river conveyes a navigable channel from the sea to Newcastle, which is about 7 miles: and itt doth flow about 6 or 7 miles (as I was informed) above the towne into the countrey: This river is verye plentifully furnished with salmon and over the same, twixt Bishoppricke and Northumberland, there is erected (except London Bridge over Thames and the bridge att Barwick over Tweed) one of the fairest bridges? I have mett with in England, consisting of eight arches: London containes 18 arches: Barwick bridg 15: and this of Newcastle 8 arches: Rochester bridge over Medway hath 6 large arches erected with most difficultye and over the deepest channell: and itt is a neate bridg, which hath iron bars placed on both sides: This towne of Newcastle is governed by a maieor,10 a recorder, a sheriffe, and 12 aldermen: Itt hath great revenewes belonging unto itt (as I was informed) att least 5,000l. or 6,000l. per annum : besides great colearies imployed for the use and supply of the commons and poore of the towne: Herein are 5 churches: and St. Nichol: 11 church, which is the fairest, is as neate pewed, and formed with as much uniformitie, as any I have found in England: and itt (sic) as neately kept and trimmed: This towne was assessed to pay 3,5701. towards the building of the late ship12: and Yorke taxed 1,800: and some townes of the countrye contributed with them and paid 7007. part of 1,8007. taxed:

There is every day a markett here kept; and in a daintie markett place. Thuesday and Saturday a mightye markett and much provision comes out of Northumberland: infinite store of poultrye.

This towne (a great part of itt) placed uppon the highest and the steepest hills, that I have found in any great towne: These soe steepe as horses cannott stand uppon the pavements: therefore the daintiest flagged channells are in every streete that I have seen hereuppon may horse or man goe without danger of slideing: Resting here, 23 Jun: I tooke boate about 12 clocke and went downe to Tinemouth and to the Sheeldes: and returned about 7 clocke: itt is about 7

The Three Bridges over the Tyne at Newcastle' are the subject of a paper by the Rev. J. C. Bruce printed in Arch. Ael., 2 ser., vol. x, p. 1. The bridge seen by the Diarist is described in two admirable papers by Mr. Jas. Clephan entitled respectively, 'Old Tyne Bridge and its Cellars and Old Tyne Bridge and its Story.' See Arch. Ael., 2 ser., vol. ix, p. 237 also vol. XII, p. 135. That bridge, flanked with shops and houses like the Ponte Vecchio at Florence, was destroyed by the Flood of 1771.

10 At the time of the Diarist's visit the mayor of Newcastle was Ralph Cock, the sheriff, John Marley, and the recorder, Sir Thomas Riddell.

11 The town of Newcastle was, and in some respects is still, one parish, with St. Nicholas's as the parish church. There were three urban parochial chapels, viz.: St. Andrew's, St. John's and All Saints', together with the free chapel of St. Thomas on the Tyne bridge, belonging to the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen. The two rural chapels of Gosforth and Cramlington were also dependent on the parish church of St. Nicholas.

12 Particulars of the attempt of the Crown to levy ship money in Newcastle may be found in the third volume of Mr. Richard Welford's Newcastle and Gateshead.

miles: Here I viewed the salt-workes wherein is more salt workes, and more salt made then in any part of England that I know, and all the salt here made is made of salt water: these pans which are not to bee numbred beeing placed in the river mouth: and wrought with coales brought by water from Newcastle pitts:

A most daintie new saltworke lately here erected: which is absolutely the most compleate worke that I ever saw :

In the breadth whereof is placed 6 ranke of panns: 4 pans in a ranke: Att either out-side the furnaces are placed in the same manner as are my brother Boothes13: under the grate of which furnaces the ashes fall: and there is a lid or cover for both and by the heate of these ashes: there beeing a pan made in the floore betwixt every furnace which is made of brick for which allsoe there is a cover: there is boiled, and made into lumps of hard and blacke salt which is made of the brian which drops from the new-made salt, which is placed over a cistern of leade: which cistern is under the floore of the storehouse: which is in the end of the building: These great lumps of hard black salt are sent to Colchester to make salt uppon salt: which are sold for a greater price then the rest: because without these att Colchester, they cannott make any salt.

These 24 pans have only 12 furnaces, and 12 fires: and are erected in this manner: all being square, and of like proportion: They are placed by two and two togeather one against the other: The 6 pans in the highest ranke, the bottom equall with the top of the lower:

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The highest pans are thrice filled, and boiled till itt begin to draw towards salt: then a spiggott beeing pulled out, the brian thus prepared, runnes into the lower pans: which brings itt to a larger proportion of salt, then otherwise: gaines time and saves fire: because itt must bee longer boiled in the other pans, and would spend fire which is saved by reason of the heate which derives from the furnace of the upper pan, which by a passage is conveyed under the lower pan which passage is about half a yard broad in the bottom, and is, att the topp, of the breadth of the pan which rest uppon a brick wall which is of the thickness of one bricke att top: and this concavitie under the lower pans is shaped slopewise like unto a kilne: narrow in the bottom, and broade att the toppe: and this heate, which is conveyed under, and makes the lower pans to boile, comes togeather with the smoake, which hath noe other passage, under these pans through loope holes, or pigeon holes, which is conveyed into a chimneye: a double ranke whereof is placed in the middle of this building betwixt which is a passage for a man to walke in : In the middle of every (sic) these chimneyes is there a broade iron plate, which is shaped to the chimney: which as itt stoppes, and keepes in the heate: soe itt beeing pulled out abates the heate:

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Itt is to bee observed that the 12 lower panns are onely to bee drawne twice in 24 houres: and by that time they are readie to bee drawne the brian in the higher pans will bee suffitiently boiled, 13 That is the Diarist's wife's brother.

and prepared to bee lett into the lower; which are onely to bee drawen, and that twice in 24 houres: they yeeld every of them every draught two bowles, which is worth 2s. a bowle; and sometimes 2s. 4d. soe every pan yeelding every day 4 bowles14 att two draughts. which comes to 88. Od.: all 12 pans are worth every day 47. 16s. Od. Soe as all the 12 pans in a weeke make salt worth 281. a weeke: which in the yeare amounts unto 1,4007., accounting 50 weekes to the yeare:

Two men and one woeman to gett out ashes, and one to pumpe their brian, manage and tend this whole worke: the mens wagis is 14s. a weeke: besides hee that pumpes: This salt is made of saltwater which out of a brian pitt made which is supplyed att full sea, is pumped and by pipes of leade conveyed into every pan: The wall of this house is stone and the roofe of this, and all the rest of the houses wherein are brian-pans are boardes: Touching the proportion of fuell here spent, and some other particulars: Dobson (sic) letter is to bee perused and some further directions are to bee receaved from him:

Here att the Shields are the vastest saltworkes I have seen, and by reason of the conveniencye of coale, and cheapness thereof: beeing att 7s. a chaldron 15 which is 3 waine loade.

Here is such a cloud of smoake, as amongst these workes you cannott see to walke: there are (as I was informed) about 250 houses,. poore ones, and low built: butt all covered with boardes: Here in every house is erected one faire great iron pan: 5 yards long, 3 yards and half broade: The bottom of them made of thin plates nailed' togeather, and strong square revetts uppon the naile heades about the breadth of the ball of your hand: These panns are 3 quarters of a yard deepe: Ten great barrs there are placed on the inner-side of the pan 3 square 2 inches thicke: every of these great panns (as Dobson informed mee) cost about 1007. and cannott bee taken downe to bee repaired with less than 107. chardge.

Every pan yeeldes foure draughts of salt in a weeke: and every draught is worth about 17. 10s. ; Spent in coale, 10 chaldron of coale att 7s. a chaldron: which amounts to 31. 10s. Od. in coales: deduct out of 67. there remaines 27. 10s. Od.: besides one mans wagis.

Soe as in these 250 panns there is weekly spent in coles 7751.: every pan yeelding 67. weekely: beeing 250: tote-all of the worth of the salt made in them amounts 1,5007.: gained 7357.: deduct of this 1207. workemens wagis for makeing itt 120: cleere gaine about 6001. a yeare.

14 In Northumberland salt, corn, coal, lime and some other things were sold by the measured boll. The old boll' contained six bushels, the 'new boll' two bushels. In 1856 the boll of coal was computed to contain 9,676.8* cubic inches, or 34-899 imperial gallons. See Heslop, Northumberland Words.

15 The Newcastle chaldron of coal was originally 2,000 lbs. and is now computed at 53 cwt. In measure a chaldron contained about 7 bolls. A keel of coal is eight Newcastle chaldrons. See Heslop, Northumberland Words..

A weane loade of salt is here worth about 37. 10s. Od., and a chaldron of coales which is worth 7s. is 3 weane loade:

Here att New-castle is the fairest key in Engl: I have mett withall: from Tine-bridge all along towne-wall and allmost to the glass-workes where is made window glass:

Divers havens of stone-wall erected: to cast out there ballast uppon and they pay for every tun cast out: 6d.

This is a spatious haven now naked of shipps: butt sometimes thronged: The fairest built inne in Engl: that I have seen, is Mr. Carres16 in this towne: Wee lodged att the Swan att Mr. Swans the post-maisters17: and paid 8d. ordin: and noe great provision : Hee is a verye forward man to have a coy18 here erected:

This towne, unto this countrye, serves in steade of London: by meanes whereof the countrye is supplyed with money: whereas otherwise: soe much money is carried out of the countrie to the lords: and land-lords as there would bee neither suffitient money to pay the tenaunts rents: nor would the countrye bee supplyed with money.

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This towne is allsoe famous for the walls which compass round the towne, about which you may walke: and which is strengthened with strong towres placed uppon the wall noe great distance.

Hence to Carlile was there erected the Picts Wall, which was the auntientest monument I have heard of in England: Itt was the worke of the Romanes: in some places itt is said to bee above 20 yeardes broade towardes Carlile: the people goe to markett uppon itt: and itt may well bee owned by the Romanes: as beeing the bravest and best deserving worke of greatest industrie and chardge: and the strongest fortification that I have ever mett in England: reaching, as here itt was reported, from this towne to the cittie of Carlile, which is said to bee 60 miles: Itt was made against the incursions of the Picts: Many inscriptions uppon divers of these stones: which perpetuate the fame and memorie of the Romans:

Junii 24. Wee left Newcastle, and came to Marpeth which is 12 miles and is the post towne: and by the way, about 7 miles from Newcastle, wee tooke notice of a convenient seate of a coy in Pointe Island which belongs unto Mr. Marke Arington19: Wee found att

16 Leonard Carr's inn, the Nag's Head, facing the Sandhill, is figured in Welford, Newcastle and Gateshead, vol. III, p. 34. Carr, who was also a prosperous wine merchant, was an alderman and served as sheriff in 1635-6.

17 George Swan was postmaster down to 1637 and probably later. Welford, Newcastle and Gateshead, vol. III, p. 347.

18 Several passages indicate the Diarist to have been greatly interested in decoys.

19 Mark Errington, mentioned in the text, sprang from the family of Errington of Woolsington and Denton, acquired property in Ponteland on his marriage with Margaret, daughter and sole heir of Jasper Mitford of Ponteland, and died in 1637. His great-grandson, also named Mark, married Anne, daughter of Gilbert Stapleton of Carlton in Yorkshire, and their son, or grandson, assumed the name of Stapleton in lieu of that of Errington.

Marpeth a fine little castle in good repaire: which belongs unto my Lord Will: Howard: a markett towne, butt poore houses: Wee dined att postmaisters, and paid 12d. ord: and 6d. ord: Thence to Anewicke is 14 miles : where wee lodged att the post-maisters house20 : 6d. ord; and good victualls and lodging: Here wee saw a mightye great castle belonging to the Earle of Northumberland: wherein were all houses of office: many of them now in decay: butt my Lord is repaireing the same by degrees: Great revenewes paid unto him out of this countrie: att least 8 horse-loade of money: Hee hath 4 castles in this countie: viz.: This castle: Warpurth castle1: Tinmouth castle and [Prudhowe castle.]la

Great lands hee hath in Yorkeshire: att and about Topliffe where hee sometimes lived: whence hee rose in the Rebellion in the North2: and uppon a moare neere Burrough-bridges, which belongs unto Mr. Mallorye of Studdley, there assembled the forces, and there mett him the Earle of Westmerland:

Two horrible and most cruell detestable murthers have of late beene committed in Bishoppricke and Northumb:

Mr. Lampton3 of Whittle neere Chester-Streete, which is 3 miles from Newcastle, an auntient gentlem: of 3 or 400l. per annum is now prisoner in Durham gaole for poisoning two wives: His first wife was Mr. Heath of Kepeirs daughter: by whom hee had 5 sons and daughters. Hee sent one of hir maydes to Newcastle to buy mer

20 Alexander Armorer was postmaster of Alnwick in 1637. See Tate, Alnwick, vol. г, p. 410.

1 Warkworth Castle.

1a The square bracket and the words within it are added in a more modern hand.

2 The history of the rising may be found in Memorials of the Rebellion of 1569, London, Nichols, 1840, published anonymously, but compiled with great care by Sir Cuthbert Sharp from original correspondence, etc., preserved at Streatlam Castle.

* The individual accused of the wife murder seems to have been Ralph Lambton, lessee or proprietor of Tribley in the parish of Chester-le-Street, eldest son of William Lambton-a scion of the ancient family of Lambton of Lambton-who was described as of Lambton Woodhouse in 1609, of Tribley in 1628 and again of Whitehill, of which latter place he was certainly not the owner. Ralph Lambton was baptised at Chester-leStreet 14 January, 1592-3, and therefore when the Diarist speaks of him as an ancient gentleman' he probably means a gentleman of ancient family. According to the pedigree in Surtees, Durham, vol. II, p. 201, his first wife was Susan, daughter of John Groves, an alderman of York (married at Chester-le-Street, 16 June, 1618), by her he had issue five sons and two daughters. He subsequently married at Pittington, 19 May, 1633, Elizabeth, widow of Ralph Simpson of Pittington Hall Garth; she was buried at Chester-le-Street 4 May, 1635. The date of Ralph Lambton's death has not been ascertained, but he was alive in 1657. The gaol at Durham to which he was confined in 1635 was the great gateway of the castle which stood across the road leading into the Bailey. It was taken down about 1820.

It is probably that the Diarist was misinformed as to the name of Lambton's first wife, unless indeed he was married three times.