OLD-TIME TRAVELLERS 71 



Embassy from the King of France, and arrived at 

 Dover on the 2nd of October. There he stayed to 

 recruit, for the sea, as usual, had been unkind, until 

 Sunday, the 4th, departing thence on that day for 

 " Cantorbery," where he slept the night, going on the 

 Monday as far as " Sitimborne," and on Tuesday to 

 " Rocheter " and Gravesend, where he was met by the 

 Queen's barge. Three months later, and he was 

 returning home. On December 1st he began his fare- 

 wells at the ^ourt of Saint James's, and bade adieu to, 

 amongst others, such fearful wild fowl as the Earl of 

 Suffolc and the Duke of Boukinkam ; this last the 

 dissolute " Steenie " — none other ! On the 5th, 

 imagine him at Dover with an equipage of five hundred 

 persons shivering on the brink of the Channel, and 

 stormbound there for fourteen days at a cost of 14,000 

 crowns. 



This imposing company embarked at last, and, after 

 braving winds and sea for a whole day, were compelled 

 to put back again. When they did finally set off, 

 they were five days crossing to Calais, and it was found 

 necessary to jettison the Ambassador's two carriages 

 en route, in which was, alas ! 40,000 francs' worth of 

 clothes. Also this unfortunate diplomat lost twenty- 

 nine horses, which died of thirst on the voyage. 



Another French traveller. Monsieur Jouvin de 

 Rochefort, greatly daring, visited our shores in 1670. 

 He took the ordinary coach for " Gravesine," in order, 

 as he says, to embark thence for London, passing on 

 his way from Canterbury, Arburtoon, Baten, and 

 Asbery ; Grinsrit, Sitingborn, Nieuvetoon, and Renem* 

 and coming to Rochester through a strange place called 

 Schatenne, which I don't find an3^where on the map, 

 but suppose he means Chatham. All along the road 

 he remarked a number of high poles, on the top of 

 which were small kettles, in which fires were lighted to 

 warn the countryside of the robbers who would come in 



* He meant Harbledown, Boughton, and Ospringe : Green-street, Sitting 

 bourne, Xewington, and Rainham. 



