He died about 1676, and left many good papers behind him concerning this matter, in the hands of his daughters; of which I acquainted Mr. John Collins, R.S.S. in An°. 1682, who tooke a journey to Oxford (which journey cost him his life, by a cold), and first discoursed with the barge-men there concerning their trade and way:  then he went to Lechlade, and discoursed with the bargemen there; who all approved of the designe.  Then he took a particular view of the ground to be cutt between Ashton-kaynes and Charleton.  From Malmesbury he went to Bristoll.  Then he returned to Malmesbury again and went to Wotton Bassett, and took a view of that way.  Sir Jonas Moore told me he liked that way, but J. Collins was clearly for the cutt between Ashton-Kayns and Charleton.

At his return to London I went with him to the daughters of Mr. Mathew, who shewed him their father’s papers; sc. draughts, modells, copper-plate of the mappe of the Thames, Acts of Parliament, and Bills prepared to be enacted, &c.; as many as did fill a big portmantue.  He proposed the buying of them to the R. Societie, and tooke the heads of them, and gave them an abstract of them.  The papers, &c. were afterwards brought to. the R. Societie; the price demanded for all was but five pounds (the plate of the mappe did cost 8li.) The R. Societie liked the designe; but they would neither undertake the businesse nor buy the papers.  So that noble knight, Sir James Shaen, R.S.S., who was then present, slipt five guineas into J. Collins’s hand to give to the poor gentlewomen, and so immediately became master of these rarities.  There were at the Societie at the same time three aldermen of the city of London (Sir Jo.  Laurence, Sir Patient Ward, and .... ....), fellows of the Society, who when they heard that Sir James Shaen had gott the possession of them were extremely vex’t; and repented (when ’twas too late) that they had overslipped such an opportunity:  then they would have given 30li.  This undertaking had been indeed most proper for the hon{oura}ble city of London.

Jo.  Collins writt a good discourse of this journey, and of the feazability, and a computation of the chardge.  Quaere, whether he left a copie with the R. Society.  Mr. Win, mathematicall instrument maker in Chancery-lane, had all his papers, and amongst many others is to be found this.

I have been the more full in this account, because if ever it shall happen that any publick-spirited men shall arise to carry on such a usefull work, they may know in whose hands the papers that were so well considered heretofore are now lodged.

Sir Jonas Moore, Surveyor of the Ordinance, told me that when the Duke of York sent him to survey the manor of Dauntesey, formerly belonging to Sir Jo.  Danvers, he did then take a survey of this designe, and said that it is feazable; but his opinion was that the best way would be to make a cutt by Wotton Bassett, and that the King himselfe should undertake it, for they must cutt through a hill by Wotton-Basset; and that in time it might quit cost.  As I remember, he told me that forty thousand pounds would doe it.