WHEREAS The said Commissioners of Sewars, by their Act, Order, and Decree of Sewars made at their last Session, holden at Ely the xxij. and xxiij. dayes of September 1619. in obseruation of his Maiesties pleasure, and for expedition of the Vndertakers in their generall Contracts with the Owners, and parties interessed in the Fennes, and drowned Lands did prouide and ordaine, that the former order of Sewars (declaring the effect of his Maiesties Letters, and of the Letters of the right Honourable the Lords of his Maiesties most Hon. Priuie Councell, and the dutifull obedience of the said Court of Commission of Sewars thereunto, as also the carefull prouisions which in the said Order are made and set downe for the better satisfaction, and content of all people whom it may concerne) should be published in all parish Churches, and in all Courts Leetes, and Courts Baron, before the fifth day of this present October, To the ende that all Owners, commoners, and other persons interessed in any drowned grounds within the Coun­tie and Isle aforesaid, hauing notice thereof, might apply themselues with speede to repaire to the said Vndertakers, or their Assignes, for making and concluding their contracts; That in default thereof, this Court of Sewars now assembled, might take further order for the said Vndertakers their spee­die proceeding in their works according to his Maiesties pleasure, and accordingly the said generall notice hath been giuen by the Vniuersall publicati­on of the said order made in forme aforesaid: Whereby no person, or persons, Lords, Owners, Commoners, or parties interessed in the said Fenne, or drowned grounds, may iustly plead excuse of ignorance of his Maiesties royall pleasure, and the straight command thereof, and of the iust proceedings of this Court: And that the said Vndertakers hauing here made their appearance, and personally attended the making and concluding of contracts with the Lords, owners, commoners, and parties interested in any the said Fenne-lands, who of their owne accord and discretions would so apply themselues to contract without delay; And this Court likewise (in a iudiciall and legall forme of proceeding) haue now summoned and called the said Lords, ow­ners, commoners, and parties interessed by the name of the Townes, Villages, Mannors, or Lordships, whereof they are to giue their immediate and di­rect answer, whether or not they would contract, and agree to set out certaine parts and portions of Land seuerall and Common, in all and euery the said Townes, Villages, Mannors, or Lordships, to be allotted and allowed by way of Contract (according to the statute in that cause prouided) vnto the said Vndertakers, and their heires, and assignes for, and in recompence of their said worthy worke of draining the said Fennes; And now at this Court, some of the said Commoners, and parties interessed in Commons, and wast grounds, appearing before them, haue giuen their answer, that they are wil­ling to contract, and are readie so to doe; and others haue excused themselues by reason of the absence of the Lords of the Mannors, who are Lords of the soile wherein they haue interest in common.

THIS Court beeing therefore resolued to confirme the willingnesse of such the said Lords, Owners, Commoners, and parties interessed, as haue declared themselues readie to contract: And to reforme the defaults of such, as after so publique notice giuen (as aforesaid) doe absent themselues through ignorance, or negligence (in further performance of their most awefull obedience to his most excellent Maiestie, and dutifull respect to the Right Honourable the Lords of his Maiesties Priuie Councell their directions, and Commands, by which they are straightly charged and commanded, to expedite the Contracts with the said Vndertakers to their vttermost power, and authoritie, and extent of their Commission,) do order, enact, and decree;

THAT for and towards the said worthy worke of draining the said hurtfully drowned grounds (by cleansing the Out-falls of Neane and Welland) all, and euery Lord, Owner, Commoner, and party interessed in any hurtfully drowned grounds, shall pay to the said Vndertakers the summe of twenty shillings per Acre, vpon, and for euery Acre of such hurtfully drowned grounds, as shall receiue any benefit by the said draining on this side, and before the sixt day of December next; or in default of such payment, this Court will order and decree, such portion and portions out of the said drowned lands, respectiuely to the Vndertakers, and their heires, as shall be agreeable to the benefit which the said lands shall receiue by their draining; And as it shall seeme meete to the nowe Commissioners of Sewars, inhabiting in the Countie of Cambridge, and Isle of Ely, or greater part of them (with the assent of the Vndertakers) in a Session of Sewars to be holden within the Towne of Cambridge, or Citie of Ely, the same portion or portions of Land respectiuely to be set out before the worke begin; but the Vndertakers not to haue any interest therein, or occupation thereof, before the grounds be drained, and then the Vndertakers to secure them so drained, according to the true intent of the Order made at Ely, the xxij. and xxiij. of September, 1619. which said Order the Vndertakers promised in Court they would obserue, according to the true intent thereof.

IT IS ALSO ordered and agreed vnto, that Copies of this order shall be deliuered to the Sheriffe of the Countie of Cambridge, or his Deputie, and the Bayliffe of the Lord Bishop of Ely, to be deliuered vnto the Bayliffes of the seuerall hundreds, within the Countie and Isle aforesaid; And they are hereby commanded with all speede to deliuer the same vnto the Ministers of the seuerall Parishes, Hamlets, and Villages, within their hundreds, to publish within their Churches, or Chappels, the next Sabbath day after the receipt thereof; To the ende that all Owners, Commoners, and other per­sons interessed in any drowned grounds, within the Countie and Isle aforesaid, may take notice thereof, and repaire to the Vndertakers, or their Assignes, at the Bell in Ely, for lands lying in the Isle of Ely, the xxvj. and xxvij. dayes of this instant October, And at the Faulcon in Cambridge, the xxviij. and xxix. dayes of the same moneth for lands lying in the Countie of Cambridge, for making and concluding their Contracts according to their former offer, and the Order made at Ely, the xxij. and xxiij. of September last past: And that the Bayliffes of the said seuerall hundreds, shall truely certifie the said Com­missioners of the due deliuerie of the said Copies of this Order, at their next Sessions of Sewars, which is to be holden at the Guyldhall in the Towne of Cambridge, at eight of the clocke in the forenoone, the ix. day of December next.

Copia concordat cum originali.