Here is a great mer or standing water 2 miles Compass—great store of good fish; it belongs to one M^r Egerton: thence I went to Nantwitch 5 long miles. Nantwitch is a pretty large town and well built: here are y^e salt springs of w^{ch} they make salt and many salterns w^{ch} were a boyling y^e salt. This is a pretty Rich land; you must travell on a Causey; I went 3 miles on a Causey through much wood. Its from Nantwitch to Chester town 14 long miles, y^e wayes being deep: its much on Enclosures and I passed by severall large pooles of waters, but what I wonder’d at was y^t tho’ this shire is remarkable for a greate deale of greate Cheeses and Dairys I did not see more than 20 or 30 Cowes in a troope feeding, but on Enquiry find y^e Custome of y^e Country to joyn their milking together of a whole village and so make their great Cheeses. West Chester town lies in a bottom and runs a greate length and is pretty big—there are 10 Churches. The Cathedrall is Large and Lofty, y^e quire well Carv’d, fine tapistry hangings at y^e alter, a good organ: The Bishops pallace is on the Right hand of it and the Doctors houses, all built of Stone. There is a new hall building w^{ch} is for y^e assize and it stands on great Stone pillars w^{ch} is to be y^e exchange w^{ch} will be very Convenient and handsome; the hall is round, its built of Bricke and Stone Coynes, there are Leads all round w^{th} battlements and in the middle is a tower, there are ballconies on y^e Side and windows quite round y^e Cupillow that shews y^e whole town round. There is another town hall—a long Lofty place, and another by the Side w^{ch} is Called the Councill Roome both for y^e Major and Aldermen to meete for y^e buissinesse of y^e Corporation. Y^e town is walled all aboute w^{th} battlem^{ts} and a walke all round pav’d w^{th} stone, I allmost Encompass’d y^e walls. Ye streetes are of a greate breadth, but there is one thing takes much from their appeareing so and from their beauty, for on each side in most places they have made penthouses so broad set on pillars w^{ch} persons walk under Covert, and is made up and down steps under which are ware houses. Tho’ a penthouse or pallasadoe be convenient for security from y^e sun or weather and were it no broader than for two to passe one by y^e other it would be well and No dissight to y^e grace of y^e Streetes, but this does darken y^e streetes and hinder y^e Light of y^e houses in many places to y^e streete ward below, indeed in some places were it only before y^e Chiefe persons houses it would be Convenient where its flatt and Even w^{th} the streetes. The town is mostly timber buildings, the trade and Concourse of people to it is Chiefly from the jntercourse it has with Ireland—most take this passage; and also y^e jntercourse w^{th} Wales w^{ch} is parted from it and England by y^e river Dee w^{ch} washes y^e Castle Walls in w^{ch} they keep their Stores, but nothing fine in it. The walls and towers seemes in good repaire.