IT is not to be expected this whole following Discourse to be all new, since the necessity of making it to appear rational, compells me to a recital of many things as well known unto others as my self; and so to usher your judgements to approve of it as reasonable, (which the whole Level as an intire argument doth perswade) I shall ex­tract no other cure for her present Distem­per, then what Nature her self hath appointed for a Remedy.

And, in the first place to acquaint you with the Circumference and Quantity of Ground I am to treat of; and likewise to acquaint you with the Soyl, or Earth we are to work upon, and then the several Rivers and Rivilets which fall into, and run through this great Level, and how the unruly Tides do beat back our Freshes into our bosoms, when they are poasting to the embraces of their Mother the Sea.

I shall not divide this great Level into piece-meals, but as my industry, and thirty years Experience and more hath taught me, I shall give you the Descent of each part of it, as it is naturally in­clining to the Sea, as also those Rivers which Nature hath appoint­ed to conduct the supernumerary Waters to it; and then I shall lay down the Rules, and way for the perfect Draining of this great [Page 2] Level, and at a small charge, and to take off all hazzards of being drowned for the future, and also the vaste expences of yearly Re­pairs, whereby will easily appear the great advantage which will accrew to his Sacred Majesty, the Honourable Corporation, and to the whole Countrey, resolving as much brevity as the weighti­ness of so important an affair may permit.

The Circumference beginning at Saltors Load in Norfolk,The Circumfe­rence of the Le­vel. and so by the hard Lands of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hun­tingtonshire, Northamptonshire, and Lincolnshire to Croyland, and so to South Ea Bank, to their Drain to Tidgoat, from thence to Wisbidge, so to Well, and to Saltors Load again; which Circum­ference contains at the least 120. miles, within which lieth at the least 400000. Acres of good Land, if once perfectly drained.

The Soyl or Earth is generally a black or red Moor,The Nature of the Soyl or Earth. the black Moor is naturally a rich Soyle, the red is not so strong; but both the red and black being laid dry, becomes a perfect black mould, and good Soyle: witness Thorney Fenns, and all others which have lien dry for some years past. The Soyl is good and profitable, and lyes in most part of the Fens a foot deep, and in some places more, though Nature and Art have taken their way through the worst of our Fens,Morton's Leam and Bedford River. I mean the two Rivers of Morton's Leame, and Bedford River, (the last made by the Right Honourable Fran­cis Earle of Bedford, and the first by that Reverend and Learned Prelate Bishop Morton, were the two most famous Works as ever were made in this great Level, as useful to the draining of it; but the banks being made of this light Moor,The light Moor not good for banking. (which could not possi­bly be avoided) which now being rotten with long lying dry, hath lost its tufness, and is become a light black mould, and yields to those waters lying on the banks, and makes the banks meer water, by which means they have lost their former strength to withstand a reasonable Flood.

To and through this great Level runneth certain Rivers and Ri­vilets,The River Wel­land excepted in this Design. I exclude the River Welland, as not to meddle with it in this Design; and those which I call Rivers, (which we have to deal withall) are new Nean, alias, Morton's Leame, Bedford River, and great Owse: The River Nean is very considerable, it runs out of Northamptonshire, and brings many Rivers and Rivilets which fall into it; and with reason we may believe Northamptonshire to be the highest County in all England, there being no River which runs into it, but many which run out of it East, West, North, and South.

[Page 3] Bedford River is equal with Nean,Bedford River. and brings with it all those Rivers and Brooks out of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Old Owse I call it a considerable River for those of Grant,Old Owse. Mil­nall, Brandon, and Stoke makes Owse (before it meet with Bed­ford River) at Saltors Load, a great, and considerable River.

As for South Ea,South Ee, Whit­tlesy Dike, March River, Bevils leam &c. usefull in draining. Peakirk Drain, Bevils Leam, Whittlesey Dike, Swards Delft, Elm Leam, March River, Ox-willow Load, Sandy Dike, Downham Load, Dr. Williams Load, Reach Load, Ford­horm Load, and Samms Cut, with many other small Creeks, which are no way prejudicial to our Work, but much to our benefit, and ease, and will be much for our use.

As for the several Descents in this Level,The descent of Burrough and Thorney Fen, &c you shall finde them thus, from the height of Burrough Fens, and Thorney Fens, and from Bull Dike, and Catt water; the descent lies to the lowest part of Thorney Fens by Clows Cross, and Murrow Plash.

All those Fens and Grounds from Stanground,The descent of Stanground, Whittelsey Ug Ramsey &c. Mare Whittlesey Mare, Ug Mare, and Ramsey Mare, Kings Delft, West Fen, all those Grounds or Fens of Ramsey, Pedley, Doddington, Cha­tris, and March; all those Grounds lye descending to the River of March, and the West Water.

All those Grounds and Fens which lye East of the West Wa­ter to the North Bank of Bedford River,The descent of the Grounds on the East of the West water to the North Bank of Bedford River. have their Descent incli­ning to Well River, and Welney to the Po Dike.

All those Fens and Grounds lying South-East of Bedford River, have still their descent Eastward to Littleport, and to Priest-houses, and so into great Owse.The descent of the grounds South East of Bedford River.

Yet though it be true (as it is) that all those Lands and Fens from Morton's Leam to the River Owse, have their Descent still Eastward, yet is as true, it is not above half a foot in a mile, and that is no considerable Draught to convey our downfall to our two Rivers of great Owse and Morton's Leam, which upon necessity must drain the Countrey; but if Morton's Leam and great Owse cannot be brought to run so low, as to gain a Draught into them, we cannot be perfectly drained: but this without all doubt may be effected.

Those Fens and Grounds which lye on the East side of great Owse in Norfolk and Suffolk,The descent of the Fens on the East side of great Owse. with Sohame Fens, Swaffam Fens, Ditton, Burwell Fens, Isesam, Milnall, Whelps Moor, and the Fens of Feltwell have their Descent West to the River Owse, but is little or nothing. Yet there is no doubt but to gain these Rivers [Page 4] two foot fall into the River Owse, and that Sohame Meer shall never come within four foot of its former height in ordinary Floods.

For besides the Sock, and down-fall into this Level, we have three considerable Rivers which runs through it into the Sea.Three considera­ble Rivers run through the Level Morton's Leame, whose way is through Wisbidge, and so into the Washes, and Bedford River, and great Owse, which joyn together at Saltors Load,The Design of former Underta­kers. and run intire to Lynne, and fall into the Sea be­low the Washes. There hath been great industry, and much mo­ney expended in making of great and vaste Banks to keep those Rivers within their Bounds, and to carry our Freshes to run at that height as to ride the Tydes; and this hath been the Design of all the Undertakers since Lyn Law was first made: but if ever they had found the Descent (which they hoped for) the Tyde (their greatest enemy) could not then have possibly prevailed to flow in­to the very Center of this great Level every twelve hours,The Tide a great enemy. though the late made new Rivers do run high by reason of the imbanking and the flux of the Tyde.

One other enemy (though not so dangerous) to this great Le­vel,Want of Freshes a great enemy. is, the want of Freshes in the Summer to water the Grounds and Cattle,The light fuzzy Moor to make Ba [...]ks withal, an­other enemy. and to scour the Out-falls. And the other enemy is the fuzzy light Moor to make Banks withal, which moorish Earth hath deceived all the worthy Undertakers from the beginning, and therefore is not to be trusted any more.

Neither is it without reason, that those three I last named are such obstacles to the perfecting of this great work of Draining this Level.Reasons why the Tyde is an enemy to Draining. For if we consider the Floods which fall down into this Great Level, intending for the Sea, which for want of descent cannot run quick, and the Tyde every twelve hours meets our Freshes, and beats them back; the Tyde by reason of his great ascent at Sea, flowes quick into the very bowels of our Fens, so far as above Welney upon Bedford River, which is no less then eight and twenty miles from the Sea: And likewise it flowes above Guy-heirne in Morton's Leame into the midst of our Fens; and it must be confessed the Tyde flowes into us three hours and an half, and we allow four hours for the same quantity of water to ebb back again, so that at the most we have but four hours and an half in twelve hours, to run out our Freshes which drown us.

Thus the Floods increase in our Rivers between the Banks, and riseth, and lieth on them at a great height, and as I have said, [Page 5] these moory Banks will deceive all that trust in them: It is con­fessed that the moor Earth is tuff so long as it lies wet, but is good no longer then till it is rotten, and that it will be if it lie dry four or five Summers,Reasons against the Banking with light Moor. and then it sinks, and becomes a light black mould; and if it chance that a Flood lie upon it but three or four dayes, it soaks in the water and becomes sobbed, and is neither Earth nor water, and then it leaves you when you have most need of it, and drowns the Fens more, then if there were no Banks at all.

The third enemy is the want of Freshes in the Summer, which doth not onely make the Countrey, and the Cattle miserable, but the Out-falls will be destroyed for want of water to scour them in dry Summers:Reasons why the want of Freshes is a great enemy to Draining. Nor would I have the late dripping Summers be an encouragement, that the Out-falls are so good that there is no cause to fear them, (may they alwayes continue good I wish) but if the Out-falls once fail, it will be a greater inconvenience then the breaking of a Bank onely, my fear here­of is just enough; In a dry Summer you have none, or very few Freshes, either by the River Morton's Leame, or great Owse, and ye are sure to be visited with the Tyde every twelve hours; and then I may tell you, if you have Northernly windes, you will have such foul waters from the Sea, that quickly will lodge up your Out-fall at Wisbidge, and Lyn, by reason your Rivers in those places are wider then they ought to be, (which may be helped by this my Design) so that the Flux and Re-flux of the Sea, doth not grinde but feed.

The River Owse which hath its Out-fall at Lynne,The River Owse much obstructed with shelves of Sand below Lyn. is for some miles at Sea below that Town much obstructed by several shelves of sands, which are moveable as the winde and sea for­ces them; and yet the winter Chennels are kept by the winter Floods; but in Summer our want of Freshes or Floods make us not able to maintain our winter Chennel, and so we lose it till our first Floods in November (or thereabouts) can gain their own Chennel again; in the mean time all our Banks and Works are in great danger, and the poor Countrey-man in hazzard of utter ruine, and the Navigation of Lynne very uncertain and dangerous; the same hazzards in all respects are in the River of Wisbidge through the Washes to the Sea.

And now to prevent these dangers, and to make our Fens and Level secure, without trusting to the hazzard of our [Page 6] Out-falls without us, or the breaking, or the sinking of the Banks within us, the taking away all those great charges of maintaining and repairing all those Banks made to hold up our In-land Floods at such a vast height as to rid the Spring tides (as I have said before) I dare be bold to say, that twenty years hence for want of Earth at a reasonable distance, the Banks will cost more in one year then now they do in four; I wish the Charge of those Fen Lands may not exceed the Profit, as some of them have already done, and much good Land without the Level in likelihood to come into the same condition if not prevented.

When I was DIRECTOR, I would have cut through Mur­row-gate to the Horseshooe at Wisbidge,Murrow-gate cut to the Horseshooe at Wisbidge. which would have cost less then the widening of that River, and there to have fallen into Wisbidge River close to the Apron of that gallant Sleuce then standing; and so far I had (as I did then believe) ob­tained the Adventurers to consent unto, and they at a general meeting at Wisbidge 1649. did make a personal view of the place, and found what I affirmed to be truth; and this River I would have compleated by reason of the great benefit it would have been to all the North-side of Wisbidge, and other parts adja­cent, to drain them, and a certain Slaker in all Floods to ease Morton's Leam and all the Banks upon it upon all occasions.

Then take the River Owse,The River Owse and Morton's Leam made to run quick below Downham and Wisbidge. and all the Branches which fall into it before it come to Downham-Bridge, and likewise cast your eye upon the River called Morton's Leam as it runs at the Horseshooe below Wisbidge, to meet there with my new River that is to be made through Murrow-gate; and this is the first part of my Design, to bring all our Floods and Freshes to run quick below Downham, and Wisbidge.

In the next place, to give more particular satisfaction, I que­stion not but all rational men will grant, and allow, that if by this Design, those two considerable Rivers of great Owse, and Morton's Leam, can be be brought to run all the year, and eve­ry hour of the year, in two great Rivers at Downham-Bridge, and Wisbidge-Bridge, notwithstanding the Spring Tides or the Ebb Tides; they must needs confess that they then believe they shall be perfectly drained, yet they cannot believe this can be done,The Tide stopped but that the Tide must be stopped; and it is true, and good reason for it; which as I said before, flowes into us every [Page 7] twelve hours into the midst of our Fens, and flowes no less then three hours and an half, or four, and then four hours to ebb back again, so shall we have not above four hours in twelve for our Freshes to run out of the Level.

But it is intended, and will be made good by this my Design, the Freshes shall run quick all the year, and every hour of the year, at Downham-Bridge, and Wisbidge, if they may have leave by a Sleuce below them some miles distant; and though I name this last,The great Sluce to be at German-Bridge, or near Magdelen in Norfolk. yet it is the first thing to be perfected, that is by a substantial large Sleuce made at German-bridge, or Magde­len in Norfolk; and near unto it one Soss to maintain Navi­gation, from Lynne to Cambridge, Wisbidge, and to all other places formerly used into the adjacent Contreys: And this being once substantially performed, the whole work of Draining is in a manner perfected.

And as for the River of Wisbidge, and the Slaker through Murrow-gate,A new River to be cut through Marsland. I carry them joyntly in a River through Mars­land, from the Horseshooe to the great Sleuce at German-Bridge, or near Magdelen, by sufficient Banks of good sollid Earth; then have I sufficient water way for all those Freshes to the Sea, which will force good Navigation, and maintain the Chennel Winter, and Summer, to the great benefit of all those Sea men which use that Port of Lynne; and all the Rivers in and out of the Level will be much bettered, and improved.

As for the sleighting any Banks upon Bedford River,No Banks to be sleighted. or Morton's Leam,A small new bank at Guy-heirne. or to make new ones, (except a small one at Guy-heirne) it is no part of my Design, but I do wish those Banks which are upon Bedford River and Morton's Leam, had not been placed at so great a distance one from another.

And as for the Sosses at Stanground,The Sosses at Stanground, Erith Well, &c. are useful. Erith, Well, and others, they are of singular good use, yet I do affirm, there will be a necessity of having a Soss, and Sleuce near Ditton, otherwise the Navigation to Cambridge is lost,A Soss and Sluce at Ditton. by reason the waters will be so low both Winter and Summer in the River Owse, that the Rivelets of Millnall, Brand, and Stoke, must be either held up or bottomed.

The like it will be with Morton's Leam from Guy-heirne to Peterborough,A Soss and Sleuce to be made at Guy-heirne. otherwise it will not be alwayes navigable either Winter or Summer, unless we keep the waters in the new Ri­ver through Marsland and in Wisbidge Town at a great height [Page 8] alwayes.The use of that Sluce, and of that at Murrow Plash. This Sluce, and that at Murrow Plash, commands the River through Wisbidge, and that through Murrow-gate with your new River through Marsland, by the help of the great Sluce and Soss at German, that if need should require, would lay the very soles dry, insomuch that at all times you drain the North-side of Wisbidge,North-side of Wisbidge drained with the Smee, and the great Common in Marsland. and parts adjacent, the Smee, and the great Common in Marsland: neither will there be any need of raising the Bank from Guy-heirne to Bevis-hall, for the secu­rity of the North-side of Wisbidge, whereof many complaints have been made; for here that great River will run low in a great flood with great swiftness.

One other small work I would do,A small Cut from Owse to Little-port Chair. which is a Cut from the River Owse near Ely, to the Chair at Little-port, which will be about three miles, and this I would make fifty foot wide with­out Banks; this is to help old Owse to take off a sudden flood, which otherwise will hang long upon Water-beach, Swaffam Fens, the Phillips, Stretham, and other Grounds adjacent, be­ing the shelves, and stops in the River Owse are taken away.

Croyland had alwayes Navigation into Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, and all other parts of this great Level, and from thence to Boston, Lynne, and unto the City of York, which is now obstructed. I mention this place, by reason I know it is very easie to make from this Town good Navigation to Stampford,The benefit of Navigation through Croy­land. to the great benefit of that Town, and Countrey, likewise to Boston, Lynne, and other parts; the Honourable Earle of Bedford is no small loser for want of this Navigation through this Town of Croyland into the River Welland, and his Tenants at great charges to cart their Corn and other com­modities to the River Welland, and elsewhere, to the dammage of the Earle, and his Tenants, I do verily believe Five hundred pounds per annum. But I shall say no more to this, but I know the want of Navigation makes many Towns poor, and the having of it makes many Towns and Countreys rich; and the making of this Navigation good is performed at a small and inconsiderable charge,Great Benefit to Thorney Lord­ship. and without any danger of drowning of Thorney Grounds (as some have alledged) but will prove bene­neficial to all that part of the Countrey in a dry Summer.

And as for Sheir-Drain I have no intentions of sleighting it,Sheir-drain not to be sleighted. it is good to convey fresh waters into the Countrey, and of great use and benefit unto Holland.

[Page 9] It may now be conjectured what my Design is for the perfect Draining this great Level; and lest I should be mistaken, I will farther express my self: It is to cause our Waters and Floods to run low and quick in our two great Rivers of Owse and new Morton's Leam; for if once these two great Rivers be brought to run low, the Fens cannot be drowned, nor can any other River or Rivelet in our Fens run high.

Likewise, as for the Dimentions of these new Works I have named, and what water way I would make both in the new Ri­vers, and through our new Sleuces, I shall give you particularly; and in the close of this Design, I shall give you my Reasons, and shew you the Benefit, the King, Kingdom, Undertakers, and the Countrey will receive by this my Design, and way of Draining. And likewise give you my Answers to divers Objections that are, or may be made, either out of peevishness or ignorance, self-ends or malice, whereby to obstruct the carrying on so Ho­nourable a work, as the perfect Draining this great Level.

The River through Marsland from the Horseshooe at Wis­bidge to German-Bridge,The Dimenti­on of the River through Mars­land. or near Magdelen in Norfolk, will be in length about eight miles; I make this River six foot deep to a perfect sole quite through: likewise I make it eighty foot wide, yet inclining wider toward the new Sleuce, to help the Draught of this River. I leave Foreland to this Bank to the River-ward twelve foot, the seat of this bearing Bank shall be five and forty foot; I leave Forelands of this my bearing Bank to the Land-ward eight foot; the two In-drains▪ I make both of them eighteen foot wide, and six foot deep; by which means I gain good firm Earth out of the River, and the two In-drains, to make my bearing Bank twelve foot high from the superfices of the Soyl, and ten foot broad on the top of the Bank, which being flagged to the River-ward must needs grow well.

As for the Slaker through Murrow-gate I held it alwayes very necessary,The Slaker through Mur­row-gate. by reason the River of Wisbidge was and is so full of short Angles, and every shoulder of those short Angles checks our Freshes running to the Sea, and that small neck of that River at Guyheirne too hard to be found by such a sea of Freshes between those Banks to Whittlesey, that the waters grope the way to finde that small quill to creep out at; where­fore I make from Guyheirne to Murrow-plash, which is two [Page 10] miles,A single Bank from Guyheirn to Murrow-Plash, 2 miles. one single Bank, which is on the South-side of that Bank that now is to Murrow-plash, to stand with it equal in height, and that old River to be bottomed six foot to raise that Bank to the Plash, and to have there a convenient Sluce with sufficient water-way into our Slaker in Murrow-gate; this River or Slaker from Murrow-plash to the Horseshooe is about four miles and an half:The river from Murrow-Plash to the Horse­shooe, four miles long, six foot deep, fifty foot wide. I make this River fifty foot wide and six foot deep to a perfect sole throughout; I leave Foreland to each Bank to the River-ward ten foot, the seats of those Banks to be forty foot each; the Foreland from the Seat of the Bank to the Land-ward, ten foot each; the two In-drains fifteen foot each,The dimention of the Banks. and six foot deep. This is all sollid good Earth as Marsland, and will raise the Banks to stand at eight foot high from the superfices, and ten foot broad at the top: There will be no haste of this work, till the Banks above be sunk to about five foot high; and till then the North-side of Wis­bidge hath no good Drain.

These two Rivers leads us to the new Sluce at German-Bridge,The new Sluce at German-Bridge. or near Magdelen in Norfolk; and I conceive most are at a stand in their Judgements, as believing this not easily to be performed, yet tacitely do allow, that if this can be ef­fected to be a durable work, the Countrey then must needs be Drained: Yet for better satisfaction of those which doubt, it will not be unnecessary to take the judgements of able, and ho­nest Artists, and good work-men, so to understand their sense of the feasability of this work: viz. This Large Sluce, and Na­vigable Soss, and to give me leave to inform them what I have known, and seen in the like Works.

The soyl,The Soyl for the new Sluce to stand upon. and foundation whereupon this large Sluce, and Soss is to be placed, is very good, being a firm and sollid clay, or galt, which is not to be found for that purpose elsewhere; and our materials are most of them by us,The Materials for the new Sluce where to be had. as Brick, at Ely and Saltors Load; at Ely and Reach, Lime plenty and cheap enough; good seasoned Oak Planks and Timber in Norfolk and Suffolk; and good Deal Timber at Lynne, and Iron, as good, and as cheap as elsewhere; and there is nothing wanting except Tarras, of which we must use in this Work good plenty, and this is to be had at Dort or Roterdam much cheaper then here: at Peter­borough and Ely, rough Stone for our Foundation and Fillings.

[Page 11] Now I have brought you to the Materials, with which you are to make this Sluce, and Navigable Soss, now follows the Dimentions of them both.

The Sluce I divide into four and twenty Arches,The Dimenti­on of the new Sluce. each Arch containing seven foot in wideness for the water-way; the sole of these Arches shall lie level with the sole of Great Owse at German-bridge, or near Magdelen; the Foundation under the sole of those Arches shall be four foot deep; the Supporters or Peires between each Arch, or Water-way, shall be six foot thick, made of good Brick, and other good Stone, for that purpose; and the outwardmost Bricks to be laid in Tarras and Lime; these Arches for the Water-way are made ten foot high from the sole, beside the Crown of the Arch, and so built, and finish­ed above to what height and weight may be thought fitting.

The bredth of this Sluce composed of four and twenty Arches, from their Butting upon the River Owse, to the But­ting upon the new River which runs to it through Marsland, shall be forty foot, besides the Apron to the River Owse, and the Apron to the new River of Marsland.

To finish this Sluce,What is requi­red for the finishing this great Sluce. there must be four and twenty double Gates to Sea-ward, to play with the Tide when need shall serve; but these cannot play but with leave of the Fall-gates, which are eight foot broad, and ten foot deep; all those Fall-gates, or so many of them as shall be needful, according to the Floods which are coming down, are drawn up, and then our Gates to Sea-ward play to run out our Floods. In Winter, by reason of the great Floods, they may all play; and in Summer Droughts one may be sufficient to do the work, so uncertain are our Waters, yet shut themselves at the rising of the Tide, or Back-water, and Butt in the bottom against the soles of the several Arches, and Butt on the top as well as on the sides they hang on; and these Gates are to be ten foot high, yet the Spring Tides will over-top them five or six foot, but cannot hurt us, but make us stronger. In this Sluce you have Water-way an hundred sixty eight foot in bredth, and ten foot in depth; this Sluce will vent more Water then will ever come to over­charge it.

Your Soss for Navigation must be placed twenty Poles be­low this Sluce,The placing of your new Soss. for if it stand in it or near it, it cannot be useful at all times, by reason of the great force and stream of water at [Page 12] the Sluce in a flood▪ and the Cut which leads from the new river to the Soss must be twenty Pole before the Sluce, lest that coming too near the Sluce, the great Draught of the River there may force down the Vessels to the Sluce, and there they must either break or sink.

The Soss may be made as large as you please, to hold ten or twelve Boats at a time,The great use of a large Soss. and the charge not much more then though it were made for two or three Boats, seeing we shall not need to fear the loss of waters. I do wish the Soss may be made large, for there is no question but Navigation will in­crease within us, being it is so feizable to be made to Stampford in Lincolnshire, to Rockingham in Rutlandshire, and to Bed­ford in Bedfordshire.

As for your Sluces at Ditton, at Croyland, at Murrow-Plash, at Guyheirne, with that small Cut which I desire may be made at Littleport Chair, these are but small Works, and will cost but little money; I have given the reason for them, and the great use of them before.

One thing more I shall adde to what I have already said, The Slaker through Murrow-gate is four miles and an half long,The Dimenti­on of the seve­ral Rivers. and it is fifty foot wide; Wisbidge River from Guyheirne, with the new River to German-Bridge, or near Magdelen, is twelve miles long, and eighty foot wide; Great Owse from Saltors Load to the same Sluce at Germans is eight miles long, and an hundred and twenty foot wide; these Rivers being joyned all together make a goodly Indraught, as well as Rivers, at your very Out-fall, all of them bound in with gallant Banks of good sollid and durable Earth,The said Ri­vers to receive more Waters then the Re­ceptacles now made. as can be desired; which Rivers will receive more waters from a Flood, then all those Receptacles upon Bedford River, and Morton's Leam, which are so farre within Land, to the great danger of the Countrey, and the vast expences of the Undertakers; and in our greatest Floods, and most sudden Rains, our waters shall never rise so high with­in us at the great Sluce at Germans, as doth the half Floods at the Ordinary Tides without us; then I hope it will be confes­sed, that our Fens, and the whole Level, and all those Grounds mentioned, must be dry as well in Winter as in the Summer.

This was the DESIGNE I would have finished in the Year 1649. when I was DIRECTOR.

But it will be Objected,This was the Design, Anno 1649. that the former Works I mention [Page 13] will cost much money; I shall answer to this, and other Ob­jections; but this first, because it concerns the Adventurers which lay out the money.

If that the old and new Adventurers have laid out in the Draining of this Great Level,Several Obje­ctions answer­ed. these thirty years and more, five or six hundred thousand pounds, and if they believe this De­sign and these Works will perfect the work of Draining, surely then they will lay out one whole years Rent and an half to make all their moneys good, and free themselves from such vast ex­pences, which will be swallowed up in the yearly Repairs of those uncertain Banks.

If this Design, being perfected, doth take away all fears as well as future charges, and bring the Level into repute and cre­dit, it will be worth their expences, and twenty times more.

And when this Design is throughly understood, and the in­sufficiency of the moory Banks, this Design is to be followed, otherwise this Level must be left in a worse condition then it was found.

And lastly, since this Objection is of such force that it will cost much money, I then say, if a year and an halfs Rent will treble my Rent yearly, to what it yields at present, I must con­clude my self none of the best Husbands, that will not lay out so much money to such an advantage. I will now answer some other Objections.

That there is as much done for the Draining of this great Le­vel as can be done,1. Object. and that it is not in the Invention of man to do more then what is already done.

This is the opinion of those which give credit to our moory Banks,Answ. and understand not the Descent nor Ascent of this Le­vel in general, nor do they know the Descent that may be gain­ed to the Sea, but will say, if Banks will not do the work, there is no more to be done; but do dishearten all men from doing or attempting any thing, lest their weakness should appear.

Why did you then,2. Object. when you were Director for the Work, make such great and high Banks upon Morton's Leam, of two and fifty foot in the seat, twelve foot high, and eight foot broad at the top?

All this I did it is true,Answ. but those Banks I did not make for Sea Banks, or to withstand such a Sea or Wash as now they have, but laid them near to avoid a Winde-catch; and I told [Page 14] the Adventurers at Wisbidge in 1649. at their Meeting there, that those Banks made so high by me then, would not stand above four or five foot high twenty years after their making; and I did promise them then, that (my Design being finished) the Floods should never charge those Banks above two foot: and it must have been so, if this Design of mine had gone on, and been perfected; neither was it possible that this two foot of a Flood should have lain out of the River three neaps of a Tide, if the Sluce at German-Bridge be suffered to run.

Many wise men are of opinion,3. Object. that the Banks being Repair­ed every Year, the Draining may be perfected.

Wise men may think so,Answ. and the Countrey men which get all the money for Repairing every Year will tell them so, till the Charge exceed the Profit; but if they look upon Deeping Fen drained with moory Banks by Captain LOVEL, and conti­nued a small time rich Ground, till the moory Banks were rot­ted to a mould, then the Banks failed, though there was no cost spared by the Right Honourable the Earle of Exeter, to repair or maintain them; yet it is now, and hath been these twenty years under water, and nothing to be had from it but a little Fish; yet this Fen doth contain thirty thousand Acres of good Land (if drained.) Look upon Bishop Morton's works, the Lord Popham's works, Governour Peyton's works, the Ho­nourable Francis Earle of Bedfords works, all these Honour­able persons were wise men, and undoubtedly did act by a great scale of Prudence in their Undertakings, yet could not make their moory Banks any longer durable, then till the moor be­came mould: These Presidents are all within our Level, and in the memory of this our age.

But if you run our freshes so low in Winter,4. Object. what shall we do for water for our selves and Cattle in Summer?

Whilst you have water at Deeping-Bridge,Answ. at Peterborough-Bridge, Saint Ives-Bridge, Cambridge-Bridge, and at the Bridges of Milnall, Brandon, and Stoke, undoubtedly our Le­vel cannot want water; for under these Bridges come all those waters which drown us, and under these Bridges shall come those waters for us, and our Cattle. Yet take notice, that the great Sluce at German-Bridge, or near Madelen, is able to hold up the waters, with little helps, as high as you please; then it will be confessed to be an absolute Draining, when we can Drown, and Drain at our pleasure.

[Page 15] But how shall those Fens in Norfolk,5. Object. Suffolk, and Cam­bridgeshire, which lie on the East-side of Owse, be drained, for they lie the lowest of all the Fens in this Great Level?

If great Owse run low,Answ. then all these Fens you name will lie dry, for still your great Sluce drains all your waters out of Owse, and Morton's Leam, if you please; but then Navigation will be hindered, which is to be helped by bottoming of those Rivers where there may be occasion, neither is the bottoming of a River so chargeable as banking.

Wisbidge River may run where it doth,6. Object. as well as at German-Bridge▪ to go through Marsland, the Ground will cost dear, and that money may be saved.

To answer this I have much to say;Answ. first, Wisbidge Out-fall lies high upon the Washes, and then it is too near our Fens to check our Freshes; my drift is to keep the Sea at a greater distance, that I may have our Freshes at all times both night and day, to run quick under the Bridges of Wisbidge, and Downham, without the least check. Again, the River at Ger­man-Bridge lies lower then the River at Wisbidge-Bridge, and there is more fall from Wisbidge-Bridge to German-Bridge at low water, then at the fall from Peterborough-Bridge to Wis­bidge; and our Out-fall at Lynne is below the Washes, and this River of Wisbidge joyned with the River Owse at the Sluce, makes a gallant In-draught, and will gain Lynne a com­pleat Channel to Sea, to the great benefit of that fine Town, and the Town of Wisbidge. As for the charge of the Ground through Marsland, I may justly answer, good and great things are not done without cost; but the cost of this will not be much, by reason we may carry much of the River through the Common, viz. the great Common belonging to the seven Towns in Marsland, and the Common called the Smee, and Drain them both, which the Marsland men will thank you for.

The River of Wisbidge is (as it is now widened) sufficient to carry in it all those waters which fall from Peterborough,7. Odject. and therefore you may spare your pains and cost at Murrow-gate.

Wisbidge River is wider then it was,Answ. especially at the Out-fall, which doth, and will destroy us; but it is not the depth nor the width of the River that will drain that Level, it is the descent, and quick current, that must do our work: But this [Page 16] River is so full of small Angles, to shoulder up our Freshes, yet I will say, it will serve till the moory Banks in the Fen be sunk. But it is good to be sure in this great Work, for if this River should prove defective, to receive and carry away a great Flood, it is not onely the loss of having our Grounds drowned, but may be the ruine of many good mans Estate, to the value of ten times the charge of making the Slaker through Murrow-gate, to the Horseshooe; beside, the benefit of this River, and the In-drains to drain all the North-side of Wisbidge, which is many thousand Acres of good Land.

The Tide being stopped at German-Bridge,8. Object. or near Magde­lan, will rise higher, and run over our Banks, and drown us in Marsland.

This Objection is easily waved,Answ. the Tide hath its bounds, and cannot rise higher then its center at Sea, and though it be stopped at German-Bridge, it shall not rise higher by the thick­ness of one hair, as if it never had been stopped at all.

But your great Sluce and Soss at German-bridge,9. Object. or near Maddelen, will be quickly silted up, and what will become of the Fens then?

It is impossible it should,Answ. being no silt comes near it, nor any salt water, for which I give this reason; viz. The Freshes at low water have got the Channel at Lynne, there the Tide comes in, and beats the Freshes back; the fresh and salt water unwilling to mix, the Tide beats back those Freshes to its own height, that so two miles below the Sluce at Germans it will not be brackish. I hope the River of Thames at Blackwall and London-bridge will give you an experiment; and if no salt water at the new Sluce, and Soss, it must be confessed, no silt and sand.

We have great Frosts some years,10. Object. and then upon a sudden thaw the Ice comes down and will choak your Sluce and Soss.

Sosses and Sluces are the means to prevent the danger of the Ice in a sudden thaw.Answ. It is confessed, many Bridges by the force and weight of the Ice have been beaten down, but the use of Sluces prevents that danger thus: In great and long Frosts we can have no Floods, and if our Rivers are frozen over to make it impassable for Boats, then are our Sluces to run; by this means I sink the Water, and the Ice with them, as low as I can, then by our Sluces I hold up our waters, and this water [Page 17] riseth one foot or two above the Ice, which is frozen fast to the bottom of our Rivers after a night or two lying there; and although they be not dissolved, yet they are so rotten, brit­tle, and short, and cannot hurt either Bridge or Sluce: this I have made experience of by Sluces, and can prove it; and this is practised in Holland, Freezeland, and Gronning.

Our Division Dikes,11. Object. and all our Dikes in our Fens, though they be made twelve foot wide, and six foot deep, they keep their width, yet in our dry years the bottoms rise two foot, and our Dikes become shallower, and they are no good fences.

Observation and experience will teach you,Answ. that the bottom of your Dikes grow not up, nor rise as you say, but it is your Ground lying dry, the Moor Earth groweth sollid to a good and fruitful soyl; and it is not your Dikes bottoms which rise, but your Grounds which sink, and become much better; therefore when your Grounds are thus sunk with lying dry, bottom then your Dikes two foot, and your Dikes will hold good for many years.

It is perceivable by your Design for the Draining of this great Level,12. Object. that in a flood we shall have no Navigation upwards from your new Sluce up Bedford River, up Owse to Cambridge, or up your new River to Wisbidge, and Peterborough▪ by rea­son the waters will run so quick that we cannot hale with our Horses against the stream, but our three Rivers will become like the river Rhyne for swiftness in a flood.

It is granted,Answ. the Rivers in a flood will run quick, by reason they have water-way, and fall sufficient at the great Sluce; but this force of a flood will not last for above a day or two, it may be longer, and it may be not so long, therefore you must stay while the flood be past; neither are these Rivers so much your enemies, as constantly to oppose you, as the river Rhyne doth▪ All which work against a constant stream must have pa­tience, and so must you; yet the motions of these great Ves­sels down the river Rhyne are quick, and so will yours be in a flood, which lasts not long, neither will they be common with us; for the Comparison will not hold between the river Rhyne and any of our Rivers in our Level.

If this Design of yours be perfected,13. Object. we may then lay all our Boats aside, as having no use for them; for Owse, Bedford Ri­ver, [Page 18] Morton's Leam, and the new River through Marsland, will draw in all our Land waters.

It is confessed that Morton's Leam and Owse will run low,Answ. by reason that at German-bridge at low water mark, the River will be lower then the height of the Level soyl at Saltors Load, by twelve foot, and much more; and so likewise it will stand with Guyheirne, and there shall be no need of raising the Banks from thence to Bevis-hall, for there is Bank enough, and the River will run lower then the Soyl or Superficies of Wis­bidge high Fen, for Wisbidge River will quickly grinde it self to its old bottom, and keep it; and it is feizable and necessary to bring part of Owse from Erith unto Wisbidge, by the West-water, through the Town of March, and the other branch by Chatris, Doddington, and Wimbleton-hook, without the haz­zard of drowning any part of the Level;This is of great use to the Cor­poration and the Countrey, for Navigati­on, and water­ing the Middle Level. and will water all the parts of the middle Level, even to Maney, the two Wells, and to Saltors Load, and will prove good for Navigation to the Undertakers, and the Countrey which have quantities of Grounds lying upon this West-water; and if the Divisions of the Intercommons be laid out, there will be a necessity that this Work of the West-water be made good: This (you will say) will afford you water-way for your Boats, No, ye are deceived, for without the use of means at our Out-falls into Bedford Ri­ver, Owse, and Morton's Leam, to hold up your In-drains, you will still have no waters for your Boats, and this will cost mo­ney; which to do, I compare it to Paper and Packthred, in com­parison of the rich Commodity bound up in it.

We have now two gallant In-draughts,14. Object. as Bedford River, and Morton's Leam, for our Floods to bed in, as Receptacles; and after the Flood is spent, those run and scour the Out-falls, and maintain them.

I know not what you mean by an In-draught,Answ. but if you be­lieve either of those Rivers to be your In-draughts, in which your Waters now bed, whose Banks are at such a wide distance, and at so great a distance from your Out-fall, as near twenty or thirty miles, it is a Riddle to me, and beyond my understand­ing, and in my judgement against all the rules of Draining; for in all Draining we have respect to our Out-fall, for if we can­not be master there, all other endeavours signifie nothing. [Page 19] You may as well call Whittlesey Mare,The Recepta­cles between the Banks no In-draughts. Ramsey Mare, Soham Mare, In-draughts; and the Dutch may better call Harlem Mare an In-draught, for none of those I have named are In-draughts; for there can be no In-draught, but it must be close to the Out-fall,The proper place of the In-draught. otherwise it works no effect. You have an ex­ample in Holland, and in all the Low Countreys, their In-draughts are at their Sluces close to the neck of their Out-falls; neither is there any Haven, River, or Creek, lying upon foul Seas, that hath not sufficient Freshes to maintain its Out-fall, but he must by Art gain an In-draught, which In-draught must be at hand to use when there is occasion for it;The Reason wherefore. for all true In-draughts are to be held up, and are to be made use of at the last quarter Ebb, or before, and so it works its effect; but when the In-draught is about a mile or two above its Out-fall, it is so weak upon its stream by that time it comes to its Out-fall, that it cannot work any effect to the cleansing of either Haven, River, or Creek.

I shall onely instance in two Havens or Harbors, though I could trouble you with many;Dunkirk and Delfts Haven. the one is Dunkirk in Flanders, the other is Delfts Haven in Holland: As for that of Dunkirk I have seen it when upon the Wharf they have been forced to use a Ladder to go up into a Ship of an hundred Tun at low water, the next day they have been forced to use the same Lad­der down from of the Wharf into the same Ship; this might seem strange, but it was strange to me to see by what a small means this Effect was wrought, which was thus: viz. In all dry Summers the Haven is very subject to be silted up by the Sea bearing its foul waters into it, by reason of the many shelves of sand upon that Coast, so that the ordinary strength of that small River coming from Bergue,Wynox Bergue is not able to carry out of that Haven what the Sea lodgeth in it, but then Reason and Indu­stry doth the work of that Haven thus: When the Haven is silted up to such a height, the Town causes the River aforesaid to be kept up by their Sluce, or Soss, for some eight or ten dayes together, then they command the Ships and other Vessels in that Haven to ride in the midst of it as close to each other as they can;How the Ha­ven of Dun­kirk is cleansed by the In-draught. and being thus placed, they at a Level water open their Sluces and Sosses, and give liberty to the pinned up waters from Bergue to run through the Haven, so that it grindes the bottom through the Intervals between the Ships, that it carries [Page 20] away all the silt and sand out of the Haven, whilst the ships rock too and fro, as if they would fall one upon another; and by this means the Haven becomes as deep again. It is much the same with Delfts Haven in Hollaud, and that small River which comes from Overkey to the Town and Haven, doth the like effect with that of Dunkirk, otherwise there could be no Haven, but by reason the Sluces which cast their In-draughts into both these Haven, stand at the very entrance of them, otherwise they could not grinde and effect so great a work.

Now look back to our selves which have been so much mista­ken,The Recepta­cles in Walder­sey dangerous to Coldham and Waldersey as to make Receptacles of In-draughts within Land so remote from the Out-falls, and you may be assured, that if the Receptacle or In-draught made at Waldersey, had taken that effect as was supposed, to have received from a Spring Tide from Sea six foot water, yet it could not have done you any good, by reason it lay so far from the Out-fall: but certain it is, that if it had proved that that In-draught had but gained from the Sea, four, five, or six foot water, the Banks had been gone long e're this; and Wildersay and Coldham had been both lost, or little worth.

I shall give you no farther trouble, but to assure you of my readiness to answer any other Objections which may be made against this my Design, or way of Draining, to the best of my knowledge and judgement.

Now give me leave to give you my sense of the great benefit which will arise to his Sacred Majesty, the Honourable Corpo­ration, the Countrey, and the whole Kingdom.

His Majesties Subjects in this Level,Considerable benefit to the King and Kingdom. who were formerly very poor, by reason of the uncertainty of the Banks, and their Ground lying dry, but being once perfectly Drained, will grow rich and populous, to the strengthning of the King and Kingdom.

It will better Navigation and Trade to all his Towns in this part of the Kingdom.Advantageous to some Towns His Majesties Land secured from drowning Fifty thousand Acres of good Land gained from the Sea, called the Wa­shes, the Kings Waste.

It secures His Majesties Land, being ten thousand Acres ly­ing in this Level, from all farther charge or fear of being drown­ed by any Flood, either in Winter or Summer.

His Majesty gains hereby fifty thousand Acres of good Land, called now the Washes, or Salt Marshes; this Land is equal to those Lands in Marsland, or Holland, for goodness, the one lies on the East and the other on the West-side of these Washes [Page 21] or Salt Marshes, which is all the Kings Waste: and I do af­firm, that those Washes contain more Land then lies in Mars­land it self; and more, those Washes lies much higher then doth Marsland or the North-side of Wisbide; yet through this Wash doth Wisbidge River, Sheir-Drain, and Spalding River make their way to the Sea. But when Wisbidge River, Sheir-Drain, with Spalding River, are forced to a better Out-fall, as Wisbidge to great Owse, and Spalding River, and Glean secured, to the great benefit of North and South Holland; then must those spacious Washes suddenly become good Land for this reason, viz. for these Rivers by force of winter Floods do scour and cleanse these Washes, and will not suffer the silt or sand to bed upon them; but these Rivers being taken away, which run through, and spread themselves upon these Washes every low water, doth carry away to Sea what the Tide hath left behinde; but the Cause being taken away, the Effect ceaseth, and all those Washes will become good Land at little or no considerable charge; and yet the Navigation of His Majesties Towns of Lynne, Boston, and Wisbidge, much bet­tered, and prove great Out-falls, and Navigable Channels to the North Sea.

Yet let me tell you,The Washes get height up­on the Freshes. that though the Freshes work this effect, to cleanse and scour the Washes, yet the Washes grow and get height upon them; and though formerly Wisbidge was the best Out-fall in this Great Level, and took much of our waters into it,No good out-fall through the Washes for Wisbidge, Spal­ding, or Sheir-Drain. which now run by Lyn, by reason of late years the Sea hath left us, and the Washes have gained a great height; and in my judgement it is impossible ever to gain any good Out-fall through those Washes, either for the River of Wisbidge, Sheir-Drain, or Spalding River.

As for the Noble and Honorable Adventurers I shall say lit­tle, onely assure them, that this Design, and way of Draining this Great Level, being perfected, the Great Level will be perfectly Drained;The charge of two hundred miles in Bank­ing taken off. whereby the great charge of maintaining two or three hundred miles in Banking already made, will be taken off; which being of no farther use, will be of no farther charge: nei­ther are they freed from this charge alone, but from the charge of many of their Sluces and Sosses;Some Sluces and Sosses be­come useless. as that of VVell-creek, and that upon Owse, at Saltors Load, and those works at Ely, which will become as useless as the two or three hundred miles [Page 22] of Banking. And in fine, it may be believed, that Six pence the Acre per annum, will maintain the Charge of upholding the Works, and procure a Stock, if the beforementioned works be once sufficiently effected, for there will be no need of re­pairing of Banks any more.

The benefit which will arise to the Inhabitants of this Countrey will be very considerable, in being freed from all danger of being drowned any more; that they may freely plow, and sowe, build, and plant; and then there will be no fear of the want of water in the Summer, for themselves or Cattle; and which will be very considerable, is the Navigation to al­most every small Town in this Level, especially if their Inter-Commons be divided,The Division of the Inter-Common. which will be a great benefit both to the Lords and the Tenants: but in all these Navigable Cuts avoid Banks, and then these Cuts and Division Dikes may be done at a small charge, having a care to carry your leading Drains into their proper Out-falls of Bedford River, Great Owse, and Morton's Leam.

I shall not deviat from my present Discourse, if I tell you, that by my Observations abroad, both in my youth and age, I gained some Experience to serve my native Countrey; and that one Province of Holland,The Province of Holland. I compute to be equally as large as this Great Level; and I do verily believe that there is one hun­dred times more money expended in this Province, in Rivers, Sluces, Sosses, and Bridges, then can be needful in this Great Level of the Fens.The Provinces of South and North Hol­land, Freize­land & Gron­ning, admits no Tides to run into them. The Provinces of South and North Hol­land, Freizland, and Gronning, admit of no Tides or Rivers from the Sea to run into them, onely South Holland admits of the river Maze to run to meet the river Rhyne; yet this Holland runs her water into the river Maze by substantial Sluces, and Navigable Sosses, as I have seen at Mazelandt, Ulerdine, Skeydam, Delfts-haven, and at Roterdam, all these play into the river Maze, which runs by the Brill to Dort. On the North-side of this Province is Harlem Mare, by Sluces and Sosses, at Amsterdam there are many, at Myden, Nardam, all these run into the Zuyder Sea, and yet those Sluces, and those upon the river Maze, have not one quarter of the ebb to run at.

North Holland upon the Zuyder Sea hath its Sluces to run at Sardam,North Hol­land hath not a quarter Ebb to run at. Monkenden, Horn, Ancusen, and Middle-bleak, and they have not above a quarter Ebb to run at; though they [Page 23] force their waters into those leading Rivers by costly Mills; and in this North Holland much of their richest Grounds, where they make their best Cheese, lie under the low water mark at Sea,Draining with a multitude of mills. at least six or seven foot; as the Bempster, the Skermer, and the Wart, &c. they are all Drained by a multitude of Mills, each Mill costs near six hundred pounds Sterling. In the Skermer I have seen four Mills,Four mills to cast up water sixteen foot. one standing four foot higher then the other, and they have worked one to another, till they have brought the water sixteen foot high, to run into the Drains which leads to the Sea.

Freizland and Gronning;Great care to prevent the flowing in of the Sea into any part of the Provinces. from Campen in Gilderland to Dam in Gronning, is all drained by Sosses and Sluces to Sea-ward; the length of those three Provinces is no less then an hundred and twenty miles along the Sea Coast, and yet they have no Rivers run into them from the Sea. I did observe in all those parts of the Netherlands where I have been, they do not admit the Sea to flow into any of their Provinces,The Sea kept out by Sosses and Sluces. but keep it out by their Sluces and Sosses, so far as Art and Cost will promise them security.

These Works of theirs will confirm all rational persons, that if they have but one quarter of the Ebb to run at, and lie dry, what can be said against a Sluce and Navigable Soss at German-bridge,The Sluce at German Bridge runs at half Ebb, and more. upon old Owse, and new Nean, which hath half the Ebb but in a Flood more, because the Freshes do rise one foot within the Sluce, for two foot the Tide riseth against the Sluce without▪ to Sea-ward.

I hope the experience we all have of Holland,Marsland low­er then the great Level of the Fens, and yet is Drained into the River Owse. the North-side of Wisbidge, with that of Marsland, all of them lie below the Fens of the Great Level five or six foot, yet drain them­selves into great Owse and the Sea: Neither are the benefits inconsiderable, which Holland, the North-side of Wisbidge, and Marsland, will receive by this Design.

As for Hollaud,South Ea bank secured. all that Bank called South Ea Bank, from Dowesdale to Clowes-Cross, being eight miles, which was be­lieved formerly to have been a thousand pounds per annum charge, will be secured.

The North-side of Wisbidge will by this means save the re­pairing of that Bank from Clowes-Cross to Guyheirn, and part of the Bank upon Wisbidge River which formerly cost much money; but the greater benefit this North-side of Wisbidge [Page 24] will receive,The North-side of Wis­bidge drained, and the flat of Tid St. Mary's is the perfect Draining of all that flat and low Countrey; for which, they of the North-side of Wisbidge, and Tid St. Mary's, in the County of Lincoln, did contract for the giving a great proportion of Land for the Draining thereof.

Now as for Marsland their benefit will be the greatest, for this work being done, they save the charge of repairing all those Banks from Germans-bride upwards, on both sides of the River Owse,1600l. per an­num charge ta­ken off from Marsland. to Saltors Load, which is eight miles; and all those Banks called new and old Po Dike, which by their confession cost them yearly 1600l. And withal, they recover hereby the great Common belonging to the seven Towns in Marsland, and the Common also called the Smee,The great Common of the 7. Towns of Marsland Drained, and the Smee. for which a great quantity of Land was offered to those which should undertake the Draining of it, as I have been informed. And another consi­derable benefit is, they will constantly have fresh water out of the River from Wisbidge to German-bridge, and the Bank lying upon the West of Marsland upon the Washes,Constant fresh water in Mars­land. near fifteen miles in length, it costs much money, and many times in danger of breaking, is hereby secured, the Washes or salt Marshes being gained from the Sea, which will be effected in a short time.

If this Work be performed, it is at the pleasure of the Cor­poration to Drain the great Common in Marsland, belonging to the seven Towns,The Benefit to the Corporati­on towards their charge. containing five thousand Acres, with the Common called the Smee, containing about fifteen hundred Acres; likewise, the Draining of the North-side of VVisbidge, containing twelve thousand Acres; also, all those Grounds in Holland, belonging to Gedney, Drove, Chapple, Holbidge, Fleet, St. James, Tid St. Mary's, which is reported to me to contain eight thousand Acres of Drowned Land: And if the Corporation please, they may Drain all that part of the Queens Mannor in Croyland, called Posant, which will be rich Ground if once Drained, and contains in it seven thousand Acres, six whereof belongs to the Queen.