Page:Highways and Byways in Lincolnshire.djvu/447

 CHAPTER XXXVII

ST. BOTOLPH'S TOWN

The River Witham—Drayton's Polyolbion—The Steeple at Boston—Monastic Houses—Merchants' Guilds—Dykes and Sluices—The Fens reclaimed—Great Floods—High Tides—The Hussey and Kyme Towers—John Fox—Hallam and Conington—Jean Ingelow—Lincolnshire Stories.

A not unapt parallel has been drawn between Boston and Venice for, like the Campanile, Boston steeple is a sort of Queen of the Waters, and before the draining of the Fens she often looked down on a waste of waters which stretched in all directions.

Leland, who wrote in the reign of Henry VIII., in Vol. VII. of his Itinerary, speaks of "the great Steple of Boston," and describes the town thus: "Bosstolpstoune stondeth harde on the river Lindis (Witham). The greate and chifiest parte of the toune is on the este side of the ryver, where is a faire market place, and a crosse with a square toure. Al the buildings of this side of the toune is fayre, and Marchuntes duelle yn it; and a staple of wulle is used there. There is a bridg of wood to cum over Lindis, into this parte of the toune, and a pile of stone set yn the myddle of the ryver. The streame of yt is sumtymes as swifte as it were an arrow. On the West side of Lindis is one long strete, on the same side is the White Freies. The mayne sea ys VI miles of Boston. Dyverse good shipps and other vessells ryde there."

Michael Drayton, who wrote in Elizabeth's reign, was quite enthusiastic about the merits of the Witham, which runs out at Boston, and makes her speak in her own person thus:—