TURNPIKE GATES, AND TOLLS 15 



hardship on farmers, and became a tax on their 

 trade, as when sending their corn or other produce, with 

 waggon and four horses, they paid is. 6d. or 2^. yi. 

 in some instances ; often going through two gates in 

 the space of eight or ten miles, they would thus have 

 to pay 3^. or 4^. 6d., and, in some instances, so 

 exacting were the lessees, that if the same waggon 

 which had conveyed corn or other produce to 

 market brought back coal, oil-cake, or other feeding 

 stuffs, they were expected to pay the same amount 

 over again. Cattle, when passing through, paid so 

 much per score — about \od. — sheep and pigs rather 

 less. There were also severely heavy penalties for 

 waggons and carts carrying over a ton of goods of 

 farm or other produce, if the wheels of the vehicle 

 were under a specified width. Thus it became the 

 custom to have broad-wheeled carts and waggons to 

 save the extra toll. When a toll was paid it freed 

 the payer up to twelve o'clock the same night ; he 

 could go through the gate as often as he pleased, 

 but woe betide the gaily disposed individual if he 

 had stayed at a friend's house, or had driven the 

 ladies to an evening's entertainment or to a ball, 

 if he waited till the early hours of the morning, or 

 one single minute after the clock struck twelve ; the 

 gatekeeper was down upon him, and he had 

 to fork out an extra toll, seeing that he had 

 entered into another day. But the most intoler- 

 able nuisance of the turnpike was, that soon after 

 twilight had set in, you had to wait in the rain, 

 wind, or snow till the 'piker' opened his gate. 



