Taylor on Thame Isis: or The description of the tvvo famous riuers of Thame and Isis, who being conioyned or combined together, are called Thamisis, or Thames With all the flats, shoares, shelues, sands, weares, stops, riuers, brooks, bournes, streames, rills, riuolets, streamelets, creeks, and whatsoeuer helps the said riuers haue, from their springs or heads, to their falls into the ocean. As also a discouery of the hinderances which doe impeache the passage of boats and barges, betwixt the famous Vniuersity of Oxford, and the city of London.

TAYLOR ON THAME ISIS.

OVr patron Phoebus, whose sweet influence, Doth quicken all our reason, life and sense, Tis he makes grasse to grow, & Riuers sprin•• He makes both my songs, subiect, and me sin•• His beames the waters doe extenuate To vapours, and those vapours eleuate Into the middle Region, where they tumble, And melt, and then descend and are made humble, Moystning the face of many a spacious hill, Where soaking deepe the hollow vaults they fill, Where into Riuers they againe breake out, So nature in a circle runnes about. Large Downes doe treasure vp great store of raine, Whose bowels vent it in the vales againe: No place in England could a treasure keepe, Thames to maintaine, but Coteswould (queene of sheepe

In Glostershire (my dearest motherearth) From whose faire City I deriue my birth, Are Coteswould hills, and in the farthest cliffe Of all those hils of Isis head is chiefe: Schollers from Gloster that to Oxford ride The truth of my assertion oft haue tride; On their right hand neare Cubberley they passe, Two Wells as sweet as milke, as cleare as glasse, Whence Isis first doth pedegree deriue, Those two are able there two mills to driue. At Burton on the water, south from Stow * 1.1 Vpon the Would, great vaines of waters flow To Burford, and to Witney, and along Till they make meadowes large, and Isis strong. The famous Riuer Isis hath her spring Neare Tetbury, and downe along doth bring As hand-maids) to attend her progresse, Churne, Colne, Windrush, Yenload, Leech, whose windings turne, And Meads, and Pastures trims, bedecks, and dresses, Like an vnvaluable chaine of ESSES. After releefe of many a Ducke and Goose, At Saint Iohns bridge they make their rendeuous, And there like robbers crossing London way, Bid many a bare-foot Welshman wade or stay. Close vnder Oxford one of Englands eyes, Chiefe of the chiefest Vniuersities,

From Banbury desirous to adde knowledge To zeale, and to be taught in Magdalen College, The Riuer Charwell doth to Isis runne, And beares her company to Abington, Whil'st very neare that towne on Barkshire side, The Riuer Ock doth into Isis glide; These fountaines and fish-breeding Riuolets, (The Countries nurses, nourishers, and teats,) Attend Dame Isis downe to Dorchester, Neare which her louely Tame doth meet with her, There Tame his Isis doth embrace and kisse, Both joyn'd in one, cal'd Tame or Tame Isis, Isis like Salmacis becomes with Tame Hermaphrodite in nature and in name. Tame doth deriue his Spring or Pedegree Neare Mesworth in the vale of Aylsbury, From whence he many miles with strange meanders, To finde his lovely Isis slowly wanders, Through fertile lands a quiet course he keepes, Till Southward vnder Whately bridge he creepes, And (like a Pilgrim) trauels all alone, No Brooke or Riuer waiting him vpon, Onely three namelesse Riuolets and two springs, Which very priuately their tribute brings, Bewailing Isis absence, and his fate, Poore Tame all heauie and disconsolate,

•…•…nnauigable, scorn'd, despis'd, disgrac'd, •…•…auing in vaine so many paces pac'd; •…•…espairing and quite desperate with these harmes, •…•…e hurles himselfe vnwares in Isis armes; •…•…or closer can the barke be to the tree, •…•…han their infoldings and embracings be; •…•…hey rise and fall together, and they are •…•…n want and plenty to haue equall share; •…•…d Tame with Isis will be both one riuer, •…•…ill in the Oc•…•…n they their names deliuer. •…•…t Wallingford and Pangbourne, two small ri•…•…s, •…•…heir homages to Thamisis instils. •…•…he more the riuer runnes, the more tis spreading, •…•…ill in it's course it falls as low as Reading, •…•…here Kennet kindly comes with force and source, •…•…o aid and helpe Thamisis in their course. •…•…he head of Kennet is neare Ramsbury, •…•…assing to Hungerford by Newbury. •…•…he •…•…iner Anborne out of Hampshire •…•…ies, •…•…o Kennet with some namelesse small supplies •…•…f pe•…•…ic rills, which passing here and there, •…•…ho to repeat, teadious and needlesse were. •…•…o Sunning and by Bisham Thames descends •…•…o Marlow (called great) from whence it wends; •…•…hereas a little rill from Wickham towne, •…•…o wait vpon the Thames comes gliding downe;

Then pleasantly the riuer takes free way To Topley hills, by Maidenhead and Bray, Till it to Windsor and to Stanes doth win, And there the riuer Colne comes gliding in: Colne hath its head or spring in Hartfordshire, At Abbots Langley, or else very neere, With some small petty rils and riuolets, By Colbrooke vnto Stanes and Thames it gets, The riuer Wey, with diuers namelesse springs Neare Chertsey, vnto Thames their seruice brings. Wey (beyond Guilford) help'd with creeks and crooks, At last at Oatlands towards Sunbury lookes, And there a little rill, (scarce worth a line) In Middlesex doth with the Thames combine. Neare Reygate towne the riuer Mole is found, Bearing its course, runs (Mole-like) vnder ground; But rising vp by Notbury againe, At Molsey it the Thames doth entertaine. From Ewell towne the riuer Brent makes haste, Who by the Thames is louingly embrac'd: Next which is Chiswicke towne, and Hammersmith, It entertaines a rill, or little frith, And after that below, neare Wandsworth mill, Comes in another •…•…rooke or namelesse rill; Thus I the riuer bring; and it brings me From their first springs to London bridge you see.

Now from the bridge below descend I must, Till Thames it selfe doth in the Ocean thrust, And if my paines to good men proue a pleasure, My gaine's beyond my merit, beyond measure, Of Watermen, men scarce can finde a Slower, Yet hey, to Grauesend hoe and somewhat lower. Braue London Bridge claimes right preheminence For strength, and Architects magnificence, To be true None-such, for no eye beheld A bridge which it each way hath paralleld. The arches (Tame and Isis) shadie bowres, Through which both East and West in twice twelue houres Twice Neptune greets it flowing from the Maine, And twice the riuer sends it backe againe, And as the flouds or ebbes encrease or falls, They through the arches murmure Madrigals, Whil'st th' Eddies divers wayes doth turne and trace, Tame doth with Isis dance the wilde goose chace, From this rare matchlesse piece of workmanship, I with the tide of Ebbe must quickly slip, And downe into the Riuer Lea I hie, That parts Midsaxon from East Saxony. Which riuer fals from Ware to Walthamstow, And downe by Layton vnto Stratford Bow, Some call it Lea, but Camden calls it Stowre, And neare Blackwall it in the Thames doth powre,

Next Rodeing is (a Brooke or riuer small) Which Foord from Berking into Thames doth fall. From Hauering, Burntwood and from Ockingdon, Three little Rils into the Thames do run, Th'are namelesse, or scarce worth the nomination. And so on Essex side I end my station. And now I'le crosse into the County Kent To note what riuers from her bound are sent, To wait vpon the mighty bigswolne Thames, Who now is grown the Prince of Brittains streams. By Bromley glides the riuer Rauensburne To Deptford downe with many a wandring turne, The riuer Darrent is the next and last, Which downe by Dartford into Thames is cast. And thus from Glocester shire neare Tetbury And Buckingham shire close by Aylsbury, I haue brought Isis and her partner Tame With twenty seven helpes losing each their name, Who spend themselues to make the Thames grow great, Till (below Lee) it lose both name and seat, Through many Countries as these waters passe, They make the Pastures fructifie in grasse: Cattell grow fat, and cheese and butter Cheape, Hey in abundance, Corne by stricke and heape, Beasts breed, and Fish increase, fowles multiply, It brings wood, Cole, and Timber plenteously:

It beares the lame and weake, makes fat the leane, And keepes whole townes and countries sweet and cleane; Wer't not for Thames (as heauens high hand doth blesse it) We neither could haue fish, or fire to dresse it, The very Brewers would be at a fault, And buy their water dearer than their mault, And had they malt and water at desire, What shift (a Gods name) would they make for fire? There's many a Seaman, many a Nauigator, Watermen, fishers, bargemen on this water, Themselues and families beyond compare, In number more than hundred thousands are, Who doe their Prince and Country often serue, And wer't not for this riuer might goe sterue; And for the good to England it hath done, Shall it to spoyle and ruine be let runne? Shall p•…•…iuate persons for their gainfull use, Ingrosse the water and the land abuse, Shall that which God and nature giues us free, For vse and profit in community, Be barr'd from men, and damb'd vp as in Thames, (A shamelesse auarice surpassing shames;) I speake not of the riuers bounds below, Whereas the tides perpetuall ebbe and flow, Nor is the r•…•…er wanting much repaire, Within the bounds of Londons honour'd Maior,

Which limits all are cleare from stakes and piles, Beyond Stanes bridge (thats more than forty miles) But I (from Oxford) downe to Stanes will slide, And tell the riuers wrongs which I espide, Not doubting but good mindes their powers will lend, T' endeuour these abuses to amend: Therefore I pray the Readers to dispence, And pardon my abrupt intelligence. From Oxford two miles Ifley distant is, And there a new turne pike doth stand amisse, Another stands at Stanford, below that, Weeds, shelues, and shoales all waterlesse and flat; At Newnham locke there's plac'd a fishing weare, A gra•…•…ell hill too high, scarce water there; At Abington the shoales are worse and worse, That Swift ditch seemes to be the better course, Below which towne neare Sutton there are left Piles that almost our Barges bottome cleft; Then Sutton locks are great impediments, The waters fall with such great violence, Thence downe to Cullom, streame runs quicke and quicke Yet we rub'd twice a ground for want of liquor. The Weare of Carpenter's sans fault I thinke, But yet neare Witnum towne a tree did sinke, Whereas by fortune we our Barge did hit, And by misfortune there a board was split;

At Clif on there are rocks, and sands, and flats, Which made vs wade, and wet like drowned rats, ••he passage bare, the water often gone, ••nd rocks smooth worne, doe paue it like free stone. ••rom Clifton downe to Wallingford we fleet, Where (for annoyance) piles are plac'd vnmeet; ••rom thence our Oares did downe the riuer draw, ••ntill we came vnto a mungrill Spaw, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bath, a Spring, a Fountaine, or a Rill, ••ha•• issues from the bowels of a hill, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hill it may be tearm'd, or demie mountaine, ••rom out whose entralls springs this new-found fountaine, Whose water (cleare as Chrystall, sweet as hony,) Cures all diseases (except want of mony,) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 helpes the Palsey, Cramp, or Apoplexie, ••cab scurfe, or scald, or dropsie if it vex yee, ••he Plurisie, the Lethargie, Strangury, ••t cures the Cataracke, and the Stone assure yee; ••he head-ach, Megrim, Canker, or the Mumps, Mange, Murrians, Meazles, Melancholy dumps, ••t is of vertue, vigor, and of force ••o driue all malladies from man or horse; Help'd of a Tertian ague I saw one, Weake, and not worth the ground he went vpon) Who drank the water mingled with the clay, And presently the Ague ran away;

It cures an old sore, or a bruised blow; It made the deafe to heare, the lame to goe; One dumbe came thither, and straightway disputed, And on the trees are crutches executed; To heale greene wounds it hath such Soueraigne power, It cur'd a broken pate in halfe an houre, Which sconce was crack'd on purpose to th'intent, To try the vertue of the Element. If any man imagine I doe lie, Let him goe thither, breake his pate and trie. Some say crack'd maidenheads are there new sodered, I'm sure the hill with beggers is embroidered, And all those beggers are with little cost, With lice and scabs embroidered and embost; And as it were the Well of Aristotle, The water is farre fetch'd in many a bottle, The clay mixt with the liquour kils the Cornes, Ah could it cure some Cuckolds of their hornes, It would haue patients out of euery climat, More than my patience could endure to rime at, And had it but the vertue to surcease Some clamorous tongues, and make them hold their pea•…•… Thousands of husbands would their wiues send thither; That they might be recouered all together. Apothecaries I lament your lots, Your medcines now will mould in Gallipots,

•…•…ur drugges with barbarous names vnbought will lie, •…•…d waste and languish in obscurity, •…•…ill begger all the Quacksaluers outright, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all our Mountebanks are vndone quite, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whats become of me? can any tell? •…•…od Reader helpe me out of this strange well; •…•…with my pen its praise did meane to touch, •…•…nd it (I feare) hath made me write too much, •…•…hich if I haue, let your constructions be, •…•…ame the strange working waters and not me: •…•…ut he that sayes that I doe ouer-doe, •…•…et him goe thither and hee'le doe so to; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 farewell, Well, well fare thou, still excell, •…•…crease in operation, Well farewell. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eath the fountaine, next is Cleaue locks fall, •…•…d neare to that a locke men Goring call, •…•…ut hauing past the locke at Gorings there, •…•…t Master Coltons house we had good cheare, •…•…ith hearty welcome, but 'twas for his sake •…•…hat d•…•…d this hopefull businesse vndertake, •…•…et with our hearty thanks we thanke them all, •…•…hat din'd vs like a solemne festiuall. •…•…rom thence to Harts locke downward we descended, •…•…d next to Whitchurch locke which must be mended, •…•…ecause the waters turne so swift and various, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gainst our wils to dangerous courses carry vs:

Next there's a Weare, that if it had its right, Should be well lib'd, or else remoued quite; Below that Maple Ducham locke appeares, Where stands three faulty and vntoward Weares; Then neare the bridge of Cauersham there is One Welbecks Weare, fit to be mou'd I wis; As past the locke at Cauersham we row, We found the riuer very foule below, With weeds and hills of mud and grauell choak'd. That with our Oares and staues we thrust and poak'd. Next Breaches Weare neare Sunning naught doth lie, And Sunning locke the groundsill is too high, Besides two Gin-holes that are very bad And Sunning bridge much need of mending had; Haules Weare doth almost crosse the riuer all, Making the passage straight and very small, How can that man be counted a good liuer That for his priuate vse will stop a riuer? Shiplocke, or Cottrels locke stand very neare, Not from that farre is Elmes his fishing weare, Whereas the riuers case is altered well, For Master Ployden neare that place doth dwell; Marsh locke is plac'd a little aboue Henly, And there the Thames is kept indifferent cleanly, And here at Henley once in fifteene yeares, A Riuer stranger in the street appeares,

Whose cesterne in the Woods his wealth doth gather, •…•…n that long space, and cannot get it rather, B•…•…t gotten out of high-way-flouds, and leaues, A•…•… Dutchmen keepe the drops of their house-eues. The cesterne fils and then the wals breake downe, And send their stowage vnto Henley towne, An•…•…ther fifteene yeares the wals repaire, And fill the place with raine or thawed ayre, And being so replenisht in that space, It runnes (rub rub) close by the bowling place. Neare Henley (some three quarters of a mile) A little Ile digresse and change my stile. Should I forget the good Iudge Whitlocks loue, Vnmanner'd and vngratefull I should proue, It was about the time (as I remember) In August, some fiue dayes before September) We landed neare the noble Iudges harbour, (With stomacks sharpe as razour of a Barber) The time was short, we neither toyd nor trifled, The Kitchin, Pantry, Pastry strait we rifled; The Celler and the Buttery both we forrag'd, By which braue booty we were much encourag'd, S•…•…ke and good Claret drawne from Tierce and Punchion, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 one whole day, and two euenings Nunchion; Ou•…•… b•…•…ead as good as euer baker sifted, Ou•…•… wine (rare wine) as ere to mouth was lifted,

And in our businesse (though we all were hasty) We did surprize an excellent Venson pasty, We there did saue the labour of inuiters; Whole ioynts of mutton prou'd vs good sheepe-biters, Our beere was brauely boyl'd and strongly malted, Our Pidgeon Pie was pepper'd well and salted, Most tender Chickins, Pullet, and a Capon, We (in our fury) did commit a rape on; A mighty scarlet Lobster last we seased, And so with these Acchats our minds were eased, But that which made our viands taste the better, Was welcome, which made each of vs a debter; And long may he and his suruiue and flourish, That did poore trauellers so kindly nourish, These lines are writ in duty to expresse Our loue, our duty, and our thankfulnesse. From thence we hi'd vs with the streame and wind, And in the Barge at noone we brauely din'd, And as our meat our gratefull minds did moue, We dranke Iudge Whitlocks health to shew our loue. Then came we to a locke call'd Hambleton, Whereas the streame a handsome course doth runne; Next Mednam Weare doth speedy mending lacke, It puts the Thames, and Thames puts it to wracke, And neare Frogge-mill two paltry stops there are, That in the Riuer take too great a share;

〈◊〉〈◊〉 at Harley, and a Weare below, •…•…lmost a stop, (fit to be clear'd I know;) •…•…hen Temple locke, 'bouc Bisham Church there is, •…•…eneath which is a Weare somewhat amisse, •…•…hen Marlow locke is worst I must confesse, •…•…he water is so pinch'd with shallownesse, •…•…eneath which is a Weare should be defac'd, •…•…nd Cottrels Weare of Cookham be displac'd. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Weare doth to one Holdernesse belong, •…•…hich doth the riuer most in•…•…ious wrong, •…•…eare which a Spring runs from the chalkie hills, •…•…he which (not long agoe) did driue two mills, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stop 'gainst Toplow Warren much doth spread •…•…ext Bolters lock, (a mile from Maydenhead.) •…•…hus haue I past the locks, now weares and stops, •…•…rom thence as farre as Stanes mine Inkhorne drops. •…•…oue Maidenhead bridge a stop and one beneath, •…•…hich both to be amended I bequeath; •…•…gainst Bray church, and Bray mill, stand three more, •…•…different bad as any were before; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stop at Water Oakley naught doth lie, •…•…t Rudles poole the grauell hills too high, •…•…he water turnes so short, and runnes so quicke, •…•…hat oft the Barges there a ground doe stricke; •…•…eare Boueney Church a dangerous stop is found, •…•…n which fiue passengers were lately drown'd;

Below the bridge at Windsor (passing thus) Some need lesse p•…•…les stand very perillous: Neare Eaton College is a stop and weare, Whose absence well the riuer may forbeare; A stop, a weare, a dangerous s•…•…nke tree, No•…•… farre from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ferry are all three; A graue•…•…l bed, two stops and stakes beside, Agai•…•…st and neare old Windsor Church we spide, With 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stops more we saw neare Ankerwike, And neare my Lord Maiors stone we saw the like, Besides an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or Island there we found, Hedg'd far 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into the streame to gaine more ground: From Stanes we past to Lallum guls, most shallow, Whereas •…•…iue Barges fast aground did wallow; And su•…•…h a trowling current there did set, That we were vildly puzzled by to get; Tumbling 'twixt Middlesex and Surrey land, We came where Chertseyes crooked bridge doth stand, Which s•…•…re was made all by left-handed men, The like of it was neuer in my ken; Wiw waw to Oakam ward, kim kam, kiwwaw, That through i•…•… men can hardly set or row, That's the last fault I found that merits note, And downe from thence we merrily did •…•…lote. Thus haue I shew'd Thames wrongs in generall, And wish they may be mou'd, or mended all;

And who can but with pity here behold These multitudes of mischiefes manifold? Shall Thames be barr'd its course with stops and locks, With Mils, and hils, with gravell beds, and rocks: With weares, and weeds, and forced Ilands made, To spoile a publike for a priuate Trade? Shame fall the doers, and Almighties blessing Be heap'd vpon their heads that seeke redressing. Were such a businesse to be done in Flanders Or Holland mongst the industrious Netherlanders, They to deepe passages would turne our hils, To Windmils they would change our watermils. All helpes vnto this riuer they would ayd, And all impediments should be destroyed: Our vagabonds (the wandering brood of Caine,) They would enforce those runnagates take paine, Whereby much profit quickly would accrue, (For labour robs the hangman of his due.) In common reason, all men must agree That if the riuer were made cleane and free, One Barge, with eight poore mens industrious paines, Would carry more than forty carts or waines. And euery waine to draw them horses fiue, And each two men or boyes to guide or driue, Charge of an hundred horse and 80. men With eight mens labour would be serued then,

Thus men would be employed, and horse preseru'd, And all the Countrey at cheape rates be seru'd. T'is said the Dutchmen taught vs drinke and swill, I'm sure we goe beyond them in that skill, I wish (as we exceed them in what's bad,) That we some portion of their goodnesse had: Then should this worthy worke be soone begun, And with successefull expedition done: Which I despaire not of, but humbly plead, That God his blessings will increase and spread On them that loue this work, and on their heires, Their goods and chattels, and on all that's theirs: I wish them blest externall, and internall, And in the end with happinesse eternall.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Corruptly called Stow the old.