HERE BEGINS MY NORTHERN JOURNEY IN MAY 1697

ffrom London to Amwell Berry in Hartfordshire 19 mile, thence to Bishops Startford in Essex 13 mile, wch is a very pretty Neat Market town, a good Church and a delicate spring of Water wch has a wall built round it, very Sweet and Cleare water for drinking. There is a little river runns by the town yt feeds severall Mills.

Thence we Went to Andlyend 10 miles, a house of ye Earle of Sussex wch makes a Noble appearance Like a town, so many towers and buildings off stone within a parke wch is walled round. A good River runs through it, we pass over the bridge. Its built round 3 Courts, there are 30 great and Little towers on the top, and a great Cupilow in the Middle. The roomes are Large and Lofty with good Rich old ffurniture tapistry, but Noe beds in yt part we saw. There are 750 (150?) Roomes in the house.

The Cannall in the Midst of the parke Look’d very fine, its altogether a Stately palace and was built for one of ye Kings. Thence to Little-berry one Mile, where is a house with abundance of Curiosityes all performed by Clock work and Such like, wch appears very Strange to the beholders, but the master was not at home so I saw no more than the Chaire they Set in when they are Carry’d about. All the Country is pleasant; between this and Cambridge you go in sight of so many neate villages wth Rows of trees about them and very neate built Churches—Sometimes 5 or 6 of these are in view together in 3 or four mile of Each other—Ye Churches are stone-work. We went to Babaram where was a house of Sr Richd Bennets in a pleasant parke prettyly situated, only it is in a Low ground, but ye fine Rows of trees in the severall avenues Came just down to the Road: thence to Bornbridge 5 mile, thence to Hodmogoge hills 3 miles, wch looks at a distance Like a long Barn, but when you approach Near you see it a Great fortification or Ruines of a Castle, with great trenches one within another, and all ye buildings—there is only a long string of Stables to keep ye Kings hunting horses. The hill is of a great height from whence you have a great prospect of ye whole Country and of Cambridge wch is 3 mile off. The town Lyes in a bottom and Marshy Ground all about it severall miles wch is Garnish’d with willows; ye buildings are old and Indifferent. the Streetes mostly narrow, (except near the Market place), wch is pretty spacious—there stands the University Church. Trinity Colledg is the ffinest, yet not so Large as Christchurch College in oxford. In the first Court there is a very ffine ffountaine in the Middle of ye Quadrangle wth a Carved top and Dials round—there are Large Cloysters. The Library runns all ye rang of building at ye End and stands on 3 rows of stone pillars; it opens into the Gardens and walk wth 3 Large Gates or doores of Iron Carv’d very ffine wth fflowers and Leaves. The river runs at ye back side of most of ye Colleges; they have fine stone bridges over it and gates that Lead to fine walks; Ye rivers name is Cam.

The Library farre exceeds that of Oxford, the Staires are Wanscoated and very large and Easye ascent, all of Cedar wood, ye room spacious and Lofty paved wth black and white marble, ye sides are wanscoated and decked with all Curious books off Learning, their Catalogue and their Benefactors. There is two Large Globes at each End wth teliscopes and microscopes and ye finest Carving in wood, in flowers, birds, Leaves, ffigures of all sorts as I ever saw. There is a large Balcony opens at the End, very large, all finely painted all over ye history of the New Testament. Its a hundred and twenty steps to ye roofe and supported by noe pillars all Arch of Stone: You walke on ye Arch or Cradle as its term’d. There is 32 Little windows Cut in Stone just as you ascend to ye Cradle or Arch wch runns on Either side, and a pr of Staires of 8 stepps to every 3 windows wch Lead up to the Arch; thence you ascend the Leads over all wch are fine, secured by battlements round, there are 4 large Spires: at each corner one. On these Leads you May see a vast Country round.

You see Ely-minster and ye towers; this is a noble building and Stands on so advantagious a ground, and so Lofty built yt its perspicious above ye town; this is in Lieu of ye Theatre at Oxford there being none here. St Johns College Garden is very pleasant for ye fine walks both Close Shady walks and open Rows of trees and quickset hedges. There is a pretty bowling green with Cut arbours in the hedges. Queens Colledge is old but a stately and Lofty building. Claire Hall is very Little but most Exactly neate in all parts, they have walks wth Rows of trees, and bridges over the river and fine painted Gates into ye ffields. Katherine Hall is new built, the Chapple was not Quite ffinished; the apartments for ye fellows and Gentlemen Commoners are very ffine, a Large dineing roome, a good Chamber and good Studdy and this for 8£ a year.

Here we are Entertained by some of our Companys acquaintance. From Cambridge we go just by Peterborough: we see the Minster and ye town, very plaine all built with Stone. The road is very pleasant to Ffenistanton, 8 miles to Godmanchester, and from thence Huntington 1 mile. We cross the River Lin over a bridge and so Enter Huntingtonshire. This river goes to Lin in Norfolke its a very pleasant Country to travel in in ye Summer, but after raines its in Some places deep, but the prospects are delighting; Little town and good Enclosure wth woods and same of the Country’s. Huntington is but a Small Shire town; just by it is a house of the Lord Sandwich, yt it is pretty large. We enter a good Lofty hall, in it hangs the Ship in wch he was lost, that is the representation of it Cut out in Little and all things Exactly made to it; there is a good parlour and drawing roome: well proportion’d are ye rooms wth good old ffurniture and good Pictures. There is a Large dineing roome above wth good tapistry hangings, and its Ceil’d wth jrish oake Carv’d with points hanging down like fine ffret worke; this wood no spider will weave on or endure. There are good bed Chambers with good furniture and fine pictures; over one of the Chimneys is a fine picture of Venus were it not too much uncloth’d. The Gardens and Wilderness and Greenhouse will be very fine when quite ffinished with the dwarfe trees and gravell walks. There is a large fountaine or bason which is to resemble that in the privy garden at Whitehall, which will ffront the house.

The high terrass walks Look out on the Road. all this Country is good Land and ffruitfull and much like Oxfordshire.

Ffrom Huntington we came to Shilton 10 mile, and Came in Sight of a great water on the Right hand about a mile off wch Looked Like Some Sea it being so high and of great Length: this is in part of the ffenny Country and is Called Whitlsome Mer, is 3 mile broad and six long. In ye Midst is a little jsland where a great Store of Wildfowle breeds, there is no coming near it; in a Mile or two the ground is all wett and Marshy but there are severall little Channells runs into it wch by boats people go up to this place. When you enter the mouth of ye Mer it lookes fformidable and its often very dangerous by reason of sudden winds that will rise Like Hurricanes in the Mer, but at other tymes people boate it round the Mer with pleasure. There is abundance of good ffish in it. This was thought to have been Sea some tyme agoe and Choak’d up and so remaines all about it for some miles a ffenny Marshy Ground for those little Rivers that runns into ye Sea some distance of miles. Thence to Wangfford 2 miles, thence to Stamfford 5 miles.

We pass over a down where is a Cross that directs three wayes York, London and Oatly, and here we Come in Sight of a Gentlemans house that stands finely on a hill in a parke, pretty high with fine groves about it. A little farther when we are pass’d the water att Wansford we enter Ruttlandshire wch seems more woody than ye others. Stamfford town is as fine a built town all of stone as may be seen; its on the side of a hill wch appears very fine in the approach.

Severall very good Churches with high Spires and towers very ornamentall, its not very Large, but much ffiner than Cambridge, and in its view has severall good houses. On the Right hand of Stamfford is a house of Mr Neals in a pretty neate parke pailed in; ye house not very big but Lookes well. On the Side of ye hill over against Stamfford and on the Left hand over against the town Stands My Lord of Exeters Burly house, Eminent for its Curiosity. The Situation is the finest I ever saw, on the Edge of the hill and severall Rows of trees of severall acres about it quite to the Road. It stands in a very fine parke wch is full of deer and fine Rows of trees. On Either side a very broad Glide or visto that Lookes finely to ye River and to the adjacent hills, a distance, both with fine woods. The town of Stamfford appears very fine on the Left hand and most noble woods on the Right hand. The house Looks very nobly; ye Garden very fine within one another wth Lower and higher walls deck’d with all Sorts of trees and Greens; very fine Gravell walks and Grass squaires wth Statues and fine Grass walks, dwarfs and all sorts of Green trees and Curious things: very fine fountaines, there is one in the middle of the Garden thats just to ye Middle also of the house, that is of an exceeding great size. There is a fine vineyard, Warren and Groves wch makes its prospects very delightfull.

You enter a large Court walled, thence to a Space of Ground pretty Large, Encompass’d round wth a little wall of a yard High of free Stone very ffine wrought, on which are to be Iron railes and spires, that was not ffinish’d nor the space paved which is design’d to be of broad Stone: all before the house the little breast wall is in a Compass Like a halfe Moone.

The Sides up to the house are built in roomes for appartments, you ascend the house by Stone Steps—about 12—that all turn round; the upper Stepp is at Least 20 foot steps in Compass; the door you enter is of Iron Carv’d the ffinest I ever saw all sort of Leaves, flowers, figures, birds, beasts, wheate in ye Carving; very Large ye doors are—there is an Inside doore as Case to it. On the other side of the house is Such another door that Leads into a Court. The hall is a noble roome painted ffinely, ye walls with armory and Battles; its Lofty and paved with black and white Marble. You go thence into parlours, dineing rooms, drawing roomes and bed Chambers one leading out of another, at Least 20 that were very Large and Lofty, and most fine Carving in the Mantlepieces, and very fine paint in pictures, but they were all Without Garments or very little, that was the only fault, the immodesty of ye Pictures, Especially in My Lords appartment. This bed Chamber was ffurnish’d very Rich, the tapistry was all blew Silke and Rich Gold thread, so that the Gold appeared for ye Light part of all the worke. There was a blew velvet bed with gold ffringe and very Richly Embroidered, all the Inside with ovals on the head piece and tester, where the figures are so finely wrought in Satten stitch it Looks Like painting. There is also My Ladys appartt, Severall roomes very Richly ffurnished and very ffine tapistry with Silver and gold in Most; there was at Least 4 velvet beds 2 plaine and 2 figured—Crimson—green—Severall Coullours together in one; Severall Damaske beds and some tissue beds all ffinely Embroydered. My Ladys Closet is very ffine, the wanscoate of the best Jappan, the Cushons very Rich Work: there is a great deale of fine worke under Glasses and a Glass case full of all Sorts of Curiosityes of Amber stone Currall and a world of fine things. My Lord Excetter in his travells was for all sorts of Curious things if it Cost him never so much, and a great many of my Ladyes fine things were given her by her Mother ye Countess of Devonshire. There is a Chamber My Lady used to Lye in in the Winter, a green velvet bed and the hangings are all Embroydery of her Mothers work very ffine; the Silk Looks very fresh and ffigures Look naturall.

There is a drawing room by that, wch has a great Curiosity that my Lord brought from beyond sea, on the Mantlepiece under a glass; its nunns work the ffinest Embroidery that it Looks just Like point or the ffinest Linnen you can see; this Cost a great Sume. There are fine Chimney pieces of Marble and the windows the same, there are at least 20 rooms very Large and Lofty that are all painted on the top; there are at Least 20 on ye other side of the house all wth different ffrett work on the Ceiling, besides almost as many more roomes that are a building. Some the floores Not Laid, others Not ffinish’d yt the house will be a vast thing wn done. The floores were Inlaid in severall roomes, the Chapple is old and not to abide, the painting is good but the place is not Suteable to any part Else. The great variety of the roomes and ffine works tooke me up 2 full hours to go from one Roome to another over the house. The Bowling-green, Wilderness, nor Walke I was not in, being so great a tract of ground, but you see it all at a view on ye top of ye house; it is Esteemed the ffinest house and scituation that is in England and will be very Compleate when ffinish’d.

From thence we went to Streton 6 mile, a Little house of one Mr Horsman; very good Plantations of trees about it—Stone building. Rutlandshire seems more woody and Inclosed than some others. Thence to Colson where Lincolnshire Comes in; 2 mile thence towards Lincoln we go on a fine Champion Country much Like Salisbury plaine, and a Large prospect all round—at a distance you See woods and towns. This is the best part of this shire for most part is ffenny, and we went twenty six Miles all on Such Way quite to Lincoln town. We pass by Grantum which is a good town 16 mile from Lincoln, all built with Stone, but Lies down in a Low bottom. The Church has a very high Steeple, its Seen above a Great hill that is by it of a great Length and its a long tyme wn you see a great part of the Steeple before you come to see the Church or town it Lies so in a bottom. Lincoln opens to view at Least 6 miles off; it Stands on a very high hill and Looks very ffine; at the Entrance the houses Stand Compact together. The Streetes are but Little but its a vast hill to ascend into the town where the Minster stands, by that Means its very perspicious and Eminently in view a great Many Miles off. The tower, that Great Thoms nest, is 250 steps up, 8 persons may very well Stand up in the hollow of the bell together, its as much as a man Can Reach to the top of the bell with his hand when he is in the Inside; its rarely Ever rung but only by Ringing the Clapper to Each Side wch we did and that sounds all over the town. The houses are but small and not lofty nor ye Streetes of any breadth. The Sea has formerly Come up to the town and yre has been very deep water where now great part of ye town is built, so yt what was ye town formerly is that wch stands upon a precipice as it were of a hill. Ye water is Choake up now and ye sea Comes not near in Severall Miles and what water they have is Called Lincoln Dike—you pass it over on a bridge. We went thence by many very ffine Seates, we pass by Sr John Brownlows and Severall others; thence to Newark 12 mile in Nottinghamshire; just by it you see a very pretty new house of brick building of the Lord Lexingtons, wth the walls and towers that Looks very Well. Newark is a very neate Stone built town, the Market place is very Large and Look’d ffine; just by it is the Great Church wch is Large and with a very high Spire, there is prayers twice a day in it. There remaines the holes in the Church walls that the bullets made which were shott into the town in the Siege Laid to it by the Parliament army in the Civil warrs: the Castle was then demolish’d so yt only the ruinated walls remaine wch is washed by a very pretty river. At this we Enter Nottinghamshire and here I met wth the strongest and best Nottingham ale that Looked very pale but Exceeding Clear. Thence to Nottingham town, its 12 mile more and we ffery’d over the Trent wch in some places is so deep, but waggons and horses ffords it. I rode along 7 or 8 mile by the Trent wch is a ffine River tho’ not so broad as the Thames is at Kingston, but it look’d very pleasant to Ride by its bancks for so many miles, and on the other side was a high Ridge of hills shaded over from the top to the bottom wth fine trees and this for Severall Miles. When on the other hand you see a vast bottom Called Note Vale, ye wood belongs to one Mr Heckam. You pass by severall pretty houses by the river Side, Stone buildings, good Gardens, and a Little farther you see the Lord Kingstons house wch is Contigeous to Nottingham town, called Home Peirpoynt wch Looks finely in woods. The town of Nottingham is the neatest town I have seen, built of stone and delicate, Large and long Streetes much like London, and ye houses Lofty and well built. The Market place is very broad, out of wch runns a very Large Streete much like Holborn but the buildings ffine, and there is a Pyaza all along one side of one of the Streetes, wth Stone pillars for walking that runns the Length of the Streetes wch is a mile long. All the Streetes are of a good size all about ye town and well pitch’d, there are severall good houses in the town. There are 3 or 4 Large houses of the Duke of New-Castles wth the Castle wch is a fine thing—stands very high on a hill—and when you Come to the Castle you ascend 40 Steps to the Court and hall. The roomes are very Lofty and Large, 6 or 7 state roomes and a long gallery hung with fine Pictures of the ffamily; the wanscoate is most of Cedar. Some Roomes are hung with good tapistry. The Chamber of State is hung wth very Rich tapistry so much silver and gold in it that the 3 pieces that hung the Roome Cost 1500£: the bed was rail’d in as ye presence Chamber used to be, ye bed was damaske. The floore of the roome was jnlay’d wth Cyphers and the Corronet: here ye Princess Ann Lay when she fled in King James’s tyme when the prince of orange was Coming over. On the Leads you have a very fine prospect of ye whole town and river; You see the Earle of Kingstones and Sr Thomas Willoughby’s fine house on ye other side of ye town, and at a distance we see Beavior Castle the Earle of Rutland’s house, and a prospect more than 20 mile about, shewing the diversityes of Cultivation and produce of the Earth. The land is very Rich and fruitfull, so the Green Meadows wth the fine Corrn ffields wch seemes to bring forth in handfulls. They soe most of Barley and have great Encrease, there is all sorts of Graine besides, and plaines and Rivers and Great woods and Little towns all in view. They make brick and tile by ye town—the Manufacture of the town mostly Consists in weaving of Stockings wch is a very Ingenious art. There was a man that spunn glass and made Severall things in glass—birds and beasts. I spunn some of the glass and saw him make a swan presently wth divers Coull’d glass; he makes Buttons wch are very strong and will not breake. Nottingham is ffamous for good ale, so for Cellars, they are all dugg out of the Rocks and so are very Coole. Att ye Crown Inn is a Cellar of 60 stepps down, all in ye Rock Like arch worke over your head: in ye Cellar I dranke good ale. We were very well Entertained and very Reasonably att the Blackmoors head; thence we went to Mansfield 12 mile and pass’d some part of the fine fforest of Sherwood. Mansfield is a Little Market town built with Stone, there is a Little river; they make and dye Tammy’s here. There is one pretty Stone built house just by the water side of 40 Stepps ascent into it. At the End of the town is an hospital built by a quaker for ancient people, its a good neat building, they were to have 8 pound a year a piece and the roomes and Gardens, but its Chiefly for their friends. There is nothing remarkable here but the dearness of ye Inns, tho’ in so plentifull a Country. We went thence to Wursup and went through a parke of ye Duke of New-Castles and by his house Calld Welbeake. Ye house is but old and Low buildings, but the parke is the Noblest wood I Ever saw, fine and stately Straight. A mile thence is a fine pile of Buildings of Stone very uniforme and high Called Worsup Mannour built by a Coe heir of the Devonshire house—3 sisters built 3 noble buildings, this and Ardeck and Chattsworth. A little beyond this is another Building the remaines of Worsup Abby. All the way to Blith is a very heavy Sandy Way 12 miles. At Blith was a very Sweete house and Gardens and Grounds, it was of Brick work Coyn’d with Stones and the Windows with Stone, all sashes; the building was so neate and Exact, it was Square wth 4 juttings out at Each Corner; it Stands high and Commands the Sight of the Country about. The fine river by it with fish ponds and Meadows and fine woods beyond makes it look very pleasant. The Gardens are very neate and after the London Mode, of Gravel and Grass walks and Mount, and the Squaires with dwarfes and Cyprus, ffirre and all sorts of Greens and fruite trees, its very ffruitefull—I Eate good fruite there. Its just by the Church so that a Large Arch wch did belong to the Church is now made a shady Seate to the Garden with Greens over it, under wch is a Sepulchre for ye ffamily. It belongs to one Mr Mellish a Merchant in London, its in all parts a most Compleate thing and its scituation most pleasant. Almost all ye road between this and DonCaster is sandy way, to Rosdin 3 mile, thence to DonCaster 6 miles—here Yorkshire beginns and here the Musick wellcom’d us into Yorkshire. DonCaster is a pretty Large town of Stone buildings, the streetes are good, there is a handsome Market Cross advanc’d on 20 steps at Least. The Church is neate and pretty Large, Severall Little Monuments. This town stands on the River Don, wch gives name to the town, here is also a good Large Meeteing place. We were here the Lord’s day and well Entertained at the Angel. Thence we went to Wentbridge and pass’d by woods belonging to Sr Wentworth by his house 7 mile to Wentbridge, where had been a fire the night before Caused by the Lightening and thunder wch was remarkably great as we took notice of, 2 barnes and a house was burnt.

Thence we ascended a very Steepe hill and so to Fferrybridge 3 mile where we pass’d the fine River Called the Aire, Large for Barges as was most of those Rivers I have mention’d.

From thence to TodCaster 8 mile, wch is a very good Little town for travellers, mostly jnns and little tradesmens houses. This stands on a very large River Called the Whart. Just before you Come to ye town there is some of ye water wch on Great raines are not to be pass’d—it was very deep when I went through. Thence we go much on a Causey to Yorke 8 miles more, it stands high but for one of the Metropolis and the see of ye Archbishopp it Makes but a meane appearance. The Streetes are Narrow and not of any Length, save one wch you Enter of from the bridge that is over the Ouise which Lookes like a fine River when full after much raine. It is but Low in Comparison of Some Rivers, it bears Great Barges, it Looks muddy, its full of good ffish. We Eate very good Cod fish and Salmon and that at a pretty Cheape rate, tho’ we were not in the best jnn for the Angel is the best in Cunny Streete. The houses are very Low and as jndifferent as in any Country town and the Narrowness of ye Streetes makes it appear very mean.

Nottingham is so farre before it for its size—its true Nottingham is not a quarter so bigg, Else ye Streetes and buildings are so Much Nobler as Can be jmagin’d; it Lookes better att the approach because you see the towers off ye gates and Severall Churches in Compassing ye Minster and all ye Windmills round ye town of wch there are many. Ye River runns through the town and so its divided, ye buildings Look No better than the outskirts off London Wappen &c. The Bridg is fine arches and built on with houses; the Pavements wch is Esteem’d the Chiefe part of town where ye Market house and town hall stands is so mean that Southwarke is much before it. There are a Great Many pretty Churches 16 in Number, but the minster is a noble building and holds in view at Least 30 miles before you Come to it. I saw it and also at yt distance, and saw just by it a high hill or ffortification it appeared to be, but when I Came to York I found it to be only a very high hill wth stately high trees on it as thick as Could be, a Noble Grove. The Minster is very Large and fine of Stone, Carv’d all the outside, 3 high towers above the Leads; I was in one of them, the highest, and it was 262 steps and those very Steep Steps, there is a Gallery round the middle of the Church about halfe way that goes off these steps of the tower, where you may go round and Looke down into the body of ye Church and yt was so great a distance that the men and Ladyes that were Walking below look’d like Pigmyes a very little to us above. On the Leads of ye tower Shews a vast prospect of the Country, at Least 30 mile round, you see all over the town yt Lookes as a building too much Cluster’d together, ye Streetes being so narrow—some were pretty Long. There is another river wch fills the ditches round the town Called Ffosse. In the Minster there is the Greatest Curiosity for Windows I ever saw, they are so large and so Lofty, those in the Quire at ye End and on Each side that is 3 storys high and painted very Curious with History of ye Bible; the painting is very fine such as was in Kings Chapple in Cambridge, but the Loftyness of ye windows is more than I ever saw any Where Else and by all accounts is peculiar; There is such another Window at the End of the Cross jsle just by ye Quire—all ye other Windows are of ye usual Size of other Cathedralls. Ye body of ye Church is large and I thinke Larger than any Cathedrall I have seen, bigger than Winchester Cathedrall. All these Isles are broad the people of ffashion use them to Walke in and on that account its much [something left out] they keep it not Cleaner, the Quire has a very good Carving in Wood about it, there is a very good Organ, the table cloth and Cushons and books at ye Comunion table was Crimson velvet and hangings, and its Embroyder’d very Richly wth gold of a Great depth, and Gold ffringe at ye bottom: this was Given ye Church by Doctor Lamplue yt was the Arch-bishop whose Statue is in White Marble in ye wall wth Mitre and shepherds Crook. Just by him is ye Effigy of another Bishop Laying along cut in Stone, and by the aire and Mien he looks more Like a Soldier or Beau than a Bishop and so it seemes he was in humour. The Embriodery at the table is almost yard deep, that was given by Lamplue. In the vestry there is a well of Sweet spring-water called St Peter’s well, ye St of the Church, so it is St Peters ye Cathedrall is. There is a large hunters horne tipt with Silver and Garnish’d over and Engraved ffinely all double Gilt wth a Chaine, the same given by a Gentleman that also gave his Estate to add to the revenues of ye Church, on a dislike to disobedient Children; he used the horne When he hunted and drank in it too. I saw there the ffine tissue Cannopy that was held over the head of King James the first when he Came into England and ye head of 2 mace wch were Carry’d before him then. There I saw a Chest that was Triangular fashion, the Shape of ye Coapes when folded in ye Middle and so put into this Chest. The Chapter house is very finely Carv’d and fine painting on the windows all round, its all arched Stone and Supported by its own Work haveing no pillars to Rest on, tho’ its Length and breadth be Equal and at Least 24 ffoot Each. Here was a mint for Coyning the old money and plaite into new mill’d money; I saw them at work and Stamp’d one halfe Crown my Self—they dispatch worke very fast and have Coyn’d Severall 1000_£. I see all parts of the work about ye pounding, the boyling, defineing and makeing Barres and Cutting out in ye mill and Bakeing and Stamping, all but Milling which art they are Sworne to keep private.

The Bishops Seate was 4 or 5 mile out of town on the River Ouise. Ffrom thence we went over a marshy Comon to the Spaw at Marsborough 12 mile; the town is a pretty stone building, in it a large Market place; there is a River, the water Looks black, I ffancy it runns off from the Iron and sulpher mines which Changes the Coullr;—We pass it over on a large bridge, tho’ in some places they may ford it, its all on a Rock and the Sides of the hill by ye River is all rock and the Little houses are all built in the Rocks, there is a little Chapple cut out of the Rock and arch’d and Carved wth ffigures of Saints, I suppose its Called Sr Robert Chapple he was Esteemed a very devout man, his Effigee is Carv’d at the Entrance, there is an alter yt was deck’d wth flowers and the Ground wth Rushes for ye devout that did frequent it. Severall Papists there about and many that Came to ye Spaw and St Mongers well did say their prayers there. There was a Manuscript wth a long story of this Sr Robert. There is also the ruines of an abbey where there has been many bones taken up and some preserv’d as Reliques—there was a papist Lady Lodg’d where we did and our Land Lady at ye Inn where we were treated Civily she told us she went with this Lady among these ruines where the Lady would say her prayers, and one day some had been digging and brought up ye bone of a mans arme and hand and ye Ligature of ye Elbow held ye bones together wch by Strikeing Came asunder, and in ye hollow part of ye joynt was a jelly like blood that was moist, this Lady dipp’d ye End of her handkerchief in it and so Cut it off and put it up as a Relique. There are ye ruinated walls of the Castle remaines but of no use, but some part is made a prison and some vaults made Cellars. I dranke very Strong Clear ale in one of those Cellars.

We were in a very pretty Garden of a Gentlemans of our LandLady Mason’s acquaintance where was all manner of Curiosityes of fflowers and Greens—Great variety—there is also a Cherry Garden with Green walkes for ye Company to walk in and a Great Seate in a high tree that gives a pleasant prospect.

From thence we went over to Haragate wch is just by the Spaw, two mile further over a Common that belongs to Knarsborough; its all marshy and wett and here in the Compass of 2 miles is 4 very different springs of water; there is the Sulpher or Stincking spaw, not Improperly term’d for the Smell being so very strong and offensive that I could not force my horse Near the Well; there are two Wells together with basons in them that the Spring rises up in, which is ffurr’d with a White Scumm which rises out of the water, if you keep it in a Cup but a few hours it will have such a white Scumm on it, not withstanding it rises out of ye Spring very Cleare and so being a quick Spring itt Soone purges it Self Cleare againe, it Comes from Brimstone mines, for the taste and smell is much of Sulpher, tho’ it has an additionall offenciveness Like Carrion. The Ground is Bitumus or the Like that it runns over, it has a quality of Changing Silver into ye Coullr of Copper and that in a few minutes, much quicker than the Baths in the West County in Somersetshire. Its a quick purger and very good for all Scurbutick humours, some persons drink a quart or two, I dranke a quart in a Morning for two dayes and hold them to be a good Sort of Purge if you Can hold yr breath so as to drinke them down. Within a quarter of a mile is the sweete spaw or Chalibiet, a Spring which rises off Iron and steele like Astrup or Tunbridge and Like the German Spaw. This is a quick Spring and the Well made up with a bason, and a Cover of Stone over it Like an arch; this opperates as all jron springs does, tho I Could not find them so strong or spiriteous as those at Tunbridge. One thing I observ’d of the Stinking spaw tho’ its taste and opperation was like the Somersetshire bathes, yet this was not warme in the Least as those Bathes are. Just Between these two spaws is a fine Cleare and sweete Spring of Comon water very good to wash Eyes and pleasant to Drinke. The ffourth Spring wch is but two mile off these is of a petrifying quality turnes all things into stone. It rises in a banck on ye top of a hill and so runns along in a little Channell about a foote over and all the Ground it runns over is moorish and full of holes with water Standing in it, wch stincks just like the Sulpher Spaw and will turn Silver to the Coullour of Copper as yt does. Notwithstanding this Clear spring runns through it with a Swift Current to the brow of ye hill and then it spreads it Self all round ye hill wch is a Rock, and so runns down all over the brow of ye hill Continually, like a Nasty shower of Small and Great Raine, and so it meetes in ye bottom and runns all into the river Knarsborough, and this water as it runns—where it Lyes in the hollows of ye Rock does turn moss and wood into Stone or rather Crusts or Candys wood. I saw some wch had a perfect Shell of stone about it, but they tell me it does in tyme penetrate through the Wood. I took Moss myself from thence which is all Crisp’d and perfect Stone; all the Grass Straws or any thing that the water falls upon it does Convert to hardness like Stone. Ye Whole rock is Continually dropping with water besides ye Showering from the top wch ever runns and this is Called the dropping well. There is an arbour and ye Company used to Come and Eat a Supper there in any Evening to have the pleaseing prospect and the murmuring Shower to Divert their Eare; in a good Space of tyme it will harden Ribon Like Stone or any thing Else.

Ffrom Harragate to Cockgrave is 6 mile where is a Spring of exceeding Cold Water Called St Mongers Well; the Story is of a Child yt was Laid out in ye Cold for the parishes Care and when the Church-Wardens found it they took Care of it—a new born Infant—and when it was baptised they gave it the Name of “Amongst” because they said the Child must be kept among them, and as the papist sayes he was an Ingenious Child and so attained Learning and was a very religious man and used this spring to wash himself; after sometymes that he had gotten prefferrment and so grew Rich he walled the Spring about and did many Cures on diseased bodies by batheing in it, wch Caused after his death people to frequent the Well wch was an Inconveniency to ye Owners of ye ground, and so they forbad people Coming and Stopped up ye Well; and the Story sayes on that severall judgments Came on the owners of ye Ground and ye Spring broke up all about his Ground wch forced him to open it againe and render it usefull to all that would Come to Washe in it—thus farre of ye fable.

Now the Spring is in use and a high wall round it, Ye Well is about 4 or 5 Yards square and round the brimm is a walke of Broad stone round. There are 4 or 5 Steps down to the bottom, it is no deeper at Some places then a Little above ye Waste, not up to ye Shoulders of a woman, and you may kneel on a flatt Stone and it Comes to yr Chin—this the papists made use of very much. At one Corner the Springs rise they are very quick and there is a Sluce that it Continually runns off so as to keep just at the same depth, and it runns off so fast and ye Springs supply so fast that it Clears the Well presently after any body has been in. I allwayes Chose to be just where ye springs rise that is much the Coldest and it throws off anything in the Well to ye Sluce. Setting aside ye papists ffancyes of it I cannot but think it is a very good Spring being remarkably Cold and just at ye head of ye Spring, so its ffresh wch must needs be very strengthning; it Shutts up the pores of ye body immeadiately, so fortifyes from Cold, you Cannot bear ye Coldness of it above 2 or 3 minutes and then you Come out and walke round ye pavement and then in againe, and so 3 or 4 or 6 or 7 as many tymes as you please. You go in and out in Linnen Garmts, some go in fflannell; I used my bath Garmts and so pulled them off and put on flannell when I Came out to go into the bed which is best; but some Came at a distance—so did I and did not go into bed—but some will keep on their wet Garments and let them drye to them and say its more beneficial, but I did not venture it. I dipp’d my head quite over every tyme I went in and found it Eased a Great pain I used to have in my head, and I was not so apt to Catch Cold so much as before wch I imputed to the Exceeding Coldness of ye Spring that shutts up the pores of the body. Its thought it runns off of some very Cold spring and from Clay. Some of ye papists I saw there had so much Zeale as to Continue a quarter of an hour on their knees at their prayers in ye Well, but none else Could well endure it so long at a tyme, I went in 7 Severall seasons and 7 tymes Every Season and would have gone in oftener Could we have Staid longer. We went back to Harragat 6 mile and then we went to Burrough Bridge 8 mile—a famous place for Salmon, but then we Could not meete with any, but we had a very Large Codfish there above a yard long and more than halfe a yard in Compass very fresh and good and Cost but 8 pence. I saw as big a one bought then for 6 pence and six Crabbs as big as my two hands, the Least was bigger than one of my fists, all cost but 3 pence. Thence to Harragate 8 mile, then we went and Laid at Knarsburoughe 2 mile, wch was nearer to St Mungers Well, for we went it twice from Harragate and back wch was 12 mile more and found it too farre to go in an afternoon—from Knarsburough it was but 4 mile; we went it four tymes and back wch was 16 miles and we went afterwards to Harraget 3 tymes and back 12 mile more. From Knarsborough we went to Rippon a pretty Little market town mostly built of Stone, 8 mile, a Large Market place with a high Cross of severall Stepps; we were there the Market day where provisions are very plentifull and Cheape.

In the Market was sold then 2 good Shoulders of veal, they were not very fatt nor so large as our meate in London but good meate, one for 5d the other for 6d, and a good quarter of Lamb for 9d or 10d, and its usual to buy a very good Shoulder of Veale for 9 pence, and a quarter of Beefe for 4 shillings; Indeed it is not large ox Beef but good Middling Beasts: and Craw ffish 2d a Dozn—so we bought them.

Notwithstanding this plenty some of ye Inns are very dear to Strangers that they Can impose on. The town Stands on a hill and there is a good large Stone built Church well Carved, they Call it a minster. There is very fine painting over the alter, it Looks so natural just like Real Crimson satten with gold ffringe like hangings, and Severall rows of Pillars in jsles on Either side wch looks very naturall. There are two good Bridges to the town, one was a rebuilding, pretty large with Severall arches Called Hewet bridge—its often out of repaire by reason of the force of ye water that Swells after great raines, yet I see they made works of wood on purpose to breake the violence of ye Streame and ye Middle arche is very Large and high.

There are Severall good houses about ye town and Severall Gentlemens Seates about a mile or two distance: 2 mile off is a fine place of Sr Edwd Blackets, it looks finely in ye approach in the Midst of a good parke, and a River runns just by it, it stands in the middle and has two Large Gardens on Each side. You Enter one through a Large Iron Barr-gate painted Green and gold tops and Carv’d in Severall places, this is ffine Gravel walks between grass plotts 4 Square, with 5 brass Statues Great and Small in Each square, and full of borders of flowers and Green banks with flower potts. On ye other side of ye house is just such a Garden, only the walkes are all grass rowl’d and the Squares are full of dwarfe trees, both ffruites and green, set Cross wayes wch Lookes very finely. There is a flower Garden behind ye house; in it and beyond it a Landry Close, with frames for drying of Cloths, walled in. There are good Stables and Coach house and all the offices are very Convenient—very good Cellars all arch’d, and there I dranke small beer four years old not too Stale, very Clear good Beer well brew’d. Their kitching, pastry and pantry &c all very Convenient; in ye pantry hangs a picture of ye dimentions of a large ox yt was fed in these grounds wth ye accò of its weight. Ye Quarters was 106 Stone 1£ and ye hide was 12 stone and 8 pound, the tallow was 19 stone, the head 4 stone, ye Legs and feate weigh’d 3 stone 11£. This Gentleman breeds and feeds much Cattle in his grounds and has one of ye largest Beeves in England.

his house is built with bricke and Coyn’d wth stone wth a flatt Roofe Leaded, wth railes and Barristers, and a large Cupilow in ye middle—you may see a Greate way round ye Country. Ye ffront Entrance is 3 gates of Iron Barres and spikes, painted blew with gold tops, and brick work between ye gates and pillars with stone tops Carv’d Like flower potts; ye pillars all Coyn’d with Stone. Ye Middle gate is made large in a Compass like a halfe Moone.

There are four more spaces in the wall open with Iron barres and spikes, 2 of wch are in each side into ye Gardens, and answers two Like them on the other side of the Gardens. The two other are Less and are at ye End of a terrass walk just along ye Entrance wch you ascend by Steps from the Middle gate; they are all adorned with brick pillars Coyn’d wth stone and Stone heads—these are all painted blew and gold tipps. From the Terrass you have a Court yt Leads into ye middle of ye house into a large hall; over ye doore at ye Entrance is a fine Carving of stone wth Leaves and flowers with fine stone pillars, and ye Armes Cutt finely, there is a fine dyal and Clock above all. The hall you Enter is of a very good size and height. 2 dineing roomes and drawing roomes, one for the Summer with a marble floore, 6 or 7 Chambers off a good size and lofty, so ye most of ye beds were two foote too low wch was pitty they being good beds, one was Crimson ffigured velvet, 2 damaske beds, the rest moehaire and Cambet. Ye roomes were mostly wanscoated and painted. Ye best roome was painted just like marble—few roomes were hung. The ffurniture was very neately kept and so was the whole house, the roofe of ye Staires was finely painted, there was Severall pictures but not Set up the house being in mourning for his Lady, and her mother the Lady Yorke, wch dyed in a month or two of Each other. She left Sr Edward 10 Children, he has a great state and will have the 2000 P an fall to him that is Lady Mary Ffenwichs anuity. he was a merchants son at Bristol. The house is served with water by pipes into a Cistern into ye Garden, Cellars and all offices. This was the ffinest house I saw in Yorkshire. We returned to Knarsborough 9 mile and from thence we went to York againe 12 mile, this was ye worst Rideing in Yorkshire, then we passed thro’ York town by another gate towards Hull, and yt Streete was Larger and better buildings than what I saw before in Yorke, and here we pass over the muddy River, Called the muddy Ffosse. We passed over the river Derwent that runns through the middle of Derbyshire to Born Bridge 9 mile, Whitten 6 miles a Little neate Thatch’d town of a mile long where we Lay, and passed by Burlington Lord Cliffords house that stood in a bottom amongst trees and Look’d well, and they Say is well painted and good ffurniture, but I saw not ye Inside, only pass’d by it. There we had a very Large Salmon that Cost and ye sauce but 18d, it was very ffresh and good and above 3 quarters of a yard long. Thence to Beverly 9 miles wch is a very fine town for its size, its prefferable to any town I saw but Nottingham. There are 3 or 4 Large Streetes well pitch’d bigger than any in York, the other Lesser Streets about ye town being Equal with them. The Market Cross is Large, there are 3 markets, one for beasts another for Corne and another for ffish, all Large, the town is Serv’d with Water by wells walled up round or rather in a Square, above halfe ones length, and by a pully and weight letts down or draws up the Buckat wch is Chained to ye beame of ye pully. There are many of these wells in all the streetes it seemes its in Imitation of Holland, they being supply’d with water soe. The buildings are new and pretty Lofty, the Minster has been a ffine building all stone, Carv’d on the outside wth ffigures and Images, and more than 100 pedastalls that remaine where Statues has stood of angels and the like. The wood worke in the quire is very ffine. Just by the Comunion table is the Sanctuary or place of Refuge where Criminalls flee for Safety—its a Seate of Stone work Cut all in one.

Earle of Northumberland’s and Lady’s Monuments—his is very plaine, only a marble Stone raised up with Stone about 2 yards high; his Name, by means of his great atchievments in the Barrons warre, great Percy Earle of Northumberland, is monument Enough to posterity. His tombe was a little fallen in and a hole So bigg as many put their hands in and touch’d the body wch was much of it Entire of ye bonds; the Skull was whole and the teeth firme, tho’ of so many yeares standing. The Countess’s monument is very fine, its made of ye same free stone ye Church is built wth, but so finely polished yt it looks like Marble, and Carv’d wth figures, birds leaves, flowers, beasts and all sorts of things and ye armes is Cutt out in severall places all about it; the top of the arch is one Entire Stone as much as one Can Grasp and its all finely Carv’d wth all sorts of Curiosityes and adorn’d with Gilding and painting.

There are 4 good monuments all of marble of ye Wharton ffamily. In the middle of ye Church is ye tomb of St John with a brass Inscription on ye pavement, and at a little distance they shew’d us the wearing of ye pavement with ye obeisance of his votarys, this being St John of Beverly. At the End of ye Church is ye ffont, ye upper part of it, that is the bason was of one Entire marble of a Darke Coullour. Ye Cover was Carv’d Exactly and of a Piramidy fform and very high. There is another Church Called St Mary’s yt is very large and good I thought that had been the Minster at first Entrance of ye town; there is the prayers Everyday and its used on all accounts and so the other is neglected. This has a quire in which they were preaching wn we were there. There is a very good free schoole for boys, they say ye best in England for Learning and Care wch makes it fill’d with Gentlemens Sons besides the free Schollars from all parts—provision being very Cheape here. I was offered a large Codffish for a shilling and good Pearch very Cheape, we had Crabbs bigger than my two hands pence apiece wch would have Cost 6 pence if not a shilling in London and they were very sweete. From thence we went to Hull 6 mile all upon a Caussey secured wth two little rivers running on Each Side wch is used to flow over their grounds it being a Great fflatt severall miles, and the meadows are Cloth’d wth good Grass by yt means. The river Hull runns from Beverly at the town End, just by ye Minster you Cross it, this runns to Hull, ye town is properly Called so from that River, but its name is Kingston on ye Hull, being built on yt River wch runns into ye Humber wch is a noble River—ye mouth of it opens just agst this town. The buildings of Hull are very neate good streets, its a good tradeing town by means of this great River Humber yt Ebbs and flows Like the Sea, and is 3 or 4 mile over at ye Least; it runns 20 mile hence into ye Sea and takes in all ye great Rivers—ye Trent Ouise, Aire, Don, ye Derwent and ye Hull, and Carries much water that a man of warre of all sorts Can Ride. I was on board a new man of warre yt belonged to the town and Called ye Kingston, it was but small, well Compact for provision and was built fit for swift saileing. The Humber is very salt, allwayes it rowles and tosses just like ye Sea, only ye soile being Clay turnes ye Water and waves yellow and soe it differs from ye Sea in Coullour, not Else—its a hazardous water by reason of many shoares ye tides meete. I was on it a pretty way and it seemes more turbulent than ye Thames at Gravesend.

We enter ye town of Hull from ye Southward over two drawbridges and gates, there is the Same Entrance in another part of ye town by 2 gates and 2 drawbridges from Holderness, and so ye ditches are round ye town to ye Landward, and they Can by them floate ye grounds for 3 mile round wch is a good ffortification. The Garrison and plattforme wch is the ffortification to ye Sea is in a very uniforme ffigure and were it ffinished is thought it would be the ffinest ffortification that Could be seen—its wall’d and pallisadoed. I walked round it, and viewed it and when I was on ye water, it seemes to runn a great Length and would require many Soldiers to deffend ye halfe moons and workes. In the town there is an hospitall yts Called ye Trinity house, for Seamens widdows, 30 is their Completmt, their allowance 16d pr weeke and ffewell, they have a little Chapple to it for prayers; over this building is a large roome for Cordage and sailes, where they make them and keep their Stores. In the middle of this roome there hangs a Canoe to ye Roofe of ye Roome just bigg Enough for one man to sit in, and the Effigie of a man that was taken wth it, all his Cloths Cap and a Large bag behind him where in his ffish and provision were, these were all made of ye skin of ffishes and were ye same wch he wore when taken, ye forme of his face is only added and just resemble ye wild man that they took, for so the Inscription Calls him, or ye bonny boate man; he was taken by Captn Baker and there are his oars and spear yt was with him—this is all written on ye boat to perpetuate ye memory of it; he would not speak any Language or word to them yt took him nor would he Eate, so in a few dayes died. There is a good large Church in Hull. You Enter a large jsle just in the Middle that runns quite aCross through the Church, and divides the body of the Church wth ye pulpet and pews on one Side with a partition of wood Carv’d, and on the other side was such another partition for ye Chancell, and I observ’d there their alter stood tablewise for ye Comunion just in the middle of ye Chancell, as it was in the primitive tymes before Popery Came in. There was Severall Little monuments of marble in ye walls. Ffrom thence to Beverly againe 6 mile wch is all a flatt, thence to Brance Burton 8 mile, all likewise on a Levell wch they Call Loughs. Here we Could get no accomodation at a Publick house, it being a Sad poore thatch’d place and only 2 or 3 Sorry Alehouses, no lodgings but at ye hall house as it was Called Where liv’d a Quaker wch were Sufficient people. The rooms were good old rooms being ye Lord of the mannours house—these were but tennants—but did Entertain us kindly, made two good beds for us and also for our Servants, and good bread and Cheese, bacon and Eggs. Thence we went to Agnes-Burton 7 mile, the miles are long and so they are in most part of these Northern County’s. This is the East Rideing of Yorkshire and we saw ye Session house at Beverly for this Rideing.

Agnes Burton is a Seate of Sr Griffith Boyntons, Grandson to Sr ffrancis wch married my father’s Sister one of William Lord Viscount Say and Seales Daughters.

It looks finely In the approach. A mile or two off we pass by another of his houses wch is newer built and very good Gardens, Called Barmstone,—we Eate some of ye good ffruite. The house is all built with Bricks and so good Bricke that at 100 years standing no one Brick is faulty; it stands on a pretty ascent. We Enter under a Gate-house built wth 4 large towers into a Court which is large, in ye middle is a Bowling green palisado’d round, and ye Coaches runns round it to the Entrance wch is by 10 stepps up to a Tarress, and thence a pav’d walke to ye house. Cut box and ffilleroy and Lawrell about ye Court. The ffront Looks very uniform with severall round buildings on each side answerring Each other with Compass windows, and ye middle is a Round building, and ye door Enters in in ye side of yt tower wch was ye old fashion in Building and is like my brother Say’s house at Broughton.

Out of an Entry you Come into a very Lofty good hall, ye Screen at the Lower End (wch divides it from ye Entry) is ffinely Carv’d, the parlour and drawing roome are well proportion’d roomes, and ye wanscoate is all well Carv’d, ye moldings of ye doores and Chimneys are finely Carv’d wth Staggs and all sorts of beasts, woods and some leaves and flowers and birds and angells &c. There is beyond this a very good little parlour wth plaine wanscoate painted in veines like marble, dark and white Streakes. There is a very good dineing roome over this and 5 very good Chambers some well ffurnished, all very neate and Convenient wth Closetts to their own apartments and Anty roomes. There is much of ye Same ffine Carving in the dineing roome, the Chambers are all wanscoated and Carv’d, there is a noble gallery over all, with large windows on ye sides and at Each End painted very Curiously, out of wch you view the whole Country round and discover the shipps under saile though at a good distance. The Gardens are large and are Capable of being made very ffine—they now remaine in the old ffashion. There is gravell walks and grass and Close walks, there is one walke all ye Length of the Garden Called the Crooked walke, of grass well Cutt and rowled, it is indented in and out in Corners, and so is the wall wch makes you thinke you are at ye End off the walke Severall tymes before you are, by means of ye Codling hedge that is on the other side. This Leads you to a summer house that also opens to a large gravell walke that runns the breadth of ye Garden to the house ward. From Agnes Burton we went to Scarborough 14 mile. We pass’d from this flatt to Boynton, thence ascended the wouls or high hills so Called in this County, and it prov’d misty wch made our observations to be fixed on it that the mist was thicker and more held in those high wouls as raine or mist is in thick trees, so ye mist was much more there than in ye plaine, so thick in some you Could not see the top. We descended these high wouls by a steep and hazardous precipice on one Side and ye way narrow.

Scarbrough is a very pretty Sea-port town built on the Side of a high hill. The Church Stands in the most Eminent place above all ye town and at Least 20 Steps you ascend up into ye Churchyard. The ruines of a Large Castle remaines, the Walls in Compass Severall acres of ground yt feeds many beasts and milch Cows. Ye hill on wch the Castle Stands is very Steep and Severall trenches over one another, round the walls all one Side of the Castle Stands out to the sea shore a good Length. Its open to the Main ocean and to secure the harbour there is a mole or halfe moone, two, one within ye other something resembling the Cobb at Lime in Sommersetshire. The sea when the tide is in is Close up to the town and the bottom of a Ridge of hills that runns from the town 5 or 6 mile in a Compass. When its Ebb water it Leaves ye shore 400 yards all a flatt, and such good sand, as you presently walke on it without Sinking, ye Sand is so smooth and firme, and so you may walke 5 or 6 mile on the Sand round by ye ffoote of this Ridge of hills, wch is the poynt by wch all the Shipps pass that go to NewCastle or that way. I see 70 saile of shipps pass the point and so Come onward at some Distance off from the Castle, Supposed to be Colliers and their Convoys. On this Sand by the Sea shore is ye Spaw well wch people frequent, and all the diversion is ye walking on this sand twice a day at ye Ebb of the tide and till its high tide and then they drink. Its something from an Iron or Steele minerall but by means of the tide flowing on it Every tyme. Especially spring tydes it Covers ye well quite—and allwayes flowes up just to it, wch Leaves a brackish and saltness wch makes it purge pretty much, but they say ye Spring is so quick that it soone Casts off ye Sea water; but in my opinion is yt the whole spring and all the Springs that Bubble up all over the sands must be agreable and of the sort of water the sea is, being so just on the sea side and so neare must be Influenc’d by ye salt water. It seems to be a pretty turbulent Sea, I was on it in a little boate but found it very rough even just in ye harbour, I suppose the Cause may be from standing so open to ye Maine. The town has abundance of Quakers in it, most of their best Lodgings were In quakers hands, they Entertain all people, soe in Private houses in the town by way of ordinary, so much a Meale and their Ale. Every one finds themselves—there are a few Inns for horses only. I was at a quakers meeteing in the town where 4 men and 2 women spoke one, after another had done, but it seem’d such a Confusion and so inCoherent that it very much moved my Compassion and pitty to see their delusion and Ignorance and no less Excited my thankfullness for the Grace of God that upheld others from such Errors. I observ’d their prayers were all made on the first person and single, though before the body of people; it seems they allow not of ones being the mouth of ye Rest in prayer to God tho’ it be in the publick meetings. In this town we had good accomodations and on very Reasonable terms. They drye a large ffish Like Codlings and salt them and when you dress them, water them; then they string them on wire, and so Rost them before the fire and make good sauce for them, they Eate very well and as tender as a fresh Codling and very sweete iff they were well cured when they were first taken, Else they will taste stronge.

Thence we went to Maulton 14 miles wch is a pretty large town built of Stone but poor; there is a large market place and severall great houses of gentlemens round the town. There was one Mr Paumes that marry’d a relation of mine Lord Ewers Coeheiress who is landlady of almost all ye town. She has a pretty house in the place. There is the ruins of a very great house wch belonged ye family but they not agreeing about it Caused ye defaceing of it. She now makes use of ye roomes off ye outbuildings and gate house for weaving and Linning Cloth, haveing set up a manuffactory for Linnen wch does Employ many poor people. She supply’d me wth very good beer, for ye Inn had not the best. Thence to York 14 miles, and so to Tadcaster 8 mile, thence to Aberfford 4 miles all on a heavy bottom, their miles are long and I observe the ordinary people both in these parts of Yorkshire and in the northern parts Can scarce tell you how farre it is to the next place unless it be in the great towns, and there in their publick houses, and they tell you its very good yate Instead of Saying it is good way, and they Call their gates yates, and do not Esteem it uphill unless so steep as a house or precipice; they say its good levell gate all along when it maybe there are Severall great hills to pass, but this account did Encrease on us the nearer we Came to Darbyshire, but in Generall they Live much at home and scarce Ever go 2 or 10 mile from thence Especially the women, so may be term’d good housekeepers. To Aberford we Came by severall pretty Seates in view, we Lay at an acquaintances house Mrs Hickeringalls: thence we went to Castleton Bridge 5 mile, where was a glass house; we saw them blowing white glass and neale it in a large oven by the heate of ye ffurnace. All the Country is full of Coale and the pitts are so thick in ye roade that it is hazardous to travell for strangers.

Thence to Pomffret 3 miles wch Looks very finely in the approach. Its built on a hill all of stone, its a very neate building and ye streets well pitch’d and broad, the houses well built and looks more stately than any in York, only its not the tenth part so bigg, its a neate little town as I have seen. there are severall very good houses in it, one Doctr Burgess has built a very good house wch is Call’d his ffolly. There is a noble house at the Entrance of the town of ye Lady Grace Perpoynt, and good Parke Gardens and walks and a great revenue belonging to it,—the Daughter of the Marquis of Dorchesters. There is a ffine Church in the town and as spacious a market place as is at Salisbury or as you shall see any where, and the building so Even and uniforme as well as Lofty that it appears very magnificent—its a Major town. We were in the Chief Inn the Sunn, tho’ there are many good Inns, but this was a very good Genteel jnn and it happen’d the Landlord was then Major of ye town.

Provisions are very Easy here, we had 2 or 3 pound of Codffish for a small matter and it was a Large dish. Ye town is full of Great Gardens walled in all round on ye outside of the town, on the Edge of ye hill so the Gardens runns down a great way, you descend with them by severall stepps. Its a fruitfull place, fine flowers and trees with all sorts of fruite, but that wch is mostly jntended is the Encreasing of Liquorish wch ye Gardens are all filled with, and any body that has a Little ground improves it for the produce of Liquorish of wch there is vast quantetyes, and it returns severall 100 pounds yearly to the towns. The Leafe is not much unlike a Rose Leafe but some wt narrower and Longer, the Coullour is something a Yellower Green, Else the branches grow Like it wth double Leaves on a Stalke and severall all down ye Stalke, somewhat in the manner of Caliceily or Solomons Seale and much of that smoothness of Leafe. Thence to Hemsworth 4 mile where we Could meet wth no Lodging, only Little ale houses to give one a pot of beere, and so we went 2 mile ffarther but found it ye same and it being too farre to reach Rotheram we made use of ye hospitallity of a Clergyman one Mr Fferrer wch was a very Genteele man and gave us a Civil Entertainmt and good beds—he has a very good house and Genteely ffitted good Hall and parlour, and the Garden very neate. Its a very ffruitfull Country wch Encourages jndustry and there is plenty of Stone Like free Stone wch makes ffine houses and walls. Thence to Rotheram 12 miles, its most in a deep Clay ground and now the wayes are more difficult and narrow. Rotheram is a good market town well built all of stone. The Church stands high in ye middle of the town and Looks finely, its all Stone and Carv’d very well all the out side. Thence to Ackington 8 mile, a very Little place its 3 mile from Shellton town, but that was thought out of our way, so we Lay here in a poor Sorry Inn. There was one good bed for us Gentlewomen. Its a pretty Long Parish and through it runns a Water which Came down a great banck at the End of ye town like a precipice with such violence yt it makes a great noise, and looks Extreamely Cleare in the Streame that gushes out and runns along: it runns on off a deep yellow Coullour, they say it runns off of a poisonous mine or Soile and from Coale pitts; they permit none to taste it for I sent for a Cup of it and ye people in ye Streete Call’d out to forbid ye tasteing it, and it will beare no Soape so its useless. Here we Entred Darbyshire and went to Chesterffield 6 mile, and Came by ye Coale mines where they were digging. They make their mines at ye Entrance Like a Well and so till they Come to ye Coale, then they digg all the Ground about where there is Coale and set pillars to support it, and so bring it to ye well where by a basket Like a hand barrow by Cords they pull it up—so they Let down and up the miners with a Cord. Chesterffield Looks Low when you approach it from the Adjacent hill wch you descend, but then you ascend another to it. The Coale pitts and quaraes of stone are all about, Even just at ye town End, and in the town its all built of stone. Ye Church stands in a place of Eminency, the town Looks well, the Streets good, ye Market very Large. It was Satturday wch is their market day and there was a great Market Like some little ffaire, a great deale of Corne and all sorts of ware and ffowles there. I bought my self 2 very good ffatt white (pullings as they Call them) pullets for 6 pence both, and I am sure they were as Large and as good as would have Cost 18 pence if not 2 shills a piece in London—so said all my Company. In this town is ye best ale in the Kingdom Generally Esteem’d. All Derbyshire is full of Steep hills and nothing but the peakes of hills as thick one by another is seen in most of ye County wch are very steepe, wch makes travelling tedious and ye miles Long. You see neither hedge nor tree but only Low drye stone walls round some ground Else its only hills and Dales as thick as you Can Imagine, but tho’ the Surface of ye Earth Looks barren yet those hills are impregnated wth Rich marble stone metals, Iron and Copper and Coale mines in their bowells, from whence we may see the wisdom and benignitye of oer greate Creator to make up the Defficiency of a place by an Equivolent, and also the diversity of the Creation wch Encreaseth its Beauty. We go from Chesterffield to ye Duke of Devonshires house and ascend a high hill at Least two or three miles Long, we pass’d by a Cavity in one great Banck or Rock Called Stonidge Hall all stone of about 12 yards long and about 4 or 5 broad, its all Rock like an arch on ye Roofe but its not ffenc’d so but ye beasts trample and ffowle it you Can scarce go into it. The same long steep hill we had to descend wch Comes to Chattsworth ten mile. The Duke’s house Lyes just at ye foote of this steepe hill wch is like a precipice just at ye Last, notwithstanding the Dukes house stands on a little riseing ground from ye River Derwent wch runns all along ye front of ye house, and by a Little fall made in ye water wch makes a pretty Murmurring noise. Before ye gate there is a Large parke and Severall ffine Gardens one wth out another wth Gravell walkes and Squairs of Grass wth stone statues in them, and in ye middle of Each Garden is a Large ffountaine full of Images, sea gods and Dolphins and sea horses wch are full of pipes wch spout out water in the bason and spouts all about the Gardens. 3 gardens just round the house. Out of two of ye Gardens you ascend by Severall Stepps into other Gardens wch some have Gravell walks and squares Like ye other wth Statues and Images in the bason. There is one bason in the Middle of one Garden thats very Large and by sluces besides the Images Severall pipes plays out ye water—about 30 Large and small pipes altogether, some fflush it up that it ffrothes Like snow. There is one Garden full of stone and brass statues. So the Gardens Lyes one above another wch makes the prospect very fine. Above these gardens is an ascent of 5 or 6 stepps up to green walk and groves of firrs and a wilderness and Close arbours and shady walks. On Each End of one Walke stands two piramidies full of pipes spouting water that runns down one of them—runns on brass hollow work wch looks like rocks and hollow stones.

Ye other is all fflatts, stands one above another like Salvers so the water rebounds one from another 5 or 6 one above the Other. There is another green walke and about ye Middle of it by ye Grove stands a fine Willow tree, the Leaves, Barke and all looks very naturall, ye roote is full of rubbish or great stones to appearance and all on a Sudden by turning a sluce it raines from Each Leafe and from the branches like a shower, it being made of Brass and pipes to Each Leafe, but in appearance is Exactly like any Willow. Beyond this is a bason in wch are ye branches of two Artichock Leaves wch weeps at ye End of Each Leafe into the bason wch is placed at ye foote of Lead steps 30 in number. The Lowest step is very deep, and between Every 4 stepps is a half pace all made of Lead and are broad on Each side. On a little banck stands blew balls 10 on a side, and between Each ball are 4 pipes wch by a sluce spouts out water aCross ye stepps to Each other like an arbour or arch. While you are thus amused suddenly there runs down a torrent of water out of 2 pitchers in ye hands of two Large nimphs Cut in stone that Lyes in the upper step wch makes a pleaseing prospect. This is designed to be Enlarged and Steps made up to ye top of ye hill wch is a vast ascent, but ffrom ye top of it now they are Supply’d wth water for all their pipes so it will be the Easyer to have such a fall of water Even from ye top wch will add to the Curiositye. The house is built all of Stone yt is dugg out of the hills, its like free stone—a flatt Roofe wth Barristers and flower potts. In the ffront is 7 large windows, the glass is diamond Cutt and all off large Looking glass, ye panes bigg 4 in a breadth 7 in height, to the Garden ward was 12 windows of ye same glass 4 panes broad 8 long, ye Lowest windows are made wth Grates before them and are for birds—an Averye—and so looking glass behind. Ye stepps out of ye Garden are on Either side 20 steps and Iron barrs painted blew and tipt wth gold. Ye steps meete on ye top in a halfe pace railed ye same, but ye front entrance is not finished; there is a large Court wch is to be pas’d and so stepps on Each side of stone wth half paces up to a tarrass walke. Ye large gates of jron barrs are 3 at ye Court and from this tarress you Enter. The ffront is wth Severall Large stone pillars Carv’d, at ye Entrance into another Court wch ye house is built about, and here are peaso’s supported wth stone pillars, under wch you pass from one place to another. Out of it is ye Chappel wch is a very lofty building and supported by 4 large pillars of black marble, two at ye alter, 2 just at ye bottom to support ye gallery for ye Duke and Dutches to sitt in. Ye pillars are 14 foote, and so bigg that I could not Compass one wth my arms. These 4 and 2 stepps by ye alter was made out of one stone Cut out of ye hill just by, so is all ye marble about the house and so finely polish’d like a Looking glass; the pavemt is black and white marble vein’d, Lay’d long wayes in large stones all of ye same. Ye painting is very fine, on the top and on the sides ye history of Christ and ye New testament. There is a very fine Carving of wood and Stone, the Dove at the alter ye Angels and Cherubims wth flowers, Leaves Laurell &c. &c. very Curiously Carv’d. The hall is very Lofty, painted top and Sides with armory and there is 18 steps on Each side goes up as an arch, wth Iron Barristers tipt wth gold wch Meetes on ye top Large steps of stone. Thence you Enter a dineing roome, two drawing roomes, a bed Chamber and Closet wch opens quite thro’ the house a visto, and at the End of the dineing roome is a Large door all of Looking glass in great pannells all diamond Cutt. This is just opposite to ye doores that runs into ye drawing roome and bed Chamber and Closet so it shews ye roomes to Look all double. Ye ffloores of ye Roomes are all finely Inlaid, there is very Curious Carving over and Round the Chimney pieces, and Round the Looking-glasses that are in ye peers between the windows, and fine Carv’d shelves or stands on Each side of ye glass. Every roome is differing work and all fine Carving and over ye doores some of it is of ye Natural Coullr of ye wood and varnish’d only—others painted. Ye Dutchess’s Closet is wanscoated wth ye hollow burnt japan, and at Each Corner are peers of Looking glass; over the Chimney is Looking glass an oval and at the 4 Corners after this figure , and hollow Carving all round ye glass. The roomes are all painted very finely on ye top; all ye windows ye Squares of glass are so large and good they Cost 10s. a pannell. There was sweete tapistry hangings with small figures and very much silk, they Look’d as ffresh as if new tho’ bought severall yeares—there were no beds up. There was as many roomes on the other side wch were not ffinished, they were just painting ye Ceilings and Laying the floores wch are all jnlaid, these were the Duke and dutchess’s apartmts besides which are a great number of roomes and severall offices. There is a fine Grottoe all stone pavement Roofe and sides, this is design’d to supply all ye house wth water besides severall ffanceyes to make diversion. Within this is a batheing roome, ye walls all wth blew and white marble—the pavement mix’d, one stone white, another black, another of ye Red vaned marble. The bath is one Entire marble all white finely veined wth blew and is made smooth, but had it been as finely pollish’d as some it would have been the finest marble that Could be seen. It was as deep as ones middle on the outside, and you went down steps into ye bath big enough for two people. At ye upper End are two Cocks to let in one hott, ye other Cold water to attemper it as persons please—the Windows are all private Glass. The Gallery we ascended out of ye hall into before we Came to ye dineing roome, wch I should have spoken off then, was delicately painted over head, and Round on the top was a raile and Barristers so naturally drawn just round the Cornish, that you would take it for a Railed walke round ye top to looke down into the gallery, There is another ffine staircase all stone and hangs on it self on ye outside, ye support is from ye wall and its own building. Ye stone of ye half paces are large and one Entire stone makes Each. On the top of ye Staires ye space Leading to ye roomes are 3 large Stones, the Stones Cost 20£ a piece, so large and thick you would wonder how they should be raised up so high and be supported by its own arch without any pillars on ye outside. This is all of Stone Cut out of ye hills wch Looks like what we Call free stone. Ye house is all off the same and all the marble in ye Windows, Chimneys and pavements is all marble dug out of the hill above the house, both black, white rance, and Curiously veined and polished, so fine as any I ever saw wch Came from beyond sea. Thence we came to Bankwell a pretty neate market town 2 mile; it Stands on a hill, yet you descend a vast hill to it wch you would thinke impossible to go down, and we was forced to fetch a Great Compass, and by reason of ye steepness and hazard of ye wayes if you take a wrong Way there is no passing. You are forced to have guides as in all parts of Darbyshire, and unless it be a few yt use to be guides ye Common people know not above 2 or 3 mile from their home, but they of ye Country will Climbe up and down wth their horses those steep precipices. There are many fine springs of water purling out of ye Rock on these hills. At Bankwell there was an Excellent Minister in ye Publick who pray’d and preach’d very seriously and his Life and Conversation is suitable, not very frequent in our dayes to be found.