Those townes that we call thorowfaires haue great and sumptuous innes
builded in them, for the receiuing of such trauellers and strangers as
passe to and fro. The manner of harbouring wherein, is not like to
that of some other countries, in which the host or goodman of the
house dooth chalenge a lordlie authoritie ouer his ghests, but cleane
otherwise, sith euerie man may vse his inne as his owne house in
England, and haue for his monie how great or little varietie of
vittels, and what other seruice himselfe shall thinke expedient to
call for. Our innes are also verie well furnished with naperie,
bedding, and tapisserie, especiallie with naperie: for beside the
linnen vsed at the tables, which is commonlie washed dailie, is such
and so much as belongeth vnto the estate and calling of the ghest. Ech
commer is sure to lie in cleane sheets, wherein no man hath béene
lodged since they came from the landresse, or out of the water wherein
they were last washed. If the traueller haue an horsse, his bed dooth
cost him nothing, but if he go on foot he is sure to paie a penie for
the same: but whether he be horsseman or footman if his chamber be
once appointed he may carie the kaie with him, as of his owne house so
long as he lodgeth there. If he loose oughts whilest he abideth in the
inne, the host is bound by a generall custome to restore the damage,
so that there is no greater securitie anie where for trauellers than
in the gretest ins of England. Their horsses in like sort are walked,
dressed and looked vnto by certeine hostelers or hired seruants,
appointed at the charges of the goodman of the house, who in hope of
extraordinarie reward will deale verie diligentlie after outward
appéerance in this their function and calling. Herein neuerthelesse
are manie of them blameworthie, in that they doo not onelie deceiue
the beast oftentimes of his allowance by sundrie meanes, except their
owners looke well to them; but also make such packs with slipper
merchants which hunt after preie (for what place is sure from euill &
wicked persons) that manie an honest man is spoiled of his goods as he
trauelleth to and fro, in which feat also the counsell of the tapsters
or drawers of drinke, and chamberleins is not seldome behind or
wanting. Certes I beleeue not that chapman or traueller in England is
robbed by the waie without the knowledge of some of them, for when he
commeth into the inne, & alighteth from his horsse, the hostler
forthwith is verie busie to take downe his budget or capcase in the
yard from his sadle bow, which he peiseth slilie in his hand to féele
the weight thereof: or if he misse of this pitch, when the ghest hath
taken vp his chamber, the chamberleine that looketh to the making of
the beds, will be sure to remooue it from the place where the owner
hath set it as if it were to set it more conuenientlie some where
else, whereby he getteth an inkling whether it be monie or other short
wares, & therof giueth warning to such od ghests as hant the house and
are of his confederacie, to the vtter vndoing of manie an honest
yeoman as he iournieth by the waie. The tapster in like sort for his
part dooth marke his behauiour, and what plentie of monie he draweth
when he paieth the shot, to the like end: so that it shall be an hard
matter to escape all their subtile practises. Some thinke it a gay
matter to commit their budgets at their comming to the goodman of the
house: but thereby they oft bewraie themselues. For albeit their monie
be safe for the time that it is in his hands (for you shall not heare
that a man is robbed in his inne) yet after their departure the host
can make no warrantise of the same, sith his protection extendeth no
further than the gate of his owne house: and there cannot be a surer
token vnto such as prie and watch for those booties, than to sée anie
ghest deliuer his capcase in such maner. In all our innes we haue
plentie of ale, béere, and sundrie kinds of wine, and such is the
capacitie of some of them that they are able to lodge two hundred or
three hundred persons, and their horsses at ease, & therto with a
verie short warning make such prouision for their diet, as to him that
is vnacquainted withall may seeme to be incredible. Howbeit of all in
England there are no worse ins than in London, and yet manie are there
far better than the best that I haue heard of in anie forren countrie,
if all circumstances be dulie considered. But to leaue this & go in
hand with my purpose. I will here set downe a table of the best
thorowfaires and townes of greatest trauell of England, in some of
which there are twelue or sixtéene such innes at the least, as I
before did speake of. And it is a world to sée how ech owner of them
contendeth with other for goodnesse of interteinement of their ghests,
as about finesse & change of linnen, furniture of bedding, beautie of
roomes, seruice at the table, costlinesse of plate, strength of
drinke, varietie of wines, or well vsing of horsses. Finallie there is
not so much omitted among them as the gorgeousnes of their verie
signes at their doores, wherein some doo consume thirtie or fortie
pounds, a méere vanitie in mine opinion, but so vaine will they néeds
be, and that not onelie to giue some outward token of the inne kéepers
welth, but also to procure good ghests to the frequenting of their
houses in hope there to be well vsed. Lo here the table now at hand,
for more of our innes I shall not néed to speake.
_The waie from Walsingham to London._
From Walsingham to Picknam 12.miles
From Picknam to Brandonferie 10.miles
From Brandonfarie to Newmarket 10.miles
From Newmarket to Brabram 10.miles
From Brabram to Barkewaie 20.miles
From Barkewaie to Puchrich 7.miles
From Puchrich to Ware 5.miles
From Ware to Waltham 8.miles
From Waltham to London 12.miles
_The waie from Barwike to Yorke, and so to London._
From Barwike to Belford 12.miles
From Belford to Anwike 12.miles
From Anwike to Morpit 12.miles
From Morpit to Newcastell 12.miles
From Newcastell to Durham 12.miles
From Durham to Darington 13.miles
From Darington to Northalerton 14.miles
From Northalerton to Toplife 7.miles
From Toplife to Yorke 16.miles
From Yorke to Tadcaster 8.miles
From Tadcaster to Wantbridge 12.miles
From Wantbridge to Dancaster 8.miles
From Dancaster to Tutford 18.miles
From Tutford to Newarke 10.miles
From Newarke to Grantham 10.miles
From Grantham to Stanford 16.miles
From Stanford to Stilton 12.miles
From Stilton to Huntington 9.miles
From Huntington to Roiston 15.miles
From Roiston to Ware 12.miles
From Ware to Waltham 8.miles
From Waltham to London 12.miles
_The waie from Carnaruan to Chester, and so to London._
From Carnaruan to Conwaie 24.miles
From Conwaie to Denbigh 12.miles
From Denbigh to Flint 12.miles
From Flint to Chester 10.miles
From Chester to Wich 14.miles
From Wich to Stone 15.miles
From Stone to Lichfield 16.miles
From Lichfield to Colsill 12.miles
From Colsill to Couentrie 8.miles
And so from Couentrie to London, as
hereafter followeth.
_The waie from Cockermouth to Lancaster, and so to London._
From Cockermouth to Kiswike 6.miles
From Kiswike to Grocener 8.miles
From Grocener to Kendale 14.miles
From Kendale to Burton 7.miles
From Burton to Lancaster 8.miles
From Lancaster to Preston 20.miles
From Preston to Wigam 14.miles
From Wigam to Warington 20.miles
From Warington to Newcastell 20.miles
From Newcastell to Lichfield 20.miles
From Lichfield to Couentrie 20.miles
From Couentrie to Daintrie 14.miles
From Daintrie to Tocester 10.miles
From Tocester to Stonistratford 6.miles
From Stonistratford to Brichill 7.miles
From Brichill to Dunstable 7.miles
From Dunstable to saint Albons 10.miles
From saint Albons to Barnet 10.miles
From Barnet to London 10.miles
_The waie from Yarmouth to Colchester, and so to London._
From Yarmouth to Becclis 8.miles
From Becclis to Blibour 7.miles
From Blibour to Snapbridge 8.miles
From Snapbridge to Woodbridge 8.miles
From Woodbridge to Ipswich 5.miles
From Ipswich to Colchester 12.miles
From Colchester to Eastford 8.miles
From Eastford to Chelmesford 10.miles
From Chelmesford to Brentwood 10.miles
From Brentwood to London 15.miles
_The waie from Douer to London._
From Douer to Canturburie 12.miles
From Canturburie to Sittingborne 12.miles
From Sittingborne to Rochester 8.miles
From Rochester to Grauesend 5.miles
From Grauesend to Datford 6.miles
From Datford to London 12.miles
_The waie from saint Burien in Cornewall to London._
From S. Burien to the Mount 20.miles
From the Mount to Thurie 12.miles
From saint Thurie to Bodman 20.miles
From Bodman to Launstone 20.miles
From Launstone to Ocomton 15.miles
From Ocomton to Crokehornewell 10.miles
From Crokehornewell to Excester 10.miles
From Excester to Honiton 12.miles
From Honiton to Chard 10.miles
From Chard to Crokehorne 7.miles
From Crokehorne to Shirborne 10.miles
From Shirborne to Shaftsburie 10.miles
From Shaftsburie to Salisburie 18.miles
From Salisburie to Andeuor 15.miles
From Andeuor to Basingstocke 18.miles
From Basingstocke to Hartford 8.miles
From Hartford to Bagshot 8.miles
From Bagshot to Stanes 8.miles
From Stanes to London 15.miles
_The waie from Bristowe to London._
From Bristow to Maxfield 10.miles
From Maxfield to Chipnam 10.miles
From Chipnam to Marleborough 15.miles
From Marleborough to Hungerford 8.miles
From Hungerford to Newburie 7.miles
From Newburie to Reading 15.miles
From Reading to Maidenhead 10.miles
From Maidenhead to Colbrooke 7.miles
From Colbrooke to London 15.miles
_The waie from saint Dauids to London._
From saint Dauids to Axford 20.miles
From Axford to Carmarden 10.miles
From Carmarden to Newton 10.miles
From Newton to Lanburie 10.miles
From Lanburie to Brechnocke 16.miles
From Brechnocke to Haie 10.miles
From Haie to Harford 14.miles
From Harford to Roso 9.miles
From Roso to Glocester 12.miles
From Glocester to Cicester 15.miles
From Cicester to Farington 16.miles
From Farington to Habington 7.miles
From Habington to Dorchester 7.miles
From Dorchester to Henleie 12.miles
From Henleie to Maidenhead 7.miles
From Maidenhead to Colbrooke 7.miles
From Colbrooke to London 15.miles
_Of thorowfares from Douer to Cambridge._
From Douer to Canturburie 12.miles
From Canturburie to Rofchester 20.miles
From Rofchester to Grauesend 5.miles
From Grauesend ouer the Thames to Hornedon 4.miles
From Hornedon to Chelmesford 12.miles
From Chelmesford to Dunmow 10.miles
From Dunmow to Thaxsted 5.miles
From Thaxsted to Radwinter 3.miles
From Radwinter to Linton 5.miles
From Linton to Babrenham 3.miles
From Babrenham to Cambridge 4.miles
_From Canturburie to Oxford._
From Canturburie to London 43.miles
From London to Vxbridge or Colbrooke 15.miles
From Vxbridge to Baccansfield 7.miles
From Baccansfield to east Wickham 5.miles
From Wickham to Stocking church 5.miles
From Stocking church to Thetisford 5.miles
From Thetisford to Whatleie 6.miles
From Whatleie to Oxford 4.miles
_From London to Cambridge._
From London to Edmonton 6.miles
From Edmonton to Waltham 6.miles
From Waltham to Hoddesdon 5.miles
From Hoddesdon to Ware 3.miles
From Ware to Pulcherchurch 5.miles
From Pulcherchurch to Barkewaie 7.miles
From Barkewaie to Fulmere 6.miles
From Fulmere to Cambridge 6.miles
_Or thus better waie._
From London to Hoddesdon 17.miles
From Hoddesdon to Hadham 7.miles
From Hadham to Saffron Walden 12.miles
From Saffron Walden to Cambridge 10.miles