114 



HUGH MYDDELTON, M.P. 



PART IT. 



It shortly became apparent to Myddeltoii that the time 

 originally fixed by the Common Council for the comple- 

 tion of the works had been too short, and we accordingly 

 find him petitioning the Corporation for its extension. 

 This was granted him for five years more, on the ground 

 of the opposition and difficulties which had been thrown 

 in his way by the occupiers and landowners along the 

 line of the proposed stream. 1 It has usually been alleged 

 that Myddelton fell short of funds, and that the Corpora- 

 tion refused him the necessary pecuniary assistance ; but 

 the Corporation records do not bear out this statement, 

 the only application apparently made by Myddeltoii being 

 for an extension of time. It has also been stated that 

 he was opposed by the water-carriers, and that they even 

 stirred up the Corporation to oppose the construction of 

 the New River ; but this statement seems to be equally 

 without foundation. 2 The principal obstacle which Myd- 

 delton had to encounter was unquestionably the oppo- 

 sition of the landowners and occupiers ; and it was so 



1 * Common Council Journals,' 27th 

 February, 1610. Craven, Mayor. 



2 It is Malcolm who says, in his 

 ' Londinium Redivivum,' that the 

 City refused aid to Myddelton lest, by 

 granting it, they should prejudice the 

 interests of the water-carriers. This, 

 however, is at variance with the fact 

 that they had been instrumental 

 principally at the instigation of Myd- 

 delton himself in pressing the Corpo- 

 ration to obtain the requisite powers 

 from Parliament to enable fresh water 

 to be brought from Middlesex or 

 Hertfordshire into the city. The 

 Corporation Records contain no facts 

 bearing on the subject; though there 

 is a petition deposited in the Guildhall 

 Library, without date, but, judging 

 from the writing and spelling, probably 

 framed about the close of the 16th or 

 the beginning of the 17th century, 

 entitled: "The humble petition of 

 the whole companic of poore water- 

 tankerd-bearers of the Citie of Lon- 

 don, ;m<l the suburbs thereof, they 

 and their families being 4000 in num- 



ber, living and releeved thereby. Ro- 

 bert Tardy, water-bearer, in the name 

 and behalte of the restc, folio wes this 

 petition." After stating that the 

 water brought to the City " is the 

 most wholesome, purest, and sweetest," 

 which is " not to be doubted or dis- 

 puted," the petitioners complain that 

 the firemen carry off the water from 

 Newgate, " which was granted for use 

 of that house only;" and that they 

 keep " no hours, but work continu- 

 ally," to the loss of other conduits. 

 The petitioners intimate that the 

 Lady Swinnerton " is allowed but two 

 gallons every hour," and affirm that 

 the conduit, whence she is supplied, 

 "is equal to thirteen gallons and 

 better every hour, as it hath been 

 tried," and that the difference, there- 

 fore, is wasted. The petitioners con- 

 clude by praying redress " for this 

 and other grievances." It is obvious, 

 however, that this petition relates ex- 

 clusively to the regulations ivsptrting 

 the public conduits, ;uid has no bear- 

 ing upon the New River project. 



