431 
We obtain a glimpse of Bath in 1634, from a contemporary 
diary preserved at the British Museum. Some officers coming 
from Wells in stormy weather, found the ways bad, especially the 
approach to the City down Holloway. ‘To this Citty wee came 
late and wet and entred stumbling into a third Cock-pitt Citty 
over a fayre archt Bridge crossing Avon: She may well be twin 
w™ her Sister Wells both for her Scytuation and her Governm* ; 
and heere wee billetted o* Selves at the 3 Tuns (see Token) close 
by the King’s Bath—And now prepared wee w™ the skillfull 
directions of our Ancient to take a Preparative to fit o” jumbled 
weary Corps to enter and take refreshm’ in those admired, 
unparalelld medicinable sulphureous hot Bathes.” Later they reach 
the Great Church ‘‘a fayre neat and lightsome Building, the 
roof stately lofty and curiouslie fretted, the windows large and 
fayre though plaine without painting” “She is adorned w™ 4 
reasonable rich Organ, fayre Seats, most curious & very neate 
though lately erected ” and it further notes, “2 Bowling Greens 
near the Church one of them is curiously and neatly kept where 
onely Lords, Knights, Gallants and Gentlemen of the best ranke 
and qualitie doe dayly meet in seasonable times to recreate 
themselves both for pleasure & health ” 
Evelyn, who visited Bath in June, 1654, notes—‘“‘that he 
trifled and bathed and intervisited with the company who 
frequent the place for health ” that “ the towne is entirely built of 
stone but the streets narrow, uneven and unpleasant.” By 1654, 
the City could barely have recovered from its unfortunate 
experiences during the Civil war. Bath was just then sternly, 
rigorously Puritan, and its sedate and sober-clad citizens, the 
evidence on all sides of the Commonwealth supremacy, the 
presence in the streets of the numerous ‘‘maymed soldiers” sent 
by the State to derive benefit from its hot springs, may have 
_ displeased Evelyn whose sympathies were with the exiled Stuarts. 
_ More genial Pepys in June, 1668, with perhaps a more joyous 
environment, walked,—‘ up and downe the Towne and saw a 
