TO GEORGE-HENRY FITZROY, DUKE OF GRAFTON, IN THE COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON; EARL OF EUSTON, AND EARL OF ARLINGTON; VISCOUNT THETFORD, VISCOUNT IPSWICH; BARON ARLINGTON OF ARLINGTON, AND SUDBURY OF SUDBURY IN THE COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON; LORD-LIEUTENANT, VICE-ADMIRAL, AND CUSTOS ROTULORUM OF THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK; HEREDITARY RECEIVER-GENERAL OF THE PROFITS OF THE SEALS IN AND RECORDER OF THETFORD. HAVING BEEN ALLOWED THE HONOR OF DEDICATING THE HISTORY OF IPSWICH, TO YOUR GRACE, I PRESUME TO INDULGE THE HOPE, THAT IT MAY NOT BE ALTOGETHER UNWORTHY YOUR GRACE'S PATRONAGE AND PROTECTION; AND WITH A GRATEFUL SENSE OF YOUR KINDNESS AND CONDESCENSION, HAVE THE HONOR TO BE, WITH THE HIGHEST RESPECT, YOUR GRACE'S OBLIGED AND OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, G. R. CLARKE. PREFACE. WE are aware of the weighty and important duties of the historian, antiquarian, topographer, biographer, &c. and are conscious that there are other individuals far better fitted for the task than ourselves; and as our volume is the only distinct history of Ipswich which has hitherto appeared in print, it is to be expected that errors and imperfections will be found: but if no one is to make the attempt till it can be brought to perfection, how long might we wait for its completion? and we have to premise, that, in our humble efforts, we have only acted as pioneers, in clearing away the obstructions, and smoothing the path for any other author who may, hereafter, favour the public with a more perfect work. We have had prejudices to encounter, obstacles to overcome, and many classes of readers to please; and from the plan which we adopted, of publishing the work in numbers, in order to accommodate a large portion of our numerous subscribers, we have laid ourselves open to be torn to pieces by those critics who are apt to judge of the whole from a part; and who, because the number they first happened to look into did not contain that species of matter suited to their particular taste, unfairly condemn the work as altogether unworthy of regard. But to those who are acquainted with the difficulty of collecting information to be relied on, and the liability of mistakes in regard to dates, we can only say that we have done our best to avoid misrepresentation, have never intentionally falsified facts, or designedly led our readers into error; and we fearlessly commit the volume, as a whole, to their candid judgment and consideration. We have adopted an easy and familiar style of writing, in order to render it agreeable to the various classes of our readers; and as several individuals have contributed to the mass of materials we have used, we have generally expressed ourselves in the plural number. To one and all of those gentlemen who have so liberally lent their assistance, the best thanks of the author are offered with gratitude. We were compelled to give a fuller account of matters relating to the corporation than some persons might approve; but when it is considered that there are upwards of a thousand free burgesses a large proportion of whom are included in our list of subscribers-it must, in candour, be allowed that their taste had a right to be consulted, and that though an account of contested elections, &c. may be uninteresting to many, yet the book would have been incomplete without; and we boldly assert, that we have, in no instance, distorted the truth for the purpose of party, and we are not aware that a single line has been inserted which could possibly hurt the feelings of any one individual in existence. We have purposely avoided reference to the authorities we have consulted; and have not interrupted the narrative by the introduction of notes, considering that what was not worthy of appearance in the body of the work, might as well be left out. We shall conclude with observing, that this volume ought to be considered as a description of Ipswich, and an account of the persons and particulars connected with the town and neighbourhood, rather than a regular historical work; but, convinced as we are, that even in this unpretending publication, much matter of interest, amusement, and information will be found, we respectfully submit our labours to the public in general, and to our patrons and subscribers in particular-of whose extraordinary encouragement and support we have reason to be proud, and for which we gratefully acknowledge our thanks. In consequence of the great expense incurred in the embellishments—which are more numerous than were at first proposed― and from the impossibilty of getting them out of the hands of the engravers at the time we expected, together with the extra quantity of letter-press, we trust that our subscribers will excuse the unavoidable delay which has occurred in the publication, as well as the trifling addition to the price originally intended. Ipswich, May 30th, 1830. |