'Pray friend, said I, what are those Eagle Look'd Fellows in their Narrow Brimm'd White Beavers, Jockeys Coats, a Spur in one Heel, and Bended Sticks in their Hands, that are so busily peeping into every Horses Mouth?... Those Blades, says my friend, are a Subtle Sort of Smithfield Foxes, called Horse Coursers, who Swear every Morning by the Bridle, that they will not, from any Man, suffer a Knavish trick, or ever do an Honest one. They are a sort of English Jews, that never deal with any Man but they Cheat him; and have a rare Faculty of Swearing a man out of his Senses, Lying him out of his Reason, and Cozening him out of his Money; If they have a Horse to sell that is Stone Blind, they'll call a Hundred Gods to Witness he can see as well as you can. If he be downright Lame, they will use all the Asseverations that the Devil can assist 'em with, that it is nothing but a Spring Halt; and if he be Twenty Years old, they'll Swear he comes but Seven next Grass, if they find the Buyer has not Judgment enough to discover the Contrary.'

This horse market was of importance to the metropolis, which was supplied from the country fairs, from which the horses came up in droves. 'A Set of Geldings and Mares, just from a Journey to be sold Cheap.' So many were wanted for riding, carriages, and draught purposes. Horse-stealing was a crime so extremely prevalent, that is difficult to take up a paper that does not contain an advertisement respecting a lost or stolen horse.

Some of the inland traffic was still done by means of packhorses. 'These are to give Notice to all Gentlemen or others that have occasion to send Goods, or travel from London to Exeter or Plymouth, or from Exeter and Plymouth, or any parts of Cornwall or Devonshire to London; that they may be accommodated for Expedition by Pack Horse Carriage, who set out from the Cross Keys Inn in Wood Street London every Saturday, and from the Mermaid Inn in Exon every Monday. Perform'd, if God permit, by Ebenezer Brookes.' But there were also waggons, which, by the divine permission, started for every town of note in England.

Stage coaches ran to most of the towns; and we may judge of the time they took over their journeys, Gloucester, 82 miles, in one day, and Hereford, 134 miles, in one day and a half. Their fares may be somewhat approximately guessed at: Bath, 16s.; Bristol, 15s. to 18s.; and Gosport, 9s. Steele gives an amusing description in the Spectator (No. 132) of stage-coach travelling: how the captain was subdued by the good plain sense of Ephraim the Quaker. 'We can not help it, Friend, I say; if thou wilt, we must hear thee.... To speak indiscreetly what we are obliged to hear, by being hasped up with thee in this publick Vehicle is in some degree assaulting on the high road.' The captain took the rebuke in good part, and thorough good-fellowship prevailed. 'Faith, Friend, I thank thee: I should have been a little impertinent if thou hadst not reprimanded me.'

In 'A Step to the Bath' we get an insight into stage-coach travelling. 'Enquiring of the Tapster what Company I was like to have, he said more he believ'd than I desir'd; for there was four Places taken just after I went, and three of the Passengers were in the House, and to Lye there that Night; the other was for a Merchant of Bristol. Then asking what those in the House were, he told me two Gentlewomen and their Maid Servant, who were just going to Supper. Whereupon I bid him go and give my Service to 'em, and tell 'em I was to Travel with 'em to morrow, and should take it as a great favour, if they would please to Honour me so far, as to admit me of their Company, for I was alone. The Fellow brought word they desir'd me to walk in, and they should be very glad of mine.... Supper being ended, they call'd for a Bill, which was presently brought; out I lugg'd and was going to Discharge, but they begg'd my Pardon, and would by no means suffer me; telling me that I must submit to the Rule that is generally observ'd in Travelling, for the Major of either Sex to Treat the Minor.'

They breakfasted at Colebrook, dined at Reading, and then drained the merchant's bottle of 'Right Nants'; after which one of the ladies told a story. They stopped at Theale to taste Old Mother Cleanly's bottled ale and plum cake; then the merchant told a story; and the day's journey terminated at Newbury. There they supped, and grumbled loudly at the bill. 'For a brace of Midling Trouts they charged us but a Leash of Crowns, Six Shillings for a Shoulder of Mutton and a Plate of Gerkins, Three and Sixpence for Six Rowles, and three Nipperkins of Belch; and two Shillings more for Whip in drinking our Healths. Their Wine indeed was good, so was their price; and in a Bill of two pound four Shillings, they made a mistake but of Nine; I ask'd what Countrey-man my Landlord was? answer was made, Full North; and Faith 'twas very Evident, for he had put the Yorkshire most damnably upon us.'

Next morning one of the ladies presented them with a pot of chocolate of her own preparing; they refilled the merchant's bottle, and started, beguiling the way with stories. Came to Marlborough, where the road was so bad that the brandy bottle was broken; and there they breakfasted. They seem to have dined at Calne or Chippenham, complaining bitterly of the roads, the last portion of which was got over at the rate of two miles in three hours. Here they stopped at a famous house, where 'there was more Coaches and Waggons drawn up before her Gate, than Hacks in Palace Yard, during the Session of Parliament, or Term Time. All her Entertainment is Loins of Mutton or Rabbits; and she makes more Broth in a day than all the Chop Houses in Castle Alley in a Week.'

'Having Din'd, we proceeded on our Journey, but with a great deal of difficulty; for the Road was so Rocky, Unlevel, and Narrow in some places, that I am persuaded the Alps are to be passed with less Danger,' and they finally reached Bath that evening.

The roads were bad almost everywhere, and no one travelled more than they could help. The coaches were heavy and strong, to stand the fearful wear and tear; but, to the passengers, a journey was simply the time spent in torture. Even in London the stones jolted terribly. Says Ward, 'When our Stratford Tub by the assistance of its Carrionly Tits of different Colours, had outrun the Smoothness of the Road, and enter'd upon London Stones, with as frightful a rumbling as an empty Hay Cart, our Leathern Conveniency being bound in the Braces to its good Behaviour, had no more Sway than a Funeral Herse, or a Country Waggon; That we were jumbled about like so many Pease in a Child's Rattle, running at every Kennel Jolt a great hazard of a Dislocation: This we endured till we were brought within White Chappel Bars, where we lighted from our stubborn Caravan with our Elbows and Shoulders as Black and Blew as a Rural Man that has been under the pinches of an angry Fairy.'

Posthouses were at convenient stages all over the kingdom, and the postmaster was bound to provide horses for all comers, either to ride or drive. His duties and tariffs were as follows:—