168
DAGENHAM BREACH.
Evelyn, Dr. Ducarel, and Dr. Stukely; and was in close com-
munication with the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries.
Whilst Dr. Stukely was secretary of the latter, a regular communica-
tion of minutes took place, extending over forty years.
Captain Perry died at Spalding, and was there buried. In the
Church of St. Mary and St. Nicholas, on the wall of the south
aisle, is a memorial, with this inscription:
To the memory of
John Perry esq: in 1693
Commander of his Majesty King William's
ship the Cignet, 2nd son of Samuel,
of Rodborough in Gloucestershire gent, and of
Sarah his wife, daughter of Sir Thomas Nott, K'
He was several years comptroller of the
marine works to Czar Peter, in Russia, and
on his return home was employed by
Parliament to stop Dagenham Breach, which
he effected, and thereby preserved the
navigation of the river Thames, and
rescued many private families from ruin
He after departed this life in this town, and
was here interred Feb. 13th 1732; aged 63 years.
This stone was put over him by the
order of William Perry, of Penthurst in
Kent, his kinsman and heir male.
In conclusion, let me say that we are to-day visiting some of the
very lowest land in our county ; but whether here in the marshes
and levels on the margin of the great river, where mind has signally
triumphed over matter, or on such heights as Havering, Laindon,
or Danbury overlooking it, we may still quote the couplet of Michael
Drayton in his "Poly-Olbion" (1580), and rejoice that
"Essex is our dower, which greatly doth abound
With every simple good that in the isle is found."
[I am greatly indebted to Dr. Smiles for kindly allowing me the
use of Perry's Plan, and the two illustrations from his own sketches,
which so well pourtray the features of the high river wall at Dagen-
ham. The woodcuts were made by James Cooper, and appeared in
Smiles' "Lives of the Engineers," vol. i., 1861. I have also to
thank Mr. John Murray for procuring the cliches; and the Rev.
M. H. Marsden, vicar of Spalding, for comparing the Epitaph on
Perry as here given with the original tablet]