rebellion immediately after the accession of the Norman Conquerer. Another author fixes the date of this castle's erection at 1071, which though perhaps nearer the truth, does not entirely clear up this historical doubt.

The survey undertaken by William, has preserved another notice of the town, and in Domesday Book it is mentioned in connexion with lands and fisheries of the Abbot of Ely, the churches of Crowland, and Ramsey, and of William de Warren. From this statement it appears, the principal property of the manor of Wisbech in those days was extensive and prolific fisheries, especially of eels. The property of the churches of Ramsey, Crowland, and of William de Warren appears to have been entirely of this kind; rendering (annually, we suppose) 22,000 eels. This sort of wealth must have been extremely valuable to the church in those days of religious abstemiousness, and may, in a great measure, favor the idea of Wisbech being in its most original state, a mere fishing village. The following is the record of the property belonging to the Abbot of Ely in this hundred, as recorded in Domesday Book. Cambridgeshire.

Land of the Abbot of Ely, in Cestreton Hundred. "The Abbot of Ely holds the manor of Wisbece. There are ten hides [or about 600 acres] of land, ten caracutes [or about 1,200 acres] of plough lands. In demense one hide and one yard land and there are two plough lands. There are fifteen villeins, ten of whom are to an acre; and thirteen socmen, of two hides and an half, who cannot or are not able to remove from all their eight plough lands. There are seventeen cottages and two bondsmen. The fisheries produced 1,500 eels,

ten plough lands of meadow pasture for the cattle of the town. In the whole it is and hath been valued at one hundred shillings; in the time of King Edward the Confessor, at £6; this manor lies and hath lain in the demesne of the church. In the same town, two fisheries did render to the Abbot 14,000 eels, and at present doth render 13s. 4d. The Abbot hath soke over all the men of the town."

This record illustrates, in some measure, the vassalage and state of dependence in which the greater mass of the people lived in the time of this monarch. Feudalism had been established by William, on the ruined fortunes of the partizans of Harold. This celebrated form of government, which, twelve centuries since, ruled nearly the whole continent of Europe, was at its first introduction, a highly beneficial and salutary means of preserving the chain of society; but, after a time, it degenerated into one of the most slavish and arbitrary systems, which have ever been corrupted by the influence of man. The feudalism of the Conqueror was of the latter character; palliated, however by many indulgences, which can alone account for its long continuance. Had there not been something conciliatory in the behaviour of the lord to his vassal, something beyond the oath of fidelity and the rod of power, we have every experience and reason to suppose, that so large and powerful a body of mankind, would have asserted their freedom, and burst the restraints that held them, long before feudalism was abolished in this country. The vassal from being the servant, became, at length, the slave of his lord, who held him as a part of his property, and exercised a dominion over his life, as

well as over his fortune. He was obliged to cultivate the estate of his master, to live on a scanty allowance, to follow him into the field, and, bearing his standard through the midst of battle, to avenge, with his blood, the peevish quarrels of a tyrant. However uncultivated man may be, the principle of liberty and the contempt of bondage ever live within his breast; for as freedom is one of the most beneficent, so it is one of the most universal gifts of nature: man can exist beneath a single ray; but he pines to death or becomes desperate with despair if its light entirely fade.

The brave and hardy spirit, exhibited in those days, was invigorated by a frequent and unostentatious intercourse, between the baron and the vassal. The dependence of the inferior, was alleviated by the encouragement, given by the lord to those sports and pastimes, which formed so prominent a characteristic of those days; and whose happy influence over the mind was of the gentlest and most subduing kind. Toil and slavery, stern as they were in action, were forgotten awhile in relaxation; it gave man more of the simplicity and lustiness of nature; it sent his spirit abroad over the works of God, over the fields, the woods, and the mountains; it gave his mind more health and susceptibility of enjoyment; in short it made him anything but the meagre, calculating and repining creature of modern times. Had these harmless sports still flourished invulnerable to the tempest of revolution and the shock of years; society would have contracted little of the dissipation, which is its shameful characteristic in our days. What scenes of almost Arcadian spirit and beauty were presented in the

welcoming of the infant smiles and flowers of summer, beneath the wreathy may-pole; and how did pleasure reach its climax in the rough hilarity, which distinguished the festival of Christmas, when pomp divested itself of its gaudy apparel, when the castle and the cottage were equal, and every venerable hall threw its doors open to enjoyment. As the yule clog brightened into a vigorous flame on the hearth, as the wassail bowl went round, and the fearful traditionary legend drew a feeling of intense interest over the mind, man became the vigorous and substantial creature that heaven intended him to be. The aspect of the country, too, accorded with these rude and hospitable scenes;-vast forests giving a proud sternness to the landscape, the gloomy castle shedding a black shadow on the stream, the wild deer trooping through the rude woodlands, were indicative, and in some measure, creative of the golden-hearted spirit, which distinguished the feudal times of England.

From the notice in Domesday Book, which suggested these remarks, it will be seen that the manor, if not the town of Wisbech had its vassals; as villeins, bordars, and socmen are each but a separate and gradationary description of serfs. Had fuller records of our history during these ages been preserved, we should probably have had to enter more at length upon this subject; but from 1080 to 1190 we meet with scarcely anything of the slightest importance relating to Wisbech.

Richard 1st, one of the most able monarchs that ever sat on the throne of this kingdom, has connected his name in a very gratifying manner with the History of Wisbech at this period. We are not informed of the N

circumstances that drew his attention and his bounty to the town; but it must have been called forth by some exhibition of loyalty on the part of the inhabitants, as man, it must be reluctantly confessed, is not charitable by nature; but requires some spring however secret, in the way of gratitude or the anticipation of reward, to call forth his benevolence. The act of Richard to which we refer was the remission of tolls to the tenants of Wisbech Barton in all fairs and markets throughout England, a grant which his brother John afterwards confirmed. From the insecurity of the times it was again lost and afterwards renewed by Henry 4th. Henry 6th. again confirmed it; but even these repeated royal sanctions could not preserve its benefit to the inhabitants. The right was, at some unknown period, lost; but the philanthrophy of Nicholas Sanford who died A. D. 1638, again bought his townsmen the privilege.*

The contentious times which followed the death of Richard and the elevation of John to the throne, were particularly experienced on these eastern shores of the kingdom. John had taken up his abode at Lynn, which, when every part of his dominions was arming against him, still continued faithful to his interest and his cause. On his last departure from that place, and after his final misfortune in the Wash, the King came to Wisbech; but his visit could only be temporary, as this was the 12th of October, 1216, and he died at Newark

* A slab, in the church, over the grave of this exemplary character, bears this inscription:

'He was

A patterne for townsmen, whom we enrole

For at his own charge this towne hee freed of tole.'