appointment in the corporation of the town, conferred upon me for the rather unusual period of two successive years, I considered it a part of my duty to examine the ancient records belonging to the body corporate. I undertook the task, a pleasing one to me, of methodizing and arranging such records, and in my progress discovered that a tolerably regular series of transactions was continued from the year 1379, when an establishment for a religious guild was there formed, down to the present period. Of these records, after having arranged and translated them, I made an index, which I presented to the capital burgesses: from this occurrence the idea of collecting materials for a history of the town afterwards suggested itself. Thus, what at first served as an amusement insensibly grew beneath my hands to its present form. The proceedings hereinafter detailed relative to the guild and corporation are extracted from those records. The history of the castle, church, and other objects, has been drawn from the best and most authentic sources, both printed and manuscript, within my reach; and by way of further variety, a short account is introduced of that important tract of country called "the Great Level of the Fens." I am sensible that various opinions have been entertained as to the original state of this extensive district, and especially as to the people by whom the first efforts were made for rendering it fit for the habitation of man; and that many famed antiquaries think the works usually attributed to the Romans were constructed by the Iceni, or other native tribes. That stupendous work at the other extremity of the country, the fosse or trench of which is called by common people "The Devil's Ditch," is an embankment so vast

to excite the astonishment of those who behold it,

and is supposed to have been raised by the Iceni, and if so, it shews them to have been capable of operations of great magnitude. In all questions of this nature much must be left to conjecture, no record of the early state of the country having come down to us. It has been my endeavour to account for the various changes in the level on simple principles and causes, without having recourse to preternatural ones, and the result of such inquiries and opinions is now offered to the public with feelings of unfeigned deference and respect. Very little of originality or novelty will be found in the following sheets, indeed, it is not worthy to be called a history, but an attempt towards one, with a view to stimulate some person of greater ability to present the public with a full and complete history. The design has been to produce a faithful, correct, and authentic record of the persons and things treated of. No other praise is sought than that of industry and exactness of description, and it will be felt more than a compensation, if no unfavourable judgment should be passed upon this humble performance, for although most feelingly conscious of my own incompetency, I was still unwilling to let the materials which I had collected be dispersed and lost, and therefore ventured to submit the result to public notice. In arranging and classing the different portions of the work, it was thought best to separate and divide them under three heads, first, the history of the Great Level; secondly, that part which constitutes the isle of Ely; and lastly, the ancient and present state of Wisbech, with the castle and other public buildings and occurrences. I am not conscious I have omitted any thing which appeared to merit attention, and which might be deemed consistent with the nature of such a publication; but I am at the same time sensible that, notwithstanding

every care to collect all the material information, many things may have escaped me. I acknowledge myself to be indebted to other writers for many observations, and although I may not have distinguished all of them by quotation marks, because in some cases I have altered or abridged the language, I trust my readers will pardon the omission, and accept the work in the same spirit of benevolence and good temper that has guided the pen of the compiler, and now prompted the publication. Whilst fully aware that I ought rather to deprecate the severity of criticism than to court and expect its praise, I must be allowed to cherish the humble hope that the work will not in its details be found wholly destitute of local interest, however defective it may be in style. Although not a native of Wisbech, I have resided there more than a quarter of a century, and have always received the most marked attention from the inhabitants and neighbourhood, which it affords me sincere pleasure thus publicly to acknowledge; indeed, a sense of the obligation I am under to them has been among the pressing motives to this undertaking, which may be the means in some measure of drawing forth this spirited town from undeserved obscurity-a town which, though not able to boast of mineral productions, magnificent remains of antiquity, or splendid works of modern art, may yet justly lay claim to many charitable foundations of extensive and permanent utility; to luxuriant pastures and rich corn fields, spreading around in all directions; to an intelligent, loyal, and rapidly increasing population, and to a port, yearly improving in activity and importance, and well adapted by its numerous shipping to convey to and from the metropolis and the northern parts of the kingdom, produce or merchandize conducive to general convenience and advantage. One task remains, a

pleasing one, to offer my tribute of respectful gratitude to the nobility and numerous friends who have honoured this volume by their names and patronage; to many I am indebted for the receipt of information and assistance, and I cannot forbear expressing my cordial thanks to William Peckover, esq. for various useful observations ; I have also to make my acknowledgments to James Usill, esq. the late town bailiff, as well as to his successor, William Orton, esq. for the kindness with which they each offered to me the inspection and loan of the corporation records and indexes. I am proud to acknowledge how much I am obliged to my friend the reverend Jeremiah Jackson, for his very useful aid in the prosecution of the work whilst in the press, especially when other business prevented my own personal attention. Hugh Jackson, Steed Girdlestone, and John Wing, esquires, favoured me with much valuable information respecting a number of facts with which I could not otherwise so easily have become acquainted. My friend Mr. Abraham Usill has also shewn much interest in the work, but to mention distinctly the names of all those to whom I am under obligations, would have the appearance of ostentation; I, therefore, beg to express my thanks generally, and to say that I owe much to many private friends not particularized, who yet are distinguished by literature and talents. In the course of the work, I have spoken in terms of praise of several individuals, for which I trust I shall not be accused of adulation, for I firmly believe each deserving of more than I have said, and all that I have stated is transcribed from public documents; and however I may personally respect those characters, I have not the most distant view to either gain or applause from any party, by having thus introduced their names with the public testimony of their respective services.

I shall beg leave to conclude this preface in the words of Addison, expressive as they are of views and feelings analogous in no small degree with my own, in respect to the present undertaking: "Custom has a wonderful "efficacy in making every thing pleasant. What was "at first an exercise becomes at length an entertain"ment. I have heard one of the greatest geniuses "this age has produced, (Dr. Atterbury) who had "been trained up in all the polite studies of antiquity, "assure me, on his being obliged to search into several "rolls and records, that notwithstanding such an " employment was at first dry and irksome to him, he "at last took an incredible pleasure in it."

Spectator, vol. vi. No. 447.