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ferriemen at severall times by their humble peticion long since maid
to the right Hoble the lo. Burghley late lo. Treasurer of England &
since that time to the rightHoble the lo. Cecill have much importuned
their lordships to cause the surveiors of high wayes in Westminster
to repair the said bancke Yet it was sop plainly & evidently
proved that the said Inhabitantes weare not to be charged with
the repairing of the said bancke as their Lordships weare therewith
verie fully satisfied And now the said bancke is soe ill kept & maintained
by the ferriemen as in the winter time it is not passable and
therefore it doth proceed that the said ferriemen doth continew his
chalinge & accusation against Westminster not for any hope or
expectation he hath that the parishioners of Westminster can or
ought or will intermedle in the repairing thereof but that he may
have a shadow or colour to excuse himself of his deserved blame
which otherwise ho can not excuse but by his uniust & wrongful
imputinge the fault to others And if the said ferriemen or any
others doe make any question or doubt of the truth of the premisses
we the said parishioners are redie to make our iust defence by a
tryall at the comon law whensoever we shall be drawne thereunto
Written and subscribed by us the Inhabitantes of Westminster
aforesaid 16th day of May 1603
William Godard, Christopher Ricrofte, Ed Doubleday, Morris
Pickering, Marmaduke Servant, Cutberd Linde, Tho
Skinner, Rob. Goulding, Willia. Man, Tho Tickeridge
The like controversie being betweene chelsey and battersea for the
ferrie there it was tried in the chequer chamber & there adiudged
that the ferrieman having the profitt on both sides should maintaine
the ferrieway on both sides which in chelsey having the
profitt maintainetli both the wayes.
Another approach to the ferry shortly afterwards (1604)
occasioned the service of a requisition, at the instance of
the King, upon the Burgesses, by whom it was transferred
to the Vestry; but the steps taken upon it are not
recorded:—
The Earl of Worcesters letter to the Burgesses of Westminster.
Whereas the way from Tuttell in Westminster that leadeth to
the Ferry is so decayed and so rotten that his Mates Horses
Coaches and Servants and Noblemen's servants that are to
attend his Mates cannot pass in safety and have thereof made
sundry complaynts unto me These are therefore to require you
forthwith to take such order that the said Way may be repared
and sufficiently mended according to the Statutes and Laws
provided in that behalfe as you will answer to the contrarye