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whether through envy or enmity Yarranton's activity excited the
suspicion of the authorities。 His journeys from place to place seemed
to them to point to some Presbyterian plot on foot。 On the 13th of
November； 1660； Lord Windsor； Lord…Lieutenant of the county； wrote to
the Secretary of State〃There is a quaker in prison for speaking
treason against his Majesty； and a countryman also； and Captain
Yarrington for refusing to obey my authority。〃*
＇footnote。。。
State Paper Office。 Dom。 Charles II。 1660…1。 Yarranton afterwards
succeeded in making a friend of Lord Windsor； as would appear from
his dedication of England's Improvement to his Lordship； whom he
thanks for the encouragement he had given to him in his survey of
several rivers with a view to their being rendered navigable。
。。。＇
It would appear from subsequent letters that Yarranton must have lain
in prison for nearly two years； charged with conspiring against the
king's authority； the only evidence against him consisting of some
anonymous letter's。 At the end of May； 1662； he succeeded in making
his escape from the custody of the Provost Marshal。 The High Sheriff
scoured the country after him at the head of a party of horse； and
then he communicated to the Secretary of State； Sir Edward Nicholas；
that the suspected conspirator could not be found； and was supposed
to have made his way to London。 Before the end of a month Yarranton
was again in custody； as appears from the communication of certain
justices of Surrey to Sir Edward Nicholas。*
＇footnote。。。
The following is a copy of the document from the State Papers：
〃John Bramfield； Geo。 Moore； and Thos。 Lee； Esqrs。 and Justices of
Surrey； to Sir Edw。 Nicholas。There being this day brought before us
one Andrew Yarranton； and he accused to have broken prison； or at
least made his escape out of the Marshalsea at Worcester； being there
committed by the Deputy…Lieuts。 upon suspicion of a plot in November
last； we having thereupon examined him； he allegeth that his Majesty
hath been sought unto on his behalf； and hath given order to yourself
for his discharge； and a supersedeas against all persons and
warrants； and thereupon hath desired to appeal unto you。 The which we
conceiving to be convenient and reasonable （there being no positive
charge against him before us）； have accordingly herewith conveyed
him unto you by a safe hand； to be further examined or disposed of as
you shall find meet。S。 P。 O。 Dom。 Chas。 II。 23rd June； 1662。
。。。＇
As no further notice of Yarranton occurs in the State Papers； and as
we shortly after find him publicly occupied in carrying out his plans
for improving the navigation of the western rivers； it is probable
that his innoceney of any plot was established after a legal
investigation。 A few years later he published in London a 4to。 tract
entitled 'A Full Discovery of the First Presbyterian Sham Plot；'
which most probably contained a vindication of his conduct。*
＇footnote。。。
We have been unable to refer to this tract； there being no copy of it
in the British Museum。
。。。＇
Yarranton was no sooner at liberty than we find him again occupied
with his plans of improved inland navigation。 His first scheme was to
deepen the small river Salwarp； so as to connect Droitwich with the
Severn by a water communication； and thus facilitate the transport of
the salt so abundantly yielded by the brine springs near that town。
In 1665； the burgesses of Droitwich agreed to give him 750L。 and
eight salt vats in Upwich； valued at 80L。 per annum； with
three…quarters of a vat in Northwich； for twenty…one years； in
payment for the work。 But the times were still unsettled； and
Yarranton and his partner Wall not being rich； the scheme was not
then carried into effect。*
＇footnote。。。
NASH'S Worcestershire； i。 306。
。。。＇
In the following year we find him occupied with a similar scheme to
open up the navigation of the river Stour； passing by Stourport and
Kidderminster； and connect it by an artificial cut with the river
Trent。 Some progress was made with this undertaking； so far in
advance of the age； but； like the other； it came to a stand still for
want of money； and more than a hundred years passed before it was
carried out by a kindred geniusJames Brindley； the great canal
maker。 Mr。 Chambers says that when Yarranton's scheme was first
brought forward； it met with violent opposition and ridicule。 The
undertaking was thought wonderfully bold； and； joined to its great
extent； the sandy； spongy nature of the ground； the high banks
necessary to prevent the inundation of the Stour on the canal；
furnished its opponents； if not with sound argument； at least with
very specious topics for opposition and laughter。*
＇footnote。。。
JOHN CHAMBERS； Biographical Illustrations of Worcestershire。 London；
1820。
。。。＇
Yarranton's plan was to make the river itself navigable； and by
uniting it with other rivers； open up a communication with the Trent；
while Brindley's was to cut a canal parallel with the river； and
supply it with water from thence。 Yarranton himself thus accounts for
the failure of his scheme in 'England's Improvement by Sea and
Land'： 〃It was my projection；〃 he says； 〃and I will tell you the
reason why it was not finished。 The river Stour and some other rivers
were granted by an Act of Parliament to certain persons of honor； and
some progress was made in the work； but within a small while after
the Act passed*
＇footnote。。。
The Act for making the Stour and Salwarp navigable originated in the
Lords and was passed in the year 1661。
。。。＇
it was let fall again； but it being a brat of my own； I was not
willing it should be abortive； wherefore I made offers to perfect it；
having a third part of the inheritance to me and my heirs for ever；
and we came to an agreement； upon which I fell on； and made it
completely navigable from Stourbridge to Kidderminster； and carried
down many hundred tons of coal； and laid out near 1000L。； and there
it was obstructed for want of money。〃*
＇footnote。。。
Nash； in his Hist。 of Worc。； intimates that Lord Windsor subsequently
renewed the attempt to make the Salwarp navigable。 He constructed
five out of the six locks； and then abandoned the scheme。 Gough； in
his edition of Camden's Brit。 ii。 357； Lond。 1789； says； 〃It is not
long since some of the boats made use of in Yarranton's navigation
were found。 Neither tradition nor our projector's account of the
matter perfectly satisfy us why this navigation was neglected。。。。。 We
must therefore conclude that the numerous works and glass…houses upon
the Stour； and in the neighbourhood of Stourbridge； did not then
exist； A。D。 1666。 。。。。The navigable communication which now connects
Trent and Severn； and which runs in the course of Yarranton's
project； is already of general use。。。。 The canal since executed under
the inspection of Mr。 Brindley； running parallel with the river。。。。
cost the proprietors 105；000L。〃
。。。＇
Another of Yarranton's far…sighted schemes of a similar kind was one
to connect the Thames with the Severn by means of an artificial cut；
at the very place where； more than a century after his death； it was
actually carried out by modern engineers。 This canal； it appears； was
twice surveyed under his direction by his son。 He did； however；
succeed in his own time in opening up the navigation。 of the Avon；
and was the first to carry barges upon its waters from Tewkesbury to
Stratford。
The improvement of agriculture； too； had a share of Yarranton's
attention。 He saw the soil exhausted by long tillage and constantly
repeated crops of rye； and he urged that the land should have rest or
at least rotation of crop。 With this object he introduced
clover…seed； and supplied it largely to the farmers of the western
counties； who found their land doubled in value by the new method of
husbandry； and it shortly became adopted throughout the country。
Seeing how commerce was retarded by the small accommodation provided
for shipping at the then principal ports； Yarranton next made surveys
and planned docks for the city of London； but though he zealously
advocated the subject； he found few supporters； and his plans proved
fruitless。 In this respect he was nearly a hundred and fifty years
before his age； and the London importers continued to conduct their
shipping business in the crowded tideway of the Thames down even to
the beginning of the present century。
While carrying on his iron works； it occurred to Yarranton that it
would be of great national advantage if the manufacture of tin…plate
could be introduced into England。 Although the richest tin mines then
known existed in this country； the mechanical arts were at so low an
ebb that we were almost entirely dependent upon foreigners for the
supply of the articles manufactured from the metal。 The Saxons were
the principal consumers of Engl