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.