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2 Annotations

Second Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

A contemporary view of Ipswich is given by Cosmo, the future Grand Duke of Turin, who visited there in June, 1558.

I've standardized the spelling of names I know, corrected scanning errors I could figure out, and increased the number of paragraphs. Sometimes I got confused making the N.S./O.S. date conversions, so I apologize if they are wrong:

The following morning, 3/13 June 1669, having performed all his usual duties, his highness entered his carriage, and leaving Colchester, travelled over an undulating country, partly wooded and partly pasture, which continued as far as Ipswich, where he arrived in the middle of the day.

473

Having alighted, he took a turn round the city, which is not the least considerable in the kingdom, and then returned to the inn to dinner.

Ipswich, one of the most celebrated, and indeed the principal town in the county of Suffolk, is situated on the banks of the river Stour, which, from being subject to the influx of the tide, affords a convenient harbor to ships, and by the fulness of its stream is navigable to the sea; into which, after becoming gradually wider, it disembogues itself near the castle of Framlingham.

Its circumference is very considerable, and it was once surrounded by a wall, which however has now fallen into decay, and left the town without any defence.

It possesses many handsome buildings, as well for private residences as for public business; and, upon the whole, its appearance, with its spacious squares (piazzas) and streets, is very noble.

It is a mercantile town, and carries on commerce with other parts of the kingdom and with foreign ports, by means of vessels, which are continually coming in and clearing out; and from the encouragement there given by trade, its population amounts to upwards of 2,000 souls.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

PART 2

474

The administration of civil justice is in the hands of the mayor and town council, who, as in other cities of England, reside there, and officiate in minor offences; the decisions of more important cases being reserved for the judges, who make their regular circuits, with a commission for that purpose.

After dinner, his highness went down to the port; and, availing himself of the boats which were in attendance at the riverside for his highness' convenience and for the conveyance of his people, dropped down the river; and, having both wind and tide in his favor,

came to an anchor in good time, and before the evening, at Harwich, ...

FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, SEE HARWICH.

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From:
TRAVELS OF COSMO THE THIRD, GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY,
THROUGH ENGLAND,
DURING THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES THE SECOND (1669)
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN MANUSCRIPT
https://archive.org/stream/travel…

His highness, Cosmo, must be considered only as a traveler. Under his direction, the narrator of the records was Count Lorenzo Magalotti, afterwards Secretary to the Academy del Cimento, and one of the most learned and eminent characters of the court of Ferdinand II. They were all professed Catholics, of course.

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References

Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.

1665

  • Sep