the life of thomas telford-第8章

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bearing　the　sign　of　the　pack…horse；　Some　of　these　would　indicate

that　packhorses　were　kept　for　hire。　　We　append　a　couple　of

illustrations　of　these　curious　old　coins。



＇Image＇





CHAPTER　III。



MANNERS　AND　CUSTOMS　INFLUENCED　BY　THE　STATE　OF　THE　ROADS。



While　the　road　communications　of　the　country　remained　thus　imperfect；

the　people　of　one　part　of　England　knew　next　to　nothing　of　the　other。

When　a　shower　of　rain　had　the　effect　of　rendering　the　highways

impassable；　even　horsemen　were　cautious　in　venturing　far　from　home。

But　only　a　very　limited　number　of　persons　could　then　afford　to

travel　on　horseback。　The　labouring　people　journeyed　on　foot；

while　the　middle　class　used　the　waggon　or　the　coach。　　But　the　amount

of　intercourse　between　the　people　of　different　districts

then　exceedingly　limited　at　all　timeswas；　in　a　country　so　wet

as　England；　necessarily　suspended　for　all　classes　during　the　greater

part　of　the　year。



The　imperfect　communication　existing　between　districts　had　the

effect　of　perpetuating　numerous　local　dialects；　local　prejudices；

and　local　customs；　which　survive　to　a　certain　extent　to　this　day；

though　they　are　rapidly　disappearing；　to　the　regret　of　many；　under

the　influence　of　improved　facilities　for　travelling。　　Every　village

had　its　witches；　sometimes　of　different　sorts；　and　there　was

scarcely　an　old　house　but　had　its　white　lady　or　moaning　old　man

with　a　long　beard。　　There　were　ghosts　in　the　fens　which　walked　on

stilts；　while　the　sprites　of　the　hill　country　rode　on　flashes　of

fire。　But　the　village　witches　and　local　ghosts　have　long　since

disappeared；　excepting　perhaps　in　a　few　of　the　less　penetrable

districts；　where　they　may　still　survive。　　It　is　curious　to　find

that　down　even　to　the　beginning　of　the　seventeenth　century；　the

inhabitants　of　the　southern　districts　of　the　island　regarded　those

of　the　north　as　a　kind　of　ogres。　　Lancashire　was　supposed　to　be

almost　impenetrable　as　indeed　it　was　to　a　considerable

extent；and　inhabited　by　a　half…savage　race。　　Camden　vaguely

described　it；　previous　to　his　visit　in　1607；　as　that　part　of　the

country　〃　lying　beyond　the　mountains　towards　the　Western　Ocean。〃

He　acknowledged　that　he　approached　the　Lancashire　people　〃with　a

kind　of　dread；〃　but　determined　at　length　〃to　run　the　hazard　of　the

attempt；〃　trusting　in　the　Divine　assistance。　Camden　was　exposed　to

still　greater　risks　in　his　survey　of　Cumberland。　When　he　went　into

that　county　for　the　purpose　of　exploring　the　remains　of　antiquity

it　contained　for　the　purposes　of　his　great　work；　he　travelled　along

the　line　of　the　Roman　Wall　as　far　as　Thirlwall　castle；　near

Haltwhistle；　but　there　the　limits　of　civilization　and　security

ended；　for　such　was　the　wildness　of　the　country　and　of　its　lawless

inhabitants　beyond；　that　he　was　obliged　to　desist　from　his

pilgrimage；　and　leave　the　most　important　and　interesting　objects　of

his　journey　unexplored。



About　a　century　later；　in　1700；　the　Rev。　　Mr。　Brome；　rector　of

Cheriton　in　Kent；　entered　upon　a　series　of　travels　in　England　as　if

it　had　been　a　newly…discovered　country。　　He　set　out　in　spring　so

soon　as　the　roads　had　become　passable。　　His　friends　convoyed　him　on

the　first　stage　of　his　journey；　and　left　him；　commending　him　to　the

Divine　protection。　　He　was；　however；　careful　to　employ　guides　to

conduct　him　from　one　place　to　another；　and　in　the　course　of　his

three　years'　travels　he　saw　many　new　and　wonderful　things。　　He　was

under　the　necessity　of　suspending　his　travels　when　the　winter　or

wet　weather　set　in；　and　to　lay　up；　like　an　arctic　voyager；　for

several　months；　until　the　spring　came　round　again。　　Mr。　Brome

passed　through　Northumberland　into　Scotland；　then　down　the　western

side　of　the　island　towards　Devonshire；　where　he　found　the　farmers

gathering　in　their　corn　on　horse…back；　the　roads　being　so　narrow

that　it　was　impossible　for　them　to　use　waggons。　　He　desired　to

travel　into　Cornwall；　the　boundaries　of　which　he　reached；　but　was

prevented　proceeding　farther　by　the　rains；　and　accordingly　he　made

the　best　of　his　way　home。*＇1＇　　The　vicar　of　Cheriton　was　considered

a　wonderful　man　in　his　day；　almost　as　as　venturous　as　we　should

now　regard　a　traveller　in　Arabia。　　Twenty　miles　of　slough；　or　an

unbridged　river　between　two　parishes；　were　greater　impediments　to

intercourse　than　the　Atlantic　Ocean　now　is　between　England　and

America。　　Considerable　towns　situated　in　the　same　county；　were　then

more　widely　separated；　for　practical　purposes；　than　London　and

Glasgow　are　at　the　present　day。　There　were　many　districts　which

travellers　never　visited；　and　where　the　appearance　of　a　stranger

produced　as　great　an　excitement　as　the　arrival　of　a　white　man　in　an

African　village。*＇2＇



The　author　of　'Adam　Bede'　has　given　us　a　poet's　picture　of　the

leisure　of　last　century；　which　has　〃gone　where　the　spinning…wheels

are　gone；　and　the　pack…horses；　and　the　slow　waggons；　and　the

pedlars　who　brought　bargains　to　the　door　on　sunny　afternoons。　　〃Old

Leisure〃　lived　chiefly　in　the　country；　among　pleasant　seats　and

homesteads；　and　was　fond　of　sauntering　by　the　fruit…tree　walls；　and

scenting　the　apricots　when　they　were　warmed　by　the　morning

sunshine；　or　sheltering　himself　under　the　orchard　boughs　at　noon；

when　the　summer　pears　were　falling。〃　　But　this　picture　has　also　its

obverse　side。　Whole　generations　then　lived　a　monotonous；　ignorant；

prejudiced；　and　humdrum　life。　　They　had　no　enterprize；　no　energy；

little　industry；　and　were　content　to　die　where　they　were　born。　　The

seclusion　in　which　they　were　compelled　to　live；　produced　a

picturesqueness　of　manners　which　is　pleasant　to　look　back　upon；　now

that　it　is　a　thing　of　the　past；　but　it　was　also　accompanied　with　a

degree　of　grossness　and　brutality　much　less　pleasant　to　regard；　and

of　which　the　occasional　popular　amusements　of　bull…running；

cock…fighting；　cock…throwing；　the　saturnalia　of　Plough…Monday；　and

such　like；　were　the　fitting　exponents。



People　then　knew　little　except　of　their　own　narrow　district。　　The

world　beyond　was　as　good　as　closed　against　them。　　Almost　the　only

intelligence　of　general　affairs　which　reached　them　was　communicated

by　pedlars　and　packmen；　who　were　accustomed　to　retail　to　their

customers　the　news　of　the　day　with　their　wares；　or；　at　most；　a

newsletter　from　London；　after　it　had　been　read　nearly　to　pieces　at

the　great　house　of　the　district；　would　find　its　way　to　the　village；

and　its　driblets　of　information　would　thus　become　diffused　among

the　little　community。　　Matters　of　public　interest　were　long　in

becoming　known　in　the　remoter　districts　of　the　country。　　Macaulay

relates　that　the　death　of　Queen　Elizabeth　was　not　heard　of　in　some

parts　of　Devon　until　the　courtiers　of　her　successor　had　ceased　to

wear　mourning　for　her。　　The　news　of　Cromwell's　being　made　Protector

only　reached　Bridgewater　nineteen　days　after　the　event；　when　the

bells　were　set　a…ringing；　and　the　churches　in　the　Orkneys　continued

to　put　up　the　usual　prayers　for　James　II。　　three　months　after　he

had　taken　up　his　abode　at　St。　Germains。　　There　were　then　no　shops

in　the　smaller　towns　or　villages；　and　comparatively　few　in　the

larger；　and　these　were　badly　furnished　with　articles　for　general

use。　　The　country　people　were　irregularly　supplied　by　hawkers；　who

sometimes　bore　their　whole　stook　upon　their　back；　or　occasionally

on　that　of　their　pack…horses。　Pots；　pans；　and　household　utensils

were　sold　from　door　to　door。　Until　a　comparatively　recent　period；

the　whole　of　the　pottery…ware　manufactured　in　Staffordshire　was

hawked　about　and　disposed　of　in　this　way。　　The　pedlars　carried

frames　resembling　camp…stools；　on　which　they　were　accustomed　to

display　their　wares　when　the　opportunity　occurred　for　showing　them

to　advantage。　　The　articles　which　they　sold　were　chiefly　of　a

fanciful　kindribbons；　laces；　and　female　finery；　the　housewives'

great　reliance　for　the　supply　of　general　clothing　in　those　days

being　on　domestic　industry。



Every　autumn；　the　mistress　of　the　household　was　accustomed　to　lay

in　a　store　of　articles　sufficient　to　serve　for　the　entire　winter。

It　was　like　laying　in　a　stock　of　provisions　and　clothing　for　a

siege　during　the　time　that　the　roads　were　closed。　　The　greater　part

of　the　meat　required　for　winter's　use　was　killed　and　salted　down　at

Martinmas；　while　stockfish　and　baconed　herrings　were　provided　for

Lent。　Scatcherd　says　that　in　his　district　the　clothiers　united　in

groups　of　three　or　four；　and　at　the　Leeds　winter　fair　they　would

purchase　an　ox；　which；　having　divided；　they　salted　and　hung　the

pieces　for　their　winter's　food。*＇3＇　　There　was　also　the　winter's

stock　of　firewood　to　be　provided；　and　the　rushes　with　which　to

strew　the　floorscarpets　being　a　comparatively　modern　invention；

besides；　there　was　the　store　of　wheat　and　barley　for　bread；　the

malt　for　ale；　the　honey　for　sweetening　（then　used　for　sugar）；　the

salt；　the　spiceries；　and　the　savoury　herbs　so　much　employed　in　the

ancient　cookery。　　When　the　stores　were　laid　in；　the　housewife　was

in　a　position　to　bid　defiance　to　bad　roads　for　six　months　to　come。

This　was　the　case　of　the　well…to…do；　but　the　poorer　classes；　who

could　not　lay　in　a　store　for　winter；　were　often　very　badly　off　both

for　food　and　firing；　and　in　many　hard　seasons　they　literally

starved。　　But　charity　was　active　in　those　days；　and　many　a　poor

man's　store　was　eked　out　by　his　wealthier　neighbour。



When　the　household　supply　was　thus　laid　in；　the　mistress；　with　her

daughters　and　servants；　sat　down　to　their　distaffs　and　spinning…wheels；

for　the　manufacture　of　the　family　clothing　was　usually　the　work　of

the　winter　months。　　The　fabrics　then　worn　were　almost　entirely　of

wool；　silk　and　cotton　being　scarcely　known。　　The　wool；　when　not

grown　on　the　farm；　was　purchased　in　a　raw　state；　and　was　carded；

spun；　dyed；　and　in　many　cases　woven　at　home：　so　also　with　the　linen

clothing；　which；　until　quite　a　recent　date；　was　entirely　the

produce　of　female　fingers　and　household　spinning…wheels。　　This　kind

of　work　occupied　the　winter　months；　occasionally　alternated　with

knitting；　embroidery；　and　tapestry　　work。　　Many　of　our　country

houses　continue　to　bear　witness　to　the　steady　industry　of　the

ladies　of　even　the　highest　ranks　in　those　times；　in　the　fine

tapestry　hangings　with　which　the　walls　of　many　of　the　older　rooms

in　such　mansions　are　covered。



Among　the　humbler　classes；　the　same　winter's　work　went　on。

The　women　sat　round　log　fires　knitting；　plaiting；　and　spinning　by

fire…light；　even　in　the　daytime。　　Glass　had　not　yet　come　into

general　use；　and　the　openings　in　the　wall　which　in　summer…time

served　for　windows；　had　necessarily　to　be　shut　close　with　boards　to

keep　out　the　cold；　though　at　the　same　time　they　shut　out　the　light。

The　chimney；　usually　of　lath　and　plaster；　ending　overhead　in　a　cone

and　funnel　for　the　smoke；　was　so　roomy　in　old　cottages　as　to

accommodate　almost　the　whole　family　sitting　around　the　fi