1554. Trinity Hall underwent considerable alterations; the council room being divided from the Stone-hall; &c.—The South-gates then also covered with lead.
1555. A whale caught near this town—one account calls it a small whale, and another calls it an enormous whale: both describe, it as no less than 40 feet long.
1556. The pipes taken up, which formerly supplied the Austin Convent with water from Wootton common. That convent being dissolved it no longer wanted that supply. But it shews how well provided it was in its day.
1558. The plague was in the town, and carried off great numbers of the inhabitants: among them the mayor and four aldermen—one account says, the whole five were mayors successively, in the course of that year; in which case five mayors must have died here in the course of the year.
1559. Rood-Lofts and Images taken down, the ground at the east end of the churches levelled with the other parts, and the windows furnished with glass, instead of wooden shutters.
1560. Several persons came to Lynn by order of the privy council, to take the state of St. James’s Church, but were opposed by the corporation: of the strict correctness of which some doubt may be entertained.
1561. Popish relics and mass-books burnt in the Tuesday market place.
1562. Sir Nic. Le Strange entered into a law-suit against Lynn, for the house of Corpus Christi: (the hall, we suppose, belonging to the late Gild of that name,) but nothing is said of the ground of the action, or how it terminated.
1564. Marshland inundated, and much stock lost, especially in Tilney and Terrington.
1566. Chimes first set up in St. Margaret’s, which played a different tune each day of the week.