expenses of keeping it in repair were probably drawn from the same source. were In It appears, that the church lands of this parish never under the absolute power of the monks, as the impropriation was, but were given for the sole use and support of the building; for at the dissolution of the religious houses, when the priory was granted to Sir Richard Rich, in the 36th of Henry VIII., the parishioners had influence enough to prevent them from being alienated with the other endowments of the priory. the year 1592, however, notwithstanding the lands were retained after the dissolution of the monasteries, the town was much distressed with keeping the church in repair, for it cost them at this time upwards of £200, part of which was raised from premiums made by granting leases of the town lands under their full value, and at different times considerable sums of money have been expended for reparations done to the building, The rents and profits of that part of the lands given for the use of the church, is now appropriated to keeping it in repair, and furnishing it with the necessary ornaments and utensils. At the commencement of the 17th century, in consequence of the misapplication of the rents of these lands, and the alienations previously made, the expence of repairing the church devolved in a great measure upon the inhabitants, who, conceiving themselves aggrieved, applied to the Court of Chancery for re dress, requesting that a commission might be issued to inquire into these abuses, which was accordingly granted; and an inquisition was held at Lowestoft, in the year 1616, when a decree was issued from that Court, (at an expence to the town of £114.10s.) which ordered that the rents of such part of the town lands as belonged to the church, should be preserved exclusively for the support of that edifice, in consequence of which there is now no church rate in this parish, the profits arising from the lands being amply sufficient for keeping the building in order. The town lands, including those belonging to the church, and some others, amount to 104 acres. The following is an account of the several benefactions to the church and parish, according to the best evidence collected by Mr. Gillingwater in 1773. Sixty-seven acres of land, a windmill, and divers tenements and dole lands, were given by some person, whose name is not recorded, towards the repairs and ornaments of the church, and other necessary uses of the town. The donor of this property was unknown as far back as the 6th of Edward the Sixth, 1552, when John Jettor, the only surviving feoffee, made a new.f w.feoffment, the 20th of June, and said that he, together with divers persons deceased, had by them the feoffment of Nicholas Hughson and William Fly, bearing date the 10th of November, in the 19th of Henry VII., 1503. William French left sixty pounds by will, dated 14th April, 1529, to buy free lands, with which 28 acres and a half were bought for the use of the poor. The profits of these lands were to be distributed after the following manner-to thirteen poor people of the town of Lowestoft, thirteen-pence every Sunday; and three shillings and four-pence yearly to the churchwardens, for their trouble. Thomas Annot founded a grammar school, on which, in 1570, was settled by him and his assigns, sixteen pounds per annum. The giver of two houses (formerly four, but two were destroyed by fire in 1707,) in the Fair-lane, formerly part of the parish workhouse, is unknown: the giver of a house, towards the south end of the high-street, is also unknown. Ann Girling, widow, gave, in 1584, her barn, house, and tenement by the Old Market, for the use of the honest poor, the rents thereof to be given them in firing. James Wilde gave a house and pightle under the cliff, to buy one dozen penny loaves, to be given to the poor every Sunday, after divine service. James Wilde, in 1684, gave a large silver plate, for the use of the communion table. James Hocker, a labourer, who died of the small pox in 1710, gave his all, about one hundred and twenty pounds, with part of which, a stone and brick house, in the Fair-lane, was bought, and is now occupied by such persons as the churchwardens may appoint. John Hayward gave by his will, dated in 1719, to the churchwardens, fifty-two shillings per annum, to be given away weekly to the poor. Nathaniel Symonds, Esq., of Yarmouth, (who died in 1720,) in his will, charged his estate at Lowestoft, with twenty shillings a year, for fifteen years, to be laid out in religious books, to be given to the poor of Lowestoft, for the better encouragement of the christian religion. Mrs. Dorothy Mighells, widow, gave two silver flagons, weight 146 ounces 13 pennyweights, for the use of the communion table, the first in 1711, the second in 1735, John Wilde gave by will, dated 22nd July, 1735, all his estate in Worlingham, after the decease of Elizabeth Smithson, afterwards Perryson, consisting of houses, barns, stables, and lands. And also the following estate at Lowestoft, consisting of a house in the high-street, and fish-houses adjoining; a shop in the high-street, a meadow in the Mill-lane, a house called Rotterdam House, at the cross-way leading to Smith's marsh; and also a bruary (or piece of uncultivated land,) containing six acres and a half, with intent to have a grammar school for forty boys established in this town, of which the ministers and churchwardens for the time being were appointed to be the trustees, and directed that a sermon should be preached on the 23rd December annually, on these words" Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The Rev. John Troughton, formerly curate of the parish, and master of Annot's school, left, in 1735, ten pounds, with which, and ten pounds more given by the Rev. Mr. Tanner, a velvet pall was purchased in 1737, and the profits arising from the use thereof are divided among the poor. Mr. Samuel Barker gave, in 1758, a silver plate, for the use of the communion table. Mr. Martin Brown, merchant, of Rotterdam, gave the brass chandelier in the chapel; and left a sum of money, under the management of Mr. Wilde, sufficient to erect four houses for poor persons, with which the alms-houses, at the west end of the Bell-lane, were erected in 1716. The Rev. John Tanner, vicar of the parish, must ever be considered one of the principal benefactors, having by his good management, purchased the impropriation, for the benefit of the vicars; and in 51 years' residence, greatly beautified the church, about, which he expended more than three hundred pounds. Mr. Aldous Arnold gave, in 1763, a silver cup for the use of the communion table. and strainer, In 1772, two acres of land were enclosed on the north common, by the churchwardens, for the use of the poor. The patronage of Lowestoft is in the Bishop of Norwich, and the vicarage was valued in the King's books at £10. 1s., and by Queen Anne, at £43. 16s. 6d. according to Ecton, and consequently discharged from the payment of first fruits and tenths. Before the dissolution of the monasteries, the annual value appears to have been £44. 4s. 54d. which was thus computed L. S. d. To 14 boats employed in the North Sea and Iceland fisheries, half a dole each voyage, 10s. each........ 14 0 0 To Privy Tythes... To oblations at the Holy Cross, in Good-Cross Chapel, at Lowestoft... To glebe, hay, herbage, lactage, pigs, offerings, marriages, baptisms, and burials.... Deduct synodals and procurations... 13 0 0 9 0 0 8 12 8 £44 12 8 8 2 £44 4 5 In an inquisition, taken in the commencement of the reign of Elizabeth, for ascertaining its value, it was adjudged to be worth £25. 17s. 10d. after deducting 8s. 2 d. for synodals and procurations. This valuation, however, was complained of, as being too great, and a second valuation was taken 12th February, in the eighth year of Elizabeth, by John Blennerhasset, Thomas Playter, and John Jernyngham, Jun. Esquires, and William Roberts, Gregory Payne, and John Duke, gentlemen, Commissioners, in order to ascertain more particularly the real value of the vicarage, when after the |