128 



SIR HUGH MYDDELTON, M.P. 



TART II. 



In another case we find a sum of twenty-six shillings 

 and eight pence paid yearly for a similar pipe, to supply 

 the yard and kitchen of a householder at Islington. 1 



Among the many important uses to which the plentiful 

 supply of New River water was put, was the extinction of 

 fires, then hoth frequent and destructive, in consequence 

 of the greater part of the old houses in London being 

 built of wood. Stowe 2 particularly mentions the case 

 of a fire which broke out in Broad-street, on the 12th No- 

 vember, 1623, in the house of Sir William Cockaigne, 

 which speedily extended itself to several of the adjoining 

 buildings. We are told by the chronicler, that " Sir Hugh 

 Myddelton, upon the first knowledge thereof, caused all 

 the sluices of the water-cisterne in the field to be left 

 open, whereby there was plenty of water to quench the 

 fire. The water " [ of the New River], he continues, 

 " hath done many like benefits in sundrie like former 

 distresses." 3 



We now proceed to follow the fortunes of Sir Hugh in 

 connexion with the New River Company. The year 

 after the public opening of the cistern at Islington, we find 

 him a petitioner to the Corporation for a loan of 3000/., 

 for three years, at six per cent., which was granted him 

 " in consideration of the benefit likely to accrue to the 

 city from his New River ;" his sureties being the Lord 

 Mayor (Hayes), Mr. Robert Myddelton (his brother), and 

 Mr. Robert Bateman. 4 There is every reason to believe 

 that Myddelton had involved himself in difficulties by 

 locking up his capital in this costly undertaking; and that 

 he was driven to solicit the loan to carry him through until 

 he had been enabled to dispose of the greater part of his 



1 Nelson's ' History of Islington.' 



2 Stowe's * Chronicle.' 



3 The main of the New Kiver at 

 Islington was, it is said, shut down 

 at the time of the Great Fire of Lon- 

 don in 1666 ; and it was believed by 

 some, who pretended to the means of 

 knowing, that the supply of water 



had been stopped by Captain John 

 Graunt, a papist, under whose name 

 Sir William Petty published his ob- 

 servations on the bills of mortality. 

 Burnet's 'Own Times,' ed. 1823. 

 Vol. i., p. 401. 



4 ' City of London Corporation I!c- 

 cords,' 6th Sept., 1614. 



