“An Abstract of the losses in general (sustained on the above occasion) as they were presented by the Jurors of several Hundreds at the Session of Sewers held at Lynn, December 9, 1613.—Within the Ring of Marshland the statement of the said losses is as follows—Terrington, 10,416l; Walpole, 3,000l; West-Walton, 850l; Walsoken, 1,328l; Emneth, 150l; Wigenhale and South Lynn, 6,000l; Tilney and Islington, 4,380l; Clenchwarton, 6,000l; West and North Lynn, 4,000l—in all 35,834l.—Without the Ring of Marshland, the damage was far less considerable, and is given as follows, Gaywood, 205l; South Wotton, 313l; North Wotton, 810l; Watlington, 500l; Totnel cum Wormegay, 60l; Holm cum Thorpland, 40l; Stow Bardolf, 100l: in all 2,028l; which added to the former account will amount to no less a sum than 37,862l.”—A sum equal, perhaps, to near half a million of our money.
The damages at or about Wisbeach, and out of Norfolk, are not included in the above abstract; though they must, doubtless, have been very considerable, and probably not much less than the former: the whole together must, of course, have been enormous, and equal to many hundred thousand pounds of our money.
In the months of January and February, and particularly on the 23rd of March in the ensuing year (1614,) the country sustained much additional damage from the snows that had fallen, and which had occasioned vast floods from the upland countries upon their going off. A great part of Marshland, from the bank called the Edge, between the towns and Emneth, to the New Podike, was overflowed with fresh water, by divers breaches, between Salter’s Lode and Downham Bridge. The country to the south of Wisbeach also suffered greatly on the occasion; as did likewise the greater part of the land within South Eaubrink in Holland, which was so overflowed and damaged, from Spalding to Tydd St. Giles, as to be almost entirely lost for that year.—From these premises it evidently appears, that the boasted fertility, and numerous advantages of Marshland and the adjacent parts have often been woefully counterbalanced by disadvantages and evils of a most serious and distressing nature; so as to leave the inhabitants but very little room to exult over their less wealthy countrymen, whose lot is fallen in the more sterile and rugged parts of the kingdom.
Before we finish this Section, it may be proper to say something of the principal divisions of Marshland, and its extent, which we often find differently represented. In its fullest extent, or within its ring, as it is sometimes expressed, Marshland comprehends the following parishes, (with the exception of part of that of St. German’s, which lies on the eastern side of the river Ouse.)—1. Emneth. 2. Walsoken. 3. West Walton. 4. Walpole St Andrew’s. 5. Walpole St Peter’s. 6. Terrington St Clement’s. 7. Terrington St John’s. 8. Clenchwarton. 9. North Lynn. 10. West Lynn. 11. Tilney All Saints. 12. Tilney St. Lawrence. 13. Islington cum Tilney. 14. Wigenhale St. Mary’s. 15. Wigenhale St. German’s. 16. Wigenhale St. Mary Magdalen.—In another view, as a privileged district, and, particularly, as interested in the Smeeth, Marshland has been considered as much less extensive, comprehending only eleven parishes, or rather confined to seven towns, or townships: and then N. and W. Lynn, with the three Wigenhales are excluded. These townships; or the seven towns of Marshland, as they are usually called, are thus enumerated—1. Emneth. 2. Walsoken. 3. West Walton. 4. The two Walpoles, both under one. 5. The two Terringtons, both under one. 6. Clenchwarton. 7. The two Tilneys and Islington, all under one, or constituting one township.—At what time this division of the district into seven townships took place, does not appear. It was, probably, at a remote period, and before the formation of the eleven parishes, which these townships now contain. It may, perhaps not unreasonably be presumed to have originated under the East-Anglian government, at an early period of the Heptarchy:—if not, indeed, even before either the Heptarchy, or yet the East-Anglian government had ever sprung into existence.
Section XIV.
Biographical Sketches of some of the most distinguished personages of other times, in Marshland and its vicinity.
Of celebrated characters, or men who attained to high renown among their contemporaries, but a very moderate number appears to belong to Marshland or its vicinity. Some such, however, seem to have sprung up there, at different periods, within the last thousand years: and of them, whose names have been preserved, the first place, at least in point of seniority, seems to belong to
1. Hickifric, vulgarly called Tom Hickatrif or Hickathrift. He is supposed to have lived some time before the conquest, and to have been in his day and generation,
“A village Hampden, that with dauntless breast
The little tyrants of his fields withstood.”
He has been represented as the proprietor of the Smeeth; though he might, perhaps, be only entitled to the benefit of pasturage there, in common with the rest of his neighbours. Be that as it might, it is agreed on all hands that he was a person of uncommon strength, gigantic stature, and unshaken fortitude. Very different from most other men of might, it does not appear that he was ever accused of oppressing his weaker neighbours, insulting their persons, or committing depredations upon their property. His superior powers and valour were called forth and employed only in defence of his own just right and property, and those of his oppressed fellow-citizens. Tradition informs us of a certain unwarrantable and base attempt being once made, by some lawless and powerful men, to encroach upon the neighbouring inhabitants, and dispossess them of their right to the Smeeth; or, at least, to deprive them of some part of that fertile tract; and which was to be effected by force of arms, as the inhabitants seemed determined to make resistance, and not tamely to part with, or give up their rights. An engagement accordingly ensued, which terminated in the total discomfiture of the invaders, and the consequent reinstatement of the inhabitants in the quiet possession of their wonted privileges. The victory was universally ascribed to the singular prowess and irresistible exertions of Hickifric, who fought that day, as the tradition says, with a cart-wheel in one hand, instead of a buckler or shield, and an axletree in the other, instead of a spear or battle-ax. In short he is said to have acquitted himself on that memorable occasion, so as to establish his character, and hand it down to posterity, as, at once, the firm patriot, and redoubtable champion. A stone coffin, in Tilney churchyard, is shewn to this day as having once belonged to him. But this, perhaps, may be questioned, as may also some of the circumstances of the above story, though the substance of it may be true: the affair of the wheel and axletree, for instance, like many other vulgar traditions, may be only hyperbolically and not literally true; and implying no more than, that be furnished himself for the said conflict with certain rustic, ponderous and unusual weapons; which blind tradition and stupid credulity afterwards converted into a cartwheel and an axletree.