《tour through the eastern counties of england》

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tour through the eastern counties of england- 第16部分


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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
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