Page:Petty 1851 The Down Survey.djvu/393

 the late Parliament. And that the said cities of Limerick and Waterford, and town of Clonmel, shall have equal privileges, franchises, and immunities with the city of Bristol in England, and charters granted unto the inhabitants thereof under the great seal of England to that effect. And if any vacant places or waste grounds, heretofore belonging to the rebels, and now forfeited, shall be found within the walls of any of the said cities or towns, fit and convenient to be built on for habitation, or any other necessary accommodation, it shall and may be lawful for the said commissioners, or any two of them, to grant the same grounds in convenient proportions to such person or persons whatsoever, professing the Protestant religion, and to their heirs and assigns as shall become suitors for the same, without paying therefore any fine or other consideration. Provided that he or they inclose the said vacant places and waste grounds, and build thereupon habitable houses in good and substantial manner, as shall be thought fit and appointed by the said commissioners, within the space of three years next after the same shall be assigned and set out unto them.

And for the better encouragement of the said adventurers, officers, and soldiers, be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that neither they, nor any of them, nor any of their tenants or servants residing upon any of the lands to be set out and allotted unto them in the said counties, save such as shall be under the pay of the Commonwealth, shall be put upon any military employments for the space of ten years next after their dividents and alotments of land made unto them as aforesaid, without their own consents, further or otherwise then to defend themselves and their own plantations against the enemies of the Commonwealth in those counties, cities, towns and places aforesaid; and in such case to be conducted and commanded by their own officers, chosen by themselves, and approved of by the said commissioners or commander-in-chief there of the forces of this Commonwealth for the time being.

And whereas, for the more speedy and effectual setling the adventurers, officers, and soldiers, in the said forfeited lands, power is given by the commission, and instructions under the great seal, in this Act before-mentioned, for the taking and returning a gross survey of the said forfeited lands, as in and by the said commission and instructions is at large expressed and directed. Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that in case the said adventurers, officers, or soldiers, or any of them, shall upon such gross survey be possessed of more land than is due unto them or any of them for their respective proportions, it shall be and hereby is made lawful for them or any of them, within the space of two years, from and after the twenty-fourth of June, which shall be in the year one thousand six hundred fifty and four, to purchase the overplus thereof from the said commissioners at three years' value, ready money, according to what it was let for, or worth to be let in the year one thousand six hundred and forty, or otherwise to restore the said overplus for the use and benefit of the Commonwealth. And in case the said adventurers, officers, or soldiers, or any of them, do forbear to purchase or restore the same for the space of the said two years,