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tour through the eastern counties of england-第11部分
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convenient a port to lie vacant in the world; but that the time
will some time or other come (especially considering the improving
temper of the present age) when some peculiar beneficial business
may be found out; to make the port of Ipswich as useful to the
world; and the town as flourishing; as Nature has made it proper
and capable to be。
As for the town; it is true; it is but thinly inhabited; in
comparison of the extent of it; but to say there are hardly any
people to be seen there; is far from being true in fact; and
whoever thinks fit to look into the churches and meeting…houses on
a Sunday; or other public days; will find there are very great
numbers of people there。 Or if he thinks fit to view the market;
and see how the large shambles; called Cardinal Wolsey's Butchery;
are furnished with meat; and the rest of the market stocked with
other provisions; must acknowledge that it is not for a few people
that all those things are provided。 A person very curious; and on
whose veracity I think I may depend; going through the market in
this town; told me; that he reckoned upwards of six hundred country
people on horseback and on foot; with baskets and other carriage;
who had all of them brought something or other to town to sell;
besides the butchers; and what came in carts and waggons。
It happened to be my lot to be once at this town at the time when a
very fine new ship; which was built there for some merchants of
London; was to be launched; and if I may give my guess at the
numbers of people which appeared on the shore; in the houses; and
on the river; I believe I am much within compass if I say there
were 20;000 people to see it; but this is only a guess; or they
might come a great way to see the sight; or the town may be
declined farther since that。 But a view of the town is one of the
surest rules for a gross estimate。
It is true here is no settled manufacture。 The French refugees
when they first came over to England began a little to take to this
place; and some merchants attempted to set up a linen manufacture
in their favour; but it has not met with so much success as was
expected; and at present I find very little of it。 The poor people
are; however; employed; as they are all over these counties; in
spinning wool for other towns where manufactures are settled。
The country round Ipswich; as are all the counties so near the
coast; is applied chiefly to corn; of which a very great quantity
is continually shipped off for London; and sometimes they load corn
here for Holland; especially if the market abroad is encouraging。
They have twelve parish churches in this town; with three or four
meetings; but there are not so many Quakers here as at Colchester;
and no Anabaptists or Antipoedo Baptists; that I could hear of … at
least; there is no meeting…house of that denomination。 There is
one meeting…house for the Presbyterians; one for the Independents
and one for the Quakers; the first is as large and as fine a
building of that kind as most on this side of England; and the
inside the best finished of any I have seen; London not excepted;
that for the Independents is a handsome new…built building; but not
so gay or so large as the other。
There is a great deal of very good company in this town; and though
there are not so many of the gentry here as at Bury; yet there are
more here than in any other town in the county; and I observed
particularly that the company you meet with here are generally
persons well informed of the world; and who have something very
solid and entertaining in their society。 This may happen; perhaps;
by their frequent conversing with those who have been abroad; and
by their having a remnant of gentlemen and masters of ships among
them who have seen more of the world than the people of an inland
town are likely to have seen。 I take this town to be one of the
most agreeable places in England for families who have lived well;
but may have suffered in our late calamities of stocks and bubbles;
to retreat to; where they may live within their own compass; and
several things indeed recommend it to such:…
1。 Good houses at very easy rents。
2。 An airy; clean; and well…governed town。
3。 Very agreeable and improving company almost of every kind。
4。 A wonderful plenty of all manner of provisions; whether flesh
or fish; and very good of the kind。
5。 Those provisions very cheap; so that a family may live cheaper
here than in any town in England of its bigness within such a small
distance from London。
6。 Easy passage to London; either by land or water; the coach
going through to London in a day。
The Lord Viscount Hereford has a very fine seat and park in this
town; the house indeed is old built; but very commodious; it is
called Christ Church; having been; as it is said; a priory or
religious house in former times。 The green and park is a great
addition to the pleasantness of this town; the inhabitants being
allowed to divert themselves there with walking; bowling; etc。
The large spire steeple; which formerly stood upon that they call
the tower church; was blown down by a great storm of wind many
years ago; and in its a fall did much damage to the church。
The government of this town is by two bailiffs; as at Yarmouth。
Mr。 Camden says they are chosen out of twelve burgesses called
portmen; and two justices out of twenty…four more。 There has been
lately a very great struggle between the two parties for the choice
of these two magistrates; which had this amicable conclusion …
namely; that they chose one of either side; so that neither party
having the victory; it is to be hoped it may be a means to allay
the heats and unneighbourly feuds which such things breed in towns
so large as this is。 They send two members to Parliament; whereof
those at this time are Sir William Thompson; Recorder of London;
and Colonel Negus; Deputy Master of the Horse to the king。
There are some things very curious to be seen here; however some
superficial writers have been ignorant of them。 Dr。 Beeston; an
eminent physician; began a few years ago a physic garden adjoining
to his house in this town; and as he is particularly curious; and;
as I was told; exquisitely skilled in botanic knowledge; so he has
been not only very diligent; but successful too; in making a
collection of rare and exotic plants; such as are scarce to be
equalled in England。
One Mr。 White; a surgeon; resides also in this town。 But before I
speak of this gentleman; I must observe that I say nothing from
personal knowledge; though if I did; I have too good an opinion of
his sense to believe he would be pleased with being flattered or
complimented in print。 But I must be true to matter of fact。 This
gentleman has begun a collection or chamber of rarities; and with
good success too。 I acknowledge I had not the opportunity of
seeing them; but I was told there are some things very curious in
it; as particularly a sea…horse carefully preserved; and perfect in
all its parts; two Roman urns full of ashes of human bodies; and
supposed to be above 1;700 years old; besides a great many valuable
medals and ancient coins。 My friend who gave me this account; and
of whom I think I may say he speaks without bias; mentions this
gentleman; Mr。 White; with some warmth as a very valuable person in
his particular employ of a surgeon。 I only repeat his words。 〃Mr。
White;〃 says he; 〃to whom the whole town and country are greatly
indebted and obliged to pray for his life; is our most skilful
surgeon。〃 These; I say; are his own words; and I add nothing to
them but this; that it is happy for a town to have such a surgeon;
as it is for a surgeon to have such a character。
The country round Ipswich; as if qualified on purpose to
accommodate the town for building of ships; is an inexhaustible
store…house of timber; of which; now their trade of building ships
is abated; they send very great quantities to the king's building…
yards at Chatham; which by water is so little a way that they often
run to it from the mouth of the river at Harwich in one tide。
From Ipswich I took a turn into the country to Hadleigh;
principally to satisfy my curiosity and see the place where that
famous martyr and pattern of charity and religious zeal in Queen
Mary's time; Dr。 Rowland Taylor; was put to death。 The
inhabitants; who have a wonderful veneration for his memory; show
the very place where the stake which he was bound to was set up;
and they have put a stone upon it which nobody will remove; but it
is a more lasting monument to him that he lives in the hearts of
the people … I say more lasting than a tomb of marble would be; for
the memory of that good man will certainly never be out of the poor
people's minds as long as this island shall retain the Protestant
religion among them。 How long that may be; as things are going;
and if the detestable conspiracy of the Papists now on foot should
succeed; I will not pretend to say。
A little to the left is Sudbury; which stands upon the River Stour;
mentioned above … a river which parts the counties of Suffolk and
Essex; and which is within these few years made navigable to this
town; though the navigation does not; it seems; answer the charge;
at least not to advantage。
I know nothing for which this town is remarkable; except for being
very populous and very poor。 They have a great manufacture of says
and perpetuanas; and multitudes of poor people are employed in
working them; but the number of the poor is almost ready to eat up
the rich。 However; this town sends two members to Parliament;
though it is under no form of government particularly to itself
other than as a village; the head magistrate whereof is a
constable。
Near adjoining to it is a village called Long Melfort; and a very
long one it is; from which I
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