AS Raine from the Firmament is drawne from the Sea, and other waters and vapours of the Earth, and Ayre, by the vigour of the Sunne, whereby Rivers spring and overflow Grasse, Groves, Fruits encrease, fishes multiplie, beasts and cattell breede and waxe fat, Corne plentifulls, Butter and Cheese in abun­dance, and all other blessings for the life of man or beast is nourished with milke of Heaven (as raine may justly be called) So Navigable Rivers are the Cheri­shing veines of the body of every Countrey, King­dome, and Nation: And as the veines of man doth distill supporting sustinence, to every part and mem­ber of his Body; so doe passable Rivers convey all manner of commodities from place to place, to the benefit of all and every place in every Countrey and Teritorie.

My selfe bearing a naturall affection to Portable Rivers, and a setled inclination and desire of the pre­servation and use of them, did for the same intent e­specially lately passe with a small Scullers boate into five great Rivers of this Kingdome; for the which in­tent, (to beare charges) I procured divers of my friends to subscribe to severall Bills, for them to pay [Page]me some severall small summes of money, upon my delivery to each of them a booke at my returue of the passages and entertainements which I had in my journey; which booke this is, which you are now reading, and how I past out and came backe againe, with many occurrences that happened I have truely related as followeth.

On the twentieth day of Iuly last, 1641. (the second day of the dogged Dogdayes (I with my two men and a brace of boyes were embarqued with a Scul­lers boate first from London, and within halfe a quar­ter of an houre after, I past from my house neare the Beares Colledge on the Banckside, I tooke leave of some friends, and had a flagge advanced as a token of my publike departure; but some enemies gave out that I was Runne away, who I doe know (since my re­turne,) to be a crew of malicious Vermin, (that still being the most auntient name of their Captaine and leader,) on the day afforesaid with many stops, stayes, and taking leaves, wee gat to Oatlands at night, and lodged at Weybridge at the signe of the sixe Ankers. The next day, being wendnesday I strived against the streame as farre as Great Marlow, in Bucking hamshire, where I Lodg'd at the signe of the Crowne. Thurse­day the 22. of Iuly, I past (with much toyle) from Marlow to Goring; and the next day I came to Abing­ton. If it be demanded why I was so may dayes in pas­sing 130 miles, I answer that the River (by reason of a great drought) wanted water in may places, so that wee were forc'd to wade, and leade or hale the boate [Page]divers times, and moreover we did pull the said Boate over or thorough 14. Locks, besides many other im­pediments, which hindred our passage.

As farre as above Stanes (which is forty miles by water from London, The River Thames is by the care and providence of the Lord Mayor well conserved and kept from impediments of Stops, Weares, Sand beds and other hindrances of passages of eyther Boates or Barges, and from Stanes to the furthest part almost there is no stoppage (but only Weares, which Weares have Lockes to open and shut for the pas­sing to and fro of all manner of vessells (passable tho­rough from London to Oxford; betwixt which Cities the Barges doe draw up nineteene of those Lockes with engines (like Capstanes) which are called Crabbs. I doe relate this heare, because the Reader may by that which followeth understand, that though Weares be necessary in Rivers, yet they ought not to stop up all passages, but to suffer Lockes to be opened and shut as Thames hath.

Thurseday the twenty seaven, I passed with my Boate from Abington to Oxford, where I was well en­tertained with good cheere and worshipfull compa­ny at Vniversity Colledge; The next day I passed to a place called Bablack Hive (or Hithe.) And on Thurse­day the twenty nine, I passed by Lechlad, and came to Creeklad; This towne of Creeklad is five miles di­stant by land from Ciciter, but it is easier to row sixtie miles by water on the River of Thames, then it is to passe betweene those two townes, for there are so [Page]many milles, fords and shallowes with stops, and o­ther impediments that a whole daies hard labour with my selfe and foure more could neyther by toyle or Art get but to a Mill of one Master Hortones at a place called Suddington, a mile short of Ciciter, so that ac­cording to land measure we went but foure miles in a long dayes travell. The last of Iuly I left Suddington Mill, with the honest welcome of the Miller and his wife, and with much a doe for want of water I gatt to Ciciter, where the River was so dry that it would beare my boate no further; at the hither end of that Towne there stands a great Barne belonging to one Cooke, of whom I hired a Waine, wherein I put my Boate my selfe and my Men, Boyes and luggage, this Waine did in lesse then five houres draw me from the River Isis neere Ciciter, to a brooke called Stroud, which booke hath it's head or Spring in Bessley Hundred neere Misserden in Cotswould in Glostershire, ( Stowd and Churne might be cut into one, and so Severne & Thames might be made almost ioyned friends) are within 4. miles of Churne, which hath its first spring nere Cober­ley, 7. miles from Glocester & falles into Isis about Laech­lad, so that 4 miles cutting in the Land betwixt Churne and Stroud, would be a meanes to make passages from Thames to Severne, to Wye, to both the Rivers of Avon in England, and to one River of Avon in Monnouthshire, which falles into the River of Vske neere Cirlion in Wales. By which meanes goods might be conveyed by water too & from London, in Rivers at cheape rates without danger, almost to half the countyes in Eng­land [Page]and Wales. But there is a devill or two called sloth and covetuousnesse, that are the bane of all good en­deavours and laudable Actions, but more of this shall be said hereafter.

I being vncarted (with my boate) at a place called Stonehouse, in the Afforesaid brooke called Stroud, with passing and wading, with haling over high bankes at fulling milles (where there are many) with plucking over suncke trees, over and under strange Bridges of wood and stone, and in some places the brooke was scarce as broad as my Boate, I being oftentimes im­peached with the bowghes and branches of willowes and Alder Trees, which grew so thicke, hanging over and into the brooke, so that the day light or Sunne could scarce peepe through the branches, that in many places all passages were stop'd; so that I was some times forced to cut and hew out my way with a hatchett; with this miserable toyle all the day I gat at night to a Mill called Froombridge Mill, whereas (for our comfort) was neither Victualing house, meate, drinke or lodging, but that a good gentlewoman, one Mistris Bowser, there did comiserare our wants, and though she were not accustomed to victuall or lodge Travellers, yet the rarety of our boate, and strangenes of my adventure moved her so farre that shee at an casie rate did furnish us with good dyet, my selfe with a bed in an out-house, and my men and boyes with a sweet new mowed and new made hayloft.

I am much ingaged to a gentleman (one Master Iohn Stephens,) whose worthy father Nathaniell Ste­phanes [Page]Esquire) is one of the Knights of the Shire for the County of Glocester, in this Honorable and high Court of Parliament. To this House at Estington (corruptly called Eston) I was invited from the Mill with my company, where we both at dinner and sup­per had welcome and good entertainement on Sun­day the first of August. I doe further acknowledge my gratitude, [...]o Master Mew the Minister there, both for his Spirituall paines taking, twice the said Saboth, and and also I thanke him for other courtesies which hee bestowed on me.

Munday the second of August I tooke my leave at Froombridge Mill, and (falling to our old worke againe of haleing and draweing from Mill to Mill, and from one hindrance to another, I came at last to Whitmister, where after I had plucked my boate over, I with my Murnivall of followers were stayed at the command of a worthy Gentleman named Master Thomas LLoyd, to whose house neere there we went upon small intreat­ty, whence my sudden entertainement was so freely generous as might have beseemed the persō of a good Knight or Esquire. The said gentleman went with me to the brookes mouth, and saw me entred into the River of Severne, where (with thankes) I tooke my leave of him, and in two or three howers space I swom up the Severne to the ancient Citie of Glocester, where I was borne, and where by reason of almost fifty yeares absence I was scarce knowne. But the right worshipfull Thomas Hill Esquire, Mayor of Glocester gave me noble entertainement, and invited mee and [Page]my servants to his house: the next day at dinner, and afterwards about three in the afternoone, he came to the key at the River side, where I entred my boate and tooke leave of him, & went to Tewxbury being (some twelve miles by water that night, the fourth of August I past by the citie of VVorcester up the River to Bewdley, where I lodged at the signe of the Pyde Bull; The third of August, I went from Bewdley (being an ex­treame rainy day) and that night approaching I saw a faire house belonging to a Knight named Sir VVil­liam VVhitmore, thither I went and demanded of some of his servants whether lodging might bee had for money, where a poore man did answer, that if I would but crosse the River with him, and goe but halfe a mile up a hill, I should have the best entertainement his poore cottage could afford, and necessity having no law, I accepted willingly;

And surely that faire house I last spake of, was of a strange operation, for I was wet to the skinne when I went thither, and in lesse then halfe a quarter of an houre I came away as dry as ever I was in my life; this is a misterie or a Riddle, for I saw not the butler.

The sixt of August I past thorough many sharpe streames, fords, and shallowes to a place called Coond­lane-end, where I lodgd at a Smiths, it being the one and only house there

The seventh of August (being Saterdy) I arived at Shrosebury, where I tooke harbour at one Luckmans house upon the lower bridge, in the afternoone I went to the Major Thomas wingfield Esquire, he bad me wel­come [Page](but had no leasure to bid me drinke,) but he came from the Towne Hall with me to my lodging, and saw mee in my boate, and after­wards with his hand and seale of his office, tooke his leave dryly of me. But Master Thomas Iones, an Alderman there, that had borne the office of a Bayliffe there, sixe times before Shrewesbury was a Mayor Towne, and (as I was informed hee was the first Mayor of that place, and he hath al­so beene high Sheriffe of the County of Salop (or Shropshire) that Gentleman invited mee to dine with him on munday the ninth of August, where there was no want of good company, fish, flesh, foule, venison, wine, and welcom.

That afternoone I left Shewesbury, and retur­ned downe the River twelve miles by water to Coonde-lane-end, where I lodged at my old Hosts the Smiths house.

The tenth of August I came to the Citie of Worcester, where the Right worshipfull William Norris Esquire, Mayor there made me extraor­dinarily welcome, giving his testimoniall under his hand and seale of Mayoraltie, that I was there with my boate.

Wendnesday the eleventh of August I retur­ned to Gloucester, where I was well entertained at a venison feast, by the right Worshipfull Master Mayor and his Bretheren. And presently (after dinner) I tooke boate and left Gloucester, and past [Page]downe the River 12. miles to a place called Gat­combe, there I stayed while such time as the tyde would serve me towards Brystow, (which was a­bout midnight,) But one Master Hooper that dwells there, being a very good Seaman, did give me good instructions and directions to a­voyde many dangers in that nightly passage, be­sides I followed the tract of a boate laden with fruit which was bound for Bristow, so that after all nights labour amongst rockes and perrilous deepes, whirling Gulfes and violent streames, a­bout the Breake of day, on Friday the 13 of Au­gust, I came to Kingroad, and staying there a while for the flood, I past up that River of Avon at Hungroad by Crockhampill, and by nine of the clock in the forenoone I came to the rich and fa­mous City of Bristoll.

My entertainement there I will set downe in briefe, which was by the Right Worshipfull Iohn Taylor Esquier Mayor, a Gentleman en­dowed (by the bounty of Heaven) both with right and left hand blessings, on Sunday the fifteenth of August my selfe and followers were his invited guests twice: and the next day hee gave mee a Certificate under hand and seale of my Arivall at that Citie, and at my taking leave of him (he knowing that travell was chargeable) did discharge a peece at me, and I unfearefull of the shott, did put it up most thankfully; my [Page]humble thankes to my Cosin Master Thomas Taylor at the Marsh there, whose friendship and favour I cannot requit or forget.

On the sixteenth of August I departed from Bristoll, towards the Citie of Bath, which is ten miles distant by land, and neere seventeene by water, which with passing by water over foure or five Milles and Weares, I attained to, at which Citie of Bathe I stayed two nights, being wel­come to the Right Worshipfull Master Mathew Clift Mayor, with good entertainement from him & some other Townesmen, I tooke his hand and seale of Mayoraltie for my Certificate, and so returned to Bristoll againe on wednesday the eighteenth of August.

The nineteenth of August, at midnight I left Bristoll, and with the tyde past downe the River into Kingroad, where I lay at the Hole mouth (as they call it) till the flood came, and day light beginning to appeare, with the same tyde I past the broad water twelve miles to the River of Wye in Monmouth shire; that day I past by Cheapstow, by the old Abbey of Tinterne, and to litle Tin­terne where I lay all that night, in a very cleane­ly wholsome welch English Alehouse. The twenty one I came to Monmouth (the shire Towne of that Countrey) where one Master William Guilliam) did give me such entertaine­ment at his house (on Sunday the twenty two [Page]of August) as I am bound gratefully to remem­ber.

Munday the twenty three of August, I left Monmouth, and (with a vvhole dayes labour by vvater) according to the miles by land) I got not a foote of ground; for at night when I came to a place called Lidbrooke, I was twelve miles from Hereford, and I was but twelve miles from the said Citie vvhen I vvas in the morning at the Tovvne of Mounmouth, this doth shevv that the River of Wye doth runne a little crooked from Lidbrooke. I vvent (on Saint Bartholomewes day) to the Tovvne of Rosse, vvhere I lodged nere Wilton Bridge there: and on the tvventie five I vvent to Foane Hope; and the tvventy sixe day about tenne of the clocke I gat to the Citie of Hereford, vvhich vvas the last place and the end of my painefull travell, Ioruney, Voyage, Perambulation, and Peregrination, or vvhat you please to call it; At Hereford I vvas invited to three severall places to dine on the friday, and I being not able to satisfie them all, gave them all the slippe, the three places vvere Edmond Ashton Esquire Mayor, the second the Vicars at the Min­ster or Colledge; thirdly, at a Taverne vvith diverse Gentlemen, but I having gotten the Mayors hand & seale, because I could not please all, left all, and stole avvay like a true man, leaving my thankes for Master Mayor, and Master Phil­lip [Page]Traherne, vvith all the rest, for their kindnesse to me the day before.

At my being at Hereford I vvas in a quandary or brovvne studdy, vvhether it vvere best to sell my boat, & returne to London by land, or else to bring the boate home againe either by land or vvater, or both, or how I could: at last I determined &. resolved to bring the monumentall vessell backe againe, vvhich I did as follovveth.

On friday the 27. of August I passed dovvne the River of Wye to a place called Inckson Weare, vvhere, vvith great entertainement and vvelcom I vvas lodged and my men also at the house of one Master Aperley, dvvelling there, to vvhom (for many) favours I doe acknovvledge my selfe to bee extraordinarily beholding. And on the Saterday I came to Lidbrook to my former Hoste Master Mosse, where understanding and knowing the passage down VVye and up Severne to be very long & dangerous (especially if stormye weather should arise, the boate being split, torne & shaken that she did leake very much) these things consi­dered, & that I was within five miles of Severne by land to Newnham, and that by water thither there was no lesse then 50 miles, I hired a Wayne frow Lidbrook to Newnham. And on Munday the 30. of August I past up Severne, by Glocester (and working all night) came in the morning betimes to Tewxbury, into another River called Avon, which by thegreat charge and industry of Master [Page] Sands is made Navigable, many miles up into the Countrey. Tuseday the 31 of August I came to a Market Towne in VVorcestershire called Per­shore. On the first of September I came to the Aun­cient Towne of Evesholm (corruptly called E­sham) and seeing that River to bee further and further out of my way home, I hired another Wayne from Esham to Burford, where I found a crooked brooke called VVindrush, in which brooke (after one nights lodging) with my ap­pendixes having taken each of us a Burford bait, we passed many strange letts and hindrances in­t othe River of Isis or Thames: Againe at New­bridge 12. or 14. miles from Oxford by water. By which Vniversity I past to Abingdon. The fourth of September, where I stayed till Wednesday the eight day: from thence was I with my boate at home on the Friday following And thus in lesse then twenty dayes labour 1200. miles were past to and fro in most hard, difficult and many dan­gerous passages, for the which I give God most humble and hearty prayse and thankes; and now I crave the Readers patlence a little whilst I briefely treate of a few things that may bee pro­fitable as well as pleasant.

I have before related of certaine stops, milles, and wares that doe hinder the passages of boates of Thames and Isis, now I will treate a little of the abuses and uses of other Rivers.

As for the River of Severne, it is almost as much [Page]abus'd as us'd, for an instance, there are Coale­mines neere it, and by the benefit of that River, mane a hundred family is served with suficient fewell at cheape rates, but some of those Cole­mines doe yeeld neere 1000 tunnes of Rubbish yearely, which by reason of the neerenesse of the River is all washed into it, and makes so many shallowes, that in time Severne vvill bee quite choaked up, and all passage stopped, but of that River more at the conclusion.

Avon River, that serveth Bristoll would also be made to serve Bathe, and many other parts and places, if Lockes were made at west Hanham weare, and at Kenisham, (with 4. or 5. places more) for the River doth offer Gods blessing to the peoples mouthes, if they would but open their lippes to receive them.

The River Wye is debard of all passages with Boates, by 7. Weares, 2. of them are Monmouth Weare, & Wilton Weare, the other 5. are Inkson Weare, Carow, Founehope, Hancocks and Bondnam Weare, these seven weares (like the seven dead­ly sinnes) doe dam up all goodnesse that should come from Monmouth to Hereford by water, and if the yron milles in the forrest of Deane doe eate up all the wood there (as it hath already done reasonably well and ill) within these few yeares, if the passages be stopt with Weares that coales cannot be carried by water to Hereford and ma­ny other places, it is to be feared that many rich [Page]men will bee glad to blow their fingers ends in the Winter through want of fiering, and num­bers of poore will perish with extreame cold; the complaints and cryes are grievous already; which if I had not heard and seene I would not have beleeved: and 7. lockes at those Weares would helpe all and hinder nobody, or else onely two Lockes would doe much good, the one at Monmouth Weare, & the other at Wilton, which is but eight miles from Hereford, and good vvay by land, for the carriage of any thing that might be brought by vvater.

For the other Kiver Avon, it comes from be­yond the City of Coventry, and running by the Tovvnes of Stretford, Evesholme, and Pershore, it falles into Severne at Tewexbury, so that Gloucester­shire (my native Countrey) is encompast round vvith Navigable Rivers, of vvhich Citie and Countrey I vvill speake a little for Countries sake, but most of all for love I beare to truth and Charity.

Records and Histories doe make trve relation of the antiquity of the Citie of Gloucester, that it vvas built by Arviragus (a Brittaine King) in the time of Claudus Tiberius Caesar, The said Claudius being the Roman Emperour, and commander of the vvhole World; in vvhose Raigne our bles­sed Saviour suffered; King Arviragus and Lucius (the first Christian King doe lye there buried: vvhen the Saxons had the rule and domination [Page]here in the raigne of Vier Pendragon and the renow­ned worthy King Arthur, that City and County had a Duke, a Bishop, and a Major; aboue 1100 yeares past, their names were Edell, Eldadus, and Eldor, the shire is divided in 33. Hundreds, of which the Citie it selfe is one, and two Hundreds more named Kings Burton and Dunstone, with 30. Townes and Villages are annexed to the said Citie; which is all under the commande of the Major and his brethren. It hath beene anciently famous for the Trade of Merchandi­sing, (now altogether decayed, the more is the pitty) King Henry the third was Crowned there the 28. of October 1216. there hath been many Dukes & Earles of Glocester since the Norman Conquest, as first Robert fittz Hamon, second William de Mondevill, third Robert de Millent, which Robert was taken prisoner & was ex­changed for King Stephen, the said King being then taken prisoner by Maude the Empresse) the fourth Earle of Glocester, was William sonne to the said Robert, and Lord of Glamorgan, was buried at Kinsham 1183. Iohn (who was afterwards King of England) was the third Earle of Glocester, the sixt was Almerick Mount­fort, buried at Keinsham. Sixt Geoffery de mandevile, he was slaine at a Tilting or Tournament 1216. The 7. was Gilbert de Clare 1230. The 8. Richard de Clare 1262. The 9. Gilbert de Clare, the second of that name 1295. all these three were buried at Tewxbury. Richard de Mount hermer was the 10. Earle 1323. Gilbert de Clare (the son of Gilbert the second) was the 11. Earle, was slaine at Sherbin in Scotland, and buried at Tewxbury [Page]1313. Hugh de Audley the 12 Earle dyed 1347. buried at Tunbridge. Thomas of Woodstock, the son of K. Edward the third, Duke of Glocester, was murthered at Callice 1397. Thomas Spencer the 13 Earle, was beheaded at Bristow 1400. Humphrey Plantagenet, the fourth son of K. Edward the fourth (who was called the good Duke Humphrey) was murthered, buried at S. Albons 1440. Richard Duke of Glocester (afterwards King of England) was slaine at the battle of Bosworth, and buried at Lei­cester, 1485. Henry of Oatlands the fourth sonne to our Soveraigne Lord King Charels, was borne at Oatlands in Surey on wednesday the eight of Iuly 1640. now Duke of Glocester, whom God blesse. And so much (though much more might be said for the honour of Glocester and Glocestershire.

That commerce and Trade is the strength and sin­newes of the common wealth, the chiefe and onely subsistance of Cities and Corporations, it is appa­rently evident. And the greatest honour and glory of Kingdomes, & the reasons why severall meanes there are that brings wealth and honour to a citie, all of them put together in one ballance, and the trade of Merchandising in the other, it shall overprize them al, upon it alone hangs and depends almost all other trades, it brings great wealth and honour to all places where it is prosecuted with successe. Witnesse that of Leogorne, which within this 30. or 40. yeares was but a poore fishing towne which by that trade alone is now the greatest Mart of the Medeterenian Seas. As likewise the Low-countries, although they cannot [Page]build a ship, but must fetch the materials from 6. seve­rall kingdomes, yet they build and have more ships then all Christendome besides, & have not any thing almost of a naturall staple commodity to deale upon, yet by that trade alone they have ingrossed the grea­test part of the trade, of the Christian World to thē ­selves; & some of them (if they please) may be gaineful in the trade of merchandising there. Now that the Citie of Glocester is scituated in as convenient a place as any other within this Kingdome, the reasons fol­lowing shall demonstrate. First the said Citie hath beene an auncient Port towne, graced & infranchesed with priviledges as ample as London, or any other citie or Towne within this Kingdom, & dignified with the title of the 3. son of the Kings, and hath beene famous in former ages for the trade of Merchandizing now altogether decayed; And is likewise situated in as rich a soyle as any in this Kingdome, whose Markets are alwaies stored with abundance & varieties of all com­modities that the kingdome of England affords, inci­dent to the life and being of man. And it is likewise situated in as convenient a place for any trade of Merchandizing being upon the famous River of Se­verne, then which there is not any more miles Navi­gable within this Kingdome, & also the River of Avon being made Navigable with in foure miles of Warwick which standeth in the heart and center of the said Kingdome, having both the said Rivers, the advantage of all opportunities both for exportation & importa­tion of all goods and commodities whatsoever into [Page]and from at least a third part of the said Kingdome, & which parts vents as many forraine commodities and yeelds as many varieties of commodities as any o­ther part of the said Kingdome doth. And which said parts cannot bee served by or from any other parts; then by the said Rivers unlesse they will fetch & bring their commodities over the land three or foure score miles at a great charge, which cannot bee conceived they will doe, if it may be brought home to their doores by water; the said Citie having by speciall grant under the Great Seale, a spatious and conve­nient Key or Wharfe built of stone neare the Kings Custome-house upon the said River, at which Key or Wharfe the Sea doth in its due course continually ebbe and flow for the bringing in and out of ships, and other boates of convenient burthen, so that a ship of a hundred and fifty tunne, or thereabouts, may at eve­ry tide come to Gatcombe, which is but 12 miles from Gloucester, and therelye secure, and the River of Wye runneth into the Severne tenne miles above Kingrode, where ships of two or three hundred Tunnes may lye secure and safe.

And I have observed, that the trade that Bristoll driveth up to the city of Gloucester: and beyond it, in small Barkes hoighes and Trowes, is at the least two hundred Tunnes of all commodities, every spring, which is every fortnight or lesse. And it is conceiued and more then probable, that if the said trade of Merchandizing were settled within the said City of Cloucester, (as heretoforeit hath beene) that neither [Page]the trades men of the said City of Gloucester, nor others that live three or foure score miles above it, will goe downe to Bristoll, and may have their com­modities in Gloucester, for divers Reasons and incon­veniences that may thereby happen.

As first it saveth threescoure miles riding in a dirty Countrey, next the ventring of their goods from Bristoll to Gloucester by Water, sometimes cast away, sometimes (the spring not serving) they are benept, and so cannot have their commodities to serve their turne, but usually much abused by Trow-men, so that many that live up the River beyond Gloucester, are thereby greatly discouraged, and doe many times buy their commoditys at London, Souththampton, Hull, and Chester, and so bring it home by land three or fourescore miles at a great charge, which if the trade were settled at Gloucester they would not doe, for which Reasons aforesaid and many other that might be alledged, it hath caused divers men well skilled and versed in the said trade of Merchandizing, much to wonder that the said trade hath beene so long neg­lected, many of which hath concluded that the said City of Gloncester with the said key and havens, and the Kings custome house thereunto, doe lye as conve­nient for the said trade of Merchandizing, as any other City or Towne within this kingdom, and might drive the greatest trade of any other ( London only excepted.) For this City of Gloucester, stands almost within (or neere) the Center of this kingdome, and for exporta­tion and Importation, of all Native and forraigne [Page]commodities (by Reason of the riches of the soyle) and Commodiousnesse of the Adiacent Rivers, it is com­parable to any place, except the Metropolis London. The village of Galcombe being at first built for the trade of Gloucester, (most commodious.) Now forasmuch as it may be objected, that the River of Seavern is dange­rous, I must confesse it is so to those that know it not; and through want of practise (whereby experience showeth) but to those that know it, noe danger at all. For there is not one Barge in twenty that hath beene cast away, but it hath been by the owners covetousnes in loding too deep, or venturing too rash upō the tide, for feare they should be be kept, & so loose the spring, all which with a certaine trade up and downe the Ri­ver might wisely be prevented; All other difficulties that can or may be alledged, are of small consequence to hinder, if men of meanes and ingenious spirits doe undertake it. The reason aforesaid hath induced some men well affected to the publike good, and welfarre of this City, to endeavour a beginning of this most ho­nourable action, and were they seconded with that in­couragement from others, which if they were as wil­ling, as every way able, both with their place and meanes, The necessity of this cause so earnestly requi­ring it, the necessity of this cause (I say) so greatly moveing it, there is no doubt but by the blessing of the Almighty, and that in a short time it might raise the ruines of the decayed trade of this City, so much complained of by all, and make it as honourable as now it is contemptible, which is & shal be the dead­ly [Page]prayers and desires of him, who presenteth this Hoping that no Churlish Naball, Mallicious Sanballar, corrupted Tobiah, proud Haman, unmercifull Dives, or any of the deadly sinnes, can or shall hinder so good a worke.

In the most part of my Iourney, I came to few places but their was to be found plenty of beggers, or Doggmaticall, Scismaticall, full of Beggerly Rudiments, as the Apostle saith, Galathians. 4. Opi­nionated divers wayes; and every one would have his owne fancy, to stand for his Religion; for they all dif­fer one from another, yet all joyne against that which they have beene baptized and brought up in; In one place there is a blind old woman, and she repeates, and Interprets: in another a Pavier, and he will take upon him to mend the way. Then their is a Strange fellow (a Baker,) one light loafe and he will new bolt, sift, Knead, and mould Relligion. In another a quon­dam Brewers Clearke, (would faine be a Priest) and Preaches most wonderfully in a mault house, besides a zealous Sowgelder, that professeth most desperate doctrine. Good Lord in thy mercy looke upon us, and give us true peace and unity, both in Church and Common wealth.