The recorder, or his deputy, presides at the quarter sessions for the borough, and the justices meet weekly at the town clerk's office, for the despatch of business. The mayor possesses the power of holding another court, which was formerly open every Tuesday, for trying all actions of debt, as well as assaults and breaches of the peace, arising amongst the burgesses; and the bailiffs are empowered to hold a similar court every Friday, for the determination of actions brought against any inhabitant of Grimsby, who is not free. The mayor and bailiffs possess the right of fishing and fowling on the manors of Grimsby and Clee, which they have enjoyed from time immemorial.-They let, to annual tenants, the fishery, extending along the shore of the Humber from the Old Haven to Freshney. They collect a groundage from ships coming ashore in gales of wind within the abovementioned limits; and have a certain claim appertaining to all wrecks there. As lords of the manors of Grimsby and Clee, they exercise the power of disposing of waste lands, retaining a small sum as a reserved rent, payable annually to the bailiffs; who also receive an annual payment from Swallow, Bradley, and Clee, as an acknowledment for certain commuted claims within those parishes, CHAP. II. GERVASE HOLLES AND LELAND'S ACCOUNT OF HAVELOK, GRYME, AND HIS SON CUARAN-LANGTOFT DISCREDITS THE TALE-THE TESTIMONY OF CAMDENGERVASE HOLLES; HIS HISTORY-ARCHBISHOP WHIT, GIFT-BIOGRAPHY OF, 66 HAVELOK AND GRYME. THE biography of these celebrated men has been briefly given in the former part of this work. I shall here only subjoin the authorities on which the truth of their history, in some measure, depends. The tradition, according to Gervase Holles, is as follows. Gryme, a poor fisherman, as he was launching into the river for fish in his little boat upon the Humber, espy'd not far from him another little boat empty, as he might conceave, which by the favour of the wynde and tyde, still approached nearer unto him. He betakes him to his oares and meetes itt, wherein he founde onlly a childe wrapt in swathing clothes purposely exposed, as it should seeme, to the pittylesse of the wilde and wide ocean. He, moved with pitty, takes it home, and like a good foster father carefully nourisht itt, and endeavoured to bring it up in his owne occupation; but the childe contrarily was wholy devoted to exercises of activity; and when he began to write man, to martiall sports; and at length by his signal valour obteyned such renowne that he marryed the King of England's daughter; and last of all founde who was his true father, and that he was sonne to the Kinge of Denmarke; and for the comicke close of all, that Haveloke, for such was his name, exceedingly advanced and enriched his foster father Gryme; who thus enriched builded a fayre town neare the place where Haveloke was found, and named it Grymsby. Thus say somme: others differ a little in the circumstances; as namely, that Gryme was not a fisherman, but a merchant, and that Haveloke should be preferred to the King's kitchen, and there live a long tyme as a scullion: but however the circumstances differ, they all agree in the consequences, as concerning the towne's foundation; to which sayth the story, Haveloke the Danish prince afterwards graunted many immunityes.”* Leland gives the following account of their adventures in England. "Sum say that in Constantine King of Briton's time that Ethelbright and Edelsey were small kinges under him, whereof the first was king of Norfolk and Southfold, and the other of Lindesay. And these 2 kinglettes encresid, and Ethelbright toke to Wife Orwenne, the syster of Edelsey, of whom he got a doughter caullid Argentile in Brutisch, *Holles' MSS. Brit. Mus. and Goldesburg in Saxon. And this Gouldesburg was after left with her uncle Edelsey on this condition, that he that yn Feates of Chevalry might be found most noble, that he shoulde have his doughter. And she was after maried to one Havelok that was Sun to a king of Dennemarke, but conveyid by slaite into England, and after the treuth known, was restorid in Dennemark as trew Heire. "One Cuaran, Sun to Grime, a strong and mighty young Felow, cam to Edelsey's Court into Lindesey, and ther was first a turner of broches yn the Kechyn, and after by valiant deades rose to greate name. Gryme had Haveloc, (by commandment of the King of Dennemark Stuard) to be drownid; but having Pite on hym, he conveyid hym yn to Lindesey in England to a place, syns caullid of his name Grymesby. But this historye ys countid of sum but as an Acocriphe. And sum say, that Sweyn of Dennemark, Father to king Knut, first attemtid Lindesey by the firste cumming thether and marriage of Haveloc."* Peter Langtoft doubts the truth of this story, and expresses his opinion in rather strong terms. "Bot I haf grete ferly, that I fynd no man, * Collectanea. vol. 2. p. 511. But that wise lowed men vpon Inglish tellis, & zit the chapelle standes, wher he wedded his wyfe, That the evidence respecting the tale of Gryme and Havelok may be full and clear, I subjoin what Camden has said on the subject. "Grimsby; which our Sabines, lovers of their own conceits, will have so call'd from one Grime a merchant, who brought up a little child of the Danish blood-royal named Havelock, that was exposed; for which he is much talk'd of, as is also that Havelock his pupil, who was first a scullion in the king's kitching, but afterwards for his eminent valour had the honour to marry the king's daughter. He perform'd I know not what great exploits; which for certain are fitter for tattling gossips in a winter night, than a grave historian.”† GERVASE HOLLES. This illustrious personage, who, by his talents and industry conferred so much honour and distinction on his native town, was the son of Frescheville Holles, and the grandson of Sir Gervase Holles, Knight, who died at Grimsby in 1627. He was nearly allied to the Earl of Clare, the ancestor of the Newcastle and Pelham families; and was justly |