the Foundation of fo good a Fortification, coft many Years Labour, frequent Repairs, and a prodigious Expence; but it is now fo firm, that neither Storms nor Tides affect it.

;

The Harbour is of a vast Extent; for the River Stour from Maningtree, and the River Orwel from Ipfwich, empty themselves here: and the Channels of both are large and deep, and safe for all Weathers and where they join, they make a large Bay, or Road, able to receive the biggeft Ships of War, and the. greatest Number that ever the World faw together. In the Dutch War, great Use was made of this Harbour; and there have been 100 Sail of Men of War with their Attendants, and between 3 and 400 Sail of Colliers, all riding in it at a time, with great Safety and Convenience.

Harwich is the Port where the Packet-boats between England and Holland go out, and come in. The Inhabitants are far from being famed for good Ufage to Strangers; but, on the contrary, are deemed extravagant in their Reckonings, in the Public-houfes: this has encouraged the fetting up of Sloops, which they now call Paffage boats, to go directly from the River Thames to Holland: though the Paffage may be fomething longer, yet the Masters of the Sloops are faid to be more obliging to Paffengers, and more reasonable in the Expence, and the Veffels good Sea-boats. Harwith has been a Sufferer on this Account.

The People of Harwich boaft, that their Town is walled, and their Streets paved, with Clay; and yet, that one is as ftrong, and the other as clean, as thofe that are built or paved with Stone. The Fact is indeed true; for there is a fort of Clay in the Cliff, between the Town and the Beacon-hill adjoining, which when it falls down into the Sea, where it is beaten with the Waves and the Weather, turns gradually into Stone. But the chief Reason affigned is from the Water of a certain Spring or Well, which, rising in

the

the Cliff, runs down into the Sea among those Pieces of Clay, and petrifies them as it runs; and the Force of the Sea often ftirring, and perhaps turning the Lumps of Clay, when Storms of Wind may give Force enough to the Water, caufes them to harden every where alike; otherwise those which were not quite funk in the Water of the Spring, would be petrify'd but in Part. These Stones are gathered up to pave the Streets, and build the Houses, and are indeed very hard. It is alfo remarkable, that fome of them, taken up before they are thoroughly petrify'd, will, upon breaking them, appear to be hard as a Stone without, and foft as Clay in the Middle; whereas others, that have lain a due time, will be thorough Stone to the Centre, and full as hard within as without.

On the Promontory of Land, called Beacon hill, which lies beyond, or behind the Town, toward the Sea, is a Light-house, to give the Ships Direction in their failing by the Harbour, as well as their coming into it at Night.

This Town was formerly fortified; but in the Reign of King Charles I. the Fortifications were demolished. It has fince been ordered to be fortify'd again, and Ground has been bought accordingly, to the King's Ufe, by Act of Parliament: but nothing more has been done in it yet; and indeed, it is many Years fince the Government, having a better Security in the Britib Shipping, have had Occasion to fortify Towns to the Landward.

It was incorporated in the 13th of Edward II. The Harwich Men pretended a Grant from Edw. III. to take Custom-duties for Goods coming into the Haven, till, on a Complaint made by the Town of Ipfwich that it was an Infringement upon their Liberties, an Inquifition was appointed by that Prince at Ipfwich, the 14th of his Reign, by which it was determined against Harwich, in favour of Ipfwich,

Harwich, after all, may be faid to be a neat, clean,

well

well built Town; enjoys a good Maritime Trade; is governed by a Mayor, &c. has a Market every Tuefday and Friday, and two annuals Fairs, one on Mayday, the other on October the 18th; and returns two Members to Parliament.

Landguard fort was built in the Reign of King James I. and was a much more confiderable Fortification than at prefent; having had four Bastions, named the King's, the Queen's, Holland's, and Warwick's, mounted with 60 very large Guns, particularly those on the Royal Baftion, where the King's Standard was difplayed, which would throw a 28 Pound Ball over Harwich; and it had a conftant Garrifon, with a Chapel, and many Houses, for the Governor, Gunners, and other Officers. But it has been demolished, and a fmall Platform made inftead of it, by the Waterfide; but yet, as the particular Current of the Channel, which Ships must keep in, as I have faid, obliges them to pafs juft by the Fort, the Harbour is fufficiently defended on the Sea fide from any sudden Invasion.

At Harwich are two hot and two cold SaltWater Baths, of elegant Structure and curious Contrivance, with private Dreffing-Rooms for Gentlemen and Ladies, feparated from each other.

The Buildings ftand in a large Refervoir, containing many hundred Tons of pure Sea-water, renewed by every Tide from the Sea; from this Refervoir the Baths are continually fupplied with pure running Seawater, at any Hour of the Day, by a Contrivance that exactly resembles a natural Spring.

And for the Eafe and Convenience of fuch as are lame, or have not. Strength to plunge themselves, there is a Crane Chair of particular Contrivance.

There are alfo Vapour Baths, either for immersing the whole Body, or any particular Limb or Limbs, in the Steam or Vapour of hot Sea-water. Here is alfo Partial Large Bathing, for which a curious Machine is provided to throw Sea-water, either hot or Cold, (in a

con

continual Stream, and any defired Velocity) upon any Part of the Body.

The Phyficians well know the great Use of these forts of Bathing in many Disorders.

On the Road from London to Colchester lie four good Market Towns, at near equal Diftance from one another, Rumford, Brentwood, Ingatftone, and Chelmsford. Rumford is noted for two Markets, one for Calves and Hogs, the other for Corn and other Provifions, moftly bought up for London Market.

Rumford is governed by a Bailiff and Wardens, who are impowered by Patent, though no Corporation, to hold a Court every Week, for the Trial of Treafons, Felonies, Debts, or other Actions. It has a Charityschool for 50 Boys and 20 Girls.

Brentwood and Ingatftone are large thoroughfare Towns, full of Good Inns, chiefly maintained by the Multitude of Carriers and Paffengers conftantly paffing this Way to London, with Droves of Cattle, Provifions, and Manufactures.

Chelmsford is chiefly fupported by the fame Bufinefs. It is the County-town, where the Affizes are held; and ftands on the Conflux of two Rivers, the Chelmer, whence the Town derives it Name, and the Cann; and has a good Free-school belonging to it.

Eaft of Brentwood, lies Billericay, a pretty confiderable Market-town.

Near Chelmsford ftands a Seat of the Right Honourable the Earl of Fitzwalter, which is feen on the Lefthand of the Road, just before you enter the Town. The House is large, and having been lately new-fronted, makes an handfome Appearance.

Five Market-towns fill up the reft of this Part of the County, Dunmow, Braintree, Thaxted, Hafted, and Coggfhall, all noted for the Manufacture of Bays. But Dunmow I muft particularly mention, on account of the famous old Story of its Flitch of Bacon; which is this:

One

One Robert Fitzwalter, a powerful Baron in this County, in the Time of Henry III. inftituted a Cuftom in the Priory here: That whatever married Man did not repent of his being married, or differ and difpute with his Wife, within a Year and a Day after his Marriage, and would fwear to the Truth of it, kneeling upon two hard pointed Stones in the Priory Churchyard, fet up for that Purpofe, in Prefence of the Prior and Convent, fuch Perfon fhould have a Flitch of Bacon.

This has been actually claimed and received, as appears by the following Record there:

0

Dunmow Priory, A Worshipful Sir Thomay May,

T a Court Baron of the Right

Effex:

Knight, there holden on Friday the 27th Day of June, in the 13th Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord William III. by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. and in the Year of our Lord 1701, before Thomas Wheeler, Gentleman, Steward there.

Homage.

B

E it remembered, That at this Court, it is found and presented by the Homage aforefaid, That John Reynolds of Hatfield-Regis, alias Hatfield-Broadaake, in the County of Effex, Gent. and Anne his Wife, have been married for the Space of 10 Years laft past, and upward. And it is likewife found, prefented, and adjudged, by the Homage aforefaid, that the faid John Reynolds, and Anne his Wife, by means of their quiet and peaceable, tender and loving Cohabitation, for the Space of Time aforefaid (as appears by Reference to

the