('n.vr. IN. SIK CORNELIUS VKIIMCYDHX. 41 



ami the neighbourhood. 1 The poor foreigners readily 

 answered Vermuyden's call, and many of them took 

 service under him at Hatfield Chase, where they set to 

 work with such zeal, and laboured with such diligence, 

 that before the end of the second year the work was so 

 far advanced that a commission was issued for the survey 

 and division amongst the participants of the reclaimed 

 lands. 2 The plan of drainage adopted seems to have 

 been, to carry the waters of the Idle by direct channels 

 into the Trent, instead of allowing them to meander at 

 will through the level of the Chase. Deep drains were 

 cut, through which the water was drawn from the large 

 pools standing near Hatfield and Thome. The Don 

 also was blocked out of the level by embankments, and 

 forced through its northern branch, by Turn-bridge, into 

 the river Aire. But this last attempt proved a mistake, 

 for the northern channel was found insufficient for the 

 discharge of the waters, and floodings of the old lands 

 about Fishlake, Sykehouse, and Snaith took place; to 

 prevent which, a wide and deep channel, called the 

 Dutch River, was afterwards cut, and the waters of 

 the Don were sent directly into the Ouse, near Goole. 

 This great and unexpected addition to the cost of the 

 undertaking appears to have had a calamitous effect, 



1 It has been observed that the 

 buildings in many of the old Fen towns 

 to tliis day have a Flemish appear- 

 ance, as the names of many of the in- 

 habitants have evidently a foreign 

 origin. Those of Dcscow, Le Plas, 

 Kgar, Brnynne, c., are said to be still 

 nmmion. Among the settlers in the 

 level of Hatfield was Mathew de la 

 I'rynie, who emigrated from Ypivs in 

 ('landers during the persecutions of 

 the Duke of Alva. Professor Pryme, 



of the reclaimed lands: "July 11, 

 J 628. Grant to Cornelius Vermuydeii, 

 of the manors of Hatfield, Fishlake, 

 Thorpe, Stainforth, and Dowesthorpe, 

 county York, subject to a rent of 

 150?. per annum, and to a covenant 

 for the grant to be void if his Majesty 

 repay to the grantee 10,0007. with 

 interest on Septr. 25th." Docquet. 

 \Ve also lind in the same papers (vol. 

 cvii. 1.4) a grant to Yernmyden for 

 lives of himself, his son, and his 



of Cambridge, has been mentioned as two daughters, Sarah and Catherine, 



a lineal descendant of the family. of a moiety of divers wastes and snr- 



Tablets to several of the name are still rounded grounds belonging to Misen, 



to be found in Hatfield Church. in the county of Nottingham, consist- 



- The following document in the ing of 2600 acres, reclaimed by the 



State Paper Office relates to the grant same works. 



