Early Road Legislation 33 



malt that cometh to Ware, and so is conveyed by water to 

 the city of London . . . very ruinous, and become almost 

 impassable, insomuch that it is become very dangerous to all 

 his Majesty's liege people that pass that way." The Act 

 required the justices in each of the three counties to appoint 

 surveyors who were to provide road materials and require of 

 persons chargeable under the general law that they should 

 send waggons and supply labour in accordance with their 

 obligations, any extra work done by them being paid for at the 

 usual rates in force in the district. The surveyors were, also, 

 to appoint collectors of tolls who were empowered to levy, 

 at the toll-gates (one of these being in each of the three 

 counties) " for every horse, one penny ; for every coach, 

 sixpence ; for every waggon, one shilling ; for every cart, 

 eightpence ; for every score of sheep or lambs, one half-penny, 

 and so on in proportion for greater numbers ; for every score 

 of oxen or neat cattle, five pence ; for every score of hogs, 

 twopence " ; but no person, having once paid toll, and 

 returning the same day with the same horse or vehicle, or 

 with cattle, was to pay a second time. The Act was to remain 

 in operation for eleven years ; though it was, of course, then 

 renewed. 



How the turnpike system, thus introduced, was subse- 

 quently developed throughout the land will be shown later. 



Charles II., whether he personally influenced the Act of 

 1663 or not, showed in a very practical way his interest in the 

 opening up of the country to improved communications. In 

 1675 a remarkable work was published by John Ogilby, Cosmo- 

 grapher Royal, under the title of " Britannia ; A Geographical 

 and Historical Description of the Roads of England and 

 Wales." The book consisted of 100 double-page sheets of 

 road maps, giving, in scroll fashion, every mile of route 

 for eighty-five roads or itineraries, and showing distances in 

 each case, together with a description of each route, written 

 in considerable detail. The maps, without the letterpress, 

 were published in the same year in a separate volume, under 

 the title of " Itinerarium Angliae " ; and in 1699 the descriptive 

 matter, without the maps, was reprinted in the form of a 

 handbook, under the title of " The Traveller's Guide." 



In his dedication of " Britannia " to King Charles II. the 

 author says : " Influenced by Your Majesty's Approbation 



