The history of imbanking and drayning of divers fenns and marshes, both in forein parts and in this kingdom, and of the improvements thereby extracted from records, manuscripts, and other authentick testimonies / by William Dugdale.

CAP. XLI.

KIng William therefore, being now possessed of this Isle, which he found so troublesome and chardgable in the gaining, thought it no small piece of policy to secure the same from the like danger for the future: and therefore, having afterwards some difference with Scotland, compelled y 1.1 the Abbot to maintain no less than xl. Souldiers for the defence thereof; which being such persons (or their substitutes) as held of him by military service, had their con∣stant dyet in his Hall, as also daily pay at the hands of the Celerer.

But afterwards it was not long erè that this Conventual Church of Ely be∣came a Cathedral, for z 1.2 in the time of King Henry the first, Richard the the•• Abbot, not being well pleased to live un∣der the Bishop of Lincolne, to whose Dioces Cambridgshire (within which this Isle is situate) then belonged; sug∣gesting to the King, that this would be a fit place for an Episcopal see, and pro∣curing the Popes consent thereunto, ob∣tained his desire therein; hoping to have been the first Bishop of this new Dioces: but though he was prevented thereof by death, yet did not the King neglect to do what he was so sollicited unto; and therefore, bestowing upon the Bishop of Lincolne the Mannours of Spaldwick, Bricklesworth, and Bokeden, in recompence of the losse, which the said Bishop sustained, by ex∣empting of the said County of Cam∣bridge from his jurisdiction, compleat∣ed his purpose therein. And to the in∣tent, that the revenues of this Bishop∣rick might afford him an honourable support, they reduced the number of Monks, which were Lxx. to xl. where∣upon Hervaeus Bishop of Bangor in Wales, was made the first Bishop here.

At that time (for ought I can find) there was not any other access into this Isle than by Ships or Boats; this Bishop therefore, being desiro••s to have a Cau∣sey through the Fenn (as it should seem) but doubting whether the Monks would

think the work fesible at all; or if so, with any indifferent chardge, so contri∣ved the business, that it was set upon without any fear of either, and became accomplished accordingly. The story may, perhaps, to some seem fabulous; but take it from the Authority of the Leiger a 1.3 book of that Monastery.

There appeared, in a vision, unto a certain Countrey-man, who dwelt at Exning in Suffolk, S. Edmund the King and Martyr (in honour of whole memo∣ry, that famous Abby of S. Edmunds∣bury had been long before founded;) and awakening the man, said thus to him, Good man! listen well unto what I shall say unto thee; and what I appoint thee to do, fail not with effect to accomplish. A∣rise and go presently to the Bishop of Ely; and tell him in my name, that he must make a way whereby I may visit S. Audrey. Who accordingly made haste to the Bishop, and acquainted him with this his Vision and command: the good Bishop therefore weeping for joy, de∣layed not to make enquiry how this business might be done; and finding, that no man durst, for what chardge soever undertake to accomplish it; there stept out a certain Monk of that Abby, called Iohn (a soft man to all outward appearance) who told the Bishop that he would, by God's help, perform the work. Whereupon, setting in hand therewith, he began to measure the di∣stance from Soham to Ely, and to cut down the Reedes which stood in his way; as also to make Bridges over the Rivers; and so went on in raising of the said Causey, which he perfected in a very short time, to the won∣der of all men that then saw it; that Causey being still called Soham Causey.

Which place (viz. Soham) is also famous b 1.4 for two other things; first for the great Meer, that heretofore made the passage by Ships and Boats very dangerous to those, who came into the Isle that way, before the said Causey was made: and next for that the body of Faelix Bishop of the East-Angles was translated from Domuc hither. Which Bishop dyed almost a thousand years since.

To Hervaeus succeeded Nigel in that Bishoprick; of whom I may not omit to observe; c 1.5 that he, discerning this Isle to be a place of such great security, through the advantage of the Fen, wherewith it is encompassed; that, joyning with Baldwine de Rivers in the Rebellion against King Stephan, he made a strong Fort of lime and stone within the precinct thereof: but that Fort, be∣ing by the power of S. Audrey (as mine Author saith) often destroyed, he built one of timber neer to his Engines of war; and walled in the round hill (called the Keep) which was committed to his custody by Geffrey de Magnavill Earl of Essex, and Richard de Clare Earl of Hert∣ford; whereof knowledge being given to certain great men of that Country, they made a confederacy with him: But the King having intelligence there∣of, sent his Army to assault it; yet pre∣vailed little therein, till he himself came with his Ships; and then d 1.6, having pre∣pared a multitude of Hurdles, made with them a passage for his Horse: which when they within discerned, they threw down their Armes and ran away: but the Bishop escaped and got to Maud the Empress.

And as for the reasons before expres∣sed, this Isle hath been in those former times of trouble, esteemed a place of such great security, so was it afterwards upon the like occasion: for after the death of Eustace Bishop of Ely (which hapned about the latter end of King Iohn's time) the Monks e 1.7 having elected one Robert, a Yorkeshire man; who not only took the profits of the Bishoprick for five years, without any consecration; but adhered unto Lewes, Son to the King of France, at that time in this Realm and the King's Enemy (as our Historians do at large set forth) King Henry the third, fearing left he should receive the said Lewes into this Isle, made a very great complaint f 1.8 thereof to the Pope; whereby, representing that danger, he calls it optima munitio Regni; the best Fort in all his Kingdome; and therefore hum∣bly besought the Pope, that he would provide a better Pastor for this Church: which he, accordingly, did.

Nor had it less account, as it seems in 49^o. of that King's reign: for after the battail of Evesham, wherein the Army of the rebellious Barons was vanquisht; divers of those that fled, betook them∣selves

to this place; amongst which Iohn de Eyvile and Robert de Wileby were g 1.9 the chief commanders: Against whom, I find, that the King, about two yeares after, preparing an Army, ap∣pointed h 1.10 his faithful subject Will. Charls, to bring Barges and Souldiers, from the Sea coasts of Norff. and Suffolk, for the assaulting thereof: this being the time, that the King himself, with some forces, came i 1.11 privately to Ramsey; neer which place he slew and took Pri∣soners divers of those his Rebels, who had issued out of the said Isle, and plun∣dered the parts thereabouts. But not∣withstanding this they were not yet subdued; for the next year after, it ap∣pears, k 1.12 that Henry de Hastings was the principal Officer, and Governour of this Isle, on the behalf of those Rebels.

And now, having by these sundry re∣markable instances shewed how vast and deep a Fenn this great Level antiently was; my next endeavour shall be, to declare what I have observed to have been done, in order to the drayning and improvement thereof, or any part of the same; beginning where I left; viz. on the Northside of it.

Notes

• y 1.1

  Ex hist. E∣lien. Eccl. in bibl. Cotton. sub effigie Titi A. 1. f. 89. b.
• z 1.2

  Godw. d•• praesul.
• a 1.3

  in bibl. Bodl. [L. 69.] lib. 2. f. 26. a.
• b 1.4

  W. Malm. de gestis Pontif. lib. 2. f. 135. a. n. 30.
• c 1.5

  E•• hi••t. M.S. E••ien. E c. in bibl. Cotton. su•• effige Titi A 1. ••. 9•• ••.
• d 1.6

  L••••. C••ll. vol. 1. p. 8••4
• e 1.7

  Godw. de Praesul.
• f 1.8

  Claus. 3. H. 3 in do••so m. 13.
• g 1.9

  L••l. Col. vol. 2. p. 379.
• h 1.10

  Pat. 51. H. 3. in do••so. m. 24.
• i 1.11

  Annal. Math. Wellm. lib. 2. p. 345.
• k 1.12

  L••••. Coll. vol. 2. p. 379.