At this Little Market town I pass’d over the River Weire w^{ch} runns to Durham, w^{ch} is 7 mile farther over a pleasant Road and Country y^t resembles Black heath, you see the towns and Countrys Round full of Woods. One sees the Citty of Durham four mile off from a high hill, not but the Citty stands on a great rise of Ground and is a mile and halfe in Length. The river runs almost round the town and returns againe, that Casts the Citty into a tryangular; its not Navigeable nor possible to be made so because its so full of Rocks and vast stones, makes it difficult for any such attempt. Durham Citty stands on a great hill, the middle part much higher than the rest, the Cathedrall and Castle w^{ch} is y^e pallace w^{th} y^e Colledge and all the houses of the Doctors of the Churches is altogether built of stone and all Encompass’d w^{th} a wall full of battlements above the walke, and this is about the middle of y^e hill w^{ch} is a Round hill, and a steep descent into the rest of the town, where is the market place w^{ch} is a spacious place, and a very ffaire town hall on stone Pillars and a very Large Cunduite. From this all the streets are in a pretty greate descent to y^e river, which Lookes very pleasant by meanes of its turning and winding to and agen, and so there are 3 Large Stone Bridges w^{th} severall arches apiece. The abbey or y^e Cathedrall is very Large, the quire is good but nothing Extraordinary, some good painting in the Glass of the windows and wood Carving. There is over y^e alter a painting of a Large Catherine Wheele which Encompasses the whole window and fills it up. The Bishops seate has severall steps up, its Called y^e throne, with a Cloth of Gold Carpet before it. The seate was King Charles the first, of Crimson damaske. A good organ and a fine Clock in w^{ch} is the signes, w^{th} Chimes, and finely Carved w^{th} four pirramidy spires on Each Corner, a much Larger and higher one in the middle well Carv’d and painted. The ffont is of marble, the top was Carv’d wood very high, and terminates in a poynt and resembles the picture of y^e Building of Babel—its not painted. The Cloysters are good. A Chapple Called S^t Marys now used for to keep their spiritual Courts, and in the vestry I saw severall fine Embroyder’d Coapes—3 or 4, I saw one above the rest was so Richly Embroider’d w^{th} the whole Description of Christs nativity, Life, Death and ascention; this is put on the Deanes shoulders at the administration of the Lords supper, here is y^e only place that they use these things in England, and severall more Cerimonyes and Rites retained from the tymes of popery. There are many papists in the town, popishly affected, and daily encrease. There was great striveing in the Choice of the parliament men, w^{ch} I had the trouble of in most of my journeys, y^e Randan they made in the publick houses, jndeed I happen’d to get into a quiet good jnn a good accomodation, two Maiden sisters and brother kept it—at y^e Naggs head.