To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, And the Honourable Houses of Parliament.  
A MEDITERRANEAN Passage by water, FROM LONDON to BRISTOL, etc. And from LYNNE to YARMOUTH, And so consequently to the City of YORK: for the great Advancement of TRADE & TRAFFIC.  
By Francis Matthew, Esquire.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Newcomb. MDCLXX.   

 portrait of Charles II with royal seal 
Augustissimi CAROLI Secundi Dei Gratia ANGLIAE SCOTIAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REGIS Effigies  HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE A: Hertochs Fecit.   

TO THE King's Most Excellent MAjESTY CHARLES II. By the Grace of GOD, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland; Defender of the Faith, etc. And the Honourable Houses of PARLIAMENT.  
May it please Your most Gracious Majesty,  
OBserving, by traversing this Island, that divers Rivers within the same may be moulded into such Form, as will admit of Vessels of thirty Tun burden, or upwards, to sail in, unto the great Relief of divers Countries in this Island, by means of the same, at less than half the Rates now paid for Land carriage, and near with as speedy return, going both by day and night; and to the Reward of Your Most Gracious Majesty, if the same were once made so Navigable; and considering at how easy a Charge (as I humbly conceive) the same may be brought to pass, in comp●●●●●n of the Advantages which may be reaped thereby: and the great encouragement given my endeavours of bringing this design to pass, by divers Mayor Towns and Corporations of this Land, that conceive a Relish of the Sweetness through the great Opinion only they have of it, upon serious Discourse had with me concerning the same; a Catalogue whereof hath been presented to your Majesty: as by the like means may be had from many more such Towns which have the like Invitations to the same: I humbly presume, upon this stock, to become Importunate to Your most Excellent and Royal Majesty for the enterprise of and ready effecting this Work, being an Undertaking so Heroic, that 'tis beyond the Level of any others to attempt: and, seeing that the longer it is delayed, If your Majesty shall understand that the same may produce a Profit (which I endeavour by this small Treatise to evince) the longer is the Profit lost. And after my Travels, Industry and Studies in and about this great Improvement, and with so great an Expense of my Estate in Your Majesty's Royal Father's Service, by the Advance of a Troop of Horse, and the accommodation of Three Sons, at my own proper Charge in the same, and otherwise; besides the unhappy Consequence of Imprisonment, Plunder and Sequestration in the same epidemical Misfortunes which all Your Loyal Subjects accompanied Your Majesty in, and also a great Misfortune I sustained by Fire: all which occasioned my Wife and self, during those times, to live at a great distance from each other, and wholly to rely on our Friends, in so much that at present, I am neither able to compose my debts, nor preserve my lawful Rights against undue Encumbrances: If Your Majesty shall be pleased to promote this Work, and bring it to effect within my remnant of days, by Your Majesty's gracious favour, without other Expense then what will carry along with it an advantage to Your Majesty; Your Majesty may relieve me with what may seem so just, as a Recompense due unto me for my Endeavours about the same, and may give me Leisure (after the distractions I now sustain) with great alacrity for the discharge of so good an Office (as the Obtaining of Your Majesty to effect a work of so great a Benefit to my Country) to enjoy the fruits of my Labours, and express myself  
Your MAJESTY'S Most obsequious, faithful, and most obedient Subject and Servant Francis Matthew.   

The Opening of RIVERS FOR Navigation.  
THough there be many more Obstructions and Difficulties to be met with, in the making of the Riverrs within this Island Navigable, then are familiarly in the Flat Netherlands of Holland, and the rest of the United Provinces of Belgium: whose benefit may seem to allure us to the like Industry, nevertheless England's fair Valleys, and rich Inlets, through which many noble Rivers insinuate themselves, might, with the Imitation of our ingenious Neighbours, be made in many places docible of Navigation, to the inestimable comfort, ease and benefit of the Subject: wherefore, in all Humility, I make this my most Humble Address unto Your Most Renowned and Imperial Majesty: And show, That yet such an Enterprise in several places of this Island may with advantage be effected by divers and sundry ways, of no less Importance to the whole Nation,  
First, Of a Wonderful Improvement to much Trade, and great Relief to the Land, and most remarkably to be perceived, by the supply of many places with the great Benefit of Coal (which without this means cannot be had) to the employment of Your Majesty's Subjects in Mining, and otherwise about the same, and also the advance of many from Low degree, becoming Merchants in the same, (by that sure Trade of taking in their Commodities at easy rates; ready returns, and certain gains, the Essentials of all Improvements therein) they thereby becoming ranked in the highest Capacities to serve their King and Country; an Excellent Precedent whereof, is to be seen in such of the Merchants of Newcastle, who have traded in that Commodity alone, at much greater hazard, delay and charge than in such Mediterranean Rivers (as is by this designed) becoming Navigable, may be effectually brought to pass.  
Secondly, To the great Ease of the Subject, for the Rivers so designed, being Navigable thereby, with lesser Charge, with fewer hands, greater Transportations from place to place and in shorter time may be made: Armies in time of War, in their primest Strength, by such Transport, fit for ready Service (which the hazardous Condition of a Soldiers Calling is daily to expect) may safely, silently and without harrass of the Country in their goods and Carriages, be thus conveyed.  
Thirdly, Hereby a great Increase of His Majesty's Revenue may be established upon the Crown from such a Public Work, which the happy experience His Majesty hath had of the Newcastle Trade of Coal, were there no other Commodity than Coal to be transported in such Rivers, may invite him to, and which may be settled with so great Cheerfulness of the Subject, as that a great abatement of the Rates of the Commodities traffiqueed in may be had thereby; notwithstanding such imposition for His Majesty upon the same, to the perpetual establishment of the Impost, as a just return to him for so Public a good Work; to continue to him as one Diadem of his Crown for ever, The Public proportionably enjoying the benefit thereof accordingly: By which mutual returns unto each other, His Majsty and Subjects are naturally interwoven in the Preservation of each other: According to the Maxim, That by what the People, by the same the Government must grow: & vice versa: each of them in their several ways and powers being to support each other.  
Fourthly, This Island will hereby be the better fortified, because of the Increase of Watermen, the Walls thereof.  
Fiftly. By countenancing this Work, Horse will be preserved for war, for Merchandise, or other purposes, as Occasion may offer, and the Wisdom of Your Majesty may think best to approve of.  
Sixtly, And what is well worthy of Observing, the Highways hereby will be much preserved, and become a very acceptable work to the Country, which now notwithstanding their great cost, is now a grievous Toil as well to man as beast, being now so unnecessarily ploughed up by Wagons of Prodigious Burdens, which in this Island are daily travelling: And also to the insensible relief of this Island, by many other ways and means to be discovered by us, as they shall be occasionally offered to us to understand.  
And, indeed, the making of these Rivers Navigable, may be brought to pass, well nigh, at as easy a cost and charge as the Fenning works have been, though such great Works seemingly threaten great difficulties, which may not be foreseen or known till felt: Yet, re vera, the benefits are so innumerable and considerable which invites unto this Work in many places of this Island, as, at the very first sight, will show such hazards to be too inconsiderable to put a Baffle, or occasion so Noble a Work, so feasable, and to so good purposes, and high ends, (where they are well balanced, and managed by well pondered resolutions) to be laid aside: there being in this Island, Sufficiency of all Sorts of Provisions for undertaking of the same, which Prince or People, either are, or may be, unquestionably furnished with, being appointed of Council, in all ways requisite for such an enterprise of the choicest stamp, and of hands and means (in this so populous and great trading Nation) so inexpressibly endless, as must indisputably admit them by a presupposed accord of both, to be interpreted in an easy capacity, to act unto effect above the Level of such a work as this: especially being English spirits (who by their high Transactions almost of all kinds throughout the world) are deemed to admit nothing difficult but by them with Ceremony to be brought to pass, so it be but fit in Prudence to be undertaken, and the more the difficulty and greatness of the Work is apparent, let it be carried on with the greater Cheerfulness, as to the more achievement of our Honours in the Success thereof, after the manner of Atlas who is deciphered to have carried the World upon his Shoulders, without groaning.  
Over and besides the Variety of great and constant charges which are to be expended in & about the effecting and continued fruition of this great Improvement, there will be pre-required a Purchase of, or other agreement for such Mills, and Parcels of Grounds, from the Inheritors of them, or from such as have the same by Lease, or from both; which intervenes in and upon such Channels or Lands, which are so practicably capable amongst us (by the Industry of man for good purpose) of being cut, opened, cleansed and otherwise fitted for Navigation, and shall best accommodate such design: The Banks of such Channels where there must be Occasion for Towing of the Vessels to be Navigated with by the Assistance of Horse or man, being so necessary an appurtenant to be made use of, together with such River to be made Navigable: (as well as the frequent Occasions, which may be expected to be had of the same Banks, for the Cleansing and other amendments of such Rivers) must oblige to agreements for the same, wherein let the Seller departing from his right at another's Will, ever have advantage. All which sort of Purchases or Agreements (in every several place where the same are to be made)) and Sasses therein to be erected, for the raising of the Water to a convenient depth for the Vessels to ride in, by the particular skill and prudence of knowing Surveyors in such works, be directed unto, after a strict Geometrical Survey of the several intervening Platforms of grounds in and about every such several place where such work is to be wrought, and Sasses to be planted, as the Nature of the place which requires such purchase for such Improvement shall direct such Artist unto, ever regarding (though the Circlings, wind of such Grafts for Rivers, made, or to be amended for Vessels to sail in, shall thereby much enlarge the work in measure.)  
I. As well to avoid the Injuring of the Neighbouring Countries by the overflowing of the Banks, where such work is wrought, as to wave the insupportable charge of fitting a passage through craggy Rocks for a shorter cut, as a serviceable border, occasionally to be made use of for man or beast to tow in— And  
II. To make or appoint such graft (as designed for the safe and firm erecting or planting of each such Since or Safe in, as shall by such surveying Artist be judged requisite for such work) to be winding in the form of a Bow. Such a River as is so to be taught the Use of Navigation, for diversion of the force of the Main stream, from off such Sass, in avoidance of rending up or breaking of the same, which by the Natural force and current of the Stream, especially in floods and Storms (if such Sasses should be planted upon the most current Streams of the River, which they are to be inservient unto) must reasonably be expected— And no other means, ever was, or is imaginable, for the fitting of a River of great Streams in many places, oft times too shallow for the draught of a Vessel of Convenient Burden, for good Use upon such River, or for the apting of one River unto another, by cutting a graft betwixt two Rivers, at such a Level as the Water of the one shall run into the other, so as a Vessel may sail, or be towed from one of the Rivers unto the other at arbitrement, except by such Sasses penning up, and thereby raising the water for use as by so many stairs or steps as is or may be wanting to become of convenient depth for the transport of Vessels of so good Burden, as may be to good purpose, fit for the producing of a Commerce by Navigation between any one Country of this Island and another.  
Nor can the pulling up of Corn Mills (the only Obstruction, as being of a more public service then any other intervening good) be a sufficient pretence to impede this Enterprise of making such Rivers Navigable, as by consideration of their Service to the Country, shall be found fit to made Navigable; seeing that the Necessary Office of such Mills may be performed at an easier charge by Horsemills, by Windmills, or by Mills termed River-Mills, which in the Low-Countryes, and some parts of Italy are familiarly made use of in flat bottomed Boats, and thereby conveyed to Service (as the Occasion of the Country may require) from one place unto another, which by reason of the Number and certainty of the Gryst of Corn at appointed times to be had, wrought by the Water-mills now in use amongst us; the advantage of which, is little more than a slight kind of Ceremony to man, an unfit Consideration to lay aside a real Improvement, as is this, of making apt Rivers in the aptest places Navigable, and the Right of Soaks belonging to the Inheritors of such Mills, as are so to be removed, are preadmitted to be retaliated for with good advantage to the Owner: but if this great Consumption of Timber be still permitted, there will not be enough to build either Water-mill or Windmill.  
Yet, if any Owner be of so morose a Spirit, as to bid a Contradiction to the worlds and his own advantage, for his supposed unquestionable Vineyards sake, It's reasonably to be understood a duty incumbent upon His Majesty and Parliament, in such a case as Guardian to all Subjects goods and rights (as his Catholic Majesty in his Dominions of Spain, takes charge of all the Substance, and affairs of persons as are Lunatics, governing their affairs sine fine, modo & mensura) that His Majesty and Parliament may dispose of the Estates of such persons (will they nill they) as to the Public, shall seem best, without the concurrence of them.  
In every place where the making of a River Navigable is designed to be enterprised, there is seriously to be considered what improvement may most probably accrue to the Land or any part of the Land thereby, viz. what charge may be saved, and what profit may be means thereof be had, which else could not be had, and a conference of this must be had, with what must be expended for effecting of such work, a computation sufficiently easy, unto abundant satisfaction to be made, for where amongst other services, such Rivers shall become subservient to some certain great Staple Trade, the Profit both to King and Subject being certain to be always great (admitting the ordinary Providence of Heaven's influence in the preserving of such Trade) And the the charge being but once, and that to be probably effected by one years' profit, accrewable by such River, or well near thereabouts, reasonably to be computed by the necessary and great Trade of Coals, etc. unquestionably to be concluded upon, to be had upon such River by the Country's great want of fuel bordering upon the same, all other Trades to be had upon such Rivers bearing their proper share, in the assistance of it, and considering further, that such works are always to be wrought, where the grounds (which are to be so cut through) are to be found, or admitted to be so  in their Scite and nature to the Work, as that of themselves they much lean to the doing of the same: whereby the charge must be esteemed moderate and such River already had or to be made at, or well nigh, so moderate rates must, primo intuitu, be deemed properly worthy to be so fitted for Navigation, all other constant immergent charges of preserving the River, once made so Navigable being too Inconsiderable to outweigh the Scales in this case.  
By this Lesbian Rule, I have surveyed, examined, and found divers Rivers within this Island in apt places for such Trade practicable, with ease to be made thus Navigable, and more particularly,  
First, That the River Avon of Bristol, may be, by the prescribed means of Art, charge and power upon the premised, prudent Balance of Charge and Profit, be made Navigable from Bristol to Calne, or to Mamsbury in Wiltshire, and by cutting a Graft of five Miles, or thereabout, in length only, through a ground which I found  by Nature, for such purpose: the same River may take its Journey for the same use, (planting Sasses also aptly upon the same) from Mamesbury to Leshlade in Oxfordshire, and there salute the River Isis already Navigable, which so delivers itself into the Thames, and bring the Trade of Ireland, the Rich fruits of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, Mendip Hills, and Wales, and any other Portage, as well as of the Intervening Countries, to the Cities of Bristol and London, mentioned, and back again at will; by so much a shorter and safer cut; (as will appear more plainly by divers Maps, and other printed Papers, set forth at my own particular charge) and so much lesser charge of Portage then else can be (one boat upon the same carrying as much as an hundred horse) as must exceedingly abate the price, by lessening the Charges of the Commodities of the same: and more particularly bring an Immeasurable Trade of Coals from Wales and Bristol, to the employing of many thousand Subjects in Mines, and also about the River, and the great advance of many a man by Merchandise, in and about the same; to the incredible Relief of the bordering Countries of Wiltshire, Glocestershire, Oxfordshire, and others lying on or near the same, as far as His Majesty shall from time to time think meet in prudence to admit of; ever regarding the Preserve of His Newcastle Trade, the great support of His Navy, which by the Supplies of the aforementioned Countries from Bristol will not be endamaged: This proposed Trade of Coal, not clashing with the Newcastle Trade at all; so much more may His Maj sties Coffers be enriched, then now they are, as well as by other Imposts; by an Impost upon this Trade of Coals in the River Avon of Bristol becoming Navigable, as is set forth, Insensible to those Countries, which are to be supplied by the same, being they now pay thrice the rates for Coal to what the same may be afforded at by the Merchant, notwithstanding his discharge of such great Impost upon the same: and all other Commodities may be commerced in, upon this River, at half the Charge of what is paid for Land carriage or Portage, much to the Subjects ease and happiness, which also may afford a very considerable Return to His Majesty for the same, to be squared out, when the River shall become thus Navigable, as His Majesty and Parliament (by Balance of the Gain of Portage in each particular Commodity to be thereby had above what is now had) shall deem most just to both. And its worthy to be considered, how great a relief of Coal, in times of War at Sea, the City of LONDON may enjoy by this Achievement, Let the City's incredible want of Coal, near to the hazard of an Insurrection, in our late Conflicts with the Dutch, and the great Ingredient, the Consideration of this want was of, to the Necessary contracting of that Speedy Peace with them, convince us: Were my Advises of Sufficient Interest to take place at the Helm, no earlier enterprise should be made, than this of making Rivers Navigable within this Island, as is above set forth, in Order to a secure Relief of this most famous City of LONDON, with all sorts of Commodities, as, Timber, Stone, Led, Iron, and all other Materials for re-edifying the same, (by a prudent Care) upon Occasion of such distress to be had, or threatened, by War or otherwise. And it's well worthy to be considered of how great Relief this may be, by the Portage of an Army, as is above set forth.  
Secondly, I find, that after the like manner to the like Traffic of Commodities (when those tempestuous Seas, for want of convenient Harbours upon the Borders of Lincolnshire, bids denial to all safe Trade there, to the like great Employment of Miners, and other men, and great enrichment of many a Merchant there, by: the like relief to His Majesty and Subjects, in the charge of Portage, as Occasion shall require an abatement of rates through divers Countries thereby, and the like Return of Impost upon all Commodities, with the like amicable respect, by an equal balance of what each Commodity will bear, by consent of Parliament, to be settled upon His Majesty for the same; as the River Avon of Bristol: may the River Waveney be made Navigable, by cutting of a convenient graft near Loppam Bridge, sufficient for Navigation, less than three Miles (through grounds, in their own Nature  for such an Enterprise) into Little Ouse which carries itself unto Linn in Norfolk, and by Planting Sasses upon those Rivers, as shall be advised by the prescribed directions: any Commodities (as occasion shall require) may be hereby conveyed to the Use of Suffolk, and Norfolk. These two Rivers so dividing those two Countries from Yarmouth unto Linn, whence there is an open passage already had to Boston, with such Rivulets shooting out in Arms to Cambridge, the Isle of Ely and other places, provided by Nature to the convenient supply of those parts, so as any thing may by that means be transported unto Boston, and thence up the River Witham unto the City of Lincoln, whence by opening the passage (by neglect shut up) betwixt that City and York Sea, upon Trent, heretofore made Navigable, as Cambden reports, by our Henry the first, in a tender of his Subjects ease, in his Progresses of State which he first begun) a like transport, to the immediate great service of the Counties of Nottingham, Lincoln and Derby, may any Commodities be transported there, and thence for York, and all the Country's adjacent to those Mediterranean passages, as the Maps and Histories of them, (showing all these Intervening Rivers, then by Nature free for Navigation, unto York, and other neighbouring parts) will best set forth, in which perhaps a King hath sailed. This way may be an interchange of all reliefs which any of the neighbouring Counties may supply each other with, betwixt York and Yarmouth, and Armies may occasionally, with incredible advantage to themselves and Country (as was said to be done by the same Prince) be conveyed upon the same.  
But the Country then being Strangers to the Trade of Coal, a Commodity, then and for several Generations fully prevented by the ready supply of Wood for fuel, and all other Traffic of these Countries being much short of what now the same is; This Newcut River of seven miles betwixt Lincoln and Torksea, for want of Use became sludged up and is grown into a Pasture, which the only Trade of Coals (which it might be accommodated with) from Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire or Yorkshire, were it now Navigable as then it was, as well to the great relief of all the aforementioned Countries as the enrichment of Your Majesty would now preserve; And let these observations made on these two Rivers induce unto an Inquest, and Balance of other Rivers within this Island: and bring those Parts into a flourishing Condition, all sorts of Commodities from the Eastern parts of the World being equally distributed to the North and East of England, (as by the former design of opening the Rivers between London and Bristol, to the Western parts is exemplified) in and from abroad communicated to the West and South.   

Market-towns Standing near, or upon, The LITTLE OWSE AND WAVENEY.  

Brandon  
Thetford  
Dis  
Harleston  
Bungey  
Berkles.  
Lestof  
Yarmouth    


Other Market-Towns within 10 Miles of these RIVER'S.  
From Beckles to Yarmouth, 9 miles.  
From Beckles to Lestof, 8 miles.  
From Bungey to Norwich, 10 miles.  
From Yarmouth to Norwich already a Navigable passage.  
From Harlestone to Windham, 9 miles:  
From Dis to Windham, 10 miles.  
From Loppham to Higham, 10 miles.  
From Loppham to Harling, 3 miles.  
From Loppham to Bucknam, 5 miles.  
From Thetford to Watton, 9 miles.  
From Brandon to Swafham, 10 miles.  
From Beckles to Sowld, 9 miles.  
From Beckles to Harleston, 7 miles.  
From Bungey to Harleston, 7 miles.  
From Harleston to Framlingham, 8 miles.  
From Dis to Buddesdall, 3 miles.  
From Dis to Debenham, 9 miles.  
From Dis to Ay, 3 miles.  
From Loppham to Wolpet, 9 miles.  
From Loppham to Stow, 9 miles.  
From Loppham to Needham, 10 miles.  
From Loppham to Mildnal, 6 miles.   
All these Market Towns, besides Innumerable Villages, with many gentlemen's Houses of Note, would so make use of these Two Rivers, that a Marvellous Trade, would be driven upon them, and sailing out of the Little Owse, the Boats enter into the Great Owse, which already is Navigable to Lynne, and to all the Towns within the Isle of Ely, even up to Cambridg. Designs worthy to be brought forth under the happy Government and Protection of Your Majesty.  
FINIS.