The history and antiquities of Boston, and the villages of Skirbeck, Fishtoft, Freiston, Butterwick, Benington, Leverton, Leake, and Wrangle; comprising the hundred of Skirbeck, in the county of Lincoln. Including also a history of the East, West, and Wildmore fens, and copious notices of the Holland or Haut-Huntre fen ... sketches of the geology, natural history, botany, and agriculture of the district; a very extensive collection of archaisms and provincial words, local dialect, phrases, proverbs, omens, superstitions, etc. By Pishey Thompson. Illustrated with one hundred engravings.

SCHOOL, CHARITIES, ETC. 495
out for a charity-school. The setting out is said to have been with the license of the lord
of the manor; but there is no evidence of that fact.
" The income derived from the land in 1837, was 71. 1Is., to this was added 51. from the
church-rates, and 81. from the charity funds. All children of the parish of parents not
renting 101. per annum, are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic."
Since 1837, the possession of seven acres of land, originally left by the lord of
the manor to the school (date unknown), has been recovered from the occupancy
of a parishioner, who formerly paid 61. annual rent for it; and who, from
having paid 401. for the profitable occupancy of the land, considered himself
legally possessed of it, and that the rent which he had formerly paid was a
charge which terminated on the demise of a person then deceased. This land
and the other school-land now rents for 221. 7s.; and, with the 131. from other
sources, raises the present salary of the schoolmaster to 351. 7s. He also is
allowed to take pay-scholars, under certain regulations; and receives 201. per
annum for officiating as parish and vestry clerks.
CHARITABLE BEQUESTS.
"Richard Smyth of Fishtoft, in 1607, three other (unknown) donors, and Richard Hill,
previously to 1662, made sundry bequests to the parish, which, in 1837, were represented
by 7A. OR. 14P. of land in Penhill field, and 24A. 1 R. 24P. in lieu of common right, with a
warehouse and four cottages, which produced an aggregate rent of 641. 15s. Of this, 81. per
annum was in 1837 given to the schoolmaster, and the remainder distributed to the poor of
the parish on St. Thomas' day.
"An old hundred book of the parish, dated 1662, shows that the parish was then possessed
of three acres of pasture near the sea-bank; but the trusts upon which this land was held
were unknown. It was in 1837 rented to five labourers at a nominal rent, such beneficial
occupation being given in lieu of pecuniary relief.
"Half an acre of land, the gift of another unknown donor, was rented in 1837 for 21. 2s.
annual rent. A rent-charge of 3s. 4d. per annum, left by THOMAS Johnson, prior to
4 Charles I., is paid out of the rent of a house in the parish called the Gujildhall. BRIGGs'
CHARITY. Ten shillings a-year is received from this charity, for which see Boston Charities
under this head." 2
Commissioner's Report, 1837, p. 62.
Ibid. The poor of Fishtoft now (1855) receive 51. per annum from Briggs' Charity.