Stockings, &c. but the greatest of all is Cloth, with which it in a great Meafure fupplies Germany and the N. It abounds in Corn and Cattle; Ironjand Lead Mines have formerly been more plentiful than of late Years, tho' no less than 40,000 Perfons are employed in the Iron Manufactures under about 600 Mafter Cutlers, who are incorporated by the Stile of the Cutlers of Hallamfpire.

York, 197 M. from London, is an Archbishoprick, and chief of the Province of York, as London is of Canterbury; and, like Lond. its chief Magiftrate has the Stile of Lord Mayor. It was the Capital City of the Brigantes, and therefore Ptolemy called it Brigantium. This City suffered very much in the Danish Ravages, but on the Eftablifhment of the Normans it flourished again. In the Reign of K. Stephen the Cathedral and other Churches were burnt down, and in the Reign of Edward I. began to be rebuilt, and was afterwards finished in the beautiful Manner it now is, by the Affiftance of many liberal Benefactions. Pope Pius extolled this Church in particular for its wonderful Magnificence and Workmanfhip; and for a lightfome Chapel with glazed Walls, united by flender Pillars. This is the beautiful ChapterHoufe, one of the neatest Structures in England, with the following Line is written in Gold Letters.

Ut Rofa flos florum, fic eft Domus ifta Domorum.

It has 32 Stalls round it all of fine Marble, with Pillars betwixt each Stall of one Piece of Alabafter; but none to fupport the Roof, which-depends entirely upon one Pin placed geometrically in the Center. The Room is an Octagon 21 Yards in Diameter, with the Windows of painted Glafs, and finished with an Arch or Concave at the Top.

The Cathedral is built in the Gothic Tafte, and by fome thought to be the finest in England, if not in Italy. 'Tis dedicated to St. Peter. The Windows are adorned with Glafs exquifitely painted with the Hiftory of the Bible, and other moft curious Figures in 17 Partitions. In the S. Tower there is a deep Peal of 12 Bells. The Nave of this Church, which is bigger than

than any except St. Peter's at Rome, is four Feet and half wider, and 11 Feet higher than that of St. Paul's. The Ascent from it through the Choir to the Altar is by fix Steps. The Entrance of the middle Nave of the Church at the W. Door is under the largest Gothic Arch in Europe, which binds and fupports the two Towers. At the S. End of the Crofs Ifle is a circular Window, called the Marigold Window, from its Glafs being ftained of that Colour; and a large one at the N. End, confisting of five Lights reaching almost from Bottom to Top, and erected, as they say, at the Charge of 5 maiden Sifters. The Painting represents Embroidery.

The City belongs to neither of the Ridings, but enjoys its own Liberty, and a Jurifdiction over 36 Villages and Hamlets in the Neigbourhood, on the W. Side of the Oufe, on which it ftands. This Liberty is called the Ainfty, or County of the City of York. It was generally esteemed the fecond City in England in Camden's Time, and may ftill with respect to the Ground it takes up; but as to Number of Houses, Trade and Riches, Bristol much excels it; notwithstanding which it is a fine City, and the great Ornament of the Northern

Parts.

'Tis pleasantly fituated in a large Plain or Valley, in the Midft of the Shire, in a fertile Soil and healthful Air; and is divided into four Wards, containing 28 Parishes, and walled, but not fortified with Artillery.-A handfome Manfion Houfe was erected here for the Lord Mayor in 1728.

The River Oufe from the N. paffes through it, and divides it into two Parts, joined together by a Stone Bridge of five Arches, of which the middlemoft is reckoned, for Height, Breadth, and Architecture, to be equal to the Rialto at Venice, though not to that at Blenheim. The great Council Chamber, the Exchequer, the Sheriffs Court, and the two City Prifons are kept upon this Bridge. The River brings large Veffels to the Quay, though at 60 M. Distance from the Sea. It has four large well built Gates, and five Pofterns: The King's Palace, called the Manor Houfe, lies on the N.

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Side

Side of the River Oufe, but is far from being fplendid, having been almost demolished in the Civil Wars. The other most remarkable Sructures are the Guild-Hall, which is longer, and in fome Refpects fuperior to that of London. Near it is the Statue of King Edgar, who rebuilt the City and St. Anthony's Hall, in which there is one Room big enough to hold most of the inferior Tradefmen of the City. The Market-house in the Street called the Pavement, is a curious Piece of Architecture, fupported by 12 Pillars of the Tufcan Order; and there is another ftill larger in a Square, called Thursday Market. In this City are 17 Churches; of which All-hallows's Church has the finest Gothic Steeple, perhaps in England. This Town is faid by a late Writer to resemble Ghent in Flanders. The Houfes are generally of the old Timber Building, like those at Canterbury; but there is abundance of fine ones round the Minfter; though the Bishop's Palace is almoft in Ruins, and the Prebendaries have no Houses, but what they hire.

The Affembly Room for the Nobility and Gentry, was defigned by the late Earl of Burlington. The grand Egyptian Hall, which is 123 Feet long, communicates with the common Ball Room, 66 Feet long, 22 in Height and Breadth. 'Tis thought that the Hall for its Architecture is the best Room in the Kingdom, except the Banqueting House at Whitehall.-The Caftle, which ftands at the Confluence of the Oufe and the Fofs, was built by William the Conqueror; but repaired, or rather rebuilt, for the Convenience of keeping the Affize in 1701.

The Cheapness and Plenty of Provifions brings many Strangers to refide here in the Winter; and the ancient Remains of the Roman Skill and Grandeur, befides the Ruins of Abbeys, Churches and Caftles of a later Date, attract and detain every Traveller who is curious in Antiquities. Among others there is an Arch at Micklegate Bar, and a Multangular Tower and Wall near a Place called the Mint Yard, both built in the Time of the Romans; and in other Parts of the City have been found many Roman Altars, Infcriptions, Urns,

Coins, &c. There are fome Saxon Coins ftill extant called Peter-pence, that were ftruck in this City.

The Members of Parliament for this City may claim a Seat in the Houfe of Commons next to the Citizens of Lond. upon what is called the Privy Counfellors Bench; a Privilege which the Citizens of Lond. exercife on the firft Day's Meeting of every new Parliament.

In 1738 a Subfcription was fet on foot for an Infirmary, which is fince erected in this City, after the Manner. of thofe at London, Bristol, and Bath.

Knaresborough, 13 Miles from York, 197 from London, is almoft encompaffed by the River Nid, which iflues from the Bottom of Craven Hill; it has the Remains of a Caftle on a craggy Rock, built by Serlo de Burgh.

Harrogate, is famous for medicinal Springs, fo near to each other Situation, and in yet fo different in Operation, that England cannot parallel them, viz. 1. the Sweet Spaw, or vitrioline. Well, acknowledged by Phyficians to be a fovereign Remedy in feveral particular Diftempers; 'twas discovered by Mr. Slingby in 1620. 'Tis about 3 M. from Knaresborough, in the Foreft. 2. The Stinking Spaw, or Sulphur Well, fo foetid, that they who drink it are forced to hold their Nofe. 3. St.. Mingo's, the Name of a British Saint, a cold Bath. 4. The Dropping Well, near the Town of Knaresborough, and the moft famous of all the petrifying Wells in England; fa called because it drops from the fpungy porous Rock hanging over it. The Ground which receives it before it falls into the Well, is for the Distance of 12 Yards become a folid Rock. From the Well it runs into the Nid, where the Spring Water has formed a Rock that ftretches feveral Yards into the River.

Rippon, 6 M. from Boroughbridge, 209 from London, is a large pleasant well built and populous Town, between the River Ure, and the little River Skell, with two Bridges over the former, one of which has at least 13 Arches. This Town is a Staple for Wool, which is bought up here every Week by the Clothiers from Leeds, Wakefield and Hallifax. The Church is both Parochial and Collegiate. The Market-place of this Town

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Town is reckoned the fineft Square of the Kind in England, and adorned with a curious Obelisk.

Boroughbridge, 6 M. from Rippon, 203 from London, is a Borough and Poft Town; fo called from its stately Bridge of Stone over the River Ure, which comes to it. from Rippon; and being joined a little below it by the River Swale, is then called the Oufe. It is fuppofed that feven or 8000 /. is laid out yearly here in hard Ware, brought hither for Sale, at the Fair in June.

Pontefract, 18 M. from York, 175 from London, is a neat built Town, not far from the River Are, and its Conflux with the Calder. In the ruinous Caftle is ftill to be seen the Place where the Collegiate Church of St. Clement ftood. The Floor, Walls and Roof are all of one Kind of Stone, dug out of the Rock. It was built by Kildebert Lacy, in the Reign of William the Conq. and demolished immediately after the Catastrophe of K. Charles I. The Market-place, near the Middle of the Town, is fpacious, commodious, and well ftored with Meat, Corn, and other Provifions, as its Fairs are with Horfes, Sheep, and other Cattle. In the Grounds about this Town, vast Quantities of the best Liquorice are produced. At the Bottom of the Market-place ftands the Town Hall. The Roman Way called Ermin-fireet, from which it ftruck off at Lincoln, and paffed over the united Rivers Are and Calder to Tadcaster, and fo on to York, is plainly to be feen in feveral Places betwixt this and Doncafler.

Other Towns of Note in this Riding are,

Sheffield, 163 M. from Lond. on the Borders of Derbyfhire, is an ancient, large, thriving and populous Town, on the River Dun, over which it has a Stone Bridge: the Streets are narrow, and the Houfes look black from the continual Smoak of the Forges; this Town having been noted feveral hundred of Years for Cutlers and Smiths Ware. The firft Mills in England for turning Grind-ftones were fet up here. Here was a Castle built by King Henry III. but demolished after his Death. A ftately Hofpital was erected here, and endowed by Gilbert Talbot, one of the Earls of Shrewsbury.

Rotherham,