PREFACE 179 



predecessors, stood the test of time : for the Articles of Agreement 

 then drawn up were confirmed by a Decree in Chancery ' and 

 continued to be the basis on which the management of the common 

 waste at Cottenham rested, until the enclosure in 1842. 



We have a contemporary reference to this agreement in a des- 

 cription of the Fens by Richard Atkins of Outwell in 1604 ; 

 and as he was according to Dugdale * a person " whose observa- 

 tions on these fenny grounds were very notable, " it may be worth 

 while to print his description at length. 3 



Cottenham. Lord there Sr. William Hynd. It hath verie good 

 Fennes and great ; viz from a Fenne by Awdrich causey called 

 Sechell to Chittering on the East. The names of Cottenham 

 fennes be thes. 



1. Sechell right over against Outlawes Cote, it begynneth at the 

 gate by the River on the west and cometh downe to Robbins lode. 



2. Michellee about 200 acres lieth est of Sechell, Robins lode 

 parting Michellee and Sechell on the one syde. 



3. Topham more about 150 acres lyeth more Est Michellee 

 towards denney. 



4. Awbrose is about j of a mile square it butteth on michellee 

 on the north and the field to the south, and vppon smethy fenne 

 to the west. Memorandum, the Lottes there about 200 acres 

 wherin everie howse hath an acre. It lyeth north Est from 

 Awbrose. 



5. Smethy fenne is that wherto they passeover a bridg. It 

 containeth 500 acres and more. It contynueth from Cottenham 

 to the were at the howse next Aldrith Calsey. 



6. Charefenne common Fenne, and a pece called xx. d. lie more 

 Est to denney Ward, the Common is a turfe fenne 2Qd. leadeth to 

 the Riv r and is aboute 30 acres, Charefenne is next denney and 

 ther goeth the heard commonly. 



On the Est side of the Towne next denny, the Lord hath taken 

 in certeine pastures called Woolfes pastures, by reason wherof he 



1 9. May 1597. Mr. Bacon was counsel in this suit. 



2 Embanking. 378. 



3 The MS. is among Dugdale's Collections in the British Museum: Harl. MSS. 

 5011 f. 23, 3. It has been summarised by Badeslade : Navigation of King's 

 Lynn. 74. 



