ditch, from the Bank whch of right belong unto them with the profits thereof."

"And Wee further present, That the River of Colney halfe way over the same River, and the Fish and Fishing thereof from Swift Lake, at or near West Drayton, to the Lower end of Thurney Moor, doth belong to the Lord of the sd. Mannor, and likewise from the lower end of Weare-mead, Northward to Marsh Bridge, including the Eights* and halfe the River :-and from Marsh Bridge to the Wear, including halfe the Wear, and from the Weare to Rowley Bridge, including halfe the River and all the Eights:-and from Rowley Bridge to High Bridget, (North) including halfe the River and the Eights :-and from High Bridge to Hoggmoore to the upper end of Hoggmore Northward to High Bridge being upon London Road. The Lord of the said Mannor hath the River and the Fishing thereof, all over the same river from the upper end of Hoggmore to the High Bridge on London Road aforesaid."

"And Wee also present That the Tennants of the said Mannor and Burrough, time out of Mind, have used & accustomed to Fish Three days in every

* Eight is a corruption of Ait or Eyght from the Saxon Eig, and signifies an island in a river. See Johnson's Dict. on the word Ait: Mat. Paris: Jacobs's Law Dict. and Rees's Cyc. art. Ey.

+ We presume that this is the long bridge on the Moor, upan the Windsor road.

This clearly refers to the bridge on the high road to Oxford, at the extremity of the town.

Week, (viz.) upon Wednesdays, Frydays, & Saturdays, in the said River of Colney, and in the said Waters belonging to the Lord of the said Mannor, from the Lower end of Weare-Mead aforesaid, to the upper end of Hoggmore aforesaid, and in all the other comon water within the said Mannor, as in & by our answer to the Fourth Article is Expressed."

"Also Wee present That the Lord of the said Mannor hath a Severall Fishing, in the little River runing towards Colham Mill, which Severall Fishing doth Extend itselfe from the East end of Swift lake to Colham Mill, (North) and from Colham Mill to Weweseley Bridge Northward, including all the River and Bridge, And then Excluding the said little River, from Wewesley Bridge to the North end of Black ditch, being the Water of Richard Partridge. The Lord of the Mannor hath the said little River from the said North end of Black ditch, up the River Northward, to the North end of Auster-Mead, and from thence to a Style in Moore close, parcell of Cowley Hall, and then (Excluding the Water claymed to belong to Cowley Hall) The Lord of the said Mannor hath the Fishing of the said little River, from the North end of certaine Closes called Moor Closes, (Northward) to Gidds Washing Place. In which said River from the North end of Auster Mead afore

The right of fishing from this point to High Bridge, on the London road, is the private property of Messrs. Samuel and William Hull, and is now rented by Mr. D. S. Norton and Mr. T. Osborne. From High-bridge northward the water is the property of Richard Thompson, Esq. of Denham Court, and of John Drummond, Esq. through the adjoining parishes of Denham and Harefield.

said, to the said Style in Moore closes, and from the North end of Moor Closes aforesaid, to Gidds Washing Place. The Freehold and Coppyhold Tennants of the said Mannor, time out of Mind, have used and Accustomed to Fish. Three days in every Week, (viz.) Wednesdays, Frydays, & Saturdays in such Manner, as is before Exprest in the Fourth Article."

Though two streams of the Coln flow past the lower end of the town, it was not till within the last ten years, that the inhabitants have enjoyed a plentiful supply of good water.

In the year 1701 waterworks were constructed by Mr. John Yarnold, at the place afterwards converted into copper-mills, and since used as plate-glass-mills. The river-water was conveyed to the houses at reasonable rates, by means of large wooden pipes. Mr. Yarnold had a lease from the lords of the manor and borough, of such parts of the waste land as were necessary to lay the pipes, for ninetynine years, at the annual rent of forty shillings, and one couple of fat capons. The inhabitants, upon paying a rate of one pound per annum for each house, were allowed to insert leaden pipes into those of wood. The water was laid-on to the top of the town in the

morning, and to the bottom in the afternoon of one day, and the reverse the next day. Considerable injury was done to the pipes belonging to these works, by the digging of the Grand Junction Canal; and by the Act of Parliament, which authorised the digging of the canal, a compensation was allowed to the proprietors of the works.

Yarnold had obtained, 1781, by Mr. Powell, The supply of water

The lease which Mr. was surrendered up in the then possessor of it. from the water-works ceased in 1799 or 1800; after which it was obtained for a time in watercarts, at a considerable expense, till the lords of the manor and borough dug three wells of considerable depth, each of which yields a large supply of excellent water: one is opposite the George inn; another at the western corner of the Church; and the third opposite the Rose and Crown public-house. About the

same time several wells were sunk at the expence of individuals, or by voluntary subscriptions. The wells which had been previously dug, not having been sunk to a sufficient depth, yielded but a precarious supply from the land-springs, and that generally of a bad quality,

SECTION 2.

MARKETS, FAIRS,-TRADE AND MANUFACTURES,— TRADESMEN'S TOKENS.

Markets.

The market for corn and every other article of provision is held on Thursday. The corn is not allowed to be sold by sample, but is all pitched in the market-place. The clerk of the market, with his assistants, takes toll of every sack, before the market commences. The toll is a quart from every two sacks. The market for corn commences at 12 o'clock, and before that time none can be sold. The largest toll ever collected in this market, of which we have been able to obtain certain information, amounted to forty-five bushels, being the produce from two hundred and eighty-eight loads of grain, pitched in the market-place on one day. This market is considered one of the largest pitched corn markets in the kingdom. Its origin as early as the middle of the twelfth century, we have already traced at page 38; and for further particulars we refer to chap. iv. sect. i. There is another market on Saturday for meat, poultry, eggs, butter, vegetables and fruit, which, as well as that on Thursday, is amply supplied from the neighbourhood.