Direction and order that the Late Court Rolls and Records of the Said mannor of Hatfield Concerning the Certaintie of their Fynes to be perused and searched, according to which order and Direction the Said Records and Court Rolls, as well antient as those of Late Tyme, have been perused searched and Duly Examined, And for as much as by the examination and perusall of the said Records and Court Rolls, and also by the Certificate of Charles Richard Justice of Peace within the County of Yorke, William Parkins, Esquire, Steward of the Said Mannor, and Thomas Johnson, Esquire, surveyor of the Said mannor, bearing date the 14th Day of October Anno Dom 1608. It Evidently appeared to this Court that the Sayd antient Custome Concerning payment of Fynes within the Sayd mannor is and antiently hath been That Every Tennante upon Discent, Surrender or alienation admitted to any Copiehold Lands and Tennements Holden by Copie of Court Rolls of the Said mannor in present possession hath used and accustomed to pay for such admittance a Fyne Certain, viz., only one Years Customary Rent of such Copiehold Lands and Tennements as he is admitted unto.

Therefore upon the Humble Petition of the said Henry Lee, Robert Portington, Nicholas Waller, Tho: Wormley, Francis Stere, Henry Perkins, Tho: Richard, Alured Copley, John Copley, John Trymingham, George Starkie, and John Drax, who in the Behalfe of themselves and the Rest of the Customarie Tennants of the said mannor have freelie and voluntarilie already paid unto his Said majesties Receipte the sum of 120l, and by their sayd Petition Do most Humbly Desire That they and the Rest of the said Customarie and Copiehold Tennants for their Better Satisfaction Evidence and Declaration of their antient Right and Custome approved by them to this Court in forme as aforesaide might have some Record thereof made in this Court to Remain to all Posteritie. It is therefore ordered adjudged and Decreed the Day and Yeare above written by the Right Honourable the Sayd Lord Threasuerer Chancellor Lord Chief Barron and Barrons of the same, That the Sayd antient Right and Custome of the Sayd Mannor for Certaintie of Fynes as aforesayd is True. And that the Continuance of the same Right and Custome in mannor and forme aforesayd is Just, And that the said Henry Lee, Robert Portington, Nicholas Waller, Thomas Wormley, Francis Stere, Henry Parkins, Thomas Richard, Alured Copley, John Copley, John Trymingham, George Starkie, and John Drax, and all other the Residue of the Customarie and Copiehold Tennants of the said mannor their Heirs and assignes from Henceforth for ever Hereafter shall pay To the King and most excellent majestie his Heirs and successors. And every Lord and Lords of the sayd mannor for the Tyme being for admyttance upon Descents, surrenders or alienation to any Copyhold Lands and Tenements Holden of the

Said Mannor one Years Customarie Rent of the Copiehold Lands and Tenements, whereunto they or any of them are or shall be admitted according to the Sayd Custome by them alleged and approved. And that from Henceforth for Ever Hereafter the Said Henry Lee, Robert Portington, Nicholas Waller, Tho: Wormley, Francis Stere, Henry Perkins, Tho: Richard, Alured Copley, John Copley, John Trymingham, George Starkie, and John Drax, and all other the Tennants of the said mannor their Heirs and assignes shall have Hold and Enjoye all other their antient Customes uses and Privileges as in Tyme Past they have Done, To them their Heirs and assignes for ever.

Nos autem premissa omnia et singula ad specialem instantia & Requisionem predci Henrici Lee & Robti Portington sub Sigilla dci Secij mi Tener presentiu Duximus Examplificandu in Curiæ rei Testimoniu hās lrās mās fieri fecimus patentes. Taste, predico & fideli Concilaria nro Robto Sarum Dom Thesaurario nro Anglia apud Westmenēstriu Quinto Die Jullij anno Regni mi Angliæ Franciæ et Hiberniæ Septimo & Scotie Quadragessimo

secundo.

N.B.-This Decree is Confirmed by an act of Parliament made in the Seaventh Year of King James, Chap. 21.

The Copyholders of many mannors in England Compounded with King James to confirm their antient Customes, as by the said act may appear.

Articles of Agreement Intented made and Concluded uppon the foor and Twentith Day of May in the Second Year of the Riegne of our most Gracious Soverigne Lord Charles, by the Grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., Between our Said Soverigne Lord the King's Majesty of the one Part and Cornelius Vermuyden of London, Esq., of the other Parte.

undertakes

Whereas the King's most Excellent Majestie now is Vermuyden and standeth Seized in his Demesne as of Fee as in to Drain. the Right of his Crowne of England, Dutchy of Cornwall or Dutchy of Lancaster, of and in the Chase Called Hatfield Chayse and Ditchmarsh, And of and in the Mannors and Lordshipps of Wrote and Finningley, in the County of Yorke, And of the Isle of Exholme in the County of Lincolne and of Divers other Lands Tenements and Hereditiments and of Divers Wasts wast grounds and Commons to the same Belonging and hereunto there adjoyning Scituate Lyeing, and Being in the Countyes of Yorke and Lincolne aforesaid And whereas also Divers other Persons are seized of and in Divers other Lands Tenements and Hereditiments Lying and Being within the Countys aforesaid and in the Countyes of Nottingham or some of them next or were adjoyning to his Majesties said Lands and premisses, And whereas Certaine Lands wast Comons and wast

Grounds scituate Lyeing and being uppon Each side of the River of Idle and abutting upon the Rivers of Dunn and Ayre to the North and to the River of Trent Towards the South belonging to or being parcell of the said premisses containing by estimation Threescore Thousand acres or Thereabouts are subject Sixty to be surrounded and Drowned with water in Such thousand acres of Land. manner That Little or no Benifitte is or Can be made thereof unless speciall Care bee Taken for Ininn (?) and Drayning the same And whereas our Said Soverigne Lord the King haveing Regard as well to his own Benefitte as the Good and wellfare of his Subjects Inhabitants nere or about the Places aforesaid, is Desireous That the said Drowned and surrounded Grounds May by the Good endeavours of those who shall undertake the same to be Layd Dry and made usefull Now The Sayd Cornelius Vermuyden Doth Hereby Promise and undertake that he will do his Best Endeavour both by himselfe and such others as he shall Imploy in the Sayd Worke to Drayne and Lay dry the sayd Drowned and surrounded Grounds in Such manner as to make the same fitt for Tillage or Pasture in manner Beforesaide.

And the said Cornelius Vermuyden Doth Hereby further promise Covenant and Grante to and with our said soverigne Lord the Kinge That he the Said Cornelius Vermuyden shall and will sett on workemen, and Begin the said worke, within Three months next after our Soverigne Lord the Kings Majesty shall have agreed and Concluded with such Person or Persons who have or Clayme to have any Estate Interest or Comon of or in the said Grounds or of or in any parcell thereof And that he the said Cornelius Vermuyden shall Finish the same with as much Convenient expedition as possibly may be and according as the season of the weather and Tyme of the Yeare shall permitt and give Leave in that Behalfe.

part for

In Consideration whereof our said Soverigne Lord the King for Himselfe his Heirs and successors Doth by these presents promise and Grant That the said Cornelius Vermuyden his Heirs and assignes or such other Person or Persons as he And to have one full third shall nominate and Appointe in that Behalfe and their Heirs and Assignes shall have hould and for ever draining the enjoye one full Third parte in Three partes to be whole. Devided of all and singular the said surrounded and waste Grounds which said Third part shall be of Equall Value with each of the said other Two Parts, And that his majesty his Heirs and successors uppon the Gayning thereof shall and will Graunte and procure the said Third parte to be Graunted and Lawfully Conveyed and assured unto the said Cornelius Vermuyden and his Heirs or the Parties by him to be named as aforesaid and their Heirs To be Holden of his Highness his Heirs and suc

cessors as of his manor of East Greenwich in the County of Kent, in Free and Common soceage. And it is agreed that the Devision of the Said Grounds so to be Layde Dry and free from water as aforesaid shall be made and Done by an exact survey thereof to be made by his majesty's surveyor General or such as his majesty, his Heirs or successors shall nominate or appointe, And if no such nomination or appointment shall be made or if no Devision shall be made by such Person or Persons as shall be nominated or appointed within Three months next after the said Grounds shall be Drayned or Dryed That then it shall and may be Lawfull to and for the said Cornelius Vermuyden and his heirs To Devide and sett out the same Lands into Three equall partes And that his majesty his Heirs and successors shall within Three months next after such Devision Elect and Choose Two partes of the said Three partes And the other Third part shall Remayne and bee to the said Cornelius Vermayden and his Heirs. And if his majesty, his Heirs and successors make no such Election within such Time as aforesaid They the said Cornelius Vermuyden shall Elect and Choose one of the said Three partes for his Third parte And such Person or Persons as shall Devide the said Lands shall Best make and Sett forth Convenient wayes and Passages into and through the said Grounds.

And it is agreed that the said Cornelius Vermuyden and other the Parties by him to be Imployed as aforesaid in all such Places as hee or they shall Think fitt nessessary and expedient, shall and may Leave without the said worke and grounds soe to bee by him and them Gayned as aforesaid some small parcell of Land on each or either side of the said several Rivers for Receptacles of the sudden Downfall of waters, soe as the said Land soe to be Left out of the said worke Doe not exceed the Quantity of Three Thousand acres in the whole at the most.

And it is further agreed and his majesty Doth Hereby Declare That hee the said Cornelius Vermuyden and other the Parties aforesaid shall and may at their wills and Pleasures as to him and them shall be thought most nessessary and expedient Cutt Dig and make or Cause to be made such and soe many Channells, water courses, Banks, Highways, sasses, sluces, and other Receptacles for water and shall have for himself and his servants and workmen with Carts and Carriages fitt and Convenient, Free ingress and Regress for the Perfecting and performance of the said workes and Drayning the Lands and Grounds aforesaid, without the Lett Deniall Hinderance or Interruption of any Person or Persons whatsoever, And shall and may alsoe have and Take such Quantity and Proportion of earth Reede and other things and materialls within the said Grounds for perfecting the said works as by Him or them shall be Thought nessessary and useful And shall alsoe have for his and there use and

uses freely without Interruption the Benifitte of all and Singular Channells water Courses and sluces which are allready made or Digged within the said Lands or Grounds And the same to Turne Change or alter for the most nessessary Drayning of the said Grounds, and Perfecting of the said work as hee or they shall Think fitt.

And it is further Concluded and agreed that if the said Cornelius Vermuyden and other the Parties and Undertakers by him to be Imployed as aforesaid, shall have Cause at any Tyme or Tymes to use any Lands or Grounds Lyeing or Being without the Compasse of the Grounds hereby Intended to be Drayned and Layd Dry as aforesaid not subject to surrounding, for any Passage of water or otherwise, That then it shall and may be Lawfull to and for the said Cornelius Vermuyden and other the Parties aforesaid to use the same soe farr as shall be nessessary in and for the performance of the said workes.

In Consideration whereof the said Cornelius Vermuyden for Himself his Heirs Executors and administrators Doth Covenant promise and Graunte To and with our said soverigne Lord the King his Heirs and successors by These Presents That he the Said Cornelius Vermuyden his Heirs executors and administrators shall and will from Tyme to Tyme pay and satisfye to the owners of the said Lands such summe and summes of money as the said Lands shall be thought to be worth by Four Commissioners Two of wch. Comissioners To be named and appointed by the Lord High Threasurer of England for the Tyme being on his majestys Behalfe and the other Two by the said Cornelius Vermuyden his Heirs or assignes.

And whereas after the said workes shall be Perfected and the said Grounds Laid Dry a Speciall Care must from Tyme to Tyme be had and Taken for the maintenance and Preservation thereof, our said Soverigne Lord the King Doth hereby promise and Declare that Imeadietly uppon the Finishing and Perfecting of the said worke. There shall a Corporation be erected and made to Consist of such Persons to be nominated by the said Cornelius Vermuyden his Heirs or assignes who shall have Power and authority To make orders Constitutions and acts, and give Direction for the Preseveing and maintayning of the said workes so to bee Perfected as aforesaid, and for the makeing and Directing of new and other workes as occasion shall Hereafter Require And that it shall be Lawful to and for the said Cornelius Vermuyden and his Heirs and assignes And to and for such other Person or Persons as he or they shall name or appointe to maintayne all and every the said workes and to Take Earth and Turffe of and out of the said Lands and premisses in Fitt and Convenient places for the makeing and maintayning of the same workes according to the said orders and Constitutions To be made as aforesaid.