第 188 节
作者:敏儿不觉      更新:2022-11-28 19:17      字数:9322
  where we stopping for something for the horses; we called two or three little boys to us; and pleased ourselves with their manner of speech。  At Philips…Norton I walked to the church; and there saw a very ancient tomb of some Knight Templar; I think; and here saw the tombstone whereon there were only two heads cut; which the story goes; and creditably; were two sisters; called the Fair Maids of Foscott; that had two bodies upward and one belly; and there lie buried。  Here is also a very fine ring of six bells; and they mighty tuneable。  Having dined very well; 10s。; me come before night to the Bath; where I presently stepped out with my landlord; and saw the baths with people in them。  They are not so large as I expected; but yet pleasant; and the town most of stone; and clean; though the streets generally narrow。  I home; and being weary; went to bed without supper; the rest supping。
  13th。  Saturday。  Up at four o'clock; being by appointment called up to the Cross Bath; where we were carried after one another; myself and wife and Betty Turner; Willet; and W。 Hewer。  And by and by; though we designed to have done before company come; much company come; very fine ladies; and the manner pretty enough; only methinks it cannot be clean to go so many bodies together in the same water。  Good conversation among them that are acquainted here; and stay together。  Strange to see how hot the water is; and in some places though this is the most temperate bath; the springs so hot as the feet not able to endure。  But strange to see; when women and men here; that live all the season in these waters; cannot but be parboiled and look like the creatures of the bath!  Carried away wrapped in a sheet; and in a chair home; and there one after another thus carried (I staying above two hours in the water) home to bed; sweating for an hour。  And by and by comes musick to play to me; extraordinary good as ever I heard at London almost any where:  5s。  Up to go to Bristoll about eleven o'clock; and paying my landlord that was our guide from Chiltren 10s。; and the serjeant of the bath 10s。; and the man that carried us in chairs 3s。 6d。; set out toward Bristoll; and come thither; the way bad; (in coach hired to spare our own horses;) but country good; about two o'clock; where set down at the Horse…shoe; and there being trimmed by a very handsome fellow; 2s。; walked with my wife and people through the city; which is in every respect another London; that one can hardly know it to stand in the country no more than that。  No carts; it standing generally on vaults; only dog…carts。  So to the Three Crowns Tavern I was directed; but when I came in; the master told me that he had newly given over the selling of wine; it seems grown rich:  and so went to the Sun; and there Deb。 going with W。 Hewer and Betty Turner to see her uncle; and leaving my wife with the mistress of the house; I to see the quay; which is a most large and noble place; and to see the new ship building by Bally; neither he nor Furzer 'Daniel Furzer; Surveyor to the Navy。' being in town。  It will be a fine ship。  Spoke with the foreman; and did give the boys that kept the cabin 2s。  Walked back to the Sun; where I find Deb。 come back; and with her; her uncle; a sober merchant; very good company; and so like one of our sober wealthy London merchants as pleased me mightily。  Here we dined; and much good talk with him; 7s。 6d。; a messenger to Sir John Knight; 'Mayor of Bristol 1663; and M。P。 for that city。'  who was not at home; 6d。  Then walked with him and my wife and company round the quay; and to the ship; and he showed me the Custom… house; and made me understand many things of the place; and led us through Marsh…street; where our girl was born。  But; Lord! the joy that was among the old poor people of the place; to see Mrs。 Willet's daughter; it seems her mother being a brave woman and mightily beloved!  And so brought us a back way by surprize to his house; where a substantial good house; and well furnished; and did give us good entertainment of strawberries; a whole venison…pasty cold; and plenty of brave wine; and above all Bristol milk:  where comes in another poor woman; who hearing that Deb。 was here did come running hither; and with her eyes so full of tears and heart so full of joy that she could not speak when she come in; that it made me weep too:  I protest that I was not able to speak to her; which I would have done; to have diverted her tears。  His wife a good woman; and so sober and substantiall as I was never more pleased any where; Servant…maid; 2s。  So thence took leave and he with us through the city; where in walking I find the city pay him great respect; and he the like to the meanest; which pleased me mightily。  He showed us the place where the merchants meet here; and a fine cross yet standing; like Cheapside。  And so to the Horse…shoe; where paid the reckoning; 2s。 6d。  We back; and by moonshine to the Bath again about ten o'clock:  bad way; and giving the coachman 1s。 went all of us to bed。
  14th。 (Sunday)。  Up; and walked up and down the town; and saw a pretty good market…place; and many good streets; and very fair stone…houses。  And so to the great church; and there saw Bishop Montagu's tomb; and; when placed; did there see many brave people come; and among others two men brought in litters; and set down in the chancel to hear:  but I did not know one face。  Here a good organ; but a vain pragmatical fellow preached a ridiculous; affected sermon; that made me angry; and some gentlemen that sat next me; and sang well。  So home; walking round the walls of the City; which are good; and the battlements all whole。  To this church again; to see it and look over the monuments; where; among others; Dr。 Venner and Pelling; and a lady of Sir W。 Waller's; 'Jane; sole daughter of Sir Richard Reynell。'  he lying with his face broken。  My landlord did give me a good account of the antiquity of this town and Wells; and of two heads; on two pillars; in Wells church。
  15th。  Monday。  looked into the baths; and find the King and Queene's full of a mixed sort of good and bad; and the Cross only almost for the gentry。  So home with my wife; and did pay my guides; two women; 5s。; one man; 2s。 6d。; poor; 6d。; woman to lay my foot…cloth; 1s。 So to our inne; and there eat and paid reckoning; 1l。 8s。 6d。; servants; 3s。; poor; 1s。; lent the coachman; 10s。  Before I took coach; I went to make a boy dive in the King's bath; 1s。 I paid also for my coach and a horse to Bristoll; 1l。 1s。 6d。  Took coach; and away without any of the company of the other stage…coaches that go out of this town to… day; and rode all day with some trouble; for fear of our being out of our way; over the Downes; (where the life of the shepherds is; in fair weather only; pretty)。  In the afternoon come to Abury; where seeing great stones like those of Stonehenge standing up; I stopped and took a countryman of that town; and he carried me and showed me a place trenched in; like Old Sarum almost; with great stones pitched in it some bigger than those at Stonehenge in figure; to my great admiration:  and he told me that most people of learning coming by do come and view them; and that the King did so; and the mount cast hard by is called Selbury; from one King Seall buried there; as tradition says。  I did give this man 1s。 So took coach again; seeing one place with great high stones pitched round; which I believe was once some particular building; in some measure like that of Stonehenge。 But; about a mile off; it was prodigious to see how full the Downes are of great stones; and all along the vallies stones of considerable bigness; most of them growing certainly out of the ground; so thick as to cover the ground; which makes me think the less of the wonder of Stonehenge; for hence they might undoubtedly supply themselves with stones; as well as those at Abury。  In my way did give to the poor and menders of the highway 3s。  Before night come to Marlborough; and lay at the Hart; a good house; and a pretty fair town for a street or two; and what is most singular is; their houses on one side having their pent… houses supported with pillars; which makes it a good walk。  All the five coaches that come this day from Bath; as well as we; were gone out of the town before six。
  16th。  Tuesday。  After paying the reckoning; 14s。 4d。 and servants 2s。; poor 1s。; set out; and passing through a good part of this country of Wiltshire; saw a good house 'Littlecote。'  of Alexander Popham's; 'M。P。 for Bath。'  and another of my Lord Craven's; 'Hampstead Marshal; since destroyed by fire。'  I think; in Barkeshire。  Come to Newbery; and there dined; and musick:  a song of the old courtier of Queene Elizabeth's; and how he was changed upon the coming in of the King; did please me mightily; and I did cause W。 Hewer to write it out。  Then comes the reckoning; (forced to change gold;) 8s。 7d。; servants and poor; 1s。 6d。  So out; and lost our way; but come into it again; and in the evening betimes come to Reding; and I to walk about the town; which is a very great one;  I think bigger than Salisbury:  a river runs through it in seven branches; (which unite in one; in one part of the town;) and runs into the Thames half…a…mile off: one odd sign of the Broad