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.

The next year following, upon the 7^th day of Iune, in a Sessions 1.1 of Sewers held at Ely, these following Laws were made, viz.

• 1. That the defects in Popham lode shall be amended.
• 2. That for the safeguard of the grounds in Welle, by which the said Lode must passe, there be on either side of the same a sufficient Crest made, extending from the Causey of Upwe••l to Welle river at North delph, and the said Crest, or Bank, to be six foot from the plain ground, and in bredth at the top six foot, and in thicknesse at the bottom xviii foot: And that the said River be scoured and cast two foot more in depth than it then was. With In∣dikes of x foot in bredth, and four in depth, and two convenient Pipes or Sluses at its fall at North delph into Welle River.
• 3. That a Bridge of stone be made at the head of the said River by the Cau∣sey

• aforesaid, over the said Lode, of x foot broad, with Sluses in the three Arches thereof.
• 4. That four pair of Barrs be set up to keep Cattel from coming on the said Banks.
• 5. And that Welle River from Mullycourt to Salters lode be made above 50 foot wide.

* 1.2By virtue of which Law, the River called Popham lode was again taken * 1.3 in hand upon the first of August ensuing; and cast two foot deeper.

* 1.4Soon after this, viz. on the xxiii of the same month, in a Session of Sewers t 1.5 held at Ely, the Commissioners, taking into their consideration, that where∣as part of the main River, dividing the County of Huntendon from the Isle of Ely, called the West water, had used to fall by and through Sutton lode; and thence by sundry Lodes, to Cannol lode, and so into Welney water, neer Littleport; all which Lodes, by sundry annoyances and negligences, were be∣come almost altogether unprofitable to the Country &c. to the great damage of all the Towns lying on the South side of the said Isle, and sundry Towns in the Counties of Cambridge and Huntendon; they ordered and decreed, that all the said Lodes should be clen∣sed And also, that one antient Bank on the East side of the West water, exten∣ding from Erith to Sutton lode end, and so to Mydelmore stampe, should be raised four foot from the Level of the ground thereabouts, and made ten foot in bredth at the bottom, and 3 foot at the top, by the owners &c. ••f the said grounds.

And one other Bank, lying by the said Westwater upon Mydilmore; and a∣nother at the South thereof in South Medland, extending it self from New ditch &c. to be made of the height and bredth aforesaid, by the Inhabitants of Sutton abovesaid.

And that another Bank, lying partly by the said Westwater, extending from the ••outh end of Abbots Holload house bank to Holload gate, at the miles end, and so by the Westwater in North Medland, unto Sutton lodes end a∣foresaid; t••ence to Mydilmore stampe; thence by Shakpole lode, so to Manny Mandolegate, to Hunlode gate, to be repaired, as aforesaid, by the Inhabitants of Sutton, & Mepall abovementioned.

Notes

• s 1.1

  Ib. f. 210. b. 7 Iunii 7 Iac.•• An. 1609.
• * 1.2

  1 Aug. 7 Iac.
• * 1.3

  Ib. f. 200. a.
• * 1.4

  An. 1609. 23 ••ug. 7 ••a••.
• t 1.5

  Ex bund••llo De••••••torum in Officio nun••u∣pa••o th•• Pet∣tib••g.