A REPLY TO A Paper Entitled: An Answer to the Pretended CASE Printed concerning the Navigation of the River WYE, in the County of Surrey, by showing the true state thereof.  
THe Design of making the River Wye Navigable, was in Proposition many Years before the Undertaking thereof. For Thomas Earl of Arundel (Grandfather to the now Duke of Norfolk) Discoursed with the Gentlemen of Sussex and Surry, how to make a Navigable Cut from Arundel in Sussex, to the Thames by the River Wye, about 50 Years agone, and took a Survey of that Passage; But the greatness of the Charge and difficulty of the Work deterred him. About the Year 1625. Doctor Abbat (Lord Archbishop of Canterbury) being Born at Guildford in Surrey, and desirous for the Benefit of the Town, to have a River made; caused a Survey to be taken, but Charge and Difficulty discouraged him also, so that his Grace bestowed that intended Charity, in Building an Hospital in that Town.  
Mr. Pitson having observed in Holland, the Advantage and Art of Navigable Cuts, and being Discoursed by the Inhabitants of Guildford (near whereunto he dwelled) concerning the Navigation of River Wye, assured them the thing was Feasible; whereupon they Requested him to undertake it, and Procured an Act of the then Pretended Parliament for the doing thereof, which he did. And the Work being too great for Guildford to go through with, they Assigned their Power by the said Pretended Act, to Pitson, Scotcher, How and Waltham. How and Waltham Released to Pitson and Scotcher.  
Sir Richard Weston was under Sequestration, by Sir Richard Ouslow, and other the Commissioners as a Delinquent, and Recusant, upon Supposition that he had been in Arms at Hereford, which Mr. Pitson satisfied the then Powers was not true, and so helped him off his Sequestration for Pretended Delinquency.  
After which Sir Richard Weston proffering for 6000. l. to perform the Work, it was Agreed he should have half the Profit for his Charges, and they furnish the other 3000. l. and took a Mortgage of the Manor of Sutton for Security of his Performance, but he failing sold his Moiety to Pitson and others, for 3100. l. more. And before the River was made Navigable, Pitson laid out above 10000 l. and Sir Richard Weston was reimbursed every Farthing he could pretend to have laid out. And though a Son of Sir Richard weston's, undertook to proceed upon his Father's beginnings, yet he also Failed, and Pitson finished the Cut in 1653. as is clearly proved in the Court of Exchequer. But whereas that Paper says, that it is in Proof before the Barons, that Pitson in 1654. had Received above 2000 l. more than his Disbursments; 'tis so far from being True, that nothing like it has been offered in Proof there, and the Records themselves will best decide this Controversy.  
Pitson and his Partners had Possession of the River till 1●62. when one Dickenson a Solicitor finding that part of the Lands Cut through was the King's Waste, and that some Land-Owners who had been agreed withal, and received part (but not all) their Moneys, had not conveyed their Lands to Pitson, took Avantage thereof in 1662. And got a Lease of some Lands from Lessees under the Queen, and of others from the Land-owners unsatisfied, and stopped the Navigation; though divers Orders of the King and Council, and Annimadversions of the Court of Exchequer, have severally reproved Mr. Dickensons troublesome and unresonable Carriage in this Affairs: Yet in hopes to weary Pitson and all others not Trucking with him, he has continued this Disturbance, that he may securely Fish in troubled Waters, and what ever becomes of the Client, the Solicitor being the common Trustee will be a gainer. But because the said Paper pretends Matters on Dickensons part to be so clearly proved before the Barons, it is humbly desired that by what has and shall appear in the said Court of Exchequer, to be true in Proof, every man's Interest may stand or fall.  
The matter depended long in the Court of Exchequer because Mr. Dickenson used all the subterfuge and evasions imaginable to delay the Proceedings, and shifted the Interests by so many Conveyances Leases and Assignments Pendent like to amuse the Cause, that had not that Court been extraordinary industrious as well as just, Pitson and Sands, etc. the Cause had been unheard to this day, which has been Dickensons continual endeavour.  
Th● Notes mentioned in that Paper were obtained when Mr. Pitson was not heard, but laid in Goal by Dickenson and others 〈…〉 derates procurement under Actions of Two hundred fifty six thousand seven hundred pounds.  
〈◊〉, That what is said, that Two Bills brought in by Sands and Pitson, were thrown out, is utterly untrue, for never was any Bill of theirs laid aside, but as the Sessions determined, the Bills fell with the Sessions, and not otherwise.