38 PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



For a long period of time all travelling was effected on horseback : 

 horses were also used for the conveyance of merchandize and various 

 sorts of goods, which were placed on their backs in crooks : very 

 few farmers had any thing in the shape of a cart. These modes of 

 travelling and conveyance were fatiguing, expensive, and occupied 

 much time : yet it was not till the reign of James I. that carriages 

 began to be used by the nobility, and for a very long time they were 

 confined to London. 



The lecturer next gave some account of the arrival in this port of 

 Cosmo de Medecis, in 1669, with a description of his suite and 

 equipage, and journey to London, which occupied twelve days. 

 Some further allusions were made to the roads in our neighbourhood, 

 many of which were so narrow as not to admit of two horses pass- 

 ing each other, they continued impassible for carriages even in the 

 reign of Queen Anne. Different sorts of vehicles were common 

 in London and many large towns before they were used in Devon- 

 shire. No coachmaker was known in Plymouth till the reign of 

 George III. A coach could not be purchased nearer than at Exeter, 

 in the reign of George II. The Rogers family, residing at Blatchford, 

 was amongst the first that used a coach in this neighbourhood. This 

 was a subject of much wonder and curiosity, although it was a large, 

 clumsy concern, drawn by four waggon horses, which never ven- 

 tured beyond a sober walk. Mail coaches were established here in 

 1796. 



The following advertisement from the Newcastle Courant, was 

 given as an instance of the rate of travelling in 1712 : 



" All that desire to pass from Edinburgh to London, or any other 

 " place on that road, let them repair to Mr. John Baillie's, at the 

 " Coach and Horses, at the head of Canongate, Edinburgh, every 

 " other Saturday; or to the Black Swan, in llolborn. London, every 

 " other Monday ; at both which places they may be received in ;i 

 " stage coach, which performs the whole journey in thirteen days, 

 " without any stoppage, having eighty able horses to perform tin 

 "whole stage. Each passenger paying 4. 10s. Od. for the whole 

 "journey, allowing each passenger twenty pound weight, and all 

 " above to pay 6d. per Ib. The coach sets out at six o'clock in tin- 

 " morning. Performed by Henry Harrison, Robert Yorke, Richard 

 " Speight, and Richard Crott." 



In 1758 the roads about Plymouth began to be amended and 

 have since that time been in a gradual state of improvement. In 1762 

 a diligence was established to run between Plymouth and Exeter, 

 performing the journey in about 1 2 hours. Post chaises, stage waggons, 



