New-York tribune., 1921-02-06

n.
Putnam's Sons
HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS IN NORTH
UMBRIA. By P. Anderson Graham. Pub
lished by the Macmillan Company.
70 m JUSSERAND'S work combines
NB distinct literary charm with
A. As profound historical scholar
ship. lie rcconstructs certain aspect
OF English life in the fourteenth CEN
tury with remarkable vividness and
fidelity. Concentrating his attention
upon the various classes of wayfarcrs
who wandered along English roads at
that time, he constructs a rich mosaic
of many colors. A picturesque medley
OF travellers may be encountered in
his pages-knights and mobiles, NOR
chants and outlaws, pilgrims and friars
Of many kinds, minstrels, jugglcrs and
dispensers of alleged miraculous cures.
English roads of the Middle Ages
were not models of engineering skill.
They were full of ruts and puddles;
and vehicles had to be solidly CON
structed to withstand the jolting of a
long journey. Here is description of
the carriages possessed by the nobil-
ity:
An Aristocratic Carriage
THE best had four wheels, and were
drawn by three or four horses, one be-
hind the other, one Of them mounted
by position provided with a short
handled whip Of many thongs; solid
beams rested on the axles, and above
this framework rose an archway round
ed like tunnel; an ungainly whole.
But the details were extremely elegant,
the wheels were carved and their
spokcs expanded near the hoop into
ribs forming pointed arches; the
beams were painted and gilded; the in
side was hung with those dazzling
tapestries, the glory Of tho age; the
seets were furnished with embroidered
cushions; a lady might stretch out
there, half sitting, half lying; pillows
were placed in the corners as if to
invite sleep or meditation; square win
dows opened on the sides and were
hung with silk curtains"
These carriages were largely for the
use OF ladies and invalids and for
state occasions. Knights and lords and
wealthy merchants generally Travelled
on horseback, and poorer folk resorted
to the slow-moving but stout peasant
carts. The roads Of the fourteenth GEN.
tury were unsafe as well as uncomfort-
able for travellers. The harsh penal
oh haJ
theft to the value of more than twelve
pence, automatically created a largo
number of outlaws, who piled their
trade with moro or less success along
the less frequented stretches of high
way.
Despite all dangers and difficulties, the
number Of travellers was always large.
There were many religious wayfarcrs, of
varying degrees OF sanctity. Dominican
and Franciscan friRrs; pardoners, who
dealt in indulgences; pilgrims bound for
the shrine of some saint justled each
other on the roads. AS M. Jusserand
points out, the poorer priests and friars
represented democratic element in this
1Suudl duQ ATlSLOcIdLlC century. l. hcy
sympathized with the sufferings Of the
masses, from whom they had sprung
themselves. And their open and secret
exhortations helped to prepare the way
for the Peasants Rebellion in 1881.
London Bridge
The old Jingle about London Bridge
falling down seems to have possessed q
pretty solid basis in fact: for this
famous structure, covered with houses
often showed tendencies to crack under
the strain of heavy traffic or unfavor-
able weather. Frequent appropriations
for repairing and bolstering up the
bridge are found in Parliamentary rec
ords. The author tells many interest
Ing anecdotes about other historic Eng
lish bridges. AS rule the individuals
charged with their maintenance were
more inclined to collect tolls than to
make necessary repairs; and as result
many of the bridges fell into chronic
condition Of imminent collapse,
Thers was no post In those days; let