Berry — Notes on an Unpublished MS. Inquisitio)i, 8fc. 43 



drawal of water, at £12 and six marks respectively, calculating at the 

 rate of the multure^ of one mill a day each week. 



It may be well to explain hero that the Dodder water, when 

 diverted, was conveyed in an open course or channel to the Tongue 

 (near Mount Argus), where by means of a stone pier, ending in an 

 acute angle, the water was partitioned, two thirds being conveyed to 

 the Liberty of Thomas Court and Donore, which supplied the mills 

 and tenantry of St. Thomas' Abbey. One third was brought, via 

 Dolphin's Barn to a large reservoir, which stood to the west of the 

 Abbey gate. From this cistern, as it was called, the water was 

 fui'ther led to the conduit in High-street, whence it was conducted by 

 means of leaden pipes to the citizen's houses. 



The jurors further found against the citizens on another count in 

 the Abbey's indictment, namely, that they had failed to construct 

 round the ''head" (as it was termed) a stone wall, which when built 

 (in consideration of the yearly rent before mentioned), the Abbey 

 was under terms to keep up. This " head " was a dam or rampart of 

 stone, strong enough to resist floods, which was erected at a place 

 called Balrothery in the townland of Tallaght. When this was 

 damaged by very serious floods, the mayor and bailiffs were bound 

 to collect a number of the citizens and of those who had mills along 

 the water, with a view to its speedy repair. 



Another of the findings was to the effect that water had been sold 

 by the city authorities to the following ecclesiastical foundations — 

 namely, the priory of the Holy Trinity, the House of St. John, 

 St. Savioui-'s and St. Francis'. In the Ziber Albusoi the corporation 

 of Dublin are found entries of grants of water in 1254 to Holy Trinity 

 and to the church of the Holy Saviour near the bridge of Dublin. 

 St. John's was a poor house or hospital, outside the new gate, which 

 opened to Thomas-street, and which was founded in 11 88. St. Francis' 

 must have been the house of Grey Friars, founded in 1235, which 

 stood in what is still called Francis-street. St. Saviour's lay in 

 Oxmantown, on the north side of the Liffey, occupying the site 

 of the present Four Courts, so that the water had of necessity to 

 be brought across the river ; for this piu'pose the bridge had to be 

 utilized, and the Friars bound themselves to carry out the works 

 without injuring it. 



As numerous water grants to citizens for specified sums of money 

 are to be found in the Liber Albus, it is matter of conjecture why 



1 Toll or fee which a miller takes for grinding corn. 



