Part 21

There are 19 Parish Churches beside the Cathedrall, w^{ch} has nothing fine or Curious in it. The Buildings of y^e town are pretty high, most of timber work, the streetes are narrow and something Darkish because the roomes on y^e upper storys are more jutting out, soe Contracts y^e 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 y^e town a Noble almshouse more Like a Gentlemans house, y^t is all of stone work, a handsome Court w^{th} gates and Pallisadoes before four grass plotts divided by paved walks and a walk round y^e same. The one side is for y^e women the other for y^e 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 w^{th} all things Convenient. They have their Coales and 3 shillings p^r 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 M^r Coleson a merch^t in London. This town is a very great tradeing Citty as most In England, and is Esteemed the Largest next London. The river Aven y^t is flowed up by the sea into y^e Severn and soe up the Aven to the town, Beares shipps and Barges up to the Key, where I saw y^e harbour was full of shipps carrying Coales and all sorts of Commodityes to other parts. The bridge is built over w^{th} houses just as London bridge is, but its not so bigg or Long—there are 4 arches here. They have Little boates w^{ch} 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 y^e stone or sort of Marble of y^e Country, its in the manner of Coventry Cross a Piramedy fform running up of a great height, w^{th} severall divisions in nitches where is King Johns Effigy and severall other, adorned w^{th} armes and figures of Beasts and birds and flowers. Great part of it Gilt and painted and soe terminates in a spire on y^e top, the Lower part is white Like Marble. Just by the water side is a Long rope yard w^{ch} is Encompass’d w^{th} trees on Either side w^{ch} are Lofty and shady, therefore its made Choice of for y^e Company of y^e town to take y^e Diversion of walking in the Evening. This Compasses round a Large space of ground w^{ch} is Called y^e marsh—a green ground. There was noe remaines of the Castle. There are 12 gates to y^e Citty, there is a very Large Conduit by y^e Key finely Carv’d, all stone, this Conveys the water about y^e town but all y^e water has a Brackish taste. There is one Church w^{ch} is an Entire worke all of stone, noe timbers but ye Rafters and beames belonging to y^e Roofe and y^e seates they sit in. Y^e Leads are very high and Large and very neate kept, the tower 15 stepps upon w^{ch} the whole Citty is discover’d, w^{ch} by reason of the good gardens and grounds within its walls is a very Large tract of ground in y^e whole. There you see the Colledge green in w^{ch} stands the Cathedrall and y^e Doctors houses, w^{ch} are not very fine, built of stone. There are some few monuments in this Church w^{th} good Carvings of stone round y^e tombs and some Effigies, there are 8 bells in this Church, there is 2 men goes to y^e ringing y^e biggest bell. From thence I went 2 miles to y^e hott spring of water w^{ch} Lookes Exceeding Cleer and is as warm as new milk and much of that sweetness. This is just by S^t Vincents Rocks y^t are Great Clifts w^{ch} seeme as bounds to y^e river Aven, this Channell was hewn out of those Rocks. They Digg y^e Bristol Diamonds w^{ch} Look very Bright and sparkling and in their native Rudeness have a great Lustre and are pointed and Like y^e Diamond Cutting; I had a piece just as it Came out of y^e Rock w^{th} y^e Rock on y^e 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, w^{ch} differences y^e true Diamond that will bear the fire or y^e greatest force, and Cannot be divided nor Cut but by some of itself, diamond dust being y^e 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 y^e town w^{th} a Great tyde in two parts; about 6 mile off it joyns y^e Severn w^{ch} 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 y^e 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, w^{th} towers on y^e top, and severall Rows of trees Leading to them which made them appear very fine. Soe to Oakey Hole w^{ch} from y^e water side where I ferry’d is Esteemed but 15 long mile, its y^e same Distance from Bristole but I would not goe back to y^e 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 y^e ground, y^e wall and Roofe is all a Rocky stone, there is a Lofty space they Call the hall and another y^e parlour, and another the Kitchen, the Entrance of Each one out of another is w^{th} greate stooping under Rocks y^t hang down almost to touch y^e ground, beyond this is a Cistern allwayes full of water, it Looks Cleer to the bottom w^{ch} is all full of stones as is the sides, just Like Candy or Like the Branches they put in the boyling of Copperace for y^e Copperice to Crust about it, in the same manner so y^t y^e 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 y^e Rock in hollow as some other such subterranian Caves does but it hardens and does Encrease y^e stone and that in a Roundness as if it Candy’d as it fell, w^{ch} I am of opinion it does; so it makes y^e 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 w^{ch} they Call the porters head and another a shape like a dog. They phancy one of y^e Rocks resembles a woman w^{th} a great belly w^{ch} the Country people Call the witch w^{ch} made this Cavity under ground for her Enchantments. The rocks are Glistering and shine Like diamonds and some you Climbe over where one meetes w^{th} y^e Congealed Drops of water just Like jceicles hanging down. Some of the stone is white Like alabaster and Glisters Like mettle. You walke for y^e most part in y^e Large spaces Called y^e 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 w^{ch} they frequently trye and Call y^e Shooteing y^e Cannons. At y^e farther End you Come to a water Call’d y^e well, its of a greate depth and Compass tho’ by the Light of y^e Candles you may discern the Rock Encompassing it as a wall round. These hollows are generally very Cold and damp by reason of y^e waters distilling Continually w^{ch} is very Cold, as jce almost when I put my hand into y^e Cistern. These Roads are full of hills, and those some of them high Ridge of hills w^{ch} 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, w^{ch} 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 w^{th} 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 w^{ch} had its ascents as well as its descents w^{ch} makes y^e miles seem and are Indeed Long tracts of ground.

From Ocley Hole I went to Wells w^{ch} was on an Even ground one mile farther, this Wells is what must be Reckoned halfe a Citty this and y^e Bath makeing up but one Bishops See. Here are two Churches w^{th} y^e Cathedrall. Y^e Cathedrall has y^e greatest Curiosity for Carv’d work in stone, the West front is full of all sorts of ffigures, y^e 12 apostles, y^e K and Q w^{th} angells and figures of all forms, as thick one to another as Can be, and soe almost all round y^e Church.

The assizes was in the town w^{ch} filled it Like a faire, and Little stands for selling things was in all the streetes. There I saw y^e 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. S^t Andrews well w^{ch} gives name to the town Bubbles up so quick a spring and becomes the head of two Little rivers w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} is a distinct Building, round like a pigeon house all stone. The walls of y^e abbey here and there appeares and some Little places and y^e Cellar or vault w^{ch} if they Cast a stone into the place it gives a great Echo, and y^e Country people says its y^e Devil set there on a tun of money w^{ch} makes y^e 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, w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} appeared very Ragged and decayed. The Church is neate, there is the Effigee of the abbot on a tombstone Carved all about w^{th} 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 y^t were strong and Industrious so y^e motto described his services under that resemblance. The Effigee was very Curious and w^{th} 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 w^{ch} brings up the Barges w^{th} Coale to this place, after having pass’d a Large Common w^{ch} on Either hand Leads a great waye, good rich Land w^{th} ditches and willow trees all for feeding Cattle, and here at this Little place where the boates unlade the Coale y^e packhorses Comes and takes it in sacks and so Carryes it to y^e places all about. This is y^e sea Coale brought from Bristole, the horses Carry 2 Bushell at a tyme w^{ch} at the place Cost 18^d 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 y^e 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 w^{th} 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 w^{th} 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 w^{ch} 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, y^e 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 w^{ch} discovers a vast prospect on Each side full of Inclosures and Lesser hills w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} are scarce perceivable on y^e 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 y^t 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 w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} runs to Topshum where y^e shipps Comes up to the Barre; this is 7 mile by water from w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} now they are forced to send to Topshum on horses by Land, w^{ch} is about 4 mile by Land. They had just agreed w^{th} a man that was to accomplish this work for w^{ch} 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, w^{ch} runs a great Length on w^{ch} they Lay their packs of serges. Just by it is another walke w^{th} in pillars w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} they Employ to provide them yarne to goe to work againe. There is alsoe a square Court with Penthouses round where the Malters are w^{th} 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 w^{ch} are noted for it, for it would be impossible to have it altogether. The Carryers I met going w^{th} it, as thick, all Entring into town w^{th} 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, w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} will send to their acquaintances y^t 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. Y^e mill does draw out and gather in y^e 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. Y^e mills draws in w^{th} 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 y^e person even in a trice. When they are thus scour’d they drye them in racks strained out w^{ch} are as thick set one by another as will permitt y^e dresses to pass between, and huge Large fields occupy’d this way almost all round the town w^{ch} is to the river side; then when drye they pick out all knots then fold them w^{th} a paper between Every fold and so sett them on an jron plaite and screw down y^e press on them w^{ch} has another jron plaite on the top under w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} two Last Coullours are dipp’d in the same fatt, that w^{ch} makes it differ is what they were dipp’d in before w^{ch} makes them Either green or blew; they hang the Serges on a great beame or Great pole on the top of y^e fatt and so keep turning it from one to another—as one turns it off into the ffatt y^e 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 y^e 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 y^e 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 w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} are inside for y^e assizes, there is the two Barrs besides being Large rooms w^{th} seates and places Convenient and jury roome, here is a Large walke at y^e Entrance between Rowes of Pillars, there is besides this just at y^e market place a Guild hall the Entrance of w^{ch} is a Large place set on stone Pillars, beyond w^{ch} are y^e roomes for the session or any town affaires to be adjusted. Behind this building there is a vast Cistern w^{ch} holds upwards of 600 hodsheads of water which supplyes by pipes the whole Citty; this Cistern is replenished from the river w^{ch} is on purpose turned into a Little Channell by it self to turn the mill, and ffills the Engine that Casts y^e water into the truncks w^{ch} 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 w^{th} 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 w^{ch} Casts y^e water into many Channells for the Conveniencys of turning all their mills, by w^{ch} 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 y^e water, it Comes w^{th} great violence; here they Catch the Salmon as they Leap w^{th} speares, the first of these Bayes is a very great one, there is one below the bridge w^{ch} 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 y^t w^{ch} now is already they will Enlarge to that place. Just by this key is the Custome house, an open space below w^{th} rows of pillars w^{ch} 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 w^{ch} are used in the same way when there is a great deale of Bussiness. There are severall good Conduites to Supply y^e Citty w^{th} water besides that Cistern, there is alsoe a very fine market Cross.