CHAP. II. THE GREAT LEVEL OF THE FENS. 35 



where there is no element good? the air being for the 

 most part cloudy, gross, and full of rotten harrs; the 

 water putrid and muddy, yea, full of loathsome vermin; 

 the earth spungy and boggy, and the fire noisome by 

 the stink of smoaky hassocks." 



The wet character of the soil at Ely may be inferred 

 from the circumstance that the chief crop grown in the 

 neighbourhood was willows; and it was a common 

 saying there, that "the profit of willows will buy the 

 owner a horse before that by any other crop he can pay 

 for his saddle." 2 There was so much water constantly 

 lying above Ely, that in olden times the Bishop of Ely 

 was accustomed to go in his toat to Cambridge. When 

 the outfalls of the Ouse became choked up by neglect, 

 the surrounding districts were subject to severe inunda- 

 tions; and after a heavy fall of rain, or after a thaw in 

 winter, when the river swelled suddenly, the alarm 

 spread abroad, "the bailiff of Bedford is coming!" the 

 Ouse passing by that town. But there was even a more 

 terrible bailiff than he of Bedford ; for when a man was 

 stricken down by the ague, it was said of him, " he 

 is arrested by the bailiff of Marsh-land ; " this disease 

 extensively prevailing all over the district when the 

 poisoned air of the marshes began to work. 



1 Dugdale, * History of Imbank- [ subject. He was employed under 

 ing and Draining.' In this curious ' The Adventurers' when a young 



old book a great deal of interesting 

 matter is to be found relating to the 

 drainage works of early times, though 

 overlaid with considerable ' Dryasdust' 

 citation. Dugdale seems to have ran- 

 sacked all literatim- for any informa- 

 tion bearing, however remotely, on his 



man, as early as 1643, and afterwards 

 published his book at the request of 

 Lord Georges, for some time Surveyor- 

 General of the Great Bedford Level. 



2 ' Anglorum Speculum; or, the 

 Worthies of England in Church and 

 State :' London, 1684. 



D 2 



