Presentatu fuit alias coram Sampsone Folyot et Edm de Caldecote qd naves que venire solebant et debet cũ mchandizis suis apud Huntedon' burgū de ptibz de Len' et aliis ptibz impedite sunt p stagnū Regin' de Grey et similt' p exclusas Abbtis de Rameseye apud Hoghton' et p exclusas prioris de Hunt' apud Herford' et similit p aque et in pte p manuopacom Abbtis de Rameseye et hoium suo fcus est quidam pvus rivulus qui quidam rivulus attahit maximam ptem aque antiqui cursus ita qd naves tansire non possunt nec uno alveo nec alio ad magnū detimentū villate de Huntedon et toti9 patrie. cursu Et sup hoc Attorn' Abbtis de Rameseye reqisitus si fuit ad nocumentū Pdci Abbtis si pđas alveus obstructus sit-dicit qd sic. It was presented before Sampson Folyot and Edmund de Caldecote, that ships which were accustomed and had right to navigate with their merchandise to the borough of Huntingdon, from the ports of Len and other ports, are hindered by the obstructions of Reginald de Grey, and also by dams formed across the river by the Abbot of Ramsey at Hoghton, and in like manner by dams of the Prior of Huntingdon, at Herford; and also in part by a certain small river or water course, made by the Abbot of Ramsey and his agents, which said rivulet diverts the greater part of the waters from their antient course, so that ships cannot navigate by the one stream or the other, to the great injury of the town of Huntingdon and the whole neighbourhood. Upon which it was demanded of the Attorney of the Abbot of Ramsey, whether it would be to the injury of the said Abbot, if Et sup hoc Pceptu est vic' qd fac' pdcam Aðátem venire et simili? Reginaldū de Grey coram Thes' et Baron' de Scacio apud Westm' in crastino Sci Andr' &c. Placita de Quo Warranto Temp. Ed. 1. the aforesaid water-course were blocked up? who replied, that it would. Whereupon a precept was directed to the Sheriff, commanding that he cause the aforesaid Abbot, and in like manner Reginald de Grey, to appear before the Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer at Westminster on the morrow of St. Andrew, &c. These Inquests indubitably prove, that, previous to the erection of mills at Hemingford, Houghton, and Hartford, there was an effective navigation to the ports of Lynn, &c. from Huntingdon, and consequently from Godmanchester. In these pleas the suitors appear chiefly to have been the inhabitants of Huntingdon, who felt aggrieved at their loss of port tolls and gernerage, and who, perhaps, foresaw the impoverishment of their town, from its commercial importance being destroyed, an issue fully realized, though but little considered amongst the causes which led to the decay of that once populous, extensive, and opulent Borough." From the defective registry of antient u It is curious to observe that these effects are attributed by Historians to the ravages of the plague; and even in a grant of GERNERAGE to the inhabitants of Huntingdon, in aid of the feefarm rent in the 37th Edward 3d, the same cause for the impoverishment of the town is principally urged: "We, considering that the said town of Huntingdon, as well by mortal pestilence as law records, and destruction of the valuable MSS. of religious houses at the Reformation, it is impossible now to ascertain what farther proceedings, if any, were instituted by the inhabitants of Huntingdon against Reginald de Grey, the Abbot of Ramsey and Prior of Huntingdon; indeed they appear from henceforth acting but a very subordinate part in any efforts to restore the navigation; and the domination of the Abbot and Prior over the whole course of the stream continued until the commencement of the fifteenth century. The obstructions in the river, and consequent frequent inundations of the town and meadows of Godmanchester, led to continual protests from its tenants and inhabitants, who, at length carrying their complaints into the Dutchy Court, obtained, A.D. 1415,* a decree against the Prior of Huntingdon, whereby Commissioners were appointed" to view the premises at Hartford, and the level and course of the water, and to assign a floodgate or lawseyard, or by various other sudden adversities, is so weakened and destroyed that a fourth part of the same town is not inhabited," &c. In this grant "various other sudden adversities" are allowed to have had their influence, and it must occur to the most ordinary observer, that the effects of depopulation from plague or accidental sickness would speedily have been remedied if a profitable investment of capital had continued; but the destruction of the navigation permanently crippled the commerce of Huntingdon, by destroying it as an inland port, reducing its traders to a dependence on its mere home consumption, and the traffic of the immediate neighbourhood. x Record in Duc. Lanc. floodgates or lawseyards, conveniently to turn the course of the water to the said mills in such place, &c., and of such reasonable height, length, breadth, &c., as they might see fit, doing least hurt to the parties, and the said tenants and others, inhabitants adjoining." This partial reformation proving ineffectual in the prevention of floods, the men of Godmanchester, in times of high-water, formed gulls and breaks in the banks of the river above Houghton and Hemingford; and, resolute on restoring the navigation, cut through the dams across the stream at both those places, to the annoyance of the Abbot and his tenants, and the injury of their mills, when, after divers actions at common law filed by the Abbot, "wch caused greate losse and grudging upon both p'ties," an arrangement of their claims took place, and an indenture of agreement with respect to them was formed under the direction of the Dutchy Court, protecting the Abbot and convent, and their successors, in the property of the mills, by restraining the men of Godmanchester from making gulls, &c., and setting forth that "the damminges and excluses shal be made and pitched of such reasonable and convenient height, that by keeping upp of water by the said excluses the meadowes and pastures of the said towne of Gumecester adioyneng to the said river shal not be drowned nor surrounded wth water. And if any default now or hereafter happen to be in the setting of the said excluses or dammynges, that then such defaultes at all tymes shal be reformed by the oversight of the Councele of the said Dutchey for the tyme being, and not by the said Bailiffes, Men, Coialtie, Tennants, Residents, and Inhabitants, their heirs or successors, nor none of them." This indenture, bearing date Nov. 10th, A.D. 1467, 7th of Edward 4th, placing the control of the waters under the supervision of the Dutchy Court, defined also the right of fishing mutually claimed by the contending parties; and what was of manifold more importance to this and the neighbouring county of Bedford, laid the foundation of that navigation which has been in no small degree instrumental in restoring them to whatever commercial importance they have since attained. It recites "That the said Bailiffes, Men, Coialtie, Tenants, Residents and Inhabitants, their heires and successors, shall have henceforth free passage in the said river wth such shepps, boates, and all manner vessels, more and less, as the said river may beare in all places to come fro the said towne of Huntingdon unto a banke nigh one of the said mills, called the drawing place, and there to be discharged of their carriage and lay it on the said banke, and there over the said banke the said vessels to be pulled over, and soe shoven furth into the said river againe beneath the said excluses, and then in all convenient and goodly hast to be charged agen w1hout any thing paying therefore.” A clumsy method of navigation it must be confessed, but which, however imperfect it may appear, not only lead to the future opening of the river, |