456 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
The Act is entitled “An acte for presvacon of the haven of 
Plymowth,” dated the 27th Elizabeth cap. 20 (1585) :— 
Whereas yor Ma** Towne of Plymowth in the Cowntie of Devon 
being an auncyent Borough Towne bordering vpon the meane Sea, 
yet havinge a pleasaunte and safe Harboroughe and Rode for Shipps 
within or nere the same, comonlie called Plymmowth Haven, 
wheare as well yor Ma‘ Shippes as the Shipps and Vessells of 
dyvers yo™ Highnes Subiects tradinge into forren Partes and from 
Porte to Porte within this Realme do often vpon necessitie and 
otherwise arrive harboroughe refreshe and vittell themselves as well 
w'h fresshe water, being a thing very necessarie for them, as with 
divers other thinges, Hathe, for the moste Parte of the yere, none, 
or at the leaste verey litle, fresshe water within a myle of the said 
Towne or thereabowt, a matter verey incomodiouse; By reason 
whereof yo™ Mats Shippes and the Shippes of yo’ Highnes subiects 
arryving and harbouring in the saide Haven as aforesaide the 
Marryners of the same are manye and often Tymes dryven by 
necessytie to goe a Myle or more from the saide Towne and theire 
Shippes to fetche fresshe water for theire necessarie vses, by reason 
whereof dyvers Tymes they loste dyvers good Wyndes and opor- 
tuyties whiche they might take benefite of, yf they mighte water 
them selfes nere theire shippes; besides the saide Towne ‘being 
subiect to-fyer, as well by the Enemye, for the same was once 
burned by the Frenche in the tyme of Warre, or by negligence and 
other mishappe at Home, there is no Water in or nerer the saide 
Towne for the moste Parte of the yere (especiallie in the Sommer 
Tyme when the Daungers bee greateste) then a Myle or sometyme 
more, as the dryeth is, and wheare also the said Haven of Plym- 
mowth, being one of the pryncipall Havens and Harboroughes of 
the West Parts of Englande, doth Daylie querre & fill wt" the 
Sande of the Tynnewoorcks and Mines nere adioyneng to the same, 
and in shorte Tyme wilbe utterlie decayed yf some Redresse and 
speedie Remedie be not hadd ; and wheare also there is a Water or 
Ryver within the saide Countie of Devon called the Water or 
Ryver of Mewe als Mevye distaunte from the saide Towne abowte 
Eight or Tenne myles, Parte of the whiche Water or Ryver w* 
some chardge wilbe brought into the saide Towne of Plymowth 
without any greate Preiudice or Damage to anye Owner or Owners 
of any Lande throughe whiche the same shalbe conveied, By reason 
(the moste Parte) in effect all the same Lande is either barren and 
heathie or ells hillye & drye grounds whiche wilbe bettered and 
amended by the water that shalbe brought throughe the same. By 
brynging of whiche water moste of the Incomodities and Daungers 
and divers others shall not onlie be remedied, but also some Parte 
of the Chanell of the saide Haven scoured & cleansed by the 
same Ryver to the p‘petuall contynewance of the same Haven, a 
matter moaste beneficiall to the Realme. 
