A DISCOVRSE CONCERNING THE DRAYNING OF FENNES AND SVRROVNDED GROVNDS in the sixe Counteys of Norfolke Suffolke Cambridge with the Isle of Ely Huntington Northampton and Lincolne Printed at London 1629. The Printer to the Reader GEntle Reader This discourse came vnto my hands not long since from a well-willer to the businesse therein treated of and I hearing that the Fennie-Countreys are at this time more then ordinarily ouerflowne haue thought fit to publish the same if haply it may perswade such as are interested to set forward the worke of drayning which would be both honorable and profitable to the Common-wealth as I conceiue A Discourse concerning the drayning of the Fennes COncerning the drayning of the Fennes in the sixe Counties of Norfolke Suffolke Cambridge with the Isle of Ely Huntington Northampton and Lincolne as well on this side Boston as beyond there arise three maine questions The first whether it would be honorable and profitable to the King and Common-wealth in generall and to those Countreys in particular if it might be effected The second whether it be Feasable The third how a compitent reward may be apportioned for them that should vndertake so great a worke For the first the first argument shall be the counsell and care of the State in euerie age since this Kingdome began to be improued appearing by the many Acts of Parliament concerning this businesse as against Weares Gorces Stankes c. begun the 9. of H. 3. itterated the 25. of Ed. 1. augmented the 25. and 45. of Ed. 3. the 21. of Rich. 2. the 1. and 4. of H. 4. And at length more districtly the 12. of Ed. 4. But in all these times by reason of the turbulent condition of the State at home and abroad the prosecution of this businesse was either altogether fore flowed or so snatchingly persued that little fruit came thereof But in the peaceable time of King Henry the 8. who was the first great Improuer and in whose time the mischiefe was growne to a great height a setled course of Commission of Sewers was established with a verie endlesse power such as hath neither length nor bredth against offendors it is the word of the Statute not onely against the fore-named inconueniences but now for the maintenance and increase of Walls Ditches Bankes Gutters Sewers Goates Caulcies Bridges Streames and other defences against inundations by which verie names of things in the former Acts not mentioned it doth appeare how the mischiefe was growne almost past remedy before any sufficient prouision was publikely made for redresse Yea although the Lawes of Sewers were ordained like Acts of Parliament not examinable by any other authoritie as being the most absolute that passeth vnder the great Seale of England such was my Lord Pophams iudgement yet so bootlesse seemed the labour vnto the Countries afflicted that the wisdome of the whole Common-wealth thought fit to prouide an other Act two yeeres after to constraine the Gentlemen of the Countrey vnder paine and forfeiture to take the oath of a Commission of Sewers as they should be thereunto designed In this time also that royall Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond procured an admeasurement and diuision of all the surrounded grounds on the North side of Spalding which before that time lay promiscuously This was a great worke and of excellent vse not for those times onely but the fruit of it hath continued euer since euen vnto these dayes and will be a great guid in this drayning businesse whensoeuer it is vndertaken Neither did that royall Lady rest in this but she sat her selfe amongst the Commissioners of Sewers yea and set her hand to the verie worke of drayning and indeed hit vpon the right way but in her worke there were some notable errors the world not being then so skilfull which being followed by the neglect of the Countrey in time forfeited her gratious intention After her stood vp Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and tooke great paines to perfect what she had begun He went into the Countrey in person and imployed all his authoritie in it but because the Countrey should haue borne the charge when he was once passed on to Yorke nothing went forward that hee had proiected notwithstanding his many Letters and increpations In the 3. of Ed. 6. the Commission of Sewers was made perpetuall which by the former Statute of H. 8. was to endure but twentie yeeres and in the 13. of Eliz. it was enacted that euerie particular Commission of Sewers should continue for ten yeeres which before was limitted to fiue and that in the interim betweene the determining of one Commission and the Awarding of another the Iustices of the Peace might execute the Commission of Sewers for a whole yeere After that by these prouisions and presidents mens wits were a little set on worke in the 29. of El. some Gentlemen vndertooke the recouerie of the Marishes of Erith Lesnes and Plumstead for whose encouragement a Statute was made That they should haue the moyetie of all such gained Lands and an eighth part of the other moyetie and hold it of the Queene as of the Mannor of East-Greenwitch in Socage by Fealtie paâ—ing a pennie an Acre yeerely and no Tyth for seuen yeeres This Act of Parliament incouraged many men to vndertake also in the Isle of Ely and the Countreys confining and that with approbation of the State because saith the Statute such Approuement will be a great and inestimable benefit to her Maiestie her Heires and Successors disburthening her Highnesse of many chargeable Bankes and workes of Sewers in those surrounded grounds and in the increase of many able Subiects by habitations being there erected and in like sort profitable to many her Highnesse Subiects both bodyes Politike as Corporate who haue estate of inheritance and other interest within the same The same also was the opinion of the State in the fourth of King Iames his raigne when the Parliament passed an Act for the vndertaking of Francis Tindall Henry Far and Iohn Cooper in the Isle of Ely which Act gaue them two parts of the Land so to be inned and drayned and immunitie of Tyth for seuen yeeres after those seuen yeeres which were allotted to them to doe their worke in To speake nothing of the improuement of Marsh-Land Waldersey the Londoners proportion and diuers others which though they remaine chargeable to the owners because the generall drayning is not effected yet doe they yeeld so great an improuement as well witnesseth how aboundant it would be if those charges by a generall drayning were preuented But if any man beside this Argument taken from the consent of so many ages wise and politike Princes and assemblies of Parliament doe desire to be led into those particulars whereby it is probable they were moued let him consider First the costly and troublesome meetings of the Commissioners of Sewers Grieuous though necessarie Taxations Hartburnings Emulations Controuersies and insupportable charges for cutting clensing and repayring of
Riuers Draynes Goates Sluces Bankes and such like costly workes of Sewers so much to be lamented so impossible to be any other wayes preuented then by a generall drayning of the seuerall Leuels wherein those Lands respectiuely doe lye Next it would be remembred that in winter when the Ice is stronge enough to hinder the passage of Boates and yet not able to beare a man the Inhabitants vpon the Hards and the Bankes within the Fennes can haue no helpe of Food no comfort for Body or Soule no Woman ayd in her Trauell no meanes to baptize a Child or to administer the Communion no supply of any necessitie sauing what those poore desolate places can afford Moreouer it hath beene the policie of this State to demolish all places of defence sauing those that be in the hand of the Soueraigne power this onely remaineth whether we know in the Barrons Warres the Rebels vpon the naturall strength of the place and aboundance of prouision there resorted as into a Fastnesse and to which purpose it might serue againe if God and the wisedome of our Gouernours were not watchfull at the Helme What should I speake of the health of mens bodyes where there is no Element good The Aer Nebulous grosse and full of rotten Harres the Water putred and muddy yea full of loathsome vermine the Earth spuing vnfast and boggie the Fire noysome turfe and hassocks such are the inconueniences of the Drownings But if a man would attend the manifold and great profits of Drayning it were not hard to muster a royall Army of them Consider first the quantitie of the Pen-Leuels valued at 500000 Acres Mr Camden accounts it from the edge of Suffolke to Waynflet in Lincolneshire 68 Miles and that is by the Stringe but if you reckon the Bow of the Fenne which runneth vp on both sides Witham till you come within a Mile of Lincolne as rotten a peece as any of the rest we may well call it 80 Miles in length in bredth it is much 30 more 20 seldome so little as 10 Miles a goodly Garden of a Kingdome yea a little Kingdome it selfe as much and as good ground it is supposed as the States of the Low-Countreys enioy in the Netherlands For the riches of the soyle if it were gayned from the waters much may be said Compare it with high ground who will not preferre a leuell Medow Compare it with the grounds in the same tract which lye but a yard higher then it ordinarily let for 20. shil an Acre and vpward not about Ely and other good Townes onely but at Thorny-Abbey my Lord of Beaford lets betweene 3 and 400 Acres of rising ground vpon which the Abbey stands for 300. li. per annum whereas the rest of his Lordship of Thorny containing 16 or 17000 Acres of drowned ground is esteemed as it now lyeth of little or no value yet it appeareth by the Historie of William of Malmesburie vouched by Mr Camden who liued about 1200 yeeres since that in his time it represented a very Paradise for that in pleasure and delight it resembleth Heauen it selfe in the very Marishes bearing Trees that for their straight talnesse and the same without knots striue to touch the Starres A Playne there is as euen as the Sea which with greene grasse allureth the eye so smooth and leuell that if any walke along the Fields they shall find nothing to stumble at There is not the least parcell of ground that lyes wast and void there here you shall find the earth rising somewhere for Apple-trees there shall you haue a Field set with Vines which either creepe vpon the ground or mount on high vpon poles to support them c. For in those dayes Vineyards were verie frequent in England The like may be said of the Abbey of Crowland of the great Lordship of Whittlesea and of all the rest that consist of part dry and part drowned Land yet those dry drowned Lands are of the same nature and where there is any difference the drowned is the richer as appeared in the two extraordinarie dry yeeres 1619 and 1620 when the edges of the drowned Fenne being dry yeelded twice as much grasse as the rising grounds did I shall speake of a strange thing yet was it related by a Gentleman interested in the place and of good credit Borrough great Fenne containeth about 7000 Acres this Fen is vsually so much surrounded that the dry places and all are not well able to beare the Inhabitants Cattell in those two yeeres it was all dry and yeelded such aboundance of Foather that they receiued for a great part of Summer 50. li. a day for the ioysting of Cattell as they call it out of the high Countreys The like may be imagined to be the condition of all the rest of the Fens especially if the ground be smooth and free from Hassocks I will giue you an instance There is a banke in Thorny of a Mile long or more cast vp out of two Draynes of the most mirie Fens which lying somewhat high as being a Horse-way from Thorny-Abbey to Peterborough is growne into verie fine and feeding grasse And here to proue the Richnesse of the Fen-soyle let it be obserued that where water stands all the Spring in barren Land there will be no grasse at all not so much as where for want of raine the Sunne burneth the soyle and this is a certaine argument of Sterile or leane Earth But where though the waters stand the Earth notwithstanding bringeth forth Fruit it is an argument of a fat and lustie soyle and so much the fatter by how much the Fruit is courser and larger for all grounds that will afford nourishment to Grasse will not suffice sap enough for Sedge or Reed but on the contrarie that which will beare Reed or Sedge in any quantitie is able to yeeld sap enough for aboundance of Grasse So great a quantitie therefore of rich Land being gayned would meruailously increase support the multitude of his Maiesties subiects wherein consisteth the glorie and strength of a Kingdome Adde hereto the augmentations of his Highnesse Reuenews for there are in the Fen if I remember a right 16 Mannors belonging to the Crowne on the South-side of Boston besides the great Honour of Bullingbrooke on the North containing about it by estimation 60000 Acres of fen-Fen-Land which was lately let for 18. li. a yeere to Sr Vincent Skinner besides his Customes Subsidies Prouisions Casualties c. What should I remember the profits which would accrew to the Common-wealth the aboundance of prouision for victuall Flesh Fish and whit-meats the breed of Horses seruiceable both in Peace and for Warre the rich and necessarie Merchandizes of Wooll Hydes Tallow Hempe Rape and such like the transportation of the commodities of the Countrey from place to place for the vse of the neighbour-parts the ease of Trauellors who now are faine to make compasse iournies to auoid the ouerflowings the conuoy of his Maiesties Armies
were wont to haue their dependance vpon vs and reliefe from vs. Is the old Actiuity and abilities of the English Nation who in former times were esteemed the greatest vndertakers in the Westerne parts of the world growne now so dull and insufficient that we must pray in ayde of our neighbours to improue our owne Demaynes The Duke of Venice is said to marry the sea as if he had with it but diuisum Imperium wee haue beene alwayes Lords of the sea and our Common Law hath adiudged the sea to be part of our Kingdome shall wee suffer that Regality to become obnoxious to Strangers and not that onely but the fresh waters within our Continent as if our selues were not able to bring them into order Surely our great plenty and abundance of fruitful Land hath beene hitherto one cause why this improuement hath beene neglected but of late the blessing of peace hath so multiplyed our people vnder our last two peacefull Princes that we haue transplanted many Colonies into Ireland Virginea Bermuda St. Christophers New England c. and beside hath stirred vp men at home to gaine much rich Land from the seas and in particular to attempt vpon this surrounded Leuel wherin that they haue not hitherto preuailed hath not beene want of skill or will nor yet of indeauour For diuers worthy men haue appeared in the vndertaking the last and worthiest being our late Soueraigne Lord of blessed memory who thought it no dishonour to declare himselfe an Vndertaker herein but being translated hence hath left The Honour of this Worke to Crowne the Raigne Of his deere Sonne our now dread Soueraigne For matter of security shall wee esteeme it of small moment to put into the hands of Strangers three or foure such Ports and Harbours as Linne Wisbeach Spalding and Boston will be when the out-fals shall bee opened to Low water marke and permit the Countrey within and betweene them to be peopled by ouerthwart neighbours whose strength and vndertakings begin to grow formidable or if they quaile themselues must giue place to our most Auncient dangerous enemies who will be ready enough to take aduantage of so many faire Inlets into the bosome of our Land lying so neere together that an Army landing part in each of them may easily meete and strongly intrench themselues with wals of water and drowne the Countrey about them at their pleasure This very thing was obiected by a worthy Patriot in a late Parliament wherein a bill was preferred for the admitting of Strangers to vndertake this Worke and thereupon cast out Finally if nothing were considerable but the matter of profit would it be thought fit to giue so great a portion of our Land as the third part of that Leuell to Strangers to empty themselues into and leaue our owne Countreymen with so great trauell charge and aduenture to seeke for seates abroad in remote parts when we may comfort both them and our selues by placing them at home Neither yet would I be vnderstood to be so enuious to Strangers as that I had rather the water then they should possesse the Land but the question being whither should be preferred to the Vndertaking of the worke Strangers or men of our owne Countrey I am out of doubt that no true English man will be scrupulous in the choyce Yet I doe ingeniously acknowledge that the industrye of some of our neighbours especially the Dutchmen deserueth commendations and imitation for enlarging themselues into the sea especially in and about Amsterdam and securing themselues from the sea by costly and ingenious deuices but such deuices are not proper for our busines which is to be performed in a farre different manner the error leading vs directly to the remedy which is meerely Naturall for Nature hath giuen to all riuers and waters as well their courses issues and out-fals into the sea as their heads and springs and by the former hath as well prouided for the vse of man as by the latter This guidance of Nature if wee follow and adde Art as a hand-mayd vnto it wee shall by remouing the cause auoyd also the effect and by consideration how the mischiefe hath growne learne to preuent it in the future wherein the sparing of cost is no frugality But if it be questioned Whether those Englishmen that offer to aduenture their estates and the reputation of their skill be able to accomplish the businesse the answer is That beside that they can demonstrate their abilities What praejudice can it be to any man to be an idle spectator whilest they expend their money and exercise their skill they requiring no recompence till the Worke be performed The third and last Question is How a Competent Reward may be apportioned for them that should vndertake so great a Worke This indeed hath beene the great and maine Impediment of the Drayning of the Fennes for many yeeres most men interessed being vnable to disburse Money and also vnwilling to part with any of their Land of how little value soeuer it hath beene vnto them or how great soeuer the improuement of the remainder might be or if some were willing yet the minds of the multitude haue not beene vnlike the Waters of the Fenne which not being contained within due limits but dispersed abroad ouer the surface of so great a Leuell are easily interrupted in their course by the slender opposition of Flagges and Reedes euen so these mens minds not being restrained by Authoritie nor guided by rule of Reason doe stray into seuerall Opinions and receiue Impediment from Oppositions as slender as those Weedes some of them being not ashamed to alleadge that by gayning of Grasse they should loose their Reedes and Sedge not considering the difference of their values But of late receiuing information from the King and his Councel and the Commissioners of Sewers taking into their consideration that the Wisdome of seuerall Parliaments haue thought fit to giue a part of such Lands to those that should improue the whole and pondering how great the benefit of such improuement would be to them and their posteritie haue not many yeeres since fallen vpon an excellent course to encourage men of skill and abilitie to embarke themselues in that Designe Whereupon after a Tax layd vpon the Lands of that whole Countrey by the Acre to enable the Commissioners of Sewers legally to conuey part thereof to beare the charge of aduancing the whole King Iames of blessed memorie declaring himselfe to be the Vndertaker a Decree of Sewers was enacted at Cambridge the 20. day of February in the yeeres of the Reigne of our late Soueraigne Lord King Iames of England France and Ireland the 19. and of Scotland the 55. Whereby was designed to be granted to his Maiestie for the supportation of that vast Charge 120000. Acres of the Fenne Lands to be conueyed vnto his Maiestie his Heires and Successors that is to say out of euery particular part a proportion answerable to the quantitie of
the Land and the benefit that should redound vnto the Owners thereof so that in the whole it should accomplish the said number of 120000. Acres as the Commissioners of Sewers after a particular suruey should thinke fit to allot the same Which Lands notwithstanding the King was not to haue any interest in or possession of vntill eyther the whole Fennes or some notable part were effectually Drayned and so adjudged by the Commissioners or a competent number of them The reason why this Decree tooke no effect was the many and important affaires of State wherewith his Maiestie was exercised the whole time of his life after the said Decree was enacted Whereupon all the good intentions and preparation both on the part of his Maiestie and the Commissioners fell to the ground Since which time those Countries hauing beene grieuously afflicted with the continuance and encrease of Inundations they are now by the hand of God not led onely but constrained to seeke some effectuall meanes for speedie reliefe Whereupon some of them as men readie to perish by the Waters are wont haue reached out their hands to take hold vpon such weake and defectiue helpes as the examples of their predecessors haue left vnto them that is to say vpon particular Workes of Goates Draynes Bankes c. not duly weighing how they haue formerly fayled those that haue layd hold vpon them Witnesse the costly Draynes of Morton Bishop of Ely called The New Leame Clowes Crosse Popham Mea The Londoners Loade and many others and the many miles of Bankes about Deeping Thornie Walter Sea The Londoners Land and infinite others all which are now of little or no vse though the charge of them hath beene so great as if it had beene bestowed at once vpon the generall Worke would haue gone farre toward the accomplishment of a Reall Drayning which long before this time had made a rich Improuement Others there are who finding the Disease of the Fen to be like the stopping of the Vrine neere the fall of the Kidneyes from whence being returned it first filleth vp all the veines of the body which before were neere full with bloud and then drownes the Patient in his owne Water of which Disease there is no possible Cure but to remoue the Impediment neere the Kidneyes so to regayne the naturall Out-fall In like manner the Waters that annoy the Fennes doe first fill the Riuers and Draynes at whose issues being returned backe by Impediment they ouerflow and stifle the whole Body of the Fenne of which Disease there is no possible Cure but the opening and securing of the Naturall Out-falls at which the whole Body of the Fenne will equally and speedily vnburthen it selfe and so returne to that pristine Condition so much extolled in the Monuments of Antiquitie This then being the onely way for Cure of that grand Disease vnder which many thousand Acres of Ground and which more is many thousand People doe languish those onely shall approue their Iudgements in this Cure who themselues incline and labour to incline others to further by Art that Naturall Remedie Yet how Naturall soeuer this Remedy be it cannot be imagined that so vast and enorme a quantity of Land as these Leuels do containe can be drayned without a huge expence and the preuention of the same mischiefe for time to come by apt Works will greatly increase if not double the charge beside the necessary prouision to maintaine nay to better the Nauigation by deepning the riuers c. Adde hereto the aduenture of so great summes as are necessary to be expended in these Workes whereof although such as shall vndertake the businesse well knowing their owne wayes and meanes are as behoueth them secure yet their assistants for without aduentureres no priuate mans abilitie is able to effect it relying vpon their credit and skill haue reason to require no Litigeous but a Legall and pregnant assurance of a valuable recompence which being conformed to the decree for the 120000 Acres before recited will be indifferent both for the Aduenturers and the Owners as it seemeth was concluded by the Commissioners before they enacted that Decree Here it may be obiected that many Noblemen and Gentlemen interested in those Leuels will choose rather to disburse some summes of money for their parts to keepe their Inheritances entire then part with any of their Lands The answer whereunto is that a booke may bee made according to the Custome of Aduentures wherein euery man that listeth may write such a proportion for his aduenture as will intitle him to so many Acres as vpon the suruey shall be set out of his Land to make vp the number of 120000 Acres Out of which also it must bee considered that a good proportion must be set apart for the perpetuall securing of the workes to be effected as the Commissioners of Sewers in the forenamed Decree haue juditiously prouided Thus much being collected out of loose papers which had lien long by the wals and tyed together with some Additions out of new obseruations is presented by a friend to this incomparable designe which if it be effected will be â—egistred to all succeeding ages and haply this may conduce somewhat thereto with which if the Author be honoured hee is well apâ—â—ed but if hee be remembred to haue cast in his Mite into the Treasury he will exult H. C. FJNJS