Particulars of the fact; that is to say, in whose reign, or under
what government all this happened; in what year, and the like; so I
satisfy myself with transcribing the matter of fact, and then leave
it as I find it.
In this vast tract of meadows are fed a prodigious number of black
cattle which are said to be fed up for the fattest beef, though not
the largest in England; and the quantity is so great, as that they
not only supply the city of Norwich, the town of Yarmouth, and
county adjacent, but send great quantities of them weekly in all
the winter season to London.
And this in particular is worthy remark, that the gross of all the
Scots cattle which come yearly into England are brought hither,
being brought to a small village lying north of the city of
Norwich, called St. Faith's, where the Norfolk graziers go and buy
them.
These Scots runts, so they call them, coming out of the cold and
barren mountains of the Highlands in Scotland, feed so eagerly on
the rich pasture in these marshes, that they thrive in an unusual
manner, and grow monstrously fat; and the beef is so delicious for
taste, that the inhabitants prefer them to the English cattle,
which are much larger and fairer to look at; and they may very well
do so. Some have told me, and I believe with good judgment, that
there are above forty thousand of these Scots cattle fed in this
county every year, and most of them in the said marshes between
Norwich, Beccles, and Yarmouth.
Yarmouth is an ancient town, much older than Norwich; and at
present, though not standing on so much ground, yet better built;
much more complete; for number of inhabitants, not much inferior;
and for wealth, trade, and advantage of its situation, infinitely
superior to Norwich.
It is placed on a peninsula between the River Yare and the sea; the
two last lying parallel to one another, and the town in the middle.
The river lies on the west side of the town, and being grown very
large and deep, by a conflux of all the rivers on this side the
county, forms the haven; and the town facing to the west also, and
open to the river, makes the finest quay in England, if not in
Europe, not inferior even to that of Marseilles itself.
The ships ride here so close, and, as it were, keeping up one
another, with their headfasts on shore, that for half a mile
together they go across the stream with their bowsprits over the
land, their bows, or heads touching the very wharf; so that one may
walk from ship to ship as on a floating bridge, all along by the
shore-side.
