2 8 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



for he commonly rode from Leeds to London in 

 four days, and the York stage at this period of its 

 career took six ; so, including the two days ex- 

 pended in coming to York, he was clearly twice 

 as long over the husiness. He looked forward to 

 the coach journey Avith misgivings, " fearful of 

 being confined to a coach for so many days with 

 unsuitable persons and not one I know of." 



On other occasions, Avlien he rode horseback, 

 his diary is rich with picturesque incident. He 

 finds the waters out on the road between Ware 

 and Cheshnnt, and waits until he and a party of 

 other horsemen can be guided across by a, safe 

 way, and so avoid the pitiful fate of a poor higgler, 

 who blundered into the raging torrent where the 

 road should have been, and Avas sAvept aAvay and 

 droAvned. He loses his Avay frequently on the 

 high-road ; shudders Avith apprehension AAdien 

 crossing Witham Common, near Stamford, " the 

 place where Sir Ralph Wharton sIcav the high- 

 wayman " ; and, Avitli a companion, has a terrible 

 fright at an inn at Topcliffe, Avhere they miss 

 their pistols for a Avhile and suspect the inn- 

 keeper of sinister designs against them. Hence, 

 at the safe conclusion of every journey, with 

 humble and heartfelt thanks he inscribes : " God 

 be thanked for his mercies to me and my poor 

 family ! " 



In 1715, when John Gay wrote his entertaining 

 poem, A Journey to Exeter, describing the adven- 

 tures of a party of horsemen Avho rode doAvn from 

 London, things Avere, Ave may supjiose, much 



