The following Lynn occurrences of this period are somewhat more luminous than the preceding ones. In 1576 queen Elizabeth visited Norwich; but it does not appear that her majesty deigned to honour Lynn with her royal presence. The corporation, however, went to meet her majesty. It is not said where, but we may suppose it to have been at Norwich, where her highness appears to have made some stay. At that interview, wherever it took place, our corporation presented their gracious sovereign with “a _rich purse_, finely wrought with pearl and gold, containing _an hundred old angels of gold_;” the whole valued at 200_l._ a sum equal, perhaps, to 2 or 3,000_l._ of our money. This, no doubt, was very handsome, and a proof of the sterling loyalty, as well as of the wealth and liberality of our corporation. What our virgin queen thought of this specimen of Lynn loyalty and homage, we are not told: but if the same had been done to her renowned grandfather, Henry VII, when he visited this town, we may be very sure that it would have proved highly acceptable and gratifying, as he is well known to have been a most ardent lover of money. His grand-daughter was in some things very different from him. Nor are we quite certain, though the gift was very handsome, that her majesty did not on this occasion laugh in her sleeve at the vanity and ostentation of the donors, who appear to have given her too much reason for so doing. She is also understood as not entertaining, in general, a very exalted opinion of the sagacity of her corporations, or the wisdom of the ruling and leading men of her cities and boroughs, who in her different excursions would sometimes sadly expose their folly, and excite in no small degree her contempt and derision. {712} In, or about 1582, it is said, “that certain lusty young fellows began to set up ringing again, which for sometime had been disused; divers of the aldermen, meaning to silence them, occasioned a great disturbance, which turned to the mayor’s disadvantage, and was the cause of spending a great deal of money.” For aught we know, the mayor and aldermen might be very right on this occasion. Where there is a great deal of ringing it is certainly a very serious nuisance to the inhabitants, especially those who live near the steeples.—It is probable that those _lusty young fellows_ belonged to some wealthy families, which enabled them to make so effectual a stand against the mayor and aldermen. Be that as it might, this circumstance may serve to shew what serious results may proceed from very frivolous causes, and how easily a parcel of idle fellows may sometimes disturb the tranquillity of a whole town, and bring every thing into the utmost confusion.