It hath been a long received opinion, as well by the borderers upon the Fens as others, that the total drowning of this Great Level (whereof we have in our times been eyewitnesses) hath for the most part, been occasioned by the neglect of putting the laws of sewers in due execution in these latter times; and that before the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII the passages for the water were kept with cleansing, and the banks with better repair, chiefly through the care and cost of those religious houses. ... but wholly to clear them was impossible without the perfect opening and cleansing of their natural outfalls.... In order whereunto the first considerable attempt ... was in 20 Eliz. the Queen then granting her commission to Sir Thomas Cecil, Sir W. Fitzwilliams, Sir Edward Montague and Sir Henry Cromwell, Knights, etc. Howbeit ... little was done.... But King James ... encouraged their proceedings therein, expressing his readiness to allow a part of his own lands to be so recovered, towards the charge of the work, in like proportion that other of his subjects should do.... After this ... the lords of the ... Privy Council ... desired them [the commissioners] to endeavour to satisfy all such persons as having no respect to the general good ... should oppose it ... the said commissioners ... concluded (with one consent) that this work of draining was feasible ... and most beneficial to the countries interested, to have good by, that ever was taken in hand of that kind in those days; ... The commissioners names subscribed thereto being these, viz.: Oliver Cromwell, etc., Thomas Lambert, Robert Cromwell, Ireby, etc., etc. Whereupon there was a particular view of the whole Level, begun ... (21 June, 1605) and ... the king himself ... incited them to fall in hand speedily with the work and the rather because that was a dry summer, and so the more proper for it ... intimating also that, for the better expediting thereof, he had employed his Chief Justice Popham to take pains therein ... they had information ... that in several places of recovered grounds, within the isle of Ely, etc. such as before that time had lived upon alms having no help but by fishing and fowling and such poor means, out of the common Fens, while they lay drowned, were since come to good and supportable estates. The limitation of time allowed to Sir John Popham, knight, Lord Chief Justice, and the rest of the adventurers, for accomplishing the work, was to be ten years ... ... for the space of five years at the least ... there nothing appeareth of consequence to have been prosecuted therein, by reason of the opposition which divers perverse spirited people made thereto ... by bringing of turbulent suits in law ... and making of libellous songs ... THE POWTES COMPLAINT