[680] The following is thought a pretty correct statement of the numbers of worshipers that might be accommodated in each and all our present places of worship—In St. Margaret’s church; 1322; in St. Nicholas’ chapel 1066; in All Saints, or South Lynn church, 388: in the Methodist chapel, 500; in the Independent chapel 450; in the Baptist chapel 500; and in that of the Friends or Quakers 100.—Thus all the churches might admit 2776; and all the Dissenting chapels about 1500, or 1550—in all 4326. But it is well known that the number of those that do actually attend falls greatly short of 4326, and we may very safely venture to affirm that they do not exceed 3000: so that there must be here between 7 and 8000 people whose minds are strangers to religious impressions, and whose conduct is very little regulated or affected by any sound moral principles. Would it not therefore be very desirable to increase among us the means of religious and moral instruction? Some more new chapels, under proper direction, might prove of no small benefit to the town, and help to bring from darkness to light another third part of its population. This hint deserves consideration.
[682] For an account of the Lynn Gilds, see above, Part iii. ch. v. p. 403.
[684a] Thus in the old ballad of Truth and Ignorance, the latter, who is represented as a rustic, says,
Che’ll tell thee what, good fellowe,
Before the vriars went hence,
A bushel of the best wheate,
Was zold for vourteen pence:And vorty egges a penny,
That were both good and newe;
And this, che say, myselfe have seen,
And yet I am no Jewe.(Andrews, 2. 282.)
These lines were quoted before imperfectly. They are now given correctly in the original orthography.
[684b] We allude principally to the poor-rates and paving-tax, which are certainly most severely felt, and likely to be still more so. The former by frugal and wise management might, doubtless, be greatly reduced, without any material detriment to the poor: and the latter ought never to have existed till the times proved more favourable. When the project was brought forward it was firmly opposed by a large body of the householders: but it was carried against them, very wrongfully. They were told that the work would be completed at the expence of about 13,000l. and it has already far exceeded, if not doubled, that sum: yet the work is not finished. Thousands have been lavished, merely to suit the convenience, or gratify the caprice of a few opulent families, without being of the least use or benefit to the town at large; which must have been exceedingly disingenuous and dishonourable. So great was the liberality which the paviers experienced at Lynn, that they are reported to be satisfied to do their work at Norwich and Yarmouth, 25 per cent. under what they had here.—In short, the managers, or rather the mis-managers of this concern, went on lavishly and blunderingly, till they could go no further. They were aground for sometime this last autumn, and had probably remained so over the winter, and the summer too, and thrown the whole town into the utmost confusion, but for the timely assistance of a certain individual, who on this critical occasion stood in the place and acted the part of that good man noticed in holy writ, who by his wisdom delivered the city. Eccl. ix. 15.
[687] See Martin’s History of Thetford chap. xiii. p. 170.
[688] The Surrenders seem to have been all much of the same cast and tenor, and so were probably the confessions which accompanied them, a copy of one of these is given by Burnet, and is as follows—
“Forasmuch as we Richard Green, abbot of our monastery of our blessed lady St. Mary of Betlesden, and the convent of the said monastery, do profoundly consider, that the whole manner and trade of living, which we and our pretensed religion have practised and used many days, does most principally consist in certain dumb ceremonies, and other certain constitutions of the bishops of Rome, and other forinsecal potentates, as the abbot of Cistins, and therein only noseled and not taught in the true knowledge of God’s laws, procuring always exemptions of the bishops of Rome from our ordinaries and diocesans: submitting ourselves principally to forinsecal potentates and powers, which never came here to reform such disorders of living and abases as now have been found to have reigned amongst us. And therefore now assuredly knowing, that the most perfect way of living is most principally and sufficiently declared unto us by our Master Christ, his Evangelists and Apostles, and that it is most expedient for us to be governed and ordered by our supreme Head, under God, the king’s most noble Grace, with our mutual assent and consent, submit ourselves and every one of us, to the most benign mercy of the king’s majesty; and by these presents do surrender &c.”
The Surrender follows in common form, Signed by the abbot, subprior, and nine monks, 15th Sept. 30th year of that reign.—From these samples one may from an idea of the tenour of the surrenders and confessions which went from Lyon. See Burnet, vol. I. Col. rec. p. 150.