Reasons confirming this opinion.
So long as the outfall of Wisbeche had its perfect being, the whole River of Ouse had there its perfect outfall, from whence the Town seemeth to have taken the denomination; viz. Ouse or Wisebeche. Thither then came the first Branch of Ouse, from Erith, by the course now call••d the West water to Benwick; where meeting with a part of Nene (which then was very small, the greatest pas∣sage being, in those days, by Crouland, South Ea, Wride stream, and other Courses about Thorney) fell together by Great Crosse or Plant-water, to the North Seas at Wisbeche. The o∣ther part at Ouse, being the second Branch, fell down from Eryth to Har∣rymere, and there meeting with the River Grant from Cambridge, passed so united to Ely; thence to Litleport Chair, and so by Welney and Welle to the said North Seas at Wisbeche, where it met with the former Branch from Benwick.
Then, as it seemeth, there was no River between Litleport Chair and Rebbech, which is a place by Priests houses, where Ouse parva or Bran∣don water, falleth in: But divers Lodes, Lakes and Dikes; at S. Edmunds lode, Gnat lode, and Docky lode, which took their natural fall into a great Meer by Welle, called the Wide; and from the Wide, by divers tracts, as Web∣winch lake, Aldy lode, old Smal lode, Cheselbeche, Waxbeche lode, Small lode; and so into the River at Upwell; and thence, with the same Branch from Litleport to the North Seas at Wis∣beche.
But Wisbeche outfall decaying; and the passage of Nene by Crouland, likewise fa••ling, through the decay of of Spalding River, and other hinde∣ranc••s; the Westwater, or first branch of Ouse, with Nene united, waxed weak in the passage, and so fell down by Marche to Welle; and not finding passage by Welle at Shrewes nest point, the most part thereof turned back again to Litleport, by the old forsaken second Branch of Ouse, and holdeth that course to this day.
This second Branch of Ouse, with Grant united, lying hereby debarred of passage by Wisbeche, means was made to let it fall from Litleport-Chair to Rebbech, by a lode, which at the first seemed to be called Hem∣mings Ea, and so in Ouse parva's Chanel, passed to Salters lode, and thence to Lynne; whose Chanel, not long before that time, was not above six pole wide, being then by due pre∣sentment said at that time to be both infficient for the Haven and Ves∣sels thither resorting by the inlet of the Salt water; and large enough to passe away the fresh, as by the proceedings of a fair Commission thereof, in An. 1378. may appear.
Then began the waters from above Welle, and all thereabouts, to seek their passage by that Tract to Lynne (UUisbeche Chanel, and so as low as the Crosse Keys, which was over the face of the Marshes betwixt Welle and Wisbeche, and so downwards to∣wards Tirington, utterly thereby de∣caying, as to this day may yet be seen) But the people of Marshland finding themselves overcharged by these waters, upon complaint made to King Edward the first, obtained a Commission An. 21 Edw. 1. to have the waters of Welle (which antiently had their outfall by Wisbeche) to be brought and carryed in debitum & antiquum cursum &c. Then were there three stopsmade; viz. the first at Fendike about Upwell Towns end (neer where Popham lode Sluse now standeth) 2d at Small lode bridg, and 3 at Outwell bridg; and order taken for opening of the Rivet from Welle to Elme floudgates, upon the Confines of both Counties, at the costs of the peo∣ple of the Isle, and of Marshland, in∣differently.