Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Journey to the North, August 7th, 1708 (Author: Samuel Molyneux)
entry 5
Wednesday
We went together towards Lisbon. About 2 or 3 miles from Lurgan is a village called Maherlin, where liveth the Bishop of Dromore. Here I stopped to a visit to my old Tutor, Mr. Redman, who lives with his Uncle Cuppaidge, Minister of the Place. From hence, I followed 'em, and passed by Moyragh, a fine seat belonging to Sir Arthur Royden's Family, Leaving Warrenston and Hillsborough to the Right, thro' the fine Improved County of Down, which, with Ardmagh, are the finest Counties in the North, to Lisbon, [space left blank] miles. Here we designed to have waited on the Bishop of Down, who lives within a small mile to the Town; but he being not at home, we spent our Time in viewing the Miserable Ruines of the Late Fire which happened here, and not a house in the Town Escaped. If the story of the Phoenix be ever true, sure 'tis in this Town. For here you see one of the beautifullest Towns perhaps in the 3 kingdoms — all Brick houses, slated, of one bigness, all new, and almost finished, rising from the most terrible Rubish that can be Imagined. When I stood in the Church Yard, I thought I never had seen so dreadfull a Scene before, all round me the church burnt to the Ground, The tombstones all cracked with the fire. Vast Trees that stood round the Church Yard Burnt to Trunks. Lord Conway (to whom this town belongs) — his House, tho' at a distant from all the rest of the Town, burnt to Ashes, and all his Gardens
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in the same condition, with the Trees in the Church Yard. 'Tis scarcely conceivable such dismall Effects should arise from so small a cause and in so short a time as they relate. Only Some Turf Ashes thrown on a Dunghill, which a brisk Wind blowing towards the Town raised and threw on the Shingles of the next house, which, being like Spunk, by a long Drought of Weather which had then happened, took fire, and the Wind continuing what it had begun, the whole Town, in half an hour, was irrecoverably in Flames, insomuch that this accident happening whilst they were at Church on a Sunday morning, by 4 the fire was extinguished, And not a house and but a few of their Goods Remained in being. Its Rise is likely to be as suddain as its fall. Lord Conway has renewed all the Leases, for a year or two, Rent free; gives them as much Wood as they please to cut of his own Woods, which are near, and obliges them to build Regular, so that if the story of the Phoenix be ever true, sure 'tis in this Town. This Town was formerly the greatest Linnen manufactory of the North before the Fire; now much removed to Lurgan and other adjacent places. However, I do not doubt but when 'tis quite rebuilt, 'twill be rather in a more thriving condition than before. From hence we went on [space left blank] miles to Bellfast, thro' a Countrey, all the way from Ardmagh, Extreamly pleasant, well Improved, and Inhabited by English. Belfast is a very handsome, thriving, well-peopled Town; a great many new houses and good Shops in't. The Folks seemed all very busy and employed in trade, the Inhabitants being for the most part merchants, or employ'd under 'em, in this Sea Port, which stands, conveniently enough, at the very inner part of Carrickfergus. Thro' the Town there Runns a small Rivulet, not much better than that they call the Glibb in Dublin, which, however, is of great use for bringing their goods to the Key when the Tide serves. Here we saw as Dismall Effects of another Fire as that in Lisbon, which here, in the night, had Lately burnt a house belonging to the Lord Donnegall's Family (whose Town this is), with three Young Ladys, sisters to the present Earl. It stands seperate from the Rest of the Houses, which as it prevented the Flames going further, so it cut of timely Relief in the midst of courts and gardens, which are an Extreamly noble old Improvement, made by old Sir Arthur Chichester, who was, about 100 years ago, the Establisher of this Family, and Indeed of the whole Kingdome, Especially the North, by planting English Colonies, and civilizing the Irish. These Improvements are all Inclosed in a kind of Fortification, being Designed for a place of
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Strength as well as Pleasure, and is a lasting Monument of this kind of the greatness of its founder. Here we saw a very good manufacture of Earthen Ware, which comes nearest Delft of any made in Ireland, and really is not much short of it. 'Tis very clean and pretty, and universally used in the North, and I think not so much owing to any Peculiar happiness in their clay, but rather to the manner of beating and mixing it up. Here they have Barracks for [space left] we lay here this night, And the next day —