churchwardens, who either could not, or cared not to, observe the difference. The parish officers who received the birds generally wrung off the heads and retained them, throwing the bodies into the road. Some of the village lads were sharp enough to sew the heads of other birds on the sparrows' bodies, and thus turn a few pence in a sly fashion. I have observed similar entries in churchwardens' accounts of other parishes in Norfolk and Suffolk, of about the same period. "Caddows" COLLECTANEA. 33 as well as " Urchins " were destroyed at the expence of the parish, it being believed that the latter sucked the cows. It is rather startling to read in the old books, " Paid for destroying 2 urchins 6 d .," the animal intended having long ceased to be called by that najne. T. CALVER. SIR THOMAS ADAMS, BAET. THIS gentleman purchased Sprowston Hall of Sir Thomas Corbet, the last Baronet of that family, in 1645. Sir Thomas Adams was born at Wem, in Shropshire, in the year 1586, educated at the University of Cambridge, and, as Fuller says, " bred a draper in London." He rose to be Sheriff of London in 1639, and was afterwards made Lord Mayor, was often returned Member of Parliament, and was chosen President of St. Thomas's Hospital, which institution he saved from ruin by discovering the frauds of a dishonest steward. He was subsequently dignified with the title of "Father of the City," and became an intimate friend of Charles the Second, to whom he remitted large sums of money when that King was in exile. When the restoration of the King was agreed on, Mr. Adams, then 74 years of age, was deputed by the City of London to accompany General Monk to Breda, in Holland, to congratulate and accompany the King home ; for this service the King knighted him, and after the restoration advanced him to the dignity of a Baronet. Sir Thomas Adams's merit as a benefactor to the public was highly conspicuous. He gave the house of his nativity, at Wem, as a free School to the town and liberally endowed it ; he likewise founded the professorship of Arabic at Cambridge, both of which took place before his death. He was also at the expense of printing the Gospels in Persian and sending- them to the East, that he might (as he quaintly expressed it) "throw a stone at the forehead of Mahomet." He died at the age of 81, on the 24th February, 1667 ; his death having been hastened by a fall as he was stepping out of a coach. His body laid in state for several days at his residence in Ironmongers' Hall, London, and was subsequently brought down to Sprowston and buried in the church on the 12th of March. * In his latter years he was much af- flicted with Calculus : after death this was taken from the body, and was found to exceed the extraordinary weight of twenty-five ounces. This great Calculus, notice of which occurs in the epitaph to Sir Thomas Adams, has lately come to light and has been presented by its possessor (Mr. Edward Hill) to the Museum of St. Thomas's Hospital ; in the welfare of which institution Sir Thomas exhibited so parental a * Biographia Brittanica. . * 34 EASTERN COUNTIES concern. In the chancel of Sprowston Church is a large and costly marble monument to the memory of Sir Thomas, adorned with life- size recumbent figures of himself and his wife : it contains a long Latin epitaph ; the latter part of which corroborates the remarkable circum- stance alluded to, respecting the Calculus. " Postquam octogesimum primum annum compleverat et cruciatus gravissimos calculi (qui pondus uncianum viginti quinque superaverat) invicta patientia per- tulisset, Feb 24, MDCLXVII vitae tsediis solutus." CHAELES WILLIAMS. Feb. 12, 1872. VERSES IN THE PAEISH REGISTER OF CATFIELD, NORFOLK. Let none which cannot well indite Presume within this booke to write. Recordes of lives & deathes of men Ought not be scraped by a hen. The names, the dates, of daye & yeire Ought plainely ever to appeare In incke most black, and voide of blottes, In parchement faire without all spottes, In latine true, or english plaine, Or els the truithe maye take his baine. I, ANTHO. HARRISON, Rector of Catfeilde, 1609. FLY-LEAF SCRIBBLINGS. IN the church chest at Bacton, Norfolk, is a copy of the " Paraphrase " of Erasmus emprinted at London in Flete Strete at the Syne of the " Sonne by Ed ward e Whitchurche the last daie of Januarie Anno " domini 1548." On the back of the fly-leaf are these verses. Man cam into the worlde To aske that was not in y e worlde He gave yt him that had it not And god himself cam for it You that can & will this reison showe I pray ye sit it downe that men may it knowe This was the question of a learned man Therfore I pray you all shew it y l can Yours yf he may North Wahham. T.'LovE. G. COLLECTANEA. 35 CHURCH PLATE IN NOKFOLK DATED 1567. SOME of your readers, versed in Ecclesiastical History, may be able to tell me why so many of the Communion Cups remaining in the Norfolk Churches were made in 1567 or 1568. A list of the plate in the churches of the Deanery of Ingworth, Norfolk, was commu- nicated by the Eev. E. T. Yates to vol. v. of Norfolk Archeology, from which it appears that out of 35 communion cups 9 are dated 1567 2 ... 1568 1 ... 1619 1 ... 1640 1 ... 1686 1 ... 1708 1 ... 1768; and that the remaining 19 are either not dated or are new. It will be seen, then, that one-third of the cups in that deanery belong to the years 1567 and 1568. I may add that Aylmerton and Ranworth communion cups are dated 1567. I should be glad to see lists of the Church Plate of the County in print. It would be little trouble to the Rural Deans to follow the example set by the Rev. E. T. Yates. The metal, the inscriptions, the hall-mark, and a slight description, should be given. It would also be proper to state the weight. These lists would furnish materials for an Account of the Church Plate of the County, a work, which, if undertaken by a competent person, could not fail to be of interest. A. FLOODS IN NORWICH IN THE 17ra CENTURY. I HAVE understood that the parish registers of St. Mary Coslany, Norwich, were destroyed by the church being flooded ; but I have not learnt the date at which this took place. Some years ago, I saw, in private possession, an old volume of the Churchwardens' Accounts of that parish, commencing in 1586, from which I extracted the following items; showing that in 1614-15 and 1647-48 the church was inundated. 1614-15 for putting the stolles in ther plases y* -wer remoTed by the flud . 5 6 1647-8. for mending the alley in y e church w ch was suncke by the hey water 010 3 A. 36 EASTERN COUNTIES ERPINGHAM GATE, NORWICH, (p. 13.) IN Mr. D. Turner's volumes (vol. iii. " Norwich ") is a small drawing of the motto " Yenk," with the following letter illustrating it. DEAR SIR, I enclose for your inspection a very trifle indeed, but one which may not be totally uninteresting to an illustrator of Blome- field. It is most accurately executed and it proves that the motto on our Erpingham Gate has been hitherto mistaken ; that motto is usually read pena, and Blomefield encourages this error : it appears most un- doubtedly to be "Yenk," which is equivalent to (or rather a mode of writing) "thenk," i.e, think. The word "yenk" is to be found in a passage from an old translation of the Psalms, quoted by Weaver, and in the margin he has interpreted " yenk, think;" indeed, the use of y for th still occurs in our writing as y e , &c. Yenk is found as a motto on a tomb in Norfolk, but I do not recollect where ; that tomb, however, is not the tomb of an Erpingham. Yenk or Yink was also, if I mistake not, on some arms of the Erpinghams painted in glass, but now destroyed. I think this is noticed in Blomefield. The same writer mentions, in his Norwich, a crest of Sir Thomas Erping- ham, with the motto " beware :" query, was this word and "think" used by them as equivalent and at their pleasure ? I thought you might like to have a copy of the little drawing I have sent you ; indeed, I should not trouble you to return it, were it not done for me by a friend. I remain, dear Sir, Norwich, \stNovember, 1813. Yours truly, To Dawson Turner. F. SAYERS. CAMBRIDGESHIRE TRADESMAN'S TOKEN. HAVING recently added to my collection an inedited Cambridgeshire Tradesman's Token of the seventeenth century, I thought a description of it might prove interesting to your readers. It is a farthing. Olv. : Thomas Harrison. The Haberdashers' Arms. Rev.: Of March, 1667. T H M. Mr. Harrison must have done a fair trade in tokens. According to " Boyne's List" he issued a farthing in 1657, and a halfpenny in 1669. On the latter the name of the town is spelt " Mairch." JUSTIN SIMPSON. NORFOLK SUPERSTITIONS, (p. 2.) SHUCK is not confined to East Norfolk. My parish clerk vowed, a year or two since, that he met him on the road between Downham and this place, and that he vanished through the hedge with a great rattling of chains and a strong smell of sulphur. I am afraid a great black dog of mine, who broke his chain, has the credit of being " Shuck ; " but where the smell of sulphur came from, as they say in these parts, that must rest. E. J. H. Bexwell Rectory. COLLECTANEA. $7 CEOMEE PIEE. SINCE I wrote an account of the old pier * at Cromer in Norfolk Arche- ology (vol. vii. p. 277) I have found two curious documents relating to it, which prove it continued in existence to about the year 1580. The first is a Petition from the Bishop of Norwich, Sir Win. Paston, Sir Edmond "Wyndham, Sir Thos. "Woodhouse, Sir Win. Woodhouse, and Sir Christopher Heydon, Knts., and Eobt. Barney and Edmond Lomnour, Esquires, to the Privy Council, dated the 12th Jan. 1551. This I found among the records of the Duchy of Lancaster, which comprize an immense number of documents, such as Inquisitions Post Mortem, Pleadings, and Petitions, relating to the County of Norfolk, which I think have never met with the attention they deserve from Norfolk topographers and genealogists. It sets out that not only had the "rages & surges" of the sea recently "swallowed uppe & drownded" a great many houses, thereby forcing the inhabitants at heavy expense to make great piers to save the remainder of their town ; but that, by the negligence of certain of the inhabitants, sudden fire had destroyed a great part of the town, the length of a whole street remaining yet unre-edified. This is strong corroborative evidence of the correctness of the tradition that Cromer was once a flourishing and populous town ; for, at present, one could hardly speak of " a great part of the town," nor could a whole street be well spared. Duchy of Lancaster Pleadings, temp. Edw. VI., Vol. 4. N. 6. Too the Eight Honourable the Kyng his Gracys Moste Honorable Councell. Humbly declarethe unto yo r good lordeshippes Thomas Bisshop of Norwich Willm Paston Knyght Edmond Wyndham knyght Thomas Woodhous knyght Willm Woodhous knight Xpofer Heydon knight Eobte Barney Esquyer & Edmond Lomnor Esquyer that this xij th of Januarye & iiij 111 yeare of the Eeign of o r moste dere sov'eyn lorde Edwarde the sixte by the grace of god of Ingland Fraunce & Ireland Kyng Defendo 1 of the feithe & in earthe of the Chirche of Ingland & Ireland sup'me hedde, the credeble and most sub- stanciall Inhabytantes of the Town of Cromer in o r said sou'eyn lorde his Countie of Norff. upon ther grete necessite for that the same Town is scytuate & adioyning soo nere the sees that of late in o r memorye by the rages & surges of the same sees the number of a grete sorte of houses .pfightely knowen by us to have ben swallowed uppe & drownded, and that for the defence of the other ( pte of the same yet on perysshed & nexte adioyning to the same sees the same Inhabytantes hathe to ther grete & importunate charges defended the * The pier no doubt also comprised a jetty and -breakwater. E 38 EASTERN COUNTIES same by makyng of grete peeres & daylye putte to insatiable charges scharse & onetheable to be borne of the same Inhabytantes for that a grete ,pte of the same Town ha the by neclygence of serten ,psons of late ben consumed by souden feyer as by the. lenght of on hole strete as yett enreedefyed for that ther inhabyte as also for that the same Inhabytantes in tymes paste hathe hadde grete releiffe towarde the Beryng of that ther charges of the same shire and nowe of late thorowe the contribucion and grete aides requyred & gathered of the same weldisposid people toward the renuing of a s'ten haven in Yernemouthe gretely decaied are smally relevyd & by the same dishabilitie leke to suffer the same peeres to decaye to the utter destrucion of the same Towne whiche were grete petie & losse to the same Countrie being so necessarie for the hamsones of fysshing and also for the conducte of all vytalls & necessaries from the same countrie for the Kyng o r said sou'eyn lordes ,pvysion & the trasportyng of ther Inhabytantes ther goodes as also for the defence of the 4 ptes next adioyning the same in tyme of warres and at this p'sente being voyde of all munytons & defenses for the same iff any suche necessite shuld requere Spoyled thorowe the moste detestable rebellion nowe of late ther traytorusly { ppetrated & comytted the same Inhabytantes by reporte of dyv's credyble t psons leste of all ,psons in that thei were then visited with syknes being smalle ayders and assisters to the same The same Inhabytantes thus distressid hathe by ther pytuous motion requestid us to make relacon of o r knowlege to yowe the Kyngs moste honorable councell of this ther pore estate and condicon to us Ryght well knowen & wurthye spedye. releyffe as well in defence of ther said peres as of ther lakke of Similar entries. 30 ) Possibly the " Kings houses " in "in emendacione domorum Regis " may be the King's lodgings, or a suite of rooms specially fitted up in the Castle for his personal occupation, in case he should ever visit the spot. There would seem to have been two chaplains in the Chapel at Norwich, and two at Orford, in 26 Hen. Ill, though the entries are rather difficult to reconcile with the rate of payment to one chaplain in the 27th and subsequent years. WALTER EYE. Chelsea. COLLECTANEA. 77 BARGAIN AND SALE OF A SWAN MAEK, 1646. WE are indebted to Mr. Stanley Edwards, of King's Lynn, for the transcript of the following deed, by which Robert Baker, of Terrington St. Clement's, Norfolk, sells the Swan Mark late of his father, Audlye Baker, Esq., to Anthony Williamson, of Tylney. The privilege of keeping swans was confined by Act of Parliament, in 1483, to those who enjoyed a freehold estate of the clear yearly value of five marks. That each owner might identify his birds, there was cut on the skin of the beak a distinctive mark or nick. At the annual Swan-hopping (q. d. upping) the cygnets found with the old birds were similarly marked. There are in existence many old rolls of drawings of Swan Marks, with the names of the owners annexed; and the privilege of keeping swans became known as a Swan Mark, and, as it appears from the following deed, was bought and sold like any other description of property. An interesting notice of the subject is given in Yarrell's History of British Birds, vol. iii., pp. 121, 130. To all Xpian people to whome this present writing shall come greeting Knowe yee that I Robert Lad al's Baker of Terrington S'. Clements in the countie of Norffe Gentleman for and in consideracion of a Certen some of money to me in hand paid before thensealing hereof by Anthony Williamson of Kenwicke in the p'ish of Tyllnye in the said Countie Gentleman ; the receipt whereof I acknowledge and for ever hereby acquite and Cleerely discharge the said Anthony Williamson his heires and assignes AND by theis presents have bargayned and sold assigned and made over and hereby doe bargaine sell assigne and make over unto the said Anthony Williamson All that my Swann- marke comonly called the Hammer-head and Roman R : with all other additions unto the same belonging or in any waies appertaines The which Swann-marke appeares as in this manner is drawne and fixed in this Margent And which marke I the said Robert had and now doe possesse and enjoye by decent from my ffather Audlye Baker late of Terrington aforesaid Esquire deceased To HAVE and to hould the same demised premises and the additions as is above specified unto the said Anthony Williamson his heires and assignes from the day of the date hereof henceforth for ever Together with all Swanns and Signetts whatsoever and wheresoever found or to be found haveing the said Marke : With absolute warranty against all persons whatsoever Wit- ness my hand and seale the fifteenth day of ffebruary 1646 And in the Two & Twenteth yeere of the raigne of our Sou'aigne Lord King Charles of England. Robert Lad al's Baker. Sealed and delivered in the p'sence of William Morton Will'm W Birdwistle his marke Andrew Ogard H 2 78 EASTERN COUNTIES EXTEACTS FEOM THE EEGISTEE OF LAKENHAM, NOEWICH. IN the Eegister Book of Baptisms and Burials in the Parish .of Lakenham, for 1759 1813, appears the following: Has tabulas, in quas referuntur Dlorum Nomina r\ -p i ( Fonte sacro ablu.it Quos Ecclesia < -c, -,.. ( Jiixequris sepelit Parcecise De Lakenham in Agro Nordovici Dono dedit Joannes Francis, Artium Magister, Vicarius. Februarii Die Quarto Anno Salutis Humanse. 1761. Quisquis es hie ortus Hominum, Casusq. revolvens, Heu, procul a Cunis nulla sepulchra vides. Nee mserens abeas ; Tibi inexorabile Lethum Debile, quod vincat, nil nisi corpus habet. Nee tamen hoc vincet ; nam Dextra potentior olim Eripiet Lethi quod rapuere manus. Gratiee Deo per Jesum Christum, Nomen in Ssecula Sseculorum adorandum. The first Baptism of which the record remains is : Edwarde Cottwyne the sonne of Edwarde Cottwyne was baptized the twenteth off [sic] July, 1601. The first Burial is : Katherine Dey the daughter of William Deye [sic] was buried the xiii th of marche, Anno D'ni 1568 The first Marriage is : Christopher Trotter and Elizabeth Blythe married the xix th of Nouember Anno d'ni 1568. A. P. THE PEELUSTEATION OF GEEAT YAEMOUTH. THE first volume of The Perlustration of Great Yarmouth, which is being published by- subscription by Nail of that town, is just completed and makes a handsome quarto of over 400 pages, embellished with more than 40 plates and 100 woodcuts. All who are acquainted with Mr. C. J. Palmer's previous works are fully aware that he can not only make a big book, but also render it valuable and interesting. In the Perlustration, replete as it is with information and enlivened by anecdotes, Mr. Palmer instructs and interests as well as amuses and diverts us. ,In his Preface, written as long ago as March, 1870, he speaks feelingly of the "weariness ever attendant upon increasing years." Assuredly we detect no trace of it in his book, and we trust he may long enjoy health of body and activity of mind. COLLECTANEA. 79 THE PA8TON LETTERS. THIS unrivalled collection of letters, which Hallam. speaks of as "a precious link in the chain of the moral History of England," is now being reprinted, forming the opening volumes of a series of annotated reprints to be published by Mr. Arber of Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, London. Our readers may remember that the "Paston Letters," after they left Oxnead, were successively in the possession of Peter Le Neve, Honest Tom Martin, Mr. John Worth, and Mr. John Fenn, of East Dereham, who, after having had them twelve years in his possession, published a selection from them in two vols. quarto, dedicated to King George III. The first edition was disposed of in a week, and a second was published the same year. In the mean time the king expressing a desire to see the original letters, Mr. Fenn presented them to his Majesty in May, 1787, and received the honour of knighthood as an acknowledgement of the value of the gift. In 1 789, Sir John Fenn published two more volumes, and at his death, in 1794, he left ready for the press the manuscript of a fifth volume, which was not destined to see the light till 1823, when it was given to the world by Mr. Serjeant Frere, Sir John Fenn's nephew. From the time the manuscript letters of the first and second volumes were presented to the king, in 1787, nothing has been heard of them. Further, the originals of the third and fourth volumes are also lost; and in 1823, when Serjeant Frere published the fifth volume, he could not even find the originals of that. But happily, in 1865, they turned up at Dungate in Cambridgeshire, at the house of Mr Philip Frere, with several hundred unpublished letters of the same collection, and one single document which had been printed in vol. iii. The recovery of these papers, with so much additional material, suggested to Mr. Gairdner, of the Public Eecord Office, the desirability of a new edition of all the " Paston Letters." The first volume has just made its appearance, and is a model of careful editor- ship. It is prefaced by an able Introduction of over one hundred pages, which will well repay a careful perusal, and will be found to contain much of Norfolk history. LETTER FROM THE MAYOR AND JUSTICES OF NORWICH TO THE PRIYY COUNCIL, 1583. OUR dueties in all humble maner Remembred Pleasith it your good Lordships that wee having lately intelligence of certeyn evill disposed persons whiche secretly have assembled themselves hearing sondry massys Wee according to our loyal dueties presently apprehendid so many of the suspectyd persons as wee could coom by and upon their several Examinations it appereth that diverse persons as well w^in this her majesty's citie of Norwicke as in the Countie of Norff have 80 EASTERN COUNTIES heard the same massys and soom of them have been shryven and received halowyd Beads (as they terme them) w u ' chardge to weare them abowt them and to absent themselves from the Churche of Englond Saieng to them that is damnable and hereticall and because wee found sondry persons Inhabytyng in the Countie of Norff to bee accusyd by their Examinations Wee furthw u> imparted the same to her Mat 8 Justices of the Peace of the same Countie whoo will also signifie to your hono" their proceedings therin Som of th' accused p'sons cannot as yett bee found or coom by Soom upon good con- sideracon We have bound to appere upon warning and other soom Wee have comitted nevertheless for certeyn of them w ch wee have comitted (by whose examinations the other offenders wer revealyd and disclosyd) wee have promysed to bee humble suiters to yo r LI for favo r and mercy they being pore p'sons of meane accomp 1 and condicon and seeme to be penitent The names of all the accusers w th the accused place tyme and masse priests wee have discov'ed in a brieff catalogue w ch herw to wee send to yo r LI and so reservyng the cause and o r selves in the further proceeding herin to yo r good LI wee mo* humbly take o r leave Norwiche this xvij th of January 1583. Yo r LI in all duetie Thomas Grleane Maior Robert Suoklyng Alld. Thomas Pecke Alld. Thomas Layer Symond Bowde Christofer Laier To the Right Honorable their very good Lords the Lords of her Mat 8 most honorable privie couusell give these. .Domestic State Papers, Elizabeth, vol. 167, No. 30. THE BOOKS OF TWO NORFOLK CLERGYMEN, 1510 & 1531. SIR Richard Wygelworth, parish priest of Waxtonesham, Norfolk, by his will, dated 1510, bequeathed to the monastery of Hickling, and to the house and priory of Ingham, all his books, except Sermones parati and Manipulus Curatorum, which he gave to the vicar of Palling. Robert Barvell, parson of Thuxton, in 1531 by his will gave to the church of St. Peter Mancroft, in Norwich, " a booke callyd an ordynall of parchment." He also bequeathed to divers individuals the following books : Itencalyn to Jherusalem ; The Constitutions provincial, of this he had two, copies; Josephus de antiquitatibus ; Postilla super Epistolas et de Evangelia ; Gemma predicantium ; The Fall of princes ; Geoffrey de Historia ritan'm ; and The Croitycles of ynglong. NORWICENSIS. COLLECTANEA. 8 1 CHANCEL SCREEN AT YELVERTON CHURCH, NORFOLK. THE south side of the lower portion of this screen remains divided into six compartments. In the head of each panel is an angel, whilst below is a quotation from the Gloria in Excelsis, it being intended, I should imagine, to represent " a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." The inscription is given below divided as on the screen. 2Tfjomas : fjatte | betrefe g 3 ingff | ffilo : rfa : m excels | toco : et fattens | pai fyovb 6one U0I= | untatts : laufoam | At the east end of the south aisle is a small brass plate, inscribed $rag for tfje souls of fHagst' Efcomas p?atte & Beatrice fjts OTgfe & for tfje soule of iBfltagat' Eoberte TOoIuerton sq late fatfte' to the s-egfc foeatrtce. Thomas Hatte and his wife were no doubt at the expense of painting this screen. Neither that nor the brass are dated, but the latter was engraved in the early part of the sixteenth century, say about 1510. CHANCEL SCREEN, GILLINGHAM ST. MARY, NORFOLK. A FRAGMENT only of this screen remains, and stands near the west end of the church. It was discovered behind the hall pew during the extensive alterations made in the church in 1859, and is an effective example of decorative painting. It bears this inscription : Preg foe for ge sofole of .Sofjn Corora & far g* pot) Itffe of U0afcetfj Carfcra John Cordey of Gillingham made his will in 1518, leaving a widow Isbell, and a son John. I conclude, therefore, that the Gillingham screen was painted after that date, at the expense of his widow and her son. FREEDOM OF NORWICH CITIZENS FROM TOLL, &c. EDWARD I., by his charter dated 8 July, in the 33rd year of his reign, (Blomefield, vol. ii. p. 51), grants that the citizens of Norwich should be for ever free from toll, pontage, passage, murage, pavage, lastage, carriage, picage, cayage, and rivage, which grant was extended and confirmed by subsequent kings. 82 EASTERN COUNTIES During the last century it seems the Corporation had a form of pass or credential printed on parchment, which was filled in by the Cham- berlain, and issued under his seal, for the benefit of any citizen about to travel. A specimen of this came into my hands the other day among a bundle of Kentish deeds, and as I have never seen anything like it in print before, I subjoin a copy. WALTER RYE. Chelsea. To all and singular Persons unto whom these Presents shall come : We the MAYOR Sheriffs Citizens and Commonalty of the City of NORWICH send Greeting. Know ye That Phillip Ryley Taylor Esquire the Bearer hereof is our Fellow Citizen and by Virtue of our Liberties granted and confirmed unto us by divers Kings of ENGLAND the said Phillip Ryley Taylor is Free and ought so to be from all Kind of Tollage Pontage Passage Murage Pannage Rivage Vinage Lastage Stallage Pickage Wharfage Fossage Carriage and from all other Customs in all the Sea Ports throughout ENGLAND and in all others within the Dominions of Our Sovereign Lord the King. Wherefore we most friendly entreat and by the Tenour of these Presents do require you all and every of you that whensoever the said Philip Ryley Taylor or his Servants shall come unto you with his goods and mer- chandizes you permit him and them quietly and freely to pass without paying any of the above mentioned Customs according to the Tenour of our Liberties. In Testimony whereof We have caused these our Letters to our said Fellow Citizens to be made Patent under the Seal of the Office of the Chamberlain of the said City Given at the GUILD HALL there the 15 October in the thirty first year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth and in the year of Our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred and fifty seven. WM. DEWING j^ 401 Chamberlain. RIVERS WENSUM AND TARE. REFERRING to the Proclamation annually made at Hardley Cross, Norfolk, printed at p. 46, may I ask how comes it that the river at Hardley Cross is called the Wensum ? Certainly Norwich stands on the Wensum and Yarmouth on the Tare, but where does one end and the other begin. It has always seemed unreasonable to me that the Wensum should lose its name when the much smaller river which comes from Trowse mills runs into it. B. W. I. COLLECTANEA. 83 CHUECH HEEALDEY : DEANEEY OF BEECCLES. No. II. ASHILL. LET me make the following addition and correction to the list of Arms in Ashill Church (p. 55.) I. With reference to the second quarter of the Cotton shield in the floor of south aisle of nave : it has been pointed out to me that Papworth's British Armorials gives, Barry of six argent and azure, for Cotton. II. On closer examination I find that in the second quarter of the shield of Edwards in the roof the cross is potent, as it ought to be ; and should therefore be so described. PEDOMETER. AT page 56, line 15, HockwolA is a misprint: the arms of Watts are those of a family of that name residing for several generations at Horstead. John Langley Watts, who died while Mayor of Norwich in 1774, was of the Horstead family. B. G. With regard to the arms of Watts, Edmonson's Alphabet of Arms (1780) describes them under the name of Watts of Hockwold, Norfolk, 1610. This description has been simply copied in the other books I have. Edmonson does not give his authorities, and he may have mis-read Hockwold for Horstead ; on the other hand, it is possible that a family who had been settled at Horstead "for several genera- tions" in 1774, were of Hockwold in 1610. How far back can your correspondent trace Watts at Horstead ? PEDOMETER. BEECCLES. Slabs in the Chancel Floor. I. A fesse ermine between three owls ; impaling ; On a chief three lion's heads erased. For John Webb, Esq., and Mary his wife, daughter to Sir Thomas Eichardson, Lord Chief Justice of England : died 1658 and 1656 respectively.* (Webb, of Kent. Gules, a fesse between three owls or. Richardson, of Norfolk. Or, on a chief sable three lions' heads erased of the first. Edmonson's Alphabet of Arms.} * Close to this slab, and fastened to it (as it were) by a strap and buckles cut in the stone, is a slab, almost round, about a yard in diameter, inscribed with the words " Stat ut visit erecta." Can any of your readers give other instances of burial in an upright position ? [All the coffins in the Hobart vault in Blickling church stand in an upright position. ED. E. C. C.] 84 EA8TEKN COUNTIES II. A chevron engrailed between three owls ; impaling Webb as above. Crest : on a wreath a falcon belled, standing on a branch of a tree couped and raguly. For Sir William Hewytt, Knight, who married Ursula, daughter of John Webb, Esq., and died 1667. (Hewit of Pishiobury, Herts. Gules, a chevron engrailed between three owls argent. Crest : a falcon close argent, beaked, legged, and belled or, standing on a branch of a tree couped and raguly or. Edmonson's Alphabet.} CAEBEOOKE. Slabs in the Chancel Floor. I. Three pallets ; the dexter and sinister engrailed ; the central one charged with as many mullets. f Crest : a lion rampant regardant. Motto, "Bonne esperance." For Robert Feverall, Esq., many years an eminent merchant in Walbrook, &c., who died 9th January, 1765, aged 67. II. Feverall, as above, impaling ; A cross patonce charged with a roundle. Crest of Feverall. For Thomas Feverall and Jane his wife, who died 1782 and 1795 respectively. (Or, on a cross patonce gules a bezant. Doughty of Hanworth, Norfolk. Papworth's Ordinary.} TTT. Feverall, as above, quartering Doughty, as above. For Robert son of Thomas and Jane his wife, born March, 1756, died Feb. 1772. JV. Gules, a chevron between three stags' heads cabossed. Crest, an escallop reversed. For Samuel, son of Robert and Elizabeth Alpe, who died 1804, aged 16. Slabs in the Nave Floor. V. Two bars gemelles ; a canton ermine. Impaling ; Two swans in pale between as many flaunches. The shield is ensigned with an esquire's helmet, but there is no crest. For Elizabeth Engle, relict of Benjamin Engle, of Great Yarmouth, who died Feb., 1741, aged 76. (Ingloys, Norfolk : Gules, two bars gemelles or ; a canton argent, billety sable. Edmonson's Alphabet. Futter, Norfolk : Sable, two swans in pale proper membered or, between as many flaunches of the last. Papworth's Ordinary.} VI. and VII. Two shields and crests of Alpe as before ; for Robert Alpe and Elizabeth his wife, who died 1813 and 1810 respectively. VIII. The Royal Arms carved in front of the organ gallery, viz., quarterly ; 1 and 4, England ; 2, Scotland ; 3, Ireland ; on an escutcheon surtout Hanover : with supporters, motto, &c. No date. f Can any one supply the proper tinctures for the arms of Feverall ? COLLECTANEA. 85 CASTON. I. Chancel Roof: on the bosses are fifteen shields charged with the arms of the following English Sees, viz. Canterbury, Norwich, Gloucester, London, Chichester, Lichfield, Hereford, Batli and Wells, Peterborough, Rochester, Lincoln, Ely, Exeter, Salisbury, Winchester. II. On a brass fixed to a bench-end in the Chancel, Ermine, a cinqfoil sable ; on a canton or a bugle stringed. Crest : on a castle triple-towered a demi-griffin. Motto ; Doe ever good. For Henry Dover, Esq., who died September, 1855, aged 66. III. The arms of Queen Victoria affixed to the front of the ring- ing-loft. LITTLE ELLINGHAM. Chancel Windows. I. Ermine, on a fesse gules three escallops or (Ingram *) ; on a scutcheon of pretence ; Azure, ten mullets four three two and one or (Alston.} II. Azure, a griffin segreant or, for Corsallis ; impaling Ingram as before. III. Gules, three round buckles argent. Eosslyn ? Mural Monument in Nave. IV. Azure, a chevron between three escallops or, a bordure en- grailed of the second. Crest: a dexter arm in armour em I owed, the hand holding a broken sword, the point dripping with blood. For Samuel Colby, 46 years Rector, who died 2nd April, I860, aged 79. GRISTON. The Royal Arms over the rood-screen, blocking up the chancel arch ; with the date, 1 785. MERTON. Chancel Mural Monuments. I. On the north wall : On a bend three martlets. For Hardwick Sewell, of Henny in Essex. He died I742.f II. On the south wall : Azure, a fesse between two chevrons or ; impaling, Argent, a chevron azure between three squirrels sejant gules. Crest : a wyvern's head. For Robert de Grey, Esq., who died in 1600, and Anne his wife, daughter of Sir Thomas Lovell, of Harling, Knight. * Rowland Ingram, M.A., Eector, presented 1860, resigned 1872. t The arms of Sewell, as given by Edmonson, do not at all resemble this coat, which was perhaps adapted from the arms ef Savite, viz., Argent, on a bend sable three owls of the first. 86 EASTEBN COfXTTES JBrass on the North Wall. III. A fesse between two chevrons ; impaling, Twelve roundles "between two flaunches. For Edward de Grey, Esq., who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Spelman, Knight, and died in 1548. Slab in the Chancel Floor. TV. Quarterly of six. 1. Barry of six, an annulet for difference. 2. A fesse between two chevrons. 3. The same. 4. A bend. 5. A fesse dancette ermine between six croslets. 6. Quarterly, over all a cross fleury between five trefoils slipt ; Impaling, A saltire engrailed. Crest of de Grey as before. For James de Grey, who died in 1665, and Anne his wife, daughter of Sir Martin Stutfield, of Dalham, in Suffolk, Knight. (Stoteville, Suffolk. Per pale argent and sable, -a saltire engrailed ermine and ermines. Edmonson's Alphabet of Arms.} Blomefield gives de Grey the following quarterings, from the visitation of Bisshe, Clarencieux, 1664. Grey alias Corner d ; Azure, a fesse between two chevrons or. Baynard ; Argent, a fesse between two chevrons azure. Barnardiston ; Azure, a fesse dancette ermine between six croslets argent.* Manning ; Quarterly azure and gules, over all a cross patonce between three [_sic~\ trefoils slipt or. Teye ; Argent, a fesse between three martlets and a chevron, azure. f De Grey of Cornerd, in Suffolk, seems to have adopted the arms of Baynard, his over-lord, with a change of tinctures. A match with the heiress of Baynard, which brought Merton to the de Greys, gave them the right to quarter the arms of Baynard. The first quarter in the above coat is simply the arms of Grey (Barry of six argent and azure) with a difference ; it is almost identical with the arms now used by the family of de Grey. (See No. XVIII. infra.} On modern Poppy-heads in the Chancel. V. Azure, a fesse between two chevrons or. de Grey. VI. Argent, on a chief azure three crosses pattee of the field. Clare? VII. On a wreath a pelican vulning herself. VIII. Ermine, an eagle displayed. Bedingfeld, (see No. XXXII. infra.} IX. Sable, besantee between two flaunches argent. Spelman, (see No III. supra.} X. Sable, a bend engrailed argent. Braden. (Papworth's Ordinary.} XI. Quarterly gules and azure, a cross pattee (so carved) between four trefoils slipt or. Manning. XII. Lovell, as impaled in No. II. XIII. Chequy or and azure, a fesse ermine. XIV. Argent, a chevron between three trefoils slipt sable. Fit* Lewes, (see No. XXXVIII. infra.} Vide infra, No. XVII. f Vide infra, No. XXXIII. COLLECTANEA. 87 XV. Argent, a fesse between two chevrons sable. Baynard. (?) XVI Azure, three cinqfoils or. Bardolph. XVII. Barnardiston, as blazoned above. XV1IL Barry of six argent and azure, in chief three annulets. de Grey, as now borne. Chancel Windows, beginning on the south side, and counting from west to east ; three shields in each Window. XIX. de Grey, as in No. XVIII. XX. de Grey, impaling Irby, viz., Argent fretty sable, on a canton gules a chaplet or. For Thomas, second Lord Walsingham, and Augusta Georgina Elizabeth, his wife. XXI. Jrby, as before. XXII. de Grey. XXIII. de Grey, impaling Hethuen, viz., Argent, three wolf 's heads erased proper. For George, third Lord, and Matilda his wife. XXIV. Methuen, as before. XXV. de Grey. XXVI. de Grey, impaling North, viz., Azure, a lion passant in fesse or between three fleurs-de-lis argent. For Thomas, fourth Lord, and Elizabeth his wife. XXVII. North, as before XXVIII. de Grey. XXIX. de Grey, impaling Frankland, viz., Azure, a dolphin argent (so painted ; it should be or) ; on a chief or two saltires gules. XXX. Quarterly, 1 and 4 Frankland, 2 and 3 Russell; viz., Argent, a lion rampant gules, on a chief sable three roses of the field. For Augusta Louisa, wife of Thomas, fifth Lord, and eldest daughter of Sir Eobert Frankland Kussell, Bart. She died 28th April, 1844.* Brasses on the North Watt of Nave. XXXI. de Grey (as in No. II.) impaling Baynard.] XXXII. de Grey and Baynard quarterly ; impaling, Quarterly, 1 and 4 Ermine, an eagle displayed, Bedingfeld; 2 and 3 Lozengy. (Todenham? Barry dancettee of six azure and argent. Edmonson's Alphabet.} XXXIII. de Grey and Baynard quarterly; impaling Teye (see under No. IV. supra], viz., A fesse between three martlets and a chevron. Mother of Thomas, sixth (and present) Lord, who succeeded his father, 31 Dec. 1870. t The tinctures are not shewn on any of these brasses, except the ermine of Bedingfeld : the bearings of de Grey and Baynard are differenced by the charges being raised in one case and sunk in the other. I 2 88 EASTERN COUNTIES On a Stone in the Nave Floor.* XXXIV. de Grey. XXXV. Baynard. XXXVI. Manning. XXXVII. de Grey impaling Manning. On the Wall of the South Aisle. XXXVIII. de Grey impaling Fitz Lewes (see No. XIV. supra). For Thomas de Grey and Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Sir Richard Fitz Lewes. "After her desease he made himself preaste and so lived "xli yeeres, and dep'ted out of this lyfe the first of Septe'bre, 1556." (Inscription on the brass.) On a Stone, in the Floor of the South Aisle, from which two Shields are missing. XXXIX. de Grey impaling, Three lions passant in pale, Carew. For Thomas, son and heir of Edward de Greyf (died 1562); his first wife, Anne, daughter of Henry Everode ; and his second wife, Temperance, daughter of Carew, of Anthony in Cornwall. XL. In a Window in the South Aisle are, France (modern) and England quarterly. XLI. Over the South Door, the arms of William IV. OVINGTON. IN a -window on the north side of the Chancel are the arms of Simons, viz., Azure, a fesse wavy between three demi-lions rampant or. Crest : on a mural crown azure three arrows one in pale two in saltire, points downwards, barbed or, feathered argent, bound with a ribbon blue. For Edward Simons, B.A. 1804, M.A. 1807, Rector of Ovington 1810,f died April 11, 1865, aged 83: formerly Fellow of S. John's College, Cambridge. t At the election to the Eectory, by the Senate of the University of Cambridge, Mr. Simons polled 172 votes, and Mr. C. J. Blomfield, afterwards Bishop of London, 148. FREEDOM OF NORWICH CITIZENS FROM TOLL, &c., p. 81. A SIMTLAK letter to the one you printed is issued to every man who takes up his freedom, and is produced, I believe, by his children when they in their turn take up their freedom. The exemption from tollage, &c., is, with all respect be it spoken, moonshine ; the advantages of being free of the City of Norwich are a vote at parliamentary elections and the receipt of about six shillings a year from the rent of the Town Close Estate. E. H. * There have been five shields on this slab ; one in the middle, and one at each corner. Only four remain : that at the upper left-hand comer is gone, t Sec No. III. ft'pra. COLLECTANEA. 89 ALL SAINTS CHUECH, EAST TUDDENHAM, NOEFOLK. THE Domesday Survey mentions a church at this place which probably stood on the site of the present building, but of which no remains are now visible. The oldest part of the fabric now standing is the south door, dating probably as far back as the reign of Eichard I. (1189 1199). A north window in the chancel is Decorated, circa 1350; the south window of the tower and the west window of the nave are pro- bably fifty years earlier. The other windows of the church are Perpen- dicular. The original ground plan remains perfect ; the north chapel probably demolished in 1779 (when the lead off the nave roof and three bells out of the steeple were sold) was a Perpendicular addition. It would appear that a similar chapel was intended to be erected on the south side, but from the wall having been faced some few years since the indications of this are no longer visible. The porch was built about 1460, as a bequest to its erection appears in 1458, and is a pleasing example of a Perpendicular porch. The doorway has a square label and in the spandrils is represented the Annunciation. In the right spandril the archangel Gabriel, borne on clouds, holding in his left hand a mace or sceptre, and in the right a scroll, (usually inscribed Ave Plena Gratia, but in this instance blank) genuflects towards the B. Virgin Mary in the other spandril, who kneels facing him. Before her stands the lily symbolizing her virginal purity, whilst the Holy Spirit descends upon her in the likeness of a dove in rays of fire. Above the doorway in bold and graceful crowned capitals is GLOEIA. TIBI. TE. query, Glory to Thee, Trinity, a good example of the skilful manner in which the Norfolk masons of the fifteenth century wrought in flint and stone. Above this is a niche (which probably contained as at Loddon a representation of the Holy Trinity) with a small window on either side now blocked up. These lighted the parvise, which has been destroyed. There is a bequest to the soleryng of the church porch in 1502, to which date this niche, these windows and the pinnacles or finials of the porch, may well be referred. The door, with its stock lock, closing ring, and scutcheon, is Perpendicular, In the interior the font first claims attention. It is coeval with the south door, the crisp foliage on both are alike, but the cable moulding round the top of the bowl suggests an earlier date than we have ventured to assign to the door. Nor must we omit to notice the knightly effigy now placed against the north door of the nave. Its former position was on the south side of the nave, and the pulpit was built over it. There is a tradition that it represents Sir Edmund Berry, but if the Sir Edmund who died about 1433 be meant, we need not say the tradition is false, the effigy being that of a knight who died about 1300. The details of the armour agree with the monumental brasses at Trumpington and Bures. Our knight is represented nearly life size (5ft. 4in,) wearing over all a 90 EASTERN COUNTIES flowing surcoat confined at the waist by a narrow belt or cord, concealed by the lapping over of the garment. A Jiaulerk or shirt of mail reaching nearly to his knees, has a hood or coif de mailles fastened round the forehead with a strap, (seen at the side of the head) and sleeves ending in mufflers or gloves divided only for the thumbs. Under this hauberk or shirt of mail is the haketon, a quilted tunic of buckram or leather stuffed with tow or wool, worn to diminish the pressure of the mail against the body, and to prevent its being driven into the wearer by a blow from lance or sword. The skirt of this haketon is seen just above the right knee : the left leg has been mutilated. The poleyns or knee pieces (genouillieres, as they are generally termed) are probably of cmr-bouilli, but perhaps may be of steel. The legs and feet are enveloped in chausses of mail, and the spurs, fastened by straps across the instep and under the heel, are single pointed. The feet rest on a lion, no lance or sword appears, nor is there any sword belt or shield. The latter omission and the destruction of the original tomb have left us no armorial bearings by which we might have been able to have ascertained for whom the effigy was intended. Between his mailed hands our knight holds a heart, a very usual feature in monumental effigies both in stone and brass, and one which must have had a meaning once well understood, but now quite forgotten. A brass effigy of a lady at Great Ormesby holds a heart, upon which is engraved, " Erth, my bodye I give to thee, On my soule Jesu have mercy ; " and we often find hearts inscribed "Jesu, mercy," or simply "mercy." At St. Alban's an effigy of a monk holding a heart, is represented saying, " Create a clean heart in me, God," and a heart at Trunch has on it, " Cleanse my heart, Lord." These hearts held in the hands have been supposed to allude to the ancient Versicle and Response said before the Preface of the Mass. "Sursum Corda." Lift up your hearts. " Habemus ad Dominum." We have lifted them up to the Lord. The bench ends of the nave are of about the year 1500, or very little later, they were carefully restored in 1855, up to which time they had been disfigured by paint. Some of the poppy heads are worth notice. No. 1 on the north side has the letters tie on both sides. No. 8 has on one side the sacred monogram ifjc and on the other side a monogram of I. n. or n. I. On the south side Nos. 9 and 8 have capital letters on both sides respectively D. and T , the latter a very pretty letter. The poppy head nearest the south door is more grotesque than our modern ideas would sanction. We cannot speculate as to its meaning. A portion of the screen in the tower arch appears to be old. The wood work of the chancel, with the pulpit, reading desk, and vestry, were erected at the expense of the late Vicar, Lord Bayning, in 1855. The chancel roof has since been ceiled with moulded ribs and carved bosses by the Lady Bayning. The stained glass of the east window was COLLECTANEA. 9 1 painted by a lady, Mrs. Hellish, the wife of a former Vicar and Dean of Hereford, whose monument is hard by. We must not omit to men- tion the small monumental brass of a civilian and his two wives in the middle of the nave etched- by Cotmuri ; the inscription is lost, but the date is about 1500; his signet ring appears at the end of his rosary. With the notice of another memorial these desultory notes must close. A partially obliterated inscription near the brass effigies just men- tioned records that Abraham Baist died at the age of 86 years in 1677, having been minister of this parish for 60 years. May similar length of days and tenure of office be the portion of all of us ! SHEEEINGHAM PIEE. AT p. 37 I printed some documents relating to the old pier at Cromer, carrying on its history to the year 1580, and I now subjoin a copy of a petition* presented in March, 1593, relating to a similar erection at iSherringham, which, from the statements contained in such petition, seems to have been in hand for some years, and to have been aided by a Government Grant of all the forfeitures under an Act passed in the 24th Henry VIII. to compel the cultivation of flax and hemp. As I remarked at p. 37, these piers, no doubt, comprised a jetty and breakwater, and tha latter seems to have been the most important part of the whole. Blomefield does not mention the pier at all. WALTER EYE. THE lamentable distresse of the fisshermen inhabitants of hir ma*' Towne of Sheringham in the Countie of Norff. beinge the cheife m rs yearly for Iseland fisshinge from whence cometh the best provision of Linge and Codfishe to the benefit of this Eealme. FIRST before thextreame rage of the Sea beatinge uppon that coast was partely intercepted by the erection of the Peere yet in hande many good houses and substantial! dwellings in the said Towne were washed awaie and swallowed up by the same Eage and no doubte the greatest parte of the- same Towne had ere this ben utterly confounded by the Sea had not the said Peere in the profound consideration of hir ma tie and hir most honorable Counsell been begonne when it was. Also many nsshermen w th their Boates and furniture had since been caste awaie thereaboutes as in former tyme they yearly were had not the same Peere been begonne and followed to the passe it is at which Peere if it were finished accordinge to the firste it woulde not onely defende the Towne and succo r fisshermen inhabitinge about the coast * From the Domestic State Papers, Eliz. vol. 2'44, No. 112. 92 EASTERN COUNTIES but also be a convenient safeguarde for many ships indaungered uppon the Coast in fowle weather. Towardes w ch wourke it pleased hir ma Ue by thadvice of the 11 of hir Highnes said Counseill to geve to certein Inhabitants of the seid Towne their Executors and assignes all the forfeitures w ch to hir High- ness hir heires or successors shoulde growe w th in the Counties of Suff. and Norff. by meanes of a Statute made in the xxiiij" 1 yere of the raigne of King Henry the Eighte intituled an acte concerninge sowinge of flaxe and herupe w ch act was since confirmed and advanced by another acte made in the fiveth yere of hir ma ts Eaigne and since againe by Hir Highnes Proclamacion geven at Richmonde the XV th daie of January in the xxj th yere of hir gracyous Raigne likewies ratified and confirmed to have to the use aforesaid for the terme of Seaven yeres from the date of hir highnes 1'res pattent in that behalfe made bearinge teste at Westm the xvj" 1 daie of February in the XXV th yere of hir mat 8 most happie raigne. By reason whearof and of the propre goods of the Townsmen spent uppon the said Peere theare hath been already bestowed uppon the buildinge thereof Two thousand poundes and beinge prosecuted vr* effect will no doubte in tyme be made a very competent harborough or safetie to the Coast men and all other tradinge that waie and a sounde safetie to the Towne by the collections of hir ma ts said guifte & contynuance of the said Act made for the sowinge of flax and hempe as aforesaid. Also by the contynewance of the said Act theare ariseth thies and a nomber more commodities to this Realme firste many howsholders and others w ch otherwise shoulde be Idle are diversly sett on wourke and live very well by convertinge the hempe here growinge to sondrie commendable and profitable uses as well for clothe for husbands and their . families as also for Traces and other necessaries fitt for husbandry Also much and very good Taclinge Cordes Halfers [sic] Cables and other necessaries for navigacon are daily wraught by her mat 5 subjects in this Lande w th the said Hempe to the greate benefitt of the subject Againe the goodnes of Englishe hempe is soch as a Cable or Roape of five ynches thearof made is farre better and will last much longer than a Cable of seaven ynches made of anny forrein hempe Likewies hempe growinge in Englande is alwaies readie at hande and cannot be restrained in tyme of neede by anny forrein prince w ch is no small commodity and yet a thinge w ch no doubte would decaie if the said Acte for sowinge flaxe and hempe shoulde be repealed for many men are geven to soch Idlenes as they rather respect ij d pryvate proffit w th small labor then xij proffit to the common wealthe by such Industrie as the sowinge of flaxe and hempe doth require albeit the chardge be like, the gayne their owne, and the Common wealthe onely proffited w th the use and weare thereof w ch argueth that if the Statute shoulde be repealed theare woulde be very litle flax or hempe voluntarylie sowen \v ch somewhat evidentlie appeareth in Suff: and Norff : wheare the collection of hir mat 8 said graunte is made for COLLECTANEA. 93 most men theare rathir choose to paie some small composicon towards the Peere then to be tyed to the sowinge of flax or hempe accordinge to the Statute whearin every man is so freindly handled as no man hath nor shall have juste cause to complaine. Againe if they sowe hempe the Eealme is benefited as aforesaid and the gaine of the labour is to the Sowers themselves w^owt at all to the Peere And if they sowe none the paine is but small and yet converted to the buildinge and maintenaunce of the Peere w c h pre- sageth safetie to your suppliants and universall benefit to the laude for thearby wilbe comfortable h&rborough or greate reliefs for them and all others when the wourke is finisshed and in the meane space poor men are sett on wourke in the erectinge thearof w ch beinge finisshed will yealde further meanes of trade and wourke to every function. But if (as God forbid) the said Statute should be repealed whearby hir mat 8 graunte should e abate and thearby the same wourkes shoulde not be prosecuted the whole chardge already bestowed were altogether lost and the trade of yo r orators into Iselande overthrowne and many good mariners w ch those voyagies and other occasions thearto incident make skilfull and very apte for navigacon cutte of to the greate detryment of hir highnes sea services many waies w ch woulde be forseene. And if it be alledged that the Peere hetherto doth small good It is to be aunswered that till it be finisshed the wourke cannot be perfect* and why it is not finisshed is because so greate a wourke w th out a longer tyme be performed w th so small collections But beinge per- formed and finisshed all the commodities aforesaid will consequently ensue. It maie thearfore please yo r honors and worships to conclude the contynuance of the said Acte for the sowinge of hempe and flaxe generally or if it maie not so be that yet neverthelesse Suff. and Norff. may be tyed theareto for the maintenaunce of hir mat 9 said guifte w ch will conclude so greate a good to all men traffiquinge that waie and to their ships and loadings as thearby yo r orators and all others tastinge the benefitte or safetie thereof shalbe bounde to praie for you. (Endorsed} To the righte honorable m r Secretary Wolley one of hir mat* privie counseill. Your distressed orators the Inhabitants of Sheringham and Beeston most humblie besechen yo r honor to peruse th'articles w"'in written. * The truth of this must be generally admitted. 94 EASTERN COUNTIES CONVEYANCE, SKYNNER TO KENT, 1612. Ax ancient parchment Deed was a short time back rescued by a friend from a shop and sent to me, and if you think the following abstract from it worth preserving, you can give it a place in your Collectanea. July 13th, 1872. H. H. THE Deed, dated May 6th, 1612, is a conveyance from John Skynner, senior, of Freeston, county Lincoln, Gentleman, to Hobert Kent, of the Parish of S. Martin de Coslane, Norwich, B.D., and Anne his wife, of a tenement in that Parish, abutting upon land of the Hospital of S. Giles there, &c., which he had recently bought of Nicholas Palmer and Plesance his wife. The purchase-money, 100, to be paid as follows: 20 of it on the Feast of the Ascension, 1613, in the porch of the parish church of S. Marten de Coslanye, and the rest by 20 a year at the same time and place, over four years. EIYEES WENSUM AND YAEE, p. 82. WE had not space last month to say that modern maps and topo- graphical writers are certainly wrong in making the Yare rise near Shipdham, and receive the Wensum at Trowse Eye. Blomefield, vol. iii. p. 3, says that the river keeps "the name of Wensum till it " meets the Waveney, and they being joined become the Yare, for all "lands on the course of this river are bounded by the TFensum." In a note he quotes a charter of 14th Edward I., which shows that Limpenhowe marsh abutted on the Wensum. We may add that in a contemporary account of the upsetting of a boat on the river, near Cantley, in 1345, the accident is several times said to have taken place in the river Wensum. In the Charter of Philip and Mary, by which the boundary of the city was fixed, the river as far as Hardley Cross is called Wensum. To the Manor of Surlingham belongs a swan mark which, in the conveyance made in the early part of the present century, is stated to be on the river Wensum ; and a gentleman at Cantley informs us that although for the last sixty years the river there has been called the Yare, he has all along understood that the proper name of it was the Wensum. Anyone who has been across Breydon with a tolerable breeze and a weather tide, will recognize the aptness of its Celtic name, " Garw," rough, which could not with any propriety be applied to the river rising at Shipdham. We would suggest to our readers who have collections of early maps of the county, that it would be desirable to ascertain when the mistake arose. COLLECTANEA. 95 EPITAPH AT GILLINGHAM, NOEFOLK. SACKED to the memory of THOMAS JACKSON, Comedian, who was engaged December 21st, 1741, to play a comic cast of characters in this great theatre, the world, for many of which he was prompted by nature to excel. The season being ended, his benefit over, the charges all paid, and his account closed, he made his exit in the tragedy of Death, on the 17th of March, 1798, in full assurance of being called once more to rehearsal, and where he hopes to find his forfeits all cleared, his cast of parts bettered, and his situation made agreeable by Him who paid the great stock debt for the love he bore to performers in general. The above is printed in H. E. Norfolk's Gleanings in Chiirchyards, p. 77. London, J. E. Smith, 1861. Does it still remain, and is it in the church or churchyard ? A. CHANCEL SCEEEN AT BELAUGH BY WROXHAM, NOEFOLK. THE saints on this screen, beginning on the north side, are, S. JAMES THE LESS. Field vert, dress gold, cope pink lined with ermine ; a fuller's bat in his right hand. S. PHILIP. Field gules, dress gold, cope brown lined with ermine ; a basket of bread (all gold) in left hand. S. THOMAS. Field vert, dress gold, robe French grey lined with red, and a red hood ; he holds a spear proper. S. BARTHOLOMEW. Field gules, dress gold,' robe dark green or slate colour, and cape ermine ; flaying knife in left hand. S. JOHN BAPTIST. Field vert, dress gold, robe red lined with ermine ; in right hand a lamb proper nimbed or on a book with black cover and one gold clasp. S. PETEE. Field gules, dress gold, cope dark olive ; a gold key in right hand, and open book with red cover in left. [The Archway^ S. PAUL. Field Tert, dress gold, cope red doubled ermine ; a book with black covers and one gold clasp in left hand ; the right rests on a sword point downwards, hilt and scabbard red, pommel and guard gold. S. JOHN Ev. Field gules, dress gold, robe olive doubled pink ; right hand in benediction, left holds a gold chalice, from which escapes a devil (?) but this is obliterated. 96 EASTERN COUNTIES S. ANDREW. Field vert, dress gold, robe red lined with green ; his right hand holds a saltire raguly, which rests on the ground. S. JAMES. Field gules, dress gold, cloak dark purple, brown hat thrown back; a Pecten or in right hand, his left rests on a pilgrim's staff. (Bottom of panel decayed.) S. SIMON. Field vert, dress gold, cloak red lined with green ; in his right hand two golden fishes. S. JITDE. Field gules, dress gold, cloak olive lined with ermine ; with both hands he holds a cockboat proper. The faces have all been most carefully scraped out. June 26th, 1872. T. G. BAYFIELD. CHANCEL SCEEEN AT BLOFIELD CHTJKCH, NOEFOLK. THIS screen has been cut down to the rail, and the paintings having been restored do not possess much value as examples of early art. It is however worth while to note the order in which the twelve Apostles are painted. Commencing at the north end we find S. MATTHIAS. Short axe. S. JAMES MINOR. Staff or club, book. S. THOMAS. Spear, book. S. JOHN Ev. Chalice and dragon or evil spirit. S. JAMES MAJOR. Staff, scrip, shell, palmer's hat, book. S. ANDREW. Cross saltire, book. [Doorway. ~\ S. PETEE. Two keys, book. S. PHILIP. Basket and book. S. BARTHOLOMEW. Knife, book. S. MATTHEW. Halbert, book. S. JUDE. Boat with sail held in both hands. S. SIMON. Fish. It is noteworthy that the church being dedicated to S. Andrew, his effigy occupies the post of honour on the screen, i.e., next to the doorway. COLLECTANEA. 97 CHANCEL SCREEN, NORTH BURLINGHAM ST. ANDEEW, NORFOLK, 1536. 1, 2. Figures effaced. 3. S. WITHBURGE, V., A.D. 743. Holding a model of the church of East Dereham ; two does at her feet. 4. S. BENEDICT, Abbot A. D. 543. Pastoral staff and book ; two devils at his feet. 5. S. EDWARD, K. C., A. D. 1066. Sceptre and ring. 6. S. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, A. D. 11 70, Abp. and M. Crozier. \_Doorw 'ay '.] 7. S. JOHN BAPTIST, A. D. 32. Book, with lamb, scroll, &c. 8. S. CECILY, V. M., A. D. 230. Crown in right hand, palm branch in left. 9. S. WALSTAN, C. A. D. 1016. Crowned, holding a scythe. 10. 8. CATHERINE, V. M., c. A. D. 310. Sword and wheel. 11. S. EDMUND, K. M., (?) A. D. 870. Much defaced. 12. S. ETHELDREDA, V. and Abbess, A. D. 679. Book and Pastoral staff. Under the figures on the north side, partly concealed by the seats built against the screen, is the following much mutilated inscription, rate p' aft? Joftt'0 33enet et biorfs ac p' 6ano statu 2Ei)(attte) (33)enet et fEarijarete biar &nna tint 1536. On the south side, immediately under the paintings of St. John Baptist and St. Cecilia, is another imperfect inscription, (rate pro aiabj Jflfja)nis Blake et Cedlfe faioriS ac pro atab^. Further on, under St. Catherine, may be read, rate p' at'ab^ Eaberti Jrengs et Hatfjerme It would thus appear that this screen was painted in 1536 at the expense of the families of Benett, Blake, and Frennys ; and it has been remarked by the Rev. John Gunn, from whose description of this screen in Norfolk Archeology, vol. 3, the list of saints just printed has been borrowed, that the " remarkable agreement between the names of the donors and the saints appears to indicate that the choice of these saints was made for their name's sake." Thus we find St. Thomas on the part of the screen for which Thomas Benett may be supposed to have paid, and over the names of John and Cecily Blake are painted St. John Baptist and St. Cecily, whilst St. Catherine appears over the name of Catherine Frennys. The date, 1536, comes directly under the effigy of St. Thomas, and we cannot help remembering that in this very year the festival of his translation, July 7th, was abolished, and that two years later, having been charged with treason, the Attorney General appearing for King Henry II., and the dead Archbishop being defended at the public expense, he was on the 10th June found guilty ; and it was ordered 98 EASTERN COUNTIES that his bones should be burnt and his shrine demolished. Only a few months later, i.e. in November, 1538, a royal proclamation suppressed his remaining festival, and commanded that his name should be struck out of all books, and that his images and pictures throughout the whole realm should be put down and avoided. How thoroughly this was done we all know ! And it is not a little remarkable that this painting having his name under it should have escaped. PAINTED DOOE AT THE CHAPEL OF ST. NICHOLAS, KING'S LYNN. A DOOR in the vestry is made from part of a reredos, the subject being St. Peter blessing a monk. I should be glad of full particulars of the inscription issuing from the mouth of the latter, and to know who is supposed to be represented. W. MARSH. PANEL PAINTINGS IN WOODBEIDGE CHUECH, SUFFOLK, p. 48. THE Eood-screen in Woodbridge church was destroyed about forty-five years since, and the panels now form the three-decker standing in the centre of the church : it is painted all over in imitation oak, and doubtless if the paint was removed we should find the original paintings. Under some of the pews, I have also found traces of the rood-screen. I wish the Eector could be persuaded to have the paint removed from one of the panels ; we should then know for certain if they were completely destroyed or merely painted over. 257, CUpham Road, 8. W. MARSH. MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTION, HINDOLVESTON CHUECH, NOEFOLK. ENTER'D a couple heare dothe ly that hatefull death did kill Whyche lyvinge loved as man and wyfe and bent to God there will Whose names to tell thus weare they callede, that deathe hathe refte of life Edmon Hunt the Gentleman and Margaret Hunt his wife Children these had fourtene in all Daughters four and Sonnes tene Two Infantes dyed, thre marchantes weare, Lawyers foure and one devine These Huntes huntinge abrode the chase one Hunt oute hunted the rest Who made this Stone in memory, how God his huntinge blest Who hopes by fayth heaven for his haven in Christ that he shall fynde Where welcome once no farewell is, suche welcome Gode vs sende Obiit ille anno domini 1558. Octobris 11 Obiit ilia anno domini 1568. Decembris 3. The above inscription is engraved in brass : not being in Blomefield it appears well to preserve it. COLLECTANEA. 99 THE TOKENS OF NOEFOLK. WE hope to be pardoned if, before commencing an account of the Tokens of Norfolk, we briefly review the previous history of our copper coinage, that we may shew the causes which led to these tokens being issued. Under the Norman, Plantagenet, and Tudor dynasties, the whole of the authorized currency was of gold or silver. From the time of Edward I. half-pence and farthings of silver had been issued, but, the value of silver constantly increasing, these naturally became smaller in size, till at length the farthings were so diminutive that they were "lost almost as fast as coined." The necessities of commerce, the increasing exigencies of trade, and the wants of the poorer classes, rendered a well-regulated small coinage necessary ; but our sovereigns, down to and inclusive of Queen Elizabeth, refused to allow such an issue. But Bishop Fleetwood says, in his Chronicon Preciosum, it was one of the greatest glories of Queen Elizabeth's reign that she "called in all the base money in the kingdom, and set our coin upon that noble foot on which it now stands." We however find that during the sixteenth century traders and vintners began to issue their tokens, made of lead, tin, latten or leather, and these, with abbey counters, black mail, and base foreign pieces, formed the smaller currency of the country, the silver farthings being so small as to be wellnigh useless for ordinary purposes. Fleetwood quoting from Camden gives "the names of several false and small pieces that were heretofore in use among our Fathers. In the time of Edward III. Crocards, Pollards, Eosaries, Cocadones, Stepings, and Staldings, were cried down. Grally-Half-Pence, which were brought hither by the Genoese Gallies, cried down by H. TV., Suskins and Dodkins by Henry V., and Blanks by Henry VI. There were also little Pieces coined \)y Henry VII. called Dandypratts, which, I suppose, were little and contemptible Things, because that Word has since been used to signifie small and worthless People." The following extract from the Norwich Chamberlains' account of the year 1544, shows how much the currency was debased at that period : " Lost ij s in iij lyte Crownes ; payd to M. Eyer & loste at Stirbridge ffayer xvj d in a sowdyd Crown & lost vi 3 viij d in xxx 8 of dandypratts devillingrots sold to John Bengemyn for xxiij 5 iiij d , and lost ij s iij d in xiiij 8 of clipped & broken money ; englisshe coyne sold att the seyd ffayer at iij 8 xj d the vnc'." Erasmus refers to the leaden tokens in his Adagia, page 130, and calls them "plumbeos Anglise." These earlier tokens, on account of the perishable nature of the materials of which they were made, are now excessively scarce, and such as are known cannot, with certainty, be assigned to any particular county or town, on account of the rudeness and ordinary nature of their execution. These, it can be well imagined, did not fully answer the purpose for which they were intended, and the more the prosperity of the country increased, the more necessary it became that the government should take the matter 100 EASTEKN COUNTIES into its own hands. We accordingly find that, shortly after the accession of James the First, numerous proposals were made for the issue of half -pence, farthings, and even half-farthings, of copper ; but not till 1612 was anything like a satisfactory result arrived at. In that year there was a proposal for the making of farthing tokens, "in which," to quote the words of Snelling in his View of the Copper Coin and Coinage of England, page 6, "it is desired that full power might be given to some sufficient persons to make such a competent quantity of farthing tokens as might conveniently be issued among His Majesties subjects, according to their own desire, within the term of three years. Secondly, the said farthing tokens to be made exactly, having on one side, two sceptres crossing under a diadem, and on the other side J.R. crowned. Thirdly, His Majesty to receive half the profit every quarter without being at any charge. Fourthly, that they shall be made at any place where His Majesty shall appoint, and under the inspection of a surveyor. Lastly, every person that desired it might have 2 1/, in farthings for 20/. sterling ; and be at liberty if at any time they should have too many of them to rechange them at the same rate." These proposals, with a slight modification of the third point, were agreed to ; such modification being that the patentee should have the first profit of 25,000, but that all further profit should be for the benefit of the King. The patent was accordingly granted in 1613 to John Lord Harrington. We find that in subsequent years the country was wellnigh inundated with these small pieces, insomuch that in many counties, especially Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Kent, scarcely any other of the current coins were to be found. The patent for making these " Harringtons," for so they were derisively called, afterwards descended to various other parties. In 1626 it was in the hands of Frances dowager Duchess of Richmond and Lennox ; subsequently in those of Sir Francis Crane, and afterwards it was held by Sir Francis Crane and Henry Lord Maltravers. In course of time, however, the patentees refused to rechange them, and this, together with the large number of counterfeits, led to a stoppage of their circulation, which took place about 1644. The following letters, copied from the Liber Ruber of the City of Norwich, will shew the manner in which these " Harringtons" were circulated. To o r verie louinge ffrends the Maio r Sheriffes Aldermen and Com' on Counsell of the Cittie of Norwich these dd After o r verie hartie commendac'ons whereas it hath pleased his Ma Ue by his 1'res Patentes dated the second day of August in the xiij" 1 yeare of his Mat'" Eeigne to grannt vnto vs the priuilidge of sole makeinge and issuinge of ffarthinge Tokens of Copper for the tearme of Seauen Yeares And hath by Proclamac'on lately published declared his Boiall pleasure that those Tokens now made shallbe from time COLLECTANEA. 101 to time rechanged to such as shalbe sur charged with them allowinge xxj 8 in Tokens ffor xx" in sterlinge mony for theffectinge and per- formance wherof we haue appointed a convenient place in Lumbard Streete within the Cittie of London & haue authorised Simon Chamber gent and Thomas Garreet Goldsmith to attend there to see the tenor and contents of the said L'res Patents and Proclamac'on duely executed Nowe for that we conceive yo r care and assistance may add much to the orderly and duly suppression of all other Tokens prohibited and for dispersing of his Ma t! Tokens by Proclamac'on allowed we haue w th this o r Letter sent you Thirtie pounds in Toknes intreatinge your Kinde meanes for the dispersinge of them to such persons as shall haue occasion to vse the same reteining the mony in your hands till you heare further from vs and if you shall haue cause to vse any greater summe than those nowe sent upon yo r letter to our said Substitutes in Lumbard Streete they shall be sent you And for yo r paines to be taken therin there shalbe allowed to such vse as yo u shall appointe xij d in euerie xx s issued and the benefite of the rechange yo r care and paines herein we will take thankfullie at yo r handes and wilbe readie to requite it as occasion shalbe offered and so we bidd yo n hartely farewell and rest Whitehall this eight Yo r very louinge ffrendf of December 1617 Lenox Bedford The following letter will shew how unpopular they became in a few years. To o r very loueinge frinds the maior Sheriffes & Aldermen of the Cytye of Norwich After o 1 very harty Comendacions Wee are informed that his Ma ts ffarthinge Tokens of Copper which are of greate vse for markit folkes and all sortes of trads in and about London but espetialley for the releife of the poare are neuerthe lesse of small Credit and lesse vse in your Cyttye to the greate p r iudice of the poare there which by your good Care and direction may yeerely vent a great quantitye of them & the rather for that whoe soeuer there shalbe auctorized to isey the same shall allso styll mayntayne the rechange thereof to such as shalbe surcharged therewith and discharge his acount in money or tokens whensoever he shalbee therevnto required. Wee therefore pray you to take the same into y r good Consideration and to order the isewing of them in such maner as in y r best iudgement shalbe thought moste Convenient and soe nothing doubting y r Carefull pTormance heereof bid you very hartely farewell. ffrom the Coarte of Your very Loueing ffrinds Whitehall the 2 of Lenox Arundale & Surrey ffebruary 1622. During the later years and troublous times of Charles the First but little attention could be paid to a subject of such minor importance as the coinage, and consequently we find that, about the year 1648, the K 2 102 EASTERN COUNTIES necessity of a well-regulated small coinage was more than ever felt, trade and commerce having considerably increased. The stirring political events of that period prevented the Government of the day giving the subject that consideration which it demanded, and con- sequently the traders and vintners in 1648, and in subsequent years many corporations, commenced to issue half-pence and farthings of copper and brass. These tokens, which are now known as "The Seventeenth-Century Tokens," were issued by traders and corporations in most of the towns and many of the villages of England and Ireland till 1672, in which year the royal half-pence and farthings of Charles the Second appeared, and the traders' tokens being no longer required ceased to circulate. From that time down to the present, with the exception of one period to be hereafter noticed, this country has had no reason to complain of the scarcity of its copper coinage. Having been guilty of this slight digression we will proceed without further delay to the subject of our heading. The seventeenth-century tokens of Norfolk are more numerous than those of any other county, excepting the counties of Middlesex (which includes London), Surrey (which embraces Southwark), Kent, Suffolk, and Yorkshire. The number of varieties exceeds three hundred, which were issued in upwards of fifty towns and villages. The tokens are mostly farthings, the city of Norwich, with upwards of one hundred varieties, not producing a single half-penny. There are no pennies, and the half-pennies are but few. Five places issued town tokens, namely, Norwich, Yarmouth, Lynn, Diss, and Cley. The arms of the various companies to which the issuers belonged are favourite devices ; no fewer than one hundred and eight issuers placing the arms of their respective companies upon their tokens. The Grocers' Arms occur upon the tokens of sixty-six issuers, the Mercers' upon twelve, Bakers' five, Drapers' four, Tallow-Chandlers' four, Apothecaries' three, Merchant Tailors' three, Blacksmiths' two, Haberdashers' two, Ironmongers' two, Coopers' one, Cordwainers' one, Dyers' one, Fruiterers' one, and Upholsterers' one. The signs of taverns are also favourite devices, for, amongst others, we find The Lion, Saint George arid the Dragon, The Bull, Eagle and Child, Feathers, Ship, Swan, King's Head, Rose, Dove, Cross Keys, Lamb, Man in the Moon, Crown, and Sun ; but these must be cautiously received as representing inn or tavern signs, for in those days the house of every trader had its sign, and we find a cordwainer with a key on his token ; a worstead weaver with a pine apple ; a grocer with a heart on the stem of an anchor ; a confectioner with the seven stars ; and another worstead weaver with the oak (the royal oak) ; all of which, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, might be fairly considered tavern signs. A few issuers placed on their tokens merchants' marks ; one or two, punning devices on their own names ; others, the various implements of the trades or employments which they carried on ; and some few the arms of their respective families. One issuer gives us the arms of COLLECTANEA. 103 the city in which he lived, as well as a merchant's mark ; and another uses the arms of the Duke of Norfolk. The earliest date which occurs on the tokens is 1650, the latest, 1671. We have endeavoured to render the list as complete as possible, but as fresh varieties occasionally occur, especially in remote villages and places, it must not for a moment be presumed that it is complete. In the words of Captain Cuttle, "when found make a note of," and should any of your readers know of any varieties not mentioned in the list, it is to be hoped that they will speedily impart their knowledge to others through the medium of The Eastern Counties Collectanea. St. Helen's, Norwich. EDWARD A. TILLETT. A TABLE OF ENGLISH MONAECHS. THE following verses were written by the late Mr. Hudson Gurney of Keswick. We believe them to have been hitherto only privately printed, and we know that copies are scarce. We have therefore much pleasure in giving them further publicity. KING in a thousand sixty-six, Conquest did the Norman fix. Robert's right to Bufus given, Saw a thousand eighty-seven. First Henry first his subjects plundered In the year eleven hundred. At the Crown did Stephen arrive In eleven thirty-five. In eleven fifty four, Henry Plantagenet came o'er. Reigned eleven eighty-nine, Richard, dread of Palestine. John to Pope who did resign, In eleven ninety-nine. Henry the Third, in twelve sixteen, With Lords did Commons first convene. First Edward reigned twelve seventy-two. Whose sword did Wales and Scotland rue. Second Edward, thirteen hundred seven, Whose road, through tortures, lay to heaven. In thirteen hundred twenty seven, To Edward Third the throne was given. Second Richard, thirteen seventy-seven, Who thence by Bolingbroke was driven. Fourth Henry, thirteen ninety-nine, Begins the proud Lancastrian line. Fifth Henry comes, fourteen thirteen, Who conquered France in battle keen. 104 EASTERN COUNTIES Sixth Henry, fourteen twenty-two, Who lost the chance his father threw. Fourth Edward, fourteen sixty-one, The regal line of York begun. In fourteen hundred eighty-three Fifth Edward crowned and murdered, we, With the Third Richard crowned, see. The white rose sank ! the blushing red But doubtful bloom o'er Tudor shed. Seventh Henry, fourteen eighty-five, With Edward's daughter quick to wive. Whence Henry Eighth, in fifteen nine, Did claim from the united line. Sixth Edward, fifteen forty-seven, First King who ne'er by priests was shriven. Then Mary, fools of Norfolk, we Made Queen in fifteen fifty-three, Who left to Elizabeth her state In fifteen hundred fifty-eight. Next Scottish James, "wi' muckle glee," Came south in sixteen hundred three. First Charles reigned sixteen twenty -five, Whose neck the Puritans did rive. In sixteen hundred forty-nine Did men to Commonwealth incline, But Cromwell got the mastery In sixteen hundred fifty-three. Him dead, was Charles the Second fixt high Upon the throne in sixteen sixty. Second James reigned sixteen eighty-five, Whence him the Whigs did quickly drive, And took, with Mary, Will her mate, In sixteen hundred eighty-eight. In seventeen hundred two or one The good Queen Anne to reign begun. First George in seventeen fourteen From barren Hanover was seen. Second George in seventeen twenty-seven, Whose justice did small mercy leaven. Then George the Third in seventeen sixty Began to reign and long he sticks t' ye. Next George the Fourth, in eighteen twenty, When work was scarce and workmen plenty. Will, and his Bill, in eighteen thirty, Some said 't was good, some said it hurt ye. Victoria last, in thirty-seven, Wiiom long may bless and prosper heaven. COLLECTANEA. 105 NOTABLE EASTERN COUNTIES MEN, temp. Q. ELIZABETH. THE following is an extract from a MS. in Domestic State Papers, Elizabeth, vol. 244, No. 17, dated 18th January, 1593, purporting to contain " The names of diverse gentlemen of vallue and habelletie to serve sum in one function and sum in an other, placed heare according to their habitacions in the several counties of the Eealme." The text of this MS. is by Maynard, Lord Burghley's clerk, alterations and corrections by Cecil. Norff. S r Arthur Heveningham Suffolk. S r Robart Wingefeld S r Edward Cleere S r Owen Hopton (struck out) r Will" Paston S r William Walgrave S r Thomas Knevett S r Philipp Parker S r Nich as Bacon (struck out) S r William Springe S r Drue Druery S r Robart Jermin S r Will m Haidon (?) S r Thomas Barneston S r Rob 4 Southwell (struck out) S r John Higham S r John Peeton (?) S r Nichas Bacon S r Robart Jarmin (struck out) S r Charles Framingham S r John Higham (struck out) S r Robert Southwell (struck out) Nathaniel Bacon Essex. S r Henry Grine S r Clement Hygham S r Thomas Mildmaye S r Tho Jermin S r Thomas Lucas S r John Peter Cambridge. Sir John Cutts S r Willm Walgrave (struck S r Francis Hinde (struck out) out) Thomas Wendie S r Robart Wroathe John Hutton Francis Barrington S r John Payton S r Ed Denny S r John Cotton Horatio Palavicino Chelsez WALTER EYE. PKOJECT FOE DEAINING THE FENS. (1593 March 29.) 244, n 97. For the Eight Honnorable the Lord High Treasurer off Engl. Project for the drayning off the fennes in the contes off Norfolke Soutfolke Lincolne Cambrige Northampton and Huntington A 1593 the 29 th of Marche ,p Humfrey Bradley. CEETAIN meanes for the drayning off the fennes to be delivered unto her m te and your Honor for the g'nall good by reducing of such a desert unto fartile ground ware drawen off late by me (as also they ware touched in a Discours off myne delivered unto y r Honnor a 1589 in Decemb r ). Yff therefore yt shall please your I ame ready to declare them more amply eather in wrytyng or by worde of mouth the Chef poincts be thyse, vid 4 . First. That yt ys faisible and easy, in Eegard the fennes ley above the full sea-mark, have greate fawles at hande, good and pleasant grounds to cutt for the Loodes between thys and September next may be finished for the greater moete off the fennes w ft 700 or 800 men 106 EASTERN COUNTIES only ; And that w" 1 fyve thousand pound charge her ma u maye inriche her coffers yearly forty thousand pounds besides infinite other Benefits to the Comonwealth. The Cours to do y* w th greate lykyng of the conties and parties interest both Oweners and Comenors ys by meliorating off theyr estate and contitions w th out theyr charge and Aduenture. For the Diversite off the Tenenures and Leases off the Fennes and opinions off men, the expedienst way ys to proceade by Act of Parle- ment allowing only so reasonable a portion for the drayning as the remainder beynge drayned maye at the least doble or treble the former benefits and increase unto the owenars amd comenars respectively. Wherunto yff yt shall please your Lordshippe to sette hys hande during thys parlement your Honnor for thys and many other actions off worth shall eternize hys honnorable Renoun unto all posterite and increace hys Revenus by 2000 or three thousand poundes by yeare. Yff her m te and your Honnor be not mynded to the drayning I canne w^in few days bring your Lordshippe the names of certain Gent" of Worshippe and wealth willing upon any reasonable conditions to 4 pfourme the action. Your Honnors Most humble to command HTJMPEEY BRADLEY. CONTROVERSY BETWEEN BELL RINGERS. IN the year 1731 a stormy controversy took place between the ringers of St. Peter Mancroft and those of St. Michael Coslany, about " Composing a peal of Stedman's triples " in a certain time. This disagreement, which culminated in a row and "bloody noses," appears to have arisen through the following advertisement in The Norwich Gazette, or Crossgrove 's News, for Saturday, October 30th, 1731 : "VTOT WITH STANDING the Pretensions of several ingenious Ringers in this City and JLl elsewhere, who would bear the World in Hand that they have composed that most intricate peal of STEDMAN'S TKIPLES ; this is therefore to satisfie all Lovers of that ingenious Art, that Thomas Melchior has composed it to Truth with Two Doubles, being the First that ever was composed all perfect Stedman, consisting of 5040 Changes : And was rung by him and 7 more on Monday the 25th of October, 1731, at St. Peter's of Mancroft in Norwich, in 3 Hours and 40 Minutes; and never a Bell out of Course, nor changes alike : By us whose Names are here subscribed, viz. : Thomas Melchior - Treble NOTE. If any of the Curious be de- Thomas Blofield - 2 d sirous, they may see the Peal at John William Palmer - 3 rd Forster's, at the Sign of the Eight Thomas TJtber - - 4 th Bells, in St. Peter's of Mancroft John Gardiner - - 5 th aforesaid, and satisfie themselves John Forster - - 6 th without laying any Wager. Christopher Beauty 7 th William Porter - - Tenor It is very probable that William Crane, of the St. Michael's Company, went to "The Eight Ringers," and had a squabble with Thomas Melchior, questioning the correctness of this statement, for COLLECTANEA. 107 in The Norwich Gazette for November 20th, 1731, is the following advertisement : WHEREAS Thomas Crane did assert on Saturday before last, that that Master of Art (as he pleased to call me) rung 4860 Changes, and no more, on Monday, the 25th of October last, I will acquaint the World with his accurate Proceedings. First he placed himself in a Publick House, where People were often coming in and going out ; by and by in a Yard, and often times walking backwards and forwards, telling the Strokes of the Tenor ; which is the method he took to prove the truth of our Performance, as he himself confessed before the Justice : Now I appeal to the "World, 'Whether or no this Man could be a proper judge of it? He also asserted that we rung but 3 Hours and an Half, and likewise that we rung 180 Changes too short ; notwithstanding we rung 3 Hours and 40 Minutes, not only by Mr. William Riches's Watch, but by many others in St. Peter's of Mancroft in Norwich ; and that the Peal contained 5040 Changes, John Webster (whom they supposed to be the Prompter) will firmly assert: And for the satisfaction of the Publick, I Thomas Melchlor, who composed that most intricate Peal of Stedman's Triples with Two Doubles and no Alteration, and the rest of the Company who compleatly rung it in the aforesaid Time, do offer a Wager, Two to One, as far as Ten Guineas go, that Edward Crane's Peal (if it be the same they oftentimes indeavoured to ring at St. Michael's of Coslany) is not proper Stedman's Triples, according to Stedman's own Words, Pages 90, 91, 129, and 130 ; we will also make a Wager that Thomas Melchior's is proper Stedman's Triples, Proof as before, which we will prove before any reasonable Judge ; but to challenge them to ring, is beneath us ; for we know if we perform our parts to Truth, we may be sworn out of it : Therefore we leave them, as false malicious Brethren, not thinking it worth our while to answer their base, scurrilous, and scandalous Calumnies for the Future. Note, We take leave to tell the Aylesham Ringers, that we do not believe they rung 5040 Changes at once pulling down, any more than they believe that we have pricked or rung Stedman's Triples ; but for their further Satisfaction, on the 28th of December, 1719, we rung 5040 Triple Changes (Two Doubles excepted) in 3 Hours and 6 Minutes, at Peter's of Mancroft : Thomas Barrett rung the 6th, Thomas Melchior the 7th, John Webster the Tenor, the other Bells my Domestick Adversaries rung ; who though now at Variance with me, yet I hope they have so much Honesty left, as to justifie me in what I here assert. THOMAS MELCHIOR. The newspaper war is taken up by Edward Crane and the St. Michael's Company, as is shown by the appended advertisement, that was inserted in The Norwich Gazette of December 4th, 1731 : WHEREAS THOMAS MELCHIOR did assert in the News on the 27th past, that THOMAS CRANE did place himself in a Publick House where there were People coming in and going out ; this is to tell him that Mr. Will. Aburn does here justifie that he was in a Room of his, and that there was Nobody with him all the Time of their ringing, but Two of his own Company, till he had proved the Truth of their Peal ; But this is just like offering to swear that their Advertisement was true ; but when THOMAS CRANE went and made Affidavit before one of our Magistrates, that they rung but 4860 Changes, and that we put John Webster upon his Oath, he then cunningly said it was not the Peal they rung, but it was the Peal upon his Paper he would swear was true : Then we asked him why they advertised but 8 men, when he was fain to relieve the 6th man ? He said, they did not count the Tenor man : Then why was he in the News ? We asked him, how many Times their 5 fore Bells struck together in one part of their Peal ? He owned 5 Times : Then how could their Peal be rung true without Bells out of Course ? MR. MELCHIOR likewise was pleased to say, That the Peal we ring in St. Michael's of Coslany is not STEDMAN : I am very sorry he should shew his Ignorance to both City and Country : I will appeal to any Man of his Art, whether or no they ever knew the 6th and 7th Bells were turned Half the Peal one Way and Half the other Way, as theirs now do". I must tell him, that he 108 EASTERN COUNTIES never pricked a Peal upon 7 Bells with only Two Doubles ; if he had, he would have known how the great Bells should have come Home at their proper Places ; and not to have taken himself to a Peal of 5 Bells, and fled to STEDMAN for Assistance ; because the Peal of 5 Bells will work many ways, and so will GRANDSIRE on 5 bells as well as STEDMAN : Then I pray let any Man that is a judge in this Art tell me, Why STEDMAN on 7 Bells should not work as proper as GRANDSIRE on 7 Bells, and bring their great Bells Home at their Quarter, Half, Three Quarter, and Whole Peal's End ? Likewise STEDMAN'S Bob on 6 Bells, Why they work proper, and bring their great Bells Home at their proper Time ? And so do other peals on 5, 6, 7, and 8. But alas ! MR. MELCHIOR, if you desire to keep to your Credit, you must go into St. Gregory's Churchyard and call up JOHN GARTHAN to do the Work for you. Pray be not affronted because I tell you the Truth. EDWARD CRANE and his Company. Edward Crane's reply brought forth the following rejoinder from Thomas Melchior, in Crossgrove's News, on Saturday, December llth, 1731 : WHEREAS Thomas Crane in the last Week's Paper did pretend that Mr. Abunn would justifie, that he was in a Room of his all the Time that we were ringing, and that there was Nobody in the Room but Two of his Company : Be it known that Mr. Abunn informed us, that at their first coming they went into the Yard, where they sat and heard us ring for some Time ; but finding it too cold, they went into the Room ; but he going in some Time after, found only One Man there : Doubtless they had no discourse, for honest TOM was so brisk in telling the strokes of the Tenor, that he could hardly spare time to bid RICE GREEN go and be d because he would stay no longer. TOM methinks has an excellent Memory, and ears as long as an Ass, that he could not be put out of his Reckoning by any Noise the People made by going in and out: This indeed to me seems wonderful, for I have often mistook in telling Twelve Strokes of the Clock by some Interruption or other. But TOM was earnest in proving what he knew Nothing of; for whenever the Landlord came to see what he wanted, he clinched his Fist, shut his HARD MOUTH, and grinned at him ; all this could not put infallible TOM out, but on he went telling the Strokes of the Tenor for Three Hours and a Half together; in which Time he told 4860 Strokes, as he asserted. Methinks this infallible Man ought to be Knighted for this grand Exploit : I would almost envy his great Skill in proving of Peals. I durst have sworn by the Paper we had with us, in which were set down the Bobs and their Distances taken from the original, that we rung 5040 Changes, and not Two Bells out of Course, in Three Hours and Forty Minutes. I think, I know what I wrote ; and JOHN WEBSTER remarkt every Bob that I called, and will take an Oath that I called every Bob neither more nor less ; yet honest TOM, by his unerring Rule of telling the Strokes of the Tenor, has sworn that we wanted Nine Score Changes : Likewise this HONEST MAN told JOHN WEBSTER, " that he never spoke that Word in his Life, but he would swear to the Truth of it." Let this be allowed him. But, alas! I am sorry for poor NED CRANE, finding him void of all knowledge of STEDMAN'S TRIPLES. If the Peal we pricked and rung be not proper STEDMAN'S TRIPLES, Why does he not accept the Wager Two to One preferred in our last ? I tell you, NED, I am of Opinion, that you would rather have made your Peal without Alteration than with, had you known how. You have owned that I was the first Man that ever turned the Sixth and Seventh ; but let me tell you, they are All turned as well as those, else they would not be every Bell a Course alike ; which takes away all Pretension of keeping your Bells as in GRANDSIRE. If your Peal had been without Alterations we would have owned it ; but as it is it must be called NED CRANE'S Triples and not STEDMAN'S. I tell that Wise Gentleman who was your Prompter, before you found that nice way of nailing your Paper against the Wall to call your Bobs by, (though to no effect) that if JOHN GARTHAN had been alive, he would have laughed at your Ignorance, for assigning Hunts to STEDMAN'S TRIPLES ; whereas STEDMAN says, every Bell has a Course alike. THOMAS MELCHIOR, by the consent of hia Company. COLLECTANEA. 109 Meanwhile the St. Michael of Coslany's Company endeavoured to outdo their opponents of St. Peter's by ringing Stedman'e Triples; and in what time they accomplished their task, and how they were interrupted, are graphically described in the following advertisement, inserted in The Norwich Gazette for the week "from Saturday, December 18, to Saturday, December 25, 1731 : " WHEREAS MR. MELCHIOR did advertise on the llth Instant, hy the Consent of his Company, a kind of Banter upon ST. MICHAEL'S Company ; hut not one "Word of Truth, unless it was that honest TOM had ears as long as an Ass : Truth indeed, hut it is such Asses as themselves ; hut that is not all. Whereas on Monday the 6th of this instant Decemher was rung at ST. MICHAEL'S that ingenious Peal called STEDMAN'S TRIPLES, which contains 5040 Changes (heing the First time that ever it was rung), notwithstanding some of ST. PETER'S Company did imploy a Bell-Man to cry about the Streets the following scandalous Verses just before we hegan to ring, viz. : " This is to give Notice, to all Sorts of People, That the Ringers that practise at St. Michael's Steeple Have craz'd their Brains, hy setting forth false Pretences, That it is to be fear'd, they have quite lost their senses, Therefore let 'em repair to JOHN FORSTER'S, and 'tis plain There's those that can help them to their senses again." And a little before the Peal was ended, they had the impudence to swear we should not ring it out ; and so did fling Stones up the Church Leads, and against the Doors, and did cause the Boys in the Street to cry H uzzas ; nay one of them was so impertinent, as to open the Window of the Church to have got in ; but was prevented by the People that stood to hear the Peal come out, and were sent Home to their Shame with bloody Noses ; all this some Hundreds of People saw, who stood to hear the Peal : this is good Credit for St. Peter's Ringers. MR. MELCHIOR was pleased to say, that the Peal we rung is not STEDMAN'S TRIPLES. I will meet him before any Gentleman who is a proper judge of that Art, and belongs to neither Company, and I will lay down my Peal at Length, and he shall do the same, and let us dispute it out which is the properest Peal according to STEDMAN'S own Rule on Five Bells. MR. MELCHIOR, you are pleased to say that in STEDMAN every Bell has its Course alike ; but STEDMAN is mistaken, and so are you. These are the Names of the Men that rung the Peal on Monday the 6th Instant aforesaid, viz. Richard Barnham - Treble William Pettingall - 6 th Edward Crane - - 2 nd Thomas Crane - - 6 th John Harvey - - 3 rd Rice Greene - - - 7 th Robert Nockold - - 4 th Robert Crane - - - Tenor The next week Thomas Melchior thus replies : WHEREAS MR. EDWARD CRANE (not Sir Thomas) did in the public News on the '.24th of December, 1731, charge ST. PETER'S Ringers with many base and scandalous Actions, which they are ashamed to hear of, much more to act ; for I must tell you that St. Peter's RINGERS Scorn to act or incourage any such thing; neither can you bring any one Person of those Hundreds that you mention, that can prove they did any one of those Things you change them withal ; if you could, you would have set down the Name : Perhaps you thought that Every Body had long Ears and a foul Tongue, that would swear to that they knew Nothing of , but you are mistaken as well as others of your Company, who pretending to justifie it, heard it all denied to their Faces by their own Neighbours. As for a Bell-Man's being imployed, you may lay that to whom you will ; but the Intent of it (as I am "informed) was to animate L 110 EASTERN COUNTIES your fearful Hearts at the dreadful Approach of your Alterations. For 21354 who could have thought that the Sight of those dismal Changes could have 23145 defeated such old Veteran Ringers, and put them out 1 1 Times together, as 23451 you have lately heen at ST. MICHAEL'S ; where you likewise say that you 24315 .rung 5040 STEDMAN'S Triples : But it was rung no otherwise, than with 42351 Changes alike ; "Witness your 4 th Bell dodging Behind with the 3 d 2 d and 43215 '7 th , Back-Stroke, instead of 2 4. These Things are not to be found in your 4353 Peal as you prickt it, yet you all inserted your Names that you rung it ; 45312 much akin to your former Assertions. Likewise you say STEDMAN and I are 54321 mistaken, by saying every Bell has a Course alike. As you have accused us 53412 in Publick, it is reason you should dispute us in Publick ; and in your next let me know your Opinion, if these Figures in the Margin be the proper Form and Grounds of STEDMAN'S Doubles ? And whether they, by being wrought 5 times over, in an expressible denominative Course, do not produce 60 changes every Bell a Course alike ? And whether your whole Peal begins from every 12th Change throughout your 5040, as mine and this Peal in the Margin successively do through the 120 ? THOMAS MELCHIOR. In the same Journal for the week ending January 8th, 1732, Edward Crane answers Thomas Melchior as follows : WHEREAS MR. MELCHIOR refuseth to meet me before any Man that 21354 belongs to neither Company, and that is a judge in the Art of Ringing, 2 but desires that I should dispute with him in Publick : As long as he can deny 23451 the Truth in the publick Prints he will go on with his base and scandalous 24315 Actions ; for he would make the World believe, that he is a very great Man, * ^ 3 5 i and exceeds all in that Art. But, MR. MELCHIOR, you call me to an Account, 34251 for saying, STEDMAN is mistaken, and so are you ; but if I be right, it is so : 43521 STEDMAN in Page 129 says, That all the Bells have a like Course : But if it 45312 he so, then tell me why there is Two Alterations in STEDMAN on Five Bells ? \\\ For the 2 d and 3 d change Places, therefore every Bell hath not a course 2 . . -; alike ; if they had, every Bell would have changed as well as they. But 24153 STEDMAN in Page 130 says, " Whatsoever Two Bells be dodging behind, at 35412 the first Extream ; the same Two Bells coming together again Behind, is 31524 certane Warning for the second Extream to be made : " But I must tell you, 42513 that in my Peal of 5040, when the Doubles are made, the same Bells dodge 4 5 2 3 1 Behind at the first and second Extream, or Alterations as you are pleased to {094 call them. But, to the End the Publick may not be imposed on, I have -.- prickt the first Twelve Changes as STEDMAN did himself, and the rest by 52413 Quick Hunt ; and I would have the world take Notice, that the first Time 31425 MR. MELCHIOR makes his Two Doubles, with the same Two Bells dodging 34152 as STEDMAN does on Five Bells, I will give him a Bowl of Punch of 10 s 25143 to chear up his drooping Heart : For I design to answer no more of his 21534 base and scandalous Advertisements, but rather advise him to keep his 4 3 5 J 2 Money ; and to give every Man his Half Crown again, that he had for his - Peal of STEDMAN'S Triples with 14 Doubles and 21 Alterations. EDWARD CRANE. The hint to close the controversy was not taken by Thomas Melchior, who the next week sent the following to The Norwich Gazette : MR. CRANE, I expected that such an ingenious and compleat Ringer as you have stiled yourself, could have found an Answer to Two such easie Questions as I proposed in my last ; and not have shifted them off with a false Notion, that I refused to dispute you before any Man that belongs to neither Company : these are scandalous Actions indeed in such a Man as you, who knows nothing but how to carp and cavil at another Man's Works, as at the Extream of STEDMAN ; where you say the U' 1 and 3 d change Places, therefore every Bell hath not a course alike : But you are COLLECTANEA. Ill mistaken, and not STEDMAN ; for if the first 60 changes be every Bell a like Course, so have the last 60 ; for they do not change Courses, hut only Places ; for the Courses are intire Whole throughout the Peal, beginning 21354 from every 12th change which 12th changes are the real true Course and Grounds of the Whole Work. And DOLEMAN in Page 46 says, " In this Peal Every Bell hath one and the same course, there being no proper Hunt nor Half Hunt thereon." Now if Stedman be mistaken (who was Master of a College in the University, and a learned Mathematician) with DOLEJCAN and others, Why need I take amiss MK. CRANE'S saying I am mistaken too ? for he is a Learned Man and knows OMNIA BENE in his own Conceit. However he may look into STEDMAN, Page 90, and he may see why there are 2 Alterations in STEDMAX on 5 Bells. And in Pages 129 and 130 it is said, "Every Bell that comes Behind dodges 6 changes with one Bell, and 6 with another; and then in Course the parting Change brings it down 1 6, cuts compass, the next doth not, and so by Turns suc- cessively ; " for which you cannot shew throughout your 5040 : For at your Quarters' Peal's End your Bells come thus, as in the Margin, it being your Alteration ; where there are 3 Parting Changes out of 7, PC3215476 instead of 1 in 6. Likewise the Treble is turned out of a quick Course into a slow one, which should have led a whole Pull. By pci342576 this may be seen, who is willing to impose on the Publick ; not I, 3145267 nor on you neither: . For if Sir THOMAS and another Gentleman had not kept up all Night, you had never had the Peal with 14 Doubles, but they persuaded me to sell it ; and if they had not bought it, PC3451276 you had never known the proportionable Parts of it ; for you cannot divide the Number of your Fingers, by the Rule of Arithmetick ; You know you had Siur Bargain, but you shamefully unman yourself to cry for your Money again, owever, I will take your Advice, and in a short Time will send you word who shall be your judge, and where I will dispute you in private, as you desire. THOMAS MELCHIOR. This ended the controversy. Which Company of Ringers had the best of it I must leave " a judge of the art " to determine. Noricich. M. KNIGHTS. WALL PAINTINGS AT SPROUGHTON CHURCH, SUFFOLK. DURING some repairs in this church in the year 1844, the following representations were discovered : 1. In the north aisle, on the wall, a fresco painting of St. Christo- pher. 2. In the south aisle, near the piscina, an outline painting, de- picting a female head, crowned. 3. Also, at another point, a portion of a figure, with wing of a dragon. 4. Another, an armed man, with sword, on horseback. Were any drawings then taken or published of them, and if so, can they now be seen, or referred to, and have the paintings been again covered up, or is any thing more known about them ? 16, Blomfield Terrace, London. CHAS. GOLDING. f 2, 3, 4, we should imagine, belonged to a painting of St. George and the Dragon. ED. E.C.C.] 112 EASTERN COUNTIES CHUECH HEEALDEY : DEANEEY OF BEECCLES. No. HI. SAHAM TONEY. I. In the east window the arms of Queen Victoria. II. Mural Monument on the north wall of the chancel : Gules, three pears or, on a chief of the second a lion issuant sable; impaling, Gules, a saltire between three croslets or. For Charles Parrott, LL.B., rector, who married Maria, daughter of Eobert Francis of Norwich, and died in 1787, aged 72. Slabs in the Chancel Floor. III. On a chevron between three cranes as many cinquefoils pierced. Crest : A crane's head erased. For Thomas Crane S.T.B. " hujus olim eccl'ise servus. Tutamen ut mortem nunqua' timeas semper cogita." 1662. (Argent, on a chevron azure between three cranes sable as many cinquefoils or. Thomas Cranmer, Abp. of Canterbury. Pap- worth's Ordinary.} IV. Crane as before, impaling; A fesse between three dolphins. For Mary wife of Thomas, son of Thomas Crane, 1671. Her arms are also carved in a lozenge at each corner of the stone. (Leman. Azure, a fesse between three dolphins argent. Edmonson's Alphabet of Arms.} V. Crane as before. For Thomas Crane of Norwich, merchant, 1700. VI. A fesse vair between three two-headed eagles displayed, Crest, an eagle's head. For Thomas Shuckforth of London, merchant. 1665. VII. Shuclcforth as before. For Eichard Shuckforth, 1671. VIII. A pile surmounted by a chevron ; impaling, Per pale, a chevron engrailed between three fleur-de-lis, an annulet for difference. Crest, a stork's leg erased. For Francis Dixon of Watton,* who married E-ebecca, eldest daughter of Thomas Shuckforth of Saham, and died 1722. (Dixton, Gloucestershire. Sable, a pile argent sur- mounted by a chevron gules. Edmonson's Alphabet.} South Aisle of Nave. IX. On a hatchment. Gules, two bars and in chief three annulets argent. For William Grigson, clerk, formerly of West Wretham in this county. X. On a large wooden mural tablet. Gules, a fesse ermine between three two-headed eagles displayed argent. Crest, an eagle's head erased argent. For Thomas Shuckforth and Eebecca his wife ; son of William Shuckforth by a daughter of Thomas Crane, rector. See No. III. SCOULTON. Chancel Mural Monument on the East Wall. I. Or, on a chief indented azure two mullets of the field. Daye. On a Slab in the Chancel Floor. II. Gules, a chevron ermine between three mullets pierced argent. COLLECTANEA. 113 Crest, a dexter arm vested, holding in the hand a mullet. For Charlotte, daughter of Joseph Lane, rector: she died 1825. Nave Mural Monument on the West Wall. III. Daye as before. IV. On a slab in the floor. Arms obliterated. Crest, on a cap of maintenance two wings expanded. For Daye, Hatchment on the North Wall. V. Ermine, on a cross gules five escallops argent ; Weyland ; im- paling, Azure, a talbot passant or, on a chief indented argent three croslets sable. Keene. VI. Arms of George III before 1801, i.e. with the arms of France in the second quarter. AN ESSEX (?) ACCOUNT BOOK. I HAVE in my possession a long narrow account book of the expenditure of a gentleman from the beginning of 1760 to the end of August, 1761. Though the date is comparatively recent, some of the items are curious, and their publication may serve to identify the writer, while the prices, &c,, may be of general interest. That the writer was an East Angle I have little doubt, from such expressions as " Mr. Corney say in the Granary is 40 quarters." One of his residences seems to have been called "Myles." He visited at Cames Hall, Mr. Justice Noel's, Sir John Cope's, Mr. Montague's, and elsewhere, and was the executor of the will of a Mrs. Hitchcock, at Devizes. He must have been a rich man, for his expenditure for 1760 was 2761. 5s. 6d., and besides landed property, mortgages to the amount of over 6000. are incidentally referred to, and in a list of plate handed over by him to a Mr. Waite to keep on 8th April, 1761, about 200 articles are enumerated. He also owned farms in Sussex. The book came into my hands with some documents relating to the family of Luther of Kelvedon in Essex, and a sister of the writer seems to have married a Luther. If any of the family can identify the journalist and care to have the book, I shall be very happy to hand it over. Chelsea. WALTER EYE. * This appears to be the coat of his son, Francis Dixon of Upwell, Esq., Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire in 1757, who married Mary, daughter of John Johnson. (From information kindly supplied by the Rev. W. Grigson, Rector of Whinbergh.) Among the arms given to Johnson in Edmonson's Alphabet are these : Per pale azure and gules, on a chevron argent between three fleur-de-lis or as many escallops of the second. L 2 114 EASTERN COUNTIES (1760.) A Turkey 1 2 wiggs 3 3 Paid for the Horsess and Hosteller (*) 1 13 2 Gave the maid 6 At Sarum for 2 dozen of wine t 2 1 9 Wax candles & sand 1 8 For a quire of paper 2 Coffee house & chair 2 6 Gave my wife 200 Paid Dore for 17 chickens 18 4 For a Calves Head 2 Paid for a cheese 35 lb at 3| 10 2i *> Oranges & lemons 6 Paid for five geese 7 6 Paid Underbill for Clarett 35 15 My dinner in London . . 14 Paid for 13 chickens 13 6 Six mackarell 4 Coach hire to London 19 Paid for Eight heifers & a Bull 43 2 Silk for my Daughters 32 18 6 Venison 2 8 Toothpicks 1 Six dozen of mountain 6 7 Chair hire for a week 7 6 Six days for Horses & expenses at Southampton 15 Twenty handkerchiefs 3 10 P d for India Cabinet 11 l P d Acts of Parliament 4 4 1 P d for Snuff 3 7 P d for Newspapers . . 3 17 3 P d my Journey to London & back again for a week 14 P d for a Straw J 1 Paid at the Coffee house 9 For tea at the Coffee House 10 Paid for fish 6 6 Supper 11 10 1760. May 9. Expenses at "Witham 2 2 10. At Stocke 1 2 11. Tarmish Hall 3 8 12. Ipswich 7 6 Woodbridge 2 10 13. Wickham Market 15 6 Alderton . . 1 1 14. Hinton Hall 10 Framingham 1 12 15. Budelsdale 1 16 Servants 8 6 * A late example of the original spelling of the word ostler. t Not a guinea a dozen ! J A libellous or scurrilous pamphlet was frequently given to any one who bought a straw of the vendor, who was thereby supposed to have evaded the penalty of selling the work in question. The date is 26 Feby. 1760. Botesdale, locally Budsdale. This is a curious instance of a stranger spelling the word as pronounced. COLLECTANEA. 115 May 16. 17. 18. 19. Clare . , Yoxford Berry . , Burgate Witham Servants Paid the postilion Paid 4 nights for horses Paid for the Billiard table (*) A pair of billiard balls From Bath to Essex Paid for a She ass & foal Shaveing For a Setting puppy 2 doz. & half of chairs Paid Corney for 66 sheep Paid for a halt for my wife Gave my grandsons . . . . , Paid my expenses from "Wilts to Lyme & back again Paid my son his quarter not due till Michaelmas next Paid my sisters their Quarters Gave a Poor man for his loss by fire Paid for a week shaving For a flare For finding Hares Paid for a flower'd Tissue For makeing by Mrs. Hay Paid for a muff 31 Xber. Gave the waiters at both rooms Gave my own serv* 8 Gave the waiters at Coffee For a Postchaise from M aidenhead to Hounslow From Hounslow to London 2 2 1 12 1 12 5 1 16 G 10 6 5 2 2 15 8 44 5 15 10 3 3 2 10 G 39 13 33 13 2 6 4 25 1 6 50 50 10 G 3 2 6 13 2 17 2 11 6 1 11 2 1 6 5 13 6 10 WILLIAM BEEWSTEE AND THE PILGEIM FATHEES. I FIND in the registry of burials at St. Peter's Mancroft, that a WILLIAM BEEWSTEE was buried March 12th 1572. Another William Brewster was buried August 14th, 1579. It occurs to me that a careful examination of the wills of that period might throw some light on the Brewster family. Elder William Brewster, the faithful friend and guide of the Pilgrim Fathers the first settlers in New England might be connected with the Brewsters of Norwich. He was in the service of Secretary Davison, and afterwards appointed Post Master at Scrooby. His birthplace has not yet been traced, nor that of John Eobinson, the pastor of the Pilgrims. It would interest the people of America exceedingly to discover by clear and certain evidence their pedigree. 9, Surrey Square, London. JOHN WADDIKGTON. * A stiff price, considering the value of money : the balls, however, are out of all proportion cheap. 116 EASTERN COUNTIES EAST ANGLIAN BRIEFS. ON a recent inspection of the- parochial registers and books of the following parishes and towns iu this neighbourhood, I found recorded the results attendant upon the reading of several East Anglian briefs. Thinking they may may interest some of your readers I have appended them. Stamford August, 1872. JUSTIN SIMPSON. EASTON, NOETHANTS. 1689 Sept. Bungay 00 12 08 1692-3 Mar. 12 Eldsworth, Cambs 00 03 06 ,, 19 John Clopton & others, Norwich, poor sufferers by casualties at sea . . 00 06 00 1693 Dennis Gunton of Wickmar, Norwich .. .. 00 03 04 1695 Nov. 3 Granchester, Cambs. 000304 1695-6 Mar 21 Mildenhall, Suffolk 00 02 00 i 1697 May 2 Streatham, Ely .. .. . ., ..01 18 00* UFFORD, NORTHANTS. 1708 May 30 Great Yarmouth 000200 STAMFORD, ST. JOHN'S. 1689 90 For Bungay in Suffolk 000404 STAMFORD, ST. MICHAEL'S. 1661 Little Melton, co Norf. 00 08 00 1661-2 Mar. 16 Soulbay, co Suff. 001510$ 1663 Aug. 23 Harwich, Essex, repairing church & steeple 00 07 03 Oct. Milton, Cambs 00 10 02 1665 June 11 John Waylet of Ilford, in Essex . . . . 00 06 07 1667 May 12 Hinxton, Cambs 00 07 08 1668 Dec. 13 Haverhill, Suffolke 001210 1669-70 Mar. 20 Thetford, Norfolke 000610 1670 June 14 Isleham, Cambs 00 13 04 1670 Oct. 9 Eampton, Cambs 00 06 00 1670-1 Jan. 22 Becles, Suffolke, for a fyre . . . . 00 07 04 1675 July 11 Whatton, Norf. 000804 1677 May 20 Cottenham, Cambs. 001606 Sept. 16 Blithburgh, Suffolke 000701 [No date.] Horsham St. Faith's, Norf. . . . . . . 00 09 06 1680 May 6 East Dearham 01 14 05 1681 ApriU 10 Duxford, Cambs 000808 1683 May 20 Stoke by Clare, Suff. 00 07 00 STAMFORD, ST. MARIES. 1677 May 20 For Cottenham, in Cambs 000810 And from St. Johns 00 10 03 Nov. 4 For Blitheburgh, Suff. 00 04 07 St. John's 00 07 03 1678 Dec. 23 For Horsham St. Faith's in ye county of Norfolk 00 04 08 1678-9 Jan. 20 From St. John's for the preceding .. 000505 COLLECTANEA. 117 NOETHAMPTONSHIEE SEVENTEENTH CENTUEY TOKENS. BEING about to edit for Messrs. Taylor and Son, of Northampton, a descriptive list of the Town Pieces and Tradesmen's Tokens of the seventeenth century, I should esteem it a great favour if any collector would forward me a description of such as are not in Boyne's ad- mirable list, or oblige me with any notes respecting the issuers. Stamford. JTTSTIN SIMPSON. ' THE TOKENS OF NOEFOLK. II. ALDBOEOUGH. 1. 0. IOHN BRIGGS OF 1671 A ship, It. ALBOROVGH HIS HALPENY I.B. The name of Briggs is common in Norfolk, and is still found at Alburgh. This token may not, however, belong to Norfolk, as there are places named Aldborough in Suffolk and Yorkshire. A token of John Murdocke probably belongs to Aldborough in Suffolk', for the reason given by Mr. Golding in The Coinage of Siiffolk. A token of John Yates of Albrough belongs to Aldborough in Yorkshire. ALDEBY. 2. 0. PHILLIP ROBATS A lion passant guardant and three stars. R. OF ABY IN NOFOCKE P.M.E. ASHBY. 3. 0. HVGH SHERWOOD The Grocers' arms. R. IN ASHBY 1656 H.S. 4. 0. IOSEPH SHERWOOD The Mercers' arms. R. IN ASHBY 1655 A bull's head. It is doubtful whether these tokens are correctly placed here. The name does not appear in the .Registers of Ashby near Loddon. Mr. Boyne has attributed them to Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire. AYLSHAM. 5. 0. IAPHERY FLAXMAN St. George and the dragon. R. IN ALYSHAM 1664 I.A.F. 6. 0. MICHAELL HAVKINS A weaver's shuttle. R. IN ALSHAM 1666 M.H. 7. 0. LANS ALET THEXTON 1666 [lu three lines across the field.] R. GROCER IN AYLSHAM The Grocers' arms. Thexton' s ancestors appear to have resided in Norwich, for we find in the Liber Introit. Civ. the following entry, " Lancelott Thexton grocer apprentic' Wil'lo Ketheringham admissus erat Ciuis xxiiij ffebruarij A Rn e Eliz. xxxix ." Henry Thexton, grocer, apprentice of Lancelot Thexton, was admitted to the freedom of the City on June 9th, in the 7tb James I. 8. 0. WILLIAM WATTS A bull. R. IN ALISHAM "W.M.W. The Bull Inn still exists at Aylsham. 9. 0. FRANCIS WESTERMAN The Mercers' arms. R. IN AYLSHAM F.S.W. 118 EASTERN COUNTIES BAWDESWELL. 10. 0. THOMAS BOWRNE ix A ram. JR. BAVDSWELL 1667 T.E.B. BEANCASTEE. 11. 0. WILLIAM RIX IN 1667 The Blacksmiths' arms. JR. BEAN CASTELL NORFOL K W.C.E. BUEGH. In some lists a token of Thomas Cracroft, of Burgh, is placed to Norfolk. It belongs to Burgh in the Marsh, Lincolnshire, where the Cracroft family flourished for many generations. See Mr. Justin Simpson's Lincolnshire Tradesmen's Tokens, page 11. BUENHAM MAEKET. 12. 0. IOHN TVCKE IN A sugarloaf. fi. BVRNHAM MARKET I.M.T. 13. 0. MARTIN TVCKE IN M.T. JR. BVRNHAM MARKET The Blacksmiths' arms. 14. 0. THOMAS WILLIS The Mercers' arms. . OF BVRNHAM 1659 T.W. In the assessment made on this parish in 1689 for an Aid to King William and Queen Mary, we find that the amount paid by John Tucke was 1. 6s. 3d. ; by Thomas Willis 2. 17s. 10d., and that Martin Tucke was one of the collectors. CAISTEE. 15. 0. WILLIAM HANSON OF A fleur-de-lis. JR. CAISTER HIS HALF PENNY W.F.H. 1668. 16. 0. IOHN LATHORP The Grocers' arms. R. OF CASTER 1668 His HALF PENT. These tokens may belong to Norfolk. Mr. Simpson, in his list of Lincolnshire Tokens, attributes them to that county. CAELTON. 17. 0. IOHN HANCOCKE AT THE A COCk. JR. IN CARLTON 1668 A cock. The name of Carl ton is very common. As there are four Carltons in Norfolk, Hancocke's token may belong to this county. CLEY NEXT THE SEA. 18. 0. CLATE IN FARTHING An Anchor with cable attached. JR. HOVLT HONORED A horse-shoe. 19. 0. RICHARD SHAWE OF A man dipping candles. JR. CLAY IN NORFOLKE 1667 E.M.!3.. 20. 0. IOHN WILCH AT THE St. George and the dragon. JR. GEORGE IN CLAY I.W. The sijm of the George is still to be found at Clev. COLLECTANEA. 1 1 9 CEEAKE, SOUTH. 21. 0. WILL SWALLOW OF 1667 A jug. R. SOVTH CKEAKE IN NOEFOLK W.S. This hitherto unpublished token was found in pulling down some old cottages at Sharrington, near Holt. CEOMEE. 22. 0. EICHAED BEANEY A horse trotting. It. OF CEOMER 1665 E.A.B. The existence of this token is douhted, a bad specimen of No. 23 has probably been misread. 23. 0. EICHAED BENNET A lion rampant. H. OF CEOMMER 1665 E.A.B. 24. 0. EOBEET DRAKE AT CEOMEE A lion rampant. R. IN NORFOLK E.D. DEEEHAM, EAST. 25. 0. PETEE BARKER IN The Grocers' arms. R. EAST DEEEHAM 1656 P.M.B. 26. 0. THO. BLYFER OF EAST The Drapers' arms. R. DEAEHAM DRAPER T.A.B. 27. 0. HENEEY BODDY GROCEE The Grocers' arms. R. IN EAST DEARHAM H.S.B. 28. 0. IOHN HALCOTT A bow and arrow. JR. OF EAST DEAREHAM I.O.H. An almost illegible tombstone remains in Litcham churchyard to a John Halcott, Gent., who died at Lynn, 22nd March, 1678. 29. 0. THOMAS IESSVP IN The Grocer's arms. R. EAST DEARHAM GEO T.I. 30. A variety has the date " 1660 " instead of " GRO " on the reverse. 31. 0. IOHN MARSHALL OF An eagle and child. R. EAST DEARHAM [I6]7l I.E.M. This is the latest date which occurs on a Norfolk token. 32. 0. FRANCES WALLER The Grocer's arms. R. IN DEEEHAM A pair of scales. Mr. Ewing, in his Norfolk Lists, places a token of " Rich., Matthew, and John Potterill" to Dereham, but it clearly reads " Oakeham." DISS. 33. 0. A DISS FAETHING 1669 (In three lines across the field.) R. Arms wavy, Crest an anchor. Engraved in Norfolk Archaeology^ vol. ii. p. 19. 34. 0. THOMAS BVETON OF The Ironmongers' arms. R. DISS IN NOEFELKE T.B. 35. A variety of the last, the obverse, the letters of which are larger, being struck from a different die. 120 EASTERN COUNTIES i DOCKING. A token of one Thomas Merill has been placed to Docking, but it reads Booking, which is in Essex. DOWNHAM MAEKET. 36. 0. WILL RAY OF DOWNHAM W.A.E. 1666. JR. MARKETT IN NORFOLK The Mercers' arms. 37. 0. IO N TROTT IN DOWNHAM A horse-shoe. R. MARKET IN NORFOLK I.E.T. ELLINGHAM. A token of Nicholas Malabar, assigned by Mr. Boyne to this place, clearly reads "Elly." EMNETH. 38. 0. GEORGE WHITING The Grocers' arms. R. OF EMNETH 1660 G.W. FAKENHAM. 39. 0. EDMOND PECKONER The Merchant Tailors' arms. R. IN FAKENHAM GROCR 1667. Some of the Peckover family are buried in the churches of St. George of Colegate and St. Martin at Palace, in Norwich. Edmond Peckover, grocer, son of Matthew Peckover, Esq., was sworn a freeman of that city in 1654. Our issuer served under general Fleetwood from 1646 to 1655, after which he retired to Fakenham, where, being a member of the Society of Friends, he was persecuted for his religious principles. The house in which he resided in that town is still a grocer's shop. 40. 0. ROBERT SHELDRAKE The Apothecaries' arms. JR. IN FAKENHAM 1667 E.S. Eobert Sheldrake devised a house to the poor of Fakenham in 1719. 41. 0. WILLIAM SHILDRACK W.S. R. IN FACKENHAM 1657. FOEDHAM. 42. 0. IOHN BADCOCK The Grocers' arms. R. IN FORDHAM 1667 I.E. This token may belong to Cambridgeshire. FOENCETT SAINT PETEE. 43. 0. ROBERT PLOWMAN IN FON His Halfe Peny 1668, R. CIT PETER IN NORFOLKE E.M.P. FOULSHAM. 44. 0. IOHN ATTHILL OF The Grocers' arms. I.M.A. R. FOVLSHAM GROCER IN NORFOLK. 45. 0. EDWARD BENN 1668 The Mercers' arms. R. OF FOVLSHAM MERCER E.E.B. One of Benn's tokens was found a few years since, in pulling down the old King's Head at Foulsham. Both tokens are engraved very inaccurately in Quarles's Foulsham. COLLECTANEA. 121 HAELESTON. 46. 0. STEPHEN FREEMAN The Drapers' arms. R. IN HARL8TON 1666 S.F. 47. A variety reads STEVEN". 48. 0. CLEAEE SHEWEL The Grocers' arms. R. IN HARLSTONE 1656 C.S. 49. A variety reads SHEWELL. HAELING, EAST. 50. 0. IOHN HILTON 1660. R. EAST HAULING Three doves. HILGAY. 51. 0. IOHN DEY OF 1664 The Grocers' arms.- R. HELLGAY IN NORFOLK I.D. HINGHAM. 52. 0. EDWARD BALDWIN The Haberdashers' arms. R. OF HINGHAM 1668 E.E.B. 53. 0. WILLIAM RIX GROSER The Grocers' arms. R. OF HINGHAM 1659 W.A.E. HOLT. 54. 0. DANIEL ROLL A mortar. R. OF HOLT 1666 D.E. 55. 0. FRANCIS SH.VWE IN A man making candles. R. HALLT 1658 F.P.S. LITCHAM. 56. 0. THOMAS FELTWELL IN T.F. R. LICHAM AT T E BVLL A bull. The Bull is the principal inn in the place. 57. 0. WILLIAM PEARSON The Grocers' arms. R. GROSER OF LITCHAM "W.P. LODDON. 58. 0. HENRY BVRROVGH 1667 The Grocers' arms, R. LODDON IN NORFOLK H.B. LUDHAM. 59. 0. ROBERT WHITE IN The Grocers' arms. R. LVDHAM GROCER B."W. LYNN REGIS. 60. 0. KINGS LYN FARTHING 1663 (In three lines.) Mint mark a rose. R. Arms of Lynn ; three conger eels' heads erect ; in the mouth of each a cross crosslet fitchee. M 122 EASTERN COUNTIES 61. A variety, differing in the obverse die, having a mullet of five points for a mint mark. 62. Similar, but dated 1669. Extracts from the Lynn Records, relative to the issue of these corporate tokens, will be found in Eichards's History of Lynn, vol. ii. pp. 824-5. 63. 0. EGBERT ALLEN IN The Coopers' arms. R. LLNN COOPER 1668 K.M.A. Allen was a wine cooper, and one of the Common Council. He resided in the parish of St. Margaret, was rated at 19, and dying in 1684-5, aged 56, was buried in the north aisle of St. Margaret's church. The inscription on his tombstone is given in Mackarell's History of King's Lynn. 64. 0. EDWARD BILLINQES The Apothecaries' arms. It. LINN REGIS 1656 E.E.B. Engraved in The Gentleman's Magazine, January, 1792. 65. A variety, dated 1662. 66. 0. ALEXANDER BiNGHAM Head of Charles II. R. IN KINGS LYNN [16] 66 A.B. In 1673 Bingham was rated for a cellar in Chequer "Ward. 67. 0. IOSEPH BRABAN HOSYER A stocking. R. IN LYNN REGIS 1666 I.M.B. In 1673 Joseph Brabant was rated at 10 for a house in Paradise "Ward. Theophilus Brabourne was a hosier in Norwich in llth James I., and John Brabourne in the 3rd Charles I. They were both apprentices of one Henry Brabourne. 68. 0. IOSEPH BREBON W.B. JR. IN NORFFOLK E.G. 1657. As the name of the town in which Brebon resided does not occur upon the token, there is some doubt whether it is correctly placed here, though the simi- larity in name leads one to suppose that it was issued by Braban. The meaning of the initials on each side of the coin is also a matter of doubt. 69. 0. GILES BRIDGMAN G.S.B. R. IN LINNE REGIS 1650 G.S.B. This is the earliest date which occurs upon a Norfolk token. Bridgman lived in Stonegate "Ward, and was rated at 32, and also occupied a coal yard rated at 2. He was churchwarden of St. Margaret's in 1667, and Mayor of Lynn in 1679. 70. 0. GYLES BRIDGMAN The arms of the Bridgman family, nine mullets. R. IN LYN REGIS G.S.B. 71. 0. HILEAKD BROWN The Grocers' arms. JR. IN LLNN 1654 H.K.B. In Riehards's History of Lynn, it appears that in 1645, " Hillar Browne" was fined " for profanely swearing seven oaths vij 8 ." 72. 0. IOHN BROWNE IN The Grocers' arms. R. LYN GROCER I.B. COLLECTANEA. 123 73. 0. ROBERT BVLL AT THE BACKUS The Bakers' arms. R. ARMS IN LEN R.B.B. Bull's house in North End Ward was rated at 6 in 1674. 74. 0. IOHN CLAY 1664 The Tallow-chandlers' arms. R. IN LYNN REGES I.S.C. He resided in Trinity Hall "Ward, in a house rated at 10. 75. 0. IN LATH STREET E.D. R. IN LYNNE REGES 1660. 76. 0. THOMAS DENMAN The Tallow-ch'andlers' arms. R. IN LYNN 1665 T.I.D. 77. 0. ROBERT FRAVNCES The Apothecaries' arms. It. IN LYNN REGES K.F. A stone in St. Margaret's church was inscrihed, "M. S. Exuviae Roberti "Frauncis, Pharmacopoke, qui obiit Maij 16, A .2Etat 46, Mr. Chr. 1686." 78. 0. SETH GARRARD IN The Grocers' arms. R. LINN GROCER 1652 S.M.G. Seth Garrard, sen., resided in 1674 in Chequer "Ward, and was rated there at 18. He had also a warehouse and chamber in North-east Ward. Seth Garrard, jun., had a house in Chequer Ward rated at 6, and two warehouses, each at 4. 79. 0. IOHN GREENE GROCER The Grocers' arms. R. OF LYNNE IN NORFOLK^ I.G. in monogram. Greene was rated at 8 for a house in Sedgeforth Lane Ward. 80. 0. THOMAS HARWICH: The Mercers' arms. R. IN LIN REGIS MERCER TH conjoined. This issuer was rated at 12 in 1674, for a house in Sedgeforth Lane Ward. Richard Harwick, a bookseller, was Mayor in 1723; and Charles Harwick filled the same office in 1731. 81. 0. WILL HATFEILD 1666 The Tallow-chandlers' arms. R. IN LYNN REGES W.A.H. A William Hatfield was one of the aldermen displaced by James II. in 1688. He was overseer in 1674, and resided in North End Ward, his house being rated at 8. He died 18th July, 1690, in his 44th year, and was buried in St. Nicholas' Chapel. On his gravestone are these arms, Ermine, on a chevron sable ingrailed three cinquefoils or. 82. 0. IEREMIAH HOVELL A man holding a cross. R. OF LINN 1666 HIS HALFE PENNY. The Hovell family were long resident at Hillington near Lynn, and there was also a family of the same name at Walsham and Wetherden in Suffolk, who bore arms, Sable, a cross or, which may account for the device on the token. See Golding's Suffolk Coinage, p. 68. Sir William Hovell, of Hillington, was M.P. for Lynn in 1661. Our issuer resided in Trinity Hall Ward, and was rated at 12 iu 1674. 83. 0. IOHN HOWARD A hand holding shears. R. OF LYN 1660 I.D.H. 124 EASTERN COUNTIES 84. 0. HEBECKAH HOWLETT A plume of feathers. JR. IN KINGS LINN E.H. Bartholomew Howlett, a Quaker, in 1661 was ordered to prison for not attending his parish church. One Ruth Howlett, of Lynn, spinster, by her will dated 1694, bequeathed to her brothers Robert and John 10s. each for a ring. 85. 0. ROBERT LEAK IN LINN A TOS6. R. WOLL COMER E.M.L. He resided in the Jewes' Lane "Ward, and was rated at 2. 10s. 86. 0. BRYAN MIDLETVN IN The Merchant Tailors' arms. R. LYN REGIS NORFOLK B.M.M. He was rated 5 for a house in Chequer Ward. According to the Church- wardens' Account Book of St. Margaret's, in 1647, he received 12d. for informing of a stranger who travelled on a fast day, and was fined 5s. 87. 0. WILLIAM PRESTON The Upholsterers' Anns. R. VPHOLSTER IN LIN "W.B.P. He resided in Trinity Hall Ward, and was rated at 8. 88. 0. EDMOND QVANT An anchor. R. IN LYNN 1667 E.Q. 89. 0. MATTHEW RICHERS GROG The Grocers' arms. R ER OF LYNN REGIS 1665 M.A.E. 90. 0. MATHEW RICHERS The Grocers' arms. R. IN LIN 1667 M.A.R. Richers was rated at 10 in Chequer Ward. 91. 0. IOHN RING STEAD 1658 A chandler. R. OF LINN CHANDLER I.F.E, Ringstead was rated at 21 for a house and premises in North End Ward. 92. 0, SAMVELL ROBINSON Three goats' heads. R. IN LYN 1660 S.E. 93. 0. IOHN SALTER IN LYNN. R. BAKER 1666 I.S.8. 94. 0. WILLIAM SHARPE The Bakers' arms. R. IN LYNN REGIS 1668 HIS HALF PENY. 95. 0. ROBERT THETFORD The Grocers' arms. R. GROCER IN LINN [16] 67 E.M.T. 96. 0. EDWARD TILSON The Bakers' arms. R. OF KINGS LYNE 1668. 97. 0. OF LLN REGES The Grocers' arms. R. IN NORFOLKE N.E.W. 98. A variety struck from different dies. 99. 0. RICHARD WOLTERTON A shuttle. R. IN LYNN 1656 E.W. COLLECTANEA. 125 CHANCEL SCEEEN AT CASTLEACEE CHUECH, NOEFOLK. THE lower part only of the chancel screen at Castleacre church remains, and consists on each side of a central doorway, of three panes subdivided and presenting the appearance of a two-light win- dow, each light having a cinquefoliated head. Each pane is party per pale gules and vert, and the effect in the tracery, where the two colours are side by side without any mouldings intervening, is curious. I must premise that my notes of the saints on the panels are not only meagre, but incomplete. North side, proceeding south. 1 . S. PHILIP. Loaf in his hand. 2. S. JAMES THE LESS. Club. 3. S. MATTHIAS. Halbert. 4. 5. S. JOHN Ev. Chalice and evil spirit. 6. S. JAMES MAJOE. Cockleshell, hat, staff. The church is dedicated to S. James, and here, as at Blofield, the patron saint occupies the panel next the doorway. South side, proceeding south. 7. S. PETEB. Keys. 8. S. ANDEEW. Saltire. 9. S. BARTHOLOMEW. Flaying knife. 10. S. THOMAS. Spear. 11. S. MATTHEW. Leaning on sword. 12. It will be noticed that Nos. 4 and 12 are not identified. The two missing apostles are SS. Simon and Jude, but generally they occur in adjoining panels. The Vicar of the parish, the Eev. J. H. Bloom, whose interesting work on Castleacre is so well and favourably known, has obligingly made a careful examination of the panels, and says there is not the faintest trace left of any distinctive emblem in either case. He writes, with reference to No. 4, "The face of this figure is the only one drawn in profile, and is very perfect; it is much defaced about the breast and hands." As to No. 12 he says, "The features and dress of this figure are much defaced ; but I can clearly make out that he holds a bound volume of a book in the left hand ; the nimbus differs from all the rest, in being radiated." He adds, " I cannot suppose S. Paul would be included in this group of the apostles, as he was not of the original call, being rather one, as he tells us himself, ' born out of due time ' and ' not worthy to be called an apostle.' Otherwise the face in profile of the figure in panel No. 4 wonderfully resembles the portraits of S. Paul handed down to us." M 2 126 EASTERN COUNTIES CHANCEL SCEEEN AT TEUNCH CHUECH, NORFOLK, 1502. THE chancel screen at Trunch church, like that at Blofield, noticed at p. 96, has the apostles painted on its panels. Independently of their different arrangement, there is a variation, frequently found on other screens, namely, that S. Matthias, who was chosen to the " apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell," is omitted, and his place supplied by the great apostle of the Gentiles, S. Paul. I regret that the following notes are not so full and precise as those given by T. G. Bayfield relative to the Belaugh screen, but they may be useful if only for comparison. North side. S. THOMAS. Book, spear. S. PHILIP. Three loaves in left hand. S. JAMES THE LESS. Bat and book. S. MATTHEW. Halbert or axe in right hand. S. JAMES THE GREATER. Shell in left hand. S. PETER. Two keys and an open book on which is written Crelio patre tn_ otpote lieu tettu South side. S. PAUL. Book and long sword. S. ANDREW. Cross saltire. S. JOHN Ev. Chalice and evil spirit, palm branch. S. JUDE. Boat in left hand. S. SIMON. Book in right hand, fish in left hand. S. BARTHOLOMEW. Knife and book. On the south side of the screen all the saints, on the north only SS. PETER and JAMES, have floriated nimbi. On the transom of the screen is the following inscription, in Gothic letters : rate p. [atafri] oim fcnfaetoru tsttus opens quofc factii futt ano tint mill qtttgetest ij quoru [ata^] p'pctetur tieus rut sit (Doorway.) (Gloria laus ijottor fcirtus et potegtas atqj iitfrilaco gram aceio amor ifcefictes $er infinite secloru secla ante to teat oia. The words in brackets have been defaced. COLLECTANEA. 127 HAYEN COUETS AT CEOMEE. THE following is from the Duchy of Lancaster Pleadings, temp. Henry VIII., vol. 6. n. d. No. 17. Neither Blomefield nor any other of our county historians mentions Haven Courts being held at Cromer, but the fact tends to prove the correctness of the old traditions of Cromer having once been an important and popular place. Wandsworth. WALTER EYE. To the Eight Honorable Willm Erie of Hampton Lord P'vey Seale and Chaunceler of the Kyngs Duchye of Lancaeteer. IN Eight Humble wyse Shewith unto yo r good Lordship Edmond Wyndam Knyght deputie to the right honorable Henry Erie of Surrey High Stuard of the Kyngs Haven Courts in Cromer in the Countye of Norff Beyng parcell of his Duchye of Lancaster that where the Kyngs Highnes hath alweis tyme oute of mynde kept Haven Courts w'in the said Town as in parcell of his said Duchye and hath hadd the walk & perambulacon of the Haven ther w* punysshement of all suche transpases & offences as be comytted and don w*in the precyncte of the land (?) & lymytts of the said Town & Haven Inquyreable in Haven Courts ther and also o r said sov'ayne Lord is and hath been alweys intitled by reason of his said Duchye to such amerciaments and paynes forfeyted as have ben affereyed or sett w*in the said Court Nev'theles so it is that now of late on Malachy by color that he is deputie unto the Yiceadmyrall hath takyn upon hym to kepe Admyral Courts w*in the same Town where non hath ben used to be kepe byfore and therby dothe constrayne the Kyngs tenants ther to appere byfore hym and to- Inquere of those trespases and offences That the Kyngs Highnes hath alweys hadd the Inquere and punysshe- ment of By reason of his said Haven Courts to the grett unquyenes and vexacon of the Kyngs tenants ther and also in derogacon of the Kyngs said Haven Courts and to the disenheritance of his Highnes in that behalf It may therfor please yo r good lordship the premysses considered to grante the Kyngs letters under his prevy Seale of his said Duchye to be directed to the said Malachye comaundeyng hym by the same personally to appere byfore yo r good lordship at Westm' in the Kyngs Duchye Chamber ther at a certeyn daye and under a certeyn payne by yow to be lymytted than and ther to answere to the premisses and further to obey suche order & directon therin as by yo r good lordship shal be thought reasonable for the preservacon of the Kyngs Eight & title in the premysses w 4 the quyetyng of his tenants. ABSUME, p. 47. IN Nuttall's Dictionary I find, "Absume, v.a., to bring an end by gradual waste." I am afraid, however, this will be no help to your correspondent A. ~W. M. T. 128 EASTERN COUNTIES INSCRIPTIONS IN BLOFIELD CHURCH. BLOFIELD churcli is full of monumental inscriptions, not one of which appears in the County History. It is of course out of the question that you can print them all in the slender space at your disposal, but I send you copies of three of the oldest in brass, which are so peculiarly liable to be lost. Hie iacet Sepultus Johes Howys pat Thoe Howys CHci Rectorf hui9 ecciie q 1 obijt vij die Septebrf A dm m cccc Iviij cui9 aie ppiciet de9 a. Orate p aia Margarete Barnard vxis Johis Barnard q e obijt xij die August! A do 1 M cccc xcvij cui9 aie ppiciet de9 Ame Orate p aiab} Jotiis Kydma T; Margarete vxis sui q 1 quidin Johes obijt die Aprilis A dni M ccccc xxiiij quor? aiab^ ppicie? de9 F. BAKSHEESH. No doubt your readers are awaxe that it was usual, anciently, for great men and persons in office, from peers of the realm to the porters and servants at gentlemen's houses, to receive presents on every con- ceiveable occasion from any one and every one ; not always in the way of bribery, perhaps, but rather as indicating good will and friendship. Some of the many illustrations one has collected may not be without interest. In the account of the Chamberlains of Norwich for 1537, I find the Corporation gave the Bishop a gallon of hippocras, which cost 4s., on the occasion of his preaching on Septuagesima Sunday ; to the Earl of Surrey, being at Carrow, they sent two gallons of hippocras, and two gallons more with 16d. worth of spiced bread when he was at the Gray Friars. They also sent to the Duke of Norfolk, at his palace at Kenninghall, two hundred pears, which cost 2s. 2d., the expense of sending them being 3s. 7d., that is to say 3d. for a ped or basket, 16d. for horse hire, and 2s. to the man who carried the pears. Upon another occasion they sent him six live swans and two cranes; the swans cost 16s., the cranes 6s. Two bushels of oates for the swans cost 9d., and tending them for six days 6d. ; altogether their carriage to Keninghall cost 4s. In 1544 two cranes cost 12s. 8d. and six fat swans 24s., and these, with two hundred great quinces, which, at three a penny and two a penny, came to 7s. 7d., were also sent to his Grace. At the assizes it was usual to present the judges with at least two gallons of hippocras, several dozen spiced bread and wafers, besides sometimes a gallon or two of cheaper wine. Sometimes an entry turns up which looks suspiciously like a bribe. For instance, the citizens having bought the Black Friars' convent of the King, I find in 1543, " To Master Eyre the Kings surveyor for his COLLECTANEA. 129 favour in the viewing and valuation of the lede at the Comon halle in Crownys 5." To skip a century and come down to 1638 the custom was quite as flourishing : ill weeds not only grow apace but are tenacious of life. In 1638-9 the parishioners of S. Peter Mancroft had a suit about the right of presentation to the living, and carried it on most energetically, searching for evidence not only at Norwich, but also at Sir John Hobart's at Blickling, at Mr. Yaxley's at Bow- thorpe, at Gloster, and even at Eome. Of course they would not throw away a chance, and so we find them feeing the Bishop's servants, from his secretary to his porter, his Lordship himself coming in for the lion's share, two silver tankards being presented him, which cost 10. 16s. ; and it does not surprise us to find it recorded, " which was thankfully accepted of him." Besides fees to their Counsel for services rendered, we find the parish paid 3. 2s. lid. for "10 sugar loaves sent to Sargant Reeve and Mr. Bacon for a gratuity." In 1639-40 a runlet of sack, price l. 5s., was given to the Lord Bishop. A Bishop's See about that time was not altogether the pleasantest seat ; and though runlets of sack and silver tankards did tumble in now and then, and the church bells did ring when he came into town, such elements of pleasantness could scarcely have counterbalanced the many difficulties of the position. BEASS INSCRIPTION, FOULSHAM CHUECH, NORFOLK. Here I ly John wyche livyde bute viii yers When dethe me clyppyd w l hys scharpe scherrs Remebyr me I pray you asse often as y e lyste T; I schall note ibrgete you to my maste r ihesu cryst. BEASS INSCRIPTION LOST FEOM THUXTON CHUECH, NORFOLK. A RUBBING of a brass inscription from Thuxton church, Norfolk, which in 1864 was in private possession at Norwich, has been sent us, with the request that we will ascertain its present whereabouts. We believe it has been restored, but as it is noticed very inaccurately in Blome- field's, or rather Parkin's, History of Norfolk, we print it below. " Here lyeth the bodye of John ffutter lat of Thuxston Gentellman who Deperted this present world the xiij Daye of Jenuarye A 1572, and wase buryed the xviij to daye of y e same Month whose Soule god for his Mercye send a ioyfull Eeserreccyon A Men." ABBOTT. GENEALOGICAL particulars are desired concerning Thomas Eastoe Abbott, supposed to be a native of Norfolk, who was an officer of excise in Yorkshire, 18141831. Eeply direct to Mr. W. C. Boulter, 6, Park Eow, Hull 130 EASTERN COUNTIES PEISON MOETALITY IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTUEY. THE old gaol of the city of Norwich, was, from 1597 until 1827, in the parish of S. John Maddermarket, and the prisoners who died there were buried in the parish churchyard. Having, recently, an oppor- tunity of inspecting the parish register, I found that it is not until 1604 that the burials of any prisoners are registered. Time did not allow me to continue my search, which I would say was but cursory, further than 1668 a period of sixty-four years ; in which I found fifty- four burials of prisoners ; of these, two Thomas Swayne, 1 8 August, 1609, and Eichard Thurger, 7 April, 1657 were executed. But surely some of the others must have been executed also, or else our criminal law must have been mercifully administered. Perhaps, though, the bodies of some of the executed never received Christian burial, but hung in chains, black and ghastly spectacles, till they fell to pieces ; burning also, a mode of execution somewhat in vogue for females, would not leave much to bury. If, however, none of the remaining fifty-two were executed, then indeed must the sanitary state of the prison have been very bad; for in 1604 no fewer than five prisoners were buried, in 1612, three, and in 1613, three also, the entries of their burials being consecutive. In 1615 there were only ten burials in the parish, six of which were of prisoners, five of them being consecutive entries. In 1622, out of a total of fourteen deaths the gaol contributed five, and in 1623, out of twelve, just one half. In 1626 there were four prisoners buried ; after this, until 1666, although in some of the years the general mortality was great, not more than one prisoner appears to be registered in any year. But in 1666, when fifty-four were buried who had died of the plague, one man and two women out of the gaol were amongst that number. My notes extend no further, but I should be glad to see the subject of prison mortality thoroughly worked out. CHUECH HEEALDEY : DEANEEY OF BEECCLES. No. IV. STOW BEDON. Arms of Queen Victoria on the Eood-screen. THOMPSON. Slab in Chancel Floor. I. A chevron between three croslets. Crest, Out of a mural crown an eagle's head. For Eysing Smyth, son of John Smyth, late of Haughley in Suffolk, who died 16th January, 1708, aged 53. (Smyth, Suffolk. Argent, a chevron between three croslets gules. Crest, Out of a mural coronet an ostrich's head or. Edmonson's Alphabet.} COLLECTANEA. 131 On a Miserere on the North side of the Nave. II. Three shields, each charged with a chevron between three croslets fitchee. Tor Shardelow (Argent, a chevron gules between three croslets fitchee azure. Edmonson's Alphabet) the founder of the College at Thompson.* III. Arms of Queen Anne over the Tower arch. THKEXTON. Chancel Windows. I. Azure, three mitres or. For the See of Norwich. II. Gules, three lions passant gardant in pale or. Carved on the back of the Chancel Seat. III. Ermine, on a fesse gules three annulets or. For Barton. On a Poppy Head in the Nave. IV. Barton as before. Nave Windows. V. Argent, a maunch gules. For Toney, Lord of the manor of Saham Toney, part of which was in Threxton. VI. Gules, a fesse between six croslets or. For Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, sometime Lord of the manor. Nave Roof; painted on Shields at the feet of the principals. VII. Chequy or and azure. For Warren, who held the manor in 1066. VIII. Gules, three dexter gloves pendent argent. For Wancey, 1216. IX. Vert, on a chevron or three cinquefoils pierced gules. For Curlew, 1256. X. Or, a fesse between two chevrons gules. For Hemenhale, Lord of the manor of Hemenhale in Threxton, 1356. XI. Gules, a bend between six mullets or. For Monteney, Lord of Hemenhale manor in 1550. XII. Or, on a fesse between two chevrons gules three escallops argent. For Fitzwalter, Lord of the manor in 1327. XIII. Azure, three piles wavy gules. For Germon, a landowner in 1453. XIV. Argent, a fesse dancette paly of six gules and sable, between three mullets of the last. For More, a landowner who contributed to the building of the North Aisle. East Window of North Aisle. XV. ^ Or, three cinquefoils gules. For Knopwood, Lord of the manor in 1720, who purchased the whole parish, and united the small manors. * See Taylor's Index Monastieus, p. 51. 132 EASTERN COUNTIES XVI. Barton as before. Lord of the manor from Knopwood to the present time.* XVII. Knopwood impaling Barton. Painted on Shields in the Aisle Roof. XVIII. Knopwood impaling Fowler, viz., Gules, three seafowls argent. XIX. Knopwood impaling Barton. XX. Barton impaling Pigge, viz., Argent, a chevron between three boars' heads couped sable. XXI. Barton impaling Ellis, viz., Argent, three eels naiant in pale sable. TOTTINGTON. Mural Monument, North Aisle of Nave. I. Gules, two bars and a chief indented or. Crest, A demi-lion ducally gorged. For Hare. On a Slab in the Floor of the Aisle. II. Hare as before. Hugh Charles Hare, LL.B., died 1847, aged 61. III. The Eoyal Arms over the south door, apparently before 1707, i.e., with Scotland in the second quarter. WATTON. Mural Monuments in the Chancel. I. Gules, a fesse wavy between three fleurs-de-lis or. For Hicks. II. A blank shield for Anna, wife of W. H. Fleming. Crest, A snake nowed proper, in its mouth a chaplet vert. III. Argent, two squirrels sejant and indorsed gules (Samwell], impaling, Sable, a chevron or guttee de sang between three cinquefoils ermine ( Wodehouse] ; in pretence a lozenge bearing Argent, a chevron between three croslets fitchee azure (Strutt). For Ann Wodehouse, daughter of Sir Denner Strut, of the county of Essex, Bart., Widow of William Sam well, Esq., Lord of this Mannour, and Patron of this Living ; and also of John Wodehouse, Esq., of this county. Obijt 19th August, 1720, ^Etat 72. On a Hatchment in the Chancel. IV. For William Hicks, sometime Vicar. Hicks as before, with a crescent for difference. Crest, A stag's head or, collared gules, On a Slab in the Nave Floor. V. The crest of Hicks. VT. Arms of George II, now in the tower. . * Now represented by Thomas Barton, Esq., who has communicated the information about the Threxton arms. COLLECTANEA. 133 CHANCEL SCEEEN, HEMPSTEAD BY ECCLES CHUECH, NOEFOLK. THE church at Hempstead has many interesting features, and when I first visited it ten years ago it had, to me, the additional charm of not having been touched by the hand of the church restorer. The recess for the Easter Sepulchre still remained in the north wall ; and the altar platform in its original state, equally divided into two broad and shallow paces, retained its original encaustic tiles, and was not fenced off with altar rails. It is, however, the panel paintings, the speciality of this church, that I now propose to notice. The panels on the south side of the screen, eight in number, remain in situ. Commencing next the doorway we first find ST. GEORGE, c. A.D. 303, mantled and on foot, trampling on the Dragon, emblematical of his victory over Satan by his faith and Christian fortitude, holding a spear with cross ensigned flag. Next him comes ST. ERASMUS, A.D. 303, a Bishop, known by his emblem, a bowel twisted round a windlass, his death having been caused by evisceration. The third and fourth panels are occupied by the two Deacons, ST. STEPHEN the Proto-martyr, c. A.D. 33, and ST. LAWRENCE, A.D. 258, each with the respective instruments of their martyrdom. No. 5 is BISHOP BLASE, A.D. 304 : fortunately here the name ilasius is preserved, for the usual emblem, a woolcomb, is wanting. No. 6 is ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISSITJM, A.D. 1226, tonsured, and with the stigmata, a long cross leaning on his left arm. No 7 is. ST. LEONARD THE HERMIT, A.D. 559, tonsured, and clad in dark robes, holding a staff in his left hand, and in his right fetters, emblematical of his charity towards captives and prisoners, for which he was so remarkable. The last panel is occupied with ST. ELIGIDS, A.D. 665, Bishop of Noyon and Tournay, and before that Mint-master to Kings Dagobert and Clovis, holding in one hand a hammer, in the other a horse's leg cut off, the hoof shod. The hammer of course shews him to have been a smith, but his skill, I thought, was exerted on the precious metals, and not in the humble occupation of a farrier. The panels of the north side of the screen are made up into a reading desk, the door of which seems to have been part of the screen doors. On one panel is " S>c0 3Etim0" K.M., A.D. 870, holding a sceptre in his right hand and an arrow in his left ; the other, " 5c0 25t)inartms " K.C., A D. 1066, with a ring in one hand and his sceptre in the other. The book board is supported by a figure of St. JJultana, V.M., who lived at the close of the third century, scourging the devil whom she holds bound by a rope. The Golden Legend mentions that the devil was sent to tempt her as she lay in prison, but that she seized him and held him while a long conversation was maintained between them, the devil addressing her frequently most respectfully as "Madam." St. Juliana appears here, "for this time only," as we sometimes read in the play-bills, "in two pieces." On the front of the desk we find : 1. ST. THEOBALD, Abbot 1247, in episcopal vestments. He took the 134 EASTERN COUNTIES Cistercian habit at Vaux de Cernay in 1220, and was chosen abbot of that house in 1234, His right hand is raised in the.[attitude of benediction : in his left hand he holds his staff. 2. ST. DENTS or ST. DroNYsms, Bishop of Paris A.D. 272, carrying a tonsured head in his left hand, his pastoral staff in his right hand, and a mitred head in the usual place. No. 3 is ST. JOHN OF BRIDLINGTON, or Burlington, in Yorkshire, holding a fish in his left hand, and a long cross in his right. He was successively precentor, almoner, and at length prior of the house of regular canons of St. Augustine at Burlington. This office he held seventeen years, and died in 1379. His life will be found in Surius. No. 4 is ST. GILES the Abbot, who lived at the close of the seventh century, with the hind at his feet. His historian relates that he was nourished with the milk of a hind whilst he dwelt in the forest. He holds in his left hand a red book ; in his right his pastoral staff. Two other panels have been horribly mutilated, and are placed upside down ; both have had female saints painted on them. One appears to be St. Helen the Empress, with the true cross : a fragment of the name ending Etta remains. The other fragment is prettily shaded and coloured, and was a saint whose name began with A, probably St. Agnes or St. Agatha, two favorite saints on Norfolk rood screens. The bracket which supported the roodloft remains on the south wall, and there are indications on the north wall of the entrance from the staircase to the loft. There were altars against the east wall of the nave on either side of the screen, with wooden parcloses, the junction of which with the main screen is obvious. MICHAELMAS GENEEALS. Eev d S r The Generals will be on Friday the 11 th day of Oct r next at S 1 Mich' at the Pleas 1793. Bob 1 Starkey. LOOKING: over some old papers in my parish chest, I came across the one I now enclose, and which may be of some interest to your clerical readers at a time when so strong a disposition is shewn not to pay either "Generals" or Particulars to those in authority, and from which the Archdeacons are now suffering. I suppose these " Generals" were payments made to the Archdeacon, as they are to be paid at S. Michael's at Plea, where the Archdeacon's Court has been held for many years. H. [" The Generals " were the Archdeacon's General Visitations, held at Easter and Michaelmas, at which, of course, certain fees were payable. -Ed. E. C. 0.] COLLECTANEA. 135 EARLY ENGLISH WILLS, 14351536. THE following documents have been selected for publication merely as specimens of the English language four hundred years ago, and as examples of the progress it made in the course of a century. WILL OF AGNES GLANGYYLE, OF ALBY, 1435. In the name of god Amen I Anneys Glangvyle the wyfe of John Glangvyle of Alby beyng in myn goode meynde al thow I beyng in bodely Sykenes the Eygthe day of the Kalenge of the monyth of Septembyr the yer of our lorde a M 1 cccc and xxxv make myn testament on this maner wyse ffryst I be take to god almythy and to our lady Seynt Marye and to alle the holy Cumpanye of hevyn my Soule And my body to be byryed in y e chirch yard of Alby And furthermore I beqweth vnto the hey auter xij d Also I beqwethe on to our lady lyth too buschell of barly Also I be qweth to the lyth of Seynt Nicholas too busschellys of barly Also I be qwethe vnto y e Gylde of Seynt Albrygth (Albert) j combe of barly Also I be qweth vnto the plowlot [plowlight] j combe barly Also I be qweth to the p'son too elln of lynen cloth Also I beqweth to Clement my sone a boolelock and a brass panne Also I be qweth to Robert my sone a tabyl cloth of dyapyrwerk wyth too towayll of dyapyr ther to and a pleyn towayle Also to y e same Robert y e best brass panne and alle the brewyng vessel Also I be qweth to Berthylmew my sone a brass panne and my cote Also I be qweth vnto Cecylly my dowtyr a tabyl cloth of dyapyr werk wyth a pleyne towayle yer to and a Cowstyr * Also I be qweth to my Systr my best blak hood and my frend also Also I beqweth to Margarete fflaxman a tabyl cloth Also I beqweth to Anneys Battok an hood and a blewe kyrtel Also I beqweth to Margar' hulvyr a pylch f Also I be qweth to Balyis dowtyr ij buschell barley Also I be qweth to Stephyn Benetts dowtyr -a busschell of Barly Also I be qweth to Alson Dey my werst cloke Also I beqwethe to Tone ffouler my blewe cote and to elln of lynen cloth Also I be qweth to Elyn Gelder my Sangweyn hood and to elln of lynen cloth ' Also I be qweth to Chappys wyffe to elln of lynen cloth Also I be qweth to Margarete my nyste (niece) my best hood and my kerches Also I be qweth to my Goddowtyr a busschel of barly Also it is my wyl to do peynt y e gylde candel And fforthermor that I xal (shall) have a trental songyn And y e resydue of alle my goodes mevabyl and on mevabyl I gef and be qweth in to y e handes of myn atturnes ffor to dysposyn for me and alle goode frendes y l I am holdyn to And fforther mor thys is my last wyll yat Wyllyam Ersham Worstedeweuer of Norwych and John Brouu * Cowstyr. Coostre, a hanging for a hall, screen, or the curtain of a bed. In 1424 Ralph Nevill, Earl of Westmoreland, bequeathed to his \vife amongst other things, " uno lecto de arras operato cum auro cum costeris eidem pertinentibus et concor- dantibus." Prompt. Parv. p. 95. t Pilche, a cloak of skins. Fairholt's Costume, p. 556. 136 EASTERN COUNTIES Smyth of Alby ben my atturnes they to don for me as thei wolden thath I xulde (should) do for hem and thei stodyn in y e same plyth Amen. This will is dated 8 Kal. Sept., i.e., 25th August, 1435, and was proved on the 1 2th Sept. at Norwich. It is registered in Liber Surjlete, fo. 181, Cur. Epi. Norw. WILL OF MATJDE WRYTH, OF GARBOLDISHAM, 1471. In dei nomine Amen The Tewseday in "Wytson wyke y e yere of our lord a m 1 cccclxxj I Maute "Wryth of garboldesham wedowe beyng in holle mende and of good memory e make myne testement in thys wyse furst I be qwethe myn Sowle to god myn body to be beryyd in y e Cerche yarde of Sen John in Garblysham Also I be sette to the hygh autyr of y e same Cherche iij 8 iiij d Also I be sette to y e same Cherche a Chal[ice] of y e valu of xl s also I be sette to y e werke of y 6 same Cherche xiij" iiij d Also I be sette myn grene gowne to y e werke of y e seyde Cherche Also I be sette to y e Cherche werke of All halwyn iij 8 iiij d Also I be sette to Robt myn Sone x 8 Also I be sette to y e Gylde of Sent Petres in Nethyrgate in y e same town ij 9 Also I make and ordeyne John Norcleff Wyll Brundysh myn executorys for to dispose all y e Eesedwe of my goods for myn sowle and y e sowle of myn hosband and of All my frynds In wyttenisse wer of to thys myn testement I sette myn selle Thayer of ky-ng Edwarde y e iiij te xj. Tuesday in Whitsun week, in the year 1471, was the 4th June. The will was proved on the 5th Nov. following, at New Buckenham, and is registered in Liber Grey, fo. 320, Norfolk Archdeaconry. WILL AND CODICIL OF AGNES PULLE, OF BAITNINGHAM, 1531 6. In nomine dei Amen the daye of the monethe of nouembre the yere of o r lorde god M 1 ccccc xxxj u I Agnes pulle of baningham Widowe hooll off mind and of goode remembrans lawdid be god make my testament and last will in maner and forme folowing ffirst I bequeth my soule to allmightie god o r lady saynt Marie and to all the saynts in heuyn my bodie to be buried with in the chyrche yarde o.p baningham beforesaide Itm I bequeth to the heigh alter ther iiija Itm to the light of allhallow iiij d Itm to the light of o r lady iiij d Itm to the roode light iiij d Itm to saynt Johns light iiij d Itm to the reparacion of the chyrche of baningham ij s Itm to the gylde of all Saynts xx. John, the son of Robert Osborne, grocer, was sworn a freeman the 5th December, 1627, and was subsequently rated in the parishes of St. Peter Man- croft and All Saints. He was sheriff in 1640, and mayor in 1661. He died in or about 1665, as after that date "Mrs. Thomazine Osborne widd" is several times mentioned in the Mancroft books. 173. 0. IOHN PARKER A sheep. JR. OF NORWICH 1665 I.E.P. " Mr. Parker by y e Lambe " is mentioned in the churchwardens' account book of St. Peter Mancroft in 1665. A John Parker resided in and was overseer of St. John Timberhill in 1659 ; and one John Parker, mercer, son of John Parker, was sworn a freeman on the 8th April, 1665. 192 EASTERN COUNTIES 174. 0. WILLIAM PARMENTEB The Grocers' arms. R. IN NORWICH 1654 W.S.P. Parmenter was admitted a freeman the 27th January, 1653. He lived in St. John Timherhill ; was overseer in 1660, churchwarden in 1665. He was sheriff in 1676. 175. 0. ISAAC PEARcrvALE An oak tree. R. IN NORWICH 1667 I.I.P. Isaac, the son of Richard Persivall, was sworn a freeman llth July, 1660. He was a worstead weaver by trade, and resided in St. Martin at Oak, which prohably accounts for an oak being the device on the obverse of his token. 176. 0. WILL PLAYFORD W.A.P. R. or NORWICH W.A.P. " Will' us Playford Drap' filius Rob'ti Playford admissus est civis 10 Dec. 1645." He lived in Pockthorpe, and was overseer there in 1667-8. In the Mayoralty Court Book the following entry occurs, dated the 7th July, 1665 : " It is ordered and agreed that ffrancis Sheppard & Will'in Playford shall have the liberty of pitchinge & buildinge of boothes in & aboute the Castle dikes & hills w th in the County of this Citty during the time of theise next assizes as formerly hath bene vsed to be done & they are to paye for the same to the Chamberlyn of this Citty thirty shillings w th in one weeke after the assizes & no other to vse the same grownde." 177. 0. WILLIAM PRICE W.S.P. R. IN NORWICH 1662 W.S.P. William Price or Prike was a potter by trade, and resided in St. Peter Mancroft. He was admitted to the freedom of the city on the 24th of February, 1658. Elizabeth, daughter of William and Sarah Prike, was buried at Mancroft in 1663. 178. 0, DANIELL PYCROFT The Grocers' arms. R. IN NORWICH D.P. He was an apprentice of John Osborn (No. 172), and was sworn a freeman 16th October, 1668. He was rated in All Saints' parish, was overseer in 1663, and churchwarden in 1667, We find this entry, dated 22 June, 1667, in the Mayoralty Court Book : " This day Daniel Pycroft grocer beinge required to take vp his Freedome the next assembly and not giueinge a positive answer whether he would or not It is ordered that he be presently sued in the Chamberlyn's name." 179. 0. THOMAS RANDOLL The Bakers' arms. R. IN NORWICH T.E.E. Engraved in Norfolk Archeology, vol. v., page 241. We do not find in the books of the Bakers' Company of Norwich the name of any token issuer, excepting that of Randoll. He was admitted a member of the company the 10th of June, 1663, and resided in St. Gregory's parish. Thomas Randoll the younger was admitted to the Company of Bakers in 1678. 180. 0. AGVSTINE RAYLEY The Grocers' arms. R. IN NORWICH 1662. Augustine, the son of John Ray ley, Esq., was admitted to the freedom of the city 18th March, 1662. He was rated in St. Andrew's, and was overseer there in 1667. His father was mayor in 1649. 181. 0. THOMOS RAYNER The Grocers' arms. R. OF NORWICH 1653 T.E. COLLECTANEA. 193 LETTEE FEOM SIE THOMAS BEOWNE TO WILLIAM DUGDALE, 1658. WKITINO to Dr. Browne on 17th November, 1658, William Dugdale, the author of the Monasticon, says, amongst other things, ' ' I have herewithall sent you one of the bones of that fish, which was taken up by Sir Eobert Cotton in digging a pond at the skirt of Conington Downe, desiring your opinion thereof and of what magnitude you think it was." On 6th December the Doctor answered this letter in part, and promised to give some account of the bone when he had compared it with another which was not by him. These letters are printed in The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, edited by Wilkin, Bonn's edition, vol. iii., pp. 496-7. But the following letter, being the promise daccount of the fish bone, is not in print. It is written on foolscap, and the subscription only, with one or two verbal corrections, appear to be in Browne's writing. It is, with several other interesting letters of Dr. Browne, in the collection of Arthur Preston, Esq., to whom we desire to express our obligations for the loan of them and autograph letters of Francis Blomefield and Thomas Martin, which we hope shortly to lay before our readers. Our thanks are also due to the Eev. A. Jessopp, D.D., for the notes to this letter. S r I cannot sufficiently admire the ingenuous industry of S r Eobert Cotton in preserving so many things of rarity and observation nor commend your own inquiries for the satisfaction of such particulars. The petrified bone you sent me, which with divers others was found underground, near Cunnington, seems to be the vertebra, spondyle or rackbone of some large fish, and no terrestrious animal as some upon sight conceived, as either of camel, rhinoceros, or elephant, for it is not perforated and hollow but solid according to the spine of fishes in whom the spinal marrow runs in a channel above these solid racks, or spondiles. It seems much too big for the largest Dolphins, porpoises, or sword fishes, and too little for a true or grown whale, but may be the bone of some big cetaceous animal, as particularly of that which seamen call a grampus ; a kind of small whale, wherof some come short, some exceed twenty foot. And not only whales but Grampusses have been taken in this Estuarie or mouth of the fenland rivers. And about twenty year ago four were run ashore near Hunstanton and two had young ones after they came to land. But whether this fish were of the longitude of twenty foot (as is conceived) some doubt may be made for this bone containeth little more than an inch in thickness, and not three inches in breadth so that it might have a greater number therof than is easily allowable to make out that longitude. For of the whale which was cast upon our coast about six years ago a vertebra or rackbone still preserved, containeth a foot in breadth and nine inches in depth, yet the whale with all advantages but sixty-two foot in length. 194 EASTERN COUNTIES We are not ready to believe that wherever such relics of fish or sea animals are found, the sea hath had its course. And Goropius Becanus long ago could not digest that conceit when he found great numbers of shells upon the highest Alps. For many may be brought unto places where they were not first found. Some bones of our whale were left in several fields which when the earth hath obscured them, may deceive some hereafter, that the sea hath come so high. In the northern nations where men live in houses of fishbones and in the land of the Icthiophagi near the Red sea where 1 mortars were made of the backbones of whales, doors of their jaws, and arches of their ribs, when time had covered them they might confound after discoverers. Beside we reade in Pliny and Theophrastus Ossa etiam in terrd nasci, invenirique lapides osseos,* et in Agricola de fossilibus prope Luneburgum, inveniuntur ossa halcenarum nata, et in lapides conversa.\ And though we affect not to fix such high and general originals, yet is it not impossible that many such relics may yet remain in petrified substances from the deluge as I have elsewhere declared. The greatest antiquities of mortal bodies may remain in petrified bones wherof some may be older than the pyramids in the petrified relicks of the general inundation. But these being found in this place, will not cause such doubts, but may afford conjecture that great waters have been where this was found or at least drawn ashore. Herodotus and Plutarch thought it no small argument, from multitude of several shells found upon the higher ground of Egypt, to infer that those parts had been sometimes underwater. And though Goropius Becanus \ made no such conse- quence, yet might there be somewhat more in it, when his |friend Rokokius found such large petrified bones in Brabant upon the making of his well. Hdbeo saxa ingentia, lalcenarum ossibus maximis aqua, quce Nicolaus Rokokius domi sues vidit, et terrd erui dum aquis hauriendis puteum filij curaret. And hereof there will be less cause of doubt if other bones as ribs and scull were also found wheras if this Backbone were found single without other bones, it might be possibly evaded, and received for a spondylites or natural stone of this shape, as many others are found which make out the figures of parts and bones of animals. For many years great doubt was made concerning those large bones found in some parts of England, and named Giants' bones, till men * The passage Sir Thomas Browne refers to in Pliny must he in the Hist. Nat., lib. xxxvi., c. 18, 134 " .... Theophrastus et ebur fossile Candida et nigro colore inveniri et ossa e terri nasci invenirique lapides osseos, $c., $c." f George Agricola was one of the most famous of the 16th century " men of science." Sir Thomas Browne probably quotes from his work, De Naturu Fossilium, published at Basle in 1558. ~l John Goropius Becanus was a very learned Dutchman of the 16th century. His Origines Atttwerpiance are well known. A collection of his miscellaneous works, published at Antwerp in 1580, are full of oddities of learning. The reference is probably to the Hitroglyphica. COLLECTANEA. 1 95 considered they might be the bones of elephants brought into this island by Claudius, and perhaps also by some succeeding emperors. In Brabant it caused no small amazement when the bones of three elephants were digged up : till wiser enquirers considered they might be brought hither by the tyrant Posthumus, or Saloninus the sonne of Galienus. About Perusia many elephants' bones were found which they resolve to be the bones of those which Annibal brought into Italy. And such as are found in Campania and the more eastern parts may be those brought over by Pyrrhus. But many things prove obscure in subterraneous discovery. The great golden horn found underground in Denmark graved with imagery much perplexed the learned men of that country. In some chalk pits about Norwich many stags' horns are found of large beams and branches, the solid parts converted into a chalky and fragile substance, the pithy part sometimes hollow and full of brittle earth and clay. In a churchyard of this city an oaken billet was found in a coffin. About five years ago an humorous man of this country after his death and according to his own desire was wrap't up in the horned hide of an ox and so buried.* Now when the memory hereof is past how this may hereafter confound the discoverers and what conjectures will arise thereof it is not easy to conjecture. S r Tour servant to my power Tho. Browne. This is endorsed "S r Thomas Brown's discourse about the Fish bone found at Conington Com Hunt. Shown D r Tanner." NOKWICH CLUBS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTUEY. DURING the earlier part of the last , century many societies and clubs flourished in Norwich. One was the " Constitutional Club," the nucleus of a political party. Then there was the notorious "Hell Eire Club," whose objects, like those of the society of the same name established in London, were to terrify and horrify pence-loving and orderly citizens. f The " Sons of Flora," who assembled at the Maid's Head, and at the Dove in Dove Lane, were devoted to floriculture. In old newspapers there are notices of intended meetings of societies * Query, does Sir Thomas refer to Richard Ferrer of Thurne, who by his will, proved about 1654, directed that his " dead body be handsomely trussed up in a black bullock's hide, and be decently buried in the churchyard of Thurne." Norf, Arch., vol. v., p. 212. t At page 1257 of the Norfolk Tour we find this society was said to consist of a number of persons, calling themselves gentlemen of principles inimical to government, and with a determination also to crush the Methodists. They met at the Blue Bell on Orford Hill, and after regaling themselves, singing treasonable songs, and collecting large sums of money, distributed it to the mob. 196 EASTERN COUNTIES bearing curious titles, whose objects neither name nor announcement reveals. There was the "Ancient Society of Abingdons," "The most Ancient and Honorable Order of Gregorians,"* and " The most Ancient and Truly Illustrious Fraternity of Scald, Miserable, Free, and Accepted Masons." These societies, if established for other purposes than bringing well-to-do citizens together to imbibe sundry bottles of canary or mountain until they rolled beneath the table, had doubtless some records of their proceedings that contained matter of interest. Perhaps some of the readers of the Collectanea can explain the objects of these three societies, and can give information as to what has become of their records, should there have been any. As the advertisements inserted in the Norwich newspapers for the benefit of the brethren of these societies are curious, I append them : ORDER OP GREGORIANS. The Committee and the Brethren of the Most Ancient and Honorable Order of Gregorians, belonging to the Union Coffeehouse Chapter in Norwich, are desired to meet the rest of their Brethren, at their Chapter Room, on the 4th day of May, at Six a'clock in the Evening, upon special affairs, to choose a Grand & other Officers, for the remainder of the year By order of the Grand, ANDREW YIPOND, Secretary. The Union Coffee-house was, I believe, at the London Street end of the Market Place. MISERABLE MASONS. December 19th, 1747. The Brethren of the most Ancient and truly Illustrious Fraternity of Scald, Miserable, Free, and Accepted Masons are desired to attend the Eight Worshipful Grand Master at a Lodge to be held at Brother Grice's, on Tuesday 29th inst, at 6 a'clock in the Evening, on Special affairs By Order of the Grand Master, TWITCHER, Secretary. A theatrical advertisement announced that the performances would be under the patronage of the Grand Master and Brethren of the "Ancient Order of Scald and Miserable Masons." ABINODONS. The Gentlemen of the Ancient Society of Abingdons are designed to meet at Mr. Richard Hagon's, at the Musick House in Conisford, in Norwich, upon special affairs. Norwich Gazette, December 3rd, 1726. Norwich. M. KNIGHTS. * Until 1764 the annual venison dinner of this society was held at Postwick Grove. The members usually started from the Ferry in the Close, in wherries, with flags and music. After 1764 the feast was held in their chapter-room at the White Swan in St. Peter's Mancroft. In 1806 the society was dissolved. See Norfolk Tour, p. 6. ED. E. C. C. COLLECTANEA. 197 EAST ANGLIAN SURNAMES IN THE SHIEES. I HAVE sometimes met with East Anglian surnames in the parish registers of this neighbourhood, and have thought that perhaps you might like notes of such entries for the Collectanea. SNOWSHILL co. GLOUCESTER. 1579 July 13. Thomas Kinge et Agneta Gawdie nupt'. ILMINGTON co. WARWICK. Were mar d 1714, July 3, Eobert Gaudy of Claxson Norfolk widower & Sarah Collins of Stratford on Avon, widow. ALL SAINTS, EVESHAM co. WORCESTER. The following note occurs in the register of burials at All Saints. 1608. Judith Bayly the wiffe of Lewes Bayly [vicar] died in child- birth on Easter Eue, the 26. day of Marche. . . .She lefte behinde her one daughter, Mary Bayly, borne in litell waldingfeeld in Suffolke, on fryday the 6. day of March Anno D'ni. 1606. An'o Regis Jacobi. 4. and one aonne Thomas Bayly, borne at Euesham, on Sunday the 1 3. day of March, Anno D'ni. 1607. T. P. WADLEY. CROMER PIER. SINCE my former communication on this subject (p. 37) I have found the curious documents printed below, among the records of the Equity side of the Court of Exchequer, of which there is a contemporary calendar at the Record Office, commencing with Elizabeth. There are 389 Norfolk suits for the reign of Elizabeth, arranged in the calendar, which is very well worth searching by any one interested in Norfolk topography and pedigrees. Wandsworth. WALTER RYE. Sills, Answers, fyc., Exchequer, Elizabeth. Norfolk, No. 146. Term'o Pasche Anno xxxiij Regine E. To the Ryght Honorable S r Will'm Cecill Knighte Lorde Highe Tresurer of Englonde John Foscue Esquier hur mat 1 " chauncelor of the Exchequer S r Roger Manwood Knighte Lord Chief Baron and others hur mat' 68 Barons of the Exchequer. In most humble wise sheweth unto your good honors your Daylye Orators the Inhabitants of the towne of Cromer w^in the Countye of Norff. That wheras the Quenes ma" 6 the forthe daye of Julye in the xxiiij 111 yeare of hur Highnes Reigne did by hur 1'res patents under the greate seale of Englonde graunte unto the sayd luhabitaunts license for the transportinge of twentye thousand quarters of wheate barlye Q2 198 EASTERN COUNTIES & maulte for the maintenance of ther towne and towards the buildinge of an oulde decayed peere there, in w ch sayd 1'res patents one Thomas Baxter gent : was appointed to sell the sayde License for the best benefitte of the towne and the monye that he shoulde receyve therof he to deliver the some to the Peerereves such as the sayd Inhabitants shoulde yearelye choose accordinge to an auncient custome amongst them used, to be bestowed uppon the sayd peere and further that they the sayde peerereves for the better furtheringe of the sayd woorke should make ther monthlye accounte to the sayd Baxter and other the Inhabitants of the employment therof, w tt this also that the sayd Baxter should at such tyme as the Lord Tresurer and the Lord of Leister thinke good deliver the sayd peerereves accompts to ther honors to th'ende ther honors mighte understande howe the sayd monye should be bestowed that the overplus might remayne to hur mat ie . Accordinge to the w ch sayde 1'res patents the sayd Baxter did sell the sayde license parte for readye monye and other p'te for dayes w ch monye as it did come into his hands he did deliver it to the peerereves and that w ch was soulde for dayes he did take bondes in he name of one Eobte Underwood nowe deceased and others beinge Inhabitants of the sayd towne For that it doth appeare by the sayd Baxters accounts taken before S r Will'm Heydon & others beinge appointed by ther honors so to do that div'se Somes of monye doe remayne in the handes of Emanuell Callyarde John Deynes Will'm Myngye Joh'em Shanke Will'm Boshope (?) George Englond which have byn peerereves and who doth refuse to make payment therof And wheras it doth likewise appeare by the sayd Baxters accounts that the said Eoberte Underwood did by Indirecte meanes gett into his possession to the value of fower hundred pounds w ch he did never make payment of or bestowe uppon the sayd peere beinge for that purpose gyven That it would please your good Honors to directe hur mat ies writte" of subpena as well to call before you the sayd Will'm Myngye John Deynes as also the sayd Emanuell Callyard and Margerye his wiffe executrix of the testament of the sayd Eoberte Underwood into whose handes sufficient goods of the sayd Eoberte Underwood be come as John Shank & Will'm Bishop (?) George Englond That they make p'sent payment of such monye as they owe unto the sayd Towne and deliver into the handes of the sayd Inhabi- tants such bonds and billes w ch wer taken to the use of the sayd towne Or otherwise that they be compelled uppon ther answeres to enter into bonds to the use of hur ma tie to answere such somes as upon the hearinge of the cause shalbe dulye proved they are indebted to the sayd Towne And your sayd Orators shall daylye praye to god for the p'servation of your honors in healthe longe to cotynewe.* fiat br' de sup* Eobte Clarke. * There is a nearly illegible memorandum on the left hand bottom of the skin, that the parties (P) are to appear and answer, &c. COLLECTANEA . 199 Tr : a xxxiij The answer of Emanuell Callerd deff' to the untrewe bill of compl 1 of the Inhabitants of Cromer Compl: The said defft saythe that it hathe begn suldoine seene any such bill of Compl' p'sewed by Inhabitants w th out meaneinge some men in Certeyne But as the said bill is in suche disordered manyer (?) leyed so also is the materiall p'te theirof leyed and sett forthe in moste disordered manner and very Insufficient to charge the said defft or any other Howbeit that the declaracion in the said bill alledginge that it appeareth uppon the accompt that their is mony remayninge in the hands of this defft is not sufficient matter to charge the said defft for that the said Baxter might impose mony uppon A other w b he hymselfe had And the said defft doth further saie that he was lately Pereive of the said Peire but he saye the (sic) that he .did never receive above ij 8 for the same w th out that it can appeare uppon ainy trewe accomp 1 of Baxter that their is any mony Remayninge or was in the hands of the said defft or that to the knowledge of the said defft their was lefte in the hands of the said Underwood yis but newly is alleged But it dothe appeare by a note of a Reconinge that he disbursed xx u more then he Received W^out y* that any other matter article or alligac'on sentence of or surmyse in the said Bill conteyned and not befor sufficiently confessed and avoyded traversed or not denyed as trewe all w ch matters this deff: is reddie to &