40 DRAINAGE OF HATFIELD CHASE PART I. 



interest to other proprietors, at a serious depreciation in 

 the value of their shares. The Dutch Eiver was, how- 

 ever, at length cut, and all reasonable ground of com- 

 plaint, so far as respected the lands along the North 

 Don, was removed. For some years the new settlers 

 cultivated their lands in peace; when suddenly they 

 were reduced to the greatest distress, through the 

 troubles arising out of the wars of the Commonwealth. 

 In 1642 a committee sat at Lincoln to watch over the 

 interests of the Parliament in that county. The 

 Yorkshire royalists were very active on the other side 

 of the Don, and the rumour went abroad that Sir 

 Ealph Humby was about to march into the Isle of 

 Axholme with his forces. To prevent this the com- 

 mittee at Lincoln gave orders to break the dykes, and 

 pull up the flood-gates at Snow-sewer and Millerton- 

 sluice, which was done. Thus in one night the results 

 of so many years' labour were undone, and the greater 

 part of the level again lay under water. The damage 

 inflicted on the Hatfield settlers in that one night was 

 estimated at not less than 20,000/. The people who 

 carried out these orders were, no doubt, glad to have 

 the opportunity of taking their full revenge upon the 

 foreigners, who, they alleged, had robbed them of their 

 commons. They levelled the houses of the settlers, 

 destroyed their growing corn, and broke down the 

 fences; and, when some of them tried to stop the 

 destruction of the sluices at Snow-sewer, the rioters 

 stood by with loaded guns, and swore they would stay 

 until the whole levels were drowned again, and the 

 foreigners forced to swim away like ducks. 



After this mischief had been done, the commoners set 

 up their claims as participants in the lands which had 

 not been drowned, and from which the foreigners had 

 been driven. In this they were countenanced by 

 Colonel Lilburne, who, with a force of Parliamenta- 

 rians, occupied Sandtoft, driving the Protestant minister 



