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done； and for ever so maintained （according to this NEW WAY）
substantially and with very much ease； &c。； &c。 Printed for the
public good in the year 1675。〃
*＇6＇ See Archaelogia； xx。； pp。 443…76。
*＇7＇ 〃4th May； 1714。 Morning： we dined at Grantham； had the annual
solemnity （this being the first time the coach passed the road in
May）； and the coachman and horses being decked with ribbons and
flowers； the town music and young people in couples before us； we
lodged at Stamford； a scurvy； dear town。 5th May： had other
passengers； which； though females； were more chargeable with wine
and brandy than the former part of the journey； wherein we had
neither； but the next day we gave them leave to treat themselves。〃
Thoresby's 'Diary；' vol。 ii。； 207。
*＇8＇ 〃May 22； 1708。 At York。 Rose between three and four； the
coach being hasted by Captain Crome （whose company we had） upon the
Queen's business； that we got to Leeds by noon； blessed be God for
mercies to me and my poor family。〃Thoresby's 'Diary；' vol。 ii。； 7。
*＇9＇ Thoresby's 'Diary；' vol。 i。；295。
*＇10＇ Waylen's 'Marlborough。'
*＇11＇ Reprinted in the 'Harleian Miscellany；' vol。 viii。； p。 547。
supposed to have been written by one John Gressot； of the
Charterhouse。
*＇12＇ There were other publications of the time as absurd （viewed
by the light of the present day） as Gressot's。 Thus； 〃A Country
Tradesman；〃 addressing the public in 1678； in a pamphlet entitled
'The Ancient Trades decayed； repaired again；wherein are
declared the several abuses that have utterly impaired all the
ancient trades in the Kingdom；' urges that the chief cause of the
evil had been the setting up of Stage…coaches some twenty years
before。 Besides the reasons for suppressing； them set forth in the
treatise referred to in the text； he says； 〃Were it not' for them
（the Stage…coaches）； there would be more Wine； Beer； and Ale； drunk
in the Inns than is now； which would be a means to augment the
King's Custom and Excise。 Furthermore they hinder the breed of
horses in this kingdom ＇the same argument was used against Railways＇；
because many would be necessitated to keep a good horse that keeps
none now。 Seeing； then； that there are few that are gainers by them；
and that they are against the common and general good of the
Nation； and are only a conveniency to some that have occasion to go
to London； who might still have the same wages as before these
coaches were in use； therefore there is good reason they should be
suppressed。 Not but that it may be lawful to hire a coach upon
occasion； but that it should be unlawful only to keep a coach that
should go long journeys constantly； from one stage or place to
another； upon certain days of the week as they do now〃 p。 27。
*＇13＇ Roberts's 'Social History of the Southern Counties；' p。 494。
Little more than a century ago； we find the following advertisement
of a Newcastle flying coach： 〃May 9； 1734。A coach will set out
towards the end of next week for London； or any place on the road。
To be performed in nine days；being three days sooner than any
other coach that travels the road； for which purpose eight stout
horses are stationed at proper distances。〃
*＇14＇ In 1710 a Manchester manufacturer taking his family up to
London； hired a coach for the whole way； which； in the then state
of the roads； must have made it a journey of probably eight or ten
days。 And； in 1742； the system of travelling had so little
improved； that a lady； wanting to come with her niece from
Worcester to Manchester； wrote to a friend in the latter place to
send her a hired coach； because the man knew the road； having
brought from thence a family some time before。〃Aikin's 'Manchester。'
*＇15＇ Lord Campbell mentions the remarkable circumstance that
Popham； afterwards Lord Chief Justice in the reign of Elizabeth；
took to the road in early life； and robbed travellers on Gad's
Hill。 Highway robbery could not； however； have been considered a
very ignominious pursuit at that time； as during Popham's youth a
statute was made by which； on a first conviction for robbery； a
peer of the realm or lord of parliament was entitled to have
benefit of clergy； 〃though he cannot read！〃 What is still more
extraordinary is； that Popham is supposed to have continued in his
course as 'a highwayman even after he was called to the Bar。
This seems to have been quite notorious； for when he was made Serjeant
the wags reported that he served up some wine destined for an
Alderman of London； which he had intercepted on its way from
Southampton。Aubrey； iii。； 492。Campbell's 'Chief Justices；' i。；
210。
*＇16＇ Travels of Cosmo the Third； Grand Duke of Tuscany；' p。 147。
*＇17＇ 〃It is as common a custom； as a cunning policie in thieves；
to place chamberlains in such great inns where cloathiers and
graziers do lye； and by their large bribes to infect others； who
were not of their own preferring； who noting your purses when you
draw them； they'l gripe your cloak…bags； and feel the weight； and
so inform the master thieves of what they think； and not those
alone； but the Host himself is oft as base as they； if it be left
in charge with them all night； he to his roaring guests either
gives item； or shews the purse itself； who spend liberally； in hope
of a speedie recruit。〃 See 'A Brief yet Notable Discovery of
Housebreakers；' &c。； 1659。 See also 'Street Robberies Considered；
a Warning for Housekeepers；' 1676； 'Hanging not Punishment Enough；'
1701； &c。
*＇18＇ The food of London was then principally brought to town in
panniers。 The population being comparatively small； the feeding of
London was still practicable in this way； besides； the city always
possessed the great advantage of the Thames； which secured a supply
of food by sea。 In 'The Grand Concern of England Explained；' it is
stated that the hay； straw； beans； peas； and oats； used in London；
were principally raised within a circuit of twenty miles of the
metropolis； but large quantities were also brought from
Henley…on…thames and other western parts； as well as from below
Gravesend； by water； and many ships laden with beans came from
Hull； and with oats from Lynn and Boston。
*＇19＇ 'Loides and Elmete； by T。D。 Whitaker； LL。D。； 1816； p。 81。
Notwithstanding its dangers； Dr。 Whitaker seems to have been of
opinion that the old mode of travelling was even safer than that
which immediately followed it； 〃Under the old state of roads and
manners；〃 he says； 〃it was impossible that more than one death
could happen at once； what； by any possibility； could take place
analogous to a race betwixt two stage…coaches； in which the lives
of thirty or forty distressed and helpless individuals are at the
mercy of two intoxicated brutes？〃
*＇20＇ In the curious collection of old coins at the Guildhall there
are several halfpenny tokens issued by the proprietors of inns
bearing the sign of the pack…horse； Some of these would indicate
that p