tour through the eastern counties of england-第16节
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have been set up and monasteries built; and in honour of whom the
famous monastery of St。 Edmundsbury; above mentioned; was founded;
which most people erroneously think was the place where the said
murder was committed。
Besides the towns mentioned above; there are Halesworth;
Saxmundham; Debenham; Aye; or Eye; all standing in this eastern
side of Suffolk; in which; as I have said; the whole country is
employed in dairies or in feeding of cattle。
This part of England is also remarkable for being the first where
the feeding and fattening of cattle; both sheep as well as black
cattle; with turnips; was first practised in England; which is made
a very great part of the improvement of their lands to this day;
and from whence the practice is spread over most of the east and
south parts of England to the great enriching of the farmers and
increase of fat cattle。 And though some have objected against the
goodness of the flesh thus fed with turnips; and have fancied it
would taste of the root; yet upon experience it is found that at
market there is no difference; nor can they that buy single out one
joint of mutton from another by the taste。 So that the complaint
which our nice palates at first made begins to cease of itself; and
a very great quantity of beef and mutton also is brought every year
and every week to London from this side of England; and much more
than was formerly known to be fed there。
I cannot omit; however little it may seem; that this county of
Suffolk is particularly famous for furnishing the City of London
and all the counties round with turkeys; and that it is thought
there are more turkeys bred in this county and the part of Norfolk
that adjoins to it than in all the rest of England; especially for
sale; though this may be reckoned; as I say above; but a trifling
thing to take notice of in these remarks; yet; as I have hinted;
that I shall observe how London is in general supplied with all its
provisions from the whole body of the nation; and how every part of
the island is engaged in some degree or other of that supply。 On
this account I could not omit it; nor will it be found so
inconsiderable an article as some may imagine; if this be true;
which I received an account of from a person living on the place;
viz。; that they have counted three hundred droves of turkeys (for
they drive them all in droves on foot) pass in one season over
Stratford Bridge on the River Stour; which parts Suffolk from
Essex; about six miles from Colchester; on the road from Ipswich to
London。 These droves; as they say; generally contain from three
hundred to a thousand each drove; so that one may suppose them to
contain five hundred one with another; which is one hundred and
fifty thousand in all; and yet this is one of the least passages;
the numbers which travel by Newmarket Heath and the open country
and the forest; and also the numbers that come by Sudbury and Clare
being many more。
For the further supplies of the markets of London with poultry; of
which these countries particularly abound; they have within these
few years found it practicable to make the geese travel on foot
too; as well as the turkeys; and a prodigious number are brought up
to London in droves from the farthest parts of Norfolk; even from
the fen country about Lynn; Downham; Wisbech; and the Washes; as
also from all the east side of Norfolk and Suffolk; of whom it is
very frequent now to meet droves with a thousand; sometimes two
thousand in a drove。 They begin to drive them generally in August;
by which time the harvest is almost over; and the geese may feed in
the stubbles as they go。 Thus they hold on to the end of October;
when the roads begin to be too stiff and deep for their broad feet
and short legs to march in。
Besides these methods of driving these creatures on foot; they have
of late also invented a new method of carriage; being carts formed
on purpose; with four stories or stages to put the creatures in one
above another; by which invention one cart will carry a very great
number; and for the smoother going they drive with two horses
abreast; like a coach; so quartering the road for the ease of the
gentry that thus ride。 Changing horses; they travel night and day;
so that they bring the fowls seventy; eighty; or; one hundred miles
in two days and one night。 The horses in this new…fashioned
voiture go two abreast; as above; but no perch below; as in a
coach; but they are fastened together by a piece of wood lying
crosswise upon their necks; by which they are kept even and
together; and the driver sits on the top of the cart like as in the
public carriages for the army; etc。
In this manner they hurry away the creatures alive; and infinite
numbers are thus carried to London every year。 This method is also
particular for the carrying young turkeys or turkey poults in their
season; which are valuable; and yield a good price at market; as
also for live chickens in the dear seasons; of all which a very
great number are brought in this manner to London; and more
prodigiously out of this country than any other part of England;
which is the reason of my speaking of it here。
In this part; which we call High Suffolk; there are not so many
families of gentry or nobility placed as in the other side of the
country。 But it is observed that though their seats are not so
frequent here; their estates are; and the pleasure of West Suffolk
is much of it supported by the wealth of High Suffolk; for the
richness of the lands and application of the people to all kinds of
improvement is scarce credible; also the farmers are so very
considerable and their farms and dairies so large that it is very
frequent for a farmer to have 1;000 pounds stock upon his farm in
cows only。
NORFOLK。
From High Suffolk I passed the Waveney into Norfolk; near Schole
Inn。 In my passage I saw at Redgrave (the seat of the family) a
most exquisite monument of Sir John Holt; Knight; late Lord Chief
Justice of the King's Bench several years; and one of the most
eminent lawyers of his time。 One of the heirs of the family is now
building a fine seat about a mile on the south side of Ipswich;
near the road。
The epitaph or inscription on this monument is as follows:…
M。 S。
D。 Johannis Holt; Equitis Aur。
Totius Anglioe in Banco Regis
per 21 Annos continuos
Capitalis Justitiarii
Gulielmo Regi Annoequr Reginae
Consiliarii perpetui:
Libertatis ac Legum Anglicarum
Assertoris; Vindicis; Custodis;
Vigilis Acris & intrepidi;
Rolandus Frater Uncius & Hoeres
Optime de se Merito
posuit;
Die Martis Vto。 1709。 Sublatus est
ex Oculis nostris
Natus 30 Decembris; Anno 1642。
When we come into Norfolk; we see a face of diligence spread over
the whole country; the vast manufactures carried on (in chief) by
the Norwich weavers employs all the country round in spinning yarn
for them; besides many thousand packs of yarn which they receive
from other countries; even from as far as Yorkshire and
Westmoreland; of which I shall speak in its place。
This side of Norfolk is very populous; and thronged with great and
spacious market…towns; more and larger than any other part of
England so far from London; except Devonshire; and the West Riding
of Yorkshire; for example; between the frontiers of Suffolk and the
city of Norwich on this side; which is not above 22 miles in
breadth; are the following market…towns; viz。:…
Thetford; Hingham; Harleston;
Diss; West Dereham; E。 Dereham;
Harling; Attleborough; Watton;
Bucknam; Windham; Loddon; etc。
Most of these towns are very populous and large; but that which is
most remarkable is; that the whole country round them is so
interspersed with villages; and those villages so large; and so
full of people; that they are equal to market…towns in other
countries; in a word; they render this eastern part of Norfolk
exceeding full of inhabitants。
An eminent weaver of Norwich gave me a scheme of their trade on
this occasion; by which; calculating from the number of looms at
that time employed in the city of Norwich only; besides those
employed in other towns in the same county; he made it appear very
plain; that there were 120;000 people employed in the woollen and
silk and wool manufactures of that city only; not that the people
all lived in the city; though Norwich is a very large and populous
city too: but; I say; they were employed for spinning the yarn used
for such goods as were all made in that city。 This account is
curious enough; and very exact; but it is too long for the compass
of this work。
This shows the wonderful extent of the Norwich manufacture; or
stuff…weaving trade; by which so many thousands of families are
maintained。 Their trade; indeed; felt a very sensible decay; and
the cries of the poor began to be very loud; when the wearing of
pai