158 HISTORY OF THE PLYMOUTH LEAT. 



" next, after the rating assessing, and determining of the same ; 

 " unless the said Mayor and Commonalty and their successors 

 " can otherwise compound and agree with the lords, tenants, oc- 

 " cupiers, and farmers of such land and ground, or with any 

 "of them/' 



" And in case it happen the Mayor and Commonalty of the 

 " said Borough to make default of payment of the said recom- 

 " pence and satisfaction, and resist to pay the same as is before re- 

 " hearsed, that then the lord and lords, owner or owners, tenants, 

 " farmers, and occupiers of such land or ground that is agrieved, 

 " therewith, and to whom the recompence and satisfaction ought 

 ^* to be paid, shall and may lawfully commence, affirm, and take 

 ** his or their action of debt by the course of common law, against 

 " the Mayor and Commonalty of the said Borough, for the time 

 " being, and their successors, for the recovery of die same in any 

 " court of this realm, at the will and pleasure of tiie party grieved ; 

 " and the like process thereupon to be had as in action of debt, 

 ^' at the common law grounded upon contract, or specially have 

 ** used to have been had, in which no wager of law essoine or 

 *< Protection shall be allowed." 



" Provided, always, and it is further enacted by this present 

 " parliament, and by the authority of the same, that the said 

 " water shall not be conveyed through the house, garden, or or- 

 " chard of any person or persons ; or through any part thereof, 

 " without composition, to be first had with the owners and occu- 

 " piers of the said houses, gardens, and orchards. " 



** Provided, always, that this act, nor anything herein contained, 

 " shall extend to give liberty as aforesaid to bring the said water, 

 " or any part thereof out of his ancient course, to or for any in- 

 •" tent or purpose mentioned in this act; unless every such per- 

 " son or persons as are owner of any mill or mills, situate or 

 " standing upon or near the said river of Mew, alias Meuie, shall 

 '^ first be compounded withal, as aforesaid, if the said mills shall, 

 " by bringing of the said water or any part thereof unto the said 

 " town of Plymouth, be impaired or hindered. " 



Perhaps the portion of the fleet, which was sta- 

 tioned here to oppose the aniiada, may have felt this 

 want of water: for in the year 1590 we find Sir 

 Francis Drake, who well knew the country between 

 us and the river Meavy, engaged in actively for- 

 warding the proceeding. It is much to be regretted 

 that no complete record of the progress and circum- 

 stances of this very important work is preserved ; 

 either by the descendants of the illustrious knight, 

 or by the Corporation. A few detached scraps on 

 it, only, can be gleaned from the old chronicles of 

 the neighbourhood. 



