Water

Water.

I. 28. Letter from Sir Christopher Hatton to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen respecting an arrangement made between his servant, Peter Morice, (fn. 1) and the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City for conveying water from the River Thames to Leadenhall, and requesting that further time might be given him to carry out the work.
26th May, 1580.

I. 45. Letter from the Earl of Sussex to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, recommending the employment of John Martyn, a Plumber, and a Freeman of the City, to erect the proposed works for bringing water from the River Thames into some parts of the City.
Bermondsey, 22nd June, 1580.

I. 102. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty. A complaint had been made to the Council by Peter Morris that in the Mayoralty of Sir James Hawes, Knight, (fn. 2) an agreement had been made between him and the City for the conveyance of water from the Thames unto certain places and houses in the City, for which he was to have received 100l. with other privileges, whereof he had only received 50l. The City also agreed to provide certain grounds for the erection of his works, but not having done so in convenient time, they had given him licence to attend his own business until such ground should be provided. Being now desirous to proceed with the work according to his agreement, and having disbursed the sum of 200l. in preparing piles and stones for the foundation, the City had declined to complete the agreement; and the Council requested to be certified as to their grounds for refusing.
Nonsuch, 5th July, 1580.

I. 345. Letter from the Marquis of Winchester (fn. 3) to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. His grandfather, the late Lord Treasurer of England, had obtained licence to lay certain conduit pipes for the use of his house in Broad Streat, (fn. 4) nigh Bishopsgate, which pipes ran through divers men's grounds, and had become decayed. Upon steps being taken to repair them, the City had issued an order for the abating of the ground, which would increase the charge of replacing the pipes. Being informed that the same might be easily remedied by the making of a brick vault, which the tenant was ready to do at his own charge, and pay 20s. yearly to the City as a rent for the ground, he requested the City to permit the said conduit pipes to remain as they were.
Winchester House, 27th May, 1582.

I. 387. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Lord Wentworth, thanking him for hearing the complaint made by the Bridgemasters as to the right of the City touching their Mill, which, without injury or hurt to the common weal, they desired to maintain with such course of water as had of ancient time been continued, and of late been attempted to be restrained by one Bigg, farmer, of the Temple Mill, and requesting his lordship and the other Commissioners to appoint a time and place for hearing the matter.
24th July, 1582.

I. 388. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Lord Wentworth. The Aldermen had been informed by the Bridgemasters that a certain water, called the Bollyvante, issuing out of the water of Lee, had always belonged to the City's mill, called Sanes Mill, which water one Biggs, farmer, of the Temple Mill, by information complained would make a back-water to his mill, and order had been taken that it should be wholly stopped, contrary to the order made by the Commissioners four years since. He requested his lordship and the other Commissioners appointed by Her Majesty to assemble together, and hear the City's defence, and the hindrance offered by the said Biggs.
26th July, 1582.

I. 449. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor. Bernard Randolph, Common Serjeant of the City, had lately charitably agreed to bestow a large sum of money for bringing water out of the River Thames, by an engine to be constructed by Peter Morice, from London Bridge to Old Fish Street, in like manner as he had already brought the water to Leadenhall, and by the way to supply the private houses of the Citizens, which offer had been approved by the Court of Aldermen. Thereupon Mr. Randolph had entered into an agreement with the Company of Fishmongers for such charitable deed. The matter being afterwards brought before the Common Council, they had granted the necessary licence to the said Peter Morice for the carrying out of the work, which would profit the whole City, and be no hindrance to the poor water-bearers, (fn. 5) who would still have as much work as they were able to perform so far as the water of the conduits would satisfy. The grant to Morice had passed under the Common Seal of the City, and he had thereupon proceeded with the work, and entangled himself in bonds and bargains upon the faith of receiving the money of Mr. Randolph, who had delayed payment until he had received the assent of his lordship, which he heartily desired, or otherwise the work would be in peril of failing, and the benefit to the City, both in cases of fire and infection, would be lost. The City begged his lordship, either by letter to Mr. Randolph or the City, to give his sanction and encouragement.
—December, 1582.

I. 590. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Treasurer, thanking him for interceding with the Queen for her consent to the works in connexion with the mills near London Bridge, and requesting him to further move Her Majesty—for the prevention of all controversy hereafter—to grant to the City a Warrant under the Great Seal for the building and finishing of the said mills. And further to grant a Commission for hearing and determining of the matters in dispute between the City and the Tower of London, touching the bounds and Liberties of both places.
24th April, 1591.
(And see "Thames," Letters 598 to 657, Vol. I.)

I. 656. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Lord Cobham, acknowledging his request for a quill of water from the Conduit at Ludgate to his house within the Blackfriars, which request he had laid before the Court of Aldermen. As the granting thereof rested with the Common Council, he recommended it should stand over for the present. The City were in treaty with Frederick Jenibella, (fn. 6) skilled in waterworks, for the erection of a windmill at the fountain-head to increase the supply, which, if successful, would induce that body to comply more readily with his request.
23rd April, 1592.

II. 32. Letter from Lord Burghley to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, requesting them to supply the House of Lord Cobham, at Blackfriars, with a small quill of water.
30th September, 1594.

II. 184. Letter from Lady Essex (fn. 7) and Lady Walsingham, her mother, to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, for a continuance of the pipe of water which had been formerly granted to the Lord Admiral for the use of Essex House.
21st November, 1601.

II. 321. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Earl of Suffolk, Lord Chamberlain, concerning the stoppage of a quill of water formerly granted for the use of Essex House. The water in the conduits becoming very low, and the poor very clamorous in this time of dearth, it became necessary to cut off several of the quills. Moreover, complaints had been made of the extraordinary waste of water in Essex House, it being taken not only for dressing meat, but for the laundry, the stable, and other offices, which might be otherwise served.
8th June, 1608.

II. 347. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the Council. In the third year of His Majesty's reign an Act of Parliament was passed (fn. 8) for bringing a fresh stream of running water from the springs of Chawdwell and Amwell to the north parts of the City, and Mr. Hugh Middleton, Goldsmith, had undertaken, as deputy to this City, to perform the same. The Lord Mayor requested the Council to give instructions to the Justices of the Peace for Herts and Middlesex to assist him and his men all in their power.
10th July, 1609.

III. 65. Order in Council with reference to the difference between the City and Mr. Edward Forsett, concerning the taking of clay for the reparation of their vaults and conduit-heads at Tyburn, and the enclosing of the vaults conveying water to the conduit-heads, and leaving no passage for the City's officers thereto, directing that Sir Thomas Middleton, knight, and Mr. Alderman Cockayne should confer with Mr. Forsett thereon, and that such points as they could not agree upon should be referred for arbitration to Sir James Altham, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, or to report to the Council thereon, that further orders might be given in the matter.
18th November, 1612.

III. 96. Letter from Lord Fenton to the Lord Mayor for a quill of water out of the City's great pipe for his house near Charing Cross.
25th May, 1613.

III. 100. Letter from the Lord Mayor, &c., to Lord Fenton, expressing their regret that, on account of the frequent failure of the conduits to supply sufficient water to the City, by reason whereof they were frequently visited with complaints and clamours (especially from the poor), they could not comply with his request.
9th June, 1613.

III. 102. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the Council, or the Commissioners for Suits, intimating that the City having, in obedience to their Order, endeavoured to effect an agreement between themselves and Mr. Forcett for a settlement of their differnces concerning their waters, springs, &c., passing through his manor, they were unable to agree with him thereon.
21st June, 1613.

III. 103. Further letter from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen on the same subject, complaining that, notwithstanding their Order referring the matters in dispute to the arbitration of Sir James Altham, knight, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, Mr. Forcett had enclosed the springs with a brick wall, leaving no access for the City's officers, and had forced a way to the City's Banqueting Close field where the vaults were placed; and requesting their lordships to name a time when the City might attend them to receive their further resolution in the matter.
25th June, 1613.

III. 154. Letter from the Earl of Exeter (fn. 9) to the Lord Mayor, requesting that the quill of water supplied from the City's conduitheads to his house in the Strand, which had been enjoyed by his father and himself, but which had lately been stopped by the City's officers, might be continued.
Wimbledon, 1st July, 1614.

IV. 10. Letter from Mr. Baron Altham to the Lord Mayor with respect to the repair of the pump near his house in Bishopsgate Street, of the condition of which the poor neighbours much complained, both on account of being deprived of the water, and of the danger to the public safety thereby occasioned in case of fire, there being no conduit near the place. The residents alleged that it ought to be kept in repair by the City, and the writer forwarded the letter by a deputation who would make proof of that fact. At the same time he expressed his conviction that if it should prove so, the Court of Aldermen would take care accordingly; if, however, they found the Ward should do it, he begged the Lord Mayor to see it done.
15th January, 1615.

IV. 46. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen. Upon humble suit made to Parliament in the third year of His Majesty's reign on behalf of the City of London, for the bringing of fresh streams of running water to the north parts of the City, it was thought very necessary and convenient that such a stream should be brought from the springs of Chaudwell and Amwell, Herts, and upon like humble suit to Parliament in the fourth year of His Majesty's reign an Act was passed to declare the true meaning of the former Act, wherein it was thought to be more convenient and less damage to the country that the said stream should be conveyed through a trunk of brick or stone. Hugh Middleton, Goldsmith, of that city, being by Act of Common Council authorized and deputed to perform the work, had expended great sums of money in purchasing the ground through which the water was to pass, in making bridges and other works, and that with such difficulty, on account of opposition and disturbances of the country, that if the King had not favoured and supported the undertaking, Middleton would have sunk under the burden, and never have completed the work. The King had been moved by the Aldermen to sanction the passage of the water through his parks. The object of the statutes was the general good and profit of the City in the use of sweet and wholesome water, as well as for the preservation of the same from fire, of which there had been good experience three several times last summer. The King and Council had been informed that but few persons took the water, and it was not to be supposed that two Acts of Parliament and an Act of Common Council had been passed so much concerning the health and safety of the City to no use or purpose except the prejudice of such as were by the City deputed to undertake the work, and who had deserved so well of the public. His Majesty had therefore commanded, and the Council accordingly required the Court of Aldermen to provide, by Common Council or otherwise, that all such houses in the City and Liberties as either of necessity or convenience might use the same water should be required to do so.
23rd December, 1616.

IV. 80. Letter from Sir George Coppin to the Lord Mayor. The City plumber had been to cut off a water-pipe, which was said to be connected with the City's pipe, and which he had enjoyed for sixteen years. In his opinion the quill came from the pipe of Durham House, and not from the City's pipe. It could not be taken up without spoiling his garden and house. He requested that it might be determined by order of Common Council whether he should have the pipe or not.
St. Martin's, 26th June, 1617.

IV. 96. Petition of George Beale and others, brewers, inhabiting in the Parish of Saint Giles without Cripplegate to the Court of Common Council, stating that Beale had applied on behalf of himself and others to the City Lands Committee for a lease of the waterhouse and works at Dowgate belonging to the City, and had offered to maintain them, to serve the conduit there with water, and discharge the City of 20l. per annum paid for pumping the water, besides repairs, on condition that they might have permission to lay pipes to convey the surplus water into the brewhouses without Cripplegate for the use of brewing. That the Committee (after considering the application and understanding that the petitioners were willing to take in Middleton's water for their other uses, and to pay reasonable rents for the same) had thought it fit that a lease should be granted of the said house and wharf, and that the petitioners might be permitted to lay pipes as was desired, but had referred the matter to the Common Council, as by their Order annexed appeared. The petitioners, therefore, prayed that such lease and licence might be granted to them.
(Circa 1617.)

IV. 97. Order of the City Lands Committee of the 27th January, 1617, referred to in the foregoing Petition.

IV. 101. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen. They had been informed of the application of the brewers with respect to the waterhouse and works at Dowgate; and although they did not doubt that due regard would be had to His Majesty's pleasure, signified upon a former similar occasion, for the stay of a house intended to be erected on London Bridge for the conveyance of water to Southwark, to the prejudice of his waterworks at Islington, brought from Ware, yet since the said new stream, brought at great cost from the springs of Chadwell and Amwell, was of great consequence for His Majesty' service, and deserved all due encouragement, they had deemed it expedient to require that stay should be made of any such intended waterworks, &c., at Dowgate, the more so since the brewers could so conveniently be supplied from the new stream.
27th February, 1617.

IV. 125. Letter from Mr. John Walter (fn. 10) ("the Prince's Attorney" in margin) for a quill of water from the City's pipe for the use of his house in the Strand.
2nd June, 1618.

IV. 127. Letter from Sir Thomas Edmunds, (fn. 11) Treasurer of the King's House, requesting that a quill of water from the City's pipe for his house (Cecil House) in the Strand, which had been formerly allowed to the previous tenants thereof, might be restored.
Strand, 16th June, 1618.

VI. 99. Copy of an Order of the Court of Aldermen granting, during pleasure, to Sir Richard Weston, knight, Chancellor of the Exchequer, a quill of water from the City's main pipe, to serve his necessary use at his house in Drury Lane.
8th May, 1627.

VII. 87. Order in Council, authorizing the City's officers to search the courses of the main pipes for the supply of water to the conduits, as they were entitled to do by the Act 35 Henry VIII. cap. 10, and to remedy all defects or abuses occasioned by the erection of buildings, &c., over the same; to cut off all unauthorized branches, and to cause the mains to be diverted, where necessary, at the expense of the owners of the buildings erected over them.
2nd March, 1633.

VII. 111. Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens, of the City of London to the Lords of the Council. The City had formerly been at great charge to bring fresh and sweet water, in leaden pipes, from the manors of Tyburn and Marylebone to certain conduits in the City, much of which had of late years been withdrawn and taken away, whereby the City had been in great want, and the poor had sustained much misery. They had lately begun to bring part of the waste water from the Roundhead near Tyburn to the storehouse near the banqueting-house, and had disbursed great sums of money in digging, laying of leaden pipes, and providing materials, but were now stayed by the King's command. They prayed the Council to become mediators to the King for permission to finish the work.
Dated in margin, 11th April, 1634.

VII. 116. Order in Council respecting the conveyance of the waste water from the Round Head in Oxelees near Paddington.
2nd May, 1634.

VIII. 24. Letter from Sir Francis Bacon to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen for a lead pipe from the City's main pipe for the supply of water to York House.
25th July, 1617.

VIII. 27. Letter from Sir Henry Montague to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen in support of Lady Darby's (fn. 12) request for a quill of water for her house.
14th May, 1618.

VIII. 52. Letter from Henry Gibb (fn. 13) to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, that he might have the same favour that his predecessor, Mr. Secretary Calvert (whose house he had the lease of), had—viz., the benefit of the water.
1st October, 1624.

VIII. 75. Letter from Sir Thomas Lake to the Lord Mayor, that the quill of water which had been granted to him from the City's pipe lying before his door, but which, in the time of his trouble, had been cut off, might be restored to him.
30th March, 1625.

VIII. 103. Same as No. 87, Vol. VII.
2nd March, 1631.

VIII. 128. Same as No. 116, Vol. VII.
2nd May, 1634.

VIII. 192. Letter, signed H. Vaine (Sir Henry Vane), to the Lord Mayor for a quill of water for his house at Whitehall.
9th May, 1637.

IX. 41. Letter from Denzell Holles (fn. 14) to the Lord Mayor, Sir John Frederick, (fn. 15) requesting a quill of water for the use of his son and daughter, at their residence in St. Martin's Lane.
(Circa 1662–3.)

IX. 55. Letter from the Earl of Manchester to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. York House, in the Strand, had been appointed for the residence of the Russian Ambassador, and he desired that the water-pipes belonging to the City, bringing water to that house, should be repaired.
(Circa 1662–3.)

IX. 68. Letter from the Duke of Albemarle to the Lord Mayor, requesting that the Court of Aldermen would take measures for supplying the Mews with water as heretofore, which was so essentially necessary for the King's service, &c.
13th October, 1663.

IX. 93. Letter from the Duke of Buckingham (fn. 16) to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, requesting permission to have a quill of water from the City's pipe, for the use of York House.
(Circa 1664.)

IX. 95. Letter from the Duke of Albemarle to the Lord Mayor, requesting a quill of water for the Gentlemen of the Horse at the Mews Gate.
10th September, 1664.

IX. 104. Letter from the Earl of Northumberland (fn. 17) to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen. He had lately been deprived of the conduit water which had always served Northumberland House at Charing Cross. He requested permission for a quill of water from the City's pipes, which passed the gates of his residence.
7th March, 1664.