INTRODUCTION 



great celebrity in his own line (Fuller says 

 his handwriting was so beautiful that one 

 had to examine it under a magnifier to see 

 if it were print or no), prevents one thinking 

 that he was largely in Rowland's debt, says 

 that " the Mechani calls " all wore " scarlet 

 capps," and filled their chapps and lapps from 

 the forty dishes, which we learn were daily 

 provided for them. This scarlet Rowland 

 also alludes to, saying that if he did go again 

 to Court he would be but a shabby figure, 

 though smart in a sense, as wearing " Scarlett 

 of Builth, or Welch frize." 



It was twenty years from the time of that 

 walk, one day in March, before the account of 

 the water-works was begun and that appa- 

 rently took about six years to write, as he 

 notes events taking place as he writes in 

 1604, and the date of publication is 1610. 

 That he dictated it is evident, from the words 

 " take breath " written in by error on the part 

 of the secretary at the close of a sentence. 



While the " Water- works" were in progress 

 old Dame Blanche died (in 1589). She left 

 Rowland ^100, a most handsome bequest in 

 those times, and also 20 for the repair of 

 the road between " Moat and Douro, and New 

 xviii 



