The history and antiquities of Boston, and the villages of Skirbeck, Fishtoft, Freiston, Butterwick, Benington, Leverton, Leake, and Wrangle; comprising the hundred of Skirbeck, in the county of Lincoln. Including also a history of the East, West, and Wildmore fens, and copious notices of the Holland or Haut-Huntre fen ... sketches of the geology, natural history, botany, and agriculture of the district; a very extensive collection of archaisms and provincial words, local dialect, phrases, proverbs, omens, superstitions, etc. By Pishey Thompson. Illustrated with one hundred engravings.

MAUD FOSTER S DRAIN. 201
however, has ceased to be a myth, for we find frequent mention of her in the
Corporation Records. But we cannot connect this person with the Drain, so as
to discover any reason why it should bear her name.' Tradition asserts, that
Maud Foster was the owner of land through which the new cut would pass,
and that she gave consent to its passage upon very favourable conditions, one of'
which was, that it should bear her name. Our readers must take this tradition
for what it is worth, we cannot strengthen it by any facts. In the earlier editions of CAMDDEN'S "Britannia," the map of Lincolnshire does not contain any
trace of Maud Foster's Drain, or of any other drain in that direction, which we
wonder at, for we have seen that this drain was made in 1568; and CAMDEN'S
first edition was published in 1586. DUGDALE, in his first edition (1662), calls
Maud Foster's Gowt a work of Sir Anthony Thomas; this is wrong: it was
part of Sir Anthony's plan to enlarge and deepen this drain, but it existed as
MAUD FOSTER'S DRAIN when he commenced his operations in 1631, and it has
uninterruptedly borne the same name to the present period. In CAmDEN;'s
earliest map of Lincolnshire, " the outfall from Cowbrigg is by New-gote," which
is almost a proof that M/laud Foster's Drain was not considered a leading work of
drainage at that time. There was, probably, a natural drainage by the old
Scirebeck in DUGDALE'S time, as he mentions Maud Foster's Gowt as a "6C natur
outfall."
The building represented below formerly stood on the west side of the road
Heron's Hall.
leading to the sluice near the west end of North Street. It had evidently been
The Corporation Records state, that it was suretie to the Mayor and burgesses, to pay 101. to
agreed in 1568 (the year the new cut was ordered the Corporation immediately afterher decease."' In
to be made), that MAUDE FOSTER " shall have two 1580, Maud Foster " was discharged of sundry tenecellars and one cottage, and three acres of pasture, ments, a garth, and three acres of pasture in the
being the town's, during her life, for the yearly rent Holms, and a house and cellar next the Grete hedd (?)
of 49s. 5d., to be paid on the usual days. She to if she will not repaire the same." The Parish
bear all reparations and charges. And, in consider- Registers show that she was buried 10th November,
ation thereof, she has promised, with Richard 1581; and, in 1582, her land, &c., were rented to
Audley, her suretie, to be bound in obligation in the Gregory Hill. In 1590, a house and cellar belongsum of xx. marks, on the condition to pay 101. ing to Maud Foster's assignees paid 5s. fee-farm
to the town's hall, within one month next after her rent to the manor of Hall-garth; and in the same
decease." In 1570, it was ordered that " Maude year a house in Fish Row is mentioned as once the
Foster shall give an obligation, with sufficient property of Maud Foster.
DD