6 Geo. 2. c. 33. from the expiration thereof, until the twenty ninth day of Sep22Geo.2.c.45. tember one thousand feven hundred and fixty, and from thence to the end of the then next feffion of parliament. The treafury may pay the bounties to Alexander Brown and George Steel, for their veffels loft in the Greenland Seas. 1,3581. 115. rod. to be VII. And whereas by two acts of parliament made in the fixth and twenty fecond years of the reign of his prefent Majefly, for the encouragement of the whale fishery carried on by his Majesty's British fubjects, a bounty of forty fhillings per ton, under certain regulations mentioned in the faid acts, is to be paid by the receiver general of the customs, to the mafters or owners of ships employed in the whale fishery in the Greenland Seas or Davis's Streights, on their return to this kingdom: and whereas Alexander Brown and George Steel, did, on the behalf of themfelves and partners, fit out in the year one thousand feven hundred and fifty one, a fhip called the Hopetoun, for the whale fishery in the Greenland Seas, in the manner prefcribed. and appointed by the faid acts, and which faid ship was actually employed in the faid fifbery, but was unavoidably loft in the faid feas: be it therefore enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the commiffioners of the treasury, or any three or more of them now being, or the high treasurer, or any three or more of the commiffioners of the treasury for the time being, fhall be, and he or they are hereby impowered to direct, if he or they think fit, the payment of the bounties which the faid Alexander Brown and George Steel, and their partners, would have been intituled to in cafe the faid fhip had returned to this kingdom; any thing in the faid two feveral acts contained to the contrary notwithstanding. VIII. And whereas feveral fums of money, amounting in the whole to the fum of one thousand three hundred and fifty eight pounds eleven fhillings and ten pence are due to John Stevenson and company, and Robert Donald and company, for bounties upon British made fail cloth exported from that part of Great Britain called Scotland, on or before the first day of June one thousand feven hundred and fifty; which fums of money cannot, by reafon of the infufficiency of the fund paid to Ro- established for the payment of the faid bounties, before the faid first bert Donald day of June one thousand feven hundred and fifty, be paid and difand company, charged, unless fome more effectual provision be made for that purpose ; and to John, be it therefore enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the fecompany, out veral and refpective fums of money due to Robert Donald and of the old company, and to John Stevenfon and company, for bounties upfubfidy in on British made fail cloth exported on or before the first day of Scotland, ap- June one thousand feven hundred and fifty, amounting in the plicable to incidents. whole to the fum of one thousand three hundred and fifty eight pounds eleven fhillings and ten pence, fhall be, and the fame are hereby charged upon, and fhall be paid out of fuch parts of the old fubfidy collected in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, as are applicable to the payment of incidents. Stevenson and CAP CAP. XIX. bai An act for difcharging the corporation of the governor, WH Law of Sewers HEREAS by an act of parliament made and paffed in the 15 Car. 2. fifteenth year of the reign of his late majesty King Charles C..17. the Second, intituled, An act for fettling the draining of the great level of the fens called Bedford Level, reciting, That Francis earl of Bedford, according to a law of fewers made at King's Lynn in in 6 Car 1. the fixth year of the reign of his late majesty King Charles the First, had undertaken the draining of the faid great level therein mentioned to be fituate within the counties of Northampton, Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincoln, Cambridge and Huntingdon, and the isle of Ely, and therein particularly bounded and defcribed; and that he was to have for his recompence ninety five thousand acres of the ground within the faid level, with convenient highways and paffages to the fame, and the new river, cuts and drains, to be made by the faid earl and his affigns, and the banks of the fame, and the forelands in the infide of the faid banks, not to exceed fixty foot in breadth; and that William earl of Bedford, fon and heir of the faid earl Francis, with divers of his adventurers and participants, had proceeded in the compleating and finifbing the faid works; but that the fame could not be preserved without conftant care, great charge, and orderly government; it was therefore (amongst other things) enacted, That the faid William earl of Bedford, and the adventurers and participants of the faid earl Francis, and earl William, or either of them, their heirs and affigns, in fuch manner as therein after is contained, fhould be a body politick and corporate in deed and name, and have fucceffion for ever, by the name of The governor, bailiffs, and commonalty, of the company of confervators of the great level of the fens, with power to lay and levy taxes upon the faid ninety five thousand acres only, for fupport, maintenance and prefervation of the faid great level, and do all other things in order to the fupport, maintenance and prefervation of the faid great level and works made, and to be made, in fuch manner as therein is mentioned; and taking notice, that by the faid law of fewers, twelve thousand acres, parcel of the faid ninety five thousand acres, were defigned and intended to his faid late majesty King Charles the Firft, and had been fet forth and allotted by bounds in severalty; and that his faid late Majefty had granted two thousand cres, part thereaf thereof, to Jerome earl of Portland, bis beirs and affigns; and that the faid earl bad fold about one thousand five hundred acres, part of the said two tboufand acres, to feveral perfons, and bad conveyed the remaining five bundred acres to Benjamin Welton efquire, on feveral trufts; it was thereby further enacted, that the faid two thousand acres, or fuch other lands of equal value, as fhould be Jet forth in exchange of the fame, bould be and were thereby vested, fettled, and established in the faid feveral perfons, their beirs and affigns respectively, to whom the faid earl of Portland bad conveyed the fame, to be held of the King's majefty, bis heirs and fucceffors of the manor of Eaft Greenwich, by fealty only, in free and common focage, fubject nevertheless with the refidue of the faid ninety five thousand acres, in equal proportion to all taxes and charges necellary and conducing to the prefervation of the faid great level from drowning; and it was thereby further enalted, That the eighty three thousand acres, remainder of the faid ninety five tboufand acres, with the faid ways, paffages, new rivers, cuts, drains, banks and fore lands, over and above the Jaid ten thousand acres, refidue of the faid twelve thousand acres, which were allotted in feveralty, and of which bis faid late Majefty was in poffeffion, were thereby vested and fettled in the faid governor, bailiffs and commonalty, and their fucceffors, in truft for the faid William earl of Bedford, and the adventurers and participants of the faid earl Francis and earl William, or either of them, their beirs and affigns, in fuch manner as is therein after limited and provided, and according to fuch parts and proportions as they respectively then held and enjoyed, or by virtue of the faid act ought to bold and enjoy, fubject and liable likewife to the payment of all taxes and charges as aforefaid, to be beld of the King's majesty, bis heirs and fucceffors, of the manor of East Greenwich, by fealty, in free and common focage; and the faid ten thoufand acres were thereby vested in bis then prefent Majefty, and bis affigns, fubject and liable with the refidue of the faid ninety five thousand acres, to the fame taxes and charges before specified; and it is thereby further enacted That the faid governor, bailiffs and confervators of the faid corporation for the time being, or any five or more of them, whereof the faid governor or bailiffs, or their fucceffors or any of them, to be two, for maintenance and prefervation of the faid great level, by convenient outfalls to the sea, should for ever thereafter be, and were thereby made and conftituted commiffioners of fewers for and of the said great level of the fens; and the said governor, bailiffs and confervators, or any five or more of them, whereof the faid governor or bailiffs, and their fucceffors, or any of them, to be two, are thereby enabled and impowered from thenceforth, to use and exercife the power and authority of commiffioners of fewers, within the faid great level of the fens, and of the works made and to be made without the faid great level, for conveying the waters of the faid great level, by convenient outfalls to the fea, in fucb manner and with fuch other powers, jurifdietions and authorities, as are therein mentioned and contained: and whereas 20 Car. 2. c. 8. by another act of parliament made and passed in the twentieth year of his faid late majesty King Charles the Second, intituled, An act for the taxing and affeffing of the lands of the adventurers within the great level of the fens, after reciting in part the last recited act, and that the way tberein mentioned of raifing draining-taxes upon the faid ninety five thou fand acres, by an equal acre-rate, had been found inconvenient, it was enafted, That all taxes thereafter to be fet and impofed for the maintenance and prefervation of the faid great level, fhould be from time to time affefed and taxed by the faid governor, bailiffs and confervators, or their fucceffors, ar any five or lore of them, whereof the faid governor and bailifs for the time being, or any of them to be two, upon the faid eighty three thousand acres, part and parcel of the faid ninety five thousand acres, by a gradual acretax of different forts and values of lands, to be received, paid and levied, by fuch ways and means, as in the faid recited at are provided; and that the faid eighty three thousand acres, for raising taxes for support and maintenance of the great level, fhould not be rated or affefed otherwife or in any other manner than according to a gradual acre-tax of different forts and degrees, and according to the refpective values and rates thereby fet and rated, and to be fet and rated, as is therein after appointed and it was thereby further enacted, That when and fo often as the fum of fix thousand one bundred and ten pounds, feven fbillings, and one penny balfpenny, fhould be taxed and affeffed upon the faid ninety five thousand acres; that then the faid twelve thousand acres fbould be rated and affeffed at fifteen pence the acre, and according to that proportion, for the raifing of any greater or leffer fum than fix thousand one hundred and ten pounds, feven fillings, and one penny balfpenny, to be received, paid, and levied, together with penalties, in fuch and the like manner, as the taxes fet and impofed, or to be fet and impofed, upon the faid eighty three thousand acres, are thereby provided for to be received, paid, and levied and to the end that the faid eighty three thousand acres might be more equally rated by a gradual acre-tax, not under the number of feven forts, it was thereby further enacted, That certain perfons in the fame at named, or any three or more of them, were thereby conStituted and appointed to be furveyors and valuers of the faid eighty three thousand acres, and were within the time therein limited, to digeft the faid eighty three thousand acres into fuch number of forts or degrees of land, nos. under the number of feven forts and degrees, and to rate and tax fuch degrees, and digeft the fame into fehedules in writing, and make returns thereof, upon their oaths, into the fen-office, in fuch manner as in and by the faid act is mentioned and directed: and whereas the feveral perfons by the faid laft recited act appointed to be furveyors or valuers, valued and fet out the faid eighty three thousand acres, according to the directions thereby given, into eleven different forts or degrees of land, to be rated and taxed in manner following: that is to fay, for a fingle tax, four pence per acre on the first fort of land; eight pence per acre on the fecond fort; and fo increafing four pence upon every fort; the eleventh fort to be taxed at three fbillings and eight pence; and all greater or lefs fums which the faid corporation fhould have occafion to raife, were to be rated and affeffed in the like proportions; which valuations of the faid furveyors were returned by them into the fen-office, as by the faid laft-mentioned aft was directed; and the faid eighty-three thousand acres bave always fince been taxed according to the degrees and proportions thereby fet out and allotted, calling a tax of four pence on the first fort of land, and increafing on the ten other forts in manner aforefaid, a fingle tax; five pence a tax and quarter; fix pence a tax and half; Seven pence a tax and three quarters; and eight pence a double tax; and whereas at a court of the faid corporation, beld the tenth day of March one tboufand fix bundred and Court of corand ninety feven, the faid corporation, declared that the faid great level should poration held be diftinguished by the feveral names of the North Level, Middle Level, 1697.. and South Level; and that all that part of the faid ninety five thousand acres, which lay between the north fide of Moreton's Leame, and the foutb fide of Welland River, fhould be accounted that part of the ninetyfive thousand acres lying within the North Level: and whereas the faid corporation, in order to fupport and preferve the feveral works for draining the Debt of the faid great level, were obliged to borrow feveral fums of money on bonds, un- corporation der their common feal: and by that means, at Lady-Day one thousand feven at Lady-Day, bundred to March, 1728. bundred and twenty eight, bad contracted debts, amounting in the whole, to the principal fum of feventeen thousand one bundred and fifty pounds; and fome new works being neceffary for better draining the faid North Level, part of the faid great level, by indenture bearing date the twenty ninth day of May one thousand feven hundred and twenty eight, and made or mentioned to be made, between the governor, bailiffs, and commonalty, of the company of confervators of the faid great level of the fens, of the one part, and the most noble William duke of Devonshire, guardian of the most noble Wriothefley then duke of Bedford, a minor, and the right honourable Henry then earl of Lincoln, of the other part; after reciting the said att of the fifteenth year of his late majesty King Charles the Second, and that the faid great level of the fens was then diftinguished by the several names of the North Level, the Middle Level, and the South Level; and that fuch part of the faid great level, as was diftinguished by the name of the North Level, did contain about forty thoufand acres of land, of which there were about eleven thousand fix hundred acres of land, fubject to the said taxes and that the faid duke of Bedford and earl of Lincoln were owners or proprietors of great part thereof; and further reciting, That the faid duke of Devonshire, as guardian of the faid duke of Bedford, and the faid earl of Lincoln, for the prefervation of the respective eftates of the faid duke of Bedford and earl of Lincoln, in the faid North Level, did in the then laft fummer, actually lay out and expend the fum of three thousand four bundred pounds, the monies of the faid duke of Bedford and earl of Lincoln, in proportion to their faid respective eftates, in regaining and keeping open the outfall for the waters of the faid North Level to fea, and in doing several other neceffary and material works, which bad tended greatly towards the draining and prefervation of all the eftates in the faid North Level; but by reafon of the many and frequent floods which had of late years happened, and the infufficiency of the banks and works of the faid North Level to refift the fame, and particularly by reafon of the weakness and lowness of the bank on the north fide Moreton's Leame Wafh, next the faid North Level, the greateft part of the lands within the faid level had then lately been, and were fubject to be drowned, fo that little or no profit could be made thereof, nor could the faid North Level be effectually drained or fecured for the future, unless the faid north bank was to be enlarged and ftrengthened; and therefore the faid governor, bailiffs, and commonalty, had refolved to make a canal in the faid wafb, and other works there, for ftrengthening and enlarging the faid north bank, the charge of all which would amount at least to fix thousand fix bundred pounds; and further reciting, That the faid duke of Devonthire, on the faid duke of Bedford's behalf, and with bis confent, and the faid earl of Lincoln, at the request of the faid governor, bailiffs, and commonalty bad agreed to advance the faid fix thousand fix bundred pounds, for the purpofes aforefaid, in proportion to their faid respective eftates in the faid North Level; and that the faid governor, bailiffs, and commonalty, bad agreed that the taxes, revenues, and rents, annually laid, and arifing upon and out of the lands in the faid North Level only, should be made a fecurity for repayment as well of the faid three thousand four bundred pounds, then already laid out, as for the faid fix thousand fix bundred pounds to be laid out, and intereft at the rate of four pound per centum per annum; and were defirous and had propofed, that the feid duke of Devonshire, and earl of Lincoln, fbould have not only the direction and difpofal of the faid fix thousand fix bundred pounds, in making the jaid canal and other new works, but also that the Jaid duke of Devonshire, and earl of Lincoln, during the minority of the Jaid duke of Bedford, and afterwards the faid duke of Bedford, and earl of |