Laws, Ordinances and Decrees, made upon Friday the twentieth day of July, in the Year of our Lord 1666: And in the Eighteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, CHARLES the Second, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, KING, Defender of the Faith, etc. By the Right Honourable, John Lord Berkley, Richard Lord Gorges, Thomas Chicheley and Robert Hampson Esq four of the Bailiffs of the Corporation of the Great Level of the Fens: John Russel Esq Sir Charles Harboured Kt; William Denton Doctor in Physic, William Crane, Roger Jenyns, and John Bradborn Esquires, six of the Conservators of the said Corporation. That is to say,  
INprimis, It is hereby Declared, Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, That the Rivers, Drains, Wear-Dykes, Watercourses, Banks, Forelands, Sasses, Sluices, Tunnels, Bridges and Works hereafter particularly mentioned, are, and shall be for ever hereafter, declared and taken to be the Common and Public Rivers, Drains, Sewers, Wear-Dykes, Watercourses, Banks, Forelands, Sasses, Sluices, Tunnels, Bridges, and Works of the said Great Level of the Fens. That is to say,  

1. The Bank against Welland River, from Peakirk to the Bars at the West end of Crowland, and the Wear-dyke to the same.  
2. Wearington new Drain, with its Banks and Wear-dyke.  
3. The Drain called the Stoor-Nook Drain, from Stoor-Nook to the Adventurers Lands in Borrow great Fen; and from thence by the Outring-dyke of the said Adventurers Lands to the East corner thereof, and from thence by Pepper Lake to New South Ean, and from thence by the New South Ean to Clowes Cross, and from thence by the Shire-drain to the Sea.  
4. The Wried Stream.  
5. The Eighteen-foot Drain, through Murrow Common to Clowes Cross.  
6. The Old South Ean from Guyhurn corner to Clowes Cross.  
7. Thorney Dyke, from Cats-water by Willowhall, as far as the Sass in the North bank of Moorton's Leam.  
8. Moorton's Leam with its Banks and Wear-dykes.  
9 Stand-ground Sass.  
10. The old course of the River of Nean, from Stand-ground Sass to Well-creek Sass, with the Sasses at Floods Ferry near Wittlesea-Dykes end, and the other Sass near the Eastern end of Well-Town, and the Sass at the lower end of Well-creek.  
11. Wittlesea-Dyke.  
12. Bevil's Leam, from Wittlesea-Mere to the Sass that is to be set near Baldwin Glossom's house, at the lower end of Waldersea Receptacle.  
13. Moor's Drain, from Bevil's Leam to the Old Nean below March.  
14. The Delf-Dyke, from Wittlesea to the Old Nean.  
15. New Dike, from Cunnington Brook at the upper corner of Holnie Receptacle to Hook-Load.  
16. And Hook-Load to the Old Nean by Burbridge-stream into the Old Nean.  
17. Monk's Load.  
18. The Drain from Raveley's Nook to Burbridge stream, between Woodwalton-common and Ramsey and Raneley-common.  
19 The Fourty-foot Drain, from the West-outring Dyke of the Adventurers Lands, taken out of Doddington, Warboys, Ramsey, etc. to Welches Damn.  
20. The West-water, from the Fourty-foot through Benwick.  
21. The Drain leading from Chartress-Ferry to Slade-gate, and so the Fourty-foot Drain.  
22. The Twenty-foot Drain, from Erith-common to Well-creck, and the Sluice at the lower end thereof, with the Bank thereof, and Sluices therein.  
23. Hammond's Ean, from the Adventurers Lands in Sommersham high Fen to the Twenty-foot Drain aforesaid.  
24. Old Bedford River, from Welches Damn to the Old Owze, with the Sluices at the end thereof.  
25. The Sixteen-foot Drain, from the Thirty-foot Drain to Popham's Eau.  
26. Popham's Eau, with the Brick Sluice therein.  
27. London's Load.  
28. The Drain called the Tongues, from Nordel ●luce through Down-ham-common to the Sluice at the end thereof, near Stow Townes-end.  
29. South Bank of the River of Owze, from the Hard-lands of Swacey to the Hermitage, and the Sass or Sluice there.  
30. The River called New Bedford River, from the Hermitage to Salter's Load, with the Banks, Forelands, Wear-dykes and Sluices thereof.  
31. The Drain that leads from Ewel-Fen to Andrey Calsey and from thence into the Old Owze at Andrey Bridge.  
32. Grunty-Fen Drain, from Grunty-Fen to the Old Owze at Littleport-Chair, with its Banks.  
33. Old Welney River.  
34. Littleport Drain.  
35. Maid Load.  
36. The Drain that carries away Hoggington Brook, with the Banks to be raised.  
37. The River of Grant, from Clay-hyth to Harrymeer, with the Banks, Forelands, Wear-dykes and Sluices thereof  
38. The Banks of the Old Owze, from Harrimeer to Chittering.  
39 The New Long Drain, from Wicken high Fen to the Tunnels under Soham new River, and so to the Tunnel under Mildenhall River, from thence to the Tunnel under Brandon River, and so to the Tunnel under Wissey or Stoak River, and from thence through Downham's Eau to the Sluices at the lower end thereof, near Stow-bridge.  
40. The East Banks of Owze, from Harrimeer to the Brick Sluice at Prickwillow, with the Wear-dyke thereof.  
41. The new Bank on the West side of the River Owze, from Harrimeer to Ely high bridge.  
42. The Drain from the East end of the Adventures Lands taken out of Soham Common, to the Wear-dyke of Mildenhall River.  
43. Mildenhall River with the Banks, Forelands', and Wear-dykes thereof.  
44. The East Banks of the River of Owze, from Mildenhall River to the Sluice at the lower end of Mildenhall Drain near Littleport Chair.  
45. Mildenhall-Drain from the last mentioned Sluice to Mildenhall-common.  
46. The River of Owze, with the Banks, Forelands', Wear-dykes, Sluices and Tunnels thereof, from Littleport Chair to Denver Damn. Excepting the Sluices, Tunnels and Water-works heretofore made and maintained by Edmond Shipwith Esquire, deceased, and others, particular Owners of Lands within or near the said Great Level, for his or their own private use or benefit; and such other Sluices, Tunnels and Water-works as hereafter shall be made by any Owners of Lands, by Contract or Agreement with the said Corporation.  
47. Lakingheath Drain, from Wansford Brook to the Tunnel under Lakingheath new Load, and so to the Tunnels under Brandon River.  
48. Brandon River, with the Banks, Forelands', and Wear-dykes thereto belonging.  
49. Feltwel Drain, to its Outfal into the River of Owze at Palmer's house.  
50. sam's Cut from Feltwel to the River of Owze.  
51. Stoke River, with the Banks, Forelands, Wear-dykes and Sluices.  
52. A Tunnel under Methold Load for the draining of Norwold Fens.  
53. Roxam Drain, with the Banks thereof.  
54. The Cart Bridge at the Hermitage, over New Bedford River.  
55. The two Cart Bridges at Mepal, over the New and Old Bedford Rivers.  
56. The Bridge over the Twenty-foot Drain in Mepal Droveway. With such other Bridges as shall be declared by any subsequent Laws of Sewers.   
And shall be from time to time preserved and maintained at the proper costs and Charges of the said Governor, Bailiffs, and Commonalty of the Company of Conservators of the Great Level of the Fens, and their Successors, Owners of the ninety five thousand Acres, mentioned in a certain Act of Parliament, entitled, An Act for settling the Draining of the Great Level of the Fens, called Bedford-Level. And not by the Owners of any the Lands within the said Great Level, other than of the said ninety five thousand Acres.  
Provided, That this Declaration, Order, Law or Decree, or any ●hing herein before mentioned, shall not extend or be made use of to invalid or make void any Contract or Agreement made by the said Earl of Bedford, Participants and Adventurers, or the said Governor, Bailiffs and Commonalty of the said Company of Conservators, with any Person or Persons, or Township, for maintenance and preservation of any Sasses, Sluices, Bridge or Bridges, Banks, Rivers, Drains, Ways or Passages, or other Work, within or without the said Great Level.  
3. And it is further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that all and every other the Drains, Division, Dykes, and Fence-dykes between Counties, Lords of Manors, Parishes, Townships and particular Owners; and the Fence-dykes of every Parish, Hamlet, or Township, between their Fences and their Cornfields, and between their Feed-fens and Mow-fens, and between the Severals and Commons, shall be kept and maintained with all necessary reparations from time to time, at the proper Costs and Charges of the Owners, Occupiers or Persons interessed in the Fens and Grounds next adjoining thereunto, or that have heretofore, or of right aught to do the same, at their ancient or present dimensions, or so as the Court of Sewers shall from time to time direct and appoint, for the better conveyance of the Waters into some of the  public Drains of the said Corporation now used, for the Conveyance of the Waters of the said Level, into the great Rivers, or to their out-fell at Sea.  
4. And it is hereby further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that no person or persons shall at any time hereafter, upon any pretence, or by any ways or means whatsoever, make any encroachment upon, or straiten the present dimensions of any River, Wash, Drain or Sewers, within or without the said Great Level; nor shall cut, burn, cast down, break open, or do any hurt or damage to any River, Bank, Wash or Fore-land within the said Great Level, or without the said Great Level, made by the said Earl and Participants, or the said Governor, Bailiffs and Conservators; nor shall cut dam burn, cast down, break open, or do any hurt or damage unto any Sluice, Sass, Lock, Tunnel, Bridge, Gate or Rail made within or without the said Great Level, for, or conducing to the Dreining of the said Great Level, or the preservation thereof, otherwise then by Order or Decree of the Commissioners of Sewers for the time being, and appointed by the said Act, nor shall make or cause to be made any Damns, Stops, Wears, or other Lets, Impediments, or Nuisances, in, or within any of the Rivers, Drains, Outring Dykes, Sewers, Washeses, Forelands, or other work made within or without the said Great Level, for the Dreining of the said Great Level, or preservation thereof, nor shall encroach upon, straighten, or do any hurt or damage to any Droveway within the said Great Level, set out upon occasion of the draining of the same.  
5. And it is hereby further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that no person or persons at any time hereafter, without Order of, or from the Court of Sewers for the said Great Level for the time being, shall erect any Building, Cottage, Dwelling or Hut upon any Bank, Droveway, Wash, or Fore-land, made by the said William Earl of Bedford, his Adventurers and Participants, or by the Governor, Bailiffs and Commonalty of the Company of Conservators of the said Great Level, within or without the said Great Level; or make, set or place any Huts, Reeks, or Stacks of Corn, Hay-fodder, Turf, Hassock, Thack, Sedge, Wood, Sesses, or other, Impediments upon the said Banks, Drove-ways, Washes or Forelands; or which may tend to the annoyance and prejudice of the same works, or any of them. All and every which said Erections, Buildings, Cottages, Dwellings, Huts, Reeks or Stacks, or other Impediments, are, and are hereby declared to be Nuisances.  
6. And it is hereby further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that no person or persons shall at any time hereafter make, or cause to be made, any Water, or place for watering of Cattle within ten foot of any the said Rivers, public Drain, or any Outring or Division, Dyke or Lot, Division-Dyke, within the said Level, to the stopping annoyance or prejudice of them, or any of them, or of any part of them, or any of them; the which are, and are also hereby declared to be Nuisances.  
7. And it is hereby further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that no person or persons whatsoever, shall at any time hereafter put, or cause any Swine to be put, or kept into or upon any of the Banks or Forelands of any of the Rivers or Sewers, within or without the said Great Level, made, as aforesaid, or used, as conducing to the preservation of the same.  
8. And it is hereby further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that all Weers, Encroachments and Streightnings of the ancient or present Breadth, Depth, Water-way or Passage of any River, Drain or Watercourse, within the said Great Level; and all Buildings, Cottages, Dwellings or Huts, upon any Droveway, Wash, or Fore-land, and all other Lets, Impediments and Nuisances whatsoever heretofore made in, within or upon any of the Rivers, Washeses, Drains, Outring-division, Dykes, Let, Division-dykes, Sewers, Washeses, Banks, Drove-ways, Forelands, or other works whatsoever, within the said Great Level, shall be removed and redressed by the person or persons, by whom or by whose appointment the same have been so erected, set up, made or continued; or by the Owners of the same for the time being, before the first day of November which shall be in the year of our Lord, One thousand six hundred sixty and seven; or in default thereof, by the Sergeant at Mace of the said Great Level, at the charge of the person or persons that so erected, or hath last continued the same.  
FINIS.