Transcribed from the 1812 W. G. Whittingham edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org [Picture: Book cover] THE HISTORY OF LYNN, _Civil_, _Ecclesiastical_, _Political_, _Commercial_, _Biographical_, _Municipal_, _and Military_, FROM THE EARLIEST ACCOUNTS TO THE PRESENT TIME; INTERSPERSED With occasional remarks on such national occurrences as may serve to elucidate the real state of the town, or the manners, character, and condition of the inhabitants at different periods. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED A COPIOUS INTRODUCTORY ACCOUNT OF ITS _Situation_, _Harbour_, _Rivers_, _Inland Trade and Navigation_, _the Ancient and Modern State_ OF Marshland, Wisbeach, and the Fens, AND Whatever is most remarkable, memorable, or interesting, in other parts of the adjacent country. IN TWO VOLUMES. _BY WILLIAM RICHARDS_, _M.A._ _Honorary member of the Pennsylvania Society_, _for promoting the Abolition_ _of Slavery_, _and the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage_. VOL. I. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LYNN: PRINTED BY W. G. WHITTINGHAM, AND SOLD BY R. BALDWIN; PATERNOSTER ROW; LONDON. 1812. PREFACE. Materials for a history of Lynn have been collected as long ago as the reign of Charles II. by _Guybon Goddard_, then recorder of this town, and brother-in-law of Sir William Dugdale. At his death, which happened, if we are not mistaken, about 1677, those materials came into the possession of his son Tho. Goddard Esq; from whom our corporation soon after endeavoured to obtain them; but we cannot learn that they then succeeded; nor does it appear that they ever came into their hands. What became of them, whether still in being or not, we have never been able to learn: and it is presumed that all the present members of our body Corporate are equally uninformed. See p. 831.