OF NORFOLK. 21 



JV O T E S. 



(a) Sir Thomas Beevor fays, "might not this mean, that 

 < l the foil was fo dry and barren, as to be unfit for any other 

 " ufe than that of roads ? In this fenfe it has been by writers 

 <: always underftood/' If the furface had been a hot hungry 

 travel, the King's meaning might have been as Sir Thomas 

 feems inclined to conftrue it, but as it is chiefly a land, it is 

 not reafonable to fuppofe he would have conlidered that as the 

 belt material for road making. Befides, though the cultiva- 

 tion and produce of Norfolk was not then equal to what it 

 now is, there is a ftrong preemption to fuppole, that it was at 

 leaft upon an equal footing with the reft of the kingdom ; in- 

 deed, I am very much inclined to think it was, even then, 

 upon a fuperior footing, on account of its proximity to Flan- 

 ders, from whence our eailiefl lefions upon good husbandry 

 were brought. 



(b) Mr. Fox makes a very pertinent obfervation in this 

 place, which it is incumbent on me to infert at length. lie 

 fays, " the diftance from Thetford to Bungay being but thirty- 

 " two miles, it feems, that a canal from one place to the other, 

 •* would effentially benefit the whole county, as the dreams of 

 f* theOuze and the Waveney flow towards each other, loas to 

 "leffen the diftance above fluted fome miles. It is fubmitted that 

 " this navigation might be cafily effected ; commerce would then 

 "circulate round the whole county, and confequently throw 

 M itstreafures into the heart of this and the neighbouring coun- 

 M ties." I am quite of Mr. Fox's opinion ; think this a very 

 eafy thing to accomplifh, as the fourccs of the two rivers are 

 only a few miles apart, and it would be as beneficial to the 

 north fide of Suffolk, as to the fouth fide of Norfolk, from 

 whence the corn in many places is now carried to IpfwiCQ 

 market, full twenty miles by land cat ridge. 



