River Tone Navigation Act 1698

IV. Duty to be paid by Boats passing from Taunton to Bridgewater;

to be paid at the First Lock next to Taunton; and if not paid, Boats, &c. and Goods may be detained until paid; After the said Conservators have been reimbursed lite said Monies, then the Duties herein mentioned to be paid at Knap Bridge aforesaid; and also the Duties herein mentioned at the First Lock above Coal Harbour; How the said Tolls to be applied; The said Application to be annually accounted for; How Surplus of the said Monies to be applied.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Boate Barge or Vessell that shall passe downe the said River from the said Towne of Taunton or other part of the said River to or towards the said Towne of Bridgwater shall pay to the said Conservators or such Person or Persons as by them or the major Part of them shall be empowered and appointed to receive the same a Toll not exceeding the Sum of One Shilling for every Tun of Goods Wares and Merchandize contained in every such Boat Barge or Vessell and so proportionably for a greater or lesser Quantity soe often and every time as such Boat Barge or Vessell shall soe passe downe the said River to be paid and received at the first or uppermost Lock that shall be built or made on the said River next the said Towne of Taunton And on Refusall or Default of Payment of the same it shall or may be lawfull for the said Conservators or any or either of them or the Person or Persons impowered and appointed by them to receive the same to stop arrest and detaine such Boate Barge or Vessell with all its Apparell and Tackle and all the Coals Goods Wares and Merchandizes laden in or on the same untill the said Sum of One Shilling for every Tun of such Goods Wares and Merchandizes and soe proportionably for a greater or lesser Quantity shall be duely answered and paid And from and after the said Conservators shall have been fully reimbursed and paid the Principall and Interest after the Rate aforesaid of all Moneys advanced and which shall be expended by them respectively in purchasing the Interest of the Heires of the said John Mallett and in makeing and keeping the said River navigable from Ham Mills aforesaid to the said Towne of Taunton and maintaining and perfecting the Navigablenesse or Passage on the said River from Bridgwater aforesaid to the said Ham Mills by the Waies and Meanes herein directed then the Su[m]m of One Penny for every Weigh of Coals and the Sum of One Penny for every Tun of other Goods Wares and Merchandize contained in every such Boat Barge or Vessell passing from time to time on the said River betweene the said Ham Mills and the said Towne of Bridgwater only and no more shall be paid received and levied in manner aforesaid at Knap-Bridge or Bridges aforesaid and the Sum of One Shilling for every Weigh of Coals only and the Sum of Six Pence for every Tun of other Goods Wares and Merchandize contained in every such Boat Barge or Vessell passing from time to time on the said River betweene the said Ham Mills and the said Towne of Taunton only and no more shall be paid received and levied in manner aforesaid at the first or lowermost Lock that shall be built or made on the said River above the said Place commonly called or knowne by the Name of Coal-Harbour aforesaid And the said Tolls or Payments together with the Product of all Gifts and Grants to the Conservators of the said River shall be from time to time applied to the repairing such Bridges Weares Turnpikes Waies and Passages for haling Boats Barges or other Vessells passing on the said River as are or shall be built or made by the said Conservators for the maintaining and keeping the said River navigable and be annually accounted for as herein is directed and the Surplus of what shall be received or arise by the Meanes aforesaid shall be by the said Conservators imployed and disposed of for the only Use Benefitt and Advantage of the Poor of the said Towne of Taunton and Parishes of Taunton Saint [X1 Mary] Magdalen and Taunton Saint James in the County aforesaid who are hereby impowered and authorized to lay out and dispose of the same in building One or more Hospitall or Hospitalls or otherwise from time to time according to their best Discretions for the better educating and maintaining such poor Children as are or shall become X2 chargeable to the Towne and Parishes aforesaid And such Hospitall or Hospitalls when built shall be governed and regulated by such Persons Rules and Orders as shall be appointed given and made from time to time by the said Conservators for the time being soe as such Rules and Orders be first approved by the Judges of Assize and Nisi prius for the County of Somerset or one of them

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.

X2 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: to O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]