Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (First volume)

JOURNEY TO FRANCE
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we departed from Brussells, and Lodged ye first night at Engyn,
a little old town belongeing to the duke of Arscot. It hath a
very pretty garden and parke belongeing to it: there ye eat a la
damier at 12 st. a piece, and 20 st. the horse, from Brussells,
because of the robeing wch was then frequent by the way of
Tornee, we tooke two of the Marquis of Grana, governor of the
Spanish netherland, his own horse guard along with us. Next
morning we departed from Engyn, and dineing at Dath, the
last Spanish town on that road, we arrived at night at Tornee,
which is the first french town lyeing about some nine hours from
Engyn. at tournay we lodged at the thrie kings, and next
morning tooke our places in the Valencienne wagon at 6
skillings a piece, dined att S* Aman, where there is a pretty
abbey; and att night arrived at Valenciennes, which is some
nine leagues from Toumay.
Next day, May 20, being Saturday, and mercat day, we hired
a countrey wagon to carry us to cambray, some seven Leagues
of Valenciennes, where we got safe against the evening: at
Valenciennes we lodged at ye Swan not unreasonably: this is ye
greatest and best fortifyed town the french have in ye conquered
countreys: at Cambray we lodged at the angell, but were ill
accomodatt and dear: here we made a new bargain with our
paisants to carry us to Amiens for twelve patagons: amiens
lyes some 22 leagues from cambray.
May 21.—We went onward in our journey to Amiens, and
lodged the first night at Bapaumy, ane old sort of a fortifyed
village, and the last of the Waloons countrey: next day
against night we arrived at Amiens, the first french town, and
lodged at St. Barbara, but not well.
We stayed at Amiens a few days, which is a pretty agrieable
place situated on the rivar Senne, and has a pretty strong
citadell, built by henry iv.: here we hired two wagons for 10
patagons, or french crowns (for they are of ye same intrinsicke
value) to carry us to Forge, a village in Normandy, famous,
and much frequented, for its waters, it lyes some 30 leagues
from Amiens.
We lodged the first night at poix, the last village in picardy,
or first in Normandy on that road; and the next eveneing
arrived att Forge, where we stayed almost 3 moneth; were
1685
the country
of the
Waloons.
ye Waloons
country.
its better at
S‘ Pierre.
France.
June 1.