selves by the custom, and that plea was admitted.

Though Edward IV. would take no notice of the preceding charter, he himself granted all the privileges mentioned in that, with the following alterations and additions.

He incorporated the town by the name of the bailiffs, burgesses, and commonality of the town of Ipswich. He confined the election of bailiffs expressly to the eighth of September, and in the Guild-hall; and they were to serve for one year from thence next following: and he expressly exempted the burgesses from service on juries.

The succeeding kings confirmed the charters of their predecessors; but the most interesting charter since those of Henry V1. and Edward IV. was that of king Charles II. who in his seventeenth year (to rectify some irregularities, and settle some disputes which had arisen in the preceding times of confusion, particularly with regard to the election of Portmen, and the twenty-four chief constables) granted his charter, in which he confirms the high steward, the twelve portmen, the twenty-four chief constables, the recorder and town clerk for that time being, by their names; and directed that upon the death or removal of one or more of the portmen or chief constables, all elections of portmen shall be made by the rest or residue of the port

men, and all elections of the twenty-four should be made by the rest or residue of them, &c.

After the example of most other boroughs, towards the latter end of the reign of king Charles II. the burgesses of Ipswich surrendered their charter; and, instead of it in 36 Charles II. they received another, which reduced the number of chief constables to eighteen; and in this a power was reserved, that the crown might by an order of counsel, turn out any of the Portmen and eighteen chief constables, when and as often as his majesty, or his successors, shall be pleased so to do. And therefore upon the publication of king James's proclamation of 17 October, 1688. the bailiffs, portmen, and twenty-four men, who had acted under the first charter of 17 Charles II. resumed their functions; they assembled and filled up their bodies respectively and from these portmen, and these twenty-four men, are the present portmen and twenty-four men in succession derived.

The principal officers in the corporation at present are, two bailiffs, a high-steward, a recorder, twelve portmen, of whom four are justices of the peace; a town clerk; twentyfour chief constables, of whom two are coroners; and the twelve sienors are head-boroughs; a treasurer, and two chamberlains, to collect the revenues of the town. The corporation have fifteen livery servants, viz. five musicians,

four serjeants at mace, two beadles, a commoncrier, a water-bailiff, a goaler, and a bridewellkeeper.

The borough sends two members to parliament, who are elected by the burgesses at large in number between 700 and 600.

CHURCHES. The following Churches are mentioned in domesday book, as standing in the conqueror's time, viz. The Holy Trinity. St. Austin, St. Michael, St. Mary, St. Botolph (or Whitton church,) St. Laurance. St. Peter. St. Stephen, and Thurlweston. Of these, the three former are demolished. They were most likely destroyed by the tempest recorded by Stow, who informs us, "On new year's day at night, 1287. as well through vehemency of the wind as violence of the sea, many churches were overthrown and destroyed, not only at Yarmouth, Dunwich, and Ipswich, but also in divers other places in England."

There are at present, twelve churches standing in Ipswich.

St. Clements. This church was early and wholly impropriated to the priory of St. Peter, without any vicarage created; and its being thus impropriated, when the last valuation was made, occasioned its not being valued in the king's books. The impropriation was granted, 7 Edw. VI. to William Webb and William Breton; but afterwards it came into

the hands of Robert Broke and William Bloise, who presented a clerk to the rectory in 1606. and thereby restored the rector to all the rights and dues which he was entitled to before the impropriation was made. This church is now consolidated with St. Hellen's. "King Richard gave the hamlet of Wykes, (in this parish) to John Oxenford bishop of Norwich, for which the town was allowed to deduct from the fee farm, the sum of £10. The bishop of Norwich holdeth it, but it is not known by what service." The hamlet and manor of Wykes-bishop was afterwards confirmed to John le Gray, bishop of Norwich, by king John; and it belonged to the bishops of Norwich till it was given to Henry VIII. by an act of parliament in 1535. who granted it 1545. to sir John Jermie, knt. While the bishops of Norwich had it, they used frequently to reside at their house situated near the south side of the road, leading towards Nacton from Bishops-hill; where there is now a square field, which seems as if formerly it had been moated round. Many institutions, &c. are said in the books at Norwich to have been granted at this place. The manor of Wykes-bishop is now vested in the heirs of sir Samuel Barnardiston, of Brightwell. The church of Wykes is sometimes mentioned in old writings; but it is not known where it stood; and possibly it might be no more than

a chapel, for the use of the bishop and his family.

Within this parish of St. Clement lieth also part of the hamlet of Wykes Ufford, though the greater part of it is in the parishes of Rushmere and Westerfield; it was so called from the family of De Uffords, who were earls of Suffolk, to whom it was formerly granted. William De Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, died seized of it 5 Richard II. Afterwards the Willoughbys had it by descent from Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. In Queen Elizabeth's time sir John Brewes, then sir Edmund Wythipol, and it hath gone with Christ-Church estate ever since, being now vested in the Rev. Dr. Fon

nereau.

Beyond St. Clement's street, and between the two hamlets stood St. James's chapel now wholly demolished: this did, probably, belong to St. James's hospital. And the field near which it stood, is glebe belonging to the rectory of St. Hellen. From hence, and from the grant of St. James's fair, it may be conjectured that there was some connexion between St. James's hospital and the Leprous-house of St. Mary Magdalene, which is said to have stood some where opposite to St. Hellen's church, certain it is King John, within three weeks, after he succeeded to the crown, granted a fair to the lepers of St Mary Magdalene in Ipswich