THE BOOKSELLER TO The READER THis History or Narrative of the Great Level of the Fenns called Bedford Level coming to my Hands I thought might be of good Use to inform such as are concern'd in the said Level and yet may not well know the Constitution thereof And 't is hoped may also convince many that have had a prejudice against the Undertaking in general without well considering and understanding the true State thereof And that all Persons may see this Work is of great Advantage to all that Part of the Countrey where the Draining is and hath been and must still be carried on the Preservation thereof with great Charge and Industry Which said Reasons have induced me to make the same Publick and hope 't will find a favourable Interpretation and answer the Ends Proposed THE HISTORY OR NARRATIVE Of the GREAT LEVEL OF THE FENNS CALLED Bedford Level With a Large MAP of the said LEVEL as Drained Surveyed Described by Sir Jonas Moore Knight His late Majesties Surveyor-General of his Ordnance LONDON Printed for Moses Pitt at the Angel in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1685. In this History or Narrative of the Great Level of the Fenns called BEDFORD LEVEL Is set forth and Declared HOw this Level was supposed to be many Hundred years ago and how come to be afterwards Fenns when Application was first made for the Draining How many Attempts were made for the Draining at vast charges and all became fruitless And afterwards undertaken by Francis and William Earls of Bedford And what Proceedings were had in the Draining under the pretended Act of Parliament in 1649. How this Work of Draining was by His late Majesty King Charles the Second recommended to the Parliament And thereupon an Act passed in the Fifteenth of his Reign constituting a Corporation for the Settlement and future Government thereof The Bounds and Extents of the Level in General The Powers given to the said Corporation A Particular of the several Lotts or Shares enjoyed by the Adventurers and how Rated to the Draining The Division of the Level as now called 3 Levels And what Proportion each Level Pays to Draining Taxes And the several Rivers and Drains and Works of the Corporation made therein By-Laws made by the Corporation for better Preservation of their Works The great Advantage that this Draining is to the several Towns and Places within the respective Levels The Names of the present Corporation and their Officers and how and by whom they are Yearly to be chosen And the Oa hs they take A Large Map of the said Great Level as Drained Surveyed and Described by Sir Jonas Moore and now New Printed and Enlarged by Moses Pitt THE HISTORY OR NARRATIVE OF THE Great Level of the Fenns CALLED BEDFORD LEVEL THis Great Level contains about How this Level was supposed to be many Hundred years since and how came to be Fenns 300000 Acres of Fenny Ground lying within the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge and the Isle of Ely Huntingdon Northampton and Lincolne as Survey'd and Described by Sir Jonas Moore And in all probability as appears by Historians and the relations following was once firm dry Land and not annoyed with any extraordinary Inundation from the Sea or Stagnation of the fresh water For there have been abundance of Timber Trees found of several kinds but most Oak and few severed from the roots which stood below the Moore When it is well known that in Moore ground and water Timber Trees will not thrive or grow In making some of the Great Rivers divers of the Trees were taken up Six Eight Ten foot deep and upwards And there also hath been found Stone and Bricks and other materials for Building which shews that this Moore or Fenn hath covered over the face of the Land and chang'd it from what it formerly had been In setting down a Sluce there was found Sixteen foot deep a Smith's Forge and all Tools thereunto belonging and several Horse-shooes This Level is bounded on all Parts except by the Sea with High Lands in form of an Horse-shooe which maketh it much like a Bay and in former times must have been a pleasant Countrey The History of William of Malmsbury vouched by Mr. Camden who lived about 1200 Years since saith That in his time Thorney Abbey within this Level now belonging to the Earl of Bedford was represented a very Paradise for that in pleasure and delight it resembleth Heaven it self In the very Marshes bearing Trees that for their straight tallness and the same without knots strive to touch the Stars APlain there was as even as the Sea which with green grass allureth the Eye so Smooth and Level that if any walk along the Fields they shall find nothing to stumble at There is not the least parcel of Ground that lyes wast and void there here you shall find the Earth rising somewhere for Apple-Trees there shall you have a Field set with Vines which either creep upon the ground or mount on high upon Poles to support them c. For in those dayes Vineyards were very frequent in England The like may be said of the Abbey of Crowland and of the Great Lordship of Whittlesea Now by what means it came to pass to be so drowned It is believed that the Ocean at first did break into it with such violence as that the Buildings and Woods then standing throughout the same became turned up by the roots and so great a proportion of Silt brought in as not only for divers miles next towards the Sea did cover the ground to an extraordinary depth but to the remotest Parts even to the Verge of the High-Lands as by One further Discovery or Instance of late Years was seen at the Skirt of Connington in Huntingdonshire where upon making a Pool by Sir Robert Cotton Baronet he found there a Skeliton of a large Sea Fish near Twenty foot long as then conjectured lying in perfect Silt above Six foot below the Superficies of the ground and as much above the present Level of the Fenns But when and how that violent Breach and Inundation of the Sea was first made into this Countrey is not positively known Therefore it must be conjectured from the most rational probabilities which is That it was by some great Earthquake That such dreadful Accidents have occasioned the like We have unquestionable Testimony a Lib. 7. xv Anno Christi CCCLXVIII Coss Valentiniano Valente saith the Tripartite History terrae motus factus multas diruit Civitates sed etiam Mare terminos proprios mutavit et in quibusdam locis in tantum ibi fluxit ut loca quae pridem ambulari doterant remigarentur ab aliis vero locis tantum recessit ut arida tellus inveniretur In the time of the Consulship of Valentinian and Valens there was an Earthquake which not only overthrew divers Cities but altered the very Bounds of the Sea which so flowed in some Parts that men might Sail in those
places where before they did walk and forsook other that they became dry Land The like relation of the same Earthquake but somewhat more largely doth Amianus b Lib. 26. Marcell make And to the like purpose also is that of Ovid's c Ovid Meta. lib. xv Vidi ego quod fuerat quondam Solidissima Tellus Esse fretum vidi factas ex aequore terras Et procul à Pelago Conchae jacuêre Marinae Et Vetus inventa est in montibus Anchora Summis Quodque fuit Campus vallem decursus aquarum Fecit et eluvie Mons est deductus in aequor Aeque paludosa siccis humus aret Arenis Thus Translated into English by G. Sandys Where once were solid Lands Seas have I seen And solid Land where once deep Seas have been Shells far from Sea like Quarries in the Ground And Anchors have in Mountain Tops been found Torrents have made a Valley of a Plain High Hills by deluges born to the Main Deep standing Lakes suckt dry by thirsty Sand And on late Thirsty Earth now Lakes do stand Who would imagine that the City of Gant in Flanders had been an Haven Town yet that so it was about DCCC years since appeareth in the Life of Charles the Great Written by the Learned d Hist Fran. 2. f. 48. Du Chesne Neither do we want Examples here in some part of England of this kind Ratesborough otherwise called Richborough in Kent sometime a Colony of the Romans was or ever the River of Sture did turn his bottom or old Canale within the Isle of Thanett as f Lel. Col. Vol. 3. p. 138. Leland affirmeth and by likelihood the main Sea came to the very foot of the Castle but now it is off from it a Mile by reason of the Wose that hath there swollen it up So also g Ib. f. 141. Lymme-hill or Lymme was sometime a Haven and good for Ships that might come to the foot of the Hill And Rumney four Miles distant from Lymme-hill one of the Cinque-Ports hath been a meetly good Haven Insomuch saith the same h Ibid. p. 142. Leland who lived in King Henry the Eighth's time as within remembrance of Men Ships have come up hard to the Town and cast Anchor in one of the Church-yards but is now two Miles from the Town which is so sore decayed thereby that where there were three great Parishes and Churches sometime there is now scant one well maintained And concerning Eye in Suffolk It is not a little observable what he likewise Lel. Col. Vol. 3. p. 24. expresseth viz. That it should seem anciently to have been in a manner totally encompassed with Waters Eye in our English signifying an Island but now saith he there is no such store tho it be a moist place especially in the Winter Season which manifestly sheweth that it was heretofore a standing Fenn Adding That in old time Barges came up thither from the Haven of Chromar or some Creek near unto it there having been found by the Monks of Eye in Scowring of their Ditches large Rudders done over with Pitch as also Barge Nails with other Naval Instruments tho then no Vessels came nearer to it than Burstan which is 12 Miles distant And as some places have got from the Sea so some other have lost as may seem Ib. p. 104. by Skegnesse in Lincolnshire which was heretofore a great Haven Town as the before specified Author relateth and Walled having a Castle but the Old Town is clean consumed and eaten up of the Sea Not unapplicable hereunto is therefore that of the Poet. Haud procul hinc Stagnum Tellus habitabilis Ovid. Met. lib. 8. olim Nunc celebres mergis fulicisque palustribus undae Hard by a Lake once habitable ground Where Coots and fishing Cormorants abound The Principal Rivers or Drains formerly passing through this Level were Eight viz. Gleane Welland Neane Ouze Grant Mildenhall Brandon and Stoake The said Rivers had three several Out-falls from the Fenns into the Sea viz. Welland Wisbich and Salters Load by Lynn This Level is Broad and of a great Extent and lyeth very flat with little or no descent of its own and was full of Hassacks Sedge Reed and Weeds that the Waters could not go but slowly from the Lands but came in swift from the Up-land Countreys where the Rivers have great Falls Also there were large Sands on the Sea side thrown up by the Tides which stop and choak the Out-fall Rivers Mouth At bottoming of Wisbich River in the year 1635. Eight foot lower than the then Bottom was found another Bottom which was set with Stones and old Boats overwhelmed with the Silt that had lain many Ages And so at digging of a Foundation for the Great Sasse at Salters Load was found mixt Earth and Silt that had been cast up and the natural Bottom Earth was above 10 foot deeper This Level being of so vast an Extent and great depth of fresh Water lying therein That the Moore is encreased by such standing of the Waters in some places from 10 to 20 foot deep So that instead of the benefit which this Level might receive from their Overflowings in case they had enjoyed its free and natural Passage and good Outfalls it hath been made for the most part for divers Ages an unhealthful Stagnation of putrid and muddy Waters The Earth spungy unfast and boggy such as are the inconveniencies of Drown'd Lands and yielding no considerable Profit to the Inhabitants that bordered upon it The Inhabitants and Parts adjoyning When application was first made for Draining finding this to be their sad Conditions having no Communication one with the other but by Boats and sometimes in Winter when the Ice was strong enough to hinder the passage thereof and yet not able to bear a Man the Inhabitants in the Fenn Towns could hardly get help of Food for Soul or Body being so debarred of coming each to others assistance therefore they did in several Kings Reigns represent this their sad Attempts made for Draining being fruitless till undertaken by Francis and VVilliam Earls of Bedford Condition and had divers Commissions of Sewers granted for the Cleaning and opening the Outfalls of the Waters to the Sea But all was fruitless for want of a general Draining whereby new Rivers and Drains imbanked might be made to carry off the Waters through so slat a Countrey At last they made it their Suit and Lynn Law 12 Jan. 6 Car. 1. Petition to Francis Earl of Bedford that he would undertake the Work of Draining which the said Earl consented then unto And by Agreement was to have 95000 Acres to be set out in several Parts of the Level together with the Ways Passages Banks Forelands New Rivers Cutts Drains and Fishings of the same to be made by him or his Assigns of which 12000 Acres thereof was to the King or his Assigns for his Royal Assent The said Earl having so taken
belonging out of the said Level All Conveyances of the 95000 Acres are to be entred with the Register and no Leases Grant or Conveyance of or Charge out of or upon the said 95000 Acres or any part thereof except Leases for Seven years or under in Possession shall be of force but from the time it shall be entred with the said Register as aforesaid the Entrey whereof being endorsed by the said Register upon such Lease Grant Conveyance or Charge shall be as good and effectual in the Law as if the Original Book of Entreys were produced at any Trial at Law or otherwise The Governor Bailiffs and Conservators by the said Act were to meet on 15 Car. 2. Wednesday and Thursday in Whitsun-week at the Shire-house at Ely to lay Taxes on the said 95000 Acres And for all such Taxes Penalties in Arrear four Months they had Power then to Sell so much of the 95000 Acres as would raise the Tax and Penalty then in Arrear And the Person to whom the Governor Bailiffs and Conservators should make Sale unto 20 Car. 2. should be a lawful Purchaser thereof these days and times for laying Taxes are since altered by an Act made 20 Car. 2. as â—hereafter is declared By the said Act 15 Car. 2. The Corporation have Power from time to time to Erect and make any New Works within or without the said Great Level for conveying the Waters of the said Level by convenient Out-falls to the Sea they giving recompence and Satisfaction for what they shall so Cut and take out of several Grounds If any Person shall Cut throw down or destroy any of the said Works for Draining made or to be made as aforesaid The Parties offending shall answer treble Damages to the said Corporation and Costs of Suit to be recovered in any Action of Trespass to be brought by the said Corporation in any of His Majestie 's Courts of Record And if such cutting throwing down or destroying shall be maliciously done the same shall be punished as for Cutting the Podike in Marshland which is Felony The said Governor Bailiffs Conservators and Commonalty upon Wednesday in Whitsun-week yearly at a Publick Meeting to be then held by the said Corporation or the greater Number then present whereof the said Governor or one of the Bailiffs is to be one are to Elect the Governor Bailiffs and Conservators respectively for the year ensuing Provided That none be capable to be or continue Governor or Bailiff that hath not 400 Acres or more of the said 95000 Acres nor to be a Conservator that hath not 200 Acres or more of the said 95000 Acres nor any of the Commonalty to have a Voice in Elections that hath not 100 Acres or more of the said 95000 Acres The said Governor Bailiffs and Conservators or any of them may be removed by the said Governor Bailiffs and Conservators and Commonalty or the greater number of them present at their Publick Meetings whereof the said Governor Bailiffs or any of them to be two and new chosen in the place of him or them so dead or removed And the said Governor Bailiffs and Conservators are before they take upon them to act to take an Oath Well and truly to execute Office and likewise to take the Oath 23 Hen. 8. Chap. 5. which by Law is to be taken by Commissioners of Sewers And the said Governor Bailiffs Conservators and Commonalty are the Corporation for taking of the Accompts And all other Matters may do other than the acting as Commissioners of Sewers And if any Suit be Commenced against the said Corporation or any Person for any Matter or thing done in Pursuance of this Act Then he or they shall or may Plead the general Issue and give the special Matter in Evidence upon any Tryal to be had touching the same which shall be as good and effectual in Law as if the same had been specially Pleaded And the Jury upon the Tryal to give a Verdict accordingly By the said Act 't is declared That if any Breaches happen in any of the Banks Sluces c. or other Works of Draining in or out of the said Level for the carrying the Waters of the said Level to the Outfalls at Sea That the same are to be repaired by the said Corporation in convenient time but no other charge to be laid on the said Corporation nor to give any Recompence for any Loss or Damage which hath or shall happen by reason of their making such necessary and sufficient Works for defending the said Level from being overflown and for leading the Waters of the Level in their Chanals The 80000 Acres part of the 95000 Acres which were at the first undertaking cast into Lotts Every Adventurer then had his Share in that Division of good and bad Land and all Land taxed alike per Acre But afterwards being divided into divers Hands as People become Purchasers of good or bad the bad Land alone would not bear the burthen of the Tax for that there being much difference in the Soil of the said Lands and some part much more subject to Overflowing than others and not capable to be so well Drained Therefore by Act 20 Car. 2. The Power given to the Governor Bailiffs and Conservators for their laying of Taxes and Selling Land for Non-Payment was altered from Whitsun-week unto Wednesday Thursday and Friday after the first Sunday in April in every year and at no other time the time of the year being found then most convenient And by the said Act for the Reasons aforesaid the 95000 Acres were for future to be rated by way of a Gradual Acre Tax of Eleven Degrees or Rates as are particularly hereafter mentioned in the Lotts Except the 12000 Acres which are rated at 1 s. 3 d. per Acre when the 83000 Acres are taxed at 6110 l. 7 s. 1 d. ½ and so in Proportion And the Serjeant at Mace of the Great Level by Precept under the Seal of the Corporation in the Nature of a Writ of Habere facias Possessionem at Common Law is to deliver Possession unto such Purchaser as shall Purchase for Non-Payment of Taxes any part of the said 95000 Acres Several other Powers and Authorities are granted to the said Corporation by the aforesaid Acts of Parliament as by the said Acts may appear There is of the 83000 Acres part of the 95000 Acres of Adventure Land 80000 Acres divided into 20 Lotts or Shares 4000 Acres in each Lott The Remainder 3000 Acres lyeth Overplus The 20 Lotts and how rated now to the Draining Taxes are as followeth First Lott Sorts rated  Acres r. p. 5 HAddenham Common A. 100 0 00 70â— 6 Botsham High Fenn 140 0 00 70 7     6 Sutton Meadlands next Middlemore 131 0 00 3 Westmore N o Bedford River A. 400 0 00 3 Coveney Severals A. 073 0 00 4 Helgey Common by Capt. Skipwith's Bank 318 0 00 2 Townemoores Arkinstall Vnley Several Eastmore or
unto Downeham West Fenn 152 0 00 3 Rough Westmoore in Chartres B. next Beezling's Fenn 296 0 00 4 Dicamoore C. 200 0 00 3 Warbois c. K. 550 0 00 3 Middlemoore in Ramsey E. 375 0 00 4 Feltwell Severals C. 309 0 00 3 Westmoore North c. I. 050 0 00 2 Westmoore South c. Q. 050 0 00     4000 0 00   Twentieth Lott Sorts  Acres r. p. 3 Thorney Knarr Fenn 3900 0 00 3 Westmoore North c. 050 0 00 2 Westmoore South c. L. 050 0 00     4000 0 00   The Three Thousand Acres Overplus 2 Woodwalton Common 937 0 00 3 Higney Grounds 100 0 00 6 Part of Holme Fennl 963 0 00 4 Part of Byall Fenn c. 1000 0 00     3000 0 00 Note That when a Tax of 5000 l. is raised on the 95000 Acres which is called a single Tax then the first sort Land is taxed 4 d. per Acre and so on to Eleven Groats The Division of the LEVEL into Three Levels THis Great Level the Works thereof have divided the same so as it lyeth in Three Levels and are now called by the Names of The North Middle and South Level The North Level lyeth between the North Level River Welland and the 〈…〉 of Moreton's Leame and bears in Proportion of the Draining Taxes of the whole 95000 Acres about a Sixth part of the Tax The Banks Rivers and Drains maintained by the said Corporation in this part of the Level are viz. The Bank against Welland River from Peakirk to the Barrs at the West end of Crowland and the Weare Dike to the same Weareington new Drain with its Banks and Weare Dike The Drain called the Stoor-nook Drain from Stoor nook to the Adventurers Lands in Borrow Great Fenn and from thence by the Outring Dike of of the said Adventurers Lands to the East Corner thereof and from thence by Pepper Lake to New South Ea and from from thence by the New South Ea to Clows Cross and from thence by the Shier Drain to the Sea The Wride Stream The Eighteen foot Drain through Murrow Common to Clows Cross The Old South Ea from Guyhurne Corner to Clows Cross Thorney Dike from Catswater by Willow-Hall as far as the Sasse in the North Bank of Moreton's Leame The North Bank of Moreton's Leame and Weare Dikes The Middle Level lyeth between the Middle Level 〈…〉 Moreton's Leame and the North Bank of Bedford River and bears in proportion of the Draining Taxes about a Twenty fifth part The Banks Rivers or Drains in this part of the Level now maintained by the Corporation are The South Bank of Moreton's Leame and Weare Dikes Standground Sasse The Old course of the River Neane from Standground Sasse to Well Creek Sasse with the Sasses at Floods Ferrey near Whittlesea Dike's end and the Sasse at the lower end of Well Creek Whittlesea Dike Bevill's Leame from Whittlesea Meer to the Sasse near Baldwin Glossom's House at the lower end of Waldersea Receptacle Moore 's Drain from Bevill's Leame to the Old Neane below March The Delfe Dike from Whittlesea to the Old Neane New Dike from Connington Brook at the upper Corner of _____ to Hooke Load And Hooke Load to the Old Neane by Burbridge Stream into the Old Neane Monke's Load The Drain from Raveley's Nook to Burbridge Stream between Woodwalton Common and Ramsey and Raveley Common The Forty foot Drain from the West Outring Dike of the Adventurers Lands taken out of Doddington Warbois Ramsey c. to Welche's Damm The West water from the Forty foot through Benwick The Drain leading from Chartres Ferrey to Slade Gate and so to the Forty foot Drain The Twenty foot Drain from Erith Common to Well Creek with the Bank thereof and Sluces therein That part of the West water from Somersham Town by Holwoods and Middlemore and so to the Counter wash between the Twenty foot Bank and the North Bank of Bedford River with the Sluces and Tunnels therein Hammond's Ea from the Adventurers Lands in Somersham High Fenn to the Twenty foot Drain aforesaid Old Bedford River with the Bank thereof from Erith to the Old Ouze with the Sluces thereunto belonging The Sixteen soot Drain from the Thirty foot Drain to Popham's Ea. Darcy Load from the Sixteen foot Drain to Maid Load and so to the Twenty foot Drain Popham's Ea with the Brick Sluce therein London's Load with a Drain through Londiners Fenn to the Twenty foot Drain called Fortrey's Drain The Drain called the Tongs from Nordel Sluce through Downeham Common to the Sluce at the end thereof near Stow Town 's end with the Sluces and Tunnels to the same belonging The South Level is from the North South Level Bank of Old Bedford River to Stoake Feltwell Mildenhall and that part of the Up land Countrey there adjoyning and bears in Proportion of the Draining Taxes about a Seventeenth part The Banks Rivers and Drains in this Level maintained by the said Corporation are as followeth viz. South Bank of the River Ouze from the Hard Lands of Swacey c. to the Hermitage and the Sasse or Sluce there The River called New Bedford River from the Hermitage to Salters Load with the Banks Forelands Weare Dikes and Sluces thereof The Drain that leads from Ewel-Fenn to Audrey Causey and from thence into the Old Ouze at Audrey Bridge Grunty Fenn Drain from Grunty Fenn to the Old Ouze at Littleport Chair with its Banks Part of Old Welney River Littleport Drain Maid Load and Modney Drain with the Sluces to the same The Drain that carries away Hoggington Brook with the Banks to be raised The River of Grant from Clay-hith to Harrimeere with the Banks Forelands Weare Dikes and Sluces thereof The Banks of the Old Ouze from Harrimeere to Chitterings The New long Drain from Wicken High Fenn 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 Stoake River and from thence through Downeham's Ea to the Sluces at the lower end thereof near Stow Bridge The East Banks of Ouze from Harrimeere to the Brick Sluce at Prick-willo with the Weare Dike thereof The New Bank on the West side of the River Ouze from Harrimeere to Ely High Bridge The Drain from the East end of the Adventurers Lands taken out of Soham Common to the Weare Dike of Mildenhall River Mildenhall River with the Banks Forelands and Weare Dikes thereof The East Banks of the River Ouze from Mildenhall River to the Sluce at the lower end of Mildenhall Drain near Littleport Chair Mildenhall Drain from the last mentioned Sluce to Mildenhall Common The River of Ouze with the Banks Forelands Weare Dikes Sluces and Tunnels thereof from Littleport Chair to Denver Damm Excepting the Sluces Tunnels and Waterworks heretofore made
'l candidly believe that Publick Zeal Had more of Influence here than Private Weal When by your Noble Pattern and Success Taught and encourag'd all Men shall profess A hate of Sloth and so the Sea shall more Feel your Example than your Skill before Whilst all to work that Publick Tyrant's bane At once Conspire as if he were a Dane When such as have no Wit but to defame All generous Works and blast them with the Name Of giddy Projects are describ'd to be But Slaves to Custom Friends to Popery And ranckt with those who lest they should accuse Their Sires no harness but the Tail will use When to your Glory all your Banks shall stand Like the immortal Pyramide and your Land Forget it e're was Sea when those dull Wits That Judge by Sence become time's Proselytes And such as know no other Argument Shall be at last confuted by th' Event When Bedford's stately Bank and noble Drain Shall Parallel the Streights of Magellane Or Hercules his Pillars in due Fame Because they wear your Livery in their Name And your Renown shall snare the Bays with theirs Who in times past built Amphitheaters When Cities shall be built and Housestall As the proud Oak which you their Founders call Fair Orchards Planted and the Myrtle Grove Adorn'd as if it were the Scene of Love Gardens with Flowers of such auspicious hew You 'ld swear that Eden in the Desert grew When it appears the All-sufficient Soyl With Primitive Strength yields as much Corn as Oyl To make our Hearts strong as our Faces gay Meadows so blest with Grass so charg'd with Hay With goodly Kine and Beeves replenisht so As if they stood upon the Banks of Po. When all dire Vapours if there any were Besides the Peoples breath are turn'd to Air Pure as the Upper Region and the Sun Shall shine like one well pleas'd with what is done When Agues Scurveys Coughs Consumptions Wind All Crude Distempers here their Cure shall find When with the change of Elements suddenly There shall a change of Men and Manners be Hearts thick and tough as Hydes shall feel Remorse And Souls of Sedge shall understand Discourse New hands shall learn to Work forget to Steal New leggs shall go to Church new knees shall kneel When Ouse proves Helicon when the Nean forsake Their lofty Mountain and themselves betake To this delicious Vale when Caps and Gowns Are seen at Wisbich when for sordid Clowns And savage Scythians There Succeeds a Race Worthy the Bliss and Genius of the place What Trophees will you Purchase then what Bays Will ye acquire what Acclamations raise What greater Satisfaction what Reward Of higher price can all the World afford Than in a Work of such Renown and Merit T' engross the Glory and the bliss t' inherit Mean while proceed and Opposition slight Envy perhaps may bark it cannot bite Your Cause is good your Friends are great your Foes Have neither Power nor Colour to oppose Rubbs you may meet with why should that displease Would you accomplish Vast designs with Ease But vainly I with weak insinuations Your Wisdoms importune such fond perswasions Fit none but drooping Minds whom fears oppress No terrour no alarm can you possess Who free from sinful Canaanites annoy The Land of Promise now in part enjoy Your Proudest foes begin to sue for Peace And with their hopes their malice doth decrease They all confess that Heaven with you Combines Sit down therefore in safety Your designs Begun with Vertue shall with Fortune end For Profit publick thoughts do still attend And now a Muse as fruitful as the Land Assist me whilst my too unskilful hand Describes the Glories of this Place a Skill Which might perhaps deserve some Laureats Quill But I presume the Reader 's Charity And wise Conjecture will my faults supply All Seeds all Plants and Herbs this Noble field Doth with a kind of Emulation yield Would you see Plenty It is stor'd with Grain Like Egypt when Romes Pride it did maintain With roots of Monstrous bulk flesh fowl and fish All that the Belly or the Tast can wish Here thrives the lusty Hemp of Strength untam'd Whereof vast Sails and mighty Cables fram'd Serve for our Royal Fleets Flax soft and fine To the East Countreys envy could we joyn To England's Blessings Holland's industry We all the World in wealth should far outvie Here grows proud Rape whose price and plenty foyls The Greenland Trade and checks the Spanish Oyls Whose branch thick large and tall the Earth so shrowds As heaps of Snow the Alps or pregnant Clouds The azure Sky or like that Heavenly Bread Which in the Wilderness God's bounty shed After long Tillage it doth then abound With Grass so plentiful so sweet so sound Scarce any tract but this can Pastures shew So large so rich And if you wisely Sow The fine Dutch Clover with such Beanty spreads As if it meant t' affront our English Meads The Gentle Ozier plac't in goodly ranks At small Expence upon the comely Banks Shoots forth to admiration here and yields Revenues certain as the Rents of Fields And for a Crown unto this blest Plantation Almost in every Ditch there 's Navigation To scan all its Perfections would desire A Volume and as great a Skill require As that which Drayn'd the Countrey in one word It yields whate're our Climate will afford And did the Sun with kinder beams reflect You might Wine Sugar Silk and Spice expect Fond witless Usurer to rest content In that thy Money yields thee 6 per Cent Which thou with hazard of the Principal Dost rigorously extort from Men in thrall Come here and look for gain both vast and just And yet so constant that thou need'st not trust Unhappy Farmer that employ'st thy Skill And wasts thy Strength upon some barren Hill Which too ungrateful scarce the borrowed Seed At length restores much less relieves thy need These Fields shall yield thee Gold And yet require No labour but the Alchymie of Fire Poor Curate whom thine envious Stars prefer To be some hide-bound Parsons Pensioner On such hard Terms that if thy Flock were fed As ill as thou their Souls might starve for Bread When these fair Fields are Plow'd then cast with me How large how fat the Livings here must be Ye busie Gentlemen that plant the Hop And dream vast gains from that deceitful Crop Or by manuring what you ought to Let Thrive backwards and too dearly purchase Wit Leave off these Lotteries and here take your Lot The Profit 's certain and with ease 't is got Courageous Merchants who confronting fates Trust Seas and Pyrates with your whole Estates Part in this bank methinks were far more sure And ye whom hopes of sudden Wealth allure Or wants into Virginia force to fly Ev'n spare your pains here 's Florida hard by Fair Damsels that your Portions would advance Employ them on this blest Inheritance And faithful Guardians that would quit the trust In you repos'd like Men as wise as just Here here bestow your Orphans Talents ye Shall now no longer Friends but Fathers be All ye that Treasures either want or love And who is he whom Profit will not move Would you repair your fortunes would you make To this most fruitful Land your selves betake Where first your Money doubles in a trice And then by new Progression multiplies If therefore Gain or Honour or Delight Or care of Publick Good will Men invite Into this fortunate Isle now let them enter With confidence since here they all concenter But if all these be choakt and drown'd with flegm Let them enjoy their Sloth sit still and dream FINIS