第 23 节
作者:
西门在线 更新:2021-02-20 18:43 字数:9322
Grant; or Cam; which runs close by the north…west side of the fair
in its way from Cambridge to Ely; is navigable; and that by this
means; all heavy goods are brought even to the fair…field; by water
carriage from London and other parts; first to the port of Lynn;
and then in barges up the Ouse; from the Ouse into the Cam; and so;
as I say; to the very edge of the fair。
In like manner great quantities of heavy goods; and the hops among
the rest; are sent from the fair to Lynn by water; and shipped
there for the Humber; to Hull; York; etc。; and for Newcastle…upon…
Tyne; and by Newcastle; even to Scotland itself。 Now as there is
still no planting of hops in the north; though a great consumption;
and the consumption increasing daily; this; says my friend; is one
reason why at Stourbridge fair there is so great a demand for the
hops。 He added; that besides this; there were very few hops; if
any worth naming; growing in all the counties even on this side
Trent; which were above forty miles from London; those counties
depending on Stourbridge fair for their supply; so the counties of
Suffolk; Norfolk; Cambridge; Huntingdon; Northampton; Lincoln;
Leicester; Rutland; and even to Stafford; Warwick; and
Worcestershire; bought most if not all of their hops at Stourbridge
fair。
These are the reasons why so great a quantity of hops are seen at
this fair; as that it is incredible; considering; too; how remote
from this fair the growth of them is as above。
This is likewise a testimony of the prodigious resort of the
trading people of all parts of England to this fair; the quantity
of hops that have been sold at one of these fairs is diversely
reported; and some affirm it to be so great; that I dare not copy
after them; but without doubt it is a surprising account;
especially in a cheap year。
The next article brought thither is wool; and this of several
sorts; but principally fleece wool; out of Lincolnshire; where the
longest staple is found; the sheep of those countries being of the
largest breed。
The buyers of this wool are chiefly indeed the manufacturers of
Norfolk and Suffolk and Essex; and it is a prodigious quantity they
buy。
Here I saw what I have not observed in any other county of England;
namely; a pocket of wool。 This seems to be first called so in
mockery; this pocket being so big; that it loads a whole waggon;
and reaches beyond the most extreme parts of it hanging over both
before and behind; and these ordinarily weigh a ton or twenty…five
hundredweight of wool; all in one bag。
The quantity of wool only; which has been sold at this place at one
fair; has been said to amount to fifty or sixty thousand pounds in
value; some say a great deal more。
By these articles a stranger may make some guess at the immense
trade carried on at this place; what prodigious quantities of goods
are bought and sold here; and what a confluence of people are seen
here from all parts of England。
I might go on here to speak of several other sorts of English
manufactures which are brought hither to be sold; as all sorts of
wrought…iron and brass…ware from Birmingham; edged tools; knives;
etc。; from Sheffield; glass wares and stockings from Nottingham and
Leicester; and an infinite throng of other things of smaller value
every morning。
To attend this fair; and the prodigious conflux of people which
come to it; there are sometimes no less than fifty hackney coaches
which come from London; and ply night and morning to carry the
people to and from Cambridge; for there the gross of the people
lodge; nay; which is still more strange; there are wherries brought
from London on waggons to ply upon the little river Cam; and to row
people up and down from the town; and from the fair as occasion
presents。
It is not to be wondered at; if the town of Cambridge cannot
receive; or entertain the numbers of people that come to this fair;
not Cambridge only; but all the towns round are full; nay; the very
barns and stables are turned into inns; and made as fit as they can
to lodge the meaner sort of people: as for the people in the fair;
they all universally eat; drink; and sleep in their booths and
tents; and the said booths are so intermingled with taverns;
coffee…houses; drinking…houses; eating…houses; cook…shops; etc。;
and all in tents too; and so many butchers and higglers from all
the neighbouring counties come into the fair every morning with
beef; mutton; fowls; butter; bread; cheese; eggs; and such things;
and go with them from tent to tent; from door to door; that there
is no want of any provisions of any kind; either dressed or
undressed。
In a word; the fair is like a well…fortified city; and there is the
least disorder and confusion I believe; that can be seen anywhere
with so great a concourse of people。
Towards the latter end of the fair; and when the great hurry of
wholesale business begins to be over; the gentry come in from all
parts of the county round; and though they come for their
diversion; yet it is not a little money they lay out; which
generally falls to the share of the retailers; such as toy…shops;
goldsmiths; braziers; ironmongers; turners; milliners; mercers;
etc。; and some loose coins they reserve for the puppet shows;
drolls; rope…dancers; and such like; of which there is no want;
though not considerable like the rest。 The last day of the fair is
the horse…fair; where the whole is closed with both horse and foot
races; to divert the meaner sort of people only; for nothing
considerable is offered of that kind。 Thus ends the whole fair;
and in less than a week more; there is scarce any sign left that
there has been such a thing there; except by the heaps of dung and
straw and other rubbish which is left behind; trod into the earth;
and which is as good as a summer's fallow for dunging the land; and
as I have said above; pays the husbandman well for the use of it。
I should have mentioned that here is a court of justice always
open; and held every day in a shed built on purpose in the fair;
this is for keeping the peace; and deciding controversies in
matters deriving from the business of the fair。 The magistrates of
the town of Cambridge are judges in this court; as being in their
jurisdiction; or they holding it by special privilege: here they
determine matters in a summary way; as is practised in those we
call Pye Powder Courts in other places; or as a Court of
Conscience; and they have a final authority without appeal。
I come now to the town and university of Cambridge; I say the town
and university; for though they are blended together in the
situation; and the colleges; halls; and houses for literature are
promiscuously scattered up and down among the other parts; and some
even among the meanest of the other buildings; as Magdalene College
over the bridge is in particular; yet they are all incorporated
together by the name of the university; and are governed apart and
distinct from the town which they are so intermixed with。
As their authority is distinct from the town; so are their
privileges; customs; and government; they choose representatives;
or members of Parliament for themselves; and the town does the like
for themselves; also apart。
The town is governed by a mayor and aldermen; the university by a
chancellor; and vice…chancellor; etc。 Though their dwellings are
mixed; and seem a little confused; their authority is not so; in
some cases the vice…chancellor may concern himself in the town; as
in searching houses for the scholars at improper hours; removing
scandalous women; and the like。
But as the colleges are many; and the gentlemen entertained in them
are a very great number; the trade of the town very much depends
upon them; and the tradesmen may justly be said to get their bread
by the colleges; and this is the surest hold the university may be
said to have of the townsmen; and by which they secure the
dependence of the town upon them; and consequently their
submission。
I remember some years ago a brewer; who being very rich and popular
in the town; and one of their magistrates; had in several things so
much opposed the university; and insulted their vice…chancellor; or
other heads of houses; that in short the university having no other
way to exert themselves; and show their resentment; they made a
bye…law or order among themselves; that for the future they would
not trade with him; and that none of the colleges; halls; etc。;
would take any more beer of him; and what followed? The man indeed
braved it out a while; but when he found he could not obtain a
revocation of the order; he was fain to leave off his brewhouse;
and if I remember right; quitted the town。
Thus I say; interest gives them authority; and there are abundance
of reasons why the town should not disoblige the university; as
there are some also on the other hand