Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Voyages en anglois et en françois d'A. de la Motraye en diverses provinces (Author: Aubry de la Mottraye)
Entry 3
We went up the next morning to Passage, a good Village 2 Miles higher above which, the Water being Shallow or not deep enough for ships of some what large size, they stop, unload and load here, leaving that wherewith I was come I went by Land to Cork, almost all along the River side, the Banks of this River are very pleasant by the Avantage of several Seats with Gardens which lie here and there, specially on the northern Bank, that of Mr. La Vitt a French Refugée is one of the first of the City on that side and very well built as are also several Magazines which it is accompany'd with. This City al. Capital of a Kingdom when Irland was Pentarchy or divided in 5 Kingdoms, is very advantageously seated partly in a Valley partly on Hills & the most trading Place in Irland; it's Trade consists Chiefly of Salt Beef and Tallow the greatest part whereof is exported to the West Indies, Mr. La Vitt and Mr. Carré (another French Refugée) grew thereby prodigiously rich, I was assur'd by Merchants & other credible Persons that they are kill'd Yearly no less than 80000 Oxen; it is large and populous, has many good well built Houses among great many more which are not so; the Custome-House is the handsomest of the publick Edifices & built after the Italian Manner, the Southern and Northen Gates have been rebuilt very magnificently, there is a fine Stone Bridge on the R. Lea by the later, the Exchange and the County House (as they call this & where they keep the Assizes and do other publick Affairs) are small but pretty & neat; the Barracks to lodge Officers and Soldiers are more commodious than fine; the Churches are ordinary Buildings (except Christ-Church and Saint Mary Shanon wholly rebuilt after the modern fashion,) the former lies below the Southern Gate and the later about 600 Paces beyond the
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Northern one, this Church was not as yet quite finish'd, Divine Service was perfom'd all the while in a Chapel of Ease for the Parish of that Name which is of a prodigious Extent. This Chapel is large and stands about 80 Paces beyond North Gate, the said Parish-Church lies above 400 further to the North it has been destroy'd by Cannon-shots from the Shandon Castle when some of King James II's Troops were possess'd thereof & it was attackt by those of3 & taken by King William 3d. from a Hill whereon stands that Church over against it; The Cathedral is a long low and ugly Gothick Building the Foundation whereof is adscrib'd to Saint Finbar the first Bishop of Cork, there are no Rings of Bells in this City ever since Cromwell converted all the great Bells into Cannons, there are 3 or 4 pretty neat meeting houses for Dissenters; the French Refugees do meet in a little Church belonging formerly to a Monastery of Nuns, which is all that remains thereof, I have been assur'd that were here no less than 15 Religious Houses of both sexs, before the Reformation; that where they now refine the Suggar was one and a good part of the Church with it's Tower are to be seen to this Day; there was an other at the later end & at a some Distance of the Suburb on that side (viz. Westward call'd Red Abbey of Cistertian Order in a Place call'd the Friar's Walk; there remaine only few Ruines of it, it's best Materials have been taken away from building or adorning some Houses, the Situation is very Advantageous and affords one of the largest and richest prospect into Valleys between small Hills in the midle whereof runs the Lea, a great variety of Villages and Country-seats stand by or front the Banks of this River; the finest thereof is that of the Bishop of Corke.