the life of thomas telford-第5章

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roads　throughout　England　were　placed　in　a　more　satisfactory　state

than　they　were　in　the　time　of　Mr。　Mace。



The　introduction　of　stage…coaches　about　the　middle　of　the

seventeenth　century　formed　a　new　era　in　the　history　of　travelling

by　road。　　At　first　they　were　only　a　better　sort　of　waggon；　and

confined　to　the　more　practicable　highways　near　London。　　Their　pace

did　not　exceed　four　miles　an　hour；　and　the　jolting　of　the

unfortunate　passengers　conveyed　in　them　must　have　been　very　hard　to

bear。　It　used　to　be　said　of　their　drivers　that　they　were　〃seldom

sober；　never　Civil；　and　always　late。〃



The　first　mention　of　coaches　for　public　accommodation　is　made　by

Sir　William　Dugdale　in　his　Diary；　from　which　it　appears　that　a

Coventry　coach　was　on　the　road　in　1659。　　But　probably　the　first

coaches；　or　rather　waggons；　were　run　between　London　and　Dover；　as

one　of　the　most　practicable　routes　for　the　purpose。　　M。　Sobriere；

a　French　man　of　letters；　who　landed　at　Dover　on　his　way　to　London

in　the　time　of　Charles　II。；　alludes　to　the　existence　of　a

stagecoach；　but　it　seems　to　have　had　no　charms　for　him；　as　the

following　passage　will　show：　〃That　I　might　not；〃　he　says；

〃take　post　or　be　obliged　to　use　the　stage…coach；　I　went　from　Dover

to　London　in　a　waggon。　　I　was　drawn　by　six　horses；　one　before　another；

and　driven　by　a　waggoner；　who　walked　by　the　side　of　it。　　He　was

clothed　in　black；　and　appointed　in　all　things　like　another　St。　George。

He　had　a　brave　montrero　on　his　head　and　was　a　merry　fellow；　fancied

he　made　a　figure；　and　seemed　mightily　pleased　with　himself。〃



Shortly　after；　coaches　seem　to　have　been　running　as　far　north　as

Preston　in　Lancashire；　as　appears　by　a　letter　from　one　Edward

Parker　to　his　father；　dated　November；　1663；　in　which　he　says；

〃I　got　to　London　on　Saturday　last；　but　my　journey　was　noe　ways

pleasant；　being　forced　to　ride　in　the　boote　all　the　waye。

Ye　company　yt　came　up　with　mee　were　persons　of　greate　quality；

as　knights　and　ladyes。　My　journey's　expense　was　30s。　　This　traval

hath　soe　indisposed　mee；　yt　I　am　resolved　never　to　ride　up　againe

in　ye　coatch。〃*＇6＇

These　vehicles　must；　however；　have　considerably　increased；　as　we

find　a　popular　agitation　was　got　up　against　them。　　The　Londoners

nicknamed　them　〃hell…carts；〃　pamphlets　were　written　recommending

their　abolition；　and　attempts　were　even　made　to　have　them

suppressed　by　Act　of　Parliament。



Thoresby　occasionally　alludes　to　stage…coaches　in　his　Diary；

speaking　of　one　that　ran　between　Hull　and　York　in　1679；　from　which

latter　place　he　had　to　proceed　by　Leeds　in　the　usual　way　on

horseback。　　This　Hull　vehicle　did　not　run　in　winter；　because　of　the

state　of　the　roads；　stagecoaches　being　usually　laid　up　in　that

season　like　ships　during　Arctic　frosts。*＇7＇



Afterwards；　when　a　coach　was　put　on　between　York　and　Leeds；　it

performed　the　journey　of　twenty…four　miles　in　eight　hours；*＇8＇

but　the　road　was　so　bad　and　dangerous　that　the　travellers　were

accustomed　to　get　out　and　walk　the　greater　part　of　the　way。



Thoresby　often　waxes　eloquent　upon　the　subject　of　his　manifold

deliverances　from　the　dangers　of　travelling　by　coach。　　He　was

especially　thankful　when　he　had　passed　the　ferry　over　the　Trent　in

journeying　between　Leeds　and　London；　having　on　several　occasions

narrowly　escaped　drowning　there。　　Once；　on　his　journey　to　London；

some　showers　fell；　which　〃raised　the　washes　upon　the　road　near　Ware

to　that　height　that　passengers　from　London　that　were　upon　that　road

swam；　and　a　poor　higgler　was　drowned；　which　prevented　me　travelling

for　many　hours；　yet　towards　evening　we　adventured　with　some　country

people；　who　conducted　us　over　the　meadows；　whereby　we　missed　the

deepest　of　the　Wash　at　Cheshunt；　though　we　rode　to　the

saddle…skirts　for　a　considerable　way；　but　got　safe　to　Waltham

Cross；　where　we　lodged。〃*＇9＇　　On　another　occasion　Thoresby　was

detained　four　days　at　Stamford　by　the　state　of　the　roads；　and　was

only　extricated　from　his　position　by　a　company　of　fourteen　members

of　the　House　of　Commons　travelling　towards　London；　who　took　him

into　their　convoy；　and　set　out　on　their　way　southward　attended　by

competent　guides。　　When　the　〃waters　were　out；〃　as　the　saying　went；

the　country　became　closed；　the　roads　being　simply　impassable。

During　the　Civil　Wars　eight　hundred　horse　were　taken　prisoners

while　sticking　in　the　mud。*＇10＇　　When　rain　fell；　pedestrians；

horsemen；　and　coaches　alike　came　to　a　standstill　until　the　roads

dried　again　and　enabled　the　wayfarers　to　proceed。　　Thus　we　read　of

two　travellers　stopped　by　the　rains　within　a　few　miles　of　Oxford；

who　found　it　impossible　to　accomplish　their　journey　in　consequence

of　the　waters　that　covered　the　country　thereabout。



A　curious　account　has　been　preserved　of　the　journey　of　an　Irish

Viceroy　across　North　Wales　towards　Dublin　in　1685。　　The　roads　were

so　horrible　that　instead　of　the　Viceroy　being　borne　along　in　his

coach；　the　coach　itself　had　to　be　borne　after　him　the　greater　part

of　the　way。　　He　was　five　hours　in　travelling　between　St。　Asaph　and

Conway；　a　distance　of　only　fourteen　miles。　　Between　Conway　and

Beaumaris　he　was　forced　to　walk；　while　his　wife　was　borne　along　in

a　litter。　The　carriages　were　usually　taken　to　pieces　at　Conway　and

carried　on　the　shoulders　of　stout　Welsh　peasants　to　be　embarked　at

the　Straits　of　Menai。



The　introduction　of　stage…coaches；　like　every　other　public

improvement；　was　at　first　regarded　with　prejudice；　and　had

considerable　obloquy　to　encounter。　　In　a　curious　book　published　in

1673；　entitled　'The　Grand　Concern　of　England　Explained　in　several

Proposals　to　Parliament；'*＇11＇　stagecoaches　and　caravans　were

denounced　as　among　the　greatest　evils　that　had　happened　to　the

kingdom；　Being　alike　mischievous　to　the　public；　destructive　to

trade；　and　prejudicial　to　the　landed　interest。　　It　was　alleged　that

travelling　by　coach　was　calculated　to　destroy　the　breed　of　horses；

and　make　men　careless　of　good　horsemanship；that　it　hindered　the

training　of　watermen　and　seamen；　and　interfered　with　the　public

resources。　　The　reasons　given　are　curious。　　It　was　said　that　those

who　were　accustomed　to　travel　in　coaches　became　weary　and　listless

when　they　rode　a　few　miles；　and　were　unwilling　to　get　on　horseback

〃not　being　able　to　endure　frost；　snow；　or　rain；　or　to　lodge　in

the　fields；〃　that　to　save　their　clothes　and　keep　themselves　clean

and　dry；　people　rode　in　coaches；　and　thus　contracted　an　idle　habit

of　body；　that　this　was　ruinous　to　trade；　for　that　〃most　gentlemen；

before　they　travelled　in　coaches；　used　to　ride　with　swords；　belts；

pistols；　holsters；　portmanteaus；　and　hat…cases；　which；　in　these

coaches；　they　have　little　or　no　occasion　for：　for；　when　they　rode

on　horseback；　they　rode　in　one　suit　and　carried　another　to　wear

when　they　camp　to　their　journey's　end；　or　lay　by　the　way；　but　in

coaches　a　silk　suit　and　an　Indian　gown；　with　a　sash；　silk

stockings；　and　beaver…hats；　men　ride　in；　and　carry　no　other　with

them；　because　they　escape　the　wet　and　dirt；　which　on　horseback　they

cannot　avoid；　whereas；　in　two　or　three　journeys　on　horseback；　these

clothes　and　hats　were　wont　to　be　spoiled；　which　done；　they　were

forced　to　have　new　very　often；　and　that　increased　the　consumption

of　the　manufactures　and　the　employment　of　the　manufacturers；　which

travelling　in　coaches　doth　in　no　way　do。〃*＇12＇　　The　writer　of　the

same　protest　against　coaches　gives　some　idea　of　the　extent　of

travelling　by　them　in　those　days；　for　to　show　the　gigantic　nature

of　the　evil　he　was　contending　against；　he　averred　that　between

London　and　the　three　principal　towns　of　York；　Chester；　and　Exeter；

not　fewer　than　eighteen　persons；　making　the　journey　in　five　days；

travelled　by　them　weekly　the　coaches　running　thrice　in　the　week）；

and　a　like　number　back；　〃which　come；　in　the　whole；　to　eighteen

hundred　and　seventy…two　in　the　year。〃　　Another　great　nuisance；

the　writer　alleged；　which　flowed　from　the　establishment　of　the

stage…coaches；　was；　that　not　only　did　the　gentlemen　from　the

country　come　to　London　in　them　oftener　than　they　need；　but　their

ladies　either　came　with　them　or　quickly　followed　them。　　〃And　when

they　are　there　they　must　be　in　the　mode；　have　all　the　new　fashions；

buy　all　their　clothes　there；　and　go　to　plays；　balls；　and　treats；

where　they　get　such　a　habit　of　jollity　and　a　love　to　gaiety　and

pleasure；　that　nothing　afterwards　in　the　country　will　serve　them　；

if　ever　they　should　fix　their　minds　to　live　there　again；　but　they

must　have　all　from　London；　whatever　it　costs。〃



Then　there　were　the　grievous　discomforts　of　stage…coach　travelling；

to　be　set　against　the　more　noble　method　of　travelling　by　horseback；

as　of　yore。　　〃What　advantage　is　it　to　men's　health；〃　says　the

writer；　waxing　wroth；　〃to　be　called　out　of　their　beds　into　these

coaches；　an　hour　before　day　in　the　morning；　to　be　hurried　in　them

from　place　to　place；　till　one　hour；　two；　or　three　within　night；

insomuch　that；　after　sitting　all　day　in　the　summer…time　stifled

with　heat　and　choked　with　dust；　or　in　the　winter…time　starving　and

freezing　with　cold　or　choked　with　filthy　fogs；　they　are　often

brought　into　their　inns　by　torchlight；　when　it　is　too　late　to　sit

up　to　get　a　supper；　and　next　morning　they　are　forced　into　the　coach

so　early　that　they　can　get　no　breakfast？　　What　addition　is　this　to

men's　health　or　business　to　ride　all　day　with　strangers；　oftentimes

sick；　antient；　diseased　persons；　or　young　children　crying；　to　whose

humours　they　are　obliged　to　be　subject；　forced　to　bear　with；　and

many　times　are　poisoned　with　their　nasty　scents　and　crippled　by　the

crowd　of　boxes　and　bundles？　Is　it　for　a　man's　health　to　travel　with

tired　jades；　to　be　laid　fast　in　the　foul　ways　and　forced　to　wade　up

to　the　knees　in　mire；　afterwards　sit　in　the　cold　till　teams　of

horses　can　be　sent　to　pull　the　coach　out？　Is　it　for　their　health　to

travel　in　rotten　coaches　and　to　have　their　tackle；　perch；　or

axle…tree　broken；　and　then　to　wait　three　or　four　hours　（sometimes

half　a　day）　to　have　them　mended；　and　then　to　travel　all　night　to

make　good　their　stage？　　Is　it　for　a　man's　pleasure；　or　advantageous

to　his　health　and　business；　to　travel　with　a　mixed　company　that　he

knows　not　how　to　converse　with；　to　be　affronted　by　the　rudeness　of

a　surly；　dogged；　cursing；　ill…natured　coachman；　necessitated　to

lodge　or　bait　at　the　worst　inn　on　the　road；　where　there　is　no

accommodation　fit　for　gentlemen；　and　this　merely　because　the　owners

of　the　inns　and　the　coachmen　are　agreed　together　to　cheat　the

guests？〃　　Hence　the　writer　loudly　called　for　the　immediate

suppression　of　stagecoaches　as　a　great　nuisance　and　crying　evil。



Travelling　by　coach　was　in　early　times　a　very　deliberate　affair。

Time　was　of　less　consequence　than　safety；　and　coaches　were

advertised　to　start　〃God　willing；〃　and　〃about〃　such　and　such　an

hour　〃as　shall　seem　good〃　to　the　majority　of　the　passengers。

The　difference　of　a　day　in　the　jo