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.

PREFACE. vii
county. He lays no claim to any other merit than that of unconquerable
(he cannot say unwearied) industry. The rising sun and the midnight hour
have, during the last five years, very frequently found him engaged in his
"labour of love." If errors be found-as he fears there may —in his statements and conclusions, he can only urge in extenuation, that they do not
exist through any want of industrious and careful research; and that if the
same energy of youth and health which aided him in his early exertions
had accompanied him to the close of his labours, he might have avoided
some of the erroneous conclusions with which he may now, he fears, be
justly chargeable. He will vouch for his faithful quotations and statements, his readers must temper justice with mercy in commenting upon his
deductions.
The list of friends to whom the Author is indebted for most valuable
assistance is indeed a long one. His thanks are, in the first place, due to the
TOWN COUNCIL of Boston for their so promptly granting him every facility
for the inspection of the Records and Journals of the Corporation, from its
establishment in 1545 to the present time. All the interesting documents
in the Corporation Archives have been almost literally perused by the
Author, and the constant reference to these important papers in nearly every
department of this volume, is evidence of the great service which this
liberality on the part of the Town Council has been to him. The readiest
access to the Parish Registers of Boston has been granted to the Author
by the Rev. G. B. BLENKIN, Vicar of Boston; and the contents of the
Church Chest, and other important documents, have been submitted to his
inspection by the courtesy of the Churchwardens. The Rev. Mr. BLENRIN
has also materially assisted the Author in various departments of his book,
and the value of the service has been increased by the urbanity and kindness with which it was rendered. To FRE,)ERIC COOKE, Esq. (Mayor of
Boston), the Author is indebted for many facilities officially and individually
afforded him. G. G. SCOTT, Esq., the eminent architect, has supplied much
valuable information respecting the late repairs of St. Botolph's Church.
G. G. PLACE, Esq., the skilful architect, who superintended the repairs and
adaptation of the interior of the church, furnished a description of the exterior; and THOrMAS COLLIS, Esq., an account of the interior, abridged from
Mr. STEPHEN LEWIN'S valuable History of Churches in the Division of Holland,
and embodying all the restorations and improvements executed under Mr.
PLACE'S supervision. The Author is also indebted to Mr. CoLLIS for much
assistance and valuable materials respecting the life of St. Botolph. From
Mr. E. C. HAcKrFoRD, the intelligent Verger of the Church, he has received