ae 
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE AND THE PLYMOUTH CORPORATION. 447 
mayoralties of John Morshead, 1753-4 and 1762-3, and then, 
being removed for some purpose, was by accident omitted to be 
returned.* That it is by far the most valuable volume of our 
Municipal Accounts, the new light thrown upon the relations of 
Sir Francis Drake and the Corporation, and the history of the 
Plymouth Leat, is but one proof of several that might be ad- 
duced. 
The character of these ancient Corporate Accounts should be 
explained. The Treasurer of the borough was formerly an annually 
appointed officer called a Receiver, and in the usual course of events 
in due time became Mayor. By him all moneys were received and 
paid, and he accounted for his proceedings at an annual audit in 
November, when the items were entered up by the Town Clerk, 
and the entries certified by four auditors—two aldermen and two 
councillors—who signed the book in witness of their accuracy. 
The most trifling details, if they stood alone, found separate record ; 
but if a bill was brought up, it was the practice to enter only the 
total, and to state that the particulars had been seen. In all 
matters which were the subject of receipt or payment these accounts 
give therefore an exact reflection of the Corporate and social life of 
ancient Plymouth; they are moreover the most valuable kind of 
documentary evidence, testifying not to mere opinion, but to acts 
done under official direction, and receiveable as evidence in any 
competent court of law. 
Those who have done me the honour to read my [History of 
Plymouth will remember that while I speak in somewhat guarded 
language of the history of the Plymouth Water Supply, and deny 
that Sir Francis Drake in a pecuniary sense gave the water, I accept 
the current idea that he was the author and engineer of the under- 
taking. Great therefore was my surprise when I found by entry 
after entry in this volume that the sole credit of the work was due 
to the Corporation ; that their surveyor, one Robert Lampen, was the 
engineer, and that the part which Drake played was simply that 
of the paid agent or contractor, by whom the operations were not 
initiated but completed. Having ascertained these facts for myself, 
it seemed right to me they should be known to others. My idea 
of the duty of a student of history is that he should be ever ready 
* It has been presented by the Rev. J. Morshead to the Corporation 
through Mr. Prance, and is thus restored to its place among the Corporate 
Muniments. 
