Chapel, who spent fourteen thousand pound in building of it, and about the same time he built a great ship, which cost just so much. Thus much for the towers and castles of London.

The Rivers, Wells, Conduits, Ditches, Bridges, &c. in and about this City.

IN former times, before William the Conqueror, and long after, the city was watered (besides the famous river of Thames in the South). with the river of Wells, as it was then called; and in the west with a water called Walbrook, running though the midst of the city into the river of Thames. There was also another water which ran within the city through Langbourn Ward, watering that part in the east. There were three principal fountains or wells in the other suburbs, that is Holywell, Clement's Well, and Clarke's Well; and near to the last were divers other wells, as Skinner's Well, Fog's Well, Tode Well, and Radwell, all which flowing into the River aforementioned, much increased the stream, and gave it the name of Wells.

It is recorded,

Smithfield, there Horse Pool, and Parish of St. which they had and lanes of the and fresh springs was served with many conduits divers streets, nued till

1666.

the

Since

the conveniency of the street, and son of the New trived by Sir ton, most of these taken down and For Queen before granted London by Act liberty for cuting a river from

H. MIDDLETON.

that in West was a pool called another in the Giles; besides in divers streets city fair wells by which the city sweet water; and built in

were

which contidreadful fire in which time for and enlargement likewise by reaRiver water,conHugh Middleconduits removed. Elizabethhaving to the citizens of of parliament, ting and conveyany part of Mid

.are

dlesex or Hertfordshire, to the City of London, with a limitation of ten years time, her life ended before any would undertake it; whereupon the like act was passed by King James, but without date of time, and when all others refused it, Sir Hugh Middleton undertook to bring a River from Chadwell and Amwell to the North side of London, near Islington, where he built a cistern to receive it. This work was begun February 20, 1608, and in five years was fully accomplished, though with great difficulty, by reason of the difference and unevenness of the ground; the depth of the river in some places being thirty foot, and in other places the water is carried through a wood trough, and advanced above the valley near three and twenty foot.

When the water was brought to the cistern, but not as yet let in, upon Michaelmas Day, 1613, in the afternoon, Sir Thomas Middleton, brother to Sir Hugh, being that day elected Lord Mayor for the year ensuing, he together with the present Lord Mayor, Sir John Swinerton, Sir Thomas and Sir Henry Montague, the recorder, with divers other aldermen and citizens rode to see the cistern, and the water first issuing therein; at which time a troop of about three-score labourers, well apparelled, and wearing green Monmouth caps, all alike, armed with spades, shovels, pick-axes, and such instruments of labour, marched twice or three times round the cistern, the drums beating before them, and then presented themselves before the mount, where the Lord Mayor and Aldermen stood to behold them, and after one of them had made a handsome speech upon the occasion, the flood gates flew open, and the stream ran chearfully into the cistern, drums and trumpets sounding all the while in a triumphant manner, and a brave peal of muskets concluded the entertainments.

But above all the city owns its glory and riches, and many other blessings to the excellent river of Thames, whose head or first stream issues out of the side of a hill upon Cotswold Downs, about a mile from Tetbury, near to Foss a high road so called in former times, and was sometimes named Isis or the Ouse, from hence it runs to the East, as all good rivers should, though not without some turnings, and meets with the Cirne or Chiurn, a brook whereof Cirencester which is near it, is supposed to take the name. From hence it hasteth to Creeklade, Lechlade, Radcotbridge, Newbridge, and Evesham, receiving by the way abundance of small streams, brooks, and rivulets; and on this side the town divideth itself into two streams, the one goes directly to Hinckly and Botly, and the other to Godstow; this latter spreadeth itself for a while in divers small streams, which run not far before they meet again; and then encompassing divers fruitful meadows, it

passeth at length by Oxford, which some imagine should rather be called Ouseford of this river, and there it meeteth with the river Charnel, a little from whence the original branches join again, and keep company to Abington, though no part of it did formerly come so near the town as now it doth, till a branch thereof was led thither by the main stream, through the industry of the monks, as also by the decay of Caerdoure, now called Dorchester, sometimes the high road from Wales and the west country to London.

From thence it goeth to Dorchester, and so into Thames, where joining with a river of that name, it is called no more Ouse but Thames; from thence it goeth to Wallingford and so to Reading, which was formerly called Pontium, because of the number of bridges. There it joins with the River Kennet, which comes from the hills west of Malborough, and soon after with the Thetis commonly called the Tyde which comes from Thetisford; it goes form thence to Sudlington, or Maidenhead, and so to Windlestore or Windsor, Eaton, Chertsey, Staines, and there receiving another stream by the way called Cole, where Colebrook stands, it proceeds to Kingston, Richmond, Sheen, Sion, and Brentford, where it meets with another stream called the Brene coming from Edgworth; it runs then by Mortlake, Putney, Fulham, Battersea, Chelsea, Lambeth, Westminster, and so to London.

And passing through the bridge the first water that falls into it is Brome, west of Greenwich, whose spring comes from Bromley in Kent. The next river is on Essex side over against Woolwich which is called Lee, and falls into it; and awhile after the river Derwent on Kent side falls therein, having its rise from Tunbridge; the next water that falls into the Thames is a rivulet of no great note, west of the Wain Isles; last of all the river of Thames mingled with the river Medway, which comes out of Kent by Rochester, Chatham, and divers other places, and waters all the south parts of Kent.

This noble river for its breadth, depth, gentle streight even course, extraordinary wholesome waters and tides, is more commodious for navigation than perhaps any other river in the world; the sea flows gently up this river fourscore miles, that is almost to Kingston, twelve miles above London by land, and twenty by water, bringing the greater vessels to London, and the smaller beyond, and then boats are drawn to Oxford against the stream, and many miles higher.

As oft as the moon comes to the north-east, and south-west points of Heaven, it is high water at the city, the one point in our hemisphere, and the other in the other. The highest tides are upon a landflood,

T

the wind north-west at the equinoctial, and the moon at full, when these four causes concur, which is very rare, and then the Thames overflows its banks in some places, and Westminster is somewhat endamaged in their cellars, but not in their upper rooms; this river opening eastward toward France and Germany is much more advantageous for traffic than any other river in England; wherein there. is contained variety of excellent fish, and on both sides thereof lies a fruitful and fat soil, pleasant rich meadows, and innumerable stately palaces. So that the Thames seems to be the radical moisture of the city and in some sence the natural heat too, for almost all the fuel for firing is brought up this river from Newcastle, Scotland, Kent, Essex and other parts; from this river the city by water engines is in many places supplied with excellent wholesome water, and also almost twenty conduits which are yet remaining of pure spring water, as well as by the New River aforementioned, of which river we shall add, that it comes from Amwell and Chadwell two springs near Ware in Hertfordshire from wence in a turning and winding course it runs threescore miles, before it reaches Islington; over this river are made eight hundred bridges, some of stone, some of brick and some of wood, six hundred men were at once employed in this great work. It is carried in pipes of wood under ground into most streets of this city, and from thence with pipes of lead into houses, it serves the highest parts of London in their lower rooms, and the lower parts in their highest room. This city likewise is so situated, that in all parts, though in the highest ground it is abundantly served with pump water, and these pumps in many places not six foot deep in the ground.

The vast traffic and commerce whereby this city doth flourish may be guest at chiefly by the customs which are paid for all merchandize imported or exported, which in the Port of London only, amounts to above three hundred thousand pounds a year; and by the vast number of ships, which by their masts resemble a forest, as they lie along the stream, besides many that are sent forth every year to carry and fetch commodities to, and from all parts of the known world, now for the preservation of the river Thames, there is a court of conservacy kept by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, (under whom is a water bailiff and other officers,) they commonly fish eight times every year in the four counties of Middlesex, Surry, Kent, and Essex, where they have power to impanel juries, and to make inquisition into, and punish all offences committed upon the river within their jurisdiction and extent; which begins at a place called Colny Ditch, a little above Staines Bridge westward; and from thence all along through London

Bridge to a place called Yendal, alias Yenlet, and the waters of Medway near Chatham in Kent eastward.

This river as we have said, is full of all sorts of excellent fish, as sweet salmons after the time of the smelt is past, wherein no river in Europe exceeds it; it hath likewise store of barbels, trout, chevins, pearches, smelts, breams, roches, daces, gudgeons, flounders, shrimps, eels, &c. only it seems not to be so stored with carps, except that by land-floods, they are sometimes brought out of gentlemen's ponds; there are great numbers of swans daily seen upon this river, and about two thousand wherries and small boats, whereby three thousand poor watermen are maintained, by bringing goods and passengers thereon, besides the large tilt-boats, tide-boats and barges, which either carry people, or bring provision from all parts of the counties of Oxford, Berks, Buckingham, Bedford, Hertford, Middlesex, Essex, Surry and Kent to the city of London.

To conclude this famous river of Thames, taking all her advantage together, surpasseth all others that pay tribute to the ocean, if we consider the streightness of its course, the stillness of its streams, considering its breadth, as also its length, running above ninescore miles before it comes into the sea, aud the conveniency of its situation being toward the middle of England; it hath likewise one peculiar property more, that the entrance into this river is safe, and easy to Englishmen, and natives, but difficult and hazardous to strangers, either to go in and out without a pilot; insomuch that in the whole, the Thames may be said to be London's best friend, as may appear by a passage in the reign of King James, who being displeased with the city, because they would not lend him a sum of money which he required, and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen attending him one day, being somewhat transported with anger, the King said, he would remove his own court, with all the records of the Tower, and the courts of Westminster Hall to another place, with further expressions of his indignation. The Lord Mayor calmly heard all, and at last answered, your Majesty hath power to do what you please; and your city of London will obey accordingly, but she humbly desires that when your Majesty shall remove your courts, you would please to leave the river of Thames behind you. Having been thus long upon the water, it is now time to land and take a view of the great and stupenduous bridge, which if the situation and structure thereof be well considered, may said to be one of the wonders of the world; of which an ingenious gentlemen deceased made this poem;

be

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