kingdom as are the Eastern Counties, the events in this period with which the town became connected, are for the most part such, as are distinct from those historically affecting other places. In Suffolk and Norfolk monachism was planted at an early era, and this locality became over-run with ecclesiastical establishments in a remarkable degree. It is calculated that at the time of the Dissolution, Norfolk and Suffolk alone contained one ninth of all the monasteries of the kingdom. In Ipswich were two priories, those of the Trinity, and St. Peter and St. Paul; friaries of the Grey, Black, and White Friars; the hospitals of St. James, St. Leonard, St. Mary Magdalen; and a college of Secular Canons founded by Cardinal Wolsey, upon the possessions of the last-mentioned priory.

Ipswich was also closely connected with the early commerce of the kingdom, and indeed can be traced as a place of outward trade to the Norman period.

Ipswich appears to have flourished in early times from two sources-Monasticism and Commerce, and during their influence the character of the town became sensibly impressed by each. At first a commercial character prevailed, but the rise of monachism cast the fetters of ecclesiastical inertness over the community. During this period, trade, though in its decadence, struggled for its old freedom and power, though involved within the meshes of the cloister.

At the dissolution of monasteries, Ipswich slowly re-acquired her ancient character for commerce. The merchants of the town became enriched, and to their taste and spirit is owing the erection of those domestic structures upon the line of the old quay or "kay," which have just been described, and which called forth remarks from old Fuller, given in a previous page.

The following are the charters on which the liberties of the town are founded:

A proclamation in Council, Oct. 17, 1688, 4th James II, for restoring corporations to their ancient charters, liberties, and franchises, which may be styled a charter not only to this town but many others. The last charter of Charles II containing a power of removing all officers at the will of the monarch, was by this proclamation in a manner repealed.

The dates of the establishments of the various monastical and early eleemosynary institutions are found to be

The Priory of Christ Church, upon the site of Christ Church park, previously to 1177.

The Priory of St. Peter and Paul, some years later. The Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen in St. Helen's, before the year 1199.

The Hospital of St. James, in the same parish, about the same period.

The Black Friars, the remains of which were afterwards rebuilt as Christ's Hospital, and also used as a Grammar School, in 1245.

The White Friars, anciently standing on lands between Queen Street and St. Stephen's Lane, in 1279.

I

The Grey Friars, occupying lands now known as Bird's and the Priory Gardens, in the parish of St. Nicholas, in 1290.

The Hospital of St. Leonard, an ancient Spital, the building connected with which was enlarged for the school held at Christ's Hospital-date of foundation not known.

To these must be added the College of Secular Canons, dedicated to the Virgin, founded by Cardinal Wolsey, upon the ruins of the priory of St. Peter and St. Paul, in 1527, and which existed but a brief space.

These monasteries numbered in their fraternities several eminent men. The art of printing was also early known, a press being established in the town in 1511. It is believed that the monastery of Grey Friars itself possessed a printing press, and that notices of indulgencies and other documents connected with religion, were printed within it before 1500.

Fraternities of merchants and traders, called Guilds, for the protection of various callings against "forrainers" or alien persons, existed in Ipswich, as they appear to have done in other large trading communities. The pageants connected with the day on which these Guilds assembled the feast of Corpus Christi-were objects of peculiar attention in the medieval ages. Ipswich possessed a Guild of Corpus Christi, important and extensive in its nature, abundant particulars connected with which are to be found in the great Court Books of the town, and appear in the following pages.

The ancient entries connected with these Guilds are of curious importance, as shewing the wavering and uncertain condition of the Roman Catholic church. They serve indeed as barometers of the ecclesiastical fortunes of the papacy from early times to that of Elizabeth.

Several churches and chapels, the names only of which have come down to us, were once extant in Ipswich, adding other evidence of its former sacerdotal character.

St. Edmund a Pountney

The Church of Osterbolt
St. Mildred

The Chapel of our Lady
St. George's Chapel

Trinity Church.

Little beyond traditional knowledge exists with respect to the site of the first two.

The Chapel of our Lady stood at the upper west corner of Lady Lane, St. Matthew's, and in it a miraculous image of the Virgin was enshrined, afterwards taken to London and burnt in Smithfield. No trace of the building remains.

St. George's Chapel stood in Globe Lane, upon the site of a line of houses now called St. George's terrace. In the last contest for Popish supremacy, Bilney, a protestant, afterwards burnt at the stake, was plucked, while preaching, from the pulpit of this chapel. It has been pulled down within twenty years.

Trinity Church was most probably the church belonging to Trinity Priory, though no documents state this. No remains exist.

The site of St. Mildred is occupied by the present Town Hall.

The ancient Liberties of Ipswich were extensive. The Admiralty jurisdiction included, and still includes, the whole of the Orwell, and beyond the harbour of Harwich to Polles Head, or "Polles Hinnell." The extent of jurisdiction by water was guarded with the greatest jealousy, and gave rise to many old quarrels. The inhabitants of Ipswich declared a right of jurisdiction to "Polles Hinnell," as early as the 3rd

of Richard II, 1379, and contending that they had held the district in fee farm time out of memory, though not expressed in their charter in titular words, their claim was confirmed by the king.

Polles Hinnell, or Polles Head, was a point of land jutting into the sea beyond Langar Fort, but now submerged. The water liberties of the town were in the keeping of the Corporation, who held courts on the banks of the Orwell, and also when necessary at Polles Head. All land to low-water-mark is considered by the Corporation to be under their jurisdiction, though disputed by the lords of manors on the banks of the river. The Corporation have kept up the custom of "sailing the liberties," to the present time.

The town is governed by a Corporation, which, as previously observed, dates to the early days of John, when the constitution of the body was settled by his charter. Before that era however, the town had been placed under some description of municipal government, no doubt as competent to the purposes required as that which followed it. This is evident, as town courts were established in Ipswich by Henry I, in the 1st year of his reign 1100, to be held monthly. These had been held from before the time of the Conqueror, four times each year only. It is therefore evident that the charter of John merely legalized the government of Ipswich, or re-organized on some general basis that which had been previously in existence, and in effective operation.

The chief officers of the Corporation before the change introduced by the Municipal Reform Bill, (5 & 6 Will. IV, cap. 76,) were the two bailiffs, who performed the same duties as are now filled by the mayor. The other members of the corporate body