made councillors has spoiled it by adorning it with their names and arms,
of which it is full.

A small expense would still make this castle a habitable and beautiful
place, lying high, and overlooking a fine country; there is also a fine
prospect from the churchyard, and the church is very neat. I saw
abundance of pretty ladies here, and well dressed, who came from the
adjacent counties, for the convenience and cheapness of boarding.
Provisions of all sorts are extremely plentiful and cheap here, and very
good company.

I stayed some days here, to make an excursion into South Wales and know a
little of the manners of the country, as I design to do at Chester for
North Wales. The gentry are very numerous, exceedingly civil to
strangers, if you don't come to purchase and make your abode amongst
them. They live much like Gascoynes--affecting their own language,
valuing themselves much on the antiquity of their families, and are proud
of making entertainments.

The Duke of Powis, of the name of Herbert, hath a noble seat near this
town, but I was not at it; the family followed King James's fortunes to
France, and I suppose the seat lies neglected. From Ludlow in a short
day's riding through a champaign country I arrived at the town of
Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury stands upon an eminence, encircled by the Severn like a horse-
shoe; the streets are large, and the houses well built. My Lord Newport,
son to the Earl of Bradford, hath a handsome palace, with hanging gardens
down to the river; as also Mr. Kinnaston, and some other gentlemen. There
is a good town-house, and the most coffee-houses round it that ever I saw
in any town; but when you come into them, they are but ale-houses (only
they think that the name of coffee-house gives a better air). King
Charles would have made them a city, but they chose rather to remain a
corporation, as they are, for which they were called the "proud
Salopians." There is a great deal of good company in this town, for the
convenience of cheapness; and there are assemblies and balls for the
young ladies once a week. The Earl of Bradford and several others have
handsome seats near it; from hence I came to Wrexham, in Wales, a
beautiful market-town; the church is the beautifullest country church in
England, and surpasses some cathedrals. I counted fifty-two statues as
big as the life in the steeple or tower, which is built after the manner
of your Dutch steeples, and as high as any th