A. D. i668.' Anno vicefimo Carol 1 IL C. 8. 319 C A P. VIII. I An Aft for the Taxing and Aflefiing of the Lands of the Adventurers within the Great Level ■ of the Fens. . ■ ' ^XT"^^^^^^ by an Aft made in this prefent Parliament, intituled, Jn AB for Settling: the Dreinin^r ,5 car. 2. c. 17; ' VV of ibn Great- Level of the Fi-ns ca/ifd Bedford hevd; it is amongft other Things enatted. That the I ' Governor, Baihfts and Confervators of the Corporation in the faid Adt mentioned, and by Virtue of the ■
- fame from Time to Time to be elcfted and appointed, for the Time being, or any five or more of them
' (vi'hereof the Governor and Bailiffs for the Time being, or any of them, to be two) fliould and might from ' thenceforth ufe the Power and Authority of Commiffioners of Sewers within the faid Great Level, and from ' ' ' Time to Time lay and impofe Taxes upon the ninety-five thoufand Acres within the faid Level in the faid j ' A& mentioned, for the Maintenance and Prefervation of the fame, as by the faid A<ft appeareth : (2) I ' And whereas fince the making of the faid A£t, the Governor, Bailifis and Confervators of the faid Cor- i ' poration, in Execution of the Power and Authority thereby to them given, have laid and impofed Taxes TnxesimporeJ j ' upon the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, for the Purpofes by the faid A&. fpecified and appointed, where- 2' acrnainRatc ' in they have proceeded by Way of an Acre-tax, at a certain Rate by the Acre, and have inforced the Pay- '"^'^ ^"'^' ' ment of the fame after that Manner, to the great Damage of divers the Adventurers and Participants, for j ' that the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres are not only much different in the natural Richnefs and Barrennefs | ' of their Soil, but likewife fome Parts of the faid Lands are by frequent Liundations and otherwife, ex- , ' ceedingly pejorated and made' worfe, and the Corn, Hay, Seed or Grafs thereupon often deftroyed; y?t 1
- the fame Lands are equally taxed with the beft and moft fccure Lands in the faid Level, as aforefaid j (3) [
' the which faid Way of raifing Dreining-taxes upon the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, by an equal Uneqiul and ia- ^ ' Acre-rate, hath been found to be inconvenient; and for Removing the faid Inconvenience, the faid Go- convenient. ' vernor. Bailiffs and Confervators, have of late proceeded to a more indifferent Way of Taxing of the faid ; ' ninety- five thoufand Acres (that is to fay) by a gradual Acre -tax of five Sorts, upon eighty-three thou- ' ]
- fand Acres, Part of the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, and by a Medium of the twelve thoufand Acres, ]
' Refidue of the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres:' (4) And to the Intent that Encouragement may be given j for the better Improving of the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, and that a conftant and certain Way of • ] Taxing may be continued and eflabliftied for the future ; II. Be it enafted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Affent of the Lords j Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, I That all Taxes hereafter to he fet and impofed for the Maintenance and Prefervation of the faid Great Le- Taxes hereafter J vel, are hereby appointed and declared to be from Time to Time affeffed and taxed by the faid Governor, ^° •=*= afelid bj Bailiffs and Confervators, or their Succeffors, or any five or more of them, whereof the faid Governor and *^ 't°^""°l' 1 I Bailiffs for the Time being, or any of them, to be two, upon the faid eighty-three thoufand Acres, Part Acre-Taxi "^ ' and Parcel of the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, by a gradual Acre-tax of different Sorts and Values of' * j Lands; the which faid gradual Acre-tax fet as aforefaid, and all future gradual Acre-taxes to be fet, fhall i be received, paid and levied, with like Penalties in the faid recited Aft provided for Non-payment of Taxes, : by fuch and the like Ways and Means as by the faid recited Aft aie provided for to be paid and levied : (2) I And the faid eighty-three thoufand Acres, for raifing Taxes for Support and Maintenance of the Great 1 Level, are not to be rated or affeffed otherwife, or in any other Manner than according to a gradual Acre- tax of different Sorts and Degrees, and according to the refpeftive Values and Rates thereby fee and rated, and to be fet and rated as is hereafter appointed, upon the faid eighty-three thoufand Acres ; any Law, Sta- , tute or other Thing to the contrary tliereof in any wife notwithftanding. 1 ' III. And whereas- the faid twelve thoufand Acres, Refidue of the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, are by • ' ' the faid gradual Acre-tax towards the raifing of the Sum of fix thoufand one hundred and ten Pounds j ' feven Shillings one Peny Half-peny, rated and taxed at one Shilling three Pence per Acre, being a Medium, -l ' as if the whole ninety-five thoufand Acres had been rated, taxed and affeffed at fifteen Pence per Acre ;' (z) Be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That when and fo often as a Tax of the faid Sum of Fiftcen-penee fix thoufand one hundred and ten Pounds feven Shillings one Peny Half-peny, fhall be taxed and affeffed per Acre. -j upon the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres, that then the faid twelve thoufand Acres (hall be rated, taxed and affeffed by the faid Governor, Bailiffs and Confervators, and their Succeffors, or any five or more of them, '■ whereof the faid Governor and Bailiffs, or any of them, to be two, at fifteen Pence the Acre, and accord- '1 ing to the Proportion, for the raifing of any greater or leffer Sum than fix thoufand one hundred and ten j Pounds feven Shillings one Peny Half-peny, 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 thoufand Acres, are by this Aft provided for to be received, paid and levied. (3) And be it further ' ,'epafted and declared by the Authority aforefaid, That no Taxes to be fet by Virtue of this Aft (hall be fet '■ or impofed upon the faid ninety-five thoufand Acres by the faid Governor, Bailiffs and Confervators, or their Succeffors, or any five or more of them, but upon Wednefday^ Thurfday and Friday next after the firft Sun- Wecfncflay, ' day in April., or fome or one of them three Days yearly for ever, and not at any other Time ; any Law, Thurfday and Cuftom or Ufage to the contrary thereof notwithftanding. firft slnda" * 1 ' IV. And whereas by the faid recited Aft it is amongft other Things provided. That Sales for Non-pay- j^nril"" '"^ ^ '■ ' ment of Taxes fhall be made at Ely upon Wednefday and Thurfday in H'lntfun-'wcek yearly, the which ' ' I ' Seafon is found to be inconvenient:' (2) For Remedy whereof, be it further enafted by the Authority : aforefaid. That from and after PFhitfun-iveek, which fhall be in the Year of our Lord one thoufind fix J hundred fixty-eight, thofe Days for Sales fhall be altered and changed unto the hid iFednefday, Thurfday ^ and Friday ■s.'itzx the faid firft Sunday in Jpril in every Year j and all other Matters and Things concerning • 3 " or
