burthen, the port there being called Topsham. But
now by the application, and at the expense, of the citizens the channel
of the river is so widened, deepened, and cleansed from the shoal, which
would otherwise interrupt the navigation, that the ships come now quite
up to the city, and there with ease both deliver and take in their
lading.

This city drives a very great correspondence with Holland, as also
directly to Portugal, Spain, and Italy--shipping off vast quantities of
their woollen manufactures especially to Holland, the Dutch giving very
large commissions here for the buying of serges perpetuans, and such
goods; which are made not only in and about Exeter, but at Crediton,
Honiton, Culliton, St.-Mary-Ottery, Newton Bushel, Ashburton, and
especially at Tiverton, Cullompton, Bampton, and all the north-east part
of the county--which part of the county is, as it may be said, fully
employed, the people made rich, and the poor that are properly so called
well subsisted and employed by it.

Exeter is a large, rich, beautiful, populous, and was once a very strong
city; but as to the last, as the castle, the walls, and all the old works
are demolished, so, were they standing, the way of managing sieges and
attacks of towns is such now, and so altered from what it was in those
days, that Exeter in the utmost strength it could ever boast would not
now hold out five days open trenches--nay, would hardly put an army to
the trouble of opening trenches against it at all. This city was famous
in the late civil unnatural war for its loyalty to the king, and for
being a sanctuary to the queen, where her Majesty resided for some time,
and here she was delivered of a daughter, being the Princess Henrietta
Maria, of whom our histories give a particular account, so I need say no
more of it here.

The cathedral church of this city is an ancient beauty, or, as it may be
said, it is beautiful for its antiquity; but it has been so fully and
often described that it would look like a mere copying from others to
mention it. There is a good library kept in it, in which are some
manuscripts, and particularly an old missal or mass-book, the leaves of
vellum, and famous for its most exquisite writing.

This county, and this part of it in particular, has been famous for the
birth of several eminent men as well for learning as for arts and for
war, as particularly:--

1. Sir William Petre, who the learned Dr. Wake (now Archbishop of