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perpetuanas, &c. for Holland and Germany: that to France is not very confiderable, and indeed too much of what there is, is in the hands of fmugglers; which practice, fo mifchievous to the fair merchant, has been more fuccefsful on the fouth coaft than any other parts of England. It is particularly remarked of this city, that it is as full of gentry almost as it is of tradefmen, and that there have been more mayors and bailiffs of it, who have defcended from good families, or given rife to them, than of any other of its bignefs in England; for the great trade and flourishing ftate of this city tempted gentlemen to fettle their fons here, contrary to the practice in the midland and northern counties; where, according to the vain and ruinous notion of the Normans, trade was left to the vulgar, and gentlemen were not to foul their fingers with it.

Plymouth, at the influx of the rivers Plym and Tamar into the channel, was an ciently no more than a fishing town, but is now the largest in the fhire, contains near as many fouls as Exeter, and is one of the chief magazines in the kingdom, owing to its port, which is one of the biggest and fafeft in England, confifting of two harbours, capable of containing 1000 fail. It is defended by feveral forts mounted with near 300 guns, and particularly by a ftrong caftle erected in the reign of King Charles II. upon St. Nicholas Ifland; but the towns people look upon this castle, rather as an awe upon, than for a defence of the town; and this fortification, within the circuit of its walls (which take up at least two acres) contains a large magazine-houfe full of ftores, and five regular baftions.

It has a good pilchard-fishing on the coaft, drives a confiderable trade to the Streights and the Weft indies, and has a cuftom-houfe.

Barnstaple, on the river Taw, compounded of bar, (which in British is the mouth. of a river and staple (which in Saxon denotes a mart of trade :) it had walls formerly, with a caftle, enjoyed the liberties and privileges of a city, and had alfo an haven, which became fo fhallow, that most of the trade removed to Biddiford: yet it has still fome merchants, and a good trade to America and Ireland, from whence 'tis an eftablished port for landing wool; and it imports more wine, and other merchandise, than Biddiford, and is every whit as confiderable: for though its rival cures more fifh, yet Barnstaple drives greater trade with the ferge-makers of Tiverton and Exeter, who come up hither to buy fhad-fifh, wool, yarn, &c. 'Tis pleasantly fituate among hills, in the form of a femicircle, to which the river is a diameter: there is a fair and strong bridge over it, of fixteen arches, and a paper mill. The ftreets are clean and well paved, and the houses built of ftone, as are all the towns hereabouts.

Biddiford, (fo called from its fituation, i. e. by the ford) an ancient port and corporation on the Towridge, which a little lower joins the Taw, and falls with it into Barnftaple bay, in the Bristol Channel. There is a very fine bridge over this river, which was built in the 14th century, on 24 beautiful and stately Gothic arches. Though the foundation is very firm, yet it feems to fhake at the flightest step of a horfe. There are lands fettled for keeping it conftantly in repair; the revenues of which are received and laid out by a bridge-warden, chofen by the mayor and aldermen. 'Tis a clean, well built, populous place, and has a street that fronts the river, three-quarters of a mile long, in which are a noble key and custom-house, where fhips of good burden load and unload in the very bofom of the town. There is another street, of a good length, as broad as the St. Roch-street at Lisbon, well built, and inhabited by wealthy merchants, who fend fleets every year to the Weft Indies, particularly Virginia and Newfoundland, and to Ireland, from whence 'tis an established port, as well as Barnftaple, for landing wool. Forty or fifty fail of fhips belonging to this port have been employed to fetch cod from Newfoundland; and others are fent to Liverpool and

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Warrington,

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Warrington, to fetch rock-falt, which is here diffolved by the fea-water into brine, and then boiled up into a new falt, which is justly cailed falt upon falt; and with this they cure their herrings.

In Somersetshire we arrived at the city of Bristol, the fecond city in the dominions of the King of Great Britain, for trade, wealth, and number of inhabitants, notwithftanding York boasts of greater antiquity and extent of ground, and Norwich of more churches. The Britains, according to Camden, call it Caer Oder nant Baden, i. e. the city Odera in Baden (or Bath) valley; and the Saxons, Brightstow, or a famous place.

As to the trade of this city, 'tis well known to all traders to be the most confiderable of any port in the British dominions, London only excepted, efpecially to the Weslt Indies, to which its merchants were the first adventurers, and always greater traders in proportion, than that metropolis. It was even computed, about twenty-fix years ago, when it employed no less than 2000 fail of fhips, that the trade, in proportion to the bigness of the two cities, was above three times as great as that of London. Indeed the Bristol merchants had a very good trade to the West Indies, at the time of the civil war, which they have increafed much more, not only thither, but to all parts of the world fince the Revolution. Before that, they knew little of the Guinea trade, and hardly any thing of the Dutch, the Hamburg, the Norway, and the Eaftland commerce; all which have fince been very flourishing in this port. In time of peace, fifty Weft India fhips have arrived here in a fleet, or very near one another, many of them fhips of confiderable burden. In the late war with France, they built a fort of galleys, called runners, which being well armed and manned, and furnished with letters of overtook and mastered several prizes of that nation. Many of these fhips were then marque, alfo carriers for London merchants, who ordered their merchandise to be landed here and fent up to Gloucester by water, thence by land to Lechlade, and thence down the Thames to London; the carriage being fo reasonable, that it was more than paid for by the difference of the infurance, and rifk between this port and London. These conveniences, and a fhorter cut through the channel to the Land's-end, gave the merchants of Bristol a great advantage in trade over those of London; and to this advantage may, in fome measure, be attributed the great number of wealthy men rifen up within a few years in this city; the fhop-keepers of which, who are, in general, wholesale men, have fo great an inland trade, that they maintain carriers, juft as the London tradesmen do, not only to Bath, and to Wells and Exeter, but to Frome, and all the principal counties and towns, from Southampton, even to the banks of the Trent. Moreover, by means of those two great rivers, the Severn and the Wye, they have the whole trade of fouth Wales as it were to themselves; and the greatest part of that of north Wales.

The largest fhips lie at Hungroad, four miles down the river; two miles below which is Kingroad, another ftation. which carry the merchandize to the key. For the building, equipping, and repairing Here thofe fhips are difcharged by lighters, of fhips, there are fhipwrights, and all other proper artificers, yards and docks, and large rope-walks in the fkirts of the town.

One of this city's principal branches of trade, and which has been prodigiously increased fince the Revolution, is that to Ireland, from whence it imports tallow, linen and woollen, and bay yarn. The Streights trade, for all forts of fruit, oil, &c. is very confiderable at this port; and fo indeed is that to all other countries, except Turkey and the East Indies.

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In this city there are alfo fome confiderable manufactures of woollen ftuffs, particularly cantaloons, which is carried on chiefly by French refugees; glass ware is as plenty and cheap at Bristol, as in any place of the world, here being no less than fifteen glasshoufes, (which are ferved by the Kingswood and Mendip-hills coal mines) fome for glaffes, others for bottles, of which there is a great demand at the hot-well and Bath for exporting their mineral waters, and in general for wine, beer, cyder, &c.

Frome-Selwood is the chief town of what was anciently one great forest in the east part of Somersetshire, and the weft part of Wiltshire, and therefore then called Selwoodfhire.

The inhabitants are reckoned to be about 13,000; of whom 'tis faid one half are new comers within these twenty years; in which time there have not been less than 2000 houses built on new foundations. They are not indeed very fumptuous, nor the ftreets very spacious, the latter efpecially being very irregular, and for the greatest part up hill and down hill. 'Twas govern'd formerly by a bailiff, and now by two conftables, of the hundred of Frome, chofe at the court-leet. The inhabitants of this town, who had shewn their zeal for the glorious Revolution, endeavoured, in the reign of King William, to procure a charter incorporation, but in vain, because, as they fay, they were oppofed in it by a neighbouring lord.

As to the woollen manufacture, it thrives here to fuch a degree, that feven waggons have been fent out with cloth weekly from this town for Blackwell-hall in London, &c. Indeed all of it is not made at Frome; for the clothiers of the neighbouring villages, of Elm-Mells, Whatley, Noney, &c. bring their goods hither for carriage to London; and each of these waggons have been known to hold 140 pieces, which being valued at 14/. one with another, make the value of the whole to amount, in the year, to above 700,000l. in this quarter of the county.

Twenty years ago more wire cards, for carding the wool for the fpinners, were made here than in all England befides; Leeds, Hallifax, and other towns in Yorkshire, as well as the western parts of the kingdom, being fupplied with them from hence: and here were no less than twenty mafter candlemakers; one of whom, Mr John Glover, employed 400 men, women, and children, at one time, in making them; for even children of seven or eight years of age, could earn half a-crown a-week. This fhews how much the concern and dependance of this town have been in and upon the woollen manufacture. The cloths made here are, for the most part, medleys of about feven or eight fhillings a-yard. The river here, which abounds with trout, eels, &c. rifes in the woodlands, and runs under its ftone-bridge, towards the Bath, on the east fide of which it falls into the Avon. This town has been a long time perticularly noted for its rare fine beer, which they keep to a great age, and is not only the nectar of the common people, but is often preferred by the gentry, to the wines of France and Portugal. Portsmouth is the key of England, and its only regular fortification; it stands at the entrance of a creek of the island of Portfey, which is about fourteen miles in compass, surrounded, at high tides, by the fea-water, of which they make falt, and joined to the continent by a bridge, where was anciently a fmall castle and town, called Port Peris or Porchester, the place that Vefpafian is said to have landed at when he came to Britain 'tis termed by Ptolemy μégas nv i. e. a great harbour; but the Saxons called it Port only, without any adjunct. This Port Peris lay at the upper end of the breek, but, the fea retiring from it, the inhabitants followed it, which occafioned the building of this town.

When the civil wars began, this town was fecured for the Parliament, and continued in that interest till the Restoration, when Catherine the infanta of Portugal arrived here,

here, and was met by King Charles II. to confummate their marriage. That king added very much to the ftrength, extent, and magnificence of its fortifications by land, and to its naval preparations. He made it one of the principal chambers in the kingdom for laying up the royal navy, furnished it with wet and dry docks, ftore-houses, rope-yards, and all materials for building, repairing, rigging, arming, victualling, and completely fitting to fea fhips of all rates, from the leaft to the greateft. King James I. added greatly to the fortifications, and made the Duke of Berwick its governor. It has alfo dwelling-houfes, with ample accommodations for a commiffioner of the navy, and all the fubordinate officers, and mafter-workmen, neceffary for the conftant day and night-service of the navy in this port; and it is furprifing to fee the exact order in which the furniture is laid up in the yards and ftore houfes, fo that the workmen can find any implement in the dark. After the Revolution, this port flourished mightily; being the constant rendezvous of the grand fleets and fquadrons; for convoy of merchant fhips homeward and outward bound. By thefe means it is fo increafed and inriched, that the houfes of the inhabitants are near double to what they were before, and the fortifications as regular as thofe of any port in Europe. Here is a good countericarp, and double mote, with ravelins in the ditch, and double palifadoes, and advanced works to cover the place from any approach where it may be practicable. The town is also the strongest on the land fide, by the fortifications railed of late years about the docks and yards. Within these few years the government has bought more ground for additional works; and, no doubt, it may be made impregnable, fince a fhallow water may be brought quite round it. 'Tis amazing to fee the immenfe quantities here of all forts of military and naval ftores. The rope-house is near a quarter of a mile long. Some of the great cables made here require 100 men to work at them, and their labour is fo hard, that they can work but four hours in a day. The leaft number of men continually employed in the yard is faid to be a thoufand, and that but barely fufficient. The docks and yards, in fhort, refemble a diftinct town, and are a kind of marine corporation within themselves, there being particular rows of dwellings, built at the public charge, within the new works, for all the principal officers. The fituation of the place is low, and fo full of water and ditches, that it is reckoned aguish. The streets are not over-clean, nor the fmells very favoury; but the continual refort of feamen and foldiers to it renders it always full of people, and makes those people feem always in a hurry. The inns and taverns are perpetually crowded, but their bills are not the most moderate. The place is in want of fresh water; and though the adjacent country abounds with all forts of provifions, yet the great confumption here makes them dear; as are alfo, lodgings and fuel. Here is a garrifon, but the number uncertain, according to the occafion. Here are all the proper officers to take care of the revenue; and the garrifon, docks, &c. are furnished with them in their feveral diftinctions. Here is a very fine new key for laying up the cannon; and the arfenal at Venice is not fo regular, nor better difpofed. A thoufand fail of fhips may ride fafe in this harbour. The mouth, not fo broad as the Thames at Westminster, is fecured on Gofport fide by four forts, and a platform of above twenty great guns, level with the water; and on the other fide by South-Sea caftle, built by Henry VIII. Gofport is a large town, of great trade, where the failors wives live for the most part, and where travellers generally chufe to lodge; every thing being cheaper and more convenient there, than in Portsmouth; and boats are continually paffing from the one to the other, it being juft as Southwark is to London, excepting that there is no bridge; but it is all called Portsmouth, though they are different parishes.

Such

Such has been the late increase of business at Portsmouth, and fo great the confluence of people, that as the town does not admit of any inlargement for buildings, a fort of fuburb to it has been built on the heathy ground adjoining, which is like to outstrip the town itself, for number of the inhabitants, and beauty of the houses; and the rather, as it is independent on the laws of the garrifon, and unincumbered with the duties and fervices of the corporation. The failors are entertained here, in time of war, by the ladies of pleasure, as they are at Amfterdam, and all other places where there is a great refort of shipping.

Newbury or Newbery, q. d. the New Borough, is fo called in regard to its rife on the decay of the Spine of the Romans, which is dwindled into a village, with a few good inns in it, called Spinham Land, though still reckoned a part of Newbury. This town is famous for the two great engagements there between King Charles I. and the Parliament-army; the first on the 20th of September 1643, and the fecond on the 27th of October 1644; both almoft on the fame spot of ground, and the King present at both. Notwithstanding its name, it is a place at leaft as old as the conqueft; and the manufacture of cloth throve here once to such a degree, that in the reign of Henry VIII. here flourished John Winchcomb, commonly called Jack of Newbury, one of the greatest clothiers that ever was in England: for he kept 100 looms in his houfe; and in the expedition to Flodden-field against the Scots, marched with one hundred of his own men, all armed and clothed at his own expence; and he built all the weft part of the church. Alfo Mr. Kenric, the fon of a clothier of this town, and afterwards a merchant in London, left 4000l. to this town, as well as 7500l. to Reading, to encourage the clothing trade. It has loft most of this manufacture since it removed to the weft, but makes a great quantity of fhalloons and druggets, which, with its other trades, renders it still a flourishing town. It ftands most pleasantly, in a fruitful plain, the river Kennet running through it. It was made a corporation by Queen Elizabeth, and is governed by a mayor, high-fteward, recorder, aldermen, and capital burgeffes. The ftreets are spacious, particularly the market place, in which ftands the Guildhall. 'Tis noted alfo for its excellent trout, eels, and cray-fifh, and has all manner of provifions in plenty.

Birmingham, Bremingham, or Bermincham, is a large populous town in Warwickfhire; the upper part of it ftands dry on the fide of a hill, but the lower is watry. Swarms of the meaner fort of people are employed here in the iron-works, in which they are fuch ingenious artificers, that their performances in the fmall wares of iron and steel are much admired both at home and abroad. The noife of files, hammers, and anvils, is the continual mufic of this place. 'Tis much improved of late years by many new buildings, both public and private.

Norwich city, about one hundred and eight miles from London, in the county of Norfolk, ftands near the conflux of the river Venfer or Winfder, and the river Yare, which is navigable from hence to Yarmouth, thirty miles by water. It was spoiled and burnt by Sueno King of Denmark, but foon grew populous again, and wealthy; and, in Edward the Confeffor's days, had thirteen hundred and twenty burgeffes, and paid twenty pounds to the King, befides fix fextaries of honey, a bear, and fix dogs to bait him. At the drawing up of the furvey after the conqueft, it paid feventy pounds in weight to the King, five pounds fine to the Queen, and furnished her with an ambling palfrey. Although it fuffered very much by the infurrection of Ralph, Earl of the East Angles, against William the Conqueror, in whole time it was befieged and reduced by famine, yet that damage was abundantly repaired, when the epifcopal fee was removed hither from Thetford, which was in 1096, the year that the cathedral

was