Fryday bridge did run and the Sluce at Welle River was stopt the waters in the Drayn rose over the Dam called the Stintings and Oldfield and so ran into Marshland For remedy whereof and that the Land-holders of Oldfield were at the making of the said Law tyed to no conditions of restraint or stopping which they then conceived fitting by reason the said UUaltersey drayne which was not before thought of ran within their field and did overflow the Banks and fill their Dikes with water which came into Marshland contrary to their Law and by reason that they in Summer time took in waters to fill their Dikes which they might spare to take if they would dike them and make watering places for their Cattel as Marshland did it was therefore ordered that the said Land-holders of Oldfield should passe and run their said waters therein under such conditions and with such cautions as by the Law of Sewers the Land-holders on the West side of Elme and Soâ—th side of Wysebeche did and not otherwise under and upon such pains and penalties as in that Law is contained The number of Acres in the several Towns of Marshland  Acres Rodes UUest lynne CCxlviij xij Clenchwarton xvC lx i. Tylney vM viiiC xi iij. Wigenhale iiiM viiiC xi iij. Terington iiiiM iiiC xxvi iij. Walpole iiiiM viiC xxvij  Walton iiM iiiiC xlv ii UUaâ—soken iiM viiC vxx i.  Emnetâ— Hawsted iiM ixC vi  Sum total in the Franchises and Geldable xxvii M viiC xxxix Acres  Sumin the Liberties viz. Terington Walpole Walsoken Walton Emneth xvM iiiiC xxvij Acres i Rode  Adde Tylney and Clenchwarton thereto xxiiM viiC xxxix Acres  An Agistment of the new Powdiche from Saltham lake by Mullycourt to Northdelfe â—ccording to the Books and Rolls of the Country containing iiiiC Lxiii Rode and ii Foot divided thus Emneth and Hawsted xli rode iii foot ii inches Walsoken Liii rode iii foot ii inches Walton xlvi rode xi foot Waâ—pole XC rode iiii foot vi inches Terington Lxxxii rode x foot x inches Clenchwarton xxix rode ix foot iii inches Tylnâ—y vxx xii rode x foot ix inches West Lynne v rode i foot Wigenhall iiixx xii rode xiii foot From Northdelfe to the hundred Acres charge are vxx xli rode vi foot iiij inches divided thus Emneth with Hawsted xlix rode viii foot i inch Walsoken iiixx iii rode xvi foot vi inches Walton Lvi rode i inch Walpole vxx viii rode vii foot ix inches Terâ—ngton iiiixx xix rode iiii foot ix inches Clencâ—warton xxxv rode ix foot xi inches Tyâ—neâ— vxx xv rode vi foot i inch West Lynne v rode viii foot xi inches Wigenhall iiiixx vii rode viii foot iii inches The old Powdich containing ........ Agiâ—ted thus  Rodes Foot Inches Emnâ—th and Hawâ—â—ed Lxvi viii iii. Waâ—â—â—kne iiiixx xviii xii viii Waâ—ton iiii â—â— vi viii v. Walpole viâ—x viii ix o. Terington viiâ—x xiii v. x. Clâ—nchwarton Lv. o iii. Tylneâ— xxx ix ii o. Wigenhale Cxv. ii ix Note that the true sum of this is viiC ix Rode xlix foot and iii inches Of which xlix if there be allowed xvi foot iiâ— inches to a Rode as is set down under Mr. Beaupre's hand then is the sum viiiC xii Rode and ix perches The little Powdich containing CCCxliii hath agisted thereon xxiiiM viiC iiiixx vii Acres and iii Rode every hundred Acres cometh to a Rode xi foot two inches a half and a Barley-corn which is the third part of an Inch. Agisted thus  Rods. Foot Inches Tylney iiiixx xvi xii o Clenchwarton xxv xiii vii Terington Lxxiii vi vii Walpole Lxxx. iiii o. Walton xli iiii o. Walsoken xlvii viii vi Emneth and Hawsted xxxvi viii ix The Ward dich from Wel gate to Sandyrood belonging to the Fraunchises with Tylney and Clenchwarton containing viiixx xviii rode xv foot Agisted thus  Rods. Foot Inches Tylney xliiii iii. o Clenchwarton xi x. o. Terington xxxii vi vi Walpole xxxv vi vi Walton xviii iiii vi Walsoken xâ— xiiii o. Emneth with Hawsted xvi ii vii Brokendike Agistment From Kyrkham lane to the turning against Mr. Blewick's containeth ....... Rode and is agisted iiiixx Rode from the middle of Mildam towards the house of the said Iohn Blewick To the which there is said Tilney Terington Walpole Walton Walsoken and Emneth containing xxiiM CC xxxix Acres So every Acre hath almost two inches Every thousand and iiiâ—x xii Rode v foot v inches and two Barly-corns iiM Cxxiiii Rode x foot xi inches and i corn iiiiM CC hath xlix Rode v foot x inches ii Barley-corns Every hundred and vi Acres hath a Rode iii foot ix inches Every Lxiii Acres hath ix foot x inches and a half  Rods. Foot Inches Tylney Lxviii ii o Terrington xlix xi x. Walpole Lv. vii vii Walton xxviii x. viii Walsoken xxxii x. viii Emneth and Hawsted xxv iiii iii. From Emneth bridge between the Town and the Smethe be xiiiiC xv Rodes which be thus divided  Rods. Foot Inch. Emneth with Hawsted Cxxx. viii o. Walsoken CLxviii xi o. Walton Cxlvii xi iii. Walpole CCLxxx vi ii iii. Terington CCLxi xiii vi Wigenhall CCxxxviii o. vii Tylney CCCLvi xv vi Clenchwarton iiiixx xiiii o viii West Lynne xv ii vi Drayns and Bridges lying within the precincts of the several Towns of Marshland Emneth A Drayn there belonging to certain Fields called Suffield and Haulsted extending from the common Sea dike called Emneth Sea dyke on the West part of the same Field and from thence to a place called the Styldes at which place the said Drayns do meet and from thence into the Fen. Which Drayns ought to be in bredth ix foot and in depth v foot Another Drayn belonging to Churchfield and Northfield extending from a place called Seadike-dole to a place called Knape more and from thence Eastwards towards Whicks brigg and so to Myd feder into the Smethe lode which is the common Drayn of all Marshland Another Drayn belonging to Newfield extending from Hallow crofts on the West and so to Ports bush on the East thence to Hawkyns brigge and so to Hungate dyke to a place called Nomans land corner and so into Smeth lode Bridges Over the first of these Drayns are three Bridges the one at a place called Lonhole the other at the end of the Drayn and the third between Ladyes drove and the great Drove of Emneth Another Bridge situate at the North stile of Emneth Another called Knapmore bridge set over Churchfield Drayn Another called Whicks bridge Another called Little Edge bridge Another called Hawkyns bridge lying over Newfield drayn Walsoken A Drayn there called the Maiâ—t Drayn extending from Holmes bridge on the North part of the Town to the common Sewer called Smethe lode Another Drayn on the South side of the Town beginning at Small lane in Larke lande and extending to a Bridge called Bronden bridge and so to Knapemore
Pigs drove and Clows crosse to be made xi foot in height and xii in bredth by all the Landholders of the North side of Wysbeche and Leverington taking menure for the same at liberty and paying for every Rode of menure in length and bredth xvi foot and in depth 8 foot xvid. to the owner of the land 4. That Shofendyke otherwise called Harhold beginning at Clows crosse and extending to Goredyke in Newton be made in height 8 foot by all the Landholders in Leverington And from Gore dike to Tyd thredding in height and bredth as aforesaid by all the Landholders in Newton And from thence to Eegraynes in Tyd S. Giles in like sort by the Landholders in Tyd S. Giles 5. That the Conies be destroyed which do hurt to the Sea-bank beginning at Tyd gote and extending to Wysbeche Sluce 6 That a Crest be made from Fytton bridg against the gole in Leverington by the Landholders on the North of Wisbeche to keep the water within the Bay 6 That the Landholders in Iuly field make a Crest in Orech alias Mouth drove from the great River unto Black dyke in height six foot and bredth 8. 7. And that the Dean of Ely and Lord Berkley make a Crest in Tholomer's drove beginning at the Fendyke and reaching to Tholomers in height and bredth aforesaid 8. That the Landholders in Guyhirnfield do make a Crest from Blak-dike to Marytts brigge of the like bredth and height And from Maryts brigge to George Ramsey's house Corner on the East part of the Sewer to be made by the Landholders of Guyhirne field From Marytts bridg to Tholomers of the West side by William Butcher for his lands in Calves field so far as his lands do extend and the residue by the Inhabitants of Tholomer's drove From Guyhirn Crosse to Blakdyke end by the Landholders in Guyhirn field From Blakdike end to Mouth drove by the Landholders of Iuley field And from Mouth drove to Sondy dike alias Sorrâ—ll dike by the Landholders in Rummers field all of the like bredth and height 9 That the Landholders of Munthforth field make a Crest from George Ramsey's corner to Dods brigge Thence to Riche's stow to be made by the Landholders of Guyhirnfield William Butcher for Calves field and Munforth field From Riches stow to Belymyll brigg on the West side of the Sewer the Landholders of Richey field in height 4 foot and bredth 8. 10 That Tho. Gardner the heirs of Henry Repps Esquire the heirs of Laurence Cade and Agnes Talbot with their Coparceners do make a Crest in Ratrow from Tholomers drove unto Ratrow brigg in height 4 foot and bredth 8. 11 That the Lodebrinke in Murrow from Priors brigg to Mill lane end be made by the Tenants of the Dean of Ely Thence to Houshold brigg by the said Mr. Repps and Tho. Gardner and their Coparceners Thence to Belly myll brigg by the Landholders in Richey field in height six foot and in bredth 8. 12 That the Landholders in Willake and Munforth field make a Crest in Galles drove from Dods brigg unto Black dyke in height 4. foot and in bredth eight 13. That the Heirs of Talbot do make a Crest in Mampasse from Dodsbrigg on the South side the Common Sewer unto the East end of his Pasture of the like height and bredth 14 That Mil lane from Tholomers drove and reaching to Mill lane end to the Pipe in the Drove be made in height four foot and in bredth eight foot by the Dean of Ely and Lord Berkley 15 That the lands between Sorrel dyke and Bellymill dike from Belly mill unto Newdike otherwise called Sandy dike do make Sorrell dyke and Bely mill dike in height 6 foot and bredth 8 foot 16 That the Landholders in Sayrfield make a Crest in Wallys gate from Bellymill brigg unto Cheyneybrigg otherwise called Robbins brigg in height six foot and in bredth 8 foot 17. That the Crest beginning at Sorrel dyke and extending to the Church stile at S. Maryes ought to be made by the Lands lying between Newdrove and the said Crest in height 6. foot and bredth 8. 18. That the Landholders in Nymans dole make a Crest in a drove called Kilne house dike from Pigs drove to Cheyney brigg in height 6. foot and bredth 8. 19. The Bevys dike from Pig 's drove to Bevys crosse be made by the Landholders of Inhamfield and Newfield in height and bredth as aforesaid 20. That Newdrove be made by the Landholders of Newfield from Sorrels dike unto Bevys dike 4. foot high and 8. foot broad 21. That the Landholders in Hirnfield make a Crest in Fleming's drove from Bevys drove to Bowman's drove in like sort 22. That the Landholders in Longland make a Crest in Bowman's drove from Bowman's Crosse to Fleming's droves end in height 6. foot and in bredth 8. 23. That the Landholders in Briggefield on the North of the River make a Crest in Newfield drove unto Long drove end in like sort 24. That the Landholders of Fen-land make a Crest in Mill lane from the great River unto Barton lane in like height 25. That the Landholders in Harvey field make a Crest in Faulle lane from the great River unto Mill lane in like height and bredth 26. That the Landholders in Whitemathes from Barton cros alias Barton lane unto Wisbeche lode running to Callows bridg ought to make a Drove called Giggs drove in height 4. foot and bredth 8. 27. That the Landholders of Nyman's dole make a Crest from Barton Crosse unto Barret's Brigge in height and bredth as aforesaid 28. That the Landholders in Flatmore make a Crest in Netledyke lake from Leonards pipe unto Barton lane of the like height and bredth 21. That the Landholders of Gybesholme and all the Lands between Barton lane and Pycks make a Crest in Barton lane from the great River unto Gydges dike in height 4 foot and bredth xij 22 That the Landholders in Sondylond make a Crest in Pickards lane and Mill lane from Mill lane end unto the Dike between Leverington and Wisbeche in height six foot and bredth xvij 23. That vii acres called Gallow land make a Crest from Spittle Crosse uuto Whynney dike in height 6 foot and in bredth xii 24. That the Lowfieâ—ds on the North side of the River of Wisbeche from the Fendike to Bellymil dike shall scour the Lode from Belly mill to the nine hundred Briggs as need requireth and thence to Evildike brigg the nine hundreth to be Contributers And from Evysdike to the 4 gotes all the lands on the North side the River every man according to what he holdeth 25 That a Close Shut be made at Leonards pipe by the Landholders of the next fields Another at Evysdike brigge by the Landholders of the nine Hundreds to keep the water from running into the Low fields 26 That all Weres and Stampes from Guyhirne to Clows-crosse or elswhere within any part of the Fenn be xxiiij foot in
associates then Justices of Sewers in this County touching their proceedings in a Commission directed to them for the view of the Banks and Ditches betwixt Boston and Barton aforesaid and enquity through whose default the breaches and decays therein were not repaired they certified that the Jurors impanelled and sworn before them by virtue of that Commission did upon their Oaths present that it would be much to the benefit of the North Common of Burghe near Waynflete and of the Tenants of the lands Meadows and Pastures in Wynthorpe and Ingoldmels on the VVest part of a certain Wardyke called Dâ—fdyke that there sâ—ould be a new Sewer made in Wynthoâ—pe contâ—ining in bredth xij foot by the Kinâ—s Elâ— for the drayning of the lanâ— meadow and Pasturâ—s there viz. from a place called Nedderhowe in Wynthorpe uâ—â—o a comâ—on High way called Châ—lgâ—tâ— beginning first from Nedderâ—owe at the lands sometime belonging to Robert Herrier of Wynthorpe on the East and West part and the lands of Robert the son of William Buttercake of Wâ—nthorpe on the East part and thence betwixt the lands of the said Rob. on both parts to the common high way called Chelgate And that one Floudgate should be new made and fixed athwart the same high way by which the said Sewer might run whereupon a Bridge to be erected by which travailers and Carriages might securely passe too and fro and from that Floudgate the said water to passe into an old Sewer made in Skegnes to Whete croft gote within that town and thence to the main Sea And they said that the quantity of the Lands Meadows and Pastures aforesaid which had preservation and benefit by the said Sewer were MCLxix Acres and 1 Rode whereof every Acre was assessed at xij â— for making of the said Floud-gate and bridge the name of every Land-holdâ—r and the particular number of Acres then held by him being there exprest In 41 E. 3. Sir Godefrey Foljaumbe Sir Will. Croiser and Sir Iohn Dâ—mock Knightâ— Simon Simeon and others were appointed to view and repair the Banks and Sewers upon the Verge of the River of Wythom from Marton dyke to Boston The like appointment in 42 E. 3. had Thomas de Ingelby Godefrey Foljaumbe Simon Simeon with others for those betwixt the Towns of Skidbroke and Humberstone So also had the said Thomas de Ingelby Iohn Moubray Godefrey Foljaumbe Will. Croiser and others for those betwixt Boston and Stikeswald Several other Commissions do I find afterwards to the like purpose viz. in 42 E. 3. to the said Godefrey Foljambe Iohn de Stafâ—ord and Iohn de Nessefeld Clâ—rks Iohn de Haghe and Iohn Amery for those from Saâ—tdet haven to Waynflet In which year it was presented that the Sewer pasâ—ng on the West part of of the High Road which drayned â—heves Creke South lade Northlade Lusdyke and Bullingbrooke Fenn ought to be repaired by the Tenant of the Duke of Lancasters fishing in Waynflete In 44 E. 3. to Richard de Raveâ—sere Archdeacon of Lincolne Sir Iohn de Welle Knight Thomas de Ingelby and others for those betwixt Ingoldmels and Grymesby In 47 E. 3. to Henry Asty Iohn de Boys Will. Wascelyn and others for those betwixt Buterwyk and Doneheved In 48 E. 3. to the same Henry and Iohn with Thomas de Brunham and others for those betwixt Gaynesourgh and Doneheved In 49 E. 3. to Robert de Wylughby Rob. de Crumwell Will de Skipwith and othâ—rs for those betwixt Skegnes and Grymesby In 3 R. 2. to Sir Robert de Wylugâ—by Sir Raphe de Cromwell and Sir Will. de Skipwith Knights Iohn de Hagh and others for those betwixt Skegnes and Goushull In 4 R. 2. to Iohn K. of Castile and Leon Robert de Wylughby Iohn de Welle Raphe de Crumwelle Will. de Skipwith and otherâ— for those betwixt the Towns of Wrangell and Barton upon Humbre The like in 6 R. 2. to the same Iohn K. of Castile c. Henry de Percy Earl of Northumberland Robert de Wilughby and others So also to l Henry Asty Will. de VVilughby Iohn Bussy Iohn de Hawe Robert de Haldanby and others for those betwixt Gaynesâ—urgh and Doneheved upon the Verge of Trent In the same year to Sir VVill. de Skipwith Sir Will. de Wilughby and Sir Raphe Paynell Knights and others for those betwixt the Towns of Coryngham and Frethyngham And betwixt Gaynesburgh and Coryngham In 12 R. 2. to Iohn Markham Gerard de Sothill Hugh de Mitford and others for those betwixt Gaynesburgh and Burton Stather on the East side of Trent and betwixt a certain place called Prest croft dyke and Donehed on the West part thereof In 13 R. 2. to Sir Iohn de Welle Sir Thomas Hungerford and Sir VVill. Skipwith Knights Iohn de Rochford and Iohn Hawe for those betwixt Tedeney and Skegenay In 15 R. 2. to Sir Philip Spenser Sir Henry Retteford and Sir Iohn Powether Knights VVill. Crosby Iohn Hawe VVill. Holme and Iohn Redenesse for those upon the coast of Humbre in the Marshes of Stallyngburgh betwixt the Towns of Imyngham and great Cotes By an Inquisition taken at Bullingbroke before Iohn Rocheford Iohn de la Lande and Iohn VVallis in the 17th year of King Rich. 2. and in the presence of Iohn Bushey high Steward of the Dutchy of Lancaster it was found that the Sewer called Goodike extending it self through the East fenne unto the Eas end had wont and ought to be xvi foot in bredth betwixt the banks and in depth eight foot but was then stopped by a VVear which VValter de Athall and VValter Randson had made there for that it was not then four foot deep and that it ought to be scoured and clensed by the said Walter and VValter Fermours of the fishing there or whomsoever else should be the Fermours thereof by the assignation and dimise of the Lords of Busâ—ingbroke and Dalby or their Bayliffs And it was also presented that the Sewer called the South lade extending from the Eastfenne aforesaid unto the Eas end ought and had used to be in bredth xvi foot and in depth eight foot and likewise to be repaired by those Fermours as aforesaid but was then also stopt by those Fermours of the Fishing And that the Banks of a third Sewer called Lyme beginning at Stepinge mill and extending it self to the Clow betwixt Steping and Thorpe ought to be repaired and raised higher by the Township of Thorpe And thence to the Ease ende called Lusdyke the bank on the East side to be repaired by the Towns of All hallows and S. Maries so that the water running into the said Sewers might no way enter the Fenn And that the said Sewer from the Clowes of Thorpe to the Eas end ought to be xvi foot in bredth and eight foot in depth being then obstructed by a VVear which those Fermours
from the place called West head unto Welle Town so far as it hath been of late accustomed viz in height six foot above Bardolf Fenne and in bredth at the foundation xxx foot and in bredth on the highest part thereof xv foot 2. That no man take or dyke any menure within viij foot of the South part of the same Pow diche And on the North part of the same no menure to be taken within C. foot from the foot of the same Pow diche 3. That the same Powdiche be made by every particular Township whole and Common by Acre silver and not otherwise and the same to be done by every Township by Whitsunday then next coming or Midsomer at the farthest in pain of every Township xll. to be levyed to the use of the said King and Queens Majesty And that every particular Town do sufficiently Clay their particular charge on the fore-part thereof in thicknesse with Clay one foot and an half and on the top thereof one foot 4. And for the better preservation of the same Powdiche they did in like manner ordain that there should be re-edified upon the said Powdiche three Houses that is to say one at North hooke gate another between Walpole and Tirington gate upon the Bank and Powdiche and the third at Welle gate the charges to be levyed upon the whole Townships of Marshland and Town of Wigenhall by Acre silver 5. That if any man were then indited or thereafter should be indited vexed or molested for any cause touching the defence maintenance or preservation of the same Country and Town of UUigenhale then they and every of them to be defended and saved harmlesse by the said Country and Town of UUigenhale all so far as the Law will serve and permit 6. That the Broken dyke be sufficiently made maintained and repaired from time to time as it hath been in times past that year and other years thenceforth by the said Country of Marshland 7. That a view be made at Emneth by the chief Inhabitants of the Country where there might be newly made and re-edified within the Levell and Rinde thereof a new Dyke for the defence of the water if Broken dyke be broke which view to be at Sandy rood upon the Friday following by eight of the Clock And on the tenth day of the same month of April it was farther concluded by the consent of the said chief Inhabitants and Town of Wigenhale that the said Dyke called Broken dyke should be made maintained and kept from time to time by and at the costs charges and expences of the whole Country of Marshland as afore-time had been accustomed And that a new Dyke be made from Myll dam unto Peter Sanderson's house and so by the high way directly about unto a certain place called Suffield gate in such height thicknesse and bredth as Thomas Guybon Iohn Reppes William Hunston and Thomas Karvill Esquire Richard Baker alias Ladde Richard Nichols Henry Hunston and Thomas Hewar Gentleman or the more part of them with the advice of the workmen should think meet and convenient After this viz. in 8 Eliz. there were other Ordinances made touching the Banks Ditches and Sewers in these parts the substance whereof are as followeth viz. 1 That Rightforth lode from West-head or North hooke Westward being but 8 foot wide ought to made xij foot in bredth by Edmund Beaupre Esquire And so every person c. to make his or their part of the same widenesse from the said Edm. Beaupre VVestwards and so to Stowbridge 2 That the brinks of the great River from Stowbridge unto Common load be made in the upper part 8 foot in bredth between the Houses Hedges and VValls of the VVest part of Ouse 3 That Common lode lying on the South side of Stowbridge houses be made of the widenesse of xij foot and 4 foot deep with such a Sluse as Rightforth lode hath at Sâ—owbridge to be done c. at the charge of the Inhabitants of Dounham Wimbotesham and Stow-Bardolf for that it is their Drayn c. 4 That upon the stopping of Newlode lying between Common lode and Downhambridg the said lode called Common lode or Downham lode was made 5 That the gole betwixt Dounham bridg and Salters lode to be made xij foot wide and 4 foot deep and to extend into the Fen from the said Sluce a mile and more and scoured by the Inhabitants of Dounham 6 That the brinks on the VVest side of Ouse from Common lode to Dounham brigg be made xij foot broad in the bottom and 8 foot on the top and one foot higher than the highest water mark to be done by the Inhabitants of Stow-Bardolf UUymbotesham and Downham 7 That Edm. Beaupre Esquire and other the Land-holders in great Powdichfield and Whart medows have a Sluse at UUelle Clouses at the North head of Whartmedow and so to drayn through the midst of Marshland fenne 8 That the brinks of Ouse from Dounham bridge to Salters lode be made xij foot broad in the bottom and 8 foot at the top as also one foot higher than the highest water mark 9 That the new Powdiche from Salters lode to North delph be made xviij foot broad in the bottom xij foot at the top and â—ive foot in height from the plain ground And from North delph to Mullicourt â— of the same bredth at the top and bottom and six foot in height from the plain ground All which to be done and kept by the Inhabitants of Marshland the Town of Wigenhall the Land-holders of the hundred Acres within Stow Bardolf called the Lords hedding and the Land-holders of the decayed Tenement sometimes Bexwell's at North delph 10. And that from the East corner of Mullycourt unto Mullycourt drove it be made of the like bredth at the bottom and top by the Dean of Ely and six foot in height as abovesaid VVhich said Powdiche from Mullycourt droves end tendeth VVestwards unto the Bridge at the East end of Outwell Church and thence Northwest unto Boxstedstile which is the farthest bound of Outwell towards Emneth and is the division betwixt the half Hundred of Clakclose and the Hundred of Freebridge The which Bank or Causey ought to be made and kept by the Inhabitants of the Town of Outwell for their lands lying in Mullycourt field Sondy field and Powdich field 11. That the River of Welle called Welle Ee coming from the Bridge at the East end of Outwell Church and running Eastward till it come opposite to Saltham lake thence South East unto North delf thence Eastward to Salters lode to be made xxvij foot wide in the bottom and xl foot at the top from the said Bridge at Outwell Church to Mullycourt droves end by the Inhabitants of Outwell and from thence of the same widenesse by the Dean of Ely to Saltham lake and from thence to Salters lode of the like bredth by the Inhabitants of Marshland and Town of UUigenhall 12 That at the end of
lane bridge and thence to the Smethe lode Bridges Holmes Bridge Borret bridge situate over the main Drayn Mayes Bridge upon the same Drayn Another Bridge at Small Droves end Walton THe old Drayn extending from Clynkhyrne on the North part and abutting upon Newland lane on the South end Another Drayn extending from Crosse-green by Halehyrne to a place called le Yates Wall at the foot of Walton Sea dike and thence to Gybson's bridge Another Drayn beginning at Gibson's bridge and thence to the Smethe lode Bridges Gybson's bridge Old fen dich bridge Terington THe common Drayn extending from Fawkesfield to Oxhow borde and from thence into the Smethe lode Another Drayn extending through the same Town unto the Smethe lode Bridges One Bridge over the common Drayn at St. Iohns lane end Another at the Old fen dich A third ruinous adjoyning to the common Sewer called the Smethe lode Tylney with the Hamlets THe More dich drayn beginning at Tungreen bridge and so going to Wyndbrigge Read's Drayn beginning at Rysgate and extending to the Common Sewer The Fen dich drayn beginning at the West end of Tylney drove and extending to Pollets gool Another Drayn beginning at the West end of Meeres greâ—n and so extending to Creydike from thence to Fryth dich gole and so into the main River Another Drayn coming out of Spellow field and so over Meyres green to Meyres green Drayn Another called Black dich lying from Terington to Islington Fen end Bridges Five Bridges upon Moredich drayn whereof two are in Sale yate a third called Tungreen bridge another called Moredich bridge and the fift at the end of the said Drayn Another Bridge at Rysegate Another adjoyning to the Common Sewer Another Bridge called Fen dich bridge Another Bridge called Pollets gool bridge Another called Poyse gole bridge Another called Meyres green bridge Another at Dodale fedham Another called Meyres dich bridge A Causey called Islington droves end lying between the Bridges of Islington and Wigenhall Wigenhall A Drayn that beginneth at Crow gool and extendeth to New land gate thence to Barnwell Cloyt thence to Cowstow pipe and so to Raynham gool Another called St. Peters dich leading from Islington bridge to West fen lode Another called the High fen dich leading from Cowstow to Pykers hyrne thence to Hel bottom and so into the main River Another called the Heddings beginning at Pykers hyrn and thence extending to Hel bottom Another called the Border extending from Wygenhall mere to Pykers hyrne Another lying from Wigenhall mere to Scales corner so forth to Newfield heddyng between the Spade gonge and Islington drove Another called Simons lode extending from a place called the Senston alias the Hook and thence to Symonslode gool Another called Crosse lode extending from the Hook to the main River Another called Iohn's lode extending from the said Hook unto Iohn's-lode gool Another called Bustard's lode which extendeth from the said Hook unto Buctard lode gool Another called Griggs lode extending from a place called the Lowe way to the Gool head at the main River Another Drayn coming from West fen dich to Griggs gool Another called Martin drayn Another called New dich beginning at the West part of the Common belonging to Stow Bardolf Wynbotesham and Downham and extending to the main River Another Drayn lying in Stow-Bardolf from a place called West head into the main River A Dike belonging to Dounham which extendeth from Dounham bridge unto the chardge of the C. Acres of Stow Bardolf lying at the new Powdich Bridges and Causeys Gillingore brigge A Causey called called Wigenhall mere extending from the old Pow dike to Black dich A certain Causey called Low side A Common Causey called Stow brinke extending from a place called Scapwere unto the Common gate Memorandum that the Ward dich called the Little Pow dich ought to be repaired by the Townships of Tylney with it's Hamlets Terington Walpole Walton UUalsoken and Emneth A note of the Chardges which do yearly belong to Marshland being but eight Towns INprimis in the High ways for Travellers there are xxv Bridges valued in their reparations yearly at Cl. Item there is in the other ways of the Countrey Lxxx Bridges and five Gooles without which the Country is neither habitable nor passable valued yearly for reparations at DCl Item there are two other Gooles very great ones with Drayns into the River of Ouse one called Knight's goole the other the New goole valued yearly for reparations at CCl. Item the Sea-Banks of the Countrey valued yearly for reparations at M Ml. Item the Pow dikes the one called the New Pow dike and the other the Old Pow dike which be defensive Banks against the fresh waters valued yearly for reparations at Cl. The total 3000l. CHAP. XLV HAving no more to say of Marshland I shall next take notice of the remainder of this Country lying Eastwards from the River Ouse and then of those parts of Suffolk wherein any improvement hath been made by Banking and Drayning In 55 H. 3. complaint being made that about seven hundred acres of Marish and other Lands belonging to William Bardolf and the Prior of Wyrmyngey lying in Wyrmyngey and Tokenhull were then overflowed more than formerly partly by inundations from the Sea and River of Secchehithe and partly by the making of Pools and otherwise so that the said Prior had received very much damage thereby And that there was a certain Causey lying in the proper soil of the said William overthwart the said Mannours which Causey was the Kings High-way to Lenne through the midst whereof a certain stream of water passed behind a Mill And that the said William and his Ancestors having permitted the people of the Country for their common benefit to raise the same Causey in the Winter season the said stream of water which had wont to have it's course through the midst of it as aforesaid was thereby so stopt that it overflowed all the lowgrounds therabouts the King therefore being desirous that there should be some remedy had therein granted a Commission to Iohn de Cokefeld to enquire the truth thereof and how and in what manner those Marish grounds might be drayned with the least damage to the Country In 5 E. 1. upon the like complaint that the course of the River at Wirmegay had been so obstructed by the frequent inundations of the Sea that two thousand Acres of Land Meadow and Pasture lying in the Marshes of Midleton and Wirmegeye were drowned the King assigned Raphe de Wyrham and Will. de Midleton to enquire thereof and how they might be so drained as aforesaid And in 22 E. 1. Peter de Campania and Adam de Shropham were constituted Commissioners for the view and repair of the Banks Ditches and Sewers of Middelton Rungetone and Sechithe then ruinous and in decay by reason of the Tides and flouds of fresh water Other general Commissions of the like nature were afterwards issued
common Sewer at Brownesbrigge and another Clow or one Dam in the Common Sewer at Wâ—singhambrigge and another at Boteleslane brigge and another at Tubbesbrigge so also one in each of the Common Sewers at Mannyngesbrigge Beeslane brigge and Stonebrigge in Kirklane And that the said Town of Tyd ought also and did use to make repair and mantain sufficiently two Banks called Wardyches in Tyd aforesaid viz. the Syd dyke and Thre dike beginning at Avereys trees in Tyd aforesaid and extending to the New fen dyke in the same Town higher by six foot than they were at that time in the best place and in bredth twelve And that the said Town of Tyd ought to raiseâ— maintain and repair sufficiently one Bank called Marteynesfendike in Tyd aforesaid beginning at Avereys trees and leading to Wesynham brigge in the same Town six foot higher than it was at that present in the best place and in bredth xij foot Whereupon the before-specified Commissioners decreed that the said Sewers and Banks should be made and raised accordingly And they likewise for the better safeguard of the said Town of Tyd did decree and ordain that a new Sewer should be made from Brownysbrigge unto Kirklane on the North side of Newgate in bredth ten foot and in depth as much as needed so that the Rivers of Elâ—tesfeld Fendykefeld Cokeleyfeld Hornefeld and Rylondfeld might have their course to the House somtime belonging to Will. Noche but then to Will. Hobart on the North part of Brodgate and so thwarting the Broadgate unto Brownesbrigge aforesaid on the South side of Brodgate and so unto the said new Sewer and then crossing Kirklane where a fitting Bridge of bredth and depth convenient was to be made and so by the hades of the Lands of Somerleswe abutting on Kirklane towards the West unto Thorgereslane and so by Thorgereslane on the North side unto Hastcroft dyke neer to Thesâ—ill brigge and from Thestely brigge unto the end of Thorgaresâ—ane unto Hascrost mylle hylle thwarting Hascroft dyke and so to the antient Sewer called Brossebrigge and so to the Sea which Sewer was to be made by all the Landholders of the Town of Tyd aforesaid And that the two Sewers on each side Brodgate and Kirkgate from the House of Will. Hobert and Brownesbrigge should be stopt up when need required And that one Sewer should be repaired and digged on the South part of Southgrafte feld neer to the Syddyke viz. from Childesgrave unto the Gorys and so to Theâ—tely brigge eight foot in bredth and as deep as needed by all the Landholders in Southgrafte feld aforesaid And that all the hade Lands of Southgrafte feld aforesaid towards Thorgaresâ—ane should be stopt by the Landholders there upon penalty of xxs. for every of them to be paid to the Bishop of Ely for the time being so that the water of Southgrafte feld aforesaid might have its course to the Sea without any impediment And that every man having Lands or Tenements in Tyd aforesaid might take Earth to repair and make the Shoffen dyke from the Common next to the River which is in Tyd aforesaid and Tyd S. Maries which is the division betwixt Cambridgshire and Lincolnshire And that the said Shoffendyke should be barred in three places to prevent Carts from coming thereon and that a certain way in Tyd aforesaid called Beeâ—lane should likewise be barred for the same respect from the Feast of S. Michael the Arch angel unto the Feast of S. Peter ad vincula by the Landholders in Newfelde And they lastly presented that Thomas Floure of Okham in the County of Roteland ought to repair and maintain upon the Bank called Wisebeche Fendyche a certain proportion containing six hundred foot in respect of xxiiij acres of land in Wisebeche and that upon Monday the Feast of S. Wolstan the Bâ—shop and Confessor in the seventeenth year of the said King Henry the sixt his reign the same portion of that Bank was broken and decayed and that the Dike Reeves aforesaid did warn the said Thomas to amend the same which he refusing to do the fresh waters made the said breach greater whereby the portions of the same Bank belonging to Geffrey Lambard and others adjoyning thereto were also broke and ruined to the danger of destroying the whole Country MMMMCCCC acres in Wisebeche MMMMDC acres in Leverington MCCCC acres in Neutone and MM. acres in Tyd being thereby at that time overflowed and drowned Not long after this viz. upon Saturday next before the Feast of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin in 17 H. 6. there was a Session of Sewers held at Wisebeche by Sir Iohn Colevile Knight Gilbert Haltoft and others at which time the Jurors presented upon their Oaths that there was a certain Sewer called South Ee but antiently Old Ee whereby the water of Nene and Weland ought to passe from Noman's land in Croyland unto Dowesdale in the same Town and thence by South Ee dyke unto the East end of the field of Throkenold in Leverington neer the Crosse in Leverington and thence into the Sewer called Fendiche in Leverington and Wisebeche unto the River of Wisebeche at Guyhirne Which Sewer of South Ee aforesaid is the division betwixt Lincolnshire and Cambridgshire And that the moytie of the said Sewer ought to be scoured by the Abbot of Crouland and the Towns of Quaplode Hotheche Fleete Gedney Sutton and Tyd S. Maries in Lincolnshire viz. by the said Abbot to Dowesdale aforesaid and thence by each village aforesaid for their proportions of land in each Town And the other moytie by the Abbot of Thorney and Bishop of Ely with his Tenants of Wisebeche Hundred viz. by the said Abbot for his Fens in Thorney and Leverington bordering upon the same Sewer and by the said Bishop and his Tenants for their Fen called Wisebeche fen in Cambridgshire abutting upon the said Sewer And the said Sewer called Fendiche ought to be clensed by the Towns of Wisebeche Leverinton Neuton and Tyd S. Giles And that the said moytie of that Sewer which ought to be scoured by the said Towns of Quaplode Holbeche Fleete Gedney Sutton Tyd S. Maries was not clensed but stopt up and filled with Reeds Haffs and other Vegetables so that the said water could not have its right course unto the said Sewer called Fendiche and thence to the River of Wisebeche and so to the Sea as it used to have whereby the whole Fen called Wisebeche fen belonging to the Bishop of Ely was drowned so that the said Bishop and his Tenants of Wisebeche Hundred could not receive any benefit in the same And they likewise presented that one part of the water of Nene descended from the Bridge at Peterborough unto Thorney barre aforesaid thence to Noman's land in Croyland Which River the Abbots of Peterborough and Thorney ought to clense from the said Bridge at Peterborough unto Thorney bart aforesaid and thence to Noman's land aforesaid viz. the Abbot of Peterborough the
said gotes 56. That the Heddings of Fytton Seacrofts be diked from Dods dyke unto Medow lane in bredth 8 foot and in depth 4. 57. That the Heddings of the lands in Fytton croft be diked in bredth 8 foot and in depth 4. from Lowing's Fendike unto Dods dike 58. That a Sewer be made by the Heddings of the lands in the midst of the old ......... viz. from Fittâ—â— Crosse unto the lands of Ieffrey Colvile Esquire called Worthens Croft in bredth 8 foot and in depth 4. 59. That a Sewer be made on the South side of Worthens Croft unto Dods dike in bredth 8 foot and depth 4. 60. That the Township of Newton time out of mind ought to repair a Dike called Lowings otherwise called Blackdike beginning at Fitton and so leading unto Tyd Sea-dyke in height 8 foot and bredth xii 61. That the Landholders of Iohn Clarke and Rolles field ought to make a Dam at the East end of Iohn Clarke's land in Newfield to keep the water of Newfield from running into Rolles field 62. That the whole Township of Newton ought to repair a Dike called Goredike from Block's lane leading to Shoffendike in height 8 foot and in bredth xii 63. That all the lands in Newton shall clense one Lode called Newton lode beginning at Fendike bridg and leading to Pickerd's stile to the four Gotes in bredth xii foot and in depth 4 foot 64. That the Landholders of Rolles field shall keep their Clotes and the Landholders of Newfield and all other fields that drayn that way shall make their Heddings in Rolles field from the lands of Iohn Clarke aforesaid unto Dod dike and there to make a Pipe of four foot square 65. That a Sewer be made in Newton from viii acres of ...... Drews at Fytton gole at the West end of meadow field and so all along by Medow lane unto West field and so by Sim. Troves 8 acres and from thence by the Heddings of Mr. Colvile's xx Acres and so over the Lane through a pipe to the Common Sewer of Newton to be diked 8 foot in bredth and depth 4 every man against his own land 66. That the Sewer in Fenlondfield beginning at Starts gate and so going into a Pipe lying over Franks lane and so to the mote of Geffrey Colvile Esquire and thence to another Pipe lying over the High way in the same Town of Newton neer to the Common Sewer be diked by all the Landholders that shall take profit thereby 67. That all the lands in Newton do make a Dike coming from Shofendike beginning at Goredike and so leading to Tyd thredding in height 8 foot and bredth 6. 68. That all Weres and Stamps being in the high lode of Newton from Shofendike into the 4 gotes be pulled up 69. That the Township of Leverington do make 8 Bridges in Newton and one Close shut which Bridges do lye towards the South the first at Stanfield's dore the second at the beginning of Black dike two at Leverington pipe with 2 stone walls one at Lords lane another at Child's grave otherwise called Taylors sheers one at Green dike and one at Start's dike 70. That the Landholders of Leverington ought to make the Heddings in Newton beginning at the burnt place in Fytton and so leading unto Fen-dike Bridges and thence by Galls field unto Start's bridge in height ... foot and in bredth 8 taking menure and paying to the Owner for every Rod of length 18 foot bredth 4 foot and depth four foot four pence Tydde S. Giles 71. That all the Landholders in Tyd S. Giles ought to make a certain agisted Dike called Shoffendike from Tyd thredding unto Ee graynes in Tyd in height six foot and bredth 8. 72. That a Bank called Ee dike and all Ee Banks from the said Eegraynes unto Tyd gote shall be made of the same height and bredth by all the said Inhabitants saving against Hockfield and other two places called the Ee dike or Bishops dike The which Ee dike to be made by the Bishop of Ely and the others by the Lord of the said Hockfield 73. That a petty Drayn be made in Newfield beginning at Brown's bridge at Newgate leading by Broad gate and Barngate to the Bridge at Churchgate in bredth 8 foot and depth 4. by the Landholders on the North side of Newgate bordering on the same Drayn 74. That a petty Drayn in Somerlesue be scoured beginning at the said Bridge at Church gate and by Church gate going to Littilbrigg in bredth ... foot and depth 4. by all the Landholders in Somerlesue and a Shut or Dam made at the said Littlebrigge as oft as need requireth 75. That all the Dikes lying against the North side of the Town drove and under Old dyke and Fen lane beginning at Skepgate brigg and so by the Droves to Shofendyke be scoured by all their Heddings every one against his front 8 foot wide and four foot deep 76. That a Crest be made in Towndrove beginning at Gaunt's brigge and so leading unto Cowstowe thence unto Fen lane and thence unto Ee dike in height 6 foot and in bredth 8 foot by all the Landholders in Rylondfield Carrow field and Northlane field And from Fenlanes end unto Shofendyke one Crest to be made in height and bredth as aforesaid by all the Landholders in Elletfield 77. That a Pipe be made in the same Bank a little from Gaunt's brigge out of the Lode for the drayning of the Fen and not to run but at such time as it shall not surround any other lands 78. That all the Wardikes in Tyd aforesaid shall be barred at all times in the year when need shall require by the advise of the Headborows and Dike-Reeves of the same Town that is to say aswell Town drove Fenlane South dike Tyd thredding Blackdyke and Beyslane as all the other agisted Banks and Dikes 79. That the Landholders in Tyd do make a Crest in Beyslane beginning at Tyd Sea dike and so leading unto Brown's brigge in height 4 foot and in bredth 8. 80. That the Landholders in South-field beginning at the lands late Iohn Houshold and abutting upon a certain land called Beyse place and leading unto Tyd Sea dike ought to make one Crest upon the Sea dike beginning at Beislane end and leading to Averie's trees or Black dike in height 6 foot bredth 8. 81. That all the Lands in Brodhest abutting upon Haftcroft lane do repair a petty Drayn beginning at the Common Sewer ....... and leading by the said lane unto Brassey lode in bredth 8 foot and depth 4. 82. That the Common Drove in Halcroft beginning at Hall pasture and so leading between the lands of Sir William Cordall Knight and so by the said Lane unto Welman's street and so into the old Sewer and so by the Sea gate green unto Skepp's board and so by the Sea bank unto the Common Sewer be clensed by all the lands lying upon the same 8 foot broad and 4
Swinshed upon the xi of August then last past upon full debate and consideration of the former Decrees and consideration of a true and perfect scedule of all the Fens c. comprised in a Decree of Tax bearing date at Boston upon the second of March in the eighth year of the said King Charles from Kyme Ea South-wards aswell within the parts of Kesteven as Holand to the River of Glen being part of the said Level mentioned in that Decree made at Sleford c. it did at that time appear to the said Commissioners and then to those present Commissioners at Boston that that part of the Level amounted to thirty six thousand Acres or thereabouts And recitall being likewise made that whereas at the said Session of Swineshed it was proposed that the severals within the said Level lying from Kyme Ea to the River of Glen might not contribute any part of land to the making up of the said quantity of fourteen thousand Acres but that the whole proportion should be taken out of the Fens and Commons And in a Session of Sewers held at Bourne upon the xith of August the next year following there was a speciall assignation in what particular place in each of the Fens before-specified the quantities so decreed as aforesaid should be set out and a certain mistake concerning Poynton fen rectified Which said several Decrees viz. that at Sleford 2 Iunii 11 Caroli that at Boston 29 Martii 12 Car. and this at Bourne 11 Aug. 13 Car. were afterwards in a Session of Sewers held at Sleford 25 Sept. 14 Car. ratified and confirmed And in another Session held likewise at Sleford upon the xiiijth of March then next ensuing the Commissioners receiving information by the said Earl that he had then effectually drayned all the lands between the River of Glen and Kyme Ea containing more than thirty five thousand Acres and taking view of them with all the Sluses Banks Sewers c. therein did so adjudge thereof and that he had made a full performance of his said undertaking And lastly in another Session held at Sleford also upon the 14 of Iune next following reciting and confirming all the former Decrees And that whereas but three thousand Acres were by the said Law of Sleford made 2 Iunii 11 Caroli decreed for the perpetual maintenance of the works within the said whole Level and that the said Earl had nevertheless at the instance of the Commissioners condescended to ty the said fourteen thâ—usand Acres for the perpetual maintenance of the said works made between the River of Glene and Kyme Ea over and above the Rent of iiijd the Acre thereupon reserved to be paid out of the said fourteen thousand Acres in case the said iiijd. the Acre should not be sufficient they decreed and ratified the same accordingly After which the said Earl and his Participants having been at no less than fourty five thousand pounds charge therein did inclose build inhabit plant plow sow and reap two years without disturbance but the third year divers clamorous Petitions were exhibited to the Parliament then sitting by the Country people Whereupon after examination of Witnesses Orders were granted from both Houses to quiet the possession of the said Earl and his Participants and to secure their Crops then upon the land Nevertheless the Petitioners in contempt of all entred and destroyed the Drains and buildings as also the Crops then ready to be reapt to a very great value and have ever since held the possession to the great decay and ruine of those costly works and exceeding discommodity to all that part of the Country CHAP. LVI The East and West Fenns NOrthwards of this Fenny part of the Country called Lindsey Levell are divers other Marshes lying towards Waynflete the greatest whereof are called by the name of the East and West Fenns Upon a Writ of Ad quod Dampnum in 41 Eliz. concerning the Drayning of these Fens it appears that the East fen lying betwixt the parts of Holand and Lindsey was found to contain five thousand Acres or thereabouts and that the one half thereof being the Skirt Hills and Out-rings might conveniently be drayned but the other half consisting of deeps for the most part could not be recovered and moreover that the Commons and Severals pertaining to the Towns confining on the said Fen did then amount to the number of three thousand and four hundred Acres or thereabouts all which were at that time surrounded Whether any thing was done at that time towards the drayning of those Fens I am not able to say but in 6 Caroli 15 Maii there was a Decree made in a Session of Sewers held at Boston by Robert Earl of Lindsey Lord great Chamberlain of England Edward Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain to the Queen Iohn Shorey Mayor of Boston Sir Robert Killegrew Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen Sir Robert Bell Sir Iohn Browne Knights Robert Callice Serjeant at Law and others which Decree makes this following recital viz. that there was a Law of Sewers made at Boston 7 9 Apr. then last past by the said Sir Robert Bell and others whereby it appeared that the grounds hereafter named were overflowed with fresh waters viz. Dockdike hurne from Armitage Causey and Howbriggs East to the River of Witham VVest and from the said River of Wytham South to Hawthorne North from the East end of Hundell house grounds and so along by Raydyke to the North side of Moorhouse grounds from thence by Marcham Revesby East Kirkby and Hagnaby to Hagnaby gate from thence along by Bar loade banck and the West end of Stickney Severals to Stickney Graunge From thence on the North side of Westhouse grounds along to Blacksyke from thence on the North side of Medlam to Gamock stake from thence directly to the East end of Hundel house grounds from Stickney graunge Southwards on the VVest side of the severals of Stickney and Nordyke gate East to Nordyke stream South and the West fenne VVest wherein is included Westhouse grounds the low grounds belonging to Stickney grange and Thornedales from Norlands lane along between Sibsey severals aâ—d the new Drayn to Hale Causey from thence along to the Shottells And that all these grounds as also the grounds mentioned in a Verdict heretofore given up at a SessioÌ„ of Sewers held at Boston aforesaid 16 Ian. An. 1629. viz. the East fenne extending in length from the severals of Wainflet on the East to the severals of Stickney on the VVest and in bredth from the severals of Waynflet Friskeney Wrangle Leake and Stickney on the South and the severals of Stichford Keales Toynton Halton Stâ—ping and Thorpe on the North were for the most part surrounded grounds And likewise that certain severals and Commons of divers Lords and Owners belonging to Waynflet and Friskeney lying between a bank called Fen-dyke bank on the East and East fen on the VVest and abutting
VVill. Newesome VVill. Hundgate Richard de Beverley and VVill. VVandesforde for those upon the River of Hull and parts adjacent from the towns of Etton Lokyngtone Scorburghe Ake and Berghe to Beswyke Wattone Hotone Crauntewyke and Skerene Upon a pleading in the Kings Bench 2 H. 4. it was adjudged that the Chantry Priest of Preston ought to repair and clense a Ditch called Skyrthdyke from Levergote unto Hedon and from Harphoc to Northoc And that the Towns of Brustwyke and Skeklings ought to do the like from Brustwyke Hallebridge to Middle gar and the Town of Ryell from Cambertonwell to Stoke holney land the Shireeve therefore had command to distrain them In 3 H. 4. there was an Inquisition taken by virtue of a VVrit of Ad quod Dampnum touching a Sewer in those parts upon which the Jurors presented that it would be no damage to the King or any other if a new Ditch by the name of a Sewer were made in the Meadows and Pastures of Anlaby xij foot in bredth and v foot in depth measured according to the Kings Ell and in length from a certain VVell called Iulians Welle situate in the said meadows and Pastures of Anlaby to the Waldkerr of Swanland and so descending from the said Waldkerr according to the length depth and bredth aforesaid unto Miton Kerdyke and thence by Miton Kerdike on the North side the pasture of Miton kerr to a certain Ditch then newly made neer to the Road-way which leadeth from the said Town of Kyngeston towards Beverley in length descending to the Ditch called the Town dyke under the VValls of Kingston upon Hull and thence by a sufficient Chanel to the Gate of that Town And that a substantial stop should be there made to keep back the salt water at the end of a certain Ditch lying betwixt the pasture of Swanland called the Wald-kerr and the pasture called Miton kerr as also other stops to be afterwards made whersoever the Mayor Bayliffs and Commonalty of the said Town should think necessary for the preservation of the fresh water and keeping back any salt water from thence for ever And that all such stops so made or to be made to be made and repaired by the said Mayor Bayliffs and Commonality at their own proper chardges without any cavill molestation or impediment for ever By which said Sewer so to be made anew and thenceforth called Iulian dyke all the current of fresh water both from the said spring called Iulian well as of all other currents of VVells in Dernyngham Enges in Anlaby together with the current of a certain Ditch betwixt Dernyngham Enges aforesaid and the North kerr of Anlaby as also the currâ—nâ—s of two springs in Anlaby and Hautempris one in the Ditch sometime of Peter de Anlaby in Anlaby descending thence unto the said Ditch called Iulian dyke and of another spring in the field of Hautempris in the North west Enges descending thence by divers Chanels unto the said Ditch called Iulian dyke to have their course in the said Ditch called Iulian dyke as abovesaid without any diversion or impediments of the said currents to be made for ever contray to the form and tenor of the premisses for the support maintenance and relief of the Town of Kingston upon Hull before-specified In 7 H. 4. Sir Peter de Bucton Knight Will. Gascoigne Sir Alexander Metham Knight Robert Tirwhit Iohn Radenesse Will. Skerne Richard Tirwhit and William Waldby were assigned to view and repair the Banks c. in these parts of Holdernesse and to do all things therin according to the Law and Custome of this Realm and the Custome of the Est Rything of this Country before that time used Upon a suâ—e in the Kings bench 13 H. 4. the Jurors presented upon Oath that there was a certain Water-course which came from the Springhead in the fields of Anlaby by Warlinghamdyke unto the Town of Kingston upon Hull so stopped at the gate of that Town towards Anlaby that it overflowed the Meadows and Pastures of Gerard de Usflet and of the Towns of Anlaby Swanland Hesil and Feriby to the common damage of all those Villages which Watercourse ought to be scoured by the Town of Kingston upon Hull but was not Howbeit in this there was no judgement then given in regard that the Townsmen of Kingston upon Hull pleaded again in Michaelmasse Term 1 H. 5. by reason of the former Kings death In 5 H. 5. Robert Tirwhit Peter del Hay Iohn Ellerker Will. Waldeby Iohn Holme Iohn Disnay Christopher Boynton Robert Rudstane and the Shireeve of Yorkeshire were appointed to view and repair the banks then in decay throughout the whole Est Rithing of this Country and to proceed therein according to the Custome of the Marsh and the Law and Custome of this Realm The like appointment in 5 H. 6. had Sir Iohn Scrope Sir Robert Babthorpe Sir Thomas Brounflete and Sir Henry Brounflete Knights Iohn Ellerker and others So also in 11 H. 6. had Sir Rob. Babthorpe and Sir Rich. Hastyngs Knights Iohn Ellerker Iohn Constabill of Halsham Esquire Iohn Holme senior Iohn Portyngton Robert Rudstane and VVill. Muston with direction to do all things therein according to the Law and Custome of this Realm and the Custome of Romeney marsh As also to imprest so many Labourers upon competent wages to be imployed in that work as should be necessary for the same considering the great and urgent necessity in expediting therof for prevention of farther damage Other such general Commissions for the said Est Rything had these persons hereafâ—er named viz. in 13 H. 6. the same Sir Rob. Babthorpe and his associates In 14 H. 6. Sir Rich. Hastyngs Kt Iohn Constable of Halsham Iohn Ellerker Rob. Hatfield Iohn Portyngton Iohn Holme senior Robert Rudstane and Thomas Wylton And in the same year the said Sir Robert Babthorpe Iohn Ellerker Raphe Babthorp Esquire Guy Roclyff Iohn Portyngton Robert Rudstone VVill. Mustone and Alexander Lounde In 18 of this Kings reign Sir Iohn Constable Knight Iohn Portyngtone Robert Hatfield and Thomas VVilton being constituted Commissioners for the repair of the banks c. within the liberty of Holdernesse and the VVapentakes of Bokeres and Dykering sate at Tiktone upon Friday next after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Crosse before whom the Jurors presented that there was a certain common Sewer in Hornese extending in length from Hornesemare to the Sea and over it a bridge for foot and Horsemen at the East end of Hornese which bridge ought to be in bredth six foot and in length ten and repaired whensoever need should be by the Abbot and Covent of S. Maries in Yorke as it had been time out of mind it being at that time in decay to the great damage of the said Kings Liege people VVhereupon the Shireeve having command to impanel a Jury to enquire c. he did accordingly VVho
thereupon In the same year also Will. Lord Wilughby Raphe Crumwell Philip Spenser Robert Tirwhit and Robert Cumberworth were appointed to view and repair the Banks and Sewers betwixt Grymesby and Waynflete and to do all things therein according to the Law and Custome of this Realm and the Custome of Romney marsh The like appointment the next year following had the said William Raphe and Philip with Richard Muriell and Albine de Endirby for the same Banks and Sewers and direction to proceed therin according to the Law and Custome of the Marsh. In which year I find it presented that the Sewer called the Ea ought to be repaired from the West end thereof unto the Sea by VValter Athall Fermour of the Duke of Lancaster's â—ishing and VValter Ranson Fermour of the Lord of Dalbye's fishing And that the South-west bank of Lusdyke ought to be repaired by the village of All Saints in UUaynflete As also that the Chanel of Lusdyke from Stordyke unto the Eas end ought to be repaired by the same village And that the Ea from the VVest end thereof unto Normandeepe ought to be repaired by the Fermours of the fishing belonging to the said Duke and to the Lord of Dalby In 1 H. 4. Henry Earl of Northumberland Sir Will. de Wilughby Sir Walter Pedwardyn and Sir Iohn Rochefort Kts Robert Tirwhit Will. Michel and Albine de Enderby had Commission for the view and repair of those Banks and Sewers betwixt Boston and Friskeney with power to hear and determine all things therein according to the Law and Custome of this Realm and the Custome of Romeney marsh and to take so many Diggers and other Labourers upon competent wages in respect of the great and instant necessity as they should think requisite to be imployed in the said work Other Commissions of the like kind were shortly after directed to sundry persons viz. in 6 H. 4. to VVill. de VVylughby Iohn de Rocheford Rob. Elkyngton VVill. de Ludington Thomas Somercotes Thomas de Enderby Iohn Symons and Robert VVhite for those within the precincts of UUrangle to Barton upon Humbre with appointment to proceed therein according to the Law and Custome of this Realm and so likewise in 7 H. 4. to the same VVilliam Iohn Albine de Enderby VVill. de Ludington and others In 9 H. 4. to VVill. Lord VVylughby Sir VValter Talboys and Sir Richard Haunserde Knights Robert Tirwhit Will. de Lodyngton Will. Michel and Thomas Enderby for those betwixt Boston and Trent In 10 H. 4. to Sir Will. de Wylughby and Sir Iohn de Rocheford Knights Will. Lodyngton Thomas Wace Richard de Bradlay and Will. Boleyne for those betwixt Boston and Skegeneys and in divers towns and places within the Sokes of Bolyngbroke and Horncastre with direction to proceed therein according to the Custome of the Marsh and the Law and antient Custome of this Realm In 11 H. 4. to Robert Tirwhit Sir Iohn Rocheford Knight Robert Waterton Iohn Waterton Iohn Skipwyth Will. Lodyngton Richard Tournay Richard Bradley and Thomas Wace for those betwixt Boston and Friskeney and to act therein according to the Law and Custome of this Realm and the Custome antiently used in that place In 12 H. 4 to Robert Lord Wylughby Sir Thomas Wylughby Kt. Robert Tirwhit Robert Waterton and others for those betwixt Boston and UUaynflete with appointment to do all things therein according to the Law and Custome of this Realm The like Commission the same year had Rob. Tirwhit Sir Richard Haunsard Knight Will. Lodyngton Nich. Tournay Thomas Claymond Henry Morley Iohn Skipwith and Robert Feriby for those Banks and Sewers from Littulburgh all along the River of Trent to Humbre and from Bishops brigges on the River of Ancolme to Humbre So also had Thomas VVace Richard Bradley and others for all the Banks and Sewers throughout this whole Province of Lindsey as also for those betwixt Boston and Friskeney before whom sitting at Bullingbrooke on Friday being the Feast day of S. Ambrose the Jurors presented upon Oath that it would be fit for the preservation of the Eastfenne that the Dam of Waynflete be shut throughout the whole year that the salt water being kept out of the wash the grasse and weeds growing therein might be totally destroyed and to be thus stopped up by the towns of the Wapentake of Bullingbroke and the Inhabitants of UUrangle Leake Leverton Benington Butterwik Freston and Tofte in such sort that the water descending from the mountainous parts of Lindsey and running into a certain Sewer called Lusdyke in Lindsey viz. in Thorpe UUainflete and Stepinge should be so kept within the bounds of a certain trench that it might not enter into the said Washe of the Est fenne but keep it course to the Haven of UUaynflete and thence to the main Sea In 13 H. 4. the King by his Attorney impleaded Will. Leveryk of Irby and Isabell his wife for making of a Ditch in a certain place in UUaynflet called Hall dale by means whereof four Sewers which passed the fresh waters from Bullingbroke and other Towns adjacent in Est fenne and UUest fenne became obstructed to the prejudice of the said Kings fishing there and the overflowing of four Acres of his said land In 1 H. 5. Robert Tirwhit Sir Richard Haunsard and Sir William Frank Knights Thomas Enderby Richard Hawe and Simon Louthe were constituted Commissioners for the view and repair of the Banks Sewers and Ditches from Wytherne to the Sea and betwixt Saltfletby and Trusthorpe and to do all things therein according to the Law and Custome of the marsh Divers other Commissions to the like purpose were shortly after directed to sundry other persons viz. in 6 H. 5. to the same Rob. Tirwhit Will. Lodyngton Tho. Cumberworth Roger Flore Thomas Enderby Thomas Somercotes Iohn Kyme and Iohn Langholme for all the Banks and Sewers in this Province of Lindsey In which Commission they had direction to proceed according to the Law and Custome of this Realm In 1 H. 6. to the same Robert Tirwhit Thomas Santone Robert Feryby Robert Wasselyn Henry Morlay and Thomas Belwode for those betwixt the Rivers of Trent and Ankholme wherein they were to act according to the Custome of the Marsh and the Law and Custome of the Realm In 4 H. 6. to Sir Robert Wylughby Sir Raphe Crumwell Sir William Crumwell and Sir Raphe Rochford Knights Walter Talboys Robert Tirwhyt Iohn Kyme Richard Hawe and Iohn Veere for all the Banks Ditches and Sewers throughout this coast of Lindsey In 6 H. 6. to Iohn Beaumont Sir Will. Tirwhit Knight Iohn Ellerker Robert Feryby Iohn Tourney and others for those betwixt Grymesby and Burton Stather In 9 H. 6. to Sir Robert Wylughby Sir Raphe Crumwell and Sir Raphe Rocheford Knights Iohn Ellerker Walter Talboys and others for all within this whole Province of Lindsey
in those Bridges and Ditches And they also said that the Town of Donyngton ought and had used to repair the Sewer of Scathegrafte Swyneman dam and Swane lade in bredth xvi foot and of such depth as that the water running to the river of Byker and so to the Sea were not hindred Which Sewer ought to be open from the first day of March until the feast of S. Martin in Winter and so likewise from the said feast of S. Martin until the first day of March except so great an inundation from the Sea should then happen as that the said Sewer would not be sufficient but that the Province of Holand would be drowned In case of which inundation that then it might be lawful for the said Town of Donyngton to stop those Sewers and presently upon the fall of the water to open them again Which said Sewers were then obstructed through the default of the said Town of Donyngton that ought to have scoured the same And the said Juros farther said that the Town of Byker ought to repair and clense the said Chanel from Bondstake to Quadring to the bredth of xxiiii foot and that the Town of Quadring with the Commoners belonging thereto ought to scoure and repair the said Chanel unto Gosbirkirk of the same bredth And that the Town of Gosberkirk ought to do the like from thence to the Sea to the intent that the fresh waters might not be hindered by the said Chanels and Sewers And they said that the stream of Byker was then obstructed from Bondstake to the Sea through the default of the towns of Donyngton and Quadring and the Commoners of Gosberkyrk who ought to have clensed the same And they said moreover that the Chanel of Byker where the Dam was ought to be open throughout the whole year but that it would be more expedient that the town of Byker for the particular commodity thereof and for the benefit of the whole Countrey should make a certain Clow with two Dores each of four foot in bredth which Clow to be always open excepting in the time of mighty floods from the Sea And they also said that the Gutters and Sewers in Quadryng were then obstructed by the town of Quadring and the Commoners thereof and that it ought to be in bredth xvi foot and of such depth that the current of the water might not be hindred as also that it ought to be clensed and repaired by the said town and the Commoners And that the Sewer of Gosberkyrk called Risgate Ees and the Sluse betwixt the Fen and the Sewer which ought to lye open all the year as Scathegrafte and Swanelade used to do were then stopped by the Abbot of Peterborough and town of Gosberkyrk and that the town of Gosberkyrk with the Commoners ought to clense repair and amend the said Sewer Gutters and Sluse in such places where it had antiently wont to be viz. through the midst of the Fen belonging to that Abby And they said likewise that the Sewer of the Beche which ought to be repaired and clensed by the towns of Gosberkyrk Hynsebek and Surflâ—te from the Fen unto Surflete and thence to the Sea was obstructed through the default of those Towns and that one Richard de Hodell had raised a Bank in the course of the said Sewer by which the passage of the water was hindred And they farther said that the Sewer of Brigefleet was obstructed by the Town of Hekyngton and that it ought to be clensed and repaired by that Town unto the river at Swynesheved the Chanel there being sufficient to carry the water down to Kyme mouth Ee where it was then stopt by Philip de Kyme to the great damage of the Country And that the Sewer called the Encluse neer Boston ought to run at all times of the year and that it was stopped every Winter by the men of Boston at the West end of the Bridge as also that it ought to be three foot in bredth And that it ought to be repaired and maintained at the VVest end of the said Bridge by the Inhabitants of Boston And they likewise presented that the Sewer called Hamondebek on the South side of Boston was also obstructed by the Inhabitants of that Town on the West part of the said Bridge and by the Inhabitants of Skyrbek And that it ought to be repaired clensed and maintained by the said Inhabitants of Boston and Skyrbek in consideration whereof the said men of Boston living at the West end of the said Bridge ought to common in the Marsh of the eight Hundreds and that the said Sewer ought to run at all times in the year And they said moreover that the men of the eight Hundreds ought to clense the Chanel of Swynesheved from Blalberdeboche unto the North part of Swinesheved Town and that the said Town of Swynesheved ought to scour the same Chanel from thence unto the stream of Byker And that the Towns of Iwardeby and Onsthorpe ought to repair and maintain the South side of the water which runneth from Happeltrenesse to Kyme and that it was then in decay through the neglect of the Prior of Haverholme who ought to repair a great part thereof and refused so to do And they farther said that Philip de Kyme who ought upon his own ground to repair a certain part of that side at the Wathe mouthe did fail in doing thereof and so through the default of the said Prior and Philip the whole Marsh of Kesteven and Holand was overflowen and drowned to the destruction of all those Countries And that the said Philip did divert the course of that water to the great prejudice of the Country and especially of the Prior of Kyme And they likewise said that the Prior of Haverholme ought to find a certain boat at the Bothe neer to the Wathe mouthe for to carry over foot-folk aswell by night as day whensoever any one should pass that way and that he did neglect so to do to the great damage of such people that had occasion to pass that way And they said that the said water was the publick passage for all the Kings liege people from Kesteven to the river of Wythum And they said moreover that the Chanel called the Old hee between the Marsh of Holand and the Marshes of Hekyngton and Kyme ought to be repaired and clensed by the men of the eight Hundreds of Holand on the East part and by Henry de Beaumont or the Lord of Hekyngton and Commoners of that Town And on the West part by Philip de Kyme from Blalberdebothe to the water of Kyme and that it was there obstructed by Philip de Kyme And they also said that the Town of great Hale with the Commoners there ought to repair and maintain a certain Causey from Gerwyk to Pyngelhyrne both for Foot and Horse-men And that the beforespecified Town of Hekyngton with Gerwyk ought to clense and repair the Chanel of Gerwyk unto the water of
Stikeneie and A. de Cubledyk for those in the Wapentakes of Kirketone and Skirbeche and the parts adjacent In 7 E. 2. to Roger de Cubeldyk Laurence de Holebeche and Walter de Freskeneye for those only upon the Sea coast in this Province The like in 8 E. 2. to the said Roger Laurence and William de Farforde In 9 E. 2. upon an Inquisition taken at Boston before Edmund Deincourt Lambert de Trikingham Roger de Copildik and Robert de Malbirthorp then Justices of Sewers upon Tuesday next after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross it was found that the Town of Donington ought to repair and maintain the Causey of Holand with Bridges and Ditches on each side thereof viz. from the said Town of Donington unto the new Ditch and from the said Ditch unto the Chapel of S. Saviours the Prior of S. Saviours ought to do the like And it was likewise found that the said Town of Donington ought to repair the Sewers of Scoftgraft Swinemandam and Swanislad to the bredth of xvi foot and of such depth that the current of the water should not be hindred unto the River of Biker which leadeth to the Sea and that they ought to be open from the first day of March untill the Feast of S. Martin in Winter and likewisâ— from the Feast of S. Martin untill the first day of March unlesse so great an inundation of the Sea-water should happen at that time that the Sewers would not suffice to carry it away but that the Country of Holand would be ovâ—rflowed and in case of such flouds that tâ—e town of Donington might stop tâ—ose Sewers and upon the fall of the waterâ— opâ—n them again And it was found that the said Sewers were then stopt for waâ—t of clensing by the said Town of Donington And it was â—urâ—â—er found that the said town of Biker ougâ—t to repair and clense the said River of Biker unto Bondistac and from Bandistac to Quadring the said town of Donington to do the like to the bredth of xxiiij foot And that the town of Quadring with the Commoners thereof ought to scour and repair the same River unto Gosberchirch to the same bredth and the town of Gosberchirch to do the like according to the same bredth unto the Sea so that the fresh waters might not be hindred by the said Rivers and Sewers And it was also found that the River of Biker was then obstructed from Bondistake unto the Sea through the default of clensing it by the town of Donington and Quadring and the Commoners of Gosberchirch And that the said River of Biker where the Dam was ought to have been open all times of the year but that it would be more proper that the said town of Biker for their own benefit and commodity of the whole Country should make a certain Clow with two dores each of them four foot in bredth which Clow to be always open unlesse a great inundation of the Sâ—a should happen And it was moreover found that the Sewers and Gutters of Quadring being then obstructed by the town of Quadring and the Commoners thereof ought to be xvi foot in bredth and of such depth that the course of the water might not be hindred and repaired and clensed by the said town and Commoners And that the Sewer of Gosverchirche called Risgate and the Sluce betwixt the Fen and it which ought to be open throughout the whole year as Scatisgraft and Swannislade used to be were obstructed by the Abbot of Peterborough and the town of Gosberchirche and that the town of Gosberchirche with the Commoners thereof ought to clense repair and new make the said Sewer and Gutter called New gote and the Sluse whereby the water did antiently passe directly through the midst of the said Abbots marsh And it was likewise found that the Sewer of the Beche which ought to be scoured and clensed by the towns of Gosberchirch Surflet and Pinchebec from the Fen to Surflet and from Surflet to the Sea was then obstructed tthrough the default of those towns and that one Richard de Heddil had raised a Dam in the said Sewer whereby the course of the water was hindred And it was also found that the Sewer of Briggeflet was then obstructed by the town of Hekyngham and that it ought to be amended by the said town unto the River of Swinesheved and that there the River was sufficient to carry away the water unto Kyme mouth which was at that time stopped by Philip de Kime to the great damage of the whole Country And that the Sewer called the Encluse neer Boston ought to run for the space of the whole year but was then obstructed in the Winter season by the Inhabitants of Boston on the West part of the Bridge and that it ought to be three foot in bredth and repaired by the town of Boston on the West part of the Bridge Likewise tâ—at the Sewer called Hamundbek on the South end of Boston was then also obstructed by the Inhabitants of that town on the West part of the Bridge and the Inhabitants of Skirbâ—k and that it ought to be repaired by the said men of Boston to inhabiting on the West of the Bridge and the mâ—n of Skirbek and for that reason all the said Inhabâ—tants residing on that West side of the Bridge ought to Common in the Eight hundred fâ—n and that this Sewer ought to run by the space of the whole year And that the Inhaâ—itants of the Eight Hundreds ought to clense the River of Swynesheved from Balberdesbothe unto the North end of Swynesheved town and the town of Swynesheved to do the like from the said place unto the River of Biker And moreover that the towns of Iwardebi and Ousthorp ought to repair and maintain the South side of the wâ—ter called Apiltrenesse unto Kime and that it was then in decay through the default of the Prior of Haverholme who ought to repair a great part thereof and did refuse so to do And that Philip de Kime who ought of right to repair a certain portion of the side at Watemouthe did not do it insomuch as through the default of the same Prior and of the said Philip de Kime the whole Fen of Kâ—steven in Hoiland was overflowed and drowned to the damage of all those Countries And it was likewise found that the said Philip ought to repair that current of the before-specified water and did neglect so to do to the great damage of the Country and especially of the Priory of Kime And also that the Prior of Haverholme ought to provide a certain Boat at the Bothe neer Watemouth to transport foot-folks over that water aswell by night as day so often as any man should have occasion to passe that way and that he did not do it to the great damage of passengers travailing there And that the said water was the common passage from Kesteven unto the River of
be reformed by the Townships and persons who of right ought to do the same and to be of xij in bredth and of height sufficient for boats to passe under upon pain of 3l. 6s. 8. for every bridge unfinished at Michaelmasse following And that the Waredyke beginning at Colehousestile and so extending along the River of Burne Ee to Goodrams coote should be continued from the said Coote to Done hurne and to be distant from the River C. fooâ— and in bredth xij foot and depth iiij at the cost of the Inhabitants of Pinchbeckâ— upon pain of xxd. for every rode unfinished at Michaelmasse then next following Also that the Sewer called Newedyke in Dykesen should be perfected from Eedyke bridge unto Holand Fendyke according to the Law at Sempringham as aforesaid upon pain also of iijs iiijd. for every rode unfinished at Michaelmasse then next following Likewise that the Sewer extending directly against the East to Northgraft should be dyked and banked sufficiently by the Townships of Hakenby Dunsby and Pinchebeck and the manure to be cast on the North and that from the beginning of Pinchbeck limits to the Graft And that the Sewer of Northgraft from the first fall of the waters of the Fen into the said Sewer and thence to the Sea ought to be xij foot broad and six foot deep and to be done by the Inhabitants of Pinchbeck before Michaelmasse then next ensuing upon the penalty above-specified And that the Sewer called the Beche from Wrightbold Clowe to the Sea should be dyked roded and scoured by the Townships of Pynchbeck Gosberkirk and Surflet as had been accustomed before Michaelmasse then next ensuing upon like pain Likewise that the Sewer called Marisbeek should be scoured by the Landholders there according to their several parts to be done before the said day c. Also that the banks from Colehouse stile to Goodrams coote and thence to Done hurne should be made of xij foot thicknesse and three foot height where most need required by the Land-holders of Pinchbeck and Burne according to their limits before the said day c. And lastly that the Sewer called Hawewell should be scoured to Dykebarre by the Fermours of the Hawes and Tho. Gotherd Thence to Repingale South-dyke by the Inhabitants of Dyke Morton Hakenby and Dunsby Thence to Berhomepoles by the Inhabitants of Repingale Ringstone and Kirkby-Underwood before Michaelmasse then next following After this viz. in 43 and 44 Eliz. there arose a great controversie about the erecting of two new Gotes at Skirbek and Langare for drayning the waters out of South Holand and the Fenns into Boston Haven which work Sir Edward Dimock Knight did by himself and his friends further what he could but it was opposed by the Country of Kesteven and the very exception taken thereto was that the Commissioners of Sewers could not by the power of their Commission make a Law for the erecting of those new Gotes whâ—re never any stood before Whereupon the decision of this point coming at length before the then two chief Justices viz. Popham and Anderson they delivered their opinions that the said new Gotes if they were found to be good and profitable for the safety and advantage of the Country they might be erected by the power of the Statute of xxiij of Henry the eighth Of Spalding and Pinchbeck Fens see farther in my last Chapter under the title of Kesteven and Holand CAP. XLVI FRom Lincolnshire keeping on my course Eastwards I come next into Norfolke on the West side of which Country very great advantages have been made by banking and drayning whereof the most antient are in that part of it called Marshland next adjoyning to Holand last spoken of That this was originally gained from the Sea by the Romans I have in the Chapter of this discourse endeavoured to make manifest which admitted we may well conclude that our Ancestors the Saxons considering the extraordinary fertility of the soil had a fair invitation to seat themselves therein for that they did so is evident enough from that authentique Survey taken by the Norman Conqueror which sheweth that the Towns now in being there were all extant in the days of King Edward the Confessor Nor is it improbable but that they were so likewise for divers preceding ages forasmuch as it appears that the Church of Ely was possest of Walpole long before a place of no small note by reason it gave birth to S. Goderic the Hermite of whom M. Paris maketh ample mention Tâ—iâ— Country on the East is bounded by the stream of Ouse on the West with Wisbeche River on the North with the Sea-bank and on the South with the new Po-dike as the Map sheweth and containeth no lesse than tâ—irty thousand Acres whereof part is a â—amous plain called the Smeeth which being common to all the Towns therein maintaineth at least thirty thousand sheep and yet is not of a larger extâ—nt in the widest part of it than two English miles Of this plain I may not omâ—â— a tradition which the common people thereabâ—uts have viz. that in old time the Inhabitants of the neighbouring Villages had a fierce contest with one Hickifric the then owner of it touching the bounds thereof which grew so hot that at length it came to blows and that Hickifric being a person of extraordinary stature and courage took an Axeltree from a Cart instead of a Sword and the wheâ—l for his Buckler and being so armed most â—toutly repelled those bold invaders for farther testimony of which notable exploit they to this day shew a large Grave-stone near the East end of the Chancel in Tilney Church-yard whereupon the form of a Cross is so cut as that the upper part thereof by reason of the flourishes wherewith the Carver hath adorned it sheweth to be somewhat circular which they will therefore need have â—o be the wheel and the sâ—aft the Axâ—â—râ—e It is observed that within the compasse of this Province there is neither Mole nor Rat and that such hath been the care of the Inhabitants for pervention of mischief which might happen by any breach of the publick Sea-bank that they have invironed every Town with a particular bank called the Indike or Ward-dikâ— â— which upon any such inundation doth secure it from danger As for the several Sewers and Bridges which it hath I shall reserve them to be spoke of in the lâ—st place purposing now to go on in taking notice of such improvements as have been made within the old Precinct thereof as also how it hath been preserved from the violence of the tides on the one part and fresh waters on the other with the farther enlargement of it's particular bounds By an antient Pleading it appeareth that before the year MCLxxxi 27 H. 2. there was neither any habitation nor ground that yielded profit within that part of Wigenhale from Busterdesdole unto the South side of the same Town except the Monastery
chardges of the said Country of Marshland as oft and when need shall require the South end whereof is in defect for lack of height yet not very needfull to be exalted and made because the Hundred is sufficiently defended by a certain Bank of the Old Pow dich which extendeth from the South end of the Thwart lane aforesaid unto the River or Sewer of Welle and from thence on the West side of the said River unto the beginning of Emneth Sea-dyke at Boxsted stile which Bank of the Old Pow dich we find necessary to be new agisted that every person may have equal chardge accordingly as they now use 8 Item they say and find that all the Lands and Tenements c. in the said Hundred on the West side of the said great River and a certain field called Hawsted are defended and saved from surrounding by a certain Bank called Broken dich or Old fen dich situate in the Town of Elme in the County of Cambridge extending from a certain place at Emneth called Mill dam unto another place called Hichcock's dam which Bank for the better security of Marshland would be exalted from the corner next the Mansion house of Robert Blewick in Emneth unto Hichcocks dam one foot at the least and more where necessity should be so that the same shall be a just Levell and in bredth in the top twelve foot and by the common chardges of all the Lands and Tenements within the Salvation aforesaid 9 Item that two Pipes are laid throughout the said Bank for the drayning of certain lands on the South side of the said Bank which are to the surrounding of Marshland and the Commons of the same and ought to be fordone and broken up for that they are to the great prejudice of Marshland 10 Item they say and find that where in the first year of Henry the sixth a Decree was made before the Commissioners of Sewers then aswell for the Salvation of certain Fields called Plawfield Budbeche field Kirkfield and Sandyfield in Upwell and Outwell as also for the perfect saving and sewing of the Lands and Tenements within the salvation of the New Powdich then to be erected and on the South side of the Old Pow diche aforesaid that there should be two Gotes made under the River in Welle for the drayning of the said fields which Gotes through the insufficiency of the Sewer called Rightforth lode extending to the great River have oft overflown and surrounded and almost every winter do overflow divers Lands Tenements and Commons in UUelle and Stow-Bardolf and much damnifie the Old Powdich to the great and inestimable hurt of the Lands Tenements and Commons within the Salvation aforesaid Wherefore it was decreed by certain Commissioners that if the Lands and Tenements that way drayning do not sufficiently keep the said Sewer that the water be kept within the Bay so that the Lands within the Salvation of the said New Powdich may drayn into and by the said Sewer that then it shall bâ— lawfull to the Inhabitants of Marshland to stop up their said Gotes 11 Which Decree for that it is profitable for the said Hundred and for all other the premisses within the Salvation of the said Nâ—w Powdich we find that it is reasonable that it be ratified by the authority of this Commission of Sewers And further that it shall not be lawfull for any man to open the said Gotes or Gote before the water be fallen within the Bay so that all the premisses within the said Salvation of the said New Powdich may drayn and be sewed which lye on the South side of the Old Powdich upon pain to lose and forfeit for every such offence xl. to be levyed by any of the Dike-Reeves of Marshland or by so many of them as the said Country shall assign of the goods of every person or persons which shall open the same or their procurers or any of them towards and for the stopping of the said Gotes to the scouring of the said Sewer and to be bestowed upon the said Old Pow dich in equal proportions 12 Item they say that neither the Lord nor no Commoner shall feed any Beasts upon the said New Pow dich besides Sheep nor make any drift with Beasts upon the said Bank for inestimable hurt that may there be done upon pain of a peny for every load so driven or under the custody will or default of any keeper of any to be paid to the Dike-Reeves of the same Bank as oft as such offence is And that the Beasts there found feeding or driveÌ„ in maÌ„ner aforesaid except such as are excepted by the said Dyke-Reeves shall be distrained impounded and in pound to be kept while the owners of them shall pay the mony forfeited which shall be imployed upon the amendment of the said Bank so hurt by the drift of the said Beasts as appeareth by the Decree made then 13 Item they say and find that all the Lands c. on the South side of the said Old Pow dich and all other Lands in Welle on the West side of the River leading from Mill dam to Welle Church are saved from surrounding and do take great benefit by the New Pow diche aforesaid and therefore ought to be charged between the Priory of Mullycourt and Salters lode for their portion and profit thereby taking but are not whereby the Queens Majesties possessions and other possessions of the Country of Marshland are very much surcharged 14 Item they say that the Inhabitants of Marshland or any other that shall come to the said New Pow dich for the menuring making or repairing of the same or oversight thereof with their Carriages Horses or other things for the defence thereof ought not to be distrained or otherwise troubled by the Lords of the Fee oâ— their Ministers but that they may return in the ways meetest for them without amerciament or punishment and that way of punishment is reserved to the Lords of the Fee but Wayf Stray punishment for bloud-draught and for Hue and Cry and for taking of menure on the North side of the said Bank within fourty foot of the foot of the same Bank 15 And they say and find that the said Dyke or Bank is in defect for lack of height or bredth between the Priory of Mullycourt and North delf house in divers places of necessity defended viz. in the supposed charges of Emneth xi foot of Terington xxiij Rods of Walsoken viij Rods and a half of West-walton x Rods of Walpole xli Rods of Tylney xij Rods of Wigenhall iij Rods and xv Rods against the decayed messuage of North delf which ought to be kept by the said messuage-land to it belonging in widenesse and height equal to the said New Pow dich And from Northdelf to Salters lode in the like supposed charges of Enmeth iij Rode Walsoken xxii Walton xxxvi Walpole Lxx Teringtone Lxij West-Lynne vi Clenchwarton xvi Tylney xli Wigenhall Lx beâ—ides a certain other part likewise supposed
out both in this King's time and K. Edward the second 's viz. in 35 E. 1. to William de Carleton Will. Houward Giles de Mounpinson and Iohn le Bretun In 1. E. 2. to the same Will. Howard Iohn le Bretun and Thomas de Ingoldethorp In 2 E. 2. to Henry de Staunton Iohn le Bretoun Richard de Walsingham and Thomas de Ingoldesthorpe In 6 E. 2. to Iohn de Thorpe Richard de Walsyngham and Thomas de Snyterton for the view of all the Banks Ditches Sewers c. in the Hundreds of Frethebrigge and Clackelose In 10 E. 2 to Iohn de Milford Robert de Maddingle William de Corton and Simon de B ....... for those in the same Hundreds In 15 E. 2. upon a Session of Sewers held at Tirington by Sir Thomas de Ingaldesthorpe Iohn Fytton Iohn de Hotoft and Will. Bataile the Jurors presented upon Oath that the Causey of Watlington called East wrodiche extending from Burfenne to Polberdiche and another Causey in the same Town called Polberdiche reaching from East wrodiche to the Eebrynke of Wigenhale ought to be raised in every low place so as it might be made equal with the highest and to be six foot in bredth throughout at the top And likewise that the Eebrinke at the River of Wigenhale ought to be raised in every place from Pulberdiche to Gerys dam so as it might be full two foot higher than the highest Water-mark which was in the thirteenth year of the said King Edward the second 's reign and to be ten foot broad at the top And that the Causey of Watlington called Gerys dam be raised to the same Levell as it then was in the highest place and to be xvi foot in bredth at the top And they said that the Sewer in the Cornfen of Watlington lying betwixt the Lands of William Chaplein and Iohn Saunfoly on the North part extending it self from the Meadow gate to the Broad beche ought to be scoured and a Bridge of three foot in bredth and as much in height made over the same in the way of Broad beche so that the water might run under the same without the South side of the Beche into the Hending Westward untill it should come to Will. fitz Thomas there divert the water through the midst of the narrow Beche to Skindeslediche then to run in that Ditch unto the Kings High way there a Gutter to be made 3 foot broad 3 foot high through the midst of the Kings high way and so to run in the Ditch betwixt the land of Roger Hestings and Maud Skindwell till it come to the Eebrynke in which place there ought to be a Gutter made three foot in bredth and as much in height through the midst of the said Eebrynke through which the water might passe to UUigenhale And that the said Sewer be clensed throughout so that it might contain eight foot in bredth And they said that the Gutter called Iuresgole and Goseygole with the Gutter running through the midst of the Kings High way opposite to the other ought to be enlarged each of them to the bredth of one foot and as much in height And that the Sewer extending it self from the Kings High way to the before-specified Gutters called Iuresgole and Goseygole ought to be scoured and enlarged to the bredth of six foot And for the repair and enlarging of those Causeys and Sewers that land should be purchased in some placesâ— every acre so imployed to be estimated at 5 Marks And they said that all the before-mentioned Causeys togeâ—her with the Eebrynke and Sewers aforesaid with the Bridges and Gutters ought to be made repaired inlarged and clensed as often as need required at the chardge of those which held Lands or Tenements in the said Cornfen of Walington betwixt the same Causeys or elswhere each man to be assessed according to the proportion of what he held and according to the benefit and safeguard which he had thereby And that there were in the field of Cornfen betwixt those Causeys four hundred and fourscore Acres and one rode of land And they said moreover that the Sewer in the Cornfen of Watlington extending from Eastwrodiche unto Meadow gate betwixt the arable lands meadows Sewers on the West part of Meadow gate from Watlington Hall meadow Southwards unto the Dam and the Sewer from the Lake at the Thwarlbek towards the South betwixt the Flegester and the Common and Westwards toward the Meadow gate on the East side of the Meadow gate Northwards to the Meadow gates end And the Sewer on the East part of the Beche from Polberesdich Southwards to the Gutter passing through the midst of Thurlanegate betwixt the Beche and the Hedlondole And the Sewer from the Calkecotecroft Southwards betwixt the Reyndole and Thurlongpythils and Forkescroft to the Cheker And the Sewer from the Thurlongpightels Southwards betwixt Thurlongate and the Lake to the Dam. And the Sewer from the Gutter passing through the midst of Thurlongate Westwards to Wigenhale crofts betwixt the Dam and Dich furlong And the Sewer from the Dam to Wigenhale crofts and the Dich furlong the Beche Northwards to Skindelesdiche And the Sewer on the East part of the Kings High way from the Dam Northwards unto Polberdich ought to be clensed as often as need should require so that the water coming into those Sewers might passe without any impediment at the chardges of those persons which have lands abutting upon them And that every Sewer should be six foot in bredth And they said that the Causey in Newland and Watlington on the South part of Gerys Dam ought to be raised from the land of Robert atte Dam Eastwardâ— unto the meadow of Peter fitz Iohn And that the Causey froÌ„ Gerys dam to Geylode drove lying at the East had lands in the Newland ought to be raised in every low place as much as where it was then highest and to be six foot in bredth at the top And that the said Causeys ought to be made at the chardges of those which have lands in Newlond quilot according to each mans proportion and the Commodity and defence which they have by them And they said that the Gutter in Newlond through the midst of Ee brynke betwixt the lands of Will. Lucas and of Maude the Daughter of Iohn Geylode And the other Gutter lying betwixt the land of Will. de Clenchwarton and the land of Thomas the Son of Rich. atte Greene ought to be enlarged as aforesaid And another Gutter lying betwixt the land of Thomas Bennyng ought to be enlarged As also another Gutter lying betwixt the Messuage of Will. Seaman and the Messuage of Clarice the Widow of Henry And likewise another Gutter lying betwixt the land of Iohn Leff and Peter Heward And another lying betwixt the land of Will. fitz Thomas called Wadys and the land belonging to the heirs of Thomas Bond And another lying betwixt
the land between the Briggecroft and the Messuage late Peter Mountfords Also that the Eâ—brynke at the River of Wygenhale from Geyrys dam to Geylode drove ought to be raiâ—ed two foot above the high Water-Mark as it was in the xiiijth year of the reign of K. Edw. the second and to be ten foot in bredth at the top And the said Ee brynke to be made maintained at the charge of the landholders in Newlond Watlington And that all the Ee brynks in Watlyngton be made and repaired before the days assigned by the Dichgreves upon penalty of Bylaw which is for every perch xiid. And that all the Banks in the said Town for defence against the fresh waters be likewise made according to the days assigned by the Dichgreves upon the like penalty of By-law which is for every perch vid. And they said that all the Sewers and Gutters in the Cornfen and Newland ought to be made before the days so likewise assigned by the Dichgreves according to the Ordinance made before the Justices upon penalty of the Bylaw viz. for default of every perch iijd. Also that the Custome of Marshland is that they who ought to make or repair their Banks shall be warned to do the same by a certain day and that if they fail therein then that the Bylaw shall be levyed upon them And they moreover ordainedâ— that all such as had Stowes lying in their Sewers any year or after the Feast of All Saints should pay to the Dichgreves for every such transgression vid. And that all the Tenants and Commoners in Watlington should meet twice in the year and hold the Customes of Marshland And that there should be chosen from year to year certain Bayliffs which are called Dichegreves who may have power on the Kings behalf to distrain the offenders both within and without their houses by all their Goods and Catals found in the said Town And that whensoever those Dichgreves should find any Hoggs rooting upon the Ee bryuk it should be lawfull for them to impound them and to keep them so impounded till they shall receive three pence for every Hog And that when any man is reasonably required to repair and maintain his said Banks Ditches c. and shall neglect so to do so that his Goods and Catals are thereupon taken by the said Dichgreves or their Deputies the said Dichgreves shall receive for their pains in so distraining them id for each distress By another Inquisition n taken about that time before Sir Robert de Scales Sir Iohn de Fytton and others it appears that the Jurors presented upon Oath that the Inhabitants of Watlington and Runcton holme suffred great losses in the Common of Pasture belonging to those Towns for want of Gutters and Sewers there And they said that the Sewer which extendeth it self from Monyescroft in South old Ee Westwards to the Hirne croft and from the East end of Hirne croft into the Ditch which is betwixt the Field called the Sight from Geylode drove directly to the Eebrynke of Wigenhale ought to be amended made deeper so that the water running therin might pass without any impediment and to be in bredth eight foot for the whole length thereof And that a Gutter should be made through the midst of Heibrynke in bredth three foot and as much in height through the midst whereof the water may run in Wigenhale Ee. And they said that the same Gutter and Sewer at Geylode drove ought to be made maintained repaired and clensed as often as need should require at the charges of those which had Common of Pasture or that had Common betwixt Gerys dam and Flemyngs hithe each man according to the proportion of what he held and as they had benefit and preservation by the said Sewer And that the said Commoners should every year meet at the Old Ee on the morrow after Trinity Sunday and keep the Customes of Marshland And for the performance of the premisses there were chosen four Guardians by the said Jurors In 7 E. 3. Iohn Claver Robert de Welle Thomas de Birston and Simon Costyn were constituted Commissioners for the view and repair of the Banks Ditches Sewers c. in the Towns of Midleton Sechithe Rungetone Westwynche Watlyngtone Wirmegey Shuldham and Pentney in this part of Norfolk Upon a Presentment in 37 E. 3. there was a Precept directed to the Shireeve and Iohn Berney to enquire how the River of Smal Ee came to be obstructed and who ought to scour it as also what Towns had damage thereby By a pleading in 41 E. 3 Sir Hamond de Felton Knight then Lord of the Mannour of Dansey could not deny but that he ought to clense the several waters running from Gaywood to the Sea called Danseye hee which was then obstructed and that he ought likewise to make and repair a Bridge there then ruinous the Shireeve thereof had command to distrain him and his Tenants both to clense the said Chanel and repair that Bridge In 44 E. 3. the Mayor Aldermen and Constables of Lenne were commanded to view the Ditches compassing that Town which by reason of its situation upon an arm of the Sea were through the ebbing and flowing of the Tides filled up with mud and other filth to the great damage of that Town and to take course for the speedy remedy thereof In 4 H. 4. Iohn Hevenyngham Iohn White Raphe Ramsey Will. Snetesham Iohn Clere and Robert Marcham had Commission to view the Banks Ditches and Sewers c. betwixt the Town of great Iernemuth and the City of Norwich on the one part and the said Towns of great Iernemuth and Bekles on the other which were then in decay with special direction to perform all things therein according to the Law and Custome of this Realm and those parts of this County By an Indenture tripartite made in the Church of S. German at Wigenhale on the Feast day of S. Mark the Evangelist in 11 H. 4. it appeareth that the Abbot of Dereham Prior of Shuldham Prior of Pentney Robert Kervill and Iohn Elwin Tenants of the Lands lying on the East side of the River of UUigenhale aforesaid and the xij Jurors then in the Sembec there did for themselves and their successors with the consent and assent of all the Land-holders on the said East part of UUigenhale and of the Hamlet of Sadylbow â— grant unto the Prior and Covent of UUestacre and to the Prioresse and Covent of Blackvergh and their successors as also to Will. Campneys and Margerie his wife their heirs and assigns that they the said Prior Prioresse William and Margery of their own proper costs might make a certain VVater-course or Sewer sufficient for all the Lands and Tenements of the said Prior and Prioresse and their successors and of the said William and Margerie and their heirs and assigns lying in the Erles march viz. betwixt the Erles dich on the North part
and Bond 's dam on the South side of Grenedich so that by the same Sewer the before-specified lands might drayn from time to time whensoever the said Prior and Prioresse William and Margery their heirs and assigns should think fit And that they should have enjoy and maintain the said Sewer so made for ever from a certain place called the Erlesmarsh and so through the midst of Sadilbow pitts to the bredth of eight foot and thence to a certain Gutter called Feresgote With power to make a sufficient Bridge over the same for Carts at the South East Corner of Geffrey Siward and another also for Carts neer the gate of the heirs of Iohn Drew and a third likewise for Carts together with a Clow having two bars with Keys at the West end of Brod will Ea whereof one Key to be kept by the Dyk Reeves for the time being to remain on the said East part of Wigenhale and the other by the said Prior and Prioress and their Successors and the said Will. and Margaret and their heirs and assigns for ever to the intent that if an excess of water should fortune to come on the side of Erlesfeld then the said Dike Reeves might shut the same Clow untill the said Sewer might in reasonable time convey it away so that the Lands in Wigenhale and Sadilbo might not be overflowed therewith And in like manner if such an excess of water should come from Wigenhale and Sadilbo that then the said Prior and Prioress and their successors and the said Will. and Margerie and their heirs and assigns for prevention of the inundation of their Lands might shut the same Clow untill the said water should be carried away And that otherwise than for the evacuation of such excess of water coming from Erlesmarsh or from that part of Wigenhale and Sadilbow neither of the said parties to shut the same Clow. And the said Prior and Prioress for themselves and their successors and the said Will. and Margerie for them and their Heirs did Covenant to keep sufficiently and maintain the said Sewer Bridges and Clow at their own proper costs and chardges And the said Land-holders in Wigenhale and Sadilbow Covenanted likewise to permit them the said Prior and Prioress and their successors and the said Will. and Margerie and their Heirs to have a sufficient Sewer for the draining of their Lands in Erlesmarsh aforesaid In consideration whereof they the said Prior and Prioress for themselves and their successors and the said William and Margery for themselves their Heirs and Assigns did grant to the said Landholders of Wygenhale and Sadilbow an yearly rent of viiis. to be received yearly out of the Lands beforespecified After this about two years scil on Thursday next after the Invention of the Holy Cross there was a Perambulation made on the East part of the River of Wigenhale by xij Jurors who said upon their Oaths and ordained that for safeguard of the said Town the Newland dich ought to be eight foot in bredth at the â—op And that all the Sea-banks opposite to the messuage Walls and elswhere from the said Newland dich to Rouse beche ought to be xij foot broad at the top And that the Rouse beche Briggebeche Yernemouth dole Dukesbeche Gromesdiche and Cannesbeche ought to be xij foot in bredth at the top And they said that all the Sea-banks opposite to the messuage Wall of Sechegole unto Pulbergole ought to be six foot in bredth at the top and within the Wall four foot but elswhere xij foot And that all the said Sea-banks ought to be raised above the highest tides two foot and perfected before the Feast of the Nativity of S. Iohn Baptist upon penalty of the Bylaw viz. for every perch not repaired vid. And that they be well turfed before the Feast of All Saints upon penalty of Biscot and at the utmost that they be sufficiently repaired before the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord upon penalty of Triscot And they likewise ordained for the better safeguard of the said Town that all the said Sea-banks should be strengthned with Stakes and Piles or with Timber viz. of schoring where need required before the Feast of All Saints upon penalty of vis. viiid. for every perch not repaired And that all the Sewers should be clensed and scoured where need was before the Feast of the Nativity of S. Iohn Baptist upon penalty of Bylaw viz. for every perch not repaired ijd. without damage to the Land sowed And that where the Sewers lay upon the sowed Land that they should be clensed before the Feast of S. Michael the Arch Angel upon the like penalty And that all the warp should be thrown into the Common wayes to fill up haggs and lakes where need was upon a great penalty where it should ly neer the Common rode And they furthâ—r ordained that all Dunghills lying in Common to the nusance of any should be amerc'd viz. for each Dunghill iiâ— there was therefore warning given for their removall before the Feast of S. Michael the Arch-angel upon penalty of iiiiâ— for every Dunghill And they said that there was a certain Lake in the Kings High way betwixt the Messuage of Iohn Hastings Chaplain and the Plot lately belonging unto Edm. Blower command was therefore given to fill the said Lake with earth on each side before the Feast of S. Iohn Baptist upon penalty of vis. viiiâ— As also that all Trenches Lakes and Haggs in the faiâ— publick ways within the before-specified limits should be filled up with earth lying neer thereto before the said Feast of the Nativity of S. Iohn Baptist upon penalty of viâ— And they likewise ordained that all those old Cuâ—tomes of Bylaws and othâ—r touching the safeguard of that Town antiently used and approved by the Kings Justices should be firmly kept And to quicken the observance of them that the said By-laws Biscot and Triscoâ— should be levyed according to antient Custome by the oversight and advice of the Jurors of the Purale And that the principal Guardians called Dike-Reeves as often as they should think fit should make inquisition of the trespasses touching the common obstruction in the Sewers and Stows and the like and amerce those whom they find faulty according to the measure of the offence Which Dike Reeves to have the one half and the Commonalty the residue for those common nusances to be imployed in menwarke and grundegole And the persons taking the said distresses to have id. called Wopeny for every one so taken as also twelve pence in every xxs of Tallages and Amerciaments by them Collected And that the chief Guardians of the Town should for the future from year to year upon the Feast of S. Marke the Evangelist give up their accompt at a publick meeting of all Tallages Bylaws Biscot and Triscot in what sort soever levyed and be answerable for the same unto the Commonalty according to antient usage and the same day to deliver up their
down to Pentney Mill. That Pentney Mills be pulled down whereby the drowning of the common ground of Marham and Shouldham may be prevented which by reason of the keeping up the water for those Mills are overflown That the back Dike from Narborough barrs to Cardike be kept in bredth 8 foot and in depth 5. That all the Banks of the River from Blackborough bridge to Prioursturne be made in height and bredth as aforesaid So likewise then to Cotehill and thence to Sechee bridge That the Drayn called Wronglode extending from Wode dyke to Tile kill be in bredth 8 foot and in depth 4. So also the Sewer called Wode dike lying in Marham and likewise Carre dike That the common Sewer called Bush fen extending from the said Car dike to the great River be made xx foot in bredth and five foot in depth That a Dam be made on the West side of Bush fen Ea in Dunstall dike so that the waters coming from Car dike may run into Bush fen Ea. That a Drain in Marham extending from Crosse yard to Padocks hill be made in bredth five foot and depth three That the old River in Marham be made 12 foot broad and four foot deep from the place where Marham Mill stood to Beares head Thence to Marplot dike of the same bredth and depth Thence to Dunstall dike and thence to String dike in like sort That Dunstall dike shall Drayn through the Mill Causey by a sluce there to be made of two foot square into a Dike lying on the North side of a Hop-yard called Hopyard dike Which Dike extending from the said Causey to Stringdike to be 8 foot wide also and 5 foot deep That the Drayn in Marham extending from Swans nest to Bradwell lode be made eight foot wide and four foot deep That Bradwell lode extending from the Abby yards end unto the old Ea and so to the Crosse willow be made of the like bredth and depth That the Drayn from Dowhouse-Close to Crowdwâ—ll gappe be kept in bredth x foot and in depth 4. So likewise Fryday lode extending into the said Old Ea. That the Common Drayn called the Old Ea extending from Haddon Mill to Black dyke be made and kept 8 foot in bredth and 4 in depth So likewise from Haleroft barrs to Wirmgey bridge That the said Common Drayn or Old Ea from Wirmgay bridg to the Abby stile to be kept in bredth xii foot and depth 5. And from the said Abby stile to Cotehill and so to the great River xvi foot in bredth and in depth as aforesaid That the River of Wisse extending from Whittington to Stokebridge be clensed and made in bredth xl foot That Stokebridge containing three Arches of the widenesse of 40 foot be repaired by the Countrey neer adjoyning That the said River of Wisse from Stokebridge to Sandell were thence to Haveringay were Bishops were Izelham were Cote were New were Forwere Helgay bridge Hide were Shellewere and West lode be clensed and made in bredth xl foot as aforesaid and thence to the great Ouse in bredth 30 foot And that two Jetties or Peers of stone xviii foot distant each from other be set upon the said River within 200 foot of the said River of Ouse That the Landlake which taketh its beginning out of the River of Wisse at Weere dike a mile distant from Stoke bridge whose natural fall to the Sea is through Snore fen through Helgay Causey in a Pipe of Timber or Stone and thence c. to Gunnels lode be there divided into two branches the one directly Westward to the River of Ouse â— and the other Northwards through Denver South fenn in each whereof neer the said River Ouse to be placed a substantial Gole That the Banks on the South side of Wisse from common Fengate in Helgay be made 8 foot in bredth and 4 foot in height That the Banks on the East side of Ouse from West lodes end to South lode be made and kept 8 foot broad and 4 foot high and from thence to Modney cote ten foot broad in the bottom 5 at the top and 5 foot in height That the Drayn in Helgay fenn called the Wisse be kept in bredth 12 foot and depth 4. unto Miles end corner and from thence to the River of Ouse 10 foot broad and 5 foot deep And at the end thereof a Gole 2 foot square and 16 foot long That a sufficient Drayn be made at the Causey between Helgay and Modney That the Drayn between Fordhammore and Portmore in Helgay be made in bredth 12 foot and depth 5. And a Gool at the end thereof of the like dimension as aforesaid That the Drayn betwixt Thack fen and Helgay-more be 10 foot in bredth and 4 in depth with the like Gole as aforesaid That Turff fen lake in Helgay be kept 12 foot broad and 6 foot deep with a Gole where it enters into Ouse That the Common Dayn called Creekâ— lode extending from Creek mere in Little port to the 4 Lodes and thence to Pulwear lake be kept in bredth 20 foot and depth 6 foot and so likewise to a place called the Willow and thâ—nce to the River of Ouse 16 foot in bredth and 6 â—oot deep with a Gool at the end thereof of 4 foot in bredth and 5 in depth That Rebech River in Helgay extending from Redmercote unto the great River of Ouse in Sotherey be made in bredth 40 foot untill it come within three furlongs of Ouse and then 30 to be done by the Townships of Feltwell Hockold Wilton Brandon-ferry Santon and Dounham and all others having any grounds drayning through and by the said River That the Common Drayn in Sotherey called Stake lode be in bredth 12 foot and depth 4. till it come to Crosse water and thence to the River of Ouse 14 foot in bredth That Sotherey Causey be made 18 foot wide at the bottom 14 foot at the top and 3 foot in height That the Banks of Ouse North of Sotherey Ferry to Modney dike be 8 foot in bredth at the bottom 5 foot at the top and 3 foot in height That the Land drain in Sotherey extending from Sotherey barr to the Hall yard be kept in bredth 8 foot and in depth 3. and so till it come to Stake lode That Pollver drain in Wirmgay beginning at Campions hills extending to Sechey Causey and thence to Kings bridge be 10 foot in bredth and 4 in depth That the Drayn in Watlington and Totnell extending from Theâ—fes bridg unto Hobs dike be kept in brâ—dth 6 foot and depth 3. And Hobs dike 9 foot wide and 4 foot deep That East wroe dich Bank in Watlington otherwise called Savers banke which defendeth the fresh waters of Polver drain and Seche River from overflowing c. to be heightned in every low place That Polver drain from Kings bridg to the Gole head be made in bredth 16 foot and in depth 8. That Geris dam â— in
bredth six foot and in depth three betwixt the land of Martin Thompson and the land of Iohn Mendham at the charges of the landholders who had benefit thereby And that another Sewer should be made in the same field in bredth six foot and in depth three betwixt the land of Iohn Rogerson and the land of Alice Pope at the charges of all those persons who had also benefit thereby And that there should be another Sewer made in Longefelde in Neutone of the like bredth and depth neer to the lands of Iohn Derby called Barowsdyke and betwixt the land of Simon Thomsone from Mil-lane to Medow-lane at the charges of all those who had Commodity thereby And that another Sewer ought to be made in the middle of the said field called Longfield from the land of Sir Iohn Colvyle Knight neer to the land of Iohn Godeknape unto the said next Sewer in bredth six foot and depth three at the charges of all persons having profit thereby And that all the hades of the lands of Fytton croftâ—s should be digged from Doddyke to Medow-lane in bredth eight foot and depth four at the costs likewise of those who had benefit thereby And that all the hades likewise of the lands of Fytton croftes should be digg'd in bredth eight foot and depth four from Lowynsfendike unto Doddys at the charges of those persons who should have benefit thereby And they presented moreover that there should be another Sewer made by the hades of the lands in the middle of Oldfield from Fdtton croftâ—s to the land of Sir Iohn Colevile Knight called Wortheynyscroft in bredth six foot and depth three at the costs of all such persons who should have Commodity thereby As also another Sewer at Wortheynyscroft on the South side unto Dod dyke six foot in bredth and four in depth at the costs likewise of such as should have profit thereby And they also presented that the Town of Neutone time out of mind ought and had wont to repair and make a certain Bank called Lowynsfendike beginning at Fytton and leading to Tyd Siddyke two foot higher than it was at that time in the best place and xij foot in bredth And that Iohn Symondeson of Neutone for the whole time aforesaid ought and had wont to make and maintain a certain Dam at the East end of the land in Newfield to restrain the water of the said Newfield from descending into the next field called Rolsefield And that the said Town of Neutone ought and had wont to make and repair a certain Bank in Neutone called the Gordyke beginning at Blokkyslane and leading to Shoffendyche in height six foot and in bredth twelve Whereupon the said Commissioners did decree accordingly And the said Jurors likewise presented that all the Landholders in Newfield in Tyd S. Giles ought and had used to make and repair one Crest in a certain field called Beeslane field in the same Town beginning at Tyd Syddike and extending to Brounesbrigge in height four foot and in bredth eight And that the Landholders in Southfelde in the same Town ought and had used to make and repair another Crest from Tyd Syd dyke to Brounesbrigge in height four fooâ— and bredth eight And that all the Landholders in Southfelde in the same Town beginning at the land of Iohn Houshold abutting upon a certain mansion called Beesplace unto Tyd Syd dyke ought and time out of mind had used to make one Crest upon Syd dyke beginning at Beeslane end and leading to Averey's crose in the same Town four foot in height and eight foot in bredth And that the Landholders in Southfelde aforesaid of the lands abutting upon Brod gate ought and did use to repair and make one Crest neer to the common Sewer on the South side in height four foot and in bredth eight And that all the Landholders in Bradeste of the lands abutting upon Hascroft lane towards the West ought and had used for the whole time aforesaid to make and repair a certain Sewer beginning at the Sewer next unto the land called Stokwellesland unto Brossebrygge in bredth eight foot and depth four And they likewise presented that all the Landholders of the lands in Halcrofte for the whole time aforesaid ought and had wont to make and repair sufficiently the common Sewers in Halcrofte unto Welmany flete thwarting the High way called Crosse-gate and so by the land lately belonging to Thomas Retherwyk and Iohn Mayner unto the land lately belonging to Iohn Bee but then to Iohn Hunstone and so betwixt the land of the said Iohn Hunstone and Isabell Retherwyk unto Sondy lane and there to make one Bridge of one foot in bredth and asmuch in depth and so betwixt the land of Iohn Lambard and the land late of Geffrey Cosyn unto Sedyk lane and the land of a certain field called Blohevede unto the Floudgates And that all the Landholders in Edykfelde from Blakeslane to Mosselane abutting upon Edyke ought and did use to make and repair a certain Sewer at the North point of the lands of Edykfelde aforesaid in bredth eight foot and depth four And they also presented that all the Landholders in Edykfelde ought and had used to make one Sewer at the North end of the lands of Edykfelde aforesaid abutting upon Edyke from Blakkeslane to Barrowsgrene in bredth eight foot and depth four so that the fresh water might have its course to Blakkeslane unto the great Sewer and so the Sea And that all the Landholders in Hornefeld ought and had used to make and repair one Crest in Brodgate in Tyd S. Giles on the South part of the Sewer called Marteynesfendyk unto the Corner where Will. Hubert then dwelt in height four â—oot and bredth ten And that all the Landholders in Cokley field ought and had used to make and repair one Crest in Botteleslane from Bottelesbrigge to the Ee dyke in height four foot and bredth twelve And that all the Landholders in Fendykfelde and North lane feld ought and did use to make and repair one Crest in Blake lane in Tyd aforesaid from Bottelesbrigge unto Tubbesbrigge and from the land of Iohn Ingleche unto Ee dyke in height four foot and bredth eight And that all the Landholders of the lands in Carrowfelde abutting upon Ee gatâ— from Gotebrigge to Northlane ought and had wont to make and raise one Crest in Eegate in Tyd aforesaid where need should be in height four foot and in bredth twelve And that all the Landholders in Tyd aforesaid did use and ought to raise and make one Bank called Byshopesdyke from Tubbesbrigge unto the Ee dyke in height four foot and in bredth twelve And they moreover presented that the Town of Tyd S. Giles ought and had used time out of mind to make and repair sufficiently one Clow or one Dam in the Common Sewer of Tyd next to the Land of Simon Canchâ—ne and Hascroft lane on the West-part and another Clow or one Dam in the
Outwell Shâ—ll unto North Delph And in like manner under the said Bank called the New Pow diche and from thence in a Sewer for the waters of both the said Fields called Plawfield and Kirkfield by and through the Common of Outwell aforesaid called Mullycourt Drove and so forth in the same Sewer or Drayn unto a certain place called the Sumptes against the Meadow of the said Edmond Beaupre called Galcroft and from thence unto a certain Bridge called Angle brigge in the Common of Outwell aforesaid And from thence unto a certain Sallow ground of the said Edm. Beaupre called Hodg hirne and there to enter into Rightforth lode which Lode beginneth at the South Corner of Hodges hirne aforesaid and extendeth from thence between the Common Drove of Outwell on the one part and the Marish and Fenn of the Earl of Arundell called Bardolf fenn on the other unto the North Corner of Hodges hirne And thence right forth between the Marishes and Fenns of the said Earl on both sides unto a certain place in Stow Bardolf aforesaid called North hooke and thence directly in a Drayn to Stow bridge in Stow Bardolph aforesaid and there through a Sluce of Stone and Timber into the great River of Ouse Also they said that for the safety of the field called Budbech field in Upwell and Outwell there ought to be made a Drayn by the Landholders of the same Field from a certain place in Upwell called Dod's style by divers heddings unto Pyes drove in Upwell aforesaid and there to enter into a Pipe or Gote of stone under the same Drove and from thence directly in a Dike between the Drove called Mayers drove of th' one part and the Lands of the said Rob. Dannet the Lands of the King as in the right of the said Monastery of West Dereham the Lands of the Dean of Ely and the Lands of Iohn Fyncham Gent. the Lands of the Heirs of Anth. Croftes the Lands of the Heirs of Edm. Chatterys the Lands of Iohn Coney the Lands of Reynold Hilbrond the Lands belonging to the Parsonage of Outwell and the Lands of the Heirs of Croftes and the Lands of the said Ric. Fyncham on th' other part and so in a Dike unto the Lands of the said Iohn Fyncham and then in a Dike between the Lands of the said Iohn on th' one part and divers men on th' other part unto the Yard stead of the said Iohn somtime Thomas Hollows of Outwell aforesaid and there to be made a Dam between the said Lands and the Lands of Iohn Coney And from thence in a Dike between the Lands of the said Iohn Fyncham unto the front of the said Iohn in Owtwell aforesaid and there to enter into a Pipe or Sluce of stone and Timber under the same front and also in the same Sluce under a certain River in Outwell aforesaid called the Little lode the which River divideth the said Counties of Norff. and Cambridgshire and so forth in the same Pipe into the said Field called Sandyfield and thence in a Drayn between the Lands of the said Edm. Beaupre called Reynolds of the one part and the Lands of the said Iohn Fincham on the other unto a certain pasture ground of the said Edm. Beaupre called the Upward and so in a Dike between the Lands of the said Edmund on both sides unto a certain pasture of the said Edm. called the xx Acres and there to enter into a Pipe or gote of Stone laid between the Lands of the said Edm. on both parts and from thence into a Drayn or Sewer by or through the grounds of the said Edmund unto a certain gysted Dike of the said Edmund called Blewick dike and there to enter into a Pipe or Sluce of Stone under the same Dike and then into a Drayn or Sewer aswell for the waters of the said Sondyfield as for the waters of the said Field called Budbech field and from thence in the same Sewer for both the said Fields called Budbeche and Sondy field by and through the Common of Outwell called Blewick fen unto the said place called Hodges Hirne and there meeting with the said Drayn for the said Fields called Plawfield and Kirk field to pass forth with the same by and through the said Sewer called Rightforth lode by and through Bardolf fen unto North hooke aforesaid and from thence unto the Pipe or Sluce at Stow bridge aforesaid and by and through the same into the great River of Ouse And they said that the said Drayn for Plawfield aforesaid ought to be in bredth from the said place where it beginneth unto the said Sluce lying under Small lode 8. foot and from the said Sluce by all the said Drayn unto Hodges hirne 8. foot and from thence unto Rightforth lode at a place called Hodges hirne 8. foot wide And the said Sewer for Budbech field to be in bredth from the said place where it beginneth unto the Pipe under the little lode in Outwell aforesaid 7 foot And from thence unto the said Sluce lying under the said Blewick dyke 7 foot And from thence unto Rightforth lode to be in bredth in the narrowest place of the same xij foot and so to Stow bridge and that they be made of depth according to the wideness All which Sewers and Drayns to be kept and maintained at the charges of all and every person chargable to the making of them After this viz. in 13 Eliz. at another Session of Sewers it was presented by the Jurors scil 1. That the Sea-bank beginning at Tyd gote in Tyd S. Giles adjoyning upon the County of Linc. and so leading to a place called the Horshooe being in great decay be made in height xx foot above the Saltmarsh and in bredth six foot by the Inhabitants of Tyd Newton and Leverington And from the Horshoâ—e unto Crabmarsh gate of the same bredth and height by all the Lands in Estfield And thence to the Sluce of Wisbeche Which Bank from Crabmersh gate was decayed in Bishop Goodrick's time and part thereof carried by the â—onsent of the said Bishop for the pavement of the Market place in Wisbeche and part by Mr. William Blomfield for making of a Windmill there 2 That the Bank called Whymeydike beginning at the Sea bank end at the Horshooe in Leverington ought to be made unto Coxe corner in Wisbeche above the brink of the water xx foot and in bredth 8 foot And from Coxe Corner the old Market of Wisbeche the Ee banke to Newdike end alias Lentshurne beyond Bevys Hall on the North side and West side of the said Rivâ—r to be made in height xii foot and bredth xvi foot by all the Landholders on the North of Wysbeche And that Newdike from Lyntyshirne unto the farther Crosse at Guyhirne be made in height xvi foot and in bredth xii foot by the said Landholders on the North of Wysbeche 3 That the High Fendike beginning at Guyhirne crosse and so leading to
foot deep 83. And that at the said Shepes bourd be made a Bridge with a Close shut or else a Dam and the said place to be stopt at all times at the discretion of all the Head-borows and Dikereeves of the said Town 84. That the Landholders in Ee dike field from Black lane unto Mosse lane abutting upon Ee dike make one petty Drayn as oft as need shall require at the North head of the same land in bredth 8 foot and in depth 4 foot so that the water of the said field may have his course to the Common Sewer 85. And that the Landholders of the same field from Blacklane unto Barrow's greene at the North head of the same field ought to make one petty Drayn in bredth 8 foot and in depth 4 that the water may passe into the Common Sewer 86. That one Sewer be made at the East side of Crosse gate beginning at Thack ..... a little from Chaucheon's bridg and so leading through a Pipe at Black lane unto Black .... and so to Garreds lane end and so through Seagate greene unto Helgay's gote 8 foot wide and 4 footâ— deep by all the Landholders thereto adjoyning 87. That all the Landholders in Hurnefield make one Crest ..... in Broadgate at the North side of the Common Sewer thereâ— from Sheppers gate bridge unto Hubberds Corner in height 4 foot and bredth 8. 88. That all the lands in Cockley field ought to make one Crest in Bottel's lane from Bottel lane brigg unto Ee dike in height 4 foot and in bredth 8. 89. That all the Landholders in Fendyke field make one Crest in Blacklane to begin at Tubbesbrigge unto Bottlebrigge And in like sort the Landholders in Cockley field to make one Crest in Ey gate from Bottel brigg unto Ee dyke in height four foot and bredth ..... 90. And in like manner the Landholders of Carrow field to make one Crest there 100. That the whole Township of Tyd do make one Shut or Dam in Brasselode Dam in the Sewer and one other Dam at Dike Landam And another ..... head Acres under the Sea dyke with Shuts to stop out the salt water And also a Shut at Hornelanes end another at Foster's dam Another at Thursley bridge Another at Tubbes brigge another at ...... Bridge in Kyrklane All which to be stopped by the Assent of the Headborows and Dikereeves when need shall require 101. That the Landholders of Tyd ought to keep two Wardikes viz. Tyd Eedike and Thredding beginning at Averey's trees and so leading to New fendike alias Shoyfendike in height 4 foot and bredth 6. 102. And another Wardyke called Black dyke and Skeppers gate to be made by all the lands between the East side of the said Dike and the Sea-bank and by all the Commoners of the said Town Which Dike beginneth at Averey's trees and so leadeth to Tyd bridge to be made in height 8 foot and bredth 12. The Presentments of Elme and Coldham are wanting Upwell and Outwell 103. That Henry Cowper shall make his Bank in Upwell aforesaid from Lakebrigg unto Dods stile otherwise called Sewell's clout as the Abbot of Bury hath done before his time which Bank to be in height 6 foot and bredth 8. And that there shall be two good lawfull Gates between the said Lakebrigge and Dods stile for passage of people 104. That all persons having lands in Budbech field in Upwell ought to make their part of Green dike from Dod's stile and so to the Stony Crosse at Sumpter's dore every man his part 8 foot broad on the top 105. That the Sewer called the Chayre in Upwell more beginning at the great River of Welle and descending unto Coxecote tree thence to Darsey lode and so to Welney River be scoured in bredth xvi foot and depth 6 foot by the Bishop of Ely for his part Edm. Beaupre Esquire for his part and all others that have been charged heretofore 106. That Fryday lake and Magglake in Outwell and Upwell be clensed by the Inhabitants of both the said Towns in bredth ....... foot and depth 4 foot 107. That Bishop's dike which beginneth at Sewell's clout in Upwell and thence extending to Langbeche which lyeth in Elme ought to be made good by all the Lands of Upwell 108. That a pair of Barrs be kept at Sewell's clote 109. That every Were and Dore in the great River be xxiiii foot wide or more and all other Rivers and Draâ—ns in the Hundred of Wisbeche xviii foot in bredth or more 110. That Budbech Sewer beginning at Broad Common and coming to Pyes drove and thence going to a Pipe at the house of Simeon Fyncham being decayed and grown up be clensed in bredth x foot and depth 3 foot by all the Landholders of the said field 111. That the Sewer called Newdike lying in Buriall field in Outwell beginning at the East end of a Wood sometime Hilbrond's and descending unto the Chapel-bridg and thence to a Pipe at the Stone crosse at the dore of Ric. Sumpter be clensed and that there be a Sluce set at the Bridge at the house of Iohn Chambers and then that the Bank at Mildam being cut the water may passe to the River called the Salt Ee. 112. That in the watering place in Elme marsh be made a Pipe of stone with a Sluce that may stop the water when it is high in the River of Elme so that it descend not backward 113. That a pair of Barrs be set up at Dod's stile alias Seywell's Clout 114. That a Dike called Brokendike lying in Elme ..... upon the East side of the Salt Ee be made in height ...... foot and bredth xii foot by the whole Country of Marshland 115. All Weres and Stampes within the Hundred of Wisbeche to be pulled up 116. That if any person be negligent in making or repairing their Banks or in scouring their Drayns within the said Hundred of Wisbeche according to such Orders as they are bound to do that it shall be lawfull for the Dikereeves of every Town to cause them to be made and being so made to distrain any lands of every such person so neglecting And if he be not stramable then to distrain upon any other his lands lying within the said Hundred of Wisbeche or elswhere within the Realm of England and to sell the distresse paying to the Owner the overplus when the charges and expences are deducted according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm 117. That new Agistment Books be made by the Headborows with the Dike-reeves of every Township 118. That all pains forfeited the moytie of them to redound to the Bishop of Ely and his Successors and the residue to be bestowed upon the Banks Barrs Crests c. 119. That the Bank beginning at the Horshooe and so leading directly to the Town of Wisbeche which is the defence for the East field be repaired by Thomas Orrell Esquire from the said Horshoo to Leverington Wardyke and to be
to the Sluse by Ouse Cxiiii Rods and a half And they then also decreed that for taking away of the Sock of Bishop's dike and better drayning of this Fen a Drayn should be made under Bishops dike within the said Fen xxx foot at the least from the said Bishop's dike in bredth x foot and depth ..... the menour whereof to be cast towards Bishops dike The which Drayn to begin at Fenbridge and to go to the Barrs that part the Fen in the possession of Alex. Baalam Gent. c. thence to a pair of Barrs standing on Bishops dike next to the West corner of Malles fen then to the Drain called Langbech thence to Dods stile and thence under Greendike to the Sluse lately erected at S. Christopher's Chapel And that there should be another Sewer made from Hall's fen to the said Sluce at St. Christopher's Chapel And likewise that an antient Sewer belonging to the said Fen called Knights dike beginning neer Benford's Hall now Mr. Alex. Balaam's house and so passing under Needham dike on the North so unto Elme drove and thence to the Drove in Buriall field neer S. Christopher's Chapel should be kept and maintained in bredth xii foot and in depth five And moreover that the agisted Dike called Ea brinke beginning at Needham dike and extending from Maryes dam unto Dod's stile should be from time to time repaired And that for default in payment of the Acre-shot the Dikereeves to levy for every iiiid. by them expended vid. and for every iiiid. unpaid to levy vid. Likewise that an Indike be made on the North side of the Sewer extending from Hodghirnâ— through Bardolph fen and a new Sluse neer the River Ouse at the East end of Common lode and an Acre-shot of xiid. the Acre imposed upon all the lands in Nedham and Buriall for supporting the charge thereof And that for default in payment of the Acre-shot distresses should be taken and sold restoring the Surplusage in any Market within ten miles And at a Session of Sewers holden at Lynne Regis ult Sept. 33º Eliz. before Sir Iohn Peyton Knight Nich. Hare Hâ—mfr Guibon Edm. Bell Rob. Forest Tho. Oxburgh Alex. Balam Iohn Willoughby and Miles Forest Esquires it was farther ordered that whereas the Acreshots imposed upon Richard Fyncham Gent. towards the drayning of Nedham fen amounting to xxxvil. viiis. were not paid noâ— any distresse to be found upon the grounds charged therewith and that Rich. Fyncham and Rob. Fyncham interessed in the reversion of the said lands did refuse to pay the same that Iohn Fyncham of Upwell Gent. having paid the said sum to the Dikereeves should have the said lands for a certain term of years Upon the 19 of Sept. 39 Eliz. at a Session of Sewers held by Edmund Bell Iohn Reppes Tho. Hewar Tho. Oxburge Rich. Ogle Anthony Irby Alexan. Balam William Guibon and Iohn Hunt Esquires there were certain Laws and Ordinances made concerning the course of Welney stream and Welle stream with other Sewers the substance whereof are as followeth viz. Whereas it is evident that not only the Rivers of Grant Nene Ouse and Weland but the land-waters from the Counties of Hunt Northampton Cambr. and Norâ—f and some part of Suff. which border upon the Isle of Ely do stay in the Fenny grounds of the said Isle c. forasmuch as neither the several Rivers nor the other streams that are fed with the same as March stream the New Leame the West-water and divers Lodes within those limits be sufficiently clensed not imbanked for the ready conveyance of them to the Sea by means whereof the Out-ring Banks of Deping Croyland and South Ea in Com. Linc. and the Fen dike Waltersey Bank Bishop's dike Elme Ee brinke Coldham and Redmore Bank in the said Isle of Ely and the out-ring of Marshland as also the New Powâ—ike in Com. Norff. are in years of water much chargable to the owners and Inhabitants of those Countries and those Fenny grounds lye unprofitable The said Commissioners deliberately considering the redress do conceive that by renewing of the former depth and wideness of those Rivers Lodes and streams as also of the decayed Banks and by farther imbanking in places convenient the said Marish grounds will be perfected or much amended and therefore did ordain that Welney stream and Well stream from Litelport Chayre to Well ea and so towards Elme as the same have been accustomed to have their fall And March stream unto Shrewysnest where it falleth into UUell stream As also that the water of South Ea antiently called the Old Ea from Clow's Crosse unto Guy hirne before the x of December which shall be in the year 1598. shall be clensed and scoured by such as were to do the same And that the Lode called Small lode from the great River in Upwell to Ingram's hyrn be scoured by Sir Iohn Peyton Knight Dame Dorothy his wife or Edm. Bell Esquire for their lands in Upwell and Outwell parcel of the Possessions of the late Abby of Dereham and thence to Seman's goole and thence to Northdelph by those whose lands lye adjacent thereto So also Darcey-lode and Coxlode Likewise that Maid lode and Ship lode and the moytie of London lode which endeth at Northdelph should be perfected the Banks to be made in the bottom xvi foot and four in the top and five foot in height And the said Maidlode to be five foot deep and xxx foot wide by the space of the first 2 miles thereof And for the next two miles in wideness 25 foot and for the residue of the same and Shiplode xx foot with a Sluce at its fall into the River of Ouse in widenesse xii foot of water and in depth below the low-water-mark of the said River as it hapneth to be about Bartholmew tide all to be done by those that have interest of Common in Neatmore And the other moytie of London lode beginning at Upwell Causey to be done by the Inhabitants of Upwell for the residue of their Common called Neatmore lying without the limits Likewise that a Tax of x s. the Acre be imposed for erecting of Sluces heightning of Banks and making of Drayns and in default of payment thereof the one half of their lands who shall neglect to be sold. Moreover that for drayning of Denver fen a Sewer of xviii or xx foot in bredth be cut through the same to the great River of Ouse and a Sluce at its entrance thereinto And that the Bank called the Causey extending from the Crosse at Upwell Town 's end unto London lode head and the Bank called the Indike leading from thence by the North side of London lode to Welle streme at Northdelph with sufficient Indikes to the said Bank and Causey should before the first of Ian. next following be made and maintained of the like widenesse height and bredth as those that should be Purchasors or Lessees did or should make theirs between London lode
c. Whereupon complaint being made unto Mr. Justice Gawdy and other Commissioners of Sewers sitting at Sechie in Com. Norff. xi of April last past it was by them ordered 1. That the said Turks banke should be presently cut 2. That Small lode London lode and Mayd lode be sufficiently scoured by the Inhabitants of Welle and the Londoners 3. That Mayd lode be made xxx foot wide at the mouth xxv and xx foot at the Sluâ—e with Sluses to carry it and five foot in depth and so to be maintained by the Londoners as need shall require Whereupon on May day following the said Bank was cut in many places by reason whereof the water ran so forcibly through the said Cuts that for the space of x or xii days after it sucked in divers Boats and Vessels passing that way And it was farther presented that a little without the upper end of this Bank there hath been a Crest for people to travel on from Welney to Welle in the Summer time when the waters are down for which cause the said Church-path being about fifty years past made of more strength and height than in former times by one Mr. Beaupre the same was not long after cut down in many places by the expresse command of Bishop Goodrick then Lord Chancellour of England and Bishop of Ely In 44 Eliz. there was an Agreement bearing date the xx of March made by Indenture between Sir Iohn Peyton Kâ— Dame Dorothy his wife and Edmund Bell Esquire then owners of the Mannour of Upwell Iohn Richardson and divers others who were at that time the major part of the Commoners and Inhabitants of Upwell aforesaid and Iohn Watts Citizen and Alderman of London Sir William Cokain of London Skinner and others for the drayning of divers Fenny VVasts and Commoâ—s containing about three thousand acres lying in Upwell between a certain Drayn called London lode towards the North Maiden lode and Ship lode towards the South and towards the VVest adjoyning to and upon the Causey-bank extending from London lode to Welney and towards the East upon Denver Common for drayning and maintaining whereof they were to have conveyed unto them their heirs and assigns one full moytie of the said wasts Whereupon with the expence of great sums of money they did accomplish the work and accordingly had the said moytie thereof set out for them which they enjoyed for divers years till about the latter end of King Iames his Reign that the Fen-waters broke their Banks and drowned all again the Country people then turning the Adventurers out of their possessions which they kept till Francis late Earl of Bedford beâ—ame the principal undertaker for draining of the whole great Levell and did perform the work But afterwards his said drayning meeting with some disasters the whole Levell became totally surrounded again and so continued untill William Earl of Bedford and his Participants did in the year 1649. undertake to drayn it anew which in four years time he perfected as I have elswhere more fully shewed VVhereupon Sir Iohn Watts Knight and some others who claimed under the first undertakers before-mentioned were restored to the possession thereof At a Session of Sewers held at King's Lynne 1. Octob. 7 Iacobi before Sir Raphe Hare Sir Thomas Hewar and Sir Henry Spelman Knights Iohn Reppes Thomas Oxburgh Thomas Athow Rob. Gawsell and Richard Bachcroft Esquires and others it was ordained that the Decree made for the drayning of Needham fen and Buriall field the tenth of October 31 Eliz. should be confirmed in all points and an Acreshot of xd. the Acre imposed for the speedy redress of all defaults in the said Drayns Banks c. Certain Observances made upon the Marshes below the 4 Cambridgshire Gotes of the outfall of Wisbeche River and certain Creeks there with their Sands and Deeps by Richard Atkins of Utwell Gent. in June 1605. WIsbeche Chanel falleth from the 4 Gotes Eastward down by Walpole Marshes on the East and South to Crosse-Keys Corner alias gates-Gates-end Corner and from thence passeth towards Tirington Bank leaving to the Southward an high Skore of Clay the only preservative of the Town And when it hath run East as low as against the Beacon then doth it turn flat North under the Sand called Tirington brest lying on the East of the Chanelâ— and so continueth Northwards by the said Brest by the space of 5 miles and there falleth into Blow deepe It is to be observed that upon every flow there commeth from the North out of Blow-deepe a Tide which runneth along Tirington brest on the East side and a Sand called the Thief on the West And out of the West from a Chanel called the Maids Eye commeth another tide and both these do meet within a mile of Tirington banks and so meeting do make great Seas there And many times when the wind is at West or North the Seas rise there higher than they do ten miles off at Sea These two Tides thus united with violenâ—e run right upon Tirington banks and but that God of his mercy hath there placed a Skore of Clay containing not above a furlong in bredth the Bank could not in man's reason stand the next 3 Tides This Skore of Clay by the fretting of the Sea dayly wasteth and the people of the place not understanding what a defence it is to their Banks continually bear away the same to the repair of those Banks never foreseeing their destruction if that Skore of Clay were once gone and the Sea at the ordinary depth of his Chanel suffered to come to the foot of the Bank Where Mayds Eye meeteth with Tirington deep at the very entrance thereof at a dead low water it exceedeth not 5 or 6 foot deep at this day and it hath been observed that in a great drought the whole mouth thereof of hath been stopped with sands but upon the next great fresh that hapned all those sands have been removed and the Chanel grown to the old course again Here is a special observance to be made Qui habet intellectum attendat Decursus namque aquae dulcis viam praebet marinae Oceanus interim ex duobus his canalibus aestuans fossata marina alatrandâ— alluendo inundando lacerando saepissimè gravissimeque ita excercet ut deficientibus aggeribus de quibus malè sustentatis multùm doleo de finali perditione dissolutione partium adjacentium verisimiliter quod absit formidatur nisi Hinc nascitur periculum onus illico acquirendum est remedium salus Homines verò patriae cum plerique inertes sint hebeti ingenio in se invicem nuper pro fossatorum sustentandorum oneribus obruentes de remedio ex sublatâ causâ ne somniare quidem possunt sed nec ingeniosos inertiamque suam desidiosam exosos inter se vivere vix sustinâ—re possunt The head of the 4 Lincolnshire Gotes is preserved especially in Summer by two great Finns brought
And in 18 E. 2. to William la Zouche Iohn de Cantebrig Simon de Brim and Iohn de Hinton for those in this County alone Upon a Pleading in 40 E. 3. it was found by the Jurors that the Prior of Ely did obstruct the course of the water at Wilburgham magna in a certain place called Watholm dam so that it could not have it's current as it usually had insomuch as the Commons belonging to the Town of Fulbourne were overflowed to the damage of the whole Country And in 12 H. 4. the Town of Harlton being questioned for diverting the current of the water betwixt Harlton and Haselingfeld to the damage of the whole Country could not deny the charge and therefore was amerc'd Raphe Bateman being then Lord of that Mannour In 14 H. 6. William Godrede Thomas Fulthorpe Sir Iohn Colvyle Sir Henry Rocheforth and Sir Robert Hakebeche Kts William Yelverton Thomas Dereham Iohn Iakys Thomas Reynold and Iohn Tylney were constituted Commissioners for the view and repair of the Banks Sewers and Ditches throughout this whole County only and to make Statutes and Ordinances for the same according to the Laws and Customes of Runmey marsh On the West side of this County and at the outmost skirt thereof lyeth Wittlesey mere the greatest Lake in all these parts and consequently the more worthy of note I shall therefore cloze up what I have farther to say of this Shire with that particular description of it which I find in the Register of Peterborough In Septentrionali parte stagni c. On the North side of this Lake there is a water called Merelade issuing out of the River of Neene where the Northern bounds thereof are This with the Fens thereto belonging hath at the end thereof a certain Fishing called Eddâ—rmuthe Upon the East part thereof are two other Meres called Wellepole and Trendelmere betwixt which is a narrow stream containing two furlongs in length called Trendelmere beche having in it two Fishings And there is likewise another narrow water there of one mile long which is called Falet having in it one Fishing In that part thereof betwixt Wytlesmere and Kynkesdelf where the Eastern boundary thereof is the bredth of the Meer containeth three miles having in it a narrow stream called Derescuf and a Wood named Rageholt On the South part thereof also there is another slender stream of three furlongs in length called Selfremerebeche having in it two Fishings at the end whereof is a Lake named Selfremere having on the South side thereof a narrow water of half a mile long called Ubbemere lade at the head whereof is likewise another Fishing And about the middle thereof there is a place in the Fen called Alwynesbarwe and there is the Southern boundary thereof Moreover on the West side of this Lake there is also a narrow stream containing two furlongs in length named Trendemere beche which hath one Fishing in it at the end whereof is the Meer called West Trendemere On that side there are also these waters viz. Drelgmere Wellepole Withibuscemere Langemere Kinninges and Musklemere There is likewise on that side another narrow water of one mile in length extending to Oppebeche and hath in it one Fishing at the end of which water is the Western limits of the Fens and all the waters pertaining to Witlesmere About two miles distant from the North East side of the before-specified Meer there is a memorable Chanel cut through the body of the Fen extending it self from neer Ramsey to Peterborough and is called King's delph The common tradition is that King Canutus or his Queen being in some perill in their passage from Ramsey to Peterborough by reason of the boysterousnesse of the Waves upon Witlesey mere caused this Ditch to be first made and therewith do some of our Historians agree who say thus Anno Domini Mxxxiiii Cnuto Rex potentissimus viam in marisco inter Ramsey Burgum quod King's delph dicitur ut periculum magnorum stagnorum vitaretur eruderavit But how to reconcile this testimony to what I meet with above threescore years before I well know not which is that King Edgar confirming to the Monks of Peterborough before-mentioned the fourth part of UUitlesmere with all the waters Fishings and Fens thereto belonging bounds it to these limits viz. quorum Septentrionalis est ubi primùm intrat Mere lode de ampne Nen orientaliter ad King's delph Australiter ad Adewinesbarue c id est whereof the North side is where Mere lode first enters thereinto from the River Nen Eastward to King's delph and Southward to Aldewynesbarue c. But the largest and most notable is that fair Chanel made from Stanground steafe below Peterborough to Guyhirne neer UUisebeche of xl foot in bredth by Iohn Moreton Bishop of Ely in King Henry the seventh's days and still called Moreton's Leame or the New Leame a work certainly of singular consequence not only for the quicker evacuation of the overflowings of Nene but for conveniency of Carriage from Peterborough to UUisebeche which will remain a lasting memorial to that worthy Bishop CHAP. LI. SOuth-west from Cambridgshire lieth the County of Huntendon into which a skirt likewise of this great Level extendeth at the entrance whereof I meet first with Ramsey compassed with Fens on all parts excepting towards the South-west and containing about ...... Acres wherein for the like respect as in Ely Crouland and Thorney by others Ailwin a neer Kinsman to King Edgar and who is stiled by our Historians totius Angliae Aldermannus id est Chief Iustice of England did found an eminent Monastery for Monkes of S. Benedict's Rule almost an hundred years before the Norman Conquest Touching the situation of this Isle for so it was antiently called let us hear what the Register of that Abby saith Quum igitur in orientali angulo territorii Huntedonensis c. Forasmuch therefore as this place situate in the Eastern corner of Huntendoushire where the Chanel of the River Ouse restraineth the bounds of the Fens is for its bigness the fairest of the fenny Islands and which many have endeavoured to extoll so that it needeth not our commendation nevertheless we will not wholy leave it untoucht On the West side for on all other there is no access to it by reason of the Fens it is severed from the firm land with certain deep and boggy Quagmires in bredth about two Bow shot insomuch as in times past the access unto it was by navigable Vessells brought thither through a slow stream with gentle windes but now by much labour and no small cost there is with Wood Stones and Gravel a firm Causey made so that people may come to it on foot In length this Island doth extend almost unto two miles but in bredth not so much being environed with Alders Reedes green Canes and Bulrushes which do beautify it exceedingly and before it became inhabited was full
of all sorts of trees especially wild Ashes the length and bigness whereof may be seen by the beams and rafters on the roof of the Church But now through tract of time the Woods for the most part gone the fertility of the turf is such as that the land converted to tillage beareth Corn plentifully nor is it less profitable otherwise being full of fair Gardens fat Pastures shady Groves and rich Meadows which in the Spring time make a most beautifull shew Moreover on the borders of it there are several Meeres full of Eeles as also spacious Fens and Pooles abounding with divers sorts of Fish and Waterfoul whereof one called Ramsey meere from the name of the Isle much excelleth the other adjacent waters in beaâ—ty and profit which lying on the most large and woody side of it and pleasantly beating upon that sandy shore thereof called Mereham maketh a delightfull object to the beholders in the deep and great gulfs of which Meere there are frequently taken by several sorts of Netts as also with baited Hookes and other sishing Instruments Pikes of an extraordinary bigness called Hakedes by the County people And though both Fishers and Fowlers cease neither day nor night to haunt it yet is there alwayes of Fish and Foul no little store What proportion to the Fens belonging to divers particular Towns in this County antiently were of I shallâ— in the next place from the testimony of Record make manifest by which they who are well acquainted with those parts may discern how much improvement hath been since made therein through the industry of the Borderers or whether all or any of them were by neglect expatiated to a more large extent Upon that memorable Survey made shortly after the Norman Conquest it appeareth that the Fens belonging to Colne were then reputed to be one mile in length and half a mile in bredth and those in Wardboys just as much But in 3 Edw. 1. there is a far more exact account of them it being then found by Inquisition as followeth viz. that the Fens pertaining to Stangrund and Faresheved called Faresheved ferri contained then in length from Faresheved brigge at the one end unto the other where Ramsey fen and Fairesheved fen did part two miles and in bredth from the Bank called King's delph unto Wythlesmare one mile In which Fen there was at that time a certain Meadow called Kingesdelph-mede containing Cx. Acres and another called Myleby of x. Acres the same Meadows then belonging to the Inhabitants of Stangrund and Faresheved Moreover there was then a certain division betwixt the Towns of Stanground and Flectone beginning at Brod he neer to the Mayden-cros and extending it self by the antient lode to Lauehythe and from thence directly to Blancheferye and thence to Stakengeshirste is a certain Common Pasture which belong'd to the Towns of Stangrund and Flectone Likewise that in the Hundred of Normancros there was a certain Fen called Kyngesdelf beginning at the end of Brod hee scil at the end of Kyngesdelf and extending it self circularly to Wittleseye Town 's end for two miles and from Wytlesheye by the hold Old Ee to Pokeslode for the space also of two miles and from thence by Hold Old Eee to West fen for three miles thence to Wysemuthe for two miles thence to Beynwic for three miles thence to Syrmare for two miles thence to Kyngges delfe end Southwards for one mile and thence to the utmost point of Brod Ee where Kynge's delfe endeth for five miles which whole Circuit containeth xx miles and belongâ—th to the Abbies of Ramsey and Thorney and Priory of Ely for which the Abbot of Ramsey hath the Charter of S. Edward from Gangestede Eastwards to Hyndelake in the West and so at Wendelmere and Cayeresholt with the confirmation of several Kings since that time The Fen of Glactone extends it self from Denton lade to Hubbemere containing in length a mile but it beginneth at the Town of Holme and continueth to Saldermere which is in length three miles The Fen belonging to the Town of Conyngton beginneth at Conyngton mere and reacheth to the Redipole and thence to Scelremore containing in length from Conington mere to Selremere two miles From Selremere it goeth to Berchemere and thence by Hokeslade for three furlongs unto Monks lade and so by the said lode to the new lode at Sautre for a mile and an half and two furlongs which is betwixt Sautre fen and Conyngton and so it holds on by the new lode unto the Bank of the Nesse and from the third Hassoke unto the said Bank it containeth in length one mile directly and from the said Bank it goeth on crookedly unto the North side of Conyngton mere being in length from that Bank unto the said Northern side one mile and an half within which Circuit Conington fen is included But the Abbot of Saltrey ought of right to make two Bridges in the said Fen beyond Monks lade over which the men of Conynton are to drive their Cattell to Pasture beyond that lade The Fen of Dentone containeth in length one mile and extends it self to Witlesmare one way and another way to Dentone field being four Acres in bredth But Glattone and Holme have by force appropriated to themselves a half furlong and more of the said Fen in bredth excepting one Bank and in length one mile and did there dig turves by force and carried them away nor could the men of Denton dig turves with them but they had pasturage there for their Cattell Moreover the Earl of Cornwall did appropriate to himself the Flete and ditch't it in which place contained three Acres and had been Common to Dentone Glattone and Holme The Fen of Waltone beginning at Michelholme hale extendeth it self thence for two furlongs unto Stakelode and thence for one furlong to the bar of Bollokes fen and thence for three furlongs to Croslode and thence for two miles to Hokeslode thence for three furlongs to Brichmere thence for four furlongs to Hubbemere lode and thence for one furlong to Hubbemere cote thence for two miles unto Ranelesnok and thence for half a mile unto Michelholm hale To the Town and Abby of Sautre belongeth a certain fen which beginneth at the one end at Saneshyl and the head of Monks banke and extends it self in length neer to Monks meadow crookedly for one mile and so goeth on by the stable and thence directly to the bar of Bollokes fen â— and thence directly to the head of New lade for half a mile and from thence to Esterne dyke for one mile and from Esterne dyke at the head of the Bank of Staneshille for four furlongs and thus the Fen of Sautre is perfectly bounded And beyond Monkeslade bâ— the whole fen of Waltone and Conytone to Wytlesmere bank and Hubbemere bank they are to Common with their Cattell The Common of Pasture in the Fen belonging to the two Towns of Wardeboys and Caldecote is in length two miles and
Up-were on the West Wickynhie grounds on the South and of Soham East 4297 The Fens and low grounds between Grant from Upwere to Clay hithe and Horningsey high grounds on the West the way from Quoy to Eambridge and Quoy and Bottesham high grounds on the Southâ— the two Swafhams Reach Burwell Lanward and Fordham on the East and of Soham and Wickin North 11950 The Fens between the high grounds of Teversham and Hinton West of Fulburne South of great and little Wilbram East of Bottesham and Quoy North 1240 Between Grant from Harrymere to Ditton on the East of Ouse from Harrymere to Aldrich bridg on the North Hempsall Yram and the high grounds of Rampton West and the high grounds of Cottenham and Denney Abby South 9480 Hempsall and Ireham East of Aldrich Causey 823 The low grounds from St. Ives to Erith bridge on the South the Fens of Willingham and Over on the East the high grounds of Swasey Drayton and Stanton on the South and the high grounds of St. Ives West 3529 The low grounds below St. Ives on the North side of Ouse between the said River on the South and East and the high land of Bluntesham Hallywell and St. Ives on the North and West 1871 The total sum 307242 Acres Whereupon the said Commissioners sitting at Wisebeche aforesaid upon the day and year aforesaid the Lord Chief-Justice Popham being then and there present made certain Laws and Ordinances the extract whereof is as followeth Ordered first that Sir Iohn Popham Knight Lord Chief Justice of England Sir Thomas Fleming Knight Chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir William Rumney Knight Alderman of London and Iohn Eldred Citizen and Cloth-worker of London their heirs and assigns shall within the space of 7 years next coming at their own proper costs and charges drayn all the Fens and surrounded grounds between the old course of the River of Ouse as it now runneth from Erith bridg to Salters lode and Deping and within the land Eas hereafter mentioned And convey the said River of Ouse or the greatest part thereof from some place at or neer Erith bridg aforesaid unto such place between Salters lode and Mayden lode as the said Undertakers c. shall think meet Which conveyance to be made between the bottom of the two uttermost Banks 30 pole at the least and the Rivers to be 30 foot wide and 8 foot deep And the same utmost Banks to be each of them 30 foot wide at the bottome and 7 foot in height at the least and if that height will not do to carry away the water c. then to raise them higher That the like passage be made at the entrance of the Fens neer Peterborough for the conveyance of the River Nene from thence to Wisbeche And so likewise for the River of Weland from its entrance into the Fens at Waldram Hall untill it meet with Glen That Land-Eas from Erith to Stanground and thence to Waldram hall be made to defend the grounds within them and between the said new passage of Ouse and Weland from the Land flouds falling from the Upland-Countreys which Land eas to be from the utmost part of the Fence dike 6 pole at least That a drayn be made from Salters lode unto the Ham in March River to carry away the water which shall fall into the same Land eas c. That a new Bank be made from Erith bridg to Ely to defend the grounds between that and the same new passages from the overflowing of Ouse As also other necessary Sluses and Drayns within the precincts before-mentioned with Bridges c. for passage c. That the Undertakers shall have such sums of money as the Commissioners at their Session shall think fit from those persons who shall take benefit by this drayning and not contribute part of their Lands towards the charge thereof That the Undertakers shall allow for the drayn at Clows Crosse in ease of this charge to the Countrey That a Navigable Sluse be made at Salters lode And that Well-Creeke shall be inlarged and diked to London lode and thence through Neatmore to Wadingstowe and thence over the River of Wellenhee as directly as may be unto or above the Ham in March River And a Sluse with a bridg to be made at Wadingstow to keep so much of the River Neene as shall be needfull in its old course through both the Towns of Welle In recompence of which performance the said Undertakers to have one hundred and thirty thousand Acres of statute measure of Fen grounds at fivescore to the hundred to be taken out of the worst sort of every particular Fen proportionably by the Commissioners before the Feast of the Annunciation of our Lady next coming the whole number of surrounded Acres being 307242. And that the Undertakers their heirs c. shall enjoy all the said waters Fishings and Banks of and within the Rivers with the Indikes and Land-Eas and liberty to take sufficient menure for the repairing of the said Banks c. which Rivers Banks Indikes c. to be accounted parcell of the said 130000 Acres so assigned to them And that the said Undertakers shall make good all drowned parcells out of their own proportions or in value in case the drayning be not made perfect to the Land-owners Of which quick dispatch his Majesty being advertised he wrote to them again from Theobalds upon the xxiiith of the same Month of Iuly by which Letters he commended their endeavours in the work and progress made therein and taking notice of some opposition which had been made by certain people thereto not knowing out of what spirit it proceeded desired them to take special care to suppress the spreading of all false rumours that might give distast to the Countrey touching their proceedings therein and with those who were then imployed by his Majesty in that service as also to examine the grounds of all such rumors and to punish the Offenders giving advertisement to his Majesty and the Councel of any mutinous speeches which might be raised concerning this business so generally intended for the publick good Shortly after this viz. upon Monday Aug. 5th Mr. Hunt Ric. Atkyns and others laid out the ground where the River through Neatmore should go by a straight line to Mumbes dikes end but misliking the way on Tuesday they veiwed New ditch and in the north-Northeast end thereof by the Pow dich laid out the Ditch to be led line-right from thence to the Cross at Upwell Towns end And upon Wednesday about 8 of the Clock the work began in the presence of Mr. Hunt who cast the first spit the wrong way Mr. Helon Mr. Totnall Mr. Hamon Mr. Iohn Fyncham Mr. Richard Atkyns and others And was prosecuted so well as that upon the xxith of December following being the Feast day of S. Thomas the Apostle the Bank at the Cross at Upwell towns end was opened and the River
suffred to run as also a Bridge presently laid over But on the xvth of March next ensuing there hapned so great a storm that it brake the Banks of this new River and drowned Neatmore with the severals adjoining So that on the xxi of the same Month of March they were constrained to stop the River at Upwell Towns end again Not long after this there was a Petition exhibited to the King by the Inhabitants of divers fen-towns without the I le of Ely in the Counties of Suff. and Cambridg humbly desiring that whereas a most laudable work of drayning the Fens c. was then recommended to the high Court of Parliament and that divers Towns lying on the skirts of those Fens would have no benefit thereby in regard their lands were very seldome surrounded they therefore might be excluded out of the intended Act of Parliament whereby a proportion of the said Fen grounds was to be allowed to the undertakers in the drayning for the supporting of their charge therein Whereupon the Lords of the Councel by their Letters dated at White-Hall upon the xxxi of August in the fourth year of the said K. Iames his Reign reciting what had been signified formerly by them as to the fecibleness of the before-specified Drayning and that the Lord Chief Justice Popham was present at the Session of Sewers held at Cambridge and gave notice to the Country that his Majesties pleasure was so far to further the same as to men of understanding might appear to be to the general good of his people as also that there was a Law then made for the said Drayning And moreover that at another Session held at Wysbeche order was taken for the drawing of a Law to be presented to the Parliament for confirmation thereof But that some persons not well understanding the state of the cause complained to his Majesty of great losses and hindrances which they were like to sustain in case the said Act should proceed and therefore desired the said Commissioners to examine the true Causes of those Complaints and to represent to them the true state of the Fens with the difference between the last years profit and that present year In answer whereunto the said Commissioners made this return to the said Lords of the Councel viz. that they did meet at Cambridge on the 22. of October 1606. for the Examination of the Petition formerly mentioned and that they found few reasons to fortify it but such as were or might be provided for in the intended Bill all persons with whom they had treated having acknowledged that the want of drayning was an inestimable hurt to those Fenny Countries And that whereas an objection had been made of much prejudice that might redound to the poor by such drayning they had information by persons of good credit that in several places of recovered grounds within the Isle of Ely c. such as before that time had lived upon Almes having no help but by fishing and fowling and such poor means out of the Common Fens while they lay drowned were since come to good and supportable Estates The Chief Contents of the Bill handled in Parliament Anno 4. Regis Jacobi touching this general Drayning The limitation of time allowed to Sir Iohn Popam Knight Lord Chief Justice and the rest of the Adventurers for accomplishing the work was to be ten years after the end of that Session of Parliament The particular Cutts and Drayns c. to be made by the Undertakers were as followeth 1. A New River with a Bank and In-dike from the Upland neer Peykirke between Weland and Burrow Bank unto or neer Heddike Corner and thence to Crouland water head and there to place a Sluse and so to great Porsand Bank with a Dam over the River to the said Bank to keep in Weland from overflowing 2. To amend the Leame from Peterborough to Guyhirne and to cut a new River and Bank on either side of the said Leame with Indikes for preserving of the Banks the North Bank to begin from Burrow little Fen Bank where six of the Commissioners shall think fit 3. To enlarge the River from Guy hirne to Wisebeche and so to the four Gotes 4. To make a sufficient passage for the River of Ouse from Erith to Salters lode either by enlarging its Chanel or embanking c. And to make two new Rivers to begin about Erith brigg and so to go by Sprall's were to Mayd lode and so through Denver fen into Ouse about Denver hithe with sufficient Banks and Indikes c. and Sluses at the upper end of the new Rivers and West water in such sort as the Navigation in old Ouse and Grant may not be impaired 5. To imbank in all needfull places Grant Mildenhall Brandon and Stoke Rivers viz. Grant from a Corner below Clayhithe ferrey Mildenhall and Brandon Rivers from their entrance into the Fens or from some other more convenient places And Stoke River from Stoke Causey unto the places where they fall into Ouse and to enlarge them where need is with Banks and Indikes c. as six of the Commissioners should think fit 6. And to make new Rivers Banks Indikes c. where need is c. yielding to the owners of the Lands such recompence as any six of the said Commissioners should think meet As also Bridges passages Sluses and Land Eas. 7. That they may take in water to maintain fishing so as the same be kept within Banks and be not hurtfull to the adjoyning Fens 8. To make Ferryes and Ferrey houses where need is 9. That for this performance the Undertakers c. to have in severalty 112000. Acres Statute measure by the small hundred by assignation of the Commissioners 10. That where there is sufficient waste to answer the Undertakers and leave sufficient for the Commoners the Land owners not to be impeached in their severals 11. That the Commissioners do respect both quantity and quality in their opportioning 12. That such opportioning be made before Michaellmass A. 1007. if they may 13. That of Waltersey the Undertakers to have 2. full parts of 3. to be set out as aforesaid 14. That the Undertakers shall have the soil waters and fishing of all the new Rivers so to be made with the Banks Indikes c. 15. That they shall begin to take their profits as they finish their draynings 16. That if any of the grounds shall be again overflowen recompence to be made to the parties damnified out of the 112000. Acres to be assessed by any six Justices of the Peace whereof 2. of the Quorum where such surrounding shall happen 17. That all grounds adjoyning to these Fens which are bettered by the Drayning shall contribute towards the charge of the Undertakers as any six or more of the Commissioners shall think meet 18. That all Mannors Wastes and Common shall have metes and boundaries set to them by the said Commissioners where the bounds are
next year following upon the 7th day of Iune in a Session of Sewers held at Ely these following Laws were made viz. 1. That the defects in Popham lode shall be amended 2. That for the safeguard of the grounds in Welle by which the said Lode must passe there be on either side of the same a sufficient Crest made extending from the Causey of Upweâ—l to Welle river at North delph and the said Crest or Bank to be six foot from the plain ground and in bredth at the top six foot and in thicknesse at the bottom xviii foot And that the said River be scoured and cast two foot more in depth than it then was With Indikes of x foot in bredth and four in depth and two convenient Pipes or Sluses at its fall at North delph into Welle River 3. That a Bridge of stone be made at the head of the said River by the Causey aforesaid over the said Lode of x foot broad with Sluses in the three Arches thereof 4. That four pair of Barrs be set up to keep Cattel from coming on the said Banks 5. And that Welle River from Mullycourt to Salters lode be made above 50 foot wide By virtue of which Law the River called Popham lode was again taken in hand upon the first of August ensuing and cast two foot deeper Soon after this viz. on the xxiii of the same month in a Session of Sewers held at Ely the Commissioners taking into their consideration that whereas part of the main River dividing the County of Huntendon from the Isle of Ely called the West water had used to fall by and through Sutton lode and thence by sundry Lodes to Cannol lode and so into Welney water neer Littleport all which Lodes by sundry annoyances and negligences were become almost altogether unprofitable to the Country c. to the great damage of all the Towns lying on the South side of the said Isle and sundry Towns in the Counties of Cambridge and Huntendon they ordered and decreed that all the said Lodes should be clensed And also that one antient Bank on the East side of the West water extending from Erith to Sutton lode end and so to Mydelmore stampe should be raised four foot from the Level of the ground thereabouts and made ten foot in bredth at the bottom and 3 foot at the top by the owners c. â—f the said grounds And one other Bank lying by the said Westwater upon Mydilmore and another at the South thereof in South Medland extending it self from New ditch c. to be made of the height and bredth aforesaid by the Inhabitants of Sutton abovesaid And that another Bank lying partly by the said Westwater extending from the â—outh end of Abbots Holload house bank to Holload gate at the miles end and so by the Westwater in North Medland unto Sutton lodes end aforesaid tâ—ence to Mydilmore stampe thence by Shakpole lode so to Manny Mandolegate to Hunlode gate to be repaired as aforesaid by the Inhabitants of Sutton Mepall abovementioned About that time twelvemonth there was another Session of Sewers held at Wysebeche viz. sexto Iulii 8 Iacobi where Iames Hawe Gentleman Edmund Gawsell Gent. and others presented as followeth Inprimis we find not by any Record c. that the River of Well from North delf pingle unto Salters lode hath at any time within the memory of man been ditched But we find that it hath been twice enlarged by the Inhabitants of Marshland and the Town of Wiggenhall and the Landholders of North delf pingle viz. in the sixt year of K. Henry the 1. and at the erecting of New Powdich c. And we likewise find that in 18 Eliz. there was 24 foot of ground lying on the South side of the River next Salters lode granted to the InhabitaÌ„ts of Marshland the Town of Wiggenhall whereof xii foot was digged next to the river for the erecting of a Bank to amend the Pow dich in time of necessity In full satisfaction whereof the said Inhabitants of Marshland and Wiggenhall with the Landholders aforesaid did grant to widen the River there xii foot Which Grant was then decreed by a Law of Sewers for perpetuity c. We likewise say that Popham Ee doth and is likely to bring much more water to the River of Welle from North delf to Salters lode than hath usually passed that way within the memory of man Upon which Verdict ensued then and at that place these Orders made by Sir Iohn Peyton Sir Miles Sandes and other his Majesties Commissioners viz. That the ixth of August next following a view should be taken by the said Commissioners of the River between North delf and Salters lode and upon the same view a Law made for the widening diking and making it of such widenesse and depth as the said Commissioners should think fit to be done at the charges of the Country of Marshland the Town of Wigenhall and the Landholders of the hundred and odd Acres in Stowe and the Landholders of North delf pingle And that the said Landholders c. shall be thereupon free from any charge toward Popham Ee. Upon this view it was likewise agreed that the River from North delf to Mathew Bales and xl pole lowerâ— should be made xxx foot wide which was done accordingly The next year following at a Session of Sewers held at Stow brynke in com Noff. upon the xx of May it was thus ordered by the Commissioners that the Undertakers and their heirs should have power to drayn all the grounds mentioned in the Act of 4 Iac. formerly mentioned through the Pipe called Coldham gote which lyeth under the Bank of Elme leame and so through a piece of ground lying between the said Leame and a Bank leading from Fryday bridge to Bishops dike and so till it come over against a Dike between the lands in Oldfield and Needham Thence betwixt the lands in Oldfield and Say's field on the one side and Needham bank and Thornedike on the other side and so to Old lode called Chapell lode Thence through Greendike Thence to the Bridge neer Bâ—aupre Hall Thence to Stonhamslile and so to Boys fen gate Thence unto Bedingfield Barrs and so to Hook gate and thence to Staple were at the Bank of Ouse This was called Coldham and Waltersey Law In pursuance whereof the Dikers set upon the work upon the Wednesday then next following And upon the second of August the Maâ—ons began the Pipe under UUelle River which was finished upon the Tuesday after Michaelmass day After which within a few dayes viz on Fryday ensuing the Masons began the Sluse at Stow for Coldham And upon Saturday being the xxith of September the Commissioners took view for Mr. Bell in Stowe and UUelle for the low grounds between Popham lode and the new Powdike All things therefore speeding on so well upoâ— Thursday following it being the
xxvi of September in a Session held at King's Linne in the County of Norfolke there was another Law of Sewers made called Low fen and UUalsingham fen Law the tenor whereof is as followeth viz. Whereas there are about 1300 Acres of low grounds lying together in the several Parishes of Upwell and Outwell in the County aforesaid between Popham River on the South and the Bank called Bardyke and Churchfield dike on the North and Outwell Crest towards the East which are preserved from overflowing by the said Crest and by the Bank on the North side of Popham river aforesaid which low grounds may be drayned c. And that the repairing of the said Crest and of the North Bank of Popham River will be a defence to the new Powdich and a great preservation to the Countrey of Marshland And whereas the drayn from Plawfield in Upwell to Hodghyrne and there falling into Rightforth lode and thence by a Sluse neer Stow bridge into the River of Ouse is very defective c. which being repaired would be sufficient to drayn all those low grounds We do ordain and decree c. that it shall be lawfull â—or the Landholders and Commoners of and in the said low grounds c. to drayn them through the said Sewer And we do farther ordain that the said Sewer from the said Sluse to a place called West head shall be diked c. ten foot broad in the bottom at the least and in depth proportionable c. And from thence to UUelle river x foot broad and 5 foot deep and the greater part of the menure to be cast on the South side of the said Lode from UUest head to the East end of Hodg hirne for the making of a sufficient Crest to hold the waters within the brink thereof And that there shall be placed in the North end of Churchfield dike in Outwell a Sluse of Brick with a tunnel of two foot broad and three foot high with a dore to be pulled up shut c. And from the said Sluse a Drayn or Sewer to be made under Churchfield dike on the East part thereof to the North end of Champney-Corner And from thence to continue the same Drayn in an antient Dike between Outwell Common on the North c. to North delph Upon Tuesday being the 8th of October following in the night tide the Dam made by Mr. Hunt for Coldham a little below Stow bridge broke up and on Wednesday being inwardly taken with a little light Moor broke again So likewise on Thursday being taken with earth between Planks set end-wise it brake again and continued running till Sunday Oct. 13. At which place there assembled that day Sir Raphe Hare and six other Commissioners who laying the command of the work and order of it upon Mr. Richard Hunt he with the assistance of the Country took it in hand and made it firm before the return of the next Tide But as we see by how little was done in this and most of the precedent years that the general Drayning went but slowly on notwithstanding the King himself as also the Lords of the Council and those Gentlemen who were constituted Commissioners for that purpose had so earnestly endeavoured the speeding thereof so was there now such a stop for the space of five years at the least that there nothing appeareth of consequence to have been farther prosecuted therein by reason of the opposition which divers pâ—rverse spirited people made thereto by bringing of turbulent sutes in Law aswell against the said Commissioners as those whom they imployed therein and making of libellous Songs to disparage the work of which kind I have here thought fit to insert one called the Powtes Complaint COme Brethren of the water and let us all assemble To treat upon this matter which makes us quake and tremble For we shall rue it if 't be true that Fenns be undertaken And where we feed in Fen and Reed thei 'le feed both Beef and Bacon Thei 'l sow both Beans and Oats where never man yet thought it Where men did row in Boats ere Undertakers bought it But Ceres thou behold us let wilde Oats be their venture Oh let the Frogs and miry Boggs destroy where they do enter Behold the great designe which they do now determine Will make our bodyes pine a prey to Crows and Vermine For they do mean all Fenns to drain and waters overmaster All will be drie and we must dye 'cause Essex-Calves want pasture Away with Boates and Rodder Farewell both Bootes and Skatches No need of t'one nor t'other men now make better matches Stiltmakers all and Tanners shall complain of this disaster For they will make each muddy Lake for Essex Calves a pasture The fethered Foules have wings to fly to other Nations But we have no such things to help our transportations We must give place oh grievous case to horned Beasts and Cattell Except that we can all agree to drive them out by Battell Wherefore let us intreat our antient water Nurses To shew their power so great as t' help to drain their purses And send us good old Captain Floud to lead us out to Battel Then two-peny Jack with Skakes on 's back will drive out all the Cattel This noble Captain yet was never known to fail us But did the Conquest get of all that did assail us His furious rage none could asswage but to the Worlds great wonder He bears down banks and breaks their ranks and Whirly-giggs asunder God Eolus we do thee pray that thou wilt not be wanting Thou never saidst us nay now listen to our canting Do thou deride their hope and pride that purpose our confusion And send a blast that they in haste may work no good conclusion Great Neptune God of Seas this work must needs provoke thee They mean thee to disease and with Fen-water Choake thee But with thy Mace do thou deface and quite confound this matter And send thy Sands to make dry lands when they shall want fresh water And eke we pray thee Moon that thou wilt be propitious To see that nought be done to prosper the malitious Though Summers heat hath wrought a feat whereby themselves they flatter Yet be so good as send a floud lest Essex Calves want water Upon great complaint therefore of these their doings made to the Lords of the Council I find this Order made by them bearing date at White Hall upon the 8th of November in the xiiijth year of the said King's Reign viz. That whereas sundry vexatious sutes had been brought against his Majesties Commissioners of Sewers and their Officers by divers obstinate persons for executing the Orders c. of the said Commission to the great hazard of the inundation of many large Levells in the Counties of Northt Hunt Cambr. and Linc. That the said Lords well weighing these undue proceedings and the antient Laws of this Realm evidenced from divers notable Records in