happiness of the country, arrived there, while this house was carrying
up.

In his time was also built a new brick church, and brick magazine for
arms and ammunition, and the streets of the town altered from the
fanciful forms of Ws and Ms to much more conveniences.

These are all erected at Middle plantation, now named Williamsburg,
where land is laid out for a town. They all are built of brick, and
covered with shingle, except the debtors' prison which is flat roofed
anew; a very useful invention of the present governor also.

Sec. 69. The private buildings are also in his time very much improved,
several gentlemen there, having built themselves large brick houses of
many rooms on a floor; but they don't covet to make them lofty, having
extent enough of ground to build upon; and now and then they are visited
by high winds, which would incommode a towering fabric. They love to
have large rooms, that they may be cool in summer. Of late they have
made their stories much higher than formerly, and their windows larger,
and sashed with crystal glass; adorning their apartments with rich
furniture.

All their drudgeries of cookery, washing, dairies, &c., are performed in
offices apart from the dwelling houses, which by this means are kept
more cool and sweet.

Their tobacco houses are all built of wood, as open and airy as is
consistent with keeping out the rain; which sort of building is most
convenient for the curing of their tobacco.

Their common covering for dwelling houses is shingle, which is an oblong
square of cypress or pine wood; but they cover their tobacco houses with
thin clap board; and though they have slate enough in some particular
parts of the country, and as strong clay as can be desired for making of
tile, yet they have very few tiled houses; neither has any one yet
thought it worth his while to dig up the slate, which will hardly be
made use of, till the carriage there becomes cheaper, and more common;
the slate lying far up the frontiers above water carriage.

CHAPTER XVII.

OF THE EDIBLES, POTABLES, AND FUEL IN VIRGINIA.

Sec. 70. The families being altogether on country seats, they have their
graziers, seedsmen, gardeners, brewers, bakers, butchers and cooks,
within themselves. They have plenty and variety of provisions for their
table; and as for spicery, and other things that the country don't
produce, they have constant supplies of them from England. The gentry
pretend to have