So we try'd the old bridge, and, as sure as a fiddle, We flounder'd before we got half to the middle ; Yet, as money does all things, the workmen were willing

Το

prepare us a road, if we gave them a shilling. This obstacle conquer'd, we drove on like Jehu, Till Freston's old tower appear'd full in our view; The Orwell's fring'd banks like enchantment look'd gay,

And

gave a new zest to the charms of the day.

Next to Shotley proceeding, we reach'd Shotley Ferry,

Where we find some good brandy to make our hearts

merry;

But the worst of it is (tho' we laugh and are glad,)
Not a passage-boat here is, alas! to be had;
But we shall not be kept very long in suspence,
For a small two-oar'd wherry is soon going hence.

And now thro' a very deep water we glide,
Whilst the sea roughly rolls with the swell of the tide;
For just at the junction of the Orwell and Stour
Our two Charons were tugging at least half an hour;
And the
surge was so high when we got to the shore,
That our landing detain'd us full ten minutes more.
But now we're at Harwich, and thankful am I,
Our inn's the Three Cups, and our dinner draws nigh
But first for a walk to survey this old borough,
To peep at the church, and the church-yard go
thorough,

On the opposite shore Landguard Fort boldly stands,
Well secur'd by Britannia's invincible bands.
Long, long may our Monarch the honour retain
Of being King of the Islands that govern the Main!

66

66

THE GLORIES OF BURY.

66

Bury has been so frequently described by different writers, that it will be amply sufficient to refer the reader to a list of the principal works relating to the subject: they are, "Corolla varia contexta per Guil. "Haukinum, Scholarcham Hadleianum in Agro Suffolciensi. Cantabr. ap. Tho. Buck, 1634." 12mo. Antiquitates S. Edmundi Burgi ad annum 1272 perductæ. Autore Joanne Battely, S. T. P. Archi"diacono Cantuariensi. Opus Posthumum. Oxoniæ, "1745." 4to. Bury, and its Environs, a poem, "Lon. 1747." by Dr. Winter, fol. "A Description "of the ancient and present state of the Town and Ab"bey of Bury St. Edmund's, in the county of Suffolk. Chiefly collected from ancient authors, and MSS. "The second edition with corrections. Containing an account of the Monastery, from the foundation to its "dissolution; with a list of the Abbots, and the several Benefactors to the Town. To which is likewise "added, a list of the post and stage coaches, &c. to "and from Bury; with the distance of the several "towns to which they go. Bury, 1771." 12mo. This edition was revised by the Rev. Sir John Cullum, bart. and the third, under the superintendance of that profound antiquary, the Rev. George Ashby, rector of Barrow, appeared in 1782. "An Historical and "Descriptive Account of St. Edmund's Bury, in the "county of Suffolk comprising an ample detail of the origin, dissolution, and venerable remains of the "Abbey, and other places of Antiquity in that ancient "Town. By Edmund Gillingwater, author of the History of Lowestoft, &c. Bury, 1804." 12mo. "An Illustra"tion of the Monastic History and Antiquities of the "Town and Abbey of St. Edmund's Bury. By the "Rev. Richard Yates, F. S. A. of Jesus College, "Cambridge: chaplain to his majesty's royal hospital, "Chelsea, and rector of Essa alias Ashen. With "Views of the most considerable Monasterial Remains. By the Rev. William Yates, of Sidney Sussex Col"lege, Cambridge, 1805." 4to. "Notes concerning Bury St. Edmund's, in Com. Suffolk, extracted out

66

"of the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Oxford's library, by "Mr. Wanley." folio.

THO' pompous structures, Bury's ancient boast,
Are now in heaps of cumbrous ruins lost;
Piles that in ages past Canutus rear'd
When Edmund's ghost, as legends say, he fear'd:
Tho' now the traveller views with wond'ring eyes
Where broken walls in craggy fragments rise;
An abbey's grandeur, and a prince's court,
O'ergrown with ivy, mould'ring into dirt;
Yet let them not these dreary scenes bemoan,
But tell the modern glories of the town.
If Henry's guilt in tow'rs destroy'd appear,
The greater name of Edward we revere.
He, virtuous prince, for love of learning prais'd,
Here for her sons a noble building
* rais'd;

Bury seems very early to have enjoyed the benefit of a Free School; for abbot Sampson, in 1198, erected a school-house, and settled a stipend on the master, who was required to give gratui tous instruction to forty poor boys. This building stood near the shire-hall, and the street received from it the name School-hall. street, which it still retains. The Free Grammar School, founded by King Edward the 6th, seems to have been but a revival of the former ancient institution. Its original situation was in East-gatestreet, but that being found inconvenient, a new school-house was erected in North gate-street by public contribution. The bust of the founder stands over the door in the front of the building; and under his arms, at the upper end of the school room, are these

verses:

Edvardas Sextus posuit Virtutis Alumnis.

Gratis disce, puer, Regia namque Schola est,

There are forty scholars on the foundation, and it is free for all the sons of towns-people, or inhabitants. This seminary is super-" intended by an upper and ander master; and adjoining to the school is a handsome house for the former. The present head master is Benjamin Heath Malkin, D. C. L. well known to the literary world by several publications of considerable merit. In 1719 was published in 8vo. "Nomina Quorundam e Primariis olim Regiæ Grammaticalis Scholæ Buriæ Sti. Edmundi, inter Icenos "celeberrimæ, carminibus illustrata, (miscellaneis quibusdam adjectis) edita a Joan. Randall, A. M. Coll: Christi, Buriensis nuper Scholæ Magistro, nunc a Sacris in Agro Norfolciensi." Mr. Ran. dall, was presented to the rectory of Kirkeby-Kam, Norfolk, in 1690, by sir Nevil Catelyne, bart. He died April 20th, 1699, aged 49; and lies buried in that church. His inseription is inserted in Blomefield's Norfolk," vol. 8. 36. 8vo, edition.

"

Where em❜lous youths are gradually inur'd
To tread her paths by rising pleasures lur'd;
Here their young souls first caught the gen'rous flare,
To reach at greatness by a virtuous fame.
Some brighter genii have, by Leedes's * art,
Acquir'd what Rome, what Athens could impart,

• Edward Leedes was, for the long period of 40 years, the much respected master of the Free Graminar-School at Bury; and under his auspices it attained the highest degree of respectability, He died the 20th of December 1707, in the 80th year of his age, and lies buried in the chancel of the church of Ingham, where a neat mural monument is érected to his memory, on which is the following inscription:

He published "Methodus Græcam Linguam docendi, (multă Grammaticorum Arte omissâ) ad Puerorum Captum accommodata, et ab Edwardo Leedes, (Cui id Rei creditum est intra Scholam Buriensum, in Pago Suffolciensi) In usum Discipulorum tradita: Londini 1720," The following Dedication which contains a long list of the names of those who were educated at Bury School; and which, in fact, comprises the sons of all the principal families in the county, is prefixed to this little work:

"Omnibus inter ICENUM POPULUM quicunque orti aut oriundi sunt de Gente.

Feildingorum, Maynardorum, Northorum, Cornwallium, Croftorum, Cullumorum, Cordellorum, Bloisorum, D'ewsorum, Pottorum, Poliorum, Porterorum, Readorum, Reynoldorum, Capellorum, Castletonum, Wyllysium, Thompsonum, Ventrisium, Hollandorum, (parcant celeberrima Nomina Homini Rustico, si

Here first instructed, now the realm they grace,
High in their merit, as advanc'd in place;
Such I would mention with respectful awe,
Lights of our church, or guardians of our law.
Here Bristol's earl* was bred, illustrious peer;
Honor unstain'd, mankind in him revere,
To liberty a sure, a steady friend,

Of all his actions this the noble end.

Two prelatest here began their learned search,
By worth distinguish'd! fathers of the church!

non eo ordine, quo potuit Fecialis, ea disponat) Botelerorum, Robinsonum, Frestonum, Winyevorum, Coppingerorum, Hanmerorum, Herviorum, Harviorum, Springorum, Calthorporum, Cropliorum, Wigmorum, Waldgravium, Warnerorum, De Greyorum, Glascocorum, Russelorum, Chichleorum, Shepheardorum, Tyrellorum, Hodgesium Scrivenerium, Dadorum, Doughtiorum, Daversorum, Daviorum, Glemhamorum, Goldingorum, Goldwellorum, Fiskorum, Weldorum, Jerminorum, Peytonum, Millecentium, Gipsium, Cloptonum, Townshendorum, Brandorum, Maddocium, Mottorum, Lucasium, Bickliorum, Bakerorum, Baldocorum, Rushbrookorum, Maltywardorum, Actonum, Sheltonum, Nortonum, Buxtonum, Eldredorum, Corranceorum, Longorum. In Pago Eboracensi, Wyvillorum, Beckwithorum, Daltonum, Tanckredorum, Legardorum. In Episcopatu Dunelmensi, Dodsworthorum, Carrium, Batesium. In Pago Northumbriensi, optimè de se meritâ Widdringtoniorum, Greiorum, Luckorum: Necuon & Nominis minoris (at vero non minoris si Virtus quicquam ad Nomen confert) ubicunque sunt, Batteleiorum, Clagettorum, Oldhamorum, Lynsordorum, Wottonum, Baronum, cæterisque cunctis, qui in SCHOLA BURIENSI aut jam dant operam Literis, aut olim dederunt, aut in posterum dabunt, hanc suam Methodum docendi discendiq; Græcam Linguam, dat, dicat, Edwardus Leedes, 8 Idus Aprilis ineuntis post Christum Anni 1690. He also published "Luciani Dialogi, à Leedes, Cantab. 1704," 12mo.

John Hervey, the 1st earl of Bristol. Having distinguished himself in the common's house, he was for the nobleness of his extraction, the antiquity of his family, and his many eminent virtues, advanced to the dignity of a baron of the realm in 1703. And having strenuously asserted the succession of George the 1st to the crown of these realms, he was, in consideration thereof, created earl of Bristol in 1714. His lordship was twice married, and died Jan. 20, 1750-1.

+ Robert Butts was the son of the Rev. William Butts, rector of Hartest, decended from a younger branch of the ancient family of that name, which was seated at Thornage in Norfolk, amongst