tour through the eastern counties of england-第9节

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the　inhabitants　there　they　have　lost　above　thirty　acres　of　land　in

one　place。



From　hence　we　go　back　into　the　county　about　four　miles；　because　of

the　creeks　which　lie　between；　and　then　turning　east　again　come　to

Harwich；　on　the　utmost　eastern　point　of　this　large　country。



Harwich　is　a　town　so　well　known　and　so　perfectly　described　by　many

writers；　I　need　say　little　of　it。　　It　is　strong　by　situation；　and

may　be　made　more　so　by　art。　　But　it　is　many　years　since　the

Government　of　England　have　had　any　occasion　to　fortify　towns　to　the

landward；　it　is　enough　that　the　harbour　or　road；　which　is　one　of

the　best　and　securest　in　England；　is　covered　at　the　entrance　by　a

strong　fort　and　a　battery　of　guns　to　the　seaward；　just　as　at

Tilbury；　and　which　sufficiently　defend　the　mouth　of　the　river。　　And

there　is　a　particular　felicity　in　this　fortification；　viz。；　that

though　the　entrance　or　opening　of　the　river　into　the　sea　is　very

wide；　especially　at　high…water；　at　least　two　miles；　if　not　three

over；　yet　the　Channel；　which　is　deep；　and　in　which　the　ships　must

keep　and　come　to　the　harbour；　is　narrow；　and　lies　only　on　the　side

of　the　fort；　so　that　all　the　ships　which　come　in　or　go　out　must

come　close　under　the　guns　of　the　fort　…　that　is　to　say；　under　the

command　of　their　shot。



The　fort　is　on　the　Suffolk　side　of　the　bay　or　entrance；　but　stands

so　far　into　the　sea　upon　the　point　of　a　sand　or　shoal；　which　runs

out　toward　the　Essex　side；　as　it　were；　laps　over　the　mouth　of　that

haven　like　a　blind　to　it；　and　our　surveyors　of　the　country　affirm

it　to　be　in　the　county　of　Essex。　　The　making　this　place；　which　was

formerly　no　other　than　a　sand　in　the　sea；　solid　enough　for　the

foundation　of　so　good　a　fortification；　has　not　been　done　but　by

many　years'　labour；　often　repairs；　and　an　infinite　expense　of

money；　but　it　is　now　so　firm　that　nothing　of　storms　and　high　tides；

or　such　things　as　make　the　sea　dangerous　to　these　kind　of　works；

can　affect　it。



The　harbour　is　of　a　vast　extent；　for；　as　two　rivers　empty

themselves　here；　viz。；　Stour　from　Manningtree　and　the　Orwell　from

Ipswich；　the　channels　of　both　are　large　and　deep；　and　safe　for　all

weathers；　so　where　they　join　they　make　a　large　bay　or　road　able　to

receive　the　biggest　ships；　and　the　greatest　number　that　ever　the

world　saw　together；　I　mean　ships　of　war。　　In　the　old　Dutch　war

great　use　has　been　made　of　this　harbour；　and　I　have　known　that

there　has　been　one　hundred　sail　of　men…of…war　and　their　attendants

and　between　three　and　four　hundred　sail　of　collier　ships　all　in

this　harbour　at　a　time；　and　yet　none　of　them　crowding　or　riding　in

danger　of　one　another。



Harwich　is　known　for　being　the　port　where　the　packet　boats；　between

England　and　Holland；　go　out　and　come　in。　　The　inhabitants　are　far

from　being　famed　for　good　usage　to　strangers；　but；　on　the　contrary；

are　blamed　for　being　extravagant　in　their　reckonings　in　the　public…

houses；　which　has　not　a　little　encouraged　the　setting　up　of　sloops；

which　they　now　call　passage　boats；　to　Holland；　to　go　directly　from

the　River　Thames；　this；　though　it　may　be　something　the　longer

passage；　yet　as　they　are　said　to　be　more　obliging　to　passengers　and

more　reasonable　in　the　expense；　and；　as　some　say；　also；　the　vessels

are　better　sea　boats；　has　been　the　reason　why　so　many　passengers　do

not　go　or　come　by　the　way　of　Harwich　as　formerly　were　wont　to　do；

insomuch　that　the　stage　coaches　between　this　place　and　London；

which　ordinarily　went　twice　or　three　times　a　week；　are　now　entirely

laid　down；　and　the　passengers　are　left　to　hire　coaches　on　purpose；

take　post…horses；　or　hire　horses　to　Colchester；　as　they　find　most

convenient。



The　account　of　a　petrifying　quality　in　the　earth　here；　though　some

will　have　it　to　be　in　the　water　of　a　spring　hard　by；　is　very

strange。　　They　boast　that　their　town　is　walled　and　their　streets

paved　with　clay；　and　yet　that　one　is　as　strong　and　the　other　as

clean　as　those　that　are　built　or　paved　with　stone。　　The　fact　is

indeed　true；　for　there　is　a　sort　of　clay　in　the　cliff；　between　the

town　and　the　Beacon　Hill　adjoining；　which；　when　it　falls　down　into

the　sea；　where　it　is　beaten　with　the　waves　and　the　weather；　turns

gradually　into　stone。　　But　the　chief　reason　assigned　is　from　the

water　of　a　certain　spring　or　well；　which；　rising　in　the　said　cliff；

runs　down　into　the　sea　among　those　pieces　of　clay；　and　petrifies

them　as　it　runs；　and　the　force　of　the　sea　often　stirring；　and

perhaps　turning；　the　lumps　of　clay；　when　storms　of　wind　may　give

force　enough　to　the　water；　causes　them　to　harden　everywhere　alike；

otherwise　those　which　were　not　quite　sunk　in　the　water　of　the

spring　would　be　petrified　but　in　part。　　These　stones　are　gathered

up　to　pave　the　streets　and　build　the　houses；　and　are　indeed　very

hard。　　It　is　also　remarkable　that　some　of　them　taken　up　before　they

are　thoroughly　petrified　will；　upon　breaking　them；　appear　to　be

hard　as　a　stone　without　and　soft　as　clay　in　the　middle；　whereas

others　that　have　lain　a　due　time　shall　be　thorough　stone　to　the

centre；　and　as　exceeding　hard　within　as　without。　　The　same　spring

is　said　to　turn　wood　into　iron。　　But　this　I　take　to　be　no　more　or

less　than　the　quality；　which；　as　I　mentioned　of　the　shore　at　the

Naze；　is　found　to　be　in　much　of　the　stone　all　along　this　shore；

viz。；　of　the　copperas　kind；　and　it　is　certain　that　the　copperas

stone　（so　called）　is　found　in　all　that　cliff；　and　even　where　the

water　of　this　spring　has　run；　and　I　presume　that　those　who　call　the

hardened　pieces　of　wood；　which　they　take　out　of　this　well　by　the

name　of　iron；　never　tried　the　quality　of　it　with　the　fire　or

hammer；　if　they　had；　perhaps　they　would　have　given　some　other

account　of　it。



On　the　promontory　of　land　which　they　call　Beacon　Hill　and　which

lies　beyond　or　behind　the　town　towards　the　sea；　there　is　a

lighthouse　to　give　the　ships　directions　in　their　sailing　by　as　well

as　their　coming　into　the　harbour　in　the　night。　　I　shall　take　notice

of　these　again　all　together　when　I　come　to　speak　of　the　Society　of

Trinity　House；　as　they　are　called；　by　whom　they　are　all　directed

upon　this　coast。



This　town　was　erected　into　a　marquisate　in　honour　of　the　truly

glorious　family　of　Schomberg；　the　eldest　son　of　Duke　Schomberg；　who

landed　with　King　William；　being　styled　Marquis　of　Harwich；　but　that

family　（in　England；　at　least）　being　extinct　the　title　dies　also。



Harwich　is　a　town　of　hurry　and　business；　not　much　of　gaiety　and

pleasure；　yet　the　inhabitants　seem　warm　in　their　nests；　and　some　of

them　are　very　wealthy。　　There　are　not　many　（if　any）　gentlemen　or

families　of　note　either　in　the　town　or　very　near　it。　　They　send　two

members　to　Parliament；　the　present　are　Sir　Peter　Parker　and

Humphrey　Parsons；　Esq。



And　now　being　at　the　extremity　of　the　county　of　Essex；　of　which　I

have　given　you　some　view　as　to　that　side　next　the　sea　only；　I　shall

break　off　this　part　of　my　letter　by　telling　you　that　I　will　take

the　towns　which　lie　more　towards　the　centre　of　the　county；　in　my

return　by　the　north　and　west　part　only；　that　I　may　give　you　a　few

hints　of　some　towns　which　were　near　me　in　my　route　this　way；　and　of

which　being　so　well　known　there　is　but　little　to　say。



On　the　road　from　London　to　Colchester；　before　I　came　into　it　at

Witham；　lie　four　good　market　towns　at　equal　distance　from　one

another；　namely；　Romford；　noted　for　two　markets；　viz。；　one　for

calves　and　hogs；　the　other　for　corn　and　other　provisions；　most；　if

not　all；　bought　up　for　London　market。　　At　the　farther　end　of　the

town；　in　the　middle　of　a　stately　park；　stood　Guldy　Hall；　vulgarly

Giddy　Hall；　an　ancient　seat　of　one　Coke；　sometime　Lord　Mayor　of

London；　but　forfeited　on　some　occasion　to　the　Crown。　　It　is　since

pulled　down　to　the　ground；　and　there　now　stands　a　noble　stately

fabric　or　mansion　house；　built　upon　the　spot　by　Sir　John　Eyles；　a

wealthy　merchant　of　London；　and　chosen　Sub…Governor　of　the　South

Sea　Company　immediately　after　the　ruin　of　the　former　Sub…Governor

and　Directors；　whose　overthrow　makes　the　history　of　these　times

famous。



Brentwood　and　Ingatestone；　and　even　Chelmsford　itself；　have　very

little　to　be　said　of　them；　but　that　they　are　large　thoroughfare

towns；　full　of　good　inns；　and　chiefly　maintained　by　the　excessive

multitude　of　carriers　and　passengers　which　are　constantly　passing

this　way　to　London　with　droves　of　cattle；　provisions；　and

manufactures　for　London。



The　last　of　these　towns　is　indeed　the　county　town；　where　the　county

gaol　is　kept；　and　where　the　assizes　are　very　often　held；　it　stands

on　the　conflux　of　two　rivers　…　the　Chelmer；　whence　the　town　is

called；　and　the　Cann。



At　Lees；　or　Lee's　Priory；　as　some　call　it；　is　to　be　seen　an　ancient

house　in　the　middle　of　a　beautiful　park；　formerly　the　seat　of　the

late　Duke　of　Manchester；　but　since　the　death　of　the　duke　it　is　sold

to　the　Duchess　Dowager　of　Buckinghamshire；　the　present　Duke　of

Manchester　retiring　to　hi