AN EXPLANATION OF THE draining works which have been lately made for the King's majesty IN Cambridge Shire, By the direction of Sir Cornelius Virmuden.  
Written by Andrew's Burrell, Gent.  
Wherein is discovered how the said Sir Cornelius hath abused the King's majesty, and many of his loving Subjects.  
Printed in the year 1641.   

An Explanation of the draining works which have been lately made for the King's Majesty in Cambridge Shire, by the direction of Sir Cornelius Virmuden.  Written by Andrew's Burrell, Gent. 
Wherein is discovered how the said Sir Cornelius hath abused the King's Majesty, and many of his loving Subjects.  
FIrst, He hath disgraced the King's works, by making weak banks, when he might have made them strong.  
SEcondly, by making hollow and counterfeit banks of light Moor Hassocks, and Sedge, skimming and destroying three times so much ground as would have performed the service, if he had taken the best of the soil.  
THirdly, he hath disgraced the King's works in causing divers sluices and Sasses to be made of rotten timber, which ought to have been made of the best bricks or Stone, in regard they are to be placed for perpetuity.  
FOurthly, he hath abused the King in misspending his treasure.  
FIfthly, he hath abused the late Earl of Bedford, and divers Noblemen and Gentlemen that adventured with him in his undertaking, by undervaluing the Works which they made, and by hindering their proceedings, to their extreme loss and disadvantage, and to the great hindrance of all those Gentlemen that are interessed in that great level, consisting of three hundred and seven thousand Acres.  
SIxthly, he hath abused divers of his majesty's Subjects, in taking their Lands from them illegally, without any composition or satisfaction.  
SEventhly, he hath exposed to wilful and unnecessary hazard the Lands, cattle, corn, and other goods of many of his majesty's Subjects, so that they are in great danger of being drowned this present winter, as doth appear by this ensuing discourse.  
THe first work he caused to be made, was a Sea Bank in Wysbeach Saltmarsh, which is so slender, that three Roods of the new Sea bank hath not so much earth in it as one Rood of the old Sea bank. He ought also to have armed the new Sea bank with Sods on that side which is next the Sea: for being thus slightly made, and not armed, the Sea hath lately broke the new Sea bank in divers places, and weakened it for a great space; but in regard it was an easy flood, the damage is little in comparison of what it might have been, that Land being always well stored with sheep, that may soon be lost.  
The second work which he caused to be made, was a sluice at the outfall of a drain, called the Sheir drain, which work he commanded to be made in unseasonable weather, not knowing (I am sure not attending or not heeding) the danger, when it was plainly to be perceived at the laying down of the foundation: for at that time the loss might have been prevented: it is said that that sluice, with the spadework and mischances which happened whilst the Pit was making, by the Seas breaking in twice upon them, did cost the King at the least three thousand pounds, which money is every penny lost.  
The third work was the enlarging of a part of Wysbeach River for the space of a mile, wherein he was as much wanting of the depth of the Earl of Bedford's work, as he exceeded in unnecessary breadth, (leaving the River as narrow as the Earl left it, two miles above the new work, and two miles below it,) a work that is broad and shallow may be made without skill or care. And if the truth may be spoken without offence, such is that work. The depth of that new work cannot be perceived above one month in the year, and that is when the winter floods have recovered the outfall to the Sea; for so soon as the waters do rise in the River, it seemeth to them that know not the difference, to be a very great enlargement, being very fair to the eye, but wanting depth can perform no better than eye-service.  
Whereas the River of Wysbeach runneth from the town Bridge to Guyherne fix measured miles of the way towards Peterborough in a near and safe tract, in regard the soil where the River now runneth, is clay, earth, or Silt; that substance would have enlarged the banks on either side of the River, to so great a proportion, that the Countries lying on either side would have been much better secured then ever they were in the times which are past: yet Sir Cornelius Virmuden either through wilfulness or weakness, left the safe and nearest way where he might have enlarged the River to what proportion he pleased, and secured the Lands on either side from danger, as is said before, and made a new bank of Hassockes, light spongy Moor, and Sedge, in a fen called Walterley, where there is neither Clay, Earth, nor Silt, unless it be at the first entrance, for the space of a furlong. The new bank so made, is more than two miles and three quarters in length; in which work he misspent at the least two thousand and three hundred pounds (or thereabouts.) Besides which great loss to the King, and damage to the owners of the Lands, his intent is to lay four hundred seventy four Acres of the said Land, waste to the said River, upon which Land there is three Tenements newly erected, and two other that are ancient: and this he will do, as he falsely pretendeth, to make that Land a receptacle for the common Waters: whereas in truth he doth it of purpose to do me a mischief, in regard I did contravert some of his opinions before the late Lord Treasurer, when myself was a Commissioner for his Majesty in October 1638. when God knoweth that which I spoke was in the sincerity of my heart, for the advancement of his majesty's service, without any by respects. One of the works which I then propounded, was the making of a brick sluice below Spaulding, to keep out the Sea Floods: and Sir Cornelius disliked it, affirming that there was no way to drain the fens, but by making of large banks: yet now that he doth what he pleaseth, he himself hath very lately not only approved in speech, (for therein he is very giddy) but he hath covenanted with a workman to make a Timber sluice with a Sasse beside it, to be placed in the same place, for which the King is to pay three thousand and five hundred pounds, wherein appeareth his deceitful dealing with the Lord Treasurer, Lord Cottington, and my Lord banks, at that time the King's attorney. And if the old firm bank were cut, so that the Common waters might come to the new hollow Bank which he hath caused to be made, it is undoubtedly certain, that they will drown all the rest of the said Lands, being at the least four thousand Acres; and if that were effected, it would be no way beneficial to the general Drayning, as doth appear by a Certificate made by the principal Gentlemen, and Land holders in that Country. These Lands were banked and drained by an Act of Parliament made the fourth of King James, and have ever since that time been maintained and upheld, and were not questioned in the Earl of Bedford's undertaking. Besides there is no mention of making this Receptacle for the Common waters in those Propositions which Sir Cornelius did deliver to the King's Majesty in January 1638. Yet contrary to all justice, he hath taken these Lands from the owners, without any composition or satisfaction, and intends to drown all the rest.  
Fifthly, he hath caused a bank of H●ssockes and light spongy Moor (which in three or four years will shrink to less than half the proportion which it now hath, and after that to be so much less, as it will be little better than nothing, for it will be hollow and spongy still.) Such a bank he hath caused to be made from Guy herne to the East end of Wittelsey. He hath also continued the same bank (but in a better soil) from the West end of Wittelsey to Stanground, intending thereby to keep the River Neene from drowning those fens which lie betwixt these new banks and the North Bank of Bedford River: and certainly they will secure them this present Winter from Neene. But if the North bank of Bedford River be settled so low that the River of Owse overtop it, and make breaches in it (as I believe it will) those false fires will soon be discerned. I have often heard Sir Cornelius fleight all the works which were made by the late Earl, as if they were rather hurtful than beneficial to the Country. But he did the Earl great wrong, for if those works fail, all his Hassock Banks will not be worth three pence. Nor could he have made them, if the Earl had not opened Wysbeach River to the Sea, and kept the Sea from choking it again; which was a work far exceeding all that Sir Cornelius hath done. His plot is by subtlety to rob the late Earl and those Adventurers of the credit of their works, and after that to make all such as know not the truth, believe that himself with ten thousand pounds, will presently make one hundred thousand Acres fit for the Plow, which is a mere delusion. And as it is wicked in itself, so is it attended with a danger much worse than all that hath been yet discovered. And it is a question whether it be not past recovery. This mischief he hath cast upon many of his majesty's Subjects, inhabiting the low Lands, called Holland in Lincoln shire, and the North side of Wysbeach, both which Countries are full of people, and well stored with cattle: they lie between the fens and the Sea, and are much lower than the Common fens: they are preserved from Inundation by banks consisting of a sandy substance, and are so low, that they cannot defend the said Countries from Inundation. Now Sir Cornelius hath turned the Southern waters upon them; for there will come three times so much water upon them now as did before. The new banks were made in regard Neene cannot pass in its own channel to the Sea, nor dilate itself over the face of those fens which lie on the South side of Wittelsey, as formerly they did.  
Sixtly, he hath caused a Timber Sasse to be placed near Stanground, which hath cost the King eight hundred pounds at the least. The use of the Sasse I believe will be good (in convenient time) but I like not his direction, who dares to spend the King's money in Timber works, when indeed they ought to be made of the best bricks or Stone, I think rather Stone than bricks, in regard that Country affordeth great plenty of good Stone at very cheap rates. This Sasse is not only made of Timber, but of fir Timber, and that so rotten that it was not fit to be used in the making of a good Stable; and in stead of oaken planks three inches thick, it is planked with Deale boards but one inch thick, which will be rotten before the other works are finished.  
Seventhly, he hath caused divers petty sluices to be made of the like Timber and Deal boards, which ought to have been made of bricks or stone, in regard they are intended for perpetuity.  
Eightly, he hath misspent the King's Treasure, in giving over large wages unto many workmen; for since Michaelmas last, money being wanting to forward this goodly design, Sir Cornelius procured some assistance from those Gentlemen whose Lands lie on the South side of Wittelsey, (in regard these new banks will be some advantage unto them) paying the workmen part of their wages, in bullocks, sheep, beer, Cloth, and other commodities; amongst them there were some paid part of their wages in Wheat at fifteen Shillings the comb, which did the next day sell the same Wheat for nine Shillings the Comb. And if their wages were not extraordinary large, the condition of those workmen is such, that they will not work two weeks to an end, unless they do receive the due of what they earn, much less continue working two months without pay, and then accept of nine shillings for fifteen. And here I beseech you give me leave to give my deceased Master, and those Noblemen and Gentlemen that adventured with him, their due praise; from the first to the last of their undertaking, their workmen never wanted their wages, but were duly paid every week, until the untimely difference in the year 1637. The reason why I mention this, is, that you may the better discern how grossly the King's Majesty hath been abused, not only in the loss of his treasure, but in paying the workmen with commodities, and in commodities much inferior to them which I have named, and indeed not fit to name, which for their baseness I omit. And all this to support an unadvised action, which I am confident will occasion a thousand times more loss, than all the good which can be expected, if duly considered.  
Lastly, if it be objected, That I have informed against Sir Cornelius in discontent, or because he by his subtlety did defeat me of my employment in those works, after I had undergone the greatest difficulties, and meanest servitude, from the first day to the last of the late Earls undertaking, or that I have wronged him in this my Information, and cannot justify every particular which is here expressed; instead of relieving me, let me undergo the displeasure of all them whose help I do implore. But if that which I have discovered be true, I do most humbly pray that the remainder of my mean estate may by your Justice be kept from utter ruin; and that a Commission of Inquiry may be directed to examine and certify my present loss, and future danger; and that they may also consider whether the drowning of the four hundred seventy four Acres before mentioned, will be beneficial to the general draining or not. And that in the mean time it may be ordered, that the old bank may not be cut.  
FINIS.