EIVERS: PLAN TO CONNECT THE THAMES AND AVON. 31 



Domini 1631, January 31 st . ; and this ingeniose notion had died too and beene forgotten, but 

 that Mr. Francis Mathew, (formerly of the county of Dorset, a captain in his majestie King 

 Charles I. service), who was acquainted with him, and had the hint from him, and after the wars 

 ceased revived this designe. Hee tooke much paines about it ; went into the countrey and made a 

 mappe of it, and wrote a treatise, of it, and addressed himselfe to Oliver the Protector, and the 

 Parliament. Oliver was exceedingly pleased with the designe ; and, had he lived but a little longer, 

 he would have had it perfected : but upon his death it sank. 



After his Majesties restauration, I recommended Captain Mathew to the Lord Wm. Brouncker, 

 then President of the Royall Societie, who introduced him to his Majestie ; who did much approve 

 of the designe ; but money was wanting, and publick-spirited contributions ; and the Captain had no 

 purse (undonn by the warres), and the heads of the Parliament and Counsell were filled with other 

 tilings. Thus the poor old gentleman's project came to nothing. 



He died about 1676, and left many good papers behind him concerning this matter, in the hands 

 of his daughters ; of which I acquainted Mr. John Collins, R.S.S. in An . 1682, who tooke a journey 

 to Oxford (which journey cost him his life, by a cold), and first discoursed with the barge-men there 

 concerning their trade and way : then he went to Lechlade, and discoursed with the bargemen 

 there ; who all approved of the designe. Then he took a particular view of the ground to be cutt 

 between Ashton-kaynes and Charleton. From Malmesbury he went to Bristoll. Then he returned 

 to Malmesbury again and went to Wotton Bassett, and took a view of that way. Sir Jonas Moore 

 told me he liked that way, but J. Collins was clearly for the cutt between Ashton-Kayns and 

 Charleton. 



At his return to London I went with him to the daughters of Mr. Mathew, who shewed him 

 their father's papers ; sc. draughts, modells, copper-plate of the mappe of the Thames, Acts of Par- 

 liament, and Bills prepared to be enacted, &c. ; as many as did fill a big portmantue. He proposed 

 the buying of them to the R. Societie, and tooke the heads of them, and gave them an abstract of 

 them. The papers, &c. were afterwards brought to the R. Societie ; the price demanded for all was 

 but five pounds (the plate of the mappe did cost 8".) The R. Societie liked the designe; but they 

 would neither undertake the businesse nor buy the papers. So that noble knight, Sir James Shaen, 

 R.S.S., who was then present, slipt five guineas into J. Collins's hand to give to the poor gentle- 

 women, and so immediately became master of these rarities. There were at the Societie at the 

 same time three aldermen of the city of London (Sir Jo. Laurence, Sir Patient Ward, and .... 

 ....), fellows of the Society, who when they heard that Sir James Shaen had gott the possession of 

 them were extremely vex't ; and repented (when 'twas too late) that they had overslipped such an 

 opportunity: then they would have given 30". Tliis undertaking had been indeed most proper 

 for the hon ble city of London. 



Jo. Collins writt a good discourse of this journey, and of the feazability, and a computation of the 

 chardge. Quaere, whether he left a copie with the R. Society. Mr. Win, mathematicall instrument 

 maker in Chancery-lane, had all his papers, and amongst many others is to be found this. 



I have been the more full in this account, because if ever it shall happen that any publick-spirited 

 men shall arise to carry on such a usefull work, they may know in whose hands the papers that 

 were so well considered heretofore are now lodged. 



Sir Jonas Moore, Surveyor of the Ordinance, told me that when the Duke of York sent him to 

 survey the manor of Dauntesey, formerly belonging to Sir Jo. Danvers, he did then take a survey 

 of this designe, and said that it is feazable ; but his opinion was that the best way would be to 



