170 EARLY MODES OF CONVEYANCE. PART III. 



journey to London, some showers fell, which " raised 

 the washes upon the road near Ware to that height that 

 passengers from London that were upon that road 

 swam, and a poor higgler was drowned, which prevented 

 me travelling for many hours ; yet towards evening we 

 adventured with some country people, who conducted 

 us over the meadows, whereby we missed the deepest of 

 the Wash at Cheshunt, though we rode to the saddle- 

 skirts for a considerable way, but got safe to Waltliam 

 Cross, where we lodged." 1 On another occasion Thoresby 

 was detained four days at Stamford by the state of the 

 roads, and was only extricated from his position by a 

 company of fourteen members of the House of Commons 

 travelling towards London, who took him into their 

 convoy, and set out on their way southward attended by 

 competent guides. When the " waters were out," as the 

 saying went, the country became closed, the roads being 

 simply impassable. During the Civil Wars eight hundred 

 horse were taken prisoners while sticking in the mud.' 2 

 When rain fell, pedestrians, horsemen, and coaches alike 

 came to a standstill until the roads dried again and enabled 

 the wayfarers to proceed. Thus we read of two travellers 

 stopped by the rains within a few miles of Oxford, wli<> 

 found it impossible to accomplish their journey in conse- 

 quence of the waters that covered the country thereabout. 

 The introduction of stage-coaches, like every other 

 public improvement, was at first regarded with prejudice, 

 and had considerable obloquy to encounter. In a curious 

 book published in 1673, entitled ' The Grand Concern of 

 England Explained in several Proposals to Parliament,' 3 

 stage-coaches and caravans were denounced as one of the 

 greatest evils that had happened of late years to the 

 kingdom, mischievous to the public, destructive to trade, 

 and prejudicial to lands. It was alleged that travelling 



1 Thoresby 's 'Diary,' vol. i., 29-"). ! cellany,' vol. viii., p. H47. 



- Way len's * Marlborough.' to have Ixrii written by one ,l<>lm 



f Reprinted in the ' Harlcian Mis- ( rosso t, of the Charterhouse. 



