A.D. 1754' Afnno vicefimo feptimo Georgii IT. C. rg. 569 whatfoever of the faid Governor, BailiFs, and Commonalty, in the fuid North Level, inchidhig the Share and Proportion of the Taxes laid upon the Lands wiihin the iM<^ North Level ior that prefent Year, and the faid Rents and Revenues due and payable for the fame I'ime ; and it was thereby declared and agreed. That the yearly Sum of onehundred^Founds, payable by the Heirs orAffigns o^^'iv Charles Or/'_ydeccafed,- to the faid Governor, Bailifls, and Commonalty, and their Succelibrs, Iliould be ePceemed and taken as Part of the faid Revenue arifmg vvitjiin the faid North Level-, and the laid Governor, Bailiffs, and Com- monalty did thereby authorize, impower, and require the laid Ixeceiver General for the Time being, to pay yearly, and every Year, as the fame fliould become due and be paid to him, all the faid Taxes, Rents, and Revenues of the faid North Level, unto the faid Dukes of Devonjhire and Bedford, and Jiarl of / in-, coin refpedively, their refpedive Heirs and Aiiigns, or their Servants or Agents, without any further or other Warrant to be had from the faid Governor, jjailiffs, and Common.dty for that Purpofe : Provided, That the faid Receiver General for thel'ime being ihould retain :uk1 keep fo much of the faid Taxes, Rents, and Revenues of the faid North Level as ihould be fufficient to fatisfy and difcharge the yearly Interell of the Principal Sum of two thoufand Pormds, thentofore taken up upon the Common Seal of the faid Corporation for the Service of the faid Level, until the Principal Sum of two thoufand Pounds fhould be paid off and difcharged : And it was thereby declared rnd agreed, That the faid Taxes, Reyts, and Revenues, fo to be paid to the faid Dukes oi Deviiifmrc and Btdford, and Earl oi Lineoln refpectively, their Heirs or Afligns, ihould be retained, employed, applied, and difpoied of, in the firft place, for repairing and maintaining all the Works of the i'aid North Level, and making and fupporLing fuch other Vorks as fhould be neceifary or conducing to the effectual draining and Prelervatiou of the lame Level, and then for paying and fati■^fying to the faid Dukes ol DcvonJInre and Bedford, and Earl of Lhieoln, theii* refpeitive Executors, Adminillrators, and Affigns, according to their refpedlive Proporfions and Shares,' Intereft after the Rate of four Pound per Centum per Amiuin, for- the faid feveral Sums of three thoufand four hundred Pounds, and fix thoufand fix hundred Pounds ; and then to take, retain, and keep the Sur- plus Money for and towards paying oft' and linking the faid Sums of three thouiand four hundred Pounds, and fix thoufand fix hundred Pounds, in fuch Proportions, and by fuch Payments, as ihould be reafonable and convenient, until the fame fhould be fully paid oh:' and i'atistied : And whereas the faid Duke oi Bed-- ford, or the faid Duke o'i Dcvonjjnre as his Guardian, and the faid Earl oi Lincoln, laid out and expended the faid Sum of fix thoufand iix hundred Pounds, in purfuance of the faid ygreement, in the Works therein mentioned, and by virtue of, and under the faid Agreement, the laid Duke of Bedford and Earl of Lincoln, and their Reprefentatives, have ever fince continued in the Receipt i.f the Taxes, Rents, and Revenues of the faid North Level ; but have been obliged to apply the greateft Part thereof for and towards' the feveral Works for draining and preferving the faid North Level; fo that at Lady-Day one thoufand feven. hundred and fifty-three, the Sum of eighteen thoufand nine hundred and thirteen Pounds eleven Shillings and nine Pence, was due for Principal and Intereft of the i'aid feveral Sums of three thoufand four hundred Pounds and fix thoui'and fix hundred Pounds ; five fixth Parts whereof is due and owing to the moft Noble y^Aw now Duke of Bedford, as Executor of the laft Will of the faid JVriothefley late Duke oi Bedford; and the remaining fixth Part thereof is due and owing to the Right Honourable I^Ienry Earl oi Lincoln, as Adminillrator of the faid Henry late Earl of Lincoln : And whereas the Sum of two thou- fand eight hundred and fifty Pounds, Part of the Debt owing by the faid Corporation at Lady-Day one thoui'and feven hundred and twenty-eight, was due and owing to the faid IVriothef y late J.'uke of Bed- ford, who afterwards, in and by his laft Will and TefLatp.ent, forgave and difcharged the fame, which reduced tiie Debt contracted by -the faid Corporation, before the faid Year one thoui'and feven hundred and twenty-eight, to fourteen thoufand three hundred Pounds : A^nd whereas ever fince the making and executing the i'aid recited Agreement, the i'aid Dukes of Bedford and Earls of Lincoln have fupported and maintained the Works, Banks, and Drains of the faid North Level, and the faid Corporation have not been at any Charge orExpence in or about the fame; but the i'aid Corporation have fince the faid Year one thoufand feven hundred and twenty-eight, borrowed feveral large Sums of Money on Bonds, under their Common Seal, to the Amount in the 'Vhole of fifteen thoui'and nine hundred and forty Pounds ; all which has been by them laid out and expended in and about the i'aid Middle and South Livels, and for fupporting and preferving the Banks, Drains, and Works thereof, fo that the^ faid Corporation is now . . indebted in the feveral Sums of Money following ; that is to fay, Li the faid Sum of fourteen thoufand- thfee hundred Pounds, contradted before the fai.l Year one thoui'and feven hundred and twenty-eight, for or on account of the Whole of the i'aid Great Level ; the faid Sum of eighteen thoui'and nine hundred and thirteen Pounds eleven Shillings and nine Pence, contracted fince the iitid Year one thoufand i^vzn- hundrcd and twenty-eight, for or on account of and particularly charged upon the faid North Level ; and- the faid Sum of fifteen thoufand nine hundred and forty Pounds, contra6ted fince the i'aid Year one thou- fand feven hundretl and twenty-eight, for or on account of the (Jid Middle and South Levels, amounting- together to forty-nine thoufand one hundred and fifty-three Pounds eleven ishillings and nine Pence : And' whereas it has been found by Experience that the Taxes, P.evenues, and Pv.ents ariling and payable to the, faid Corporation out of the i'aid North Level are not near fufHcient to pay oft' and dit'charge the i'aid Debfr- particularly charged thereon, and to defray the Charges and Expences of maintaining, i'uppbrting, and- keeping in Repair the feveral Works for draining thereof ; and notwithflanding the greateit Part of the Revenues of the ia'id North Level have ever fince the faid Year one thoufand feven hundred and twenty- eight been laid out in and about th? fame, the i'everal Banks, Rivers, Sev/ers, and Works of the fame Level are become fo greatly decayed and ruinous, that great Part of the Lands_ in the i'ame Level have lately been very frequently flooded, and unlefs fome immediate Remedy be applied, will become entirely, drovmcd, and of little or no Value ; And whereas the Lands czWcd For if a ?ul, othexwlie Great Porifmd^ Vot. 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