SIR FRANCIS DRAKE AND THE PLYMOUTH CORPORATION. 535 
the Hospital of the Orphans Aid for the sum of £1500 all the moiety 
of the Malt and Griest Mills with all the profits thereunto belonging 
for 32 years, the remainder of the term to come, which brought in 
clear profit about £300 a year and expired in the year 16G0." 
I do not know where Deeble got his additional £52 16s.,* for 
the Receivers' Accounts only show a payment to Sir Francis, agree- 
ing with the Black Book, of £300. The reserved rent under the 
lease included the Surpool mills, no rent whatever being paid for 
the leat mills. As to the Surpool mills, the Corporation resolved in 
1634 that when the Drake lease expired "the old Mill and Mill 
pool called Sour Pool now converted into several marshes meadows 
and enclosed pieces of pasture," should not be let for less than 
£150. That the Surpool mills did not pass under the original lease 
of the leat mills is shown by the fact that on the death of Sir 
Francis they went to William Stallinge, until Thomas Drake, after 
some discussion, obtained them. 
I am now enabled to give the result of the controversy with 
William Crymes, which led the Corporation to appeal to Sir 
Robert Cecil for help in 1601.t The town in this case seems to 
have established its rights. The document from which I quote (as 
before omitting only merely technical repetitions) is the draft of 
the agreement entered into between the Mayor and Commonalty, 
the owners of the leat, and Thomas Drake, the lessee of the mills, on 
the one hand, and William Crymes on the other, as settled by John 
Luxton, the town clerk, and Peter Russell, apparently acting for 
Crymes. The document is remarkable as showing the engrossing 
nature of the Drake interest under the lease in the mills, the Cor- 
poration being evidently unable to enter into an agreement for the 
defence of their own property without Thomas Drake's concurrence. 
It is remarkable likewise for the evidence it affords, that within a 
few years of the construction of the leat Plymouth had suffered 
from a winter "water famine" by the chokage of the channel 
through frost. 
This Indenture made the daie of Betwene the Maior 
and Cominaltye of the Borrough of Plymouth and Thomas Drake 
of Bucklande Monacon in the Countie of Devon Esquier of thone 
ptie and William Crymes of Bucklande Monacon aforesaid Esquier 
of thother ptie witnesseth that the saide Maior and Comonaltie 
* The fact is noted in my History of Plymouth, 
t Vide the letter of Payne. 
