BAT 



( Aqi'.sc S0K3) and the ftationa of Durororinium (Cirence?ler), 

 Vetliicio (Heddington), Ifcl.alis (Uchefter), and Aboue 

 (Aunfbury). The conquering Romans havii g cnjryird the 

 pofftirioa of Bath and England for nearly four c nturies, 

 at length left the whol.- idand to the pofTtfTion of the Bri- 

 tons, who were aftei-wards fubiagated by the hardy Saxons. 

 It was not till the year 577 tl;at Aquss Soils fell into the 

 hands of thefe deftroying conquerors,\vho under the command 

 of Ceaulin and Ci thvvin, overcame Commail, Candidan, and 

 Farinmail, the three BritiHi kings of Gloceiler, Cirencefter, 

 and Bath, at a place calliid Dyrham, eight miles from the 

 latter place, and took poffcilion of their refpeflive dominions. 

 Bath now received the privileges of a Saxon burg ; had its 

 Gerefa or jul'ticiary appointed to it, who pr<;fided in the 

 monthly meeting of its citiz ns, called the burgemote or 

 folcmote ; councils inftituted for the regulation of the police, 

 and adminiftration of the laws within the burg. Bath was 

 afterwards taken by Offa king of Mercia ; and during the 

 civil wars and Danidi invafions which prevailed in the tiglith 

 century, it was torn to pieces and nearly exterminated as a 

 town. During the brilliant reign of Athelllan, this place 

 again rofe to confequence ; and a mint was ellablifhed here 

 by that monarch, who alfo e;ave feveral large donations of 

 eftates to OfFa's abbey. King Edgar was crowned and 

 inaugurated here, and te!'utied his regard for the place by 

 granting it feveral privileges.. The inhabitants feem to 

 have been fully fcnfible of the favours conferred on them by 

 this monarch ; and according to the ftatements of Leland 

 they prayed for feveral cer.turies " in all their ceremo- 

 nies, for the king's foule ; and at WTiitfuntide," he dates, 

 " there is a king elefted every year of the townes men, in the 

 joyful remembrance of king Edgar, and the privileges gyvttt 

 to the town by him." During the DanilTi douiinion in 

 England, the mir.ts of Bath continued to be worked, and 

 feveral coins of Canute the Great, ftruck here, are ftiU re- 

 maining in fome lek-ft cabinets. 



The Norman conqiieft had produced much general evil to 

 the country ; and Bath, with fc\'eral other cities, experienced, 

 in confequence of it, great dctericraticn. But this was 

 partial and light, compared to the miferies which happened 

 to it in Rnfus's reign ; when in the infurreflion raifcd by: 

 Odo bifhop of Baveux, Geoffrey bifhop of Conftance, and 

 Robert de Mowbray ; the two latter took the place by 

 ailault, and. in the fpirit of the times, dflivered it over to 

 plunder and burning. 



Bath was indebted for its reftoration to John de Villula ; 

 whopurchafed it of Rufus, in logo, for 500 marks, and ob- 

 tained permiflion to remove the pontifical feat from Wells 

 hither. He rebuilt the city, eretted a new monaliery upon 

 the ruins of the old one, and united the bithopric to this 

 inftittition. Thus reinftated, Bath gradually increafed its 

 monadic pofTflions, in confcqtiei.ce of the munificence of 

 monarchs and private perfons ; but the fwceping dlflblution 

 of Henry VIH. drove the monks from its nionaftcry, whtn 

 the abbey-houfe, with its lands, &c. v,'as granted to private 

 individuals. 



The citizens of Bath returned Members to the Englifh par- 

 liament as early as the 26th of Edv^'. I. and writs were 

 regularly fent them for the fame purpofe every time par- 

 liament was fummoned to meet. But as thefe privileges 

 were attended with iicavy charges on the burgetres, who 

 generally paid the txpences of their members, the city was 

 not reprcfcnted during the ift and 2d years of Edward H. 

 It now fends two members, who are rltftcd by t^e body 

 corporate, onfiftiDg of thirty-one perfons. The govern- 

 inent of Bath was originally vcdcd in a fiierifT: and the 

 &I&. that appears to have boiae tiiis -c&cc was JEMred, who 



BAT 



is faid to have been a great benefactor to the city, and died 

 A. D. 907. It had afterwards a proved or bailiff. Its firft 

 charters were confirmed by king Edward HI., Richard II., 

 Henrys v., and Henry VI. Queen Elizabe*-!!, in the 32d 

 year of h.er reign, granted the city a new charter, declaring 

 it to be a fole city of itfclf, ai d the citizens to be a body 

 corporate and politic, by the name of mayor, aldermen, and 

 citizen; of the city of Bath. Tnis charter was renewed in 

 1794, when two additional franchifes were granted the 

 citizens ; and under that charier the corporation derive their 

 authority, power, and rights. 



The commerce of this city, abdrafted from the expendi- 

 tures of fafhionable company, is inconfiderable, nor is there 

 any manufaftory deferving particular notice. Bath was 

 formerly diilinguiditd for its clothing trade ; and at the 

 time of the rL-doiation, it is faid, there were no lefs than 

 fixty broad-cloth looms uftd in the paridi of St. Michael. 



The river Avon, which winds round the f~.uthern part of 

 this city, was made navigable by an aft of parliament in the 

 loth of queen Anne ; and the fird barge, laden with deals, 

 pig-lead, and meal, was brought here December 15th 1727. 

 In the earlier part of the civil wars, this city was garrifoned 

 for Charles I. and the fum of 7000I. is faid to have been 

 expended on its fortifications ; notwithdanding whJch, it 

 quickly furrendered to the enemy, and was made one of the 

 principal pods for the parliament's forces. Sir Wilham 

 Waller lay here for a coniiderable time with his whole arrav, 

 making fallies into the country, and inviting together all the 

 difaffefted from the neighbouring clothing towns and vil- 

 ages. But after the battle of Roundway-down, Julv 13 

 1643, in which Waller was defeated, and the withdrav.ment 

 of the garrifon for the reinforcement of Briftol, the king's 

 troops took poffefllon of the city. 



Having dated a few particulars relating to the early 

 hidory of Bath,- we proceed to a brief defcription of its 

 principal pubhc drudhires, and other prominent objefts 

 which charafterife this fafhionable place. 



The Fu5iic Baths are four in number, befides two private 

 baths. Thefe are all conl^rufted with particular attentioa 

 to the convenience and accommodation of invalid bathers ; 

 and the laws and regulations are very equitable and fair. 

 (For an analyiis of the hot waters of Bath, and an account 

 of their medicinal powers, vide Dr. Gibbi's Treatile on the 

 B.nh Waters.) 



The Kuig's Bath is fuppofed to be fo denominated from 

 fome of the Saxon kiui;s having made this city their rcfi- 

 dcnce. It is lituated to the AVeil of the abbey church, and 

 forms a pan-Ucljcrrnm, 6^ feet 10 inches in length, and 40 

 f'-.'t 10 inches in breadth; the bottom of which is 12 feet 

 below the f'.:rface of tb.e ground. Thefpriiig or main fource 

 is from the centre, which is covered with a large leaden re- 

 fervoir, to redrain its rapid motion, and to difperfe the water 

 u:ore equally, both tor bathing and drinking. There are 

 alfo two commodious rooms with pipes, fire-places, and other 

 conveniences for the ballv i-s. This bath fills in nine hours. 

 The (Queen's Bath, which receives its v.aters fiom the 

 former, forms a fquarc of about 25 feet in diameter. The 

 Crofs Bath .'ornis a handfome termination to Bath-dreet, 

 and is a very elegant b:ildiiig, conilrufted after a plan of 

 Mr. Baldwiii's; it:; IhTpe is triangular. Ths Hot lialh is 

 erefted to the foiith-welt of the latter, and is fo called from the 

 fiiperior heat of its water ; this alfo forms a parallelogram, 

 and is perfeftly convenient with relprS to an open bath, 

 private baths, dry-pump, and drefiici; rooms. Certain regu- 

 lations are prefcribed refpetting irieft baths and the pt-ifons 

 belonging to them ; as well as particular fees for evtrv pro- 

 cefs of bathing, pumping, &c. Adjoining to the ki-^'.; Lath, 



ia. .< 



