s indicated at the head of this sketch--with
some fragments illustrative of the general surroundings of public
affairs, where the local materials may be insufficient to complete the
picture. Imperfect these "glimpses" must necessarily be, but with the
advantage of kindly help from those whose memories carry their minds
back to earlier times, and his own researches amongst such materials,
both local and general, as seemed to promise useful information, the
writer is not without hope that they may be of interest. The interest
of the sketches will necessarily vary according to the taste of the
reader

From grave to gay,
From lively to severe.

The familiar words "When George III. was King," would, if strictly
interpreted, limit the survey to the period from 1760 to 1820, but it
may be necessary to extend these "glimpses" up to the {6} commencement
of the Victorian Era, and thus cover just that period which may be
considered of too recent date to have hitherto found a place in local
history, and yet too far away for many persons living to remember. Nor
will the sketches be confined to Royston. In many respects it is hoped
they may be made of equal interest to the district for many miles
round. The first thing that strikes one in searching for materials for
attempting such a survey, is the enormous gulf which in a few short
years--almost bounded by the lifetime of the oldest individual--has
been left between the old order and the new. There has been no other
such transition period in all our history, and in some respects perhaps
never may be again.

CHAPTER II.

GETTING ON WHEELS--OLD COACHES, ROADS AND HIGHWAYMEN--THE ROMANCE OF
THE ROAD.

It is worthy of notice how locomotion in all ages seems to have
classified itself into what we now know as passenger and goods train,
saloon and steerage. Away back in the 18th century when men were only
dreaming of the wonders of the good time coming, when carriages were
actually to "travel without horses," the goods train was simply a long
line or cavalcade of Pack-horses. This was before the age of "fly
waggons," distinguished for carrying goods, and sometimes passengers as
well, at the giddy rate of two miles an hour under favourable
circumstances! Fine strapping broad-chested Lincolnshire animals were
these Pack-horses, bearing on either side their bursting packs of
merchandise to the weight of half-a-ton. Twelve or fourteen in a line,
they would thus tr