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96 HISTORY OF CORN MILLING: vol. iv.
_^^^^J- ,^ after the reira of Edward I.) had permitted its exist-
DEE MILLS, S ^ /
CHESTER, ence tor so long. Very much as we may see
17. Mills and ^^ at the present day sweeping across the stream, it
Waterworks, effectually blocked all navigation of the Dee except for
^ ^^'
the shallowest of boats ; and it was on this ostensible
score that a cry for its abolition was raised. As,
however, it existed perfectly legally under the Act of
1352, hostilities began with the assertion that, con-
trary to that Act, Gamull had raised it to a height
greater than it originally had. Though no evidence
The Causeway across the Dee.
of this contention seems to have been produced, it
was fostered not only by some citizens, but by certain
of the neighbouring gentry, who, not entirely for
public reasons, were resolved to ruin the mills whose
soke the people could not break.
18. A Severe
18. On January i, 1607, Tyrer, to discount the
'
clamour, obtained the depositions of several of the
oldest of the citizens on the matter :—
Harl. MSS., We whose names are subscribed at the request of John Tyrer
2084. 178. have taken a perfect view of the causey at Chester and of the
water that runneth over the same, which by reason of a very great
frost long continuing is at this instant as low as it was this many