THE RIVER WITHAM
From Witham, mine own town, first water'd with my source,
As to the Eastern sea I hasten on my course,
Who sees so pleasant plains or is of fairer seen?
Whose swains in shepherd's gray and girls in Lincoln green,
Whilst some the ring of bells, and some the bagpipes play,
Dance many a merry round, and many a hydegy.[1]
I envy, any brook should in my pleasure share,
Yet for my dainty pikes, I am without compare.
No land floods can me force to over proud a height;
Nor am I in my course too crooked or too streight;
My depths fall by descents, too long nor yet too broad,
My fords with pebbles, clear as orient pearls, are strow'd
My gentle winding banks with sundry flowers are dress'd,
My higher rising heaths hold distance with my breast.
Thus to her proper song the burthen still she bare;
Yet for my dainty pikes I am without compare.
By this to Lincoln town, upon whose lofty scite
Whilst wistly Wytham looks with wonderful delight,
Enamour'd of the state and beauty of the place
That her of all the rest especially doth grace,
Leaving her former course, in which she first set forth,
Which seem'd to have been directly to the North,
She runs her silver front into the muddy fen
Which lies into the east, in the deep journey when
Clear Bane, a pretty brook, from Lindsey, coming down
Delicious Wytham leads to lively Botulph's town,
Where proudly she puts in, among the great resort
That there appearance make, in Neptune's Wat'ry Court."
Polyolbion. Song 25.
We have no definite information of what Boston was in Roman times, but as the Witham was the river on which their colony at Lincoln stood, it is more than probable that they had a station at Boston to defend the river-mouth, and whatever they may have called it, it is certain that it has got its name of Boston or Botolph's town from an English saint who is said to have founded a monastery here in 654, which was destroyed by the Danes in 870. St. Botolph was buried in his monastery in 680, and his remains moved in 870, part to
- ↑ Hydegy Hay-de-guy or guise lit. Hay of Guy or Guise, a particular
kind of hay or dance in the 16th and early 17th century. Spenser, Shepherd's
Calendar "Heydeguyes"; Drayton, Polyolbion, "dance hy-day-gies"
among the hills. Robin Goodfellow in "Percy Reliques," &c. English
Dictionary, Murray. Hay (of uncertain origin) a country dance with winding
movement of the nature of a reel.
