1that Sand away with it, and there will enſue a deep and broad
Trench that will drain away all the water of the Plains in very lit
tle time. And I have found by practice, that there having been
a great quantity of Sand driven back, by the fury of the South
Weſt-Wind, into the Mouth of Fiume morto, I having cauſed the
little gutter to be made in the Morning, ſomewhat before Noon,
a Mouth hath been opened of 40. Braces wide, and notably deep,
inſomuch that the water, which before had incommoded all the
Champian ran away in leſs than three dayes, and left the Coun
try free and dry, to the admiration of all men. There was pre
ſent upon the place, at this buſineſs, on the ſame day that I
opened the Mouth, the moſt Serene great Duke, the moſt Serene
Arch-Dutcheſs Mother, all the Commiſſioners of Sewers, with
many other Perſons and Peaſants of thoſe parts; and they all ſaw
very well, that it was never poſſible that a little Bark of eight
Oars, which was come from Legorn to wait upon the great
Duke, ſhould ever be able to maſter the Current, and to make
up into Fiume morto; and his Highneſs, who came with an intent
to cauſe the ſaid Mouth towards the Sea to be ſtopt; and that
into Serchio to be opened, changed his judgement, giving order
that it ſhould be left open towards the Sea, as it was done. And
if at this day it ſhall return into Serchio, I am very certain that it
will be neceſſary to open it again into the Sea. And there was
alſo charge and order given to a perſon appointed for the pur
poſe, that he ſhould take care to open the ſaid Mouth, as hath
been ſaid upon occaſion. And thus things have ſucceeded very
well unto this very time. But from the middle of October, until
this firſt of February, there having continued high South, and
South-Weſt-Winds, with frequent and abundant Rains; it is no
wonder that ſome innundation hath happened; but yet I will
affirm, that greater miſchiefs would have followed, if the Mouth
had been opened into Serchio. This which I have hitherto ſaid,
is very clear and intelligible to all ſuch as have but competent in
ſight, and indifferent skill in theſe affairs. But that which I am
now about to propoſe farther, will, I am very certain, be under
ſtood by your ſelf, but it will ſeem ſtrange and unlikely to many
others. The point is, that I ſay, That by raiſing the level of
Fiume morto, one half Brace, onely at its Mouth, (it will peni
penitrate into Serchio farther than it would into the Sea) it ſhall
cauſe the waters to riſe three, or perhaps more Braces upon the
fields towards Piſa, and ſtill more by degrees as they ſhall recede
farther from the Sea-ſide; and thus there will follow very great
Innundations, and conſiderable miſchiefs. And to know that
this is true, you are to take notice of an accident, which I give
warning of in my diſcourſe of the Meaſure of Running Waters:
Trench that will drain away all the water of the Plains in very lit
tle time. And I have found by practice, that there having been
a great quantity of Sand driven back, by the fury of the South
Weſt-Wind, into the Mouth of Fiume morto, I having cauſed the
little gutter to be made in the Morning, ſomewhat before Noon,
a Mouth hath been opened of 40. Braces wide, and notably deep,
inſomuch that the water, which before had incommoded all the
Champian ran away in leſs than three dayes, and left the Coun
try free and dry, to the admiration of all men. There was pre
ſent upon the place, at this buſineſs, on the ſame day that I
opened the Mouth, the moſt Serene great Duke, the moſt Serene
Arch-Dutcheſs Mother, all the Commiſſioners of Sewers, with
many other Perſons and Peaſants of thoſe parts; and they all ſaw
very well, that it was never poſſible that a little Bark of eight
Oars, which was come from Legorn to wait upon the great
Duke, ſhould ever be able to maſter the Current, and to make
up into Fiume morto; and his Highneſs, who came with an intent
to cauſe the ſaid Mouth towards the Sea to be ſtopt; and that
into Serchio to be opened, changed his judgement, giving order
that it ſhould be left open towards the Sea, as it was done. And
if at this day it ſhall return into Serchio, I am very certain that it
will be neceſſary to open it again into the Sea. And there was
alſo charge and order given to a perſon appointed for the pur
poſe, that he ſhould take care to open the ſaid Mouth, as hath
been ſaid upon occaſion. And thus things have ſucceeded very
well unto this very time. But from the middle of October, until
this firſt of February, there having continued high South, and
South-Weſt-Winds, with frequent and abundant Rains; it is no
wonder that ſome innundation hath happened; but yet I will
affirm, that greater miſchiefs would have followed, if the Mouth
had been opened into Serchio. This which I have hitherto ſaid,
is very clear and intelligible to all ſuch as have but competent in
ſight, and indifferent skill in theſe affairs. But that which I am
now about to propoſe farther, will, I am very certain, be under
ſtood by your ſelf, but it will ſeem ſtrange and unlikely to many
others. The point is, that I ſay, That by raiſing the level of
Fiume morto, one half Brace, onely at its Mouth, (it will peni
penitrate into Serchio farther than it would into the Sea) it ſhall
cauſe the waters to riſe three, or perhaps more Braces upon the
fields towards Piſa, and ſtill more by degrees as they ſhall recede
farther from the Sea-ſide; and thus there will follow very great
Innundations, and conſiderable miſchiefs. And to know that
this is true, you are to take notice of an accident, which I give
warning of in my diſcourſe of the Meaſure of Running Waters: