1633. The Ferry-boat sunk, by which eighteen persons were drowned.
1634. The mayor, Thomas Gurling, buried his wife, and married another the next week.
1635. Five lads, who were here at school, going to wash in the river, near the Ball, were there drowned.
1636. The Plague again in this town; on which account sheds or pest-houses were erected under the town walls for the diseased, where about 200 persons are said to have died.—Also 4th. November, a terrible storm here; fourteen sail of ships lost in the harbour, and all hands perished, according to one account.
1637. An order arrived from the archbishop, for the ground at the East end of the churches to be raised, railed in, with steps to ascend thither, and the communion tables, or alters to be there placed. This was one of Laud’s high-church projects, and one of those that increased the public discontents, and hastened his and his sovereign’s downfal.—The town this year assessed 200l. towards building a ship of war.—[Three years before, the town, according to one account, was also assessed 1192l. towards building a ship of war, of 800 tons, and 260 men.] Twelve Grampuses here cast on shore, seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen feet long.
1638. The town store of gunpowder lodged in the Red Mount. Two weekly foot-posts appointed for London: to go by turns, and have 30s. a year for their wages.—The water-rent of a Brewhouse and Malthouse fixed at 5l. a year, and of a Brew-house only at 3l.
1639. Thomas Toll, mayor elect, being very ill on Michaelmas day, had the oaths administered to him in bed, at his own house.
1640. March 13. The sheriff’s precept arrived for the election of two members for this borough, to serve in the parliament summoned to meet at Westminster on the 15th of the following month; when Messrs. Doughty and Gurlyn, the two senior aldermen, were chosen, with an allowance of five shilling a day while they attended their duty in the senate.—12 October about 3 weeks before the meeting of the Long Parliament, the mayor, William Doughty, apprised the Hall of two Letters just received from the Earl of Arundell, one to the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses, the other to the mayor himself, to induce them to return certain persons of his nominating and recommending to the said parliament. On which it was unanimously agreed and resolved, not to choose any other burgesses to serve in parliament but such as are resident and inhabitants within the corporation or borough. Messrs. Thomas Toll and John Percivall, two of the alderman, were accordingly chosen as representatives of Lynn, in that memorable parliament: and they were the first ever elected here by the voice of the freemen of large—the Hall only, or some part of it, being till now the only and sole electors of our parliamentary representatives. [Some, perhaps will be ready to say, that the case is not much otherwise, even at present.]
1641. A sword-fish of an uncommon size came up to the town and was taken. The town now also began to be fortified, and seven pieces of brass ordnance or cannon were sent hither from London. Everything, in short, both here and throughout the kingdom, was fast advancing towards the great crisis which the nation soon after experienced. [How much that period resembled the present, may deserve some consideration.]
1642. The three gates (the East, the South, and Gannock,) furnished with draw-bridges.—Captain Sherwood, of Norwich, with a troop of dragoons appeared before the town, and came close under St. Catharine’s wall by the East Gate, demanding entrance, which the mayor and townsmen refused: the gate being shut; and bridge drawn. The Earl of Manchester soon after appeared with a strong force, and commenced the siege of the town on the 28th of August, and on the 16th of the following month the town surrendered to him, with the loss of only four men killed, and a few wounded. According to the terms of capitulation every foot soldier of his had 10s. paid him, and every foot officer a fortnight’s pay; which, according to Mackerell, amounted to 3200l.—We are told that our principal Lynn commanders or warriors on this occasion were Sir Horace Townshend, Captain Kirby, Capt. Atkin, Capt. Morse, Capt. Gurling, Capt. Wharton, Capt. Brady, Capt. Davy, Capt. Marsh, and Lieut. Porter:—all very loyal and royal, no doubt, but ingloriously conquered by their jacobinic and democratic assailants. During this memorable siege, in the afternoon of Sunday, September 3, an eighteen-pounder from a battery on the west side of the river entered St. Margaret’s church at the west window in sermon-time, took off a great part of one of the pillars, and terribly frightened the whole congregation, but no body was materially hurt—all left the church in the utmost terror and confusion. [Of these matters, and subsequent proceedings and regulations here, see Part IV. Chap. IV. p. 754, &c.]