Francis Blomefield

“ Whereas the city of Norwich is an ancient populous city and county by it's self, formerly incorporated by the name of the mayor, sheriffs, citizens, and commonalty of the city of Norwich, And as such, enjoyed many privileges and immunities granted them by former Kings, all which they now enjoy for the better support of the said city and augmentation of trades and manufactures, for the publick advantage and benefit of the kingdom of England ”

“ It is to be wished that this order had been still obeyed, it being now customary for any friend or acquaintance to set out the bell of their own parish for their deceased friend, by which means oftentimes all the bells in the city ring at one time for the same person, and if not all, a great number, sufficient to make any stranger imagine the city to be in a very bad state of health, when perhaps it is a very good one ”

“ And according to the ancient custom of the city, and the oaths taken by the freemen, no freeman for the time to come, shall be partner or factor with any person that is not free of the city, either in buying, selling, bargaining for. ”

“ The 11th of July following, the King directed a letter to the mayor, &c. telling them that on their complaint of the damage done to the city by the frequency of lotteries, puppet-plays, and other shews, resorting thither to the decay of trade, the meaner sort being diverted from, their labours, thereby tempted to a vain expense of time and money, to their great impoverishment, he had thought fit for the time to come, to authorise and impower the mayors, sheriffs, aldermen, &c. ”

“ In 1682, at a quarterly assembly held Sept. 21, the mayor was requested to let it be put to vote whether the Charter should be surrendered to the King, which he condescended to, and 22 voted for keeping it, and 40 voted to surrender it; but it was so disagreeable a thing to the generality of the freemen, that they produced a petition, signed by above 900 citizens, desiring the magistrates and common council to keep their Liberties that they had intrusted them with, and not deliver them up; but notwithstanding all the freemen could do, the court being time servers, on the 11th of Nov. ”

“ This year the Town-clerk was ordered to get a transcript of the part of Bishop Cosin's will, whereby the city may be benefited, by nominating to any scholarship in the University; and it appears from the book of benefactors, and other evidences that I have seen, that John Cosin Bishop of Durham, born in St. Andrew's parish in Norwich, was brought up at the free-school here, sent thence to Gonvile and Caius College, where he was fellow, being educated under the famous Dr. John Overal, afterwards Bishop of Norwich, to whom he was secretary, and domestick chaplain to Archbishop Neyle ”

“ An act of parliament was passed for repairing the haven and piers of Great Yarmouth, by laying a rate or duty upon all goods imported there, for a certain time, there being 8 commissioners appointed to see the money raised, properly employed, two of which to be named by the bailiffs, &c. of Yarmouth, two by the mayor, aldermen, and commons of Norwich, two by the justices of Norfolk, and two by the justices of Suffolk. ”

“ He gave the city 50l. to be lent freely for ever to young beer brewers in Norwich, by 10l. a man, for three years, giving security; and the said Prudence, by the name of Prudence Bloyse, widow, did bequeath to Nic. Emmes and his heirs, a messuage, lands and tenements, in Hautbois-Parva in Norfolk, chargeable with the said annuity, which after came to Edward Osborne, who paid it yearly till 1651, and then ceased, for which reason he was prosecuted for all arrears, and for a conveyance to be made by him, to confirm the said settlement. ”

“ And any person so chosen, shall be sworn to the due execution of his office, before the mayor and aldermen, or such of them as shall be present at a court of majoralty, which shall be held in the council chamber of the city, in some convenient time after such choice ”

“ On May 19, 1682, a company of French Protestants came from Ipswich to Onias Phillippo, who had hired a great house out of Pockthorp-gates, and employed them there; this occasioned a matiny, which came to that height, that the mob brake open one of their houses, and misused a woman so, that she died in two or three days after; the pretence was, that these people would underwork them ”

“ John Man, Esq, one of the aldermen of the city, being now highsheriff of the county, it was thought proper, in respect that the court bears to one of their brethren, that all the aldermen and sheriffs in their proper habits, should attend him to meet the judges at the assizes.
The Lord Hen. Howard being created Earl of Norwich, the court in regard to that noble family, who came to their palace here in November, agreed that the mayor, &c. should meet him out of St. ”

“ Thursday the 19th Sept. was by the bishop's order kept as a publick day of thanksgiving in this city, for the great mercy of the plague's being ceased here; a sermon being ordered to be preached in every church. In 1668, Aug. 15, died Sir Joseph Paine, Knt. aged 68, who gave 70l. to the court, 60l. thereof to bind out 12 poor boys for 7 years, 5l. to a person to teach them to read, write, and cast up accompts, 15s. to a minister appointed by the mayor and court to preach a sermon on the 19th day of Aug. ”

“ July 19, his Majesty's letters patent under the great seal of England, were read in open assembly, by which the right honourable William Earl of Yarmouth was impowered to appoint a deputy recorder for the city, who thereupon nominated under his hand and seal, John Warkehouse, Esq. to be his deputy, but the assembly declared this to be an infringement of the ancient liberties of the city, and even contrary to the new charter, and that the oath of recorder ministered to the Earl, was not the ancient oath taken by the former recorders of the city, but was drawn up by Dr. ”

“ And if any person elected, be discharged from the office he was elected to, by the majority of the assembly, then another shall be elected by the word in his room, at the Gild-hall, in like manner as his election was made. ”

“ The 5th Oct. on an inquisition taken, it was found, that Edward Nuttinge, Gent. some time since deceased, gave to the city library 5l. and ordered Prudence his wife to assure an annuity of 10l. a year, issuing out of lands and tenements of a reasonable value, to be yearly paid in the Gild-hall porch at Norwich, to the mayor, Sec. for the following use, viz. to every preacher of Norfolk and Suffolk that shall come to preach in the cathedral 2s. 6d.; to the poor people of St. Saviour's 40s. a year; to the minister of the parish, being a licensed preacher, 40s. yearly ”

“ The poor being still discontented at the French which were left in the city, took occasion to assemble at the execution of Eliz. Brooks on the Castle-hill, and coming in a large body into the market place, declared that the French came to underwork them, and that they would then quit the city of them, and accordingly going to Mr. ”

“ Andrew's parish, they pulled them and their goods out of theft houses, abused their persons, &c. till the trained bands were raised to appease them, when the principals were taken, and made to pay dear for their folly.
In 1683. died the right honourable Robert Earl and Viscount of Yarmouth, Baron of Paston, Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk and Norwich, and was buried at Oxnead; his funeral sermon was preached by John Hildeyard. L.L.D. commissary to the archdeacon of Norfolk, and rector of Cowston, it was published in qo. ”