Chapter XXIX: Section IV

_State of Lynn under Q. Anne continued—pompous address to the throne in_ 1706—_cut made the same year from Kettlewell to Gannock gate—state of the Middleton river and water-mills—another notable address to the throne—execution of two children—state of the harbour—Dr. Hepburne and other doctors—the medical as well as clerical profession supposed to be more highly esteemed here formerly than at present—reasons for that supposition—law-suit—Walpole’s expulsion—death of Anne and accession of George I_.

In the summer of 1706, our corporation distinguished themselves by another most elaborate and pompous address to the throne, which might well compensate for all that constructive disloyalty, or treasonable delinquency which seemed imputable to them the preceding year. Indeed, as far as words could do it, this address must have placed them among the most loyal, most zealous, and most devoted of all her majesty’s subjects. Whether she herself deemed it to have completely white washed them from their former foulness, or not, we are unable to say. But if she did really condescend to bestow upon it any thought at all, she could hardly avoid considering it as an extraordinary production: and the reader will probably view it in much the same light. {883}

In the self-same year, and soon after the date of the said addresses to the throne, there was here no small stir made about the corn water-mills, which were situated close by the present Lancastrian school. From those mills the fleet from thence to the harbour was called mill-fleet, and the lane adjoining had the name of mill-lane. Those corn water-mills appear to have been here long noted, and of great use to the town. But about the time of which we are now speaking they were falling into decay, and so continued till they were at length entirely laid aside, and every vestige of them has long ago disappeared. The wind-mills now supply their place and do their work, at least so much of it as is wanted to be done here; for the chief of the meal and flour consumed in the town is brought from other parts. When Lynn depended for its bread entirely, or almost so, on its water-mills, they must have been of great consequence, and the laying of them by must have been much felt by the inhabitants. At present our situation is very different, and we perceive and feel no need of water-mills. {885}

In the spring of the very next year (1707) another flaming address to the throne went from Lynn; and as it is not inferior to the former in point of eloquence and sublimity, it may be desirable to have it preserved, for the entertainment of the rising generation.—It was dated April 25.—The following is a correct copy of it, as it stands in our volume of extracts—

“May it please your Majestie, Nothing could ever equal your Victories
in the field but your Councells in the cabinet: thus happily in spite
of all the Jesuiticall contrivances of your and our Ennemys to
vanquish nationall and hereditary prejudices, to reconcile so many
jarring and different pretensions, and to unite England and Scotland
into one kingdome and interest, hitherto by all in vain attempted,
will together with the Blenheim and Ramilies remain everlasting
monuments of your Majesties glory.—Our Protestant succession is
hereby extended thro’ the British Isle, Our Legislature, Trade, and
Interest one, and all Jealousies and differences being removed, that
strength which has often been a weakening to us, to the mutual
endangering our constitution and safety, is now become a real
security to both, and formidable to our enemies. Thus the hopes of
our divisions, fomented by a popish Pretender and his heedless
abettors, will be now extinguished, and wee shall always think it our
dutie, as what is most agreeable to your Majestie and beneficiall to
ourselves, to be unanimous with one another, and to pay a friendly
regard to our united Neibours, as becomes fellow protestants and
fellow subjects.—May your Majestie, seated on the throne of your
united Britannia, long hold the ballance and arbitrate the peace and
safely of Europe, and be as great and happy here, as your memory will
be immortall and glorious hereafter.” {887}

We now take our leave of the Lynn Addresses. This and the two former are probably to be classed among the prime productions of our augustan age. Our volume of Extracts contains no more copies of addresses to the throne; which seems to indicate that a great tailing off took place afterwards in their style and composition, so that the succeeding ones were not worth preserving. However that was, these samples have been here inserted upon the supposition that they were some of the best written and most eloquent that any of our sovereigns ever received from this borough: and it is in that view chiefly they are now recommended to the perusal and consideration of the reader.

In 1708, according to one of our MS. accounts of that time, two children were hanged here for felony, one _eleven_, and the other but _seven_ years of age; which if true, must indicate very early and shocking depravity in the sufferers, as well as unusual and excessive vigour on the part of the magistrates in the infliction of capital punishment. {888a}—In that also and the succeeding year, the wretched state of the _harbour_ appears to have occasioned considerable disquietude and alarm in the town; and the most effectual means that could be thought of were adopted to remedy the growing evil, and tranquillize the minds of the inhabitants. {888b}

At the time now under review, two of the most prominent characters in this town were the elder _Pyle_ and _Dr. Hepburne_. Of the former some account may be expected hereafter. The latter was a North-Briton, and of the medical profession. At what time he settled here does not very distinctly appear; but it is supposed to have been about the latter part of king William’s reign. Be that as it might, he soon became eminent as a physician, so as to stand at the head of the profession, in all this part of the kingdom, for near half a century. Walpole, with our principal nobility and gentry, held him in high estimation, and his practice became in time so very extensive that he was seldom to be found at home, so that the town was obliged then to have recourse for medical advice solely to _Browne_ and _Lidderdale_ the two other physicians.

On the 3rd. of February 1709, the Hall voted Dr. Hepburne the freedom of the town _gratis_; and he took up that freedom on the 12th. of the next ensuing August. _Browne_ is supposed to have had the same compliment paid him: so had _Lidderdale_ on the 29th. of August 1737. so also had _Tayler_ on the same day of the same month, ten years after. The last of our physicians, if we are not mistaken, who have been thought worthy of the honour of being made free of this ancient and renowned borough, was the late Dr. _Hamilton_. He was not, like Paul, _free-born_, nor did he, like most of his predecessors, become free _gratis_; but might say with the Roman chief captain, “With a great sum obtained I this freedom,” for it cost him at least 30_l._ which was a great deal more than it was worth to a mere medical man, fifty years ago. His being obliged to purchase it, and so dearly too, seems a pretty plain indication that a change of disposition towards the physicians had then taken place in the Hall, and that they were actually sinking in the estimation of that worshipful body. That same body is supposed to have been no less determined ever since, even from the commencement of this jubilee reign, against making any more of the physicians _free_, than his majesty is said to be against making any more of his subjects _Dukes_, except those of his own family. So remarkable a coincidence between the humour of our corporation and that of their beloved sovereign must, no doubt, be very curious to contemplate. As to the two physicians that are now, and have long been resident here, the present writer positively disavows any knowledge or suspicion of either of them being in the least uneasy in their state of villanage, or at all desirous of obtaining their freedom. On the contrary, he supposes them to be perfectly indifferent about that matter; even as much so as he is himself, who has not the least idea that the freedom of Lynn, or of any other town, would be worth to him a single _groat_, or what would afford the smallest gratification.

Not only the _medical_ profession, but even the _clerical_ also seems to be in lower estimation here now than what it was a hundred years ago. The heads of both professions were then, and long after, we presume, invariably admitted to their freedom, which is not the case now. The very _Lecturer_, if we are rightly informed, is at present _unfree_, as well as the physicians. The Vicar also, as was before noted, had here then a parsonage-house, which he has not now. Nor is his present stipend, or income, any way equal to what it was at that period. Yet for all this seemingly declining credit of these two learned professions among us, it is more than probable, that both physic and divinity are as well understood, and as rightly and judiciously administered here now, as ever they were in the days of Thomas Pyle and George Hepburne.

In 1713 our corporation, in conjunction with some others, engaged in a law-suit about Sir Thomas White’s benefaction, {891} but it does not appear how it terminated.—About the same time, and somewhat earlier, Lynn must have been much agitated by the affair of Walpole, who was one of its parliamentary representatives. Because he would not join with the new ministry, they resolved to be revenged, by accusing him of a breach of trust and corruption. They finally succeeded, though by small majorities, and had him committed to the Tower and expelled the House. Lynn re-elected him, but it was declared null and void: so he was kept out of parliament till after its dissolution, which took place on the 8th. of August 1713. Lynn then again re-elected him, and he sat in the new parliament which met on the 16th. of February 1714. The queen died a few months after, and was succeeded by George I. which opened the way and was the prelude to Walpole’s future elevation and prosperity.