OF CONGREGATIONALISM AND Memorials of the Churches IN NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK. BY JOHN BROWNE, B.A., LONDON: JARROLD AND SONS, 3, PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS. MDCCCLXXVII. PREFACE. THIS book owes its origin to the generosity of MR. D. H. GODDARD, late of Newcastle, now of Chester-le-Street, who, at the meeting of the Congregational Union at Ipswich in 1872, offered a premium for the production of a History of Congregationalism in Norfolk and Suffolk. The execution of the work was, without solicitation on my part, confided to me. Living at a distance from libraries, I have to a great extent been dependent on my own collection of MSS., books, sermons, and tracts; almost all those which are quoted, except otherwise indicated, being in my own possession: but, whilst the work has been passing through the press, I have made considerable additions of interesting and important matter from the Record Office, and the British Museum. I am indebted to S. W. Rix, Esq., of Beccles, for the use of his collections illustrative of the history of Congregationalism in these two counties, and for the encouragement he has, for many years, given me to attempt such a work as the present; to the Rev. Geo. Gould, of Norwich, for the use of MSS. which have been very helpful to me; and to the Rev. T. W. Davids, of Upton, for contributions and counsels which have been of great value. My best thanks are also due to the Rev. T. Hunter, for affording me facilities for consulting books and MSS. in Dr. Williams' Library; and to those pastors of churches who have allowed me to copy, or make extracts from, their several church books. I have taken these, rather than any existing descriptions of the churches, as the basis of this history. The history of the Baptist Churches is more of a fragment than I desired; it is nearly complete to the close of last century, but sufficient information with regard to many later formed churches has not been supplied. The facts here carefully gathered together may hereafter furnish occasion for a more general view of East Anglian Congregationalism, which the limits of this volume prevent me from adding. With all its defects, and no one is more conscious of them than I am, I hope this book may prove a monument to the memory of deservedly honoured |