I was a board y^e Royal Charles, and the Royal James, which are ffine Shipps, y^e Roomes Spacious for Length and Breadth but not high. There was a large Chappel and Cabbin with Damaske furniture. The Castle at Portsmouth is not Great—its Rather Called the Kings house where is a Great deal of armes. I was in the Dineing Roome where King Charles y^e Second met Queen Katherine and was marryed to her and set the crown on her head. There from that roome out of double doores goes a long wooden bridge to the Plattforme; just by is South sea Castle which is wash’d round by y^e sea and pretty deep water att Spring tides, it Looks very fine but think its but of Little Strength or Service. Above the town is a very fine down Called Porchester down very pleasant for Sports Hawking and hunting; 6 mile over this down is Southwicke, Coll: Nortons a good old house Capable of being Made ffine, Large Garden room—Woods and Grounds Lying well about it and a good Warren, Coppices and y^e Stately G^t Timber trees as may be seen. He was an old officer in the Long parliam^t service—this is 15 mile from Winchester and from Winchester to South-hampton is ten miles; that is a very neate clean town and the Streets well pitch’d and kept so, by their Carrying all their Carriages on Sleds as they do in holland, and permit no Cart to go about in y^e town, and keep it Clean Swept—this was formerly more strictly observ’d when the town was full of trade, for it is a good port, but now y^e trade has failed and y^e town almost forsooke and neglected. Its a place of No Strength now, by reason of y^e Castle being ruined and the fortifications neglected and the Gunns taken thence, tho’ by most its thought the best scittuated port for Shipps to Ride and take their provision in and so Capable of tradeing; but the last 2 Reignes for near 40 year discourag’d it being a proper place for the french to have Seiz’d and Secured for themselves. About 3 Leagues off is Cashot Castle just out into the Sea w^{ch} does Encompasse it all but a very little point of land Called Horsy Beach that runnes out into the New forrest by Bewly w^{ch} was an abby in the fforest, for the Extent of y^e fforrest is large—Miles long; All round Casholt Castle on the Beach itts as full of fine Cockle shells so that they heap them up all round the Castle Like a wall.