Most approued, and long experienced vvater-vvorkes Containing, the manner of winter and summer-drowning of medow and pasture, by the aduantage of the least, riuer, brooke, fount, or water-prill adiacent; there-by to make those grounds (especially if they be drye) more fertile ten for one. As also a demonstration of a proiect, for the great benefit of the common-wealth generally, but of Hereford-shire especially. / By Rowland Vaughan, Esquire.

The manner of my Drownings.

AFter I had spent some yeares in Queene Eli∣zabeths Court, and saw the greatnes and glory therof vnder the com∣mand of Mistres Blanch Parry (an honorable & Vertuous Gentlewo∣man, my Aunt and Mistresse) my spirite beeing too tender to indure the bitternesse of her hu∣mor; I was by her carefull (though crabbed au∣sterity) forced vnto the Irish wars, where I cō∣tinued three or foure yeares some-times twist deep in that country-water: & what with long fasting and ill diet, I was possessed with the Country-disease:* 1.1 the extremity whereof hasted mee to returne to my Fathers home in the County of Heref. for recouery of my health:

which within sixe months I obteined. After it pleased GOD to giue mee recouery, I re∣solued for the Lowe-countrey-warres againe: and hauing begun my iourney thetherward, I happened on a Country-Gentlewoman, who was seized of a Mannor, and ouer-shot Mill: which conuerted all my martiall endeuours and hopes of honor, to these country-labours: Hauing soiourn'd two yeares in my Fathers house, wearied in doing nothing, and fearing my for∣tunes had beene ouer-throwne in putting by my Martiall occupation; I began to expostulate with my selfe what was best to be done to pre∣serue my reputation with my martiall compa∣nions, and with-all to giue contentment to my vertuous and louing wife. And while I was to settle a resolution, comparing these desires together, my Wiues importunity caused mee to quitt their ordinary familiarity, yet with li∣mitation; at such times as conueniency might afforde.

This restraint of hers, drewe mee to the at∣tendance of home-labours; who prayed mee with-all in my walkes abroad, to haue an eye to her Millers true dealing. I prayed her to put ouer that seruice to some seruant of hers: for of all trades I had least confidence in their truth: and therefore required the more paines to be taken in watching their water, & looking

to their fingers, which I was loth to vnder∣take: not-with-standing, (vpon better consi∣deration, least shee should haue held me care∣lesse of her good, and so ill deserue her loue) I obeyed her will, as many doe, and many mi∣series do ensew thereby. So, in the month of March, falling (with the streame) to the milne∣ward within my Meade (with no desire I pro∣test) to fashion or forme Husbandry) I happe∣ned to finde a Mole or Wants nest, raised on the brim of the Brooke, like a great hillocke; from which nest or hillocke, there issued a little streame of water, (drawne by the work∣ing of the Wante) downe a sheluing or des∣cending ground, one pase broad, and some twenty in length.

The running of which little Streame, did, (at that time) wonderfully content mee, see∣ing it pleasing Greene; and that other on both sides full of Mosse,* 1.2 and Hide-bound for want of water. This was the first cause I vnder-tooke the drowning of grounds.

Now, to proceede to the execution of my vvorke (beeing perswaded of the excellen∣cie of the water) I examined how many foote∣fall the Brooke yeelded, from my Mill to the vpper-most part of my grounds, beeing in length a measured Mile.

There laye of old Meadow-ground thirty

acres ouer-worne with age, and heauily laden with Mosse, Cowslips, and much other imperfit grasse, betwixt my Mill-streame, and the maine Riuer; which (with two shillings cost) my gran∣father, and his gransire, with the rest, might haue drown'd at their pleasures: But from the beginning, neuer any thing was done, that either tradition or record, could witnesse, or any other testimonie.

Hauing vewed the conuenientest place, the vpper-most part of my ground would afforde for placing a Commanding-Weare, or Sluce, I espied diuers Water-falls on my neighbours grounds, higher then mine by seauen or eight foote; which gaue me greater aduantage for drowning of more ground, then I was (of my owne power) able to doe. I acquainted them with my purpose: the one (being a Gentleman of worth and good nature) gaue mee leaue to plant the one end of my Weare on his side the Riuer▪ the other (my Tenant) beeing very aged and simple) (by no perswa∣sion I could vse) would yeeld his consent: al∣ledging it would marre his ground: yea, some-times his Apple-trees: and men tolde him water would raise the Rush, and kill his Cow-slipps, which was the cheefest Flower that his Daughters had, (beeing many) to tricke the May-pole withall. All which with

scilence I past ouer for a time, knowing his simplicity to exceed his discretion; yet in the end I re-enforc'd my perswations, and tolde him (next vnto the King) I was to bee obeyed in matters reasonable: and that it became him not to prouoke his Land lord; nor to stand at the staffes end with his Commander. Yet these Buggs-words would not mooue him. Then gaue I a fresh charge, and to draw him on with a Baite which hee would soone bite at, tould him I had a Meddow-plott in his neighbour∣hood, worth ten pound, which I would part with on reasonable termes: but before I could make him beleeue hee was a foole he gott the Fee-simple thereof.* 1.3 Which President doth fal∣sifie the old-said-Saw, Thou art an old doting foole. After I had wrought this farre, I caused my seruant (a Ioyner) to make a leuell to dis∣couer what quantitie of ground I might, (from the entry of the Water) obtaine: allow∣ing his dubling-course, compassing Hills to cary it plym or euen: which fell out to bee some three hundred Acres. After I had plimmed it vpon a true Leuell, I be-tooke my selfe to the fauour of my Tenants, Friends and Neighbours, in running my maine-trench (which I call my Trench-royall) I call it so, because I haue with∣in the contents of my worke, Counter-trenches, defending trenches, topping, or brauing-trenches.

Winter and Summer-trenches, double and treble-trenches, a trauersing trench with a point, and an euer-lasting trench, with other troublesome-trenches: which in my Map I will more liuely expresse.

When the Inhabitants of the country wher∣in I inhabit, (namely the Golden-Valley) saw I had begun some part of my worke, they sum∣moned a consultation against mee, and my man Iohn the leuellour: saying our wittes were in our hands, and not in our heads: so, we both for three or foure yeares, laye leuell to the whole Country-censure for such Enginors as their fore-fathers heard not of, nor they well able to endure with-out merryment.

When my labours tooke beginning, they became subiect to discourse: Diuerse Gentle∣men with others, inquired from whence I had my Examples; and where I saw any such worke? I could not answere them but with an other question: namely, where sawe you any such? They said, no where. Truly nor I.

In the running and casting of my Trench-royall, though it were leueld from the begin∣ning to the end, vpon the face of the ground, yet in the bottome I did likewise leuell it to auoyde error.

For the Breadth and Depth, my propor∣cion

is ten foote broad, and foure foote deep; vnlesse in the beginning, to fetch the water to my drowning-grounds, I rann it some halfe mile, eight foot deepe; and in some places six-tenne-foote broad. Al the rest of the Course, for two miles and a halfe in length, according to my former proportion.

VVhen my VVorke began, in the Eye of the Countrey, to carry a shew of profit, it pleased many (out of their courtesie) to giue it com∣mendations,* 1.4 and to applaud the Inuention.

The Ioyner hearing the commendations to bee generall, and hee the Leueller (which was (he thought) the cheefe Agent in the Acti∣on) there grew a brabble betwixt vs. Hee began to insult and arrogate as a Coadiu∣tor, by reason of his leuelling, and desired hee might bee signified a principall party to the Inuention.

I bad him haue patience, the Inuention was mine, together with the dignity: and told him withal the ambition of soldiers would not indure society with men of Mechanicall trades: I only imploy'd his hand, and not his head.

So hauing compounded the brabble be∣tweene vs, I fell into the handes of an vn∣skilfull Carpenter, in planting my commaun∣ding Weare or Scluce, crosse the maine Riuer.

Hee gaue mee such assurance for the safe con∣tinuance

thereof; that hee vndertooke to maintaine it with twelue pence a yeare, during his life.

After hee had prepared it ready for the foundation, hee planted some thousand stakes in the bottom of the Brooke to carry the maine Syll. When the Syll was lodged vppon the Pile of Stakes, I began to suspect the foundation, and told him a great part of the water would vndermine the Syll, and that I should hardly indure the want ther∣of at my Drowning-times; especially in Sommer.

Hee grew teasty, hott, and peremptory; and sayd it was not the Maisters manner to controule; but, to examine: and that all his VVater-workes were according to the Veneti∣an foundation, built altogether vppon Piles: but the Venetian-fashion forced mee to want water ten yeares space, which was out of my way two thousand poundes.

The reason was this; the water vndermi∣ning the Syll, it forced the Earth beyond the postes, which were placed in the firme ground; and hauing gotten the vpper hand of the main-Land it could not bee holp vntill the Sylle were rais'd againe. I hadde a continu∣al purpose to re-edifie it, but that I was inte∣rupted by the ordinary course of Processe

out of the honorable Courts of Starre-cham∣ber, Chancery, and Wardes; the last of the three bredd more white haires in my head in one yeare, then all my Wetshod-water-workes did in sixteene. Not that I had cause to com∣plaine of Iniustice; but, because I vnderstood not the course of the Courts, being pusled with an old Feodary, and a foolish Escheter, (the life and death of my cause resting in their mercy.) Twelue Iurors who passed against mee, lawe, equity, and conscience. Vpon which Verdit, I was, by Iniunction, comman∣ded to deliuer the body of a Warde I had in keeping, which I refused to doe: It happe∣ned my Councell found Error in the Office, and ouer-threwe the former proceedings, which was the ouer-throwe of my Water-workes for fiue yeares space.

The ouer-throwne-Office was a stolne Office, and found before I had notice of it. But beeing ouer-throwne, matter of greater consequence followed.

The Queenes Atturney commanded the Feodary, who had gotten a grant of the Ward, to exhibite enformation against mee in his name: wee had Commission vpon Commissi∣on: wee indured heauye and chargeable examinations.

Vppon which Examinations I had a

Hearing in that Honourable Courte; and though it could not passe against me, yet it passed not with mee. One other Commission came downe, A lury impanalled, Witnesses re-examined. That Iury found with mee, & (in my conscience) not one of the number vnder∣stood his euidence: All which I shew to satis∣fie the Inquisitor, why so long I neglected my begunne Water-workes. When the Escheator, Feodary, Commissioners, and Iurors hadde putt their hands & seales to the Office, I prepared my self to my forsaken Water-works; hauing left my wanton Ward in London in the custody of a Precisian or Puritan-Taylor, who would not indure to heare one of his seruants Sweare by the Crosse of his Sheares, hee was so full of Sanctity in deceipt. But the first newes I heard,a 1.5 hee marryed my Welch Neece to his English Nephew; and at my returne I was driuen to take his word that hee was neyther priuy to the contract, nor the marriage.

I desir'd but his oth for my satisfaction; hee badde mee haue patience, it was not his fashion to forsweare him-selfe. Thus hoping I had beene quit of the cause, I pray∣ed recompence of the Offender: But with∣in sixe months a new Commission came downe; and a new Office found against mee: which manner of proceeding (I thinke) was

able to breede white hayres in a Brittaines beard.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Flix.
• * 1.2

  The first cause that the work was vnder∣taken.
• * 1.3

  For no simple fee.
• * 1.4

  Ignorants praise good endings, but doubt, or dis∣praise their beginnings.
• a 1.5

  Holy fraud is the falsest fraud.