( From the NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL Register, Vol. XXI, pp. 12-15.)

The earliest positive information we have relative to him is at
Yarmouth, Norfolk County, a city of considerable maritime importance, situated on the east coast of England, one hundred and eight miles in a direct line, and one hundred and twenty miles by railroad northeast of London. The origin and early history of this place, like many others in the British Kingdon, is quite obscure. The Romans, in the first century of the Christian Era, had a frontier military post near here, and later it was called Cerdick's sand, or Cerdick's shore, deriving its name crom Cerdick; a warlike Saxon, who, A. D. 496, with his son Cenrick, and a fleet of five ships, invaded the country at this point, entered the mouth of the river Tare, fought a battle, put the Britons to fight, and founded a colony. It being a low, marshy neighborhood, the location proved unhealthy; the settlement was finally abandoned, and the colony took up their residence with the West Saxons.
Henry Manship, Sen., a merchant in 1560, the reputed author of a very
reliable and carefully prepared manuscript history of the place, who tells us
he was here "bread and borne,' thus speaks of its origin:
First of the Antiquity of the Towne and Burroughe of Great Yermouthe.
The very seate of that Tywne, that is saye, the place and ground where uppon
the Towne is buylded and now clothe stand, was percell of a grease sande
lyinge within the mayne sea, at the mouthe of the fludd or ryver called
Heirus, being contynuallye under water and overflown wythe the sea, of which
river the name of the same Towne was derived when it was firste named, vidz.
Heirmouth, or otherwise without aspiration it was called Yermouth. And the
tyme that yt was of sand in the sea was when Kynge Canutus reigned in England
and long before, which was aboute the yere of our Savior Jesus Christ, his
Incarnacion, One Thousand, as by auncient recordes thereof yt teeth appeare."
He also says that "in the tyme of the Reigne of Xinge Edwarde the Confessour
the saide sand beganne to growe owe into hghte at the lowe water, and to
become more showlder at the mouthe of the said Floode called Heirus, and then
there were channells for shippes and Fyshermen to pass and enter into the arme of the Sea for enterance of there Fishe and Merchandizes, which were conveyed to iverse parses and places as well in the Countye of Norfolk as in the
Countye of Suffolke by reason that all the whole levell of the marshes and
fennes which now are betwixt the Towne of Yermouth and the citie of Norwiche, were then all an arme of the Sea, entering within the Lande by the mouth of the Hierus. And this was about the yeare of our Savior M. and XL. and long before."
He further says: "In the tymes of the Reygnes of Kinge Harrolde and
Kinge William the Conquerror, the sayde sande did growe to be lrye, and was
not overflowen by the Sea, but waxed in heighte, and also in greatness, in so
muche as grease store of people of the counties of Norff, and Suffolke did
resorte thither, and did pitche Tabernacles and Boothes for the entertaynenge
of such Seafaringe men and Fishermen and Merchants as would resorte unto that place, either to sell their herrings, fish, or other comodities, and for
providinge suche things as those Seamen did neede and wante.
"The which things caused grease store of Seafaringe men to resorte
thither; but especiallie the fishermen of this Land; as also grease numbers of
the Fishermen of Fraunce Flaunders, and of Holland, Zealande, and all the lowe
Countryes. And in the tyme of the Reigne of Kynge William Rufus, Kinge of this
Realme, one Herbertus, Bishopp of the see of Norwich, perceyvenge greate
resorte and concourse of people to be daylie and yearlie uppon the said Sande,
and intendinge to provide for their sowles healthe, did founde and buylde
uppon the said Sande a certen Chappell for the devotion of the people
resorting thither, and therein did place a Chappelayne, of history to saye and
read divine service."