A DESPERATE AND DANGEROUS DESIGN DISCOVERED CONCERNING The FEN-COUNTRIES; BY A faithful friend, who as soon as it came to his knowledge, hath taken some pains, not only to discover, but to prevent the same; By order of the Committee for the FENS. Published for the Common-good, and in all humility presented to the High Court of PARLIAMENT. And in particular to some Noble Personages especially interressed and concerned therein. LONDON, Printed by G. B. and R. W. and are to be sold by Robert Constable at his Shop in Westminster-Hall. 1642. TO THE HIGH COURT OF PARLIAMENT. Most great and Honourable Senate: I Shall not need to tell you what damages hath happened to the Commonwealth by some Projectors of late, who have pretended as fair to his Majesty, as Sir Comelius Virmuden hath done in this his Design; Your wisdoms have found them out, and sent them packing: And if it shall appear by what is briefly set forth in these following lines, that this Design is as dangerous, and may prove as hurtful to the subjects as any of the former; I doubt not but your Wisdoms and Justice, will be so far from giving power by Law, for the pursuance of such a Design, that you will prevent the hurt and danger (being discovered) that may come thereby: Let not my meanness or unworthiness cause what I have here done to be slighted; Once a poor Israelitish maid made known to a great Assyrian Lord, how he might be cured of his Leprosy, which was neither slighted by him, nor by that great King, but set them both on work, and much good came thereby: And should I now have been silent, being timely invited, (as one amongst others whom it may concern) both to make exceptions against it, and to offer any other design (besides my own particular engagement calling me thereto by that loss I have already, and shall hereafter sustain) I should have been conscious to myself, (not only of being no great friend to my country, but also of furthering this his design than otherwise, by not putting in execution what I by practice and experience knew might any way conduce to the preventing of so great, so eminent danger; threatening not only one, or two, or a few private persons in particular, but whole towns, nay whole countries too in general: I shall hear say no more, but daily pray, that God will assist you, and give you happy success in all your great undertake. EDMUND SCOTTEN. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM EARL OF BEDFORD, and his Honourable friends Adventurers in the great level of FENS. Right Honourable, IF I should now be silent, I should not know how to frame myself an excuse: Having heretofore been a servant to the Right Honourable, the Earl of Bedford, & his Honourable friends in the draining: And well observing how one Mr Hill who had then power put into his hands, did begin to go a wrong way to work upon Wisbeech River; which so soon as I perceived, I made it known, and although some money was expended that way by him before I could prevent it, yet I saved them a 1000 pounds; And can I now be silent? when by speaking I may not only save 1000 but many thousands, in preventing the pursuance of a desperate dessgne, which the Honourable Committee for the Fens have ordered to be printed, that whosoever it concerns might make exceptions against it; silence in this case might give the Parliament and your Lordship's just cause to approve thereof, which promise so fair, and to which none could take exceptions, though invited to it. I have therefore with all faithfulness, briefly laid open the danger, which in all humility I present unto your Lordships, that the danger being discovered, which before lay hid under fair promises and prete●●● may be avoided: And now whether these my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may here prove acceptable or no, I know not; Yet however, I have declared my opinion, and left it extant, that future times may witness that the danger was discovered. For my own part I am confident, that if this design be pursued, what I have now written, one day by costly experience will be found to be true. Yours Honours to serve to his utmost, Edmund Scotten. Certain exceptions against Sir Cornelius Virmuden his design, for the draining of the Fens, with Queries upon each passage: As also divers arguments, drawn from the works by him already made, and such as are propounded by him to be made; which show the deceitfulness of his design, that it cannot make a perfect draining. With some short rules in general 〈◊〉 they may be drained and preserved from inundation. ACcording to an Order the 25. of February, I have made some exceptions, against Sir Cornelius Virmuden his design, as I find it in divers passages of his book, with queries upon each passage; and from them, and some works already done by him, I have framed some Arguments whereby it may evidently appear, that although he promiseth to drain the Fens, and seems to take care that none be wronged thereby, yet in pursuance of his design, he will not be able to perform the former, nor make good the later; and also have showed how the greatest part of the Fens may be made winter grounds, and Navigation preserved; and no man wronged nor endangered, and the charge not so great, but that the Fens will abunly requite the cost. Pa. 2. li. 20. He sets down 400000. Acres of Fen Lands, which being made winter grounds, would be an unexpected benefit of six hundred thousand pounds per annum, and upwards, which is more by one half then ever they will, as the rates of Lands now go. Quer. Whether this be not a bad beginning at first dash, to misinform his Majesty, of purpose to work his affections the more to the draining, and that so as Sir Cornelius might have the better allowances. Pa. 5. li. 29. He saith it is apparent that in process of time, the Outfalls of Wisbitch and Welland, will utterly decay, and that for want of water, Pa. 5. li. 23. pa. 14. li. 6. and yet pa. 13. li. 30. he will take away part of Glean, and all Welland, to Mortons' Leame, and so to Wisbitch: and yet have water enough to keep open the Out-fall of Welland, pa. 18. li. 11. And yet one reason why he turns the water of Welland to Wisbitch, is because that thereby he will gain and keep open a good Outfall for Neene. Quer. Whether▪ first these several passages do not contradict each other; secondly, if it be apparent, that the Outfall of Welland will decay because there is no more water put to it, how can that Outfall be maintained, when part of Glean, and all Welland is taken from it. Pa. 14. li. 21. He tells how he will maintain it; his words are, And by this means the old Channel of Welland will become very useful to the country, by the Sasse or Navigable Sluice to be set at Waldron Hall, for Navigation to water the country in Summer time, and to scour the Outfall, and pa. 22. li 6. and if need be, the sooner to gather head by means of the Sluice and Sasse, which are to be below it, on Welland, to scour the Outfall. Quer. Whether that a Sluice placed 10. or 12. miles from the Outfall to scour it, be not a conceit so vain and ridiculous, that it deserves no farther answer. Pa. 15. li. 9 He hath another help which is the downfall of Deeping and Thorney; his words are, If it were not to preserve Navigation for Spaulding, it were not amiss to bring all the downfall of Deeping and Thorney through Ellow, and so to Wisbitch Outfall by a new channel, and this is another remedy. Quer. The first, if the cannot make use of it; but he will want water to preserve Navigation for Spaulding, kow is it another remedy? Or whether will he turn the downfall of Deeping and Thorney, through Ellow, and so to Wisbitch Out-fall by a new Channel, though he do destroy Navigation to Spauding. Quer. The second, whether the downfall usually in Summer time be not so little, that the very bottom of the Dikes be dry, and will not then Spaulding Outfall Sand quite up, and for winter time (if the Fens be drained) will not the downfall be low in the Dikes, of Deeping Fens, two foot, or at least one, under the superficies of the Fens; and Sir Cornelius saith, pa. 15. li. 3. Deeping Fens are very low, and yet the downfall must run lower he will confess, than what force can this downfall have to scour the Outfall, and preserve Navigation for Spaulding; is non this if well considered, of as strange a conceit, as that a Navigable Sluice at Waldron Hall should do it? Quer. Thirdly, if it be apparent that the Outfalls of Wisbitch and Welland will decay by the increase of Sands, as now they are, when they have so much fresh water to keep them open, that sometimes it cannot be contained between the banks, then how shall the water that must come through the Sluice at Waldron Hall and the downfall of Deeping and Thorney▪ which is lower than it preserve Navigation for Spaulding, or keep open the Outfall of Welland. Pa. 23. li. 26. He saith Welland and the Shire drain, will be turned to be good servants, in stead of ill masters. Quer. Whether by this way Sir Cornelius hath set forth, it be not most certain that Welland will do no service at all, no not so much in Summer time as carry the smallest boat, nor any part of the downfall. Pa. 23. li. 11. He saith the Fen waters for that part of the country, must go part to Crowland, and so by Spaulding, to the Sea, and by Murro Plash, as need shall require: And if the fall can be gained at Guyhurne, part may go by Wisbitch, otherwise Welland and Plash must remain the only drains for the downfall, which are not sufficient to receive it. Quer. Whether this (like many other passages in his book) be not very uncertain, observe his words (if the fall can be gained at Guyhurne) but if not, Welland and Murro Flash must be the only drains, which he saith are not sufficient to receive it; So that if the fall cannot be gained at Guyhurne, this must remain an imperfect work; but then if the Outfall of Welland be quite sanded up, than he hath but Murro Plash alone, and if two be not sufficient, what will one of them do? Pa. 26. li. 8. He saith it may be objected, that the inhabitants of Peterborough have Navigation from their town to Linne by the River Neene, as now it runneth, which will then be taken away; he answereth, that the works being thus contrived, they shall not need to fetch and carry their commodities so fare, but go the nearest way to Wisbitch. Quer. Whether this satisfactory seeming answer (to omit here the damage Linne may suffer thereby) doth give any satisfaction at all: if he mean they shall go to Wisbitch and so by the Sea to Linne, then whether these watermen, and their vessels be fit for a Sea voyage or no, if not, then what shall the inhabitants of Peterborough do, until the two rivers meeting above have ground out the Channel, that Wisbitch may be made an Haven town▪ may not his banks placed at such a great distance be broken, or torn, and cut, as they were this last winter; and then how many years may the inhabitants of Peterborough, part of Northampton, Leicester shire and Rutland, wait by a tedious expectation until Wisbitch may serve their turn, as Linne now doth, what shall they do in the mean time? Pa. 29. li. 6. He saith Owse may not go down the Fens as now it doth, but the best way is to turn the River at Erith, into, and the next unto Bedford River, and to shut the passage of Owse, as now it goeth by a cross bank through the River to the firm land▪ and li. 26. the three Rivers of Mildenhall, Brandon and Stoake, must be made one River. And to that end Mildenhall must be brought into Brandon, and both into Stoake, and all into Owse, and in that manner, that the downfall of the Level may be brought through a drain, to be made to a better fall than that of Stoake for the downfall of Grant to go in. Quer. Whether when old Owse is stopped and Mildenhall, Brandon, and Stoake, be turned another way, and fall into Owse near Stow Bridge, as is set forth in the Map, at the end of his book, whether then the Tides which now flow up in Summer time four miles above Ely, will not then flow up into old Owse also, as fare as his stop at Erith, and into the other Rivers of Mildenhall and Brandon, which then will be empty, and fill them with Sand, causing them in short time to be so much sanded up, that they will not do so much as carry away the downfall, having no quantity of fresh water, to carry our their Sands again. Quer. Second, whether when all Owse is stopped at Erith, and must not come into old Owse again, until it come to Salter's Load, and Mildenhall, Brandon, and Stoake, must not come into Owse, until a little above Stow Bridge, and all Neene turned to Wisbitch, so that for above 30. mile's space, there will be but Grant only, which in Summer time will scarce cover the bottom of the old Owse, can there possibly be a foot of water in many places, will there be six inches of water upon Ely Hards which are shallow and broad; and what a design is this, to deprive Cambridge, Linne, Wisbitch Spaulding, Ely and Peterborough, of Navigation, and doth it not greatly behoove those great towns of Navigation, and countries about them, to seek in time to prevent the prosecution of such a design? Pa. 5. li. 23. He confesseth that the sands in Summer time now overcome the Ebbs somewhat in Linne haven, yet he saith they do not lie long, for the first land waters or next spring tides carry them away. Quer. If the next spring Tides will do it, how is it apparent that the Outfalls of Wisbitch and Welland will utterly decay by the increase of the Sands, for want of fresh waters, Pa. 5. li. 29. and how is that the Sands now in Linne Haven overcome the Ebbs in Summer time; do not the Spring Tides keep their constant course all Summer long? Pa. 5. li. 28. The first land waters or next spring tides carry out the Sands again. Quer. Whether it is not plain and manifest by his own confession above, that the Spring Tides will not carry out the Sands they bring in, though here be would make his Reader believe they will; can any think he would have so contradicted himself, if he had thought his design should have been printed, that whom it concerns might make exceptions to it▪ but if the Spring Tides fail, he saith the first Land waters will do it, pa. 5. li. 28. but then is it not most plain by his book, and by the works set forth in the Map at the end of the book, that he will take away those land waters, part of Glean, and all Welland, and from Spaulding, and Neene wholly from Linne and stop Owse and Mildenhall, and Braudon and Stoake, and turn them another way, and leave no land waters in these Rivers for many miles together but only Grant, must it not then follow by his own confession, that these Rivers will be sanded up; and so not Navigation only destroyed, but the Rivers spoiled that they will not so much as carry away the downfall. Pa. 26. li. 4. He saith, and for instance the Owse from Littleport to Linne, keeps his depth, by reason of the back waters. Quer. What bacl waters doth he mean? If he mean Mildenhall and Braudon, and the Owse above Littleport, which are bacl waters from Linne and Littleport, these he shows you plainly he means to take away. And then if these back waters were the cause, as here he confesseth, that Owse keeps his depth now between Littleport and Linne, then must it not needs follow, when these are taken away, the Owse will lose his depth, and Sand up; what need we any other witness in this, he himself hath confessed it, both here and else where, pa. 5. li. 29. the mischief that will follow upon it. Pa. 7. li. 11. he adviseth not to go the ordinary way of draining to avoid inconveniences of great and vast expenses, many difficulties of inundations, which otherwise would depend thereon; and pa. 9 figure 1. for these reasons. First, that the works may be made at a fare less charge. Secondly, that they will stand with more safety and no hazard of inundation, and so become habitable. Thirdly, not subject to half that reparation. Fourthly, and the land of a fare better value, than the other way. Quer. If the contrary of all these be made to appear most evident, then whether for all these fair pretences, this be not the true cause he will not go the ordinary way. First, because he would seem to have more skill in draining than others. Secondly; and so endear his service that he might have more money yearly for his pay. Pa. 10. figure 3. He saith, that banks so much as may be are to be laid out from the moorish grounds, and pa. 12. li. 13. banks made of moorish ground, chargeable and dangerous. Quer. Then why doth he himself swerve so much from his own rules, for may not the waters of Glean and Welland be sent to the Sea betwixt banks made of Clay and other indurable earth, with such force and strength, that will cause and keep open a good Outfall, with help of a Sluice placed below Spaulding? And yet he adviseth to turn Stow brook, part of Glean, and all Welland into Neene; and all these waters in time of greatest floods must be penned betwixt two Banks made of light Moor and Hassockes, between Eldernell and Guyhurne, is not this a very dangerous way even by his own confession here? Pa. 10. figure 4. He saith, Rivers are to be carried on the highest grounds where possibly they may be, yet he will have Glean and Welland, which may possibly go to Spaulding Out-fall, and make it very good, being as he saith the higher grounds, to go to Neene, and so that way to the Sea, which he confesseth to be lower, pa. 17. li. 8. where it cannot possibly go, as after will appear. Quer. Whether in this also he doth not contradict himself. Pa. 7. li. 24. He saith the Towns of Peterborough, Erith and many others, standing upon the upper ends of the Rivers, and but low, would be thereby sometimes drowned, unless great forelands, and receptacles be. Quer. Whether for all this seeming care for them they will not be drowned more than they had wont, the waters being restrained of their former liberty by new banks, and besides the loss and damages they may sustain by drowning their houses, and Tilth fields, by restraining the water and holding it up; It may prove very hurtful to their Closing and Meadows in Summer times, when any flood shall come floating, and spoiling their Grass, more than formerly, and then doth it not much concern the six Counties to cry down such a design as this? Pa. 29. li. 14. (He saith) and to the end the water of Owse should not annoy the Country any further, the said Bedford River is to be imbanked on each side thereof to keep Owse within certain bounds, the banks thereof must be a great distance the one from the other, so that the water in time of extremity may go in a large room to keep it from rising too high; and the more because there is a great distance of about 25. miles from Erith, before it comes to the perfect fall. Quer. Whether here he ought not to have set down how fare distance the banks are to be made the one from the other, whether a quarter, or half a mile, or a whole one, or two, or three, or more, or less. And then how high the water will rise between his banks, that the inhabitants of Maine and Well-nigh, might know how deep they shall be drowned in their houses, whether four or five or six or seven foot deep, And their new repaired Chapel at Well-nigh, which had lately a gathering for, through many Counties; whether they must not remove their Ministers reading Pew, and their own as high or higher than their Pulpit is now; And that likewise Meepall men on the other side, might have known how high they should be drowned in their Chapel, and houses, that they might have time to remove them higher upon the hill side. Pa. 5. li. 3. p. 10. li. 1. He faith that the great level of Fens is broad and of great extent and flat with little or no descent of its own, and grown full of Hassockes, Sedge, and Reed, and the waters go slowly away from the Lands, and out of the Rivers they come swift into, and upon it, out of the upland Countries; And pa. 10. figure 2. the level is of great extent, 20. miles at least from the upper ends to the fall. And yet he saith because he sets his banks at so great a distance the waters will not rise high against them, pa. 23. li. 3. pa. 29. li. 20. Quer. Whether here is not guile or ignorance, guile in that he saith the waters will not rise high, when it is most certain they will, ignorance if he thinks as he faith, for they will rise 6. or 7. foot high between his banks, at least, when the floods are four or five foot over the superfices of the Meadows, there needs no other proof but his own confession in these words that the level is flat with little or no descent of its own, and the waters go slowly away, and come swift into and upon the Fens from the upland Countries, now is it not most evident that where waters have a great fall that they cannot go bacl again, and a wide and swift passage into a level between banks, and a strait and narrow passage from that flat to the Sea: So that the water cannot by reason of such narrow passage and the the tides, go above half so fast out of the Fens to the Sea, as it comes into them: must it not needs follow in every man's judgement that at such times, though his banks be 10. foot high, such floods will rise within two foot of the top, but if this be not plain enough, By an example I am able to make it appear, to him that hath the least insight into such things. Pa. 6. li. 13 He saith the countries of Marshland, Wisbitch and Holland are fenced by banks from the waters of the Fens, and sometimes they have been overflowed by the said waters and have often been in great danger, and they are at continual charge for the maintenance of the said Banks: And yet he cannot deny but these banks are made of Clay and other indurable Earth, and the waters had liberty to spread over all the great level of Fens and arose not at any time above three foot in height over the level. Quer. Whether the consideration of this truth ought not to have kept him from attempting such a design as this? for might he not from hence have drawn this conclusion, and that truly, if banks made of good earth have been sometimes broken and the Lands overflown to unspeakable loss. And are often in great danger, and they are at a continual charge to maintain them, and then the water but low, having scope to disperse over all the great level; what a vain design is mine that I should persuade to turn three Rivers into one to be carried to the Sea between Banks made of light Moor and Hassocks which will never be able to hold when six or seven foot of water shall rise in height betwixt them. But if the winds blow (as seldom they do not when the waters are at highest) will be sure to be broken and torn to pieces, And then what will become of me, and my design, wherein I have pretended to his Majesty, and other great Lords, a fare less charge, and more safety, and no hazard of inundation, and better for habitation, and make the lands be of a better value, when they shall find by costly experience the contrary of all these to be true. Pa. 8. li. 19 He saith the Level would become surrounded and so without perfection from within, and by the waters without, the banks will lie in continual danger of inundation for want of a good fall in the winter, and by a Winde-catch break and undo all again. Quer. Whether the Serious consideration of this also ought not to have stayed him in presenting this design and have caused his thoughts to have reasoned thus; If when the Level is but surrounded a little wanting perfection from within, and by the waters without the banks, will be in continual danger of inundation, and by a wind catch, break and tear all the banks to pieces, and so undo all again. What will become of my banks in time of such Wind-catches, when the waters will rise 6. or 7. foot between them how will they be torn and broken, and all undone again: And then what may the charge be to make them up the next Summer? And they will be broken and torn and undone again the next winter: And so every Summer, as long as money will last they may be made up, and every winter be undone again, and then where is fare lesser charge, and where is safety from inundation, and where will they become habitable, and of what value will these lands be of? And then lastly how shall I look for any favour from his Majesty, and those Lords whom I have deceived they trusted to my skill and honesty, and I shall prove no better than some cheater or Mountebank to them, sure I will never do this, though for the present it might gain me a thousand pounds a year. Pa. 12. li. 7. And in case all the Rivers should be inned and fenced with banks to free the lands, and that great distances should be left between bank, and bank, yet still it must be confessed that a multitude of banks in this level must be made through Moorish grounds, in length about 70000. rod which would be very chargeable and dangerous; And (if all be considered) impossible that way to make a sure work. Quer. Whether here he doth not plainly confess banks made to fence lands with great distances between them, made through Moorish grounds are dangerous, and (if all be considered) impossible that way to make a sure work, doth not this confession then confute, or at least wise contradict what he said before, pa. 9 figure 2. that they will stand with more safety and no hazard of inundation, for though he may seem to lessen the charge by avoiding multiplicity of Banks, yet here can be no colour to lessen the danger, but make it more unavoidable, because he will turn two or three Rivers into one, which will charge his Moorish Banks fare more than one single River. And by what might be said concerning the charge of his banks, and his cuts through hard and stony grounds, and the maintenance, it would plainly appear that if his design were followed it would prove intolerable for charge. Pa. 25. li. 3. He saith it is needful to make the opening of Wisbitch River in a larger manner than now it is, but forbears to set down how fare in length he will enlarge it, how broad and deep he will make it, and the charge with the purchase of those lands he must cut, worth 20. shillings an Acre per annum, that the charge might appear, and that others might discern whether that Outfall will convey three Rivers to the Sea, in time of greatest floods before the Banks above be torn and broken to pieces. Quer. Whether in stead of imitating nature, pa. 13. li. 1. doth he not in this and divers other dark passages rather imitate the popish Clergy, who keep men as ignorant as they can, that they may the more easily deceive them, and lead them whether they list. Pa. 25. l. 25. It shall not be widened any more, the two Rivers meeting, will grind the channel through the Marsh, and make Wisbitch an Haven town like that of Linne, though not in such measure of wideness. Quer. If his two Rivers shall lie 7. or 8. foot high between his Banks made of light Moor, and Hassockes, until it have grinded the Channel 4. or 5. miles through the Marsh, how often will those banks be broken and torn to pieces before the Channel be ground out; and when they are torn and broken to pieces, will not both the Fens be drowned, and the water lost that should do the business? Pa. 24. he tells his Majesty that he would make a Bank from Stand Ground to the fields of Wittleseii, and from Eldernell to Guyhurne on that side. But as it is verily believed by many, that he might be revenged on Master Burrell who would not stoop to him, he hath caused a bank to be made on the same side through his several, and others, in length two miles nearer Wisbitch, by which means he hath not only wronged Mr. Burrell and others many hundred pounds for the present, and cut up London Roade, to the pitiful foiling of Travelours, and deprived others of his Majesty's Subjects wholly of their high way, but hath endangered the utter ruining of Master Burrell and others, and the drowning of whole towns and Churches, not caring, though he spent his Majesty many thousand pounds in vain, to teach Master Burrell and others hereafter not to oppose him. Quer. Whether this be not Haman-like, because Mordecay would not stoop to him, he was not contented to be revenged on Mordecai alone, but upon all the Jews, though he in no wise was able to recompense the King's damages by his wicked act. ANd now having spent some time in reading and taking some. Notes out of his book, and finding how one part of it crosseth and contradicts another: And if some part of it be true, the other must needs be false, and so needs no other proof to confute it, but his own words I might rest here, but because this way of keeping water aloft between banks set at a great distance is of such dangerous consequence not only to such as shall be the adventurers, but to the inhabitants adjoining near to such banks, and having such plentiful matter to make it evident to all men, to be a most deceitful way, and the money so expended to be utterly lost, altogether failing of the end it shall be disbursed for; namely the draining of the Fens, I shall add to what I have already observed in his book 3. or 4. Arguments more, first from the costly experience of others, the next from his own works alteady done, and lastly from his proceed and propositions set forth in this design. It is most apparent by what hath been already said, that when the land floods shall descend from Northampton, Bedford, or other upland countries: and shall arise in height 4. or 5. foot over the Superfices of the Meadows, they will arise 6. or 7. foot high between his Banks, though placed at a great distance between them; and when the waters are thus aloft near the top of the banks the winds will have such power to raise violent waves against them that will break and tear them to pieces, they being made of light and spongy stuff. And that they will do so, all indifferent men that have experience of the Fens will witness with me. It is well known there was a bank made between Upwell and Well-nigh, about four miles in length, made to preserve Fens called the Londoners Fens, which Bank by its often tearing, breaking and blowing up after great sums of money expended, it wearied out the undertakers; And yet the waters arose not at any time above three foot in height in the Level against that Bank; they having liberty to spread themselves over the great Level of the Fens, from whence I draw this conclusion. That if a Bank made in the same Fens which cost many thousand pounds, and but four miles in length could not be made to hold, but was torn in pieces, broken and blown up, and but 3. foot of water against it, whereby those undertakers (though men of great estates) were forced to leave them and lose all their labour and cost. Then the Banks made by Sir Cornelius being of no better stuff, when 6. or 7. foot of waters shall with violent waves beat against them, cannot possibly hold, but will be torn in pieces, broken and blown up. But what need I instance in Banks of like nature, for this very Bank which Sir Cornelius hath already made was so near breaking and blowing up this year that it hath cost much money in bringing Earth, Brush, Faggots, and Fodder, sheaves, and many hundred of Fir deals cut to preserve it. And yet was dangerously torn, in so much, that if one living near unto it, had not espied it one Lords day at night, little before his going to bed, and called up neighbours out of their beds, and road to Wisbitch for more help: in their judgements in one two hours it had been broken, and had not only drowned Walderseii, but Wisbitch and Elm. From whence I frame this argument, that those Banks that will not hold one year but require good cost to preserve them; And yet that cost would not preserve them from tearing, nor secure them from breaking, when the waters had liberty to spread, and so could not rise high, whereby the winds might have power to raise violent waves against them, cannot possibly hold when the waters shall be penned up between two banks, and so lie high against them. But the new Bank Sir Cornelius hath caused to be made in Walderseii, hath had great cost bestowed upon it by bringing, Earth, Fodder, Sheaves, Brush, Faggots, and cutting many hundred of Deals to preserve it, and yet was fearfully torn, and in great danger to break until it was cut in a convenient place, or two, above, notwithstanding the waters had scope to spread themselves over 30. thousand Acres, whereby they could rise to nothing near that height they will, when restrained of that liberty. Therefore the banks made and propounded to be made by Sir Cornelius Virmuden cannot possibly hold long, nor secure the Lands adjoining. Object. But that bank did not break nor blow up, and Sir Cornelius is taken for a man of judgement and experience, sure he would never have been so bold as to persuade his Majesty and other great Lords, and now the Parliament to disburse such great sums of money, if he did not well know his works would hold, and cause a perfect draining. Answer. The cause that bank did not break hath been showed sufficiently already: But for further answer hereto, I shall frame two or three arguments more; And first, from his Banks and Sluice, that were not only torn and in great danger, but broken and blown up, which he was entrusted to make on the Salt Marshes; Thus, That he that shall be entrusted to make banks for preserving of Marshes intended to be ploughed and sown, which Marshes, if kept dry, the first Crop might have been worth 5 li. an Acre: if he shall make such banks as shall be torn and broken, and thereby those Marshes drowned, may well be suspected to want judgement or care fit for such a trust. But thus it hath fared with those Banks Sir Cornelius hath been entrusted by his Majesty to make on the Marshes aforesaid, intended to be ploughed and sown. Therefore his judgement or care may be justly suspected in matters of so great concernment. Another argument of this kind if needed, might be framed from his Sluice he caused to be placed below the Shire drain, which hath cost his Majesty some 1000 li. all which is utterly lost. But in further answer to this objection, one argument now may be framed from divers passages in his book concerning his way of draining, Thus, That he that shall persuade his Majesty and other great Lords to turn two or three Rivers into one, stopping them of their ancient courses, and carrying them another way to the Sea; telling his Majesty that by this means the Fens will be drained at a far less charge and made the better for habitation, & safer for inundation; And all this, that his Majesty might take him for a skilful man for devising such a thrifty way, & so allow him the greater wages although by this design he deprive Cambridge, Ely, Linn, Peeterborough, Wisbitch, Spaulding, and almost all other Towns in, and all the Countries about the Fens (except some part of Huntingdon Shire) of their Navigation, and wrong all the six Counties in their Lands and Meadows, and drown many Towns and Churches, and in conclusion wrong his Majesty and all other great Lords in spending their money in vain, altogether failing of draining the Fens, aught to be tried before he be trusted. But all these particulars may be justly charged upon Sir Cornelius Virmuden by this his design. Therefore he ought to be tried before he be trusted too far. I shall conclude with one argument more in full answer to this objection, from the manner of his proceed, Thus, That he that to bring his own ends to pass, hath not cared though he wrong the poor in setting them on work, and not paying them their wages, nor poor travellours in cutting up London Roade, and turning their loaden horses upon his new bank, where they slip in, and are pitifully foiled. Nor other of his Majesty's Subjects, depriving them wholly of their ancient highway, that of necessity they must go at least 4. miles about: Nor others in cutting and drowning their Lands, without giving them any satisfaction: Nor his Majesty, but mispending his money, contrary to the trust reposed in his promises, only to be revenged on Mr. Burrell, not caring though in so doing he drown whole Towns and Churches, may also attempt to deceive and wrong this Parliament. But Sir Cornelius Virmuden may be justly charged with the six former of these particulars. Therefore he may be so bold as to attempt the later. And now since Sir Cornelius his great and main design (which is turning two or three Rivers into one, and putting all those waters in times of greatest floods between banks set at a great distance made through moorish grounds) is not only dangerous, as he himself confesseth, but is, or will be proved to be such a way as will never drain the Fens though all the aforesaid towns and countries may receive much prejudice by this works notwithstanding. I shall here in short lay down some general rules for draining of this great level, in such manner, that although all cannot, yet the greatest part of the Fens may be made winter grounds, and wrong none, and secure all, and the charge not so great but that they will abundantly requite it. Let Rivers be made large and deep, and there will be matter enough arising thereout with the indikes to make high banks, near on each side the Rivers, these banks being made high, and but a small distance between, will be a shelter to the water that shall run betwixt them as a hedge, or wall, will shelter cattles that lie near unto them; so that the winds will have no power to raise violent waves against these banks to tear them as the others set at a great distance; so that here is one main mischief prevented already. A second mischief will hereby be prevented with a benefit in the room, for whereas such banks (though placed at a great distance) could be made to hold, will restrain the waters of their former liberty, and so cause them to rise higher in the Meadows above, then formerly, and so do much hurt, such deep and large Rivers will prevent, for as soon as the flood gins to rise in the Rivers above the Fens, it finds such fall and current passage to the sea, that it is taken down as it gins to rise, so as that which would have been but a little flood before, will be no flood now, and so in Summer time will be much advantageous to their Meadows, causing their grass to be less flooted than before. A third benefit by deep & large Rivers with banks placed near the sides is this, when a great flood comes it finds such fall & current passage, that it will be gone half into the Sea, in such time, as without such Rivers it will be climbing up to get above the superfices of the Fens between those banks so fare distant, for until it be got a loft, it can go but slowly (as is confessed by Sir Cornelius) wanting the fall it had before, and the hassockes, reeds sedge, and long grass will hinder the passage; and as soon as it is aloft, the winds will have power to raise violent waves which will whinder the banks to pieces, for it must lie high against those banks, until the two Rivers will grind out a passage for it four miles between Wisbich-Horshooe, and the Sea, as he saith it must, p. 25. l. 25. but there is a straighter passage before it come out of the Fens besides that. Now is it not much better that half a great flood be sent speedily into the Sea than to lie by the way tearing and breaking the banks? A fourth benefit is a small flood or rise of water being penned up betwixt narrow banks, will go with force down a deep River, and so scour and keep open the Outfalls, when the other loseth a small flood by the way. Lastly, this way, with some other necessary works as also some sluices & slakers, or inlets (which Sir Cornelius saith are remedies worse than the disease) to convey the overplus of the great floods into the old Rivers, Meres, and many division dikes, which will all be low, and empty, before such great floods come, and will receive such overplus, and yet the greatest part of the Fens will be dry in the time of the greatest floods; And this way there is not a river nor drain, nor any other work of the late Earl of Bedfords but will when it is made as it should, be of good use, and Navigation not so much as hindered in any parts belonging to these Fens, & no man hurt nor endangered in his estate; and the charge to make these works less than one hundred thousand pounds, provided that there be four summers for the doing of them, and that the work at no convenient time of the year stay or be hindered for want of money. And the charge for maintenance of these works will be far less than Sir Cornelius would seem to make it, for when these banks are settled too low, as they will in few years, the indikes will be grown up, and will need deepening, and that earth will heighten them again. The breadth and depth of every River, the height and breadth of every Bank, the bigness of every Sluice and tunnel, and where they should be placed, with an estimate of the charge of every particular work, as also the reasons why any Sluice to be placed upon the River Owse, or Neene, more than now are, will rather hinder then help Navigation, and will never in respect of draining, requite for one half of the cost, Is set forth in the second part. FINIS.