Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 3.djvu/336

 288 C. 17. Anno dec'mo qulnto Carol i IT. A. D. 1663. How Breaches fliall be mnAs good. L. And be it further cnafled by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Breaches happen in any of the Banks, Safles, Sluices, Tunnels or other Works within the faid Great Level, or in any the Works made without the faid Great Level for carrying the AVaters of the faid Great Level to their Outfal at Ses, by Reafon of fome inevitable Accidents, the fame fhall be repaired and made good in convenient Time by and at the Charges of the faid Corporation and their Succeflbrs ; (2) but no other Charge lliall be laid upon the iaid Corporation or their Succeflbrs, for or in refpeft of fuch Breaches, nor for or in refpedt of any Breaches that have happened heretofore in any of the faid Banks, Saffes, Sluices or other Works; nor fnall the (aid 'Corporation be inforced to give to any other Perfon any Recompence for any Lofs or Damage which hath or fhall happen by Reafon of their making necelTary and fufEcient Banks for the Defending of the faid Level from being overflown, and for the Leading of the Waters of the faid Level in their Chanels as now they unto their Outfal at Sea, they I Provifo for Per- fons that have changed their Lands, Commons and Waftes in Bed- ford-Level in- clo^fed. After the Year ]66S. Taxes ihail not exceed 7. s. in the Found. LL Provided neverthelefs, and be it enabled. That where any Participant under /^wzm Earl of BMford, or the Heirs or Affigns of any fuch Participant, hath exchanged his or their Share or Lot of the frid ninety- five thoufand Acres, or any Part thereof, for any other Lands, Parcel of the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, which were claimed and held under fuch pretended Sales, for Nonpayment of Taxes, fmce one thoufand fix hundred forty and nine, It fhall and may be lawful to and for fuch Participant and Participants, and his and their Heirs and Affigns, to enter again upon the fame Lands fo given in Exchange, and to have and retain the feme in his and their Poffeffion, any Thing in this Aft to the contrary notwithicanding : Sub- jeifl neverthelefs in all Things to fuch Judgment and Determination as the Judicature hereby conilituted- fhall make concerning the fame. ..... LIL Provided always. That no afcertaining or dividing of the faid dreined or new improved Lands by the faid Commiffioners as aforefaid, ftiall conclude the King's Majefty, his Heirs, Succefibrs or Affigns, or any other Perfon or Perfons, as to the Bounds of Parifhes, to any other Intent or Purpofe, than fubjeft-!' ing the fame to Taxes and Contributions, and Epifcopal JurifdicSions, and not as to the Right of Tithes or' any other Purpofe whatfoever, nor fhall be, orbeufedin. Evidence concerning the fame. LIII. Provided alfo, and be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Perfon or Perfons' having a Right of Common in any of the Manors, Waftes, Commons or Lands within the faid Great Le- vel of the Fens, called Bedford- Level, or any other Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, at any Time after fuch Divifion or Inclofure made, or fet out as aforefaid, fhall break, throw down, difturb, obftruft or by any Means hinder or lay open the faid Improvements and Inclofures, at, in or after the Making thereof, or the:. Hedges, Ditches or Fences of the fame, or any Part thereof fhall deflroy, and fliall be thereof convidledii by two credible Witnefies upon Oath before two Juflices of the Peace of the County where fuch Difturb- ance or DeflrrucSfion fhall be made : Every fuch Perfon or Perfons fo conviiSled as aforefaid, fhall forreit for every fuch Offence the Sum of twenty Pounds ; (2 j to be levied by Diftrefs upon the Goods and Chattels of every fuch Offender or Offenders, by Warrant under the Hands and Seals of the faid Juffices of the Peace before whom fuch Conviftion fftall be made ; the one Moiety to the Informer ; and the other Moiety to fuch Perfon or Perfons againft whom the faid Offence is or fhall be committed; or for Want of fuch fuffi- cient Diffrefs, the Offender fhall be committed to the Houfe of Corredlion or Common Gaol for three Months without Bail or Mainprize, at the faid Juftices Difcretion. LIV. Provided always, and it is hereby enadted and declared by the Authority aforefaid. That from and; after the firfl Day of Au^uft which fhall be in the Year of our Lord one thoufand fix hundred fixty and eight,' no Tax or Taxes exceeding two Shillings the Acre in any one Year, fhall be afTefTed, laid or levied, upon the faid ten thoufand Acres by this Aft vefted in the King's Majeffy, his Heirs, SuccefTors and Affigns, or upon any Part thereof, or. upon the two thoufand Acres hereby veffed in the Affigns of the faid Earl oi Port- land; but in cafe the- Taxes to be affeffed upon the faid eighty-three thoufand Acres hereby vefled in the faid Corporation, fhall not amount unto fo much in Proportion as two Shillings an Acre, according to the Proportion for each Acre ; then a proportionable Abatement fhall be made out of the faid two Shillings ^^r Acre, which fliall be charged yearly by an equal Rate upon every Acre of the faid ten thoufand Acres, and the faid two thoufand Acres; according to the Rate impofed upon every Acre of the faid eighty-three thoufiind Acres, whether the fame fhall be afTefled by an Acre-Tax or Pound-Rate, or by any other Way; any Thing herein contained to the contrary notwithfcanding. LV. And it is further declared. That the AfTeffingj Laying and Levying of Taxes upon the faid ten thoufand Acres, or upon the faid two thoufand Acres or any Part thereof, after the faid firfl Day of Augujl which fhall be in the faid Year of our Lord one thoufand fix hundred fixty and eight, by the Way of an Acre-Tax, fhall not extend nor be interpreted or conllrued to extend, to compel or conclude the faid Cor- poration, to afTefs, lay or levy any Tax or Taxes upon the faid eighty-three thoufand Acres, hereby vefted in the faid Corporation, or upon any Part thereof by the Way of an Acre-Tax. Anno declmo fexto Carol: fecundi Regis. T the Parliament be.o;un at If^efim'mfterihe eighth of May one thoufand fix hundred fixty-one, Ann} held at Wcjlminjlir the fixteenth of March 16 Car. 2.' 13 Car, 2, and by Prorogation. CAP.