Except on the river side w^{ch} serves for the wall. They seeme y^e best
in repaire of any walled Citty I know tho’ in some places there are
little breaches, but the Carving and battlements and towers Lookes well.
I enter’d the west gate. There are 12 gates in all and 36 Churches,
which is to be seen in a Clear Day altogether on the Castle walls—I told
30 myself there. They are built all of flints well headed or Cut w^{ch}
makes them Look blackish and shineing. The streetes are all well pitch’d
w^{th} small stones and very Clean, and many very broad streetes: y^t I
Entred in first was very broad for 2 Coaches or Carts to pass on Either
side, and in the middle was a great well house w^{th} a wheele to wind
up the water for the good of y^e publick. A Little further is a Large
pond walled up w^{th} brick a mans height w^{th} an Entrance on one End.
A Little farther was a building on which they were at work, design’d for
a water house to supply y^e town by pipes into their houses w^{th}
water. At a Little distance was another such a pond walled in as I
described before. These things fill up the middle of this spacious
streete w^{ch} is for use and also ornament, y^e spaces Each side being
so broad. This brings you into a broad space Called the Hay market
w^{ch} is on a hill, a very steep descent all well pitch’d as before:
this Comes to another space for a market to sell hoggs in, and opens
farther into divisions of buildings that begins severall streetes y^t
runs off good Lengths and are of a tollerable size. One runs along
behind w^{ch} is all for stalls for y^e Country butchers that bring
their meate for y^e supply of y^e town, w^{ch} pay such a Rent for them
to y^e town. On y^e other side are houses of y^e town butchers, y^e
Inhabitants: by it is a Large market for fish, w^{ch} are all at a
Little distance from y^e heart of y^e Citty, so is not annoy’d w^{th}
them. There is a very Large market place and hall and Cross for fruite
and little things Every day, and also a place under pillars for y^e Corn
market.
The building round here is Esteemed y^e best and here is the town Hall,
but all their buildings are of an old form, mostly in deep poynts and
much tileing as has been observ’d before, and they playster on Laths
w^{ch} they strike out into squares like broad free stone on y^e
outside, w^{ch} makes their fronts Look pretty well; and some they build
high and Contract y^e roofes resembling the London houses, but none of
brick Except some few beyond the river w^{ch} are built of some of y^e
Rich factors like y^e London buildings. There is in y^e middle of y^e
town the Duke of Norfolks house of Brick and stone, w^{th} severall
towers and turrets and balls y^t Looks well, w^{th} Large gardens, but
y^e Inside is all demolished only y^e walls stand and a few Roomes for
offices but nothing of state or tollerable for use.
On y^e Castle hill you see y^e whole Citty at once, being built round
it: its a vast place and takes up a Large tract of ground, its 6 miles
in Compass.
Here is the County hall and Goale where y^e assizes are held and y^e
Sessions. Nothing of y^e Castle remaines but a green space, and under it
is also a Large space for y^e beast market, and 3 tymes in y^e year is
there a very great faire kept to w^{ch} resort a vaste Concourse of
people, and wares—a full trade. Y^e whole Citty Lookes Like what it is,
a Rich thriveing Industrious place; Satturday is their great market day.
They have beside y^e town hall a hall distinct w^{ch} is the scaleing
hall where their stuffs are all measured, and if they hold their
breadths and Lengths they are scaled, but if they are deffective there
is a fine Layd on y^e owner and a private marke on y^e stuff w^{ch}
shews its defficiency.
There was also y^e mint which they Coyn’d, but since the old money is
all new Coyn’d into mill’d money, that Ceases. Here there is a ffine
large Cathedrall and very Loftly, but nothing remarkable of monuments or
else: by it is 3 hospitalls for boys girls and old people who spinn
yarne, as does all y^e town besides for y^e Crapes, Callimancos and
damaskes w^{ch} is y^e whole business of the place. Indeed they are
arrived to a great perfection in worke, so fine and thinn and glossy;
their pieces are 27 yards in Length and their price is from 30 shillings
to 3 pound as they are in ffineness. A man Can weave 13 yards a day, I
saw some weaveing; they are all Employ’d in spinning, knitting weaveing,
dying, scouring or bleaching stuffs. Their hospitalls are well provided
for; there are 32 women in one as many men in y^e other, there is also a
good free schoole. There is a great many Cerimonyes in y^e Choice and
Swearing their major: they Elect him the first day of May and y^n
prepare for his being sworne on Holly Thursday. They new washe and
plaister their houses w^{th} in and without w^{ch} they strike out in
squares like free stone. All y^e streete in w^{ch} this mayor Elect’s
house, is very exact in beautifying themselves and hanging up flaggs y^e
Coull^{rs} of their Companyes, and dress up pageants and there are
playes and all sorts of show that day—in Little what is done at y^e Lord
major of London show. Then they have a great feast w^{th} fine flaggs
and scenes hung out, musick and danceing. I was in y^e hall they keep
their feast in and saw some of their preparations: for that day being
about a fortnight to it. The town is a mile and a halfe from y^e North
to y^e South gate. Just by one of y^e Churches there is a wall made of
flints that are headed very finely and Cut so exactly square and Even to
shutt in one to another that y^e whole wall is made without Cement at
all they say, but it appears to be very little if any morter; it Looks
well, very smooth shineing and black.
A great many descenters are in this Citty, the Gentlewoman that was my
acquaintance there dyed 10 dayes before I came thither so I made no
great stay there but to see about y^e town.
Thence I went to Windham a Little market town 5 miles, mostly on a
Causey y^e Country being Low and moorish, and y^e Road on y^e Causey was
in many places full of holes tho’ its secured by a barr at which
passengers pay a penny a horse in order to the mending y^e way, for all
about is not to be Rode on Unless its a very dry summer. Thence we went
mostly through Lanes where you meete y^e ordinary people knitting 4 or 5
in a Company under the hedges. To Attlborough, 5 mile more to a Little
village, still finding the Country full of spinners and Knitters: thence
to Thetford 6 miles more, w^{ch} was formerly a large place but now much
decay’d and the ruines only shews it dimentions. There is a very high
hill quite round stands up on one side of it and Can scarcely be
ascended so steep. Here I Lay, w^{ch} is still in Norfolk. Next day I
went to Euston Hall w^{ch} was y^e Lord arlingtons and by his only
daughters marriage w^{th} y^e Duke of Grafton is his sons by her. Its
two mile from thetford, it stands in a Large parke 6 miles about. Y^e
house is a Roman H of brick: 4 towers w^{th} balls on them; the windows
are Low and not sashes Else y^e roomes are of a good size and height, a
good stair case full of good pictures, a Long gallery hung w^{th}
pictures at Length, on y^e one side the Royal family from K: Henry y^e
7^{th} by y^e Scottish race, his Eldest daughter down to y^e present
King William and his queen Mary. The other side are forreign princes
from y^e Emperour of Moroccoe, y^e Northern and Southern princes and
Emperour of Germany. There is a square in y^e middle where stands a
billiard table, hung w^{th} outlandish pictures of Heroes; there is
Count Egmint and Horn &c &c, but y^e End of y^e Roome is y^e Duke and
Dutchess of Grafton’s picture at length. Thence I enter’d into dineing
and drawing roome and bed Chambers of a very good size and good fret
work on y^e Cieling: in one of the roomes was y^e Dutchess of
Cleavelands picture in a sultaness dress, the Duke of Grafton being King
Charles y^e seconds base son by her. There was also another picture of
y^e Royal family. K Charles y^e firsts 5 Children altogether. I have
often seen 3 w^{ch} was K: Charles y^e second, K: James and y^e Princess
of Orange; but here was also y^e Lady Elizabeth and y^e Duke of
Glocester a Little Infant on a pillow. In another place there is the
queen mothers picture the Lady Henrietta drawn Large. There is a fine
hall and parlour below pav’d w^{th} free stone. There are good gardens
w^{th} fountaines and some stone statutes, a Cannall by y^e side, a
Large Court at y^e Entrance w^{th} 3 Iron barr gates w^{ch} open to y^e
ffront, divided w^{th} stone pillars and balls. Y^e Court w^{th} out is
walled round and y^e wall is Carry’d a great Length round y^e back
yards. Within this is another Court w^{th} Iron spike pallasadoes
divided Every 2 or 3 yards by little stone pillars with balls. There are
severall Rows of trees runs of a great length thro’ the parke a visto to
y^e front of y^e house, w^{ch} lookes nobly tho’ not just of y^e new
modell’d way of building. At y^e back gate I crossed over y^e river
Waveney w^{ch} is y^e division of y^e two County’s and enter’d Suffolk
and pass’d over perfect downs, Champion Country just like Salisbery
plaine; and y^e winds have a pretty power here and blows strongly in y^e
winter not well to be Endured.
So to S^t Edmundsbery 8 mile, but as has been often observ’d before, the
miles are very long. I pass’d by two or 3 Little villages, and about 2
mile off there is y^e town of St Edm^{ds} Bury w^{ch} appeares standing
on a great hill, y^e towers and buildings Look so Compact and well
together w^{th} the trees and gardens thick about it y^e prospect was
wonderfully pleasant. A mile off by a little village I descended a hill
which made y^e prospect of y^e town still in view and much to advantage,
its but two parishes. Y^e market Cross has a dyal and Lanthorn on y^e
top, and there being another house pretty Close to it high built w^{th}
such a tower and lanthorn also, w^{th} y^e two Churches towers and some
other buildings pretty good, made it appear nobly at a distance. This
high house is an apothecarys—at least 60 stepps up from y^e ground and
gives a pleaseing prospect of ye whole town. Severall streetes but no
good buildings Except this, the rest are great old houses of timber and
mostly of y^e old forme of y^e Country w^{ch} are long peaked roofes of
tileing. This house is the new mode of building; 4 roomes of a floore
pretty sizeable and high, well furnish’d, a drawing roome and Chamber
full of China and a damaske bed Embroyder’d: 2 other Roomes, Camlet and
Mohaire beds; a pretty deale of plaite in his wives Chambers and
parlours below, and a large shop. He is esteem’d a very Rich man. He
shewed me a Curiosity of an Herball all written out w^{th} Every sort of
tree and herb dryed and Cut out and pasted on the Leaves; it was a
doctor of Physicks work that left it him a Legacy at his Death, it was a
fine thing and would have delighted me severall dayes but I was passant.
There was two streetes were broad and very Long, out of w^{ch} ran a
Cross 5 or 6 streetes more w^{ch} are as good as in most Country
towns—they are well pitch’d w^{th} small stones. There are many
descenters in y^e town—4 meeteing places w^{th} y^e Quakers and
anabaptists. There is only the ruines of y^e abby walls and the fine
gate at the Entrance that remaines—stone, well Carv’d. It seemes to be a
thriveing Industrious town; 4 gates in it.
There are a great deale of Gentry w^{ch} Lives in y^e town, tho’ there
are no good houses but w^{ch} are old and rambling ones. They are in
that they Call the green, a space by y^e Churches w^{ch} are pretty near
together. They are pretty Large but nothing Curious in them—stone
buildings—no monuments worth notice. They keep them very Clean and neate
and have a moveable scaffold to Clean the roofe and windows and walls.
Its a very dear place, so much Company Living in the town makes
provision scarce and dear: however its a good Excuse to raise the
Reckoning on strangers.
Thence I went to admiral Russells who is now Lord orfford, a long 10
mile, and Loseing my way made it 12 mile; its pretty good way. I passed
by a village or two, and in a mile of Lord orffords house I Enter
Cambridgeshire, w^{ch} stands 3 mile from New market. You Ride in sight
of New market heath where the Races are—its good Road; here are severall
good gardens well kept good gravell and green walks w^{th} fine greens
and flowers, walled in and all the outhouses very handsome. A Coach yard
and stables in the middle of w^{ch} is a Large gate into y^e ground, and
built over w^{th} a high lanthorn where hangs the Clock and bell: this
stands higher than y^e house like a tower; y^e house being a flatt Roofe
leaded and railed round full of Chimneys, but this tower I saw 10 mile
off. All y^e out offices built round a Court very handsome. The hall is
very noble paved w^{th} free stone, a squaire of black marble at Each
Corner of y^e freestone: there are two fine white marble tables veined
w^{th} bleu; its wanscoated w^{th} wall nut tree, the pannells and Rims
round w^{th} mulbery tree y^t is a Lemon Coullour, and y^e moldings
beyond it round are of a sweete outlandish wood not much differing from
Cedar but of a finer Graine, the Chaires are all the same: its hung
w^{th} pictures att full proportion of y^e Royal family all in their
Coronation Robes, from Charles the first to his Majesty w^{th} y^e Queen
also, and at the End is Prince George and Princess Ann in their Robes of
Crimson velvet and Dukes Coronet as Duke and Dutchess of Cumberland. The
whole house is finely furnish’d w^{th} differing Coull^d Damaske and
velvets, some ffigured and others plaine, at Least 6 or 7 in all Richly
made up after a new mode. In y^e best drawing roome was a very Rich
hanging gold and silver and a Little scarlet, mostly tissue and brocade
of gold and silver and border of green damaske round it; y^e window
Curtain y^e same green damaske round it y^e window Curtain y^e same
green damaske, and doore Curtains. There was no Looking-glass but on y^e
Chimney piece and just opposite in y^e place a Looking glass used to be
was 4 pannells of glass in Length and 3 in breadth set together in y^e
wanscoate. Y^e same was in another drawing roome w^{ch} was for my Lord.
The dining roome had this Looking glass on y^e top peers between the
three windows; it was from y^e top to y^e bottom 2 pannells in breadth
and 7 in Length so it shews one from top to toe. The roomes were all
well wanscoated and hung and there was y^e finest Carv’d wood in
fruitages, herbages, gumms, beasts, fowles &c. very thinn and fine all
in white wood w^{th} out paint or varnish. Y^e severall sorts of things
thus Carv’d were Exceeding naturall all round. The Chimney pieces and
y^e sconces stand on Each side the Chimney, and the glasses in those
Chambers where were Loose Looking-glasses, w^{ch} were w^{th} fine
Carv’d head and frames some of the naturall wood others Gilt, but they
were y^e largest Looking-glasses I Ever saw. There was a great flower
pott Gilt Each side the Chimney in the dineing Roome for to sett trees
in. Y^e great Curiosity of this wood Carving about y^e Doores Chimneys
and sconces, together w^{th} y^e great Looking Glass pannells is much
talked of and is y^e finest and most in quantety and numbers thats to be
seen any where. There is very fine China and silver things and irons and
jarrs and perfume potts of silver. Y^e common Roomes are all new,
Convenient and neate with Double doores lined to prevent noises. Y^e
Stair Case is wanscoated, very noble, fine Pictures, there is y^e battle
at la Hogue a Large sea piece w^{th} an jnscription of y^e admiralls
valour when y^e great ship y^e Gunn was burnt and mightily valued by y^e
ffrench King.
From thence I went 8 mile to Ely w^{ch} were as long as the 12 I Came
from S^t Edmondsbery, y^e wayes being very deep; its mostly Lanes and
Low moorish ground on Each Side deffended by y^e ffendiks w^{ch} are
deep ditches w^{th} draines. Y^e ffenns are full of water and mudd these
also Encompass their grounds, Each mans part 10 or a dozen acres a piece
or more, so these dieks are the fences. On Each side they plant willows
so there is 2 rows of trees runns round y^e ground w^{ch} Looks very
finely to see a flatt of many miles so planted but it must be ill to
Live there. All this while Ely minster is in one’s view at a mile
distant you would think, but go, it is a Long 4 miles. A mile distant
from y^e town is a Little Hamlet from w^{ch} I descended from a steep
hill and so Cross a bridge over water w^{ch} Enters into y^e Island of
Ely, and so you pass a flatt on a Gravel Causey w^{ch} way y^e Bishop is
at y^e Charge to repaire Else there would be no passing in y^e summer.
This is secured by some dikes w^{ch} surround more grounds as y^e
former, full of Rows of trees and willows round them w^{ch} makes Ely
looke finely through those trees, and y^t stands very high. In the
winter this Caussey is over flowed and they have no way but boates to
pass in. They Cut peate out of some of these grounds. The raines now had
fallen so as in some places near y^e Citty y^e Caussey was Covered, and
a Remarkable deliverance I had, for my horse Earnest to drinke ran to
get more depth of water than y^e Caussey had, was on y^e brinke of one
of these dikes, but by a speciall providence w^{ch} I desire never to
forget and allways to be thankfull for, Escaped. Y^e bridge was over the
River Linn w^{ch} Comes from Norfolke and does almost Encompass the
jsland of Ely w^{ch} is 20 mile in bigness, in w^{ch} are severall
Little towns as Wisbech and many others. There is another River that
joyns w^{th} y^e Linn w^{ch} Compasses this land into an jsland. At this
bridge is a gate, but by reason of y^e great raines y^e roades were full
of water, even quite to y^e town w^{ch} you ascend a very steep hill
into, but y^e dirtyest place I ever saw, not a bitt of pitching in y^e
streetes, so its a perfect quagmire y^e whole Citty, only just about y^e
palace and Churches the streetes are well enough for breadth, but for
want of pitching it seemes only a harbour to breed and nest vermine in
of w^{ch} there is plenty Enough, so that tho’ my Chamber was near 20
Stepps up I had froggs and slow worms and snailes in my Roome, but
suppose it was brought up w^{th} y^e faggotts. But it Cannot but be
jnfested w^{th} all such things being altogether moorish ffenny ground
w^{ch} Lyes Low: it is true were the Least Care taken to pitch their
streetes it would make it Looke more properly an habitation for human
beings and not a Cage or nest of unclean Creatures. It must needs be
very unhealthy tho’ the natives say much to the Contrary w^{ch} proceeds
from Custom and use, otherwise to persons born in up and dry Countryes
it must destroy them Like Rotten sheep in Consumptions and Rhums.
The Bishop does not Care to stay long in this place not being for his
health; he is the Lord of all the jsland, has the Command and y^e
jurisdiction. They have lost their Charter and so are no Corporation but
all things are directed by the Bishop and its a shame he does not see it
better ordered and y^e buildings and streetes put in a better Condition.
They are a slothful people and for little but y^e takeing Care of their
Grounds and Cattle w^{ch} is of vast advantage. Where the yeares prove
drye they gaine so much that in Case 6 or 7 wet yeares drown them all
over, the one good yeare sufficiently Repaires their loss.