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puddings and sweets and treacle posset； and is the best woman of
business in Eastern Anglia … of my step…daughter … for such she is；
though I generally call her daughter； and with good reason； seeing
that she has always shown herself a daughter to me … that she has
all kinds of good qualities； and several accomplishments； knowing
something of conchology； more of botany； drawing capitally in the
Dutch style； and playing remarkably well on the guitar … not the
trumpery German thing so…called … but the real Spanish guitar。
CHAPTER II
The Starting … Peterborough Cathedral … Anglo…Saxon Names … Kaempe
Viser … Steam … Norman Barons … Chester Ale … Sion Tudor … Pretty
Welsh Tongue。
SO our little family； consisting of myself； my wife Mary； and my
daughter Henrietta； for daughter I shall persist in calling her；
started for Wales in the afternoon of the 27th July； 1854。 We flew
through part of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire in a train which we left
at Ely； and getting into another； which did not fly quite so fast
as the one we had quieted； reached the Peterborough station at
about six o'clock of a delightful evening。 We proceeded no farther
on our journey that day； in order that we might have an opportunity
of seeing the cathedral。
Sallying arm in arm from the Station Hotel； where we had determined
to take up our quarters for the night； we crossed a bridge over the
deep quiet Nen； on the southern bank of which stands the station；
and soon arrived at the cathedral … unfortunately we were too late
to procure admission into the interior； and had to content
ourselves with walking round it and surveying its outside。
It is named after； and occupies the site； or part of the site of an
immense monastery； founded by the Mercian King Peda； in the year
665； and destroyed by fire in the year 1116； which monastery；
though originally termed Medeshamsted； or the homestead on the
meads； was subsequently termed Peterborough； from the circumstance
of its having been reared by the old Saxon monarch for the love of
God and the honour of Saint Peter； as the Saxon Chronicle says； a
book which I went through carefully in my younger days； when I
studied Saxon； for； as I have already told the reader； I was in
those days a bit of a philologist。 Like the first； the second
edifice was originally a monastery； and continued so till the time
of the Reformation； both were abodes of learning； for if the Saxon
Chronicle was commenced in the monkish cells of the first； it was
completed in those of the second。 What is at present called
Peterborough Cathedral is a noble venerable pile； equal upon the
whole in external appearance to the cathedrals of Toledo； Burgos
and Leon； all of which I have seen。 Nothing in architecture can be
conceived more beautiful than the principal entrance； which fronts
the west； and which； at the time we saw it； was gilded with the
rays of the setting sun。
After having strolled about the edifice surveying it until we were
weary； we returned to our inn； and after taking an excellent supper
retired to rest。
At ten o'clock next morning we left the capital of the meads。 With
dragon speed； and dragon noise； fire； smoke； and fury； the train
dashed along its road through beautiful meadows； garnished here and
there with pollard sallows； over pretty streams； whose waters stole
along imperceptibly； by venerable old churches； which I vowed I
would take the first opportunity of visiting： stopping now and
then to recruit its energies at places； whose old Anglo…Saxon names
stared me in the eyes from station boards； as specimens of which；
let me only dot down Willy Thorpe； Ringsted； and Yrthling Boro。
Quite forgetting everything Welsh； I was enthusiastically Saxon the
whole way from Medeshamsted to Blissworth； so thoroughly Saxon was
the country； with its rich meads； its old churches and its names。
After leaving Blissworth； a thoroughly Saxon place by…the…bye； as
its name shows； signifying the stronghold or possession of Bligh or
Blee； I became less Saxon； the country was rather less Saxon； and I
caught occasionally the word 〃by〃 on a board； the Danish for a
town； which 〃by〃 waked in me a considerable portion of Danish
enthusiasm； of which I have plenty； and with reason； having
translated the glorious Kaempe Viser over the desk of my ancient
master； the gentleman solicitor of East Anglia。 At length we drew
near the great workshop of England； called by some； Brummagem or
Bromwicham； by others Birmingham； and I fell into a philological
reverie； wondering which was the right name。 Before； however； we
came to the station； I decided that both names were right enough；
but that Bromwicham was the original name； signifying the home on
the broomie moor； which name it lost in polite parlance for
Birmingham； or the home of the son of Biarmer； when a certain man
of Danish blood； called Biarming； or the son of Biarmer； got
possession of it； whether by force； fraud； or marriage … the
latter； by…the…bye； is by far the best way of getting possession of
an estate … this deponent neither knoweth nor careth。 At
Birmingham station I became a modern Englishman； enthusiastically
proud of modern England's science and energy； that station alone is
enough to make one proud of being a modern Englishman。 Oh； what an
idea does that station； with its thousand trains dashing off in all
directions； or arriving from all quarters； give of modern English
science and energy。 My modern English pride accompanied me all the
way to Tipton； for all along the route there were wonderful
evidences of English skill and enterprise； in chimneys high as
cathedral spires； vomiting forth smoke； furnaces emitting flame and
lava； and in the sound of gigantic hammers； wielded by steam； the
Englishman's slave。 After passing Tipton； at which place one
leaves the great working district behind； I became for a
considerable time a yawning； listless Englishman； without pride；
enthusiasm； or feeling of any kind； from which state I was suddenly
roused by the sight of ruined edifices on the tops of hills。 They
were remains of castles built by Norman Barons。 Here； perhaps； the
reader will expect from me a burst of Norman enthusiasm： if so he
will be mistaken； I have no Norman enthusiasm； and hate and
abominate the name of Norman； for I have always associated that
name with the deflowering of helpless Englishwomen； the plundering
of English homesteads； and the tearing out of poor Englishmen's
eyes。 The sight of those edifices； now in ruins； but which were
once the strongholds of plunder； violence； and lust； made me almost
ashamed of being an Englishman； for they brought to my mind the
indignities to which poor English blood has been subjected。 I sat
silent and melancholy； till looking from the window I caught sight
of a long line of hills； which I guessed to be the Welsh hills； as
indeed they proved； which sight causing me to remember that I was
bound for Wales； the land of the bard； made me cast all gloomy
thoughts aside and glow with all the Welsh enthusiasm with which I
glow