Through England on a side saddle in the time of William and MaryFiennes, Celia
History
Through England on a side saddle in the time of William and Mary
Fiennes, Celia
England -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
Rocks y^t hang down almost to touch y^e ground, beyond this is a Cistern
allwayes full of water, it Looks Cleer to the bottom w^{ch} is all full
of stones as is the sides, just Like Candy or Like the Branches they put
in the boyling of Copperace for y^e Copperice to Crust about it, in the
same manner so y^t y^e water Congeales here into stone and does as it
were bud or grow out one stone out of another. Where Ever this water
drops it does not weare y^e Rock in hollow as some other such
subterranian Caves does but it hardens and does Encrease y^e stone and
that in a Roundness as if it Candy’d as it fell, w^{ch} I am of opinion
it does; so it makes y^e Rocks grow and meete Each other in some places.
They ffancy many Resemblances in the Rocks, as in one place an organ and
in another 2 little Babys and in another part a head w^{ch} they Call
the porters head and another a shape like a dog. They phancy one of y^e
Rocks resembles a woman w^{th} a great belly w^{ch} the Country people
Call the witch w^{ch} made this Cavity under ground for her
Enchantments. The rocks are Glistering and shine Like diamonds and some
you Climbe over where one meetes w^{th} y^e Congealed Drops of water
just Like jceicles hanging down. Some of the stone is white Like
alabaster and Glisters Like mettle. You walke for y^e most part in y^e
Large spaces Called y^e Roomes on a sandy floore, the Roofe so Lofty one
Can scarce discern the top and Carry’s a Great Eccho, soe that takeing
up a great stone as much as a man Can heave up to his head and letting
it fall gives a report Like a Cannon w^{ch} they frequently trye and
Call y^e Shooteing y^e Cannons. At y^e farther End you Come to a water
Call’d y^e well, its of a greate depth and Compass tho’ by the Light of
y^e Candles you may discern the Rock Encompassing it as a wall round.
These hollows are generally very Cold and damp by reason of y^e waters
distilling Continually w^{ch} is very Cold, as jce almost when I put my
hand into y^e Cistern. These Roads are full of hills, and those some of
them high Ridge of hills w^{ch} does discover a vast prospect all wayes,
behind me I saw a Great valley full of jnclosures and Lessar hills by
which you ascend these heights, w^{ch} are all very fruitfull and woody.
Alsoe I Could see the Severn when Encreased to its breadth of 7 mile
over, and there it Disembogues into ye sea; then it gave me a prospect
forward of as Large a vale replenish’d w^{th} fruitefull hills and trees
and good Ground, thence I Could discern Glassenbury tower; this was
Maiden Hill just beyond ye Little town of same name and soe by degrees
descending from a higher to a Lower hill w^{ch} had its ascents as well
as its descents w^{ch} makes y^e miles seem and are Indeed Long tracts
of ground.
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