68 THE DOVER ROAD 



were rash enough to walk those streets in rainy weather, 

 and people threw away out of window anything they 

 wished to get rid of, quite regardless of who might be 

 passing underneath ; and so, whether fine or wet, those 

 who picked their way carefully along the unpaved 

 thoroughfares, stood an excellent chance of being 

 drenched with something unpleasant. An open gutter 

 ran down the middle of the street, full of rotting refuse ; 

 every tradesman hung out signs which sometimes fell 

 down and killed people, and in the night, when the 

 wind blew strong, a concert of squeaking music filled, 

 with sounds not the most pleasant, the ears of people 

 who wanted to go to sleep. 



Things were but little less mediaeval in the middle 

 of the seventeenth century, although the trade and 

 importance of Gravesend had greatly increased. 

 Troubles arose then on account of the disorderly 

 hackmen, " foreigners and strangers " — any one not a 

 freeman or a burgess was a " foreigner " — who plied 

 between Gravesend and Rochester, and took away the 

 custom that belonged of right to members of Gravesend 

 guilds. Two years later the Corporation of Gravesend 

 was distinctly Roundhead in its sympathies, for in 1649 

 we find the town mace being altered, the Royal arms 

 removed, and those of the Commonwealth substituted, 

 at a cost of £23 10^. Od. In 1660, things wore a very 

 different complexion, for in that year the Gravesend 

 people welcomed Charles the Second with every 

 demonstration of joy. They had the mace restored 

 to its former condition at a cost, this time, of 

 £17 105. Od., and allowed the mayor and another 

 £2 5s. 7d. for going up to London to see that the work 

 was done properly. They paid £3 10^. Od. for painting 

 the king's arms ; 14^. to one John Phettiplace for 

 " trumpeters and wigs " ; and 5s. to Will Charley 

 " for sounding about the country." Having done this, 

 they all got gloriously drunk at a total cost of 

 £12 15s. 8d., of which sum £10 7^. 8d. was for wine, 

 and £2 8^. Od. for beer. 



