1 Assignment of the navigation : Arnold Spencer to John Jackson. 21 June 1626.

“This indenture made the 21st day of June in the second year of the reign of our sovereign lord Charles … between Arnold Spencer of Cople in the county of Bedford, gentleman, of the one part and John Jackson of St. Neots in the county of Huntingdon, dyer, of the other part. Whereas … King James in and by his lettefs patent under the Great Seal of England bearing date at Westminster the 21st day of July in the fifteenth year of his majesty’s said reign …“did … give and grant full, free and absolute licence, power, authority and privilege unto John Gason of Finchley in the county of Middlesex, esquire, his executors, administrators, deputy … and all other such person or persons as should from time to time be by him or them licensed, … that he, they, every, or any of them … should and might to his and their proper use … in, by and through any of his majesty’s countries, shires, cities, towns … rivers, streams, waters, commons … within … England, … Wales and town of Berwick … during the space of twenty and one years next ensuing the date of the said letters patent, devise, make, cut, direct, perfect … as well the cutting, contriving, erecting, framing and setting up, perfecting and making of all and all manner of locks, sluices, bridges, watercourses, cuts, drains, mills, dams and other inventions not repugnant to the laws and statutes … for grinding of corn, raising of water, making of rivers, waters and streams navigable and passable, as also to use, exercise, perfect, make and invent all and all manner of engines, tools, instruments … as to him or them should be thought most apt and convenient … and all free, full and absolute power … to take … all and all manner of contribution, composition, advantage and commodities whatsoever which should at any time …