tour through the eastern counties of england-第20章

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of　the　learned　on　both　sides；　but　at　last　prosecuted　in　a　judicial

way　so　as　to　deprive　Dr。　Bentley　of　all　his　dignities　and　offices

in　the　university；　but　the　doctor　flying　to　the　royal　protection；

the　university　is　under　a　writ　of　mandamus；　to　show　cause　why　they

do　not　restore　the　doctor　again；　to　which　it　seems　they　demur；　and

that　demur　has　not；　that　we　hear；　been　argued；　at　least　when　these

sheets　were　sent　to　the　press。　　What　will　be　the　issue　time　must

show。



From　Cambridge　the　road　lies　north…west　on　the　edge　of　the　fens　to

Huntingdon；　where　it　joins　the　great　north　road。　　On　this　side　it

is　all　an　agreeable　corn　country　as　above；　adorned　with　several

seats　of　gentlemen；　but　the　chief　is　the　noble　house；　seat；　or

mansion　of　Wimple　or　Wimple　Hall；　formerly　built　at　a　vast　expense

by　the　late　Earl　of　Radnor；　adorned　with　all　the　natural　beauties

of　situation；　and　to　which　was　added　all　the　most　exquisite

contrivances　which　the　best　heads　could　invent　to　make　it

artificially　as　well　as　naturally　pleasant。



However；　the　fate　of　the　Radnor　family　so　directing；　it　was　bought

with　the　whole　estate　about　it　by　the　late　Duke　of　Newcastle；　in　a

partition　of　whose　immense　estate　it　fell　to　the　Right　Honourable

the　Lord　Harley；　son　and　heir…apparent　of　the　present　Earl　of

Oxford　and　Mortimer；　in　right　of　the　Lady　Harriet　Cavendish；　only

daughter　of　the　said　Duke　of　Newcastle；　who　is　married　to　his

lordship；　and　brought　him　this　estate　and　many　other；　sufficient　to

denominate　her　the　richest　heiress　in　Great　Britain。



Here　his　lordship　resides；　and　has　already　so　recommended　himself

to　this　county　as　to　be　by　a　great　majority　chosen　Knight　of　the

Shire　for　the　county　of　Cambridge。



From　Cambridge；　my　design　obliging　me；　and　the　direct　road　in　part

concurring；　I　came　back　through　the　west　part　of　the　county　of

Essex；　and　at　Saffron　Walden　I　saw　the　ruins　of　the　once　largest

and　most　magnificent　pile　in　all　this　part　of　England　…　viz。；

Audley　End　…　built　by；　and　decaying　with；　the　noble　Dukes　and　Earls

of　Suffolk。



A　little　north　of　this　part　of　the　country　rises　the　River　Stour；

which　for　a　course　of　fifty　miles　or　more　parts　the　two　counties　of

Suffolk　and　Essex；　passing　through　or　near　Haveril；　Clare；

Cavendish；　Halsted；　Sudbury；　Bowers；　Nayland；　Stretford；　Dedham；

Manningtree；　and　into　the　sea　at　Harwich；　assisting　by　its　waters

to　make　one　of　the　best　harbours　for　shipping　that　is　in　Great

Britain　…　I　mean　Orwell　Haven　or　Harwich；　of　which　I　have　spoken

largely　already。



As　we　came　on　this　side　we　saw　at　a　distance　Braintree　and　Bocking；

two　towns；　large；　rich；　and　populous；　and　made　so　originally　by　the

bay　trade；　of　which　I　have　spoken　at　large　at　Colchester；　and　which

flourishes　still　among　them。



The　manor　of　Braintree　I　found　descended　by　purchase　to　the　name　of

Olmeus；　the　son　of　a　London　merchant　of　the　same　name；　making　good

what　I　had　observed　before；　of　the　great　number　of　such　who　have

purchased　estates　in　this　county。



Near　this　town　is　Felsted；　a　small　place；　but　noted　for　a　free

school　of　an　ancient　foundation；　for　many　years　under　the

mastership　of　the　late　Rev。　Mr。　Lydiat；　and　brought　by　him　to　the

meridian　of　its　reputation。　　It　is　now　supplied；　and　that　very

worthily；　by　the　Rev。　Mr。　Hutchins。



Near　to　this　is　the　Priory　of　Lees；　a　delicious　seat　of　the　late

Dukes　of　Manchester；　but　sold　by　the　present　Duke　to　the　Duchess

Dowager　of　Bucks；　his　Grace　the　Duke　of　Manchester　removing　to　his

yet　finer　seat　of　Kimbolton　in　Northamptonshire；　the　ancient

mansion　of　the　family。　　From　hence　keeping　the　London　Road　I　came

to　Chelmsford；　mentioned　before；　and　Ingerstone；　five　miles　west；

which　I　mention　again；　because　in　the　parish　church　of　this　town

are　to　be　seen　the　ancient　monuments　of　the　noble　family　of　Petre；

whose　seat　and　large　estate　lie　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　whose

whole　family；　by　a　constant　series　of　beneficent　actions　to　the

poor；　and　bounty　upon　all　charitable　occasions；　have　gained　an

affectionate　esteem　through　all　that　part　of　the　country　such　as　no

prejudice　of　religion　could　wear　out；　or　perhaps　ever　may；　and　I

must　confess；　I　think；　need　not；　for　good　and　great　actions　command

our　respect；　let　the　opinions　of　the　persons　be　otherwise　what　they

will。



From　hence　we　crossed　the　country　to　the　great　forest；　called

Epping　Forest；　reaching　almost　to　London。　　The　country　on　that　side

of　Essex　is　called　the　Roodings；　I　suppose；　because　there　are　no

less　than　ten　towns　almost　together；　called　by　the　name　of　Roding；

and　is　famous　for　good　land；　good　malt；　and　dirty　roads；　the　latter

indeed　in　the　winter　are　scarce　passable　for　horse　or　man。　　In　the

midst　of　this　we　see　Chipping　Onger；　Hatfield　Broad　Oak；　Epping；

and　many　forest　towns；　famed　as　I　have　said　for　husbandry　and　good

malt；　but　of　no　other　note。　　On　the　south　side　of　the　county　is

Waltham　Abbey；　the　ruins　of　the　abbey　remain；　and　though　antiquity

is　not　my　proper　business；　I　could　not　but　observe　that　King

Harold；　slain　in　the　great　battle　in　Sussex　against　William　the

Conqueror；　lies　buried　here；　his　body　being　begged　by　his　mother；

the　Conqueror　allowed　it　to　be　carried　hither；　but　no　monument　was；

as　I　can　find；　built　for　him；　only　a　flat　gravestone；　on　which　was

engraven　HAROLD　INFELIX。



From　hence　I　came　over　the　forest　again　…　that　is　to　say；　over　the

lower　or　western　part　of　it；　where　it　is　spangled　with　fine

villages；　and　these　villages　filled　with　fine　seats；　most　of　them

built　by　the　citizens　of　London；　as　I　observed　before；　but　the

lustre　of　them　seems　to　be　entirely　swallowed　up　in　the　magnificent

palace　of　the　Lord　Castlemain；　whose　father；　Sir　Josiah　Child；　as

it　were；　prepared　it　in　his　life　for　the　design　of　his　son；　though

altogether　unforeseen；　by　adding　to　the　advantage　of　its　situation

innumerable　rows　of　trees；　planted　in　curious　order　for　avenues　and

vistas　to　the　house；　all　leading　up　to　the　place　where　the　old

house　stood；　as　to　a　centre。



In　the　place　adjoining；　his　lordship；　while　he　was　yet　Sir　Richard

Child　only；　and　some　years　before　he　began　the　foundation　of　his

new　house；　laid　out　the　most　delicious；　as　well　as　most　spacious；

pieces　of　ground　for　gardens　that　is　to　be　seen　in　all　this　part　of

England。　　The　greenhouse　is　an　excellent　building；　fit　to　entertain

a　prince；　it　is　furnished　with　stoves　and　artificial　places　for

heat　from　an　apartment　in　which　is　a　bagnio　and　other　conveniences；

which　render　it　both　useful　and　pleasant。　　And　these　gardens　have

been　so　the　just　admiration　of　the　world；　that　it　has　been　the

general　diversion　of　the　citizens　to　go　out　to　see　them；　till　the

crowds　grew　too　great；　and　his　lordship　was　obliged　to　restrain　his

servants　from　showing　them；　except　on　one　or　two　days　in　a　week

only。



The　house　is　built　since　these　gardens　have　been　finished。　　The

building　is　all　of　Portland　stone　in　the　front；　which　makes　it　look

extremely　glorious　and　magnificent　at　a　distance；　it　being　the

particular　property　of　that　stone　（except　in　the　streets　of　London；

where　it　is　tainted　and　tinged　with　the　smoke　of　the　city）　to　grow

whiter　and　whiter　the　longer　it　stands　in　the　open　air。



As　the　front　of　the　house　opens　to　a　long　row　of　trees；　reaching　to

the　great　road　at　Leightonstone；　so　the　back　face；　or　front　（if

that　be　proper）；　respects　the　gardens；　and；　with　an　easy　descent；

lands　you　upon　the　terrace；　from　whence　is　a　most　beautiful

prospect　to　the　river；　which　is　all　formed　into　canals　and　openings

to　answer　the　views　from　above　and　beyond　the　river；　the　walks　and

wildernesses　go　on　to　such　a　distance；　and　in　such　a　manner　up　the

hill；　as　they　before　went　down；　that　the　sight　is　lost　in　the　woods

adjoining；　and　it　looks　all　like　one　planted　garden　as　far　as　the

eye　can　see。



I　shall　cover　as　much　as　possible　the　melancholy　part　of　a　story

which　touches　too　sensibly　many；　if　not　most；　of　the　great　and

flourishing　families　in　England。　　Pity　and　matter　of　grief　is　it　to

think　that　families；　by　estate　able　to　appear　in　such　a　glorious

posture　as　this；　should　ever　be　vulnerable　by　so　mean　a　disaster　as

that　of　stock…jobbing。　　But　the　general　infatuation　of　the　day　is　a

plea　for　it；　so　that　men　are　not　now　blamed　on　that　account。　　South

Sea　was　a　general　possession；　and　if　my　Lord　Castlemain　was　wounded

by　that　arrow　shot　in　the　dark　it　was　a　misfortune。　　But　it　is　so

much　a　happiness　that　it　was　not　a　mortal　wound；　as　it　was　to　some

men　who　once　seemed　as　much　out　of　the　reach　of　it。　　And　that　blow；

be　it　what　it　will；　is　not　remembered　for　joy　of　the　escape；　for　we

see　this　noble　family；　by　prudence　and　management；　rise　out　of　all

that　cloud；　if　it　may　be　allowed　such　a　name；　and　shining　in　the

same　full　lustre　as　before。



This　cannot　be　said　of　some　other　families　in　this　county；　whose

fine　parks　and　new…built　palaces　are　fallen　under　forfeitures　and

alienations　by　the　misfortunes　of　the　times　and　by　the　ruin　of

their　masters'　fortunes　in　that　South　Sea　deluge。



But　I　desire　to　throw　a　veil　over　these　things　as　they　come　in　my

way；　it　is　enough　that　we　write　upon　them；　as　was　written　upon　King

Harold's　tomb　at　Waltham　Abbey；　INFELIX；　and　let　all　the　rest　sleep

among　things　that　are　the　fittest　to　be　forgotten。



From　my　Lord　Castlemain's；　house　and　the　rest　of　the　fine　dwellings

on　that　side　of　the　forest；　for　there　are　several　very　good　houses

at　Wanstead；　only　that　they　seem　all　swallowed　up　in　the　lustre　of

his　lordship's　palace；　I　say；　from　thence；　I　went　south；　towards

the　great　road　over　that　part　of　the　forest　called　the　Flats；　where

we　see　a　very　beautiful　but　retired　and　rural　seat　of　Mr。

Lethulier's；　eldest　son　of　the　late　Sir　John　Lethulier；　of　Lusum；

in　Kent；　of　whose　family　I　shall　speak　when　I　come　on　that　side。



By　this　turn　I　came　necessarily　on　to　Stratford；　where　I　set　out。

And　thus　having　finished　my　first　circuit；　I　conclude　my　first

letter；　and　am；



Sir；　your　most　humble　and　obedient　servant。







APPENDIX。







Whoever　travels；　as　I　do；　over　England；　and　writes　the　account　of

his　observations；　will；　as　I　noted　before；　always　leave　something；

altering　or　undertaking　by　such　a　growing　improving　nation　as　this；

or　something　to　discover　in　a　nation　where　so　much　is　hid；

sufficient　to　employ　the　pens　of　those　that　come　after　him；　or　to

add　by　way　of　appendix　to　what　he　has　already　observed。



This　is　my　case　with　respect　to　the　particulars　which　follow：　（1）

Since　these　sheets　were　in　the　press；　a　noble　palace　of　Mr。

Walpole's；　at　present　First　Commissioner　of　the　Treasury；　Privy…

counsellor；　etc。；　to　King　George；　is；　as　it　were；　risen　out　of　the

ruins　of　the　ancient　seat　of　the　family　of　Walpole；　at　Houghton；

about　eight　miles　distant　from　Lynn；　and　on　the　north　coast　of

Norfolk；　near　the　sea。



As　the　house