I have endeavoured, by searching all available sources of information, to write a trustworthy history of my subject--and, at the same time, make it a pleasant book for the general reader. If I have succeeded in my aim, thanks are due, and must be given, to W. H. Overall, Esq., F.S.A., and Charles Welch, Esq., Librarians to the Corporation of the City of London, whose friendship, and kindness, have enabled me to complete my pleasant task. It was at their suggestion that I came upon a veritable _trouvaille_, in the shape of a box containing Mr. Anthony Crosby's Collection for a History of the Fleet, which was of most material service to me, especially in the illustrations, most of which were by his own hand. I must also express my gratitude to J. E. Gardner, Esq., F.S.A., for his kindness in putting his magnificent and unrivalled Collection of Topographical Prints at my disposal, and also to J. G. Waller, Esq., F.S.A., for his permission to use his map of the Fleet River (the best of any I have seen), for the benefit of my readers. JOHN ASHTON. [Illustration] [Illustration] CONTENTS. The River. PAGE CHAPTER I. Course of the Fleet--Derivation of its Name--The River of Wells--The Fleet choked up--Cleansing the Fleet--The Fleet Navigable--Wells--Ponds and Pools 1 CHAPTER II. Water Supply of London--The Fleet to be Cleansed--Smell of the River--Prehistoric London--Antiquarian Discoveries--Cleansing the Fleet--Fouling the River--Rivers rising at Hampstead--The Tye-bourne--The West-bourne--Course of the West-bourne 13 CHAPTER III. Course of the Fleet--The Hampstead Ponds--Rural Fleet--Gospel Oak--Parliament Hill--Kentish Town--Brown's Dairy--Castle Inn--St. Pancras Wells--Burials at St. Pancras--the Brill 25 CHAPTER IV. Battle Bridge--King's Cross--The Dust-heaps--St. Chad's Well--St. Chad's Well-water 39 CHAPTER V. Medicinal Waters--Spas--The White Conduit--White Conduit House--White Conduit Gardens 53 CHAPTER VI. Sadler's Discovery--Miles's Musick House--A Man Eats a Live Cock, &c.--Forcer, the Proprietor--Macklin on Sadler's Wells--Actors at Sadler's Wells--The Pindar of Wakefield 67 CHAPTER VII. "Black Mary's Hole"--Its Disappearance--Bagnigge Wells--Nell Gwyn's Houses--Bagnigge House 77 CHAPTER VIII. Bagnigge Wells--The Organist--Different Proprietors--"Punch" on Bagnigge Wells--Decadence of the Wells 87 CHAPTER IX. Cold Bath Fields Prison 99 CHAPTER X.