Reference
FN1292
Title
Letters patent: Charles I to Arnold Spencer. [Details of the navigation of the Ouse and other rivers] During the above terms an annual rent of £5 is to be paid to the King for each river so made navigable.
Date free text
11 Dec 1638
Production date
From: 1638 To: 1638
Scope and Content
[Details of the navigation of the Ouse and other rivers]
Whereas Arnold Spencer by virtue of Letters Patent of 3 January 1628 has made the Ouse navigable from St Ives to St Neots and thence within 4 miles of Bedford; and has plans for making the Stour navigable from Sudbury in Suffolk to Manningtree in Essex;
whereas Arnold Spencer had by the same the right to make locks etc for 11 years and to have the profits from water carriage for 80 years, paying the King £5 per annum for every river made navigable;
whereas there are divers other rivers to be made navigable in which work Arnold Spencer has spent the greatest part of his life and consumed the most part of his whole estate;
Charles I has granted to Arnold Spencer:
- licence for 21 years to make all manner of locks, sluices, bridges, cuts, dams and other things for making of rivers and streams navigable and passable;
- licence for 80 years after said 21 years to take all manner of profit which shall arise from vessels, lighters, keels, wherries, barges or barks passing upon the rivers so made navigable;
- provided that such toll shall not exceed the rate granted by James I to the aldermen and burgesses of Stamford, Northamptonshire, and between Stamford and the sea;
- and provided that agreement always be first made with the riparian owners, or if reasonable compliance refused, 2 neighbouring Justices of the Peace to make the award.
Reference
Level of description
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