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royal cavalcade to pass along。
In Henry VIII。's reign； several remarkable statutes were passed
relating to certain worn…out and impracticable roads in Sussex and
the Weald of Kent。 From the earliest of these； it would appear
that when the old roads were found too deep and miry to be passed；
they were merely abandoned and new tracks struck out。 After
describing 〃many of the wayes in the wealds as so depe and noyous
by wearyng and course of water and other occasions that people
cannot have their carriages or passages by horses uppon or by the
same but to their great paynes； perill and jeopardie；〃 the Act
provided that owners of land might； with the consent of two
justices and twelve discreet men of the hundred； lay out new roads
and close up the old ones。 Another Act passed in the same reign；
related to the repairs of bridges and of the highways at the ends
of bridges。
But as these measures were for the most part merely permissive；
they could have had but little practical effect in improving the
communications of the kingdom。 In the reign of Philip and Mary
（in 1555）； an Act was passed providing that each parish should elect
two surveyors of highways to see to the maintenance of their
repairs by compulsory labour； the preamble reciting that
〃highwaies are now both verie noisome and tedious to travell in；
and dangerous to all passengers and cariages；〃 and to this day
parish and cross roads are maintained on the principle of Mary's
Act； though the compulsory labour has since been commuted into a
compulsory tax。
In the reigns of Elizabeth and James； other road Acts were passed；
but； from the statements of contemporary writers； it would appear
that they were followed by very little substantial progress； and
travelling continued to be attended with many difficulties。 Even in
the neighbourhood of the metropolis； the highways were in certain
seasons scarcely passable。 The great Western road into London was
especially bad； and about Knightsbridge； in winter； the traveller
had to wade through deep mud。 Wyatt's men entered the city by this
approach in the rebellion of 1554； and were called the 〃draggle…tails〃
because of their wretched plight。 The ways were equally bad as far
as Windsor； which； in the reign of Elizabeth； is described by Pote；
in his history of that town； as being 〃not much past half a day's
journeye removed from the flourishing citie of London。〃
At a greater distance from the metropolis； the roads were still
worse。 They were in many cases but rude tracks across heaths and
commons； as furrowed with deep ruts as ploughed fields； and in
winter to pass along one of them was like travelling in a ditch。
The attempts made by the adjoining occupiers to mend them； were for
the most part confined to throwing large stones into the bigger
holes to fill them up。 It was easier to allow new tracks to be
made than to mend the old ones。 The land of the country was still
mostly unenclosed； and it was possible； in fine weather； to get
from place to place； in one way or another； with the help of a
guide。 In the absence of bridges； guides were necessary to point
out the safest fords as well as to pick out the least miry tracks。
The most frequented lines of road were struck out from time to time
by the drivers of pack…horses； who； to avoid the bogs and sloughs；
were usually careful to keep along the higher grounds； but； to
prevent those horsemen who departed from the beaten track being
swallowed up in quagmires； beacons were erected to warn them
against the more dangerous places。*＇2＇
In some of the older…settled districts of England； the old roads
are still to be traced in the hollow Ways or Lanes； which are to
be met with； in some places； eight and ten feet deep。 They were
horse…tracks in summer； and rivulets in winter。 By dint of
weather and travel； the earth was gradually worn into these deep
furrows； many of which； in Wilts； Somerset； and Devon； represent
the tracks of roads as old as； if not older than； the Conquest。
When the ridgeways of the earliest settlers on Dartmoor； above
alluded to； were abandoned； the tracks were formed through the
valleys； but the new roads were no better than the old ones。
They were narrow and deep； fitted only for a horse passing along
laden with its crooks； as so graphically described in the ballad
of 〃The Devonshire Lane。〃*＇3＇
Similar roads existed until recently in the immediate neighbourhood
of Birmingham； now the centre of an immense traffic。 The sandy
soil was sawn through； as it were； by generation after generation
of human feet； and by packhorses； helped by the rains； until in
some places the tracks were as much as from twelve to fourteen
yards deep； one of these； partly filled up； retaining to this day
the name of Holloway Head。 In the neighbourhood of London there
was also a Hollow way； which now gives its name to a populous
metropolitan parish。 Hagbush Lane was another of such roads。
Before the formation of the Great North Road； it was one of the
principal bridle…paths leading from London to the northern parts of
England； but it was so narrow as barely to afford passage for more
than a single horseman； and so deep that the rider's head was
beneath the level of the ground on either side。
The roads of Sussex long preserved an infamous notoriety。
Chancellor Cowper； when a barrister on circuit； wrote to his wife
in 1690； that 〃the Sussex ways are bad and ruinous beyond
imagination。 I vow 'tis melancholy consideration that mankind will
in habit such a heap of dirt for a poor livelihood。 The country is
a sink of about fourteen miles broad； which receives all the water
that falls from two long ranges of hills on both sides of it；
and not being furnished with convenient draining； is kept moist
and soft by the water till the middle of a dry summer； which is only
able to make it tolerable to ride for a short time。〃
It was almost as difficult for old persons to get to church in
Sussex during winter as it was in the Lincoln Fens； where they were
rowed thither in boats。 Fuller saw an old lady being drawn to
church in her own coach by the aid of six oxen。 The Sussex roads
were indeed so bad as to pass into a by…word。 A contemporary
writer says； that in travelling a slough of extraordinary miryness；
it used to be called 〃the Sussex bit of the road；〃 and he
satirically alleged that the reason why the Sussex girls were so
long…limbed was because of the tenacity of the mud in that county；
the practice of pulling the foot out of it 〃by the strength of the
ancle〃 tending to stretch the muscle and lengthen the bone！*＇4＇
But the roads in the immediate neighbourhood of London long
continued almost as bad as those in Sussex。 Thus； when the poet
Cowley retired to Chertsey； in 1665； he wrote to his friend Sprat
to visit him； and； by way of encouragement； told him that he
might sleep the first night at Hampton town； thus occupying； two
days in the p