ON THE ALLUVIUM OF THE BEDFORD LEVEL. 
93 
making a firm causey of wood and gravel over it, from Deeping 
to Spalding, for the advantage of passengers" — ' a most costly 
work^ but of extraordinary necessity, wliicli now dotli, and as 
long as it sliall last, will bear liis name/ At that time, part 
of this province was a forest as well a? a fen, and possessed 
by Leofrike Earl of ]\Iercia." The same author also, quoting 
the History of Jugulphus, writes, that Richard de Bulos 
^' was much addicted to good husbandry, viz. tillage and 
breeding of cattle, and took in a great part of the common 
fen adjacent, and converted it into several enclosures, for 
meadow and pastures. The like enclosure he also made of 
all his land eastward to Caer-dike, and beyond Caer-dike to 
Clei-dike, without Cranmore, excluding the river of Welland 
with a mighty bank; because every year almost all his mea" 
dows, lying near unto that stream, were overflowed with 
the continual inundations thereof; for which this place, called 
Deeping, had first that name, id est, a deep meadow : and erect- 
ing upon that bank divers tenements and cottages, did, in a 
short time, make it a large town, whercunto he assigned gardens 
and arable fields. And by thus banking the said river, reduced 
those low grounds, wdiich were before that time deep lakes and 
impassible fens, into most fruitful fields and pastures ; and the 
most humid and moorish parts thereof to a garden of pleasure." 
And, Abbott Egelrie (in the times of King Edward the Elder 
and King Edgar), who plowed up a large proportion of them for 
corn, which could not have been done without the help of drain- 
ing, I presume; for (saith Jugulphus), in dry years he tilled the 
fens in four places, at the four corners of them ; and for three 
years had an increase of a hundred fold of what seed soever he 
sowed. Amongst which, that fen at Tedwarther (Lincolnshire) 
was the most fruitful ; the monastery being so much enriched 
by these plentiful crops, that the whole country thereabouts was 
supplied therewith, and a multitude of poor people resorting 
thither for that respect, Crouland became a large town." The 
