il. D. 1623. Anno vicefiino priiiio Jacobi I. 0.31,32. irg C A P. XXXI. Th? Makers of Knives and other Cutlery Wares in Hallam/hlre in the County of York, made a Cor- poration : Divers Orders for the better Government of the fame Corporation. PR. GAP. XXXIL An At^ for making tHe River of Thames navigable for Barges, Boats and Ligliters, from the Village of Bercot, in the County oi Oxon, unto the Univerfity and City of Oxon.
- 'WT THERE AS the Clearing and EffeiVing of a Paffage for Barges, Boats and Lighters, by the River The Conveniens
' VV of Thames, to the Univerfity and City of Oxon, will be very convenient for Conveyance of Free- cies of having f- Stone, commonly called Oxford Stone, or Heddi7igton Stone, from Bullington Quarry, near the faid ThamMnaviga-
- City and River of Thames, by the faid Pal&ge, to the City of London and other Parts, and moft profit- bie to the city
- able and neceflkry to and for the faid Univerfity and City oi Oxon, for Conveyance thereby of Coals, of Oxford,
- Fuel and other Necellaries, to the faid Univerfity and City, whereof there is now very great Scarcity
' and Want, and "far greater hereafter like to grow, if fome Help therefore be not made and provided :
- (z) And alfo the faid Paflage will be very behoveful for preferving of the Highways leading to and from
' the faid Univerfity and City, and other Parts thereabouts, which now by continual Carriages by Carts
- are fa worn and broken, that in Winter Seafon they are for Travellers dangerous, and hardly to be
- ■ amended and continued paflable witliout exceeding Charge :- (3) And whereas the faid River of Tha?nes,
' for many Miles beyond the faid City of Oxford, Wefiward,. is already navigable and paflable for Boats ' of good Burthens and Contents, and likewife is already navigable for Barges from London to the Village ' oi Bercot in the County of Oxford, being within fix or feven Miles of the City of Oxford, whither and
- from whence, by the Carriage of Stone, Iron and other Provifion, by Carts, the Highways are fpoiled,
- as aforefaid ; (4) And whereas the faid River may eafily be made paflable and navigable for Barges,
' Boats or Lighters, between the aforefaid Univerfity and City of Oxford and the Village of Bercot afore-
- faid, by removing fome Lets and Impediments, by which Means the faid Univerfity and City of Oxford
- (hall be greatly relieved and helped:' (c) Be it therefore ordained and ena6ted by the King's Majefl:y, Eight Commif-
the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this prefent Parliament afl'embled, and by """n,^^!"'^ the Authority of the fame, That the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal oi England for mrkethe River- the Time being, at any Time after the End of this prefent Seflion of Parliament, fhall and may, at the ofThamesnavi^ Requeft of the Chancellor of the faid Univerfity, or his Vice-Chancellor, for the Time being, appoint P ^ m'^B™^}* and authorize by Commiflion under the Great Seal of England eight Commiflioners, whereof four to ' •'" be of or for the Univerfity aforefaid, to be chofen by the faid Chancellor of the faid Univerfity, or his Vice-Chancellor, for the Time being, and by them or either of them to be nominated and certified to 'tJie aforefaid Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal oi England, and four to be of or for the City of Oxon, to be chofen and nominated by the Mayor, Bailiffs and Commonalty of the faid City of Oxford for the Time being, and to be certified by them as aforefaid ; (6) which faid Commiflioners or the more Part of them ftiall have full Power to cleanfe, fcowre, open and make navigable the faid River of Thames, from the faid City of Oxon to the Village of Bercot aforefaid, and for that Purpofe to dig the- Banks of the faid River or other Ground, Ditch, Brook or Stream near thereunto adjoining, and to cut away all Trees and Roots of Trees that may be Hurtful or Hinderance to the faid Paflage, and to open,, prepare or make all Wears and Locks or Turnpikes fit for the laid Paflage, and to remove any Thing •that fliall be any Impediment or Stop to the clearing and making of the faid Paflage; and likewife to cut, fcowre or open any other Stream or Water-Courfe that fliall be mofl: convenient for making the faid Pafl&ge or River navigable ; and likewife to make and eredl; any Wharfs, Locks or Turnpikes, or Pens for Water, iri or near the faid River or Paflfage, that fhall be fit or neceflary for the fame, and to bring, . lay and work all Materials requifite for the Making, Ereding and Repairing of the faid Locks or Turn- pikes upon the Banks or Ground near the faid River or Paflage. ■ 'II. And for that the doing 01 the Things aforefaid may be prejudicial to the Inheritance and Profit of The Com miiTiD-"
- divers Perfons, Bodies Politick or Corporate, that have Land adjoining to the faid River or Paflage,' "Jjtt, an^d fa^ti^fy •
(z) Be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That the Commiflioners aforefaid or the more Part 111 parties that- of them, before they do meddle with the Lands, Inheritance or PoflTeflion of any Perfon or Perfons, may be damni- Bodies Politick or Corporate, fliall firfl: agree with fuch Perfons, or Body Politick or Corporate, for the ^^^^^ ** , Lofs and Damage that any of them fhall any way receive by the Making of the faid PafTage or any Thing concerning the fame ; (3) and if the faid Commiflioners or the more Part of them, and the Party or Parties Owner of fuch Lands, Inheritance or Pofleflions, cannot agree touching the Value thereof, that then the three next Juflices of Peace of the County where the Land doth He, being no Parties, nor ■ dwelling within the Univerfity or City oi Oxon, nor interefted in the Soil, dwelling neareft to the faid- Land or Inheritance, or in their Default the Juftices of Affize of the laid County oi Oxon, fliall deter- mine, appoint and fet down what and how much Satisfa<5tion every fuch Perfon or Perfons, Body Poli- tick or Corporate, Ihall have for or in Refpecl of the faid Lofles fo by him or them to be fuflained ; and the faid Price or Value fo fet down by them fhall bind all Parties : (4) Which Agreement or Order Co made fliall be fet down in Writing under the Hands and Seals of the faid Commiflioners and Parties, upon ^ie Agreement between them made, or of the faid Juflices of the Peace, or Juflices of Aifize of the •faid County, which fliall let down the faid Price for Satisfadion, within three months after the 'firfl Re- 8 fort
