Thence I proceeded over another Bridge into ye town whose streetes are very well pitch’d, Large and Cleane. There is a faire Market place and Hall for ye assizes wch happened just as we Came there, soe had ye worst Entertainemt and noe accomodation but in a private house. Things ought not to be Deare here, but Strangers are allwayes imposed on and at such a publick tyme alsoe they make their advantages. Here is a very Large good Key on the river, they are supply’d wth Coales by ye shipps and Barges wch makes it plentifull; they Carry it on sledges thro’ ye town—its the great Warwickshire Coale I saw unloading. Here they follow knitting stockings, gloves wauscoates and peticoates and sleeves all of Cotten, and others spinn the Cottens. The Cathedrall or minster is Large, Lofty and very neate, the Quire pretty. At ye Entrance there is a seate over head for ye Bishop to sit in to hear the sermon preached in ye body of ye Church, and therefore the organ is in the Quire on one side wch used to be at ye Entrance. There was a tomb stone in ye middle wth a statue of Duke Roberts, second son to William the Conquerours son, wth his Legs across as is the manner of all those that went to the holy warre; this is painted and resembles marble tho’ it is but wood and soe Light as by one ffinger you may move it up, there is an jron Grate over it. At ye alter the painting is soe ffine that ye tapistry and pillars and ffigure of Moses and Aaron soe much to the Life you would at Least think it Carv’d. There are 12 Chappells all stone finely Carv’d on ye walls and rooffs, the windows are pretty Large and high wth very good painting, there is a Large window just over ye Alter but between it and ye alter is a hollow walled in on each side wch is a Whispering place; speake never so Low just in the Wall at one End the person at ye other End shall heare it plaine tho’ those wch stand by you shall not heare you speake—its ye Wall Carrys ye voyce. This seems not quite soe wonderfull as I have heard, for ye Large roome in Mountague house soe remarkable for fine painting I have been in it, and when ye Doores are shutt its so well suited in ye Walls you Cannot tell where to find the Doore if a stranger, and its a Large roome Every way. I saw a Lady stand at one Corner and turn herself to the wall and whisper’d, ye voice Came very Cleer and plaine to ye Company that stood at ye Crosse Corner ye roome soe yt it Could not be Carry’d by ye side wall, it must be the arch overhead wch was a great height.—But to return to ye Church, the tower was 203 stepps, the Large bell I stood upright in but it was not so bigg as ye great Tom of Lincoln, this bell at Glocester is raised by ten and rung by 6 men. On the tower Leads you have a prospect of ye whole town, gardens and buildings and grounds beyond and ye river Severn in its twistings and windings. Here are ye fine Lamprys taken in great quantetys in their season, of wch they make pyes and potts and Convey them to London or Else where, such a present being fitt for a king; this and ye Charr fish are Equally rare and valuable. Here are very good Cloysters finely adorn’d with ffretwork, here is the Colledge and Library but not stored wth many books. I think this was all the remarkable in Glocester. From thence I went in Company all this while wth my Cos’n Ffilmer and family. We Came to Nymphsffield after having ascended a very steep narrow and stony hill, 10 mile to Nympsfield all bad way, but the 20 mile afterwards made up for its badness, for these were Exceeding good wayes. 2 mile to Cold harbour thence 15 Landsdon—Long, but bowling green way. Here I passed by Babington, the Duke of Beaufforts house stands in a Parke on an advanc’d Ground wth rows of trees on all sides wch runns a good Length, and you may stand on ye Leads and Look 12 wayes down to ye parishes and Grounds beyond all thro Glides or visto of trees. The Gardens are very fine and water works. On Landsdon hill Summersetshire begins wch is a very pleasant hill for to Ride on for aire and prospect; I went 3 mile over it wch Leads to ye Bath down a vast steep descent of a stony narrow way as is all ye wayes down into ye town. The Bath is a pretty place full of good houses all for ye accomodation of the Company that resort thither to Drink or Bathe in the summer. The streetes are faire and well pitch’d, they Carry most things on sledges, and ye Company all ye morning ye Chaires of Bayes to Carry them to the Bath—soe they have the Chaire or Sedan to Carry them in visits. There is a very fine hall wch is set on stone pillars wch they use for ye balls and dancing. This is the only new thing since I was at ye Bath before, Except the fine adornements on ye Cross in the Cross bath, fine Carving of stone wth the English arms and Saints and Cupids, according to the phaneze and Religion of King James the Seconds Queen Mary of Modina, as part of her thanks and acknowledgments to ye saints or Virgin Mary for the Welsh Prince she Imposed on us. From the Bath I went westward to Bristol over Landsdown 10 mile, and passed thro’ Kingswood and was met wth a great many horses passing and returning Loaden wth Coales Dug just thereabout; they give 12 pence a horse Load wch Carrys two Bushells, it makes very good ffires, this is ye Cakeing Coale. Bristol Lyes Low in a bottom the Greatest part of the town, tho’ one End of it you have a pretty rise of ground.
There are 19 Parish Churches beside the Cathedrall, wch has nothing fine or Curious in it. The Buildings of ye town are pretty high, most of timber work, the streetes are narrow and something Darkish because the roomes on ye upper storys are more jutting out, soe Contracts ye streete and the Light. The Suburbs are better buildings and more spacious streetes. There are at one place as you Enter the town 2 almshouses, 6 men and 6 women a piece at Each. There is alsoe at another part of ye town a Noble almshouse more Like a Gentlemans house, yt is all of stone work, a handsome Court wth gates and Pallisadoes before four grass plotts divided by paved walks and a walk round ye same. The one side is for ye women the other for ye men, the middle building is 2 Kitchins for Either and a middle roome in Common for washing and brewing, over all is a Chappell. They have Gardens behind it wth all things Convenient. They have their Coales and 3 shillings pr weeke allowed to Each to maintain them, this is for decayed tradesmen and wives that have Lived well; its set up and allowed to by Mr Coleson a mercht in London. This town is a very great tradeing Citty as most In England, and is Esteemed the Largest next London. The river Aven yt is flowed up by the sea into ye Severn and soe up the Aven to the town, Beares shipps and Barges up to the Key, where I saw ye harbour was full of shipps carrying Coales and all sorts of Commodityes to other parts. The bridge is built over wth houses just as London bridge is, but its not so bigg or Long—there are 4 arches here. They have Little boates wch are Call’d Wherryes such as we use on the Thames, soe they use them here to Convey persons from place to place, and in many places there are signes to many houses that are not Publick houses just as it is in London, the streetes are well pitch’d, and preserved by their useing sleds to Carry all things about. There is a very faire market place and an Exchange set on stone Pillars. In another place there is a very high and magnificent Cross built all of ye stone or sort of Marble of ye Country, its in the manner of Coventry Cross a Piramedy fform running up of a great height, wth severall divisions in nitches where is King Johns Effigy and severall other, adorned wth armes and figures of Beasts and birds and flowers. Great part of it Gilt and painted and soe terminates in a spire on ye top, the Lower part is white Like Marble. Just by the water side is a Long rope yard wch is Encompass’d wth trees on Either side wch are Lofty and shady, therefore its made Choice of for ye Company of ye town to take ye Diversion of walking in the Evening. This Compasses round a Large space of ground wch is Called ye marsh—a green ground. There was noe remaines of the Castle. There are 12 gates to ye Citty, there is a very Large Conduit by ye Key finely Carv’d, all stone, this Conveys the water about ye town but all ye water has a Brackish taste. There is one Church wch is an Entire worke all of stone, noe timbers but ye Rafters and beames belonging to ye Roofe and ye seates they sit in. Ye Leads are very high and Large and very neate kept, the tower 15 stepps upon wch the whole Citty is discover’d, wch by reason of the good gardens and grounds within its walls is a very Large tract of ground in ye whole. There you see the Colledge green in wch stands the Cathedrall and ye Doctors houses, wch are not very fine, built of stone. There are some few monuments in this Church wth good Carvings of stone round ye tombs and some Effigies, there are 8 bells in this Church, there is 2 men goes to ye ringing ye biggest bell. From thence I went 2 miles to ye hott spring of water wch Lookes Exceeding Cleer and is as warm as new milk and much of that sweetness. This is just by St Vincents Rocks yt are Great Clifts wch seeme as bounds to ye river Aven, this Channell was hewn out of those Rocks. They Digg ye Bristol Diamonds wch Look very Bright and sparkling and in their native Rudeness have a great Lustre and are pointed and Like ye Diamond Cutting; I had a piece just as it Came out of ye Rock wth ye Rock on ye back side and it appeared to me as a Cluster of Diamonds polish’d and jrregularly Cut. Some of these are hard and will Endure the Cutting and pollishing by art and soe they make rings and Earings of them, the harder the stone is more valuable, wch differences ye true Diamond that will bear the fire or ye greatest force, and Cannot be divided nor Cut but by some of itself, diamond dust being ye only way they Can Cut diamonds that itself is Capable of Impressing Carracters on Glass. Here I fferry’d over the Avon that Comes up to ye town wth a Great tyde in two parts; about 6 mile off it joyns ye Severn wch now begins to swell into a vast river of 7 mile over before it Enters the sea. Then I went to Aston a mile from ye water side thro’ a fine park, an old Large house, and thence I passed over Large downs and saw 2 other good houses built of stone, wth towers on ye top, and severall Rows of trees Leading to them which made them appear very fine. Soe to Oakey Hole wch from ye water side where I ferry’d is Esteemed but 15 long mile, its ye same Distance from Bristole but I would not goe back to ye town, but twere better I had, for I made it at Least 17 mile that way. Oakey Hole is a Large Cavity under ground Like Poole Hole in Darbyshire, only this seemes to be a great hill above it. Its full of great Rocks and stones Lying in it just as if they were hewen out of a quarry and Laid down all in ye ground, ye wall and Roofe is all a Rocky stone, there is a Lofty space they Call the hall and another ye parlour, and another the Kitchen, the Entrance of Each one out of another is wth greate stooping under Rocks yt hang down almost to touch ye ground, beyond this is a Cistern allwayes full of water, it Looks Cleer to the bottom wch is all full of stones as is the sides, just Like Candy or Like the Branches they put in the boyling of Copperace for ye Copperice to Crust about it, in the same manner so yt ye water Congeales here into stone and does as it were bud or grow out one stone out of another. Where Ever this water drops it does not weare ye Rock in hollow as some other such subterranian Caves does but it hardens and does Encrease ye stone and that in a Roundness as if it Candy’d as it fell, wch I am of opinion it does; so it makes ye Rocks grow and meete Each other in some places.
They ffancy many Resemblances in the Rocks, as in one place an organ and in another 2 little Babys and in another part a head wch they Call the porters head and another a shape like a dog. They phancy one of ye Rocks resembles a woman wth a great belly wch the Country people Call the witch wch made this Cavity under ground for her Enchantments. The rocks are Glistering and shine Like diamonds and some you Climbe over where one meetes wth ye Congealed Drops of water just Like jceicles hanging down. Some of the stone is white Like alabaster and Glisters Like mettle. You walke for ye most part in ye Large spaces Called ye Roomes on a sandy floore, the Roofe so Lofty one Can scarce discern the top and Carry’s a Great Eccho, soe that takeing up a great stone as much as a man Can heave up to his head and letting it fall gives a report Like a Cannon wch they frequently trye and Call ye Shooteing ye Cannons. At ye farther End you Come to a water Call’d ye well, its of a greate depth and Compass tho’ by the Light of ye Candles you may discern the Rock Encompassing it as a wall round. These hollows are generally very Cold and damp by reason of ye waters distilling Continually wch is very Cold, as jce almost when I put my hand into ye Cistern. These Roads are full of hills, and those some of them high Ridge of hills wch does discover a vast prospect all wayes, behind me I saw a Great valley full of jnclosures and Lessar hills by which you ascend these heights, wch are all very fruitfull and woody. Alsoe I Could see the Severn when Encreased to its breadth of 7 mile over, and there it Disembogues into ye sea; then it gave me a prospect forward of as Large a vale replenish’d wth fruitefull hills and trees and good Ground, thence I Could discern Glassenbury tower; this was Maiden Hill just beyond ye Little town of same name and soe by degrees descending from a higher to a Lower hill wch had its ascents as well as its descents wch makes ye miles seem and are Indeed Long tracts of ground.
From Ocley Hole I went to Wells wch was on an Even ground one mile farther, this Wells is what must be Reckoned halfe a Citty this and ye Bath makeing up but one Bishops See. Here are two Churches wth ye Cathedrall. Ye Cathedrall has ye greatest Curiosity for Carv’d work in stone, the West front is full of all sorts of ffigures, ye 12 apostles, ye K and Q wth angells and figures of all forms, as thick one to another as Can be, and soe almost all round ye Church.
The assizes was in the town wch filled it Like a faire, and Little stands for selling things was in all the streetes. There I saw ye town hall. The streetes are well pitch’d, and a Large market place and shambles. The Bishops pallace is in a park moated round, nothing worth notice in it. St Andrews well wch gives name to the town Bubbles up so quick a spring and becomes the head of two Little rivers wch Encreases a Little way off into good rivers. Thence I went to Glasenbury 4 miles, a pretty Levell way till just you Come to the town, then I ascended a stony hill and went just by the tower wch is on a green Round riseing ground. There is only a Little tower remaines Like a Beacon, it had Bells formerly in it and some superstition observ’d there, but now its broken down on one side. From this I descended a very steep stony way into the town; Glasenbury tho’ in ancient tymes was a Renowned place where was founded the first monastery, its now a Ragged poor place and the abbey has only the Kitchen remaining in it wch is a distinct Building, round like a pigeon house all stone. The walls of ye abbey here and there appeares and some Little places and ye Cellar or vault wch if they Cast a stone into the place it gives a great Echo, and ye Country people says its ye Devil set there on a tun of money wch makes ye noise Least they should take it away from him. There is the holly thorn growing on a Chimney, this the superstitious Covet much and have gott some of it for their gardens and soe have almost quite spoiled it, wch did grow quite round a Chimney tunnell in the stone. Here is a very pretty Church a good tower well Carv’d all stone 160 stepps up. Walking in the tower I Could have a prospect of the whole place wch appeared very Ragged and decayed. The Church is neate, there is the Effigee of the abbot on a tombstone Carved all about wth Eschuteons of a Camell, and round it an jnscription or motto in old Latin and an old Caracter. It was a phancy of his Stewards who was a very faithfull Dilligent servant, and as he made use of those Creatures in his masters service yt were strong and Industrious so ye motto described his services under that resemblance. The Effigee was very Curious and wth rings on the fingers, but in Monmouths tyme the soldiers defaced it much.
From thence to Taunton 16 miles through many small places and scattering houses, through Lanes full of stones and by the Great raines just before full of wet and Dirt. I passed over a Large Common or bottom of Deep black Land which is bad for the Rider but good for the abider as the proverb is; this was 2 or 3 mile long and pass’d and repass’d a river as it twin’d about at Least ten tymes over stone bridges. This river Comes from Bridge water 7 mile, the tyde Comes up beyond Bridge water, Even within 3 mile of Taunton its flowed by the tyde wch brings up the Barges wth Coale to this place, after having pass’d a Large Common wch on Either hand Leads a great waye, good rich Land wth ditches and willow trees all for feeding Cattle, and here at this Little place where the boates unlade the Coale ye packhorses Comes and takes it in sacks and so Carryes it to ye places all about. This is ye sea Coale brought from Bristole, the horses Carry 2 Bushell at a tyme wch at the place Cost 18d and when its brought to Taunton Cost 2 shillings. The roads were full of these Carryers going and returning.
Taunton is a Large town haveing houses of all sorts of buildings both brick and stone, but mostly timber and plaister, its a very neate place and Looks substantial as a place of good trade. You meete all sorts of Country women wrapp’d up in the mantles Called West Country rockets, a Large mantle doubled together of a sort of serge, some are Linsywolsey and a deep fringe or ffag at the Lower End, these hang down some to their feete some only just below ye wast, in the summer they are all in white garments of this sort, in the winter they are in Red ones. I Call them garments because they never go out wth out them and this is the universal ffashion in Sommerset and Devonshire and Cornwall. Here is a good Market Cross well Carv’d and a Large Market house on Pillars for the Corn. I was in the Largest Church, it was mending, it was pretty Large, the alter stood table wayes in the middle of the Chancell, there was one good stone Statue stood in the wall, the Effigee was very tall in a Ruff and Long Black dress Like some Religious wth his Gloves and book in his hand. There were severall Little monuments with Inscriptions Round them, they have Encompass’d the Church yard with a new Brick wall and handsom Iron gates, there is a Large space Called the Castle yard and some remaines of the Castle walls and Buildings wch is fitted up for a good dwelling house. From thence I went to Wellington, they Call it but 5 mile but its a Long 7 tho’ the way was pretty good; this is a Little Market town. Thence to Culimton 13 mile more, but Indeed these were very long Miles, ye hostler at Tanton did say tho’ they were reckon’d but 16 miles it really was a good 20 miles and I am much of that mind. I mostly pass’d through Lanes, I entred Into Devonshire 5 mile off from Wellington, just on a high ridge of hills wch discovers a vast prospect on Each side full of Inclosures and Lesser hills wch is the Description of most part of the West. You Could see Large tracts of grounds full of Enclosures good Grass and Corn beset with quicksetts and hedge rows, and these Lesser hills wch are scarce perceivable on ye Ridge of the uppermost, yet the Least of them have a steep ascent and descent to pass them. Culimton is a good Little market town, and market Cross and another set on stone pillars, such a one was at Wellington but on Brick work pillars. Here was a Large meeteing of neer 4 or 500 people, they have a very good minister but a young man, I was glad to see soe many tho’ they were but of the meaner sort, for Indeed its the poor Receive the Gospell and there are in most of the market towns in the West very good meeteings. This Little place was one Continued Long streete but few houses yt struck out of the streete. From thence 10 mile to Exetter, up hills and down as before, till one attaines those uppermost Ridges of all wch discovers the whole valley, then you sometymes goe a mile or two on a Down till the Brow of the hill begins in a Descent on the other side. This Citty appears to view 2 mile distant from one of those heights, and also the River Ex wch runs to Topshum where ye shipps Comes up to the Barre; this is 7 mile by water from wch they are attempting to make navigeable to the town, which will be of Mighty advantage to have shipps Come up Close to the town to take in their Serges wch now they are forced to send to Topshum on horses by Land, wch is about 4 mile by Land. They had just agreed wth a man that was to accomplish this work for wch they were to give 5 or 6000£, who had made a beginning on it.
Exeter is a town very well built, the streets are well pitch’d, spacious noble streetes, and a vast trade is Carryed on, as Norwitch is for Coapes Callamanco and damaske, soe this is for serges. There is an Increadible quantety of them made and sold in the town. There market day is Fryday which supplys with all things Like a faire almost; the markets for meate, fowle, ffish, garden things and the Dairy produce takes up 3 whole streetes besides the Large Market house set on stone pillars, wch runs a great Length on wch they Lay their packs of serges. Just by it is another walke wth in pillars wch is for the yarne, the whole town and Country is Employ’d for at Least 20 mile round in spinning, weaveing, dressing and scouring, fulling and Drying of the serges. It turns the most money in a weeke of any thing in England. One weeke with another there is 10000 pound paid in ready money, Sometymes 15000 pound. The weavers brings in their serges and must have their money wch they Employ to provide them yarne to goe to work againe. There is alsoe a square Court with Penthouses round where the Malters are wth Mault and oat meal, but the serge is the Chief manufacture. There is a prodigious quantety of their serges they never bring into the market but are in hired roomes wch are noted for it, for it would be impossible to have it altogether. The Carryers I met going wth it, as thick, all Entring into town wth their Loaded horses, they bring them all just from the Loome and soe they are put into the ffulling-mills, but first they will Clean and Scour their roomes with them, wch by the way gives noe pleasing perfume to a roome, the oyle and grease, and I should think it would Rather foull a roome than Cleanse it because of the oyles, but I perceive its otherwise Esteemed by them wch will send to their acquaintances yt are tuckers the dayes the serges Comes in for a Rowle to Clean their house—this I was an Eye witness of. Then they Lay them in soack in vrine, then they soape them and soe put them into the ffulling-mills and soe worke them in the mills drye till they are thick enough then they turne water into them and so scower them. Ye mill does draw out and gather in ye serges, its a pretty divertion to see it, a sort of huge notch’d timbers Like great teethe;—one would thinke it should Injure the serges but it does not. Ye mills draws in wth such a great violence that if one stands neere it and it Catch a bitt of your Garments it would be ready to draw in ye person even in a trice. When they are thus scour’d they drye them in racks strained out wch are as thick set one by another as will permitt ye dresses to pass between, and huge Large fields occupy’d this way almost all round the town wch is to the river side; then when drye they pick out all knots then fold them wth a paper between Every fold and so sett them on an jron plaite and screw down ye press on them wch has another jron plaite on the top under wch is a furnace of fire of Coales, this is the hott press; then they fold them Exceeding Exact and then press them in a Cold press, some they dye but the most are sent up for London white.
I saw the severall ffatts they were a Dying in of black, yellow, blew and Green wch two Last Coullours are dipp’d in the same fatt, that wch makes it differ is what they were dipp’d in before wch makes them Either green or blew; they hang the Serges on a great beame or Great pole on the top of ye fatt and so keep turning it from one to another—as one turns it off into the ffatt ye other Rowles it out of it, soe they do it backwards and forwards till its tinged deep Enough of the Coullour. Their ffurnace that keepes their dye panns boyling is all under that roome made of Coale ffires. There was in a roome by itself a ffatt for the Scarlet that being a very Changeable dye noe waste must be allow’d in that, Indeed I think they make as fine a Coullour as their bowdies are in London.
These Rolers I spake of two men does Continually role on and off ye pieces of serge till Dipp’d Enough, the length of these pieces are or should hold out 26 yards. This Citty does Exceedingly resemble London for besides these buildings I mention’d for ye severall Markets, there is an Exchange full of shopps Like our Exchanges are, only its but one walke along as was the Exchange at Salisbury house in the Strand; there is also a very Large space Railed in just by the Cathedrall with walks round it wch is Called the Exchange for Merchants, that Constantly meete twice a day just as they do in London. There are 17 Churches in the Citty and 4 in the subburbs, there is some remaines of the Castle walls, they make use of the roomes wch are inside for ye assizes, there is the two Barrs besides being Large rooms wth seates and places Convenient and jury roome, here is a Large walke at ye Entrance between Rowes of Pillars, there is besides this just at ye market place a Guild hall the Entrance of wch is a Large place set on stone Pillars, beyond wch are ye roomes for the session or any town affaires to be adjusted. Behind this building there is a vast Cistern wch holds upwards of 600 hodsheads of water which supplyes by pipes the whole Citty; this Cistern is replenished from the river wch is on purpose turned into a Little Channell by it self to turn the mill, and ffills the Engine that Casts ye water into the truncks wch Conveys it to this Cistern. The water Engine is Like those at Islington and at Darby as I have seen, and is what now they make use of in Diverse places Either to supply them wth water or to draine a marsh or overplus of water. The river X is a fine streame, they have made severall bayes or wires above the Bridge wch Casts ye water into many Channells for the Conveniencys of turning all their mills, by wch meanes they have Composed a Little jsland, for at the End it againe returns into its own united Channell. Those wires makes great falls into ye water, it Comes wth great violence; here they Catch the Salmon as they Leap wth speares, the first of these Bayes is a very great one, there is one below the bridge wch must be taken away when the navigation is Compleate for they will need all their water together to fill it to a Depth to Carry the shipps for just by the Bridge is the Key design’d, or yt wch now is already they will Enlarge to that place. Just by this key is the Custome house, an open space below wth rows of pillars wch they Lay in goods just as its unladen out of the shipps in Case of wet. Just by are Severall Little roomes for Land waiters &c, then you ascend up a handsome pair of staires into a Large roome full of Desks and Little partitions for the writers and accountants, it was full of books and files of paper. By it are two other Roomes wch are used in the same way when there is a great deale of Bussiness. There are severall good Conduites to Supply ye Citty wth water besides that Cistern, there is alsoe a very fine market Cross.