Rights for this book: Public domain in the USA. This edition is published by Project Gutenberg. Originally issued by Project Gutenberg on 2020-06-10. To support the work of Project Gutenberg, visit their Donation Page. This free ebook has been produced by GITenberg, a program of the Free Ebook Foundation. If you have corrections or improvements to make to this ebook, or you want to use the source files for this ebook, visit the book's github repository. You can support the work of the Free Ebook Foundation at their Contributors Page. The Project Gutenberg eBook, The History of Lynn, Vol. 1 [of 2], by William Richards This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: The History of Lynn, Vol. 1 [of 2] Author: William Richards Release Date: June 10, 2020 [eBook #62365] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF LYNN, VOL. 1 [OF 2]*** Transcribed from the 1812 W. G. Whittingham edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org THE HISTORY OF LYNN, Civil , Ecclesiastical , Political , Commercial , Biographical , Municipal , and Military , FROM THE EARLIEST ACCOUNTS TO THE PRESENT TIME; INTERSPERSED With occasional remarks on such national occurrences as may serve to elucidate the real state of the town, or the manners, character, and condition of the inhabitants at different periods. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED A COPIOUS INTRODUCTORY ACCOUNT OF ITS Situation , Harbour , Rivers , Inland Trade and Navigation , the Ancient and Modern State OF Marshland , Wisbeach , and the Fens , AND Whatever is most remarkable, memorable, or interesting, in other parts of the adjacent country. IN TWO VOLUMES BY WILLIAM RICHARDS , M.A. Honorary member of the Pennsylvania Society , for promoting the Abolition of Slavery , and the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage VOL. I. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LYNN: PRINTED BY W. G. WHITTINGHAM, AND SOLD BY R. BALDWIN; PATERNOSTER ROW; LONDON. 1812. PREFACE. Materials for a history of Lynn have been collected as long ago as the reign of Charles II. by Guybon Goddard , then recorder of this town, and brother-in-law of Sir William Dugdale. At his death, which happened, if we are not mistaken, about 1677, those materials came into the possession of his son Tho. Goddard Esq; from whom our corporation soon after endeavoured to obtain them; but we cannot learn that they then succeeded; nor does it appear that they ever came into their hands. What became of them, whether still in being or not, we have never been able to learn: and it is presumed that all the present members of our body Corporate are equally uninformed. See p. 831. About forty years after the death of Guybon Goddard, another attempt was made to produce or compile a history of this town, by a nameless person, but evidently a learned, ingenious, and industrious man. Unfortunately his attention was chiefly engaged about the churches, and especially the monuments and monumental inscriptions which they contained. These he took no small pains with, and made fair drawings of most of them. This work he carefully arranged, and fairly wrote out. It forms a moderate folio volume, and is now in the possession, or at least in the hands, of Mr. Thomas King of this town, for we are informed that Dr. Adams is the real owner of it. There are at the end of it some curious documents relating to divers ancient customs and occurrences, of which the compiler of the present history has in some measure availed himself. The volume was finished in 1724, and the author, it seems, died soon after. Within a few years after his death, the work fell into the hands of Mr. B. Mackerell , who, after making a few paltry additions to it, actually published the greatest part of it verbatim under his own name, and it constitutes the bulk of that volume which has ever since been called, Mackerell’s History of Lynn . This act or achievement is disreputable to Mackerell’s memory; but the plagiarism has been scarcely known or noticed till now. He makes, in his preface, some slight obscure mention of the MS. but deigns not to tell the author’s name, though it must have been well known to him. He also boasts of his having had free access to the town records , and having “diligently searched and perused them, for a considerable time together.” For aught we know, this may be all very true; but if it be so, he must have laboured to very small purpose, as all the discoveries he has been able to make amount to very little, and may be comprised within a very narrow compass. Parkin also, in his continuation of Bloomfield’s History of Norfolk , and in his Topography of Freebridge Hundred and Half , has published a history of Lynn, of above fifty large folio pages. It is in few hands, and little known; and though it contains much useful information, (very ill arranged,) it has no pretension to the character of a complete history of the town. The same may be said of what has since appeared, in the octavo history of Norfolk published at Norwich, and, more recently, in the Norfolk Tour, and the Beauties of England; the former from the pen of Mr. Beatniffe , and the latter from that of Mr. Britton . All these are mere Epitomes, and never fail to excite in their readers a wish to see a more copious and complete history of the place. Such a wish has been often and very generally expressed; and some years ago, a young man, of the name of Delamore , offered to gratify it, and supply this deficiency and lack of service. He accordingly circulated printed proposals for publishing, by subscription, a larger account of the town than any that had yet appeared. But not meeting with sufficient encouragement, he dropt the design, and soon after quitted this vicinity. What materials he possessed, or how competent he was for the undertaking, the present writer is not able to say. But it is very clear that the public were not disposed to favour his proposal. For some years after the last mentioned occurrence, there was no talk or expectation of a new history of Lynn. But somewhat more than seven years ago, a sudden and severe domestic affliction (from the effects of which he has never recovered) obliged the present writer to seek in solitude some alleviation of his sorrow, which he despaired of finding in the way of social intercourse, and even found himself incapable of attempting it, without offering unbearable violence to his feelings. Thus shut up in retirement, and buried among books, he tried to beguile his melancholy, by forming and pursuing certain literary projects; among which was an ecclesiastical history of Wales , which had often before employed his thoughts; and likewise a general history of Lynn , which has been his place of residence now near forty years, and whose history had also, not unfrequently, engaged his attention. In both these works he made some progress; which coming to the knowledge of his friends, they urged him to publish, but they were not agreed which should be published first: some called for the former work, of which some hundreds of copies were soon subscribed for; others advised him to complete and publish the History of Lynn first, and these prevailed—it being more convenient for him just then to attend to this than to the other. An agreement was consequently made with one of the book-sellers for its publication; and the public manifested a disposition to encourage the undertaking. When the work was sent to the press, it was fully intended that it should all be comprised in one volume; and this intention was persisted in, till 7 or 800 pages had been printed off. By that time the author had received a large and unexpected quantity of new matter, much of it very curious and interesting, which many of his subscribers wished him to make use of and insert. He was therefore induced and constrained to depart from his original design, and extend the work to two volumes. But as it was then too late to have the pages numbered accordingly, they were of course continued in a regular series through both volumes, so as to amount in all to above 1200. The enlargement or extension of the work, beyond the original design, has occasioned some derangement of the author’s first plan, so as to give the latter part of the work somewhat of the appearance of disorder and confusion; which the author sincerely regrets, but it was perhaps unavoidable, as the case stood. Had he possessed at first all the materials he has since obtained, he flatters himself that the task he undertook had been much better executed. Some of the latter or lately received documents were found to cast a new light on divers facts previously stated, so as to convince the author that he had been in several instances mistaken. He therefore never failed to seize the earliest opportunity to rectify those mistakes; for he was fully resolved to make his history the vehicle of truth, as far as it lay in his power. Of this he thinks he has given frequent proofs. Yet even this very practice, of rectifying, without loss of time, any mistakes which he found he had previously fallen into, will probably be classed, by some, among the defects of this performance. Be it so. He is more desirous of being classed among honest men, and lovers of truth, than among polished writers, or methodical and elegant historians. As to the Critics, annual , and quarterly , as well as monthly , he has but little to say to them. He is very sensible of the defects of the work; many of which however were unavoidable, in existing circumstances, or in a first attempt like his, where many of the necessary materials were not in his possession, or at his command, and seemed for a long while unobtainable. Should the work come before their high tribunal, he asks no favour. They will doubtless see in it many defects, but not more perhaps than he is himself conscious of. They are welcome however to be as severe as they please, provided they deal fairly, or with reason and justice. It may be less cruel to exercise their severity here, than upon some young authors, who are in quest of, and panting for popular applause, or literary fame; neither of which has ever been sought for by the present writer. The work being now finished, after many unforeseen delays, the author respectfully submits it to the examination and judgment of the candid and intelligent reader, by whom, he doubts not, both its merits and demerits will be rightly estimated. Whatever may be said or thought of the execution, he thinks it must be admitted, that there is here brought together such a mass of interesting information relating to this town, as few people could have expected to see, when the design of this publication was first advertised. So that there may now be obtained as much knowledge of the ancient and modern affairs of this town, as of most towns in the county, or in the kingdom. He regrets that so many typographical errors escaped him in revising the sheets; the chief of which he has now pointed out, in a table of errata, (which will be found in each volume,) by the direction of which he requests the subscribers forthwith to correct the reading. It may have been expected, that this work would contain a list of our mayors ; but as no such list was known of, that might be depended upon for its correctness, it has been omitted: nor did it seem to be at all material, unless it had also been accompanied with lists of the recorders , and other functionaries, which appeared unobtainable.—It was intended to add an alphabetical Index ; but as it would take up some time, and increase too much the size of the concluding number, (already almost three times as large at any of the others,) the design was given up. The Table of contents it is hoped, will supply, in a great measure, the want of an index. Be that as it may, the work is now left to take its chance and make its own way in the world—the author consoling himself with the consciousness of having faithfully and honestly performed the task he had undertaken. Lynn , July , 1812. CONTENTS. OF THE FIRST VOLUME PART I.—INTRODUCTION. CHAP. I. Site of Lynn—account of its harbour , and that of Wisbeach—ancient and present state of its rivers—inland navigation—drainage—projects of improvement—state of its shipping , commerce , and population , at different periods Page SECT. 1. Situation of the town—its distance from the sea. &c.—its harbour—river Ouse and its tributary streams. 1 SECT. 2. Further account of the river Ouse—remarkable phenomenon— the poet Cowper—supposed etymology of the name of Wisbeach—the Ouse diverted from its ancient course and outlet—king John’s disastrous passage over that river, in his last progress from Lynn—Extracts from Vancouver. 8 SECT. 3. Effects of the desertion of the Ouse and Nene, on Wisbeach and parts adjacent. 15 SECT. 4. Effects on Lynn and its harbour and navigation, of the great accession of fresh waters in the reign of Henry III. 22 SECT. 5. Eaubrink Cut and other projects of former times—with slight hints on the comparative state of the shipping, commercial consequence and population of Lynn at different periods. 27 CHAP. II. Of Marshland and adjoining parts , or great Fen Country—View of their situation and revolutions in remote ages , or sketch of their ancient history SECT. 1. Account of their state before and after the arrival of the Romans —character of that people—establishment of their power here— improvements made by them in these parts. 32 SECT. 2. Further strictures on the ancient state of this country, and on the wonderful change it appears to have undergone at a very remote and unknown period; from De Serra’s account of a submarine forest on the coast of Lincolnshire. 37 SECT. 3. Further observations from same paper—Epoch of the destruction of the said forest—agency by which it was effected, &c.— similar appearances eastward along the Norfolk coast. 42 SECT. 4. Some further geological observations relating to the fens, extracted from Dugdale’s Letters to Sir Thomas Browne. 49 SECT. 5. Concise view of the ancient and modern history of the Fen country, from Pennant’s Preface to his 3rd. vol. of Arctic Zoology. 52 SECT. 6. Further account of the Fens, from the Beauties of England. 58 SECT. 7. Of the Fens from the time of Henry VIII, or rather that of Elizabeth, to the Revolution; giving an account of the different projects of improvement proposed and carried on during that period. 64 SECT. 8. Same subject continued to the present time 70 SECT. 9. Miscellaneous observations on the present appearance, produce, and state of the Fens. 74 SECT. 10. Miscellaneous observations continued—fen-reeds and their uses—starlings—tame geese, and singular management of them— insalubriousness of Marshland—ancient celebrity of the smeeth—decoys. 77 SECT. 11. Brief remarks on the parish churches of Marshland and Holland; with a short sketch of the history of the castle and town of Wisbeach. 87 SECT. 12. History of Wisbeach continued. 99 SECT. 13. Additional account of Marshland—Parkin—bishop of Ely’s manor in Terrington—queen Henrietta—admiral Bentinck—cross keys demolishers of banks prosecuted and suppressed—high tides—destructive inundations—principal divisions of Marshland. 112 SECT. 14. Biographical sketches of some of the most distinguished personages of other times in Marshland and its vicinity. 121 CHAP. III. Of the parts about Lynn , on the eastern side of the Ouse SECT. 1. Aspect of the country—its agriculture and rural economy— Wayland wood—memoir of Shuckforth—parish churches and other edifices, ancient and modern. 135 SECT. 2. Further account of cables, edifices, and places of ancient note in these parts—Brancaster—Rising—Hunston—Castle-acre—Wormegay— Middleton—Gaywood, &c. 146 SECT. 3. Account of modern palaces, and other notable mansions in these parts—Houghton—Holkham—Rainham—Narford—Narborough— Oxborough 162 SECT. 4. Biographical sketches of some of the most celebrated or memorable personages who were of this part of the country—Coke—Sir Henry and Sir John Spelman—L’Estrange—Walpole—Fountain—Folkes —Horace Walpole—Nelson—Bewley. 174 SECT. 5. Of the animals, and particularly the birds, of this country 193 SECT. 6. Brief account of places hereabout, before omitted—Sechey— Runcton—Downham—Denver—Helgay—Southery—Feltwell— Methwold—Stoke, &c. Feltwell new-fen-district—Fincham—Swaffham —Babingley—Sharnborne—great malthouse—Hunston Light-house &c. 201 Part II. Of the origin and antiquity of Lynn, with a sketch of the history from its first rise to the norman conquest. CHAP. I. Of Lynn while Britain formed a part of the Roman empire SECT. 1. Present town or borough of Lynn of no great antiquity—its site not the same with that of the original town—the probable site of the latter, and era of its origin. 213 SECT. 2. Digression relating to the first introduction of Christianity into Britain—Bardism. 216 SECT 3. Ancient history of Lynn continued—town supposed to have been founded by a colony of foreigners introduced by the Romans—etymology of its name—mistakes of Camden, Spelman, &c. 220 SECT. 4. Lynn the mother-town of the fens—further account of its supposed founders and original inhabitants—remarkable works executed by them—great improvers of the country—account continued to the extinction of the Roman power. 223 CHAP. II. Immediate consequence of the abdication of the country by the Romans , and probable fate of Lynn SECT. 1. Character of the Anglo-Saxons, with general observations on the invasion and conquest of this country by them, and their barbarous treatment of the inhabitants. 228 SECT. 2. Of the Angles, from whom England and the English language derive their names—they seize on the parts about Lynn, and the whole province of the ancient Iceni, which receives the denomination of East Anglia, and forms one of the kingdoms of the Heptarchy—revival of Lynn in the mean time—with remarks on the adjacent country. 235 SECT. 3. Of the Saltworks formerly at and about Lynn—paucity of appropriate materials to elucidate that subject—apology. 239 CHAP. III. Of the religious profession of the first Anglian inhabitants of Lynn—their renouncing heathenism , and assuming the christian name—account of their conversion , and character of their Christianity SECT. 1. Heathenism the religion of this town at the commencement of the Heptarchy—our townsmen and the rest of the East Angles, with the other branches of the Heptarchy, become professors of Christianity— account of their conversion. 241 SECT. 2. Effects of the conversion of the East Angles, and the sister kingdoms—character of their Christianity. 244 SECT. 3. Christianity of the ancient inhabitants of Lynn and of this country further characterized—whether very materially improved during the reign of Alfred—remarks on that reign—papal instructions to the first missionaries. 248 CHAP. IV. Miscellaneous observations , on the social distinctions and the general state of the community among the Anglo-Saxons SECT. 1. State of society at Lynn, and in this country, before the conquest. 253 SECT. 2. Of the Wittenagemote and other courts—maxims of jurisprudence—institution of tythings—nuptial and funeral rites— sacerdotal, domestic, and other customs among the Anglo-Saxons. 258 SECT. 3. State of learning, and of the medical profession, among the Anglo-Saxons. 264 SECT. 4. Expressive and remarkable names of the months—state of the coinage or currency—general value of different commodities in this country before the conquest—slavery—comparison with the present course of things. 266 SECT. 5. Probability that Lynn was formerly concerned in the exportation of slaves—comparison between the ancient and modern English slave dealers— slaves and horses the chief exports of this country in those days — corn not then exported, though it had been formerly—imports, commerce, miscellaneous hints and observations. 270 SECT. 6. Population of Lynn and the country in general, before the conquest—condition of the bulk of the inhabitants in the mean time— sufferings of the inhabitants of Lynn and the adjacent country from the Danes —intrepid and ferocious character of that people—instruments of vengeance on the Anglo-Saxons—their despotism and character not much changed by their conversion to Christianity, so called—remarkable instances of imposition, superstition, and credulity. 277 SECT. 7. Of the Heptarchy and its history—remarks on Egbert , Alfred , and their most renowned successors—character of Canute and Edward the Confessor —the latter the first of our monarchs that touched for the Evil— remarks on that circumstance, and the prevalence of that complaint in these parts. 284 SECT. 8. State of Lynn in the confessor’s time—chief sway borne here then by Stigand, Ailmer, and Harold—great power of the latter, and sketch of his character—obtains the crown at the confessor’s death—is soon disturbed by two formidable invasions; one from the Danish or Norwegian shores under Halfagar , whom he vanquishes; the other from France, under William the Norman bastard, in opposing whom he is himself vanquished and slain, which places the conqueror on the English throne without further struggle, through the defection and machinations of our bishops and clergy. 289 SECT. 9. Sketch of the practice of the royal touch in England, or a historical essay on the memorable empiricism of our English sovereigns , from Edward the confessor to George the first—credulity of Whiston and Carte —quackery, medical, political, and theological still prevalent among us, though that of the royal touch has ceased— Richard Brothers , Joanna Southcote , and William Pitt —memoir of the Dumb doctor 298 Part III. History of Lynn from the establishment of the French or Normans in England to the Reformation. CHAP. I. CHAP. I. Observations on the Conquest—account of the changes then introduced— their effects on the kingdom in general, and on Lynn and its vicinity in particular. 327 CHAP. II. Further remarks on the revolutionary effects of the Conquest, throughout the whole kingdom as well as at Lynn—Catalogue of bishops to whose civil rule the town used to be subject, or who bore temporal sway here till the Reformation. 342 CHAP. III. State of Lynn previously and subsequently to its becoming a corporate town, or free burgh; or general remarks on that event, and on the progressive state of society in the cities and towns of this country, as well as at Lynn, in those times—John, Henry III, and Henry VIII, great benefactors to this town; the latter of whom put an end to the temporal domination of the bishops here, and ought to be held in grateful remembrance. 374 CHAP. IV. Further observations on the history of Lynn during the same period— horrid treatment of the Jews here—probable state of the town as to its internal police and municipal economy previously to its being declared a free burgh and receiving its first royal charter—changes resulting from that event—statement of subsequent occurrences. 390 CHAP. V. State of society at Lynn during this period—the subject elucidated from documents relative to the ancient gilds —observations on the nature of those institutions—very common in the country before the reformation— names and number of those of Lynn. 408 SECT. 1. Observations on the origin of the gilds. 411 SECT. 2. Names and number of the Lynn gilds, with additional observations. 415 SECT. 3. More particular account of some of our gilds. 419 SECT. 4. Account of the gilds continued. 439 SECT. 5. Account of the Holy Trinity company, or great merchant’s gild. 450 SECT. 6. Account of the remaining gilds, and particularly those of St. Francis and St. William 474 CHAP. VI. CHAP. VI. Account of the monasteries and religious houses formerly here SECT. 1. Account of the house of Benedictines in priory lane, with a sketch of that religious order. 489 SECT. 2. Account of the convent of the Carmelites or White Friars, with a sketch of that order. 493 SECT. 3. Account of the convent of the Franciscans , Friars Minors, or Grey Friars, with a sketch of that order. 498 SECT. 4. Account of the convent of the Dominicans or Black Friars, with a sketch of that order. 503 SECT. 5. Account of the convent of the Augustinians, or Austin Friars, with a sketch of that older. 513 SECT. 6. Of the Friars de Penitentia, or brothers of repentance, and their convent here—also the college of Priests, and the hospital and church of St. John. 519 SECT. 7. Account of St. Mary Magdalen’s Hospital , Lazar Houses, St. Lawrence’s Hospital &c. 530 SECT. 8. Of the Red Mount and our Lady’s chapel there—also her chapel by the Bridge, and the chapels of St. Ann, St. Catherine, and St. Lawrence. 554 SECT. 9. Account of St. James’s Chapel (now the Workhouse) from its first erection, in the 12th. century, to the present time; including an account of the management of the in-door pensioners there , as well as the out-door ones, and our present enormous poor-rates 564 CHAP. VII. Brief Biographical notices of the most remarkable and distinguished personages who appeared among the inhabitants of Lynn in the intervening period between the Conquest and Reformation Nicholas— Sawtre—Alan—Wallys—Baret—De Bittering—Wentworth—Petipas— Miller 585 Postscript or supplement to the History of the Royal Touch PART I. INTRODUCTION. CHAP. I. Site of Lynn—Account of its harbour, and that of Wisbeach—Ancient and present state of its rivers—Inland Navigation—Drainage—Projects of improvement—State of its shipping, commerce, and population, at different periods. Section I. Situation of the town—its distance from the sea , &c.—its harbour—river Ouse and its tributary streams Lynn is situated on the eastern side of Marshland, and of the Great Level, or Fen Country, about 12 miles from the Sea, 42 from Norwich, 46 from Cambridge, and 98 from London. [1] It stands partly on each side of the Ouse, but chiefly on its eastern banks; though it is supposed to have stood originally all on the opposite shore, and hence that part of it is still called Old Lynn The Haven or Harbour is capacious, but the entrance to it is accounted somewhat difficult, and even dangerous, owing to the numerous sandbanks, and the frequent shiftings of the channel, occasioned by the loose and light nature of the sandy and silty soil at the bottom. On which account it is not deemed safe for ships to go in or out without pilots, who are, or ought always to be well acquainted with the variations and actual state of the channel. In the ages proceeding the 13th century this harbour, compared with its present width, is said to have been very narrow, being only a few perches over, though its depth of water was then, probably, no less, if not greater than it is at present. The Ouse over against the town, is reckoned about as wide as the Thames above London Bridge. Its name is evidently of British origin, [2] and corresponds with those of several others of our rivers; such as the Usk , Esk , Ex , Isis , &c. The word signifies, a stream , or the river , by way of eminence. It is called the great Ouse , to distinguish it from that called the little or lesser Ouse , which is now one of its tributary streams, and joins it some way below Ely , though it had formerly no connection with it. It is also called the eastern Ouse , to distinguish it from the northern , or Yorkshire river of the same name. As Lynn owes most of its consequence to this river, which forms its communication with the sea, and gives it so great an extent of inland navigation, and consequently such a vast commercial intercourse with the interior parts of the country, it will not be improper here to give some account of it, together with its principal branches, or those tributary streams which render it so considerable among the British navigable rivers. Kinderley , many years ago, has given the following account of this river and its several branches: “The Ouse (says he) formerly Usa or Isa , which is the most famous of all the rivers that pass through this Level, has its original head on a gentle rising ground full of springs, under Sisam in Northamptonshire, 54 miles from Erith bridge, at which place it first touches the Isle of Ely. It falls by Brackley, Buckingham, Newport Pagnel, Bedford, Huntingdon, and St. Ives, to Erith, and so on till it comes to Lynn. It has 5 rivers emptying themselves into it, beside many brooks and rills; Grant , Mildenhall , Brandon , Stoke , and the river Lenne , or Sandringham Ea [otherwise Nare ,] which rises under Lycham, and comes by Castleacre, Narford, and Sechy.” [He omits the Nene , which surely he ought to have mentioned.] Afterward he adds, “That the Ouse by its situation, and having so many navigable rivers falling into it from eight several counties, does therefore afford a great advantage to trade and commerce, since hereby two cities, and several great towns are therein served; as Peterborough, Ely, Stamford, Bedford, St. Ives, Huntingdon, St. Neots, Northampton, Cambridge, Bury St. Edmunds, Thetford, &c. with all sorts of heavy commodities from Lynn, as Coals, Salt, Deals, Fir-timber, Iron, Pitch, Tar, and Wine, thither imported; and from these parts great quantities of Wheat, Rye, Coleseed, Barley, &c. are brought down these rivers, whereby a great foreign and inland trade is carried on, and the breed of seamen is increased. The Port of Lynn supplies six counties wholly, and three in part.” But of the Ouse and the other Lynn rivers, no one, perhaps, has given so full and so good an account as Mr. Skrine , in his general account of the British rivers. “The Ouse (he says,) traverses a very considerable part of the Midland counties of England, rising in two branches, not far from Brackley and Towcester on the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, from whence its course is eastward, a little inclined to the north, through Buckinghamshire, joined at Newport Pagnel by a small stream from Ivinghoe in the south; to reach Bedford it descends by many windings toward the south, and then joined by the Hyee from Woburn, and the Ivel from Biggleswade, it pursues its original direction to Huntingdon, where a combination of streams from the south-west contributes to its increase. From thence it passes nearly eastward through the centre of the Fens of Cambridgeshire, where it receives the Cam near Ely from the south-west, and afterwards the lesser Ouse from Woolpit and Ixworth in the south-east, joined by the Larke from Bury St. Edmunds; it then inclines more and more to the north, till it falls into the great Gulph of the sea between the projecting coasts of Norfolk and Lincolnshire, beneath the walls of Lynn Regis. “The Ouse is generally a stagnant stream, neither giving nor receiving much beauty in all the great tract through which it passes. Its course is uniformly dull and unimportant to Buckingham; nor is it at all an object from the princely territory of Stowe , which abounds in grand scenes and buildings.” This river “does not improve much,” (he further observes) “as it traverses the plain counties of Bedford and Huntingdon, though it adds some consequence to their capitals, being there navigable; at St. Ives it sinks into those great marshes which abound on this part of the eastern coast, through Norfolk, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire. “The Hyee which meets it a little below Bedford, passes near the Duke of Bedford’s noble domain at Woburn Abbey, and the Ivel flows northward to it through a dull uninteresting tract of country. “The Cam is composed of two branches, one of which rises on the borders of Bedfordshire, and unites with the other, which bears the classic name of Granta , flowing from the confines of Essex, through the highly ornamented grounds of Audley End. They unite near Cambridge, and then run nearly eastward till the Ouse receives them, a little way from Ely. “The Cam receives no small portion of beauty from the academical shades of Cambridge, being crossed by bridges from most of the principal Colleges, whose gardens join the public walks on its banks, which are finely planted and laid out. The stream itself is but stagnant and muddy, yet it adds something to the peculiar traits of the landscape, with the several stone bridges; nor do the fronts of the colleges, as they appear in succession, intermixed with thick groves, any where shew themselves to such advantage. The Area in front of Clare Hall, and the new building of King’s College, with its superb chapel, matchless in that species of Gothic Architecture which has been called “ the improved ,” exhibit one of the most striking displays in England. Soon afterward the Cam sinks into the Fens, where the proud pile and towers of Ely Cathedral appear finely elevated over the level, just above the junction of the Cam and the Ouse. “A dreary tract of Marsh accompanies these united rivers to Downham in Norfolk; nor does the country much improve afterwards, but the channel becomes very considerable, and the exit of these rivers is splendid, where the flourishing port and great trade of Lynn present a croud of vessels.” To the above account by Skrine, which is but imperfect, other rivers might be added, which join the Ouse in the latter part of its progress, and which ought not to be left here unnoticed; as the Nene , from Peterborough, Whittlesea, and March; the Wissey or Winson , from Stoke, and the Lenne or Nare , from Narborough and Sechhithe. The former, a large branch of which joins the Ouse at Salter’s Lode, is a Northamptonshire river, and rises near Catesby, under Anby Hill, in that county, and making Northampton in its way, passes from thence to Wellingborough, and along by Higham Ferrers, Thrapston, Oundle, Walmsford or Wandesford, Castor, Peterborough, Whittlesea, March, and on to Salter’s Lode and Lynn. The Wissey or Winson rises in the neighbourhood of Necton and Bradenham, in Norfolk, and running by Pickingham, Cressingham, Ikborough, Northwould, Stoke, and Helgay, enters the Ouse some way above Downham. The Lenne or Nare, otherwise Sandringham Ea, is also a Norfolk river, which after running by Litcham, Lexham, Castleacre, Westacre, Narford, Narborough, Pentney, and Sechhithe enters the Ouse at the South or upper end of the town of Lynn. It is a narrow, but in some places a deep and rapid river, and navigable a good way into the country; but has no very beautiful or striking sceneries any where upon or near its banks. [7] Like all the rivers of this low, flat, and dull country, it presents nothing that can be called striking or very remarkable, unless it be, a perpetual succession, or uniformity of dullness. Section II. Further account of the river Ouse—remarkable phenomenon—the poet Cowper —supposed etymology of the name of Wisbeach—the Ouse diverted from its ancient course and outlet—King John’s disastrous passage over that river , in his last progress from Lynn—Extract from Vancouver In the respectable work called The Beauties of England, this remarkable circumstance is quoted from Walsingham relating to the river Ouse—That on the first of January 1399 it suddenly ceased to flow between the villages of Snelson and Harrold near Bedford, leaving its channel so bare of water that the people walked at the bottom for full three miles. [8] So strange a phenomenon seems not very easy to account for. It is said to have been for a long time considered as ominous of those dire dissentions and bloody wars which the opposite claims of the rival Houses of York and Lancaster shortly afterward occasioned. Nor is it at all wonderful that such an idea should gain credit in those dark and superstitious times: but to men of enlightened minds it must appear a very idle and pitiful conceit. A Dr. Childrey endeavoured to account for the said phenomenon, by supposing the stream above to have been congealed by a sudden frost: but this also is very properly deemed untenable by the writers of the work above mentioned; and they assign, as the most probable cause, in their opinion, that the earth had suddenly sunk in some part of the channel, so as to form there a deep and capacious cavity, into which the waters flowed till it was filled up, leaving the channel below in the mean time nearly dry, so that people might then actually walk at the bottom, as the story asserts. This appears reasonable enough, and was probably the real case; but as it cannot be now very interesting there seems no need to investigate it any further. Dull and uninspiring, and in no sense classical ground, or a favourite haunt of the muses, as the banks of the Ouse have been generally, and perhaps justly considered, it must not be forgotten that they are become of late entitled to no small portion of celebrity, by the distinguished productions of the ingenious and excellent Cowper, one of the best, if not the very best of all our English poets of these latter days. He spent the greatest part of his time, and composed most of his works in the vicinity of this river. Henceforth it may therefore be deemed a classic stream: but it will be long, perhaps, before its banks shall have again the honour of numbering among their inhabitants a poet or a man of equal worth,