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After hauing thus laid open euerie particular of the land, naturall
order leadeth my next labour, to bee imployed about the water, and
the things incident thereunto: the water I seuer into fresh and salt.

Touching fresh Water, euerie hill wel-neere sendeth forth plentifull,
fresh, cleare and pleasant springs, profitable for moystning the
ground, and wholesome for mans vse, & diuers by running through
veines of Mettals, supposed also medicinable for sundrie diseases;
of which more in their particular places.  These springs, (as
seuerall persons assembling, make a multitude) take aduantage of the
falling grounds, to vnite in a greater strength, and beget Ryuers,
which yet are more in number, and swifter in course, then deepe in
bottome, or extended in largenesse.  For they worke out their bed
through an earth, full of Rockes and stones, suting therethrough,
the nature onely of some speciall fishes, of which kind are, Minowes,
Shoats, Eeles, and Lampreys.  The rest are common to other Shires,
but the Shote in a maner peculiar to Deuon and Cornwall: in shape
and colour he resembleth the Trowt: howbeit in bignesse and
goodnesse, commeth farre behind him.  His baites are flies and
Tag-wormes, which the Cornish English terme Angle-touches.  Of the
Ryuers and Hauens which they make, occasion will be ministred vs to
speake particularly in the next booke; and therefore it shall
suffice to name the chiefest here in generall, which are on the
South coast: Tamer, Tauy, Liner, Seaton, Loo, Foy,
Fala, Lo.  On the North, Camel, Halae.

Of fresh water Ponds, either cast out by nature, or wrought out by
Art, Cornwall is stored with verie few, though the site of so many
narrow vallies offereth [27] many, with the onely charge of raysing
an head.  But the Oceans plentifull beames darken the affecting of
this pettie starlight: touching whose nature and properties, for his
saltnesse in taste, strength in bearing, course in ebbing and flowing,
the effects are so well knowne to the vulgar, as they need not any
particular relation; and the causes so controuersed amongst the
learned, as it passeth mine abilitie to moderate the question: onely
this I will note, that somewhat before a tempest, if the sea-water
bee slashed with a sticke or Oare, the same casteth a bright shining
colour, and the drops thereof resemble sparckles of fire, as if the
waues were turned into flames, which the Saylers terme Briny.

Amongst other commodities affoorded by the sea, the Inhabitants make
vse of diuers his creekes, for griste-milles, by thwarting a bancke
from side to side, in which a floud-gate is placed with two leaues:
these the flowing tyde openeth, and after full sea, the waight of the
ebbe closeth fast, which no other force can doe: and so the
imprisoned water payeth the ransome of dryuing an under-shoote wheele
for his enlargement.

Ilands, S. Nicholas in the mouth of Plymmouth, S. George before Loo,
S. Michaels Mount, and the Ilies of Scilley.

Hauens on the South coast there are, Plymmouth, Loo, Foy, Falmouth,
Helford, and the Rode of Mounts bay. On the North, S. Ies, and
Padstowe, of which more hereafter.

Diuers of these are dayly much endammaged by the earth which the
Tynners cast up in their working, and the rayne floods wash downe
into the riuers, from whence it is discharged in the hauens, and
shouldreth the sea out of his ancient possession, or at least,
encrocheth vpon his depth.  To remedy this, an Act of Parliament was
made 23. H. 8. that none should labour in Tynneworks, neere the Deuon
and Cornish hauens: but whether it aymed not at the right cause, or
hath not taken his due execution, little amendement appeareth thereby
for the present, and lesse hope may be conceyued for the future.

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