Profit, conveniency, and pleasure, to the whole nation being a short rational discourse, lately presented to His Majesty, concerning the high-ways of England : their badness, the causes thereof, the reasons of those causes, the impossibility of ever having them well-mended according to the old way of mending, but may most certainly be done, and for ever so maintained (according to this new way) substantially, and with very much ease : and so that in the very depth of winter there shall not be much dirt, no deep-cart-rutts, or high-ridges, no holes, or vneven places, nor so much as a loose stone (the very worst of evils both to man and horse) in any of the horse-tracts, nor shall any person have cause to be once put out of his way in any hundred of miles riding.

The manner and means by which This so needful and profitable Work may most certainly be effected, with much ease, and no great cost.

In all Humility shewing,

THat Your Majesties High-wayes are not only unpleasant, cumbersome, and grievous; but also very dangerous to the Lives and Limbs both of Men and Horses, is too obvious and apparent to all Travellers.

And in that it has been, and is still judg'd im∣possible to have them bettered, and to continue them so, is still the greater grief.

The Consideration of which, has been an occa∣sion unto me to exercise my Thoughts so far up∣on the matter, as thus to conclude, and affirm the contrary: viz.

That it is not impossible, but very feasible and easie, both to have them well mended, and to con∣tinue them so for ever.

Yet I must needs say, that according to the old, common, and general way of mending them, it is absolutely impossible, yea although there were an hundred times the cost and pains bestowed on them, as is yearly bestowed.

My Reason is This; because the Matter (viz. the cost and pains) is not so much considerable, as the Manner and Order of doing it.

The way of doing is the only Thing, Which here presents it self unto the King.

Now as to a more particular Explanation, it is to be considered, what, and how many Causes there are of the badness of High-ways: And they are chiefly four.

• First, Mire, Slime, or Dirt.
• 2dly. Deep Cart-rutts, with their High-ridges.
• 3dly. Ʋnevennesses and Holes.
• 4thly. and lastly, Loose-Stones.

These four things being rectified, the Wayes must needs be Good.

The first thing therefore to be done, (which was ever neglected by the old way) is to cleanse the wayes thoroughly from Dirt, before any Gravel or Stones be laid on.

Likewise all the Cart-rutts to be cut down, and carried quite away; they being only the Slime, Grease, or (as I may better say) the very Oyl expressed, by the continual grinding and squeezing of the Cart-wheels, which (according to the old way of mending) were seldom or never taken away, but only beat down and put into those Deep holes, and Cart-rutts; which with some small sprinkling of Gravel, in some places only, or a few Stones, or base ill-favour'd Rubbish: And all this (very disorderly and confusedly) was the principal and constant way of mending the High-ways. And thus were they concluded to be well mended; but indeed were made worse thereby.

For so soon as a great glut of Rain comes, the Cart-wheels having made way for its reception, in stead of being hard and firm ground, (which

it ought to be) it becomes a Quag, or a Bog. And this is one main cause of the badness of our High-ways, in reference to the two first Incon∣veniences, viz. Mire, Slime, or Dirt, with deep Cart-rutts and ridges.

Now if these two were first rectified, as I have declared, viz. taken quite away, the other two might with much ease be amended, as here I shall declare.

For Example.

First, then, Let it be suppos'd that the Wayes are thus prepared, so that there were neither Dirt, nor the Slime or Grease of the Cart-wheels; and that I might plainly see all those deep holes, and unevennesses; I would not doubt but very well to mend them all, both tolerably and sufficiently, without the cost of one load of Stones or Gravel; only by this means, viz.

Let but my Labourers cut down with their Mat∣tocks, all those adjoyning unevennesses, (which are good Stones and Gravel in most places, on∣ly ill laid) and fill up those Holes with the same.

Thus only shall the Wayes be ten times better than they were, and firm enough for present and future use, if they might be always so kept clean.

For the Wayes, if the Dirt were taken off, would in a great measure mend themselves, with a very little looking to.

Yet I would not be mistaken, as if I did intend no other mending but This; No. This is but to

shew how (without the cost of any new Gravel or Stones, &c.) the Wayes may be made far bet∣ter than they are, or ever will be, by all the labour and cost they usually bestow upon them time after time.

But now after this thorough cleansing (and not before) I would have all those Hollownesses fill'd up with the best Gravel or Stones that possibly can be got for that purpose; and where there is urgent need, some Wood, but not much.

For still I believe, (by the way which I shall direct for the constant care in looking after the Wayes, when they are once truly mended) if there were neither Wood, Stones, nor Gravel, but only good hard Earth, (nay Plow'd Lands themselves) the Wayes could not possibly be very bad at all; no not in the depth of Winter.

'Tis only want of Diligence and Care, Which causeth Wayes to be out of Repair; And as they'r daily gull'd, by daily wearing, So must be daily fill'd, by good repairing. This is the only way, no way but This; And thus a Fool may mend all what's amiss, With ease, when once he's shew'd but how; he'l then Become as wise in This, as wiser men.

However This may seem a Riddle, and impossi∣ble; yet I doubt not but plainly to make it ap∣pear most true and feasible, when I come to give my Directions for their perpetual maintenance, which very suddenly I shall fall upon.

There is one thing more very considerable in This work, which is the rounding and heightning

the Wayes in all places where possibly they may be so ordered, the better to keep off the wa∣ter, which is the Great Corrupter of all High∣wayes.

And to this purpose, Care ought to be taken to divert all Dreins, which usually issue down up∣on High-wayes, and to find them some other pas∣sage, if possible.

Many other Curiosities and Circumstances there are, as to the compleat and exact performance in This Work, too tedious here to be inserted: But they must be left to the wit and discretion of the Ingenuous Ʋndertaker, in the time of the Opera∣tion, as need shall require.

Thus far towards mending: Now for maintaining.

Notes

• The mischie∣vous dangers which attend the badness of our High-ways.
• ☞
• ☞
• The four chief impediments to High-ways.
• ☞
• The old ill way of mend∣ing the Ways.
• The best man∣ner of mend∣ing them.
• Note well.
• ☞
• A seeming impossibility.
• Care taken to round the Wayes.
• And to turn all Dreins.