CRAP. II. 



EARLY MODES OF CONVEYANCE. 



1G9 



on Saturday last ; but my journey was noe ways plea- 

 si mt, being forced to ride in the boote all the waye. 

 Ye company yt came up with mee were persons of greate 

 quality, as knights and ladyes. My journey's expense 

 was 30s. This traval hath soe indisposed mee, yt I am 

 resolved never to ride up againe in ye coatch." These 

 vehicles must, however, have considerably increased, as 

 we find a popular agitation was got up against them ; the 

 Londoners nicknamed them " hell-carts;" pamphlets were 

 written recommending their abolition ; and attempts were 

 even made to have them suppressed by Act of Parliament. 

 Thoresby occasionally alludes to stage-coaches in his 

 Diary, speaking of one that ran between Hull and York 

 in 1 070, from which place he had to proceed by Leeds 

 in the usual way on horseback. This Hull coach did 

 not run in winter, because of the state of the roads ; 

 stage-coaches being usually laid up in that season like 

 ships during Arctic frosts. 1 Afterwards, when a coach 

 was put on between York and Leeds, it performed 

 the journey of twenty-four miles in eight hours ; 2 but 

 the road was so bad and dangerous that the travellers 

 were accustomed to get out and walk the greater part 

 of the way. Thoresby often waxes eloquent upon the 

 subject of his manifold deliverances from the dangers of 

 travelling by coach. He was especially thankful when 

 he had passed the ferry over the Trent in journeying 

 between Leeds and London, having on several occa- 

 sions narrowly escaped drowning there. Once, on his 



1 " 4th May, 1714. Morning : we 

 dined at ( J rai it ham, had the annual 

 >olenmity (tliis being the first time 

 the eoaeh passed the road in May), 

 and the coachman and horses being 

 deeke.l with ribbons and flowers, the 

 town music and young people in 

 couples before us ; we lodged at Stam- 

 ford, a senrvy, dear town. 5th May : 

 had other passengers, which, though 

 females, were more chargeable with 

 wine and brandy than the former 



pail of the journey, wherein we had 

 neither ; but the next day we gave 

 them leave to treat themselves." 

 Thoresby's * Diary,' vol. ii., 207. 



2 " May 22, 1708. At York. Eose 

 between three and four, the coach 

 being hasted by Captain Crome (whose 

 company we had) upon the Queen's 

 business, that we got to Leeds by 

 noon ; blessed be God for mercies to 

 me and my p<xr family." Thoresby's 

 ' I Mary,' vol. ii., 7. 



