Nature than Dominion Upon which smiling he said he hoped he should gratifie me and immediately led me to a place where we saw Lyons Tygers and two very remarkable Catamountains I took more particular Notice of two Owls of an immense greatness but by their being without horns I take 'em not to be a distinct Species from the European But that with which I was most delighted was a Calf skin stuft 't was admirable to behold a certain tumor or excrescence it had upon its forehead in all points resembling the Commodes or Top-knots now in Fashion Upon this I exprest my thanks to Mr. Brownsworth in the most Obliging Terms I could He then told me the Royal Mint was not far off upon which I said I was a great admirer of Coins and desired him to give me an account of what Coins there were in England He began to tell me that about three Years ago the current Coin of the Kingdom consisted of old Money coin'd by several Kings that those Coins were Clipt and debased to a very great degree but that the King with the advice of his Parliament in the very heighth of the War with France had establish'd a Paper Credit or if you please to call it Coin of Bills issued out of the Exchequer and Notes from the Royal Bank of England amounting to prodigious sums that at present all our Silver is in Mild Mony either of the two last Kings or his present Majesty of which there is so great a Quantity that posterity will be apt to think that there were scarce any Prince that ever Coin'd before him This Money and Credit have circulated so far and are in so great a plenty that in a late subscription to a New East India Company Two Millions Sterling were subscrib'd in less than two days time and as much more excluded I believe the Man would have run on till Evening if I had not thus interrupted him Sir said I I beg you to consider that I am a Virtuoso and that your present discourse is quite out of my Element Sir you would oblige me much more if you could find me any Coin from Palmira more particularly of Zenobia Odenatus or Vabalathus and that I prefer'd a VABALATHUS UCRIMPR or a VABALATHUS AUG before Twenty of the best pieces of Gold Coin'd in the Tower The Gentleman very Civilly reply'd that he would endeavour to satisfie my Curiosity that he had at home two rusty Copper Pieces with which he intended to present me which he accordingly did the next day that he had been told by a Person of the Belles Lettres that they were dug out of the Isle of Scilly and that One was of Catathumpton a Saxon Prince the other of Goclenia his Daughter and Successor they have both very odd Characters if any about ' em I design to give the Reader a Cut of them The Evening coming on and my thanks returned to him we parted I was to see Mr. Shuttleworth whose Friendship I greatly Value He has many Stones from Scotland there is one the most Curious of all Concerning which he is ready to publish a Dissertation 'T is a Catalogue in three Columns of the Names of the most Principal Persons that were Kill'd at Chivey Chase. Widdrington closes the Column and after his Name there is a Noble Pindarick in which he is Recorded upon the Cuting off his Legs to have fought upon his Stumps Of the Antiquity of this Stone besides the known History and names which justify the time of those Men the figure of the Letters and the Blackness of 'em particularly of the word Stumps are undoubted Arguments He show'd me a Thousand other Rarities as the skin of a Cap-Ass many very excellent Land Snails a Freshwater Mussel from Chatham A thin Oyster a very large Wood Frog with the extremity of the Toes Webbed He show'd me some papers of Swammerdam in which were some small Treatises or rather some figures only of the Tadpole Again figures relating to the natural History of a certain Day Butterfly and of some considerable number of Snails as well naked as fluviatile He show'd me a vast number of great Cases in which were Play-things or Puppets all of them brought from France Except one Sistrum or AEgyptian Rattle with three loose or running wires cross it I proffer'd him my assistance to Complete so useful a Collection as that of Play-things and Rattles I was infinitely pleased with this Gentlemans Company especially when he shew'd me a Dissertation he had written out fair for the Press about a certain antient Intaglia of Madaces of Ptolomaeus Auletes or the player upon the Flute in this he said the thin Muffler was the most Remarkable Upon this I told him that I had a dissertation concerning the Remarkable thickness and thinness of Mufflers with which I would present him One Toy I took notice of which was a Collection of Tennis Balls for three hundred years or more some of them were sent by a French King to King Henry V. and there are patterns of all that the English have sent back from the bigness of the smallest bor'd musket to the shells of the largest mortars I went to see an Old Woman that shall be nameless she was 91 Years of Age. I was surprized to find her Body in Ruins It was a perfect mortification to see the sad decays of Nature To hear her talk with her Lips hanging about a toothless Mouth end her words flying abroad at Random this put me in mind of the Sybils uttering Oracles and how other Old Women call'd Witches have been since employed on this errand and have at very unreasonable times of night been forced to bestride their Broom-staff on such like occasions I would have seen a very Famous Library near St. James's Park but I was told that the Learned Library Keeper was so busy in answering a Book which had been lately wrote against him concerning Phalaris that it would be rudeness any ways to interrupt him though I had heard of his singular Humanity both in France and other places I was at an Auction of Books at Tom's Coffee-House near Ludgate where were above fifty people Books were sold with a great deal of Trifling and delay as with us But very Cheap those Excellent Authors Mounsieur Maimbourg Mounsieur Varillas and Mounsieur le Grand tho' they were all guilt on the Back and would have made a very considerable Figure in a Gentlemans Study yet after much tediousness were sold for such Trifling sums that I am asham'd to name ' em The Pox here is the great business of the Town This secret service has introduced little contemptible Animals of all sorts into business and Quacks here as with us do thrive vastly into great Riches It was very pleasant diversion to me to read upon the Walls every where about the Town the Quacks Bills in great Uncial Letters As Aqua
of going out into the fields as to Knightsbridge where is an excellent Spring-Garden to Marribone where is a very good Bowling-Green Islington as famous for Cakes as Stepeny is for Bunns But to descend to a more particular review of this great City I think it not amiss to speak first of the Streets There are Coaches in the streets which are very numerous but the Fiacers are not hung with double springs at the four Corners which springs would insensibly Break all Jolts So that I fouâ—d the case alter'd in England and I to had rather ride in a Fiacre at Paris than in the easiest Chariot of a Lord Embassador to my great astonishment at London found that in a Hackney Coach there was not a jolt but what affected a Man from whence I drew these Surprising Conclusions First that a Hackney is a miserable Voiture and next that a Man may be more tired in an hour in that than in six hours riding in my Lord Ambassadors casiest Chariot I saw a Boy that had Harness'd two Doggs which drew a small Voiture with a Burden in it and I saw a little Master in a little Vinegretté drawn along by two Boys much bigger then himself and push'd behind by a Maid These I was willing to omit as thinking them at first sight scandalous and a very jest they being wretched businesses in so magnificent a City Finding that neither Post chaises nor Rouillions were in use in London I told them of 'em how both Horses pull but one only is in the Thilles how the Coachman mounts the Rouillion but for the Chaise he only mounts the side House and that they might be introduced to good purpose But I found the English Curiosity so small that I did not see any Rouillion made during my six months stay in London As for their Recreations and Walks St. James Park is frequented by people of Quality who if they have a mind to have better and freer Air drive to Hide Park where is a Ring for the Coaches to drive round and hard by is Mrs. Price's where are incomparable Sillabubs out of other parts of the Town they go to Hamstead and Cane Wood an admirable place for Nuts as Mother Huffs for Bottle Ale scarce any side amiss I had almost forgot that in St. James's Park are many Seats for the Entertainment of all People the Lackqueys and Mob excepted but of this more hereafter 'T is pretty to observe how the Magistrates indulge the Inhabitants of this Great City by this small instanced for whereas in Paris the King has caused the Citizens to take down their signs and not to exceed a small measure of Square In London they may be of what measure they please even to a Monstrous bigness as my great Curiosity observ'd in the Sign of the Ship Tavern and the Castle Tavern in Fleet-street which has almost Obscur'd the Sun and Barbers hang out poles of a great huge length almost as long as a Missen Mast. There are a great may Publick Inns in London where Lodging are to be Let as the Bull Inn in Bishopgate-street the Saracens Head in Friday-street the White Horse in Fleet-street and others But besides these there are divers other places so called as Cliffords Inn Clements Inn Lyons Inn c. where several Gentlemen Practioners of the Law Reside This seems as it were to denote that heretofore Attorneys might lodge in Publick Inns as well as other Strangers In the River of Thames both above Bridge and below are a vast number of Boats of Wood Hay Charcool Corn Wine and other Commodities When a Frost comes there are not so many But when a Thaw comes they are often in danger of being Split and Crush'd to piecss And upon my Word there have been great losses to the Owners of such Boats and goods upon such occasions The reason why there are more Boats below Bridge than above is because there is a Custom House which brings into the King of England a Revenue able to defend the sovereignty of the Seas against any Enemy whatsoever and the Reason why there lie so many Hundred Large Vessels of all sorts and of all Nation is because they cannot get through Bridge Heigh and there are a great many light boats loaden with Brooms Gingerbread Tobacco and a Dram of the Bottle Ho! Above Bridge is a vast Boat with a House upon it and a Garden in the Garret and further up the River at Chelsey is a Land Ship very large built on purpose never to go to Sea There are Beggars in London and people whose necessities force them to ask relief from such as they think able to afford it But there are no Monks who declare against Marriage And a Certain Learned Person told me that he did not like starved Monks but that he was for free marriage and that the Flesh-eaters will ever defend themselves if not beat the Lenten men Therefore he was entirly for Propagation that men might be like the Stars in the Firmament or the shells and sand upon the Sea shore and so notwithstanding any Circumstances of Life Age or Fortune should marry and that it was as prudent in an old Man of threescore and ten as in a Youth of one and twenty There is a great deal of Noise in this City of publick Cries of things to be sold and great disturbance from Pamphlets and Hawkers The Gazetts come out twice a week and a great many buy ' em When a thing is lost they do not as in Paris put a Printed Paper on the Wall but if it be of small value the Bell-man Cries it and if it be a thing of greater moment as for Example a Lapdog c. then they put it in the Advertisements The streets are lighted all the Winter but there is an impertinent usage of the people at London not to light 'em when the Moon shines They ridiculously defend themselves by saying they can see by moonshine and have no more reason to hold a Candle to the Moon than to the Sun There were three Young Gentlemen of good Families in a Frolick went a scouring broke the Lights and were sent to the Counter and could not be releas'd thence without diligent Application of Friends and paying Garnish to their fellow Prisoners The Avenues to the City and all the Streets are Paved with Pebbles and Flints and Rag Stones and there is great care to keep them clean In winter for Example upon melting of the Ice you shall see all the Prentices and Porters up in Arms with Brooms and Paring Shovels so that in a few hours time all parts of the Town are to admiration clean and neat again to walk on I could heartily wish I had been at London in Summer to have seen whether they have more Dust at London than in Paris I have notwithstanding in my Curious Enquiries after Dust found
A JOURNEY TO LONDON In the Year 1698. After the Ingenuous Method of that made by Dr. Martin Lyster to Paris in the same Year c. Wittten Originally in French By Monsieur Sorbiere and Newly Translated into English LONDON Printed and sold by A. Baldwin in Warwick-Lane 1698. A JOURNEY TO LONDON Monsieur Sorbeir TO THE READER I Am resolved to make no Apology for This short Account of the Magnificent and Noble City of London where you will meet with nothing offensive and I think I have observed every thing that is Remarkable in it It would have been unpardonable in me to have omitted any matters which the Curious might be desirous to know having an Inimitable Pattern from one of that Country lately who for the clearness of his Expression the Elegancy of his Descriptions as well Ingenuous Choice of his Subjects deserves a Particular Salutation from all the Admirers of the Belles Lettres in the Universe I might here take an Opportunity to beg Pardon of the English for my misrepresentations Thirty Years ago but 't is to be hoped this Book will make my Peace with that Nation The following pages will show you the Considerable heads I design'd to Treat off and now I have paid my Devoirs at the Entrance I will not Importune you any longer CONTENTS ASses Page 21 Auction 23 Beggars 9 Brick and Stone Houses 3 Bureaus 4 Boy in a little Coach 5 Boats 8 Bartholomew Fair 27 Bread 29 Curiosity 1 Sir Charles Cotterel and John Sharp Compar'd 2 Cellar Windows 4 Coaches 5 Commendation of Linnen Shirts 13 Calf with a Top-knot 18 Coins 20 Chivey Chase 20 Chocolate 25 Cabbage 30 Chine of Beef 33 Dust 11 Ducks 28 English no Lovers of stinking Meat 33 Flannel Shirts 13 Grey Pease Hot 29 Inns the white Horse c. 8 Kennels 5 Knightsbridge and Istington 5 Kitling in an Air Pump p. 16 Lettice 31 Menage 3 Monks none 9 Miller's Thumb 16 Mufflers 22 Mushroom 31 Naked Statues Commended 12 Old Women Witches 14 Owl 18 Portâ—ochers and Remises 3 Post Chaises Roullions not in England 6 Publick Cries 10 Play Things 21 Pox 24 Pick Pockets 27 Recreations and Walk 7 A Rummer of two Quarts 15 Rosemary c. 26 Squares St. James's Bloomsbury c. 5 Signs in the street Prodigious Large 7 Streets Lighted 10 Clean 11 Statues 12 Sticklebacks 16 Small coal Kettles to Light a Pipe 27 Salt 29 Soups 31 Things wanting in England 5 Tennis Balls 22 Turnips 30 A JOURNEY TO LONDON In the Year 1698. After the Ingenuous Method of that made by Dr. Martin Lyster to Paris in the same Year c. THis Tract was written chiefly to satisfy my own Curiosity and being in a place where I had little to do I though fit to write a Book for such People as had idle time enough upon their hands to read it The English Nation value themselves upon a plain Honesty join'd with Hospitality these make them Courteous to Strangers but they are not very easy with their Curiosity For they do not build and dress mostly for Figure as the French who are certainly the most Polite Nation in the World and can praise and Court with a better grace than the rest of Mankind I did not intend to put on the Spectacles of the Present State of England Written by Dr. Chamberlain nor any Survey of the same for trusting to my Eyes I had a mind to see without ' em But to content you Reader I promise not to trouble you with Ceremonies either of State or Church or Politicks for though I met with an English Gentleman who proffer'd to shew me the Princes of the Blood the Prime Ministers of State the Lord Mayor and other Officers belonging to a City of so immense a greatness as that of London yet I refus'd the Civility and told him that I took more pleasure to see honest John Sharp of Hackney in his White Frock crying Turneps ho four bunches a penny than Sir Charles Cottrel making room for an Embassadour and I found my self better dispos'd and more apt to learn the physiognomy of a hundred Weeds than of five or six Princes I arriv'd at London after a tedious Journey in bad weather for I fell sick upon the road and lay dangerously ill of the Tooth-ach I believe I did not see the tithe of what deserves to be seen because for many things I wanted a relish particularly for Painting and Building though I confess the grandure of a City chiefly consists in Buildings and I verily believe London to be one of the most Beautiful and Magnificent in Europe It is also most certain that the common people of London live dispers'd in single Houses whereas in Paris there are from Four to Five and to Ten menages or distinct Families in many Houses from whence I infer that as to the Commonalty Paris may be more populous than London although perhaps their dwelling mayn't be so wholsome and cleanly I found the Houses some of hew'n stone entire some of Brick with free Stone as the Crown Tavern upon Ludgate-hill and the corner House of Birchin-Lane and several others Divers of the Citizens Houses have Port-cochezs to drive in a Coach or a Cart either and Consequently have Courts within and mostly Remises to set them up such persons as have no Portchochez and consequently no Courts or Remises set up their Coaches at other places and let their Horses stand at Livery The Cellar Windows of most Houses are grated with strong barrs of Iron to keep thieves out and Newgate is grated up to the Top to keep them in Which must be of vast expence As the Houses are magnificent without so they furnish them within accordingly But I could not find that they had any Bureaus of Ivory Upon viewing the Braziers and Turners Shops I found it true what my Country Man Monsieur Justell formerly told me that according to his Catalogue there were near threescore utensils and conveniencies of Life more in England than in France But then the English since the breach of their commerce with France lie under great necessities of several commodities fiting for the ease and support of Humane Life as Counterfeit Pearl Necklaces Fans Tooth Picks and Tooth Pick Cases and especially Prunes the Calamity of which has been so great for Ten Years last past that they have not had enough to lay round their Plum-porridge at Christmas I must to give a faithful account descend even to the Kennels the Gutters are deep and lain with rough edges which make the Coaches not to glide easily over 'em but occasion an imployment for an industrious sort of people call'd Kennel-Rakers The Squares in London are many and very beautiful as St. James Sohoe Bloombury Red-Lyon Devonshire none of the largest and Hogsdon not yet finish'd But that which makes the dwelling in this City very diverting is the facility