NATHANAEL READING AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS FOR THE LEVEL OF HATFIELD CHACE. THIS case, from a pamphlet in the possession of Ralph Creyke, Esq., of Rawcliffe, is, by his permission, reprinted here. It gives a very full account of the claims by Nathanael Reading against the Commissioners of Sewers for the Level of Hatfield Chace, for compensation for his labours and losses in connection with the division of the lands incurred under this Commission. It contains many particulars not found in Hunter' in his account of this matter. Reading's career was a most romantic one. Originally a barrister, he was present at Naples in 1647, at the time of Massaniello's rebellion, and is said to have acted as his secretary. After order was re-established he was sentenced to death, but when just about to be executed he is reported to have made such an eloquent appeal to the public authorities that his life was spared, and he was permitted to return home. He first visited the Levels about 1650. In 1655, being both a Commissioner and a participant, at the request of the Commissioners, he undertook to get in the assessments charged upon the improved lands within the manor of Epworth. Although he successfully carried out his undertaking, the task involved him in troubles, from which he was never able to free himself. This case sets out his later career. He survived till 1712-13, when he died, a very old man, and in great poverty. His wife was Arabella, sister of Sir Winston Churchill, and aunt of the great Duke of Marlborough. 1 Deanery of Doncaster, i, 167. The account of Reading is chiefly derived from this source. Ås Hunter systematically omits to give the authorities for his statements, it is impossible to check him. Mr. John Tomlinson in his Level of Hatfield Chace errs in the same way. It may be useful to know that the original of the plan of Hatfield Chace in 1639 (Tomlinson, p. 94) is in the Lansdowne MS., No. 897, which contains a large amount of material relating to this district. 2 Car. I. THE CASE OF NATHANIEL READING, ESQ., IN REFERENCE He Kings Father of Blessed Memory, being Lord of Hatfield, Epworth, and 15 other contiguous Manors within the Counties of York, Lincoln and Nottingham, whereunto a Level of above sixty thousand Acres of Over-flown and Boggy Moores belong'd, and whereupon he had a Chace of Red-Deer, graciously intending to free his Tenants from the Ravage of his Deer (and though they had no Right of Common therein, it being the King's Demeasness; yet to give them an Improved third part thereof, which would exceed the value of the whole, while overflown; (and only reserving to the Crown, one other third part thereof in Right of the Soyle) contracted with Sir Cornelius Vermuyden to Dis-chace and Drein this Level, and Covenanted, with him that He and his Participants should enjoy the remaining Third part thereof for his Charges, free from all Claims of Common whatsoever, or Re-imburse, and (among other Priviledges) Incorporate and Establish them by Act of Parliament.' All the Tenants were over-joy'd at this Favour. The Deer were destroy'd. The Drainage perfected at vast Expence. The Allotments were set out: And upon the Petition of all the Tenants (but those of Epworth,) they were Decreed in the Exchequer. The Tenants of Epworth, though they had greater benefit than their Neighbours, and had consented in the Exchequer to the carrying on the Works, and submitted to such Allotments as the Court should make, retracted and denyed the Kings Title, and committed. monstrous Ryots, and would neither give the King nor Vermuyden an Acre: But the Court declared the Kings Title to be good, and their Opposition to so good a work, to be Unpardonable, and order'd the Works to be finished, and their Suits at Law to be stop'd, and the Cattle they Ryotously put on the Allotments to the King, not to be Replevy'd; and upon their Petition the Allotments amongst them also were Decreed; and they were left to implore His Majesty for 12 Car. I. remitting the Fines and Issues out of the Kings Bench, which were then Levying upon them for their Ryots. 1 Dated May 24, 2 Car. I (1627). Printed in Tomlinson's Level of Hatfield Chace, p. 237. On July 11, 1628, the King granted to Cornelius Vermuyden the manors of Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorpe, Stainforth, and Dowsethorpe, subject to a rent of 150li. per annum, and to a covenant for the grant to be void, if his Majesty repay to the grantee 10,000/i., with interest, on September 25. (Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, Car. I, 1628–9, p. 206.) The King Sold his proportion to Vermuyden and his Participants, with Covenants for Enjoyment, or Re-imbursement for almost 20000/. and a Fee-Farm-Rent of 12287. 175. per annum payable for ever; and soon after granted that Rent to the Duke of Buckingham in Fee. And in his Transcendent Clemency directed the respiting all Process against them. And the returning such Moneys as had been Levyed on them. But in Requital, they took up Arms against His Sacred Majesty in the beginning of the Rebellion of 1642. Laid Waste the Decreed Allotments, Wounded the Sheriff and the Collector of the Commissioners of Sewers who Distrain'd for their Taxes, Kill'd several: And through the Encouragement of Captain John Boynton, who commanded a Troop of Horse against that Blessed King, and quarter'd amongst these Commoners, committed such Barbarous Ryots there, that Cromwel himself Excepted them out of that which he called an Act of Pardon in 1652. The Commissioners of Sewers finding no means to preserve that Level (the works whereof had cost above 300000l.) but by bringing the Epworth Allotments into Contribution to the publick works: And finding no person that durst adventure to put their Decrees in Execution amongst those Ryotors, though great Sums of the publick Moneys had been spent therein, Importun'd Mr. Reading, being both a Commissioner and a Participant, to undertake that Task; and upon the large Promises which they made him, He (to his great Unhappiness) accepted it; and with extraordinary Hazards, Expences and Difficulties, He subdu'd the Ryotors, and brought the Lands both into Obedience to the Commissioners, and into the possession of the Participants, and then expected the Reward, and Re-imbursement which was Promised him. Mr. Bradborne being then become Participant and a Commissioner, press'd Mr. Reading to give him possession of half of the 7400 Acres, which Mr. Reading declared he could not do, for that he was resolv'd to put each Participant into the Possession of the same Proportions thereof which they Enjoy'd before the late Wars, and thereupon he declar'd to be Reveng'd, and oppos'd the doing him Reason. 1655. 18 Janu. 1660 Mr. Reading meeting with ill Returns, Petition'd his late Majesty of Happy memory for Relief, who Graciously Wrote to the said 31 Aug. Commissioners, requiring them to examine his Petition, and Report to him thereupon. Captain Boynton, Captain Hatfield, and several others reported to His Majesty, That according to their Duty, they had appointed a due Examination thereof; and found by divers Witnesses and several 19 Oct. Informations from many Credible and Good Hands, that 7400 Acres in Epworth were by the Ryots of the Commoners laid waste in the late Wars; and that the Level was grown into so sad and miserable a condition by reason thereof, that the whole Improvement was in great danger of being lost: And that Sir Thomas Abdy, Sir Arthur Ingram, and divers other Participants, did in 1655 desire him to undertake the Management of the Level, and removal of the Force, and promised to gratifie him, and that he accepted of it; and in pursuance thereof endeavour'd to put the said Decrees and Laws of Sewers and Orders of Parliament in Execution; and in prosecution thereof had several Malicious Indictments and Vexatious Actions prefer'd against him and his Assistants; But notwithstanding the same, he inclosed the said 7400 Acres, and Imploy'd therein for 8 or 10 weeks together 200 or 300 men at the rate of 2s. 6d. per diem a man, and Repaired the Church and Ministers House, and gave great Encouragement to the French and Dutch Protestant Strangers, who by reason of the Trouble would otherwise have quitted their Farms. And that the said Mr. Reading had borrowed and Expended very great Sums of Money therein, and had Sold part of his Estate to very great undervalue, to raise Money towards defraying the Charge, and discharging part of his Debts contracted in that Service; that he hath spent his whole time since therein, and been in very great Hazard of his Life from the said Commoners, both by their Publick Violence and Private Contrivement against him, and had received very great prejudice in all his other Affairs, and the Advantages he might otherwise have made thereby; and most particularly in his Profession. And that the business of the Level formerly, and of late with His Majesty and the Parliament totally lay upon him. And that on the 31th of May last in Execution of the Authority of Sewers, he was in great hazard of his Life from the said Commoners, and one of his Servants was that day Barbarously Murthered by them. And that he had lately recovered the Possession of the whole 7400 Acres, and had then many men at work about Inclosing the same, and that without any Charge to the Participants, but to their very great Advantage. And as to that part of his Commands touching their Opinions therein, they humbly conceived it most Just and Reasonable, that the several Participants should according to their Proportions in that Level, advance such Sums of Money as would discharge the several Sums laid out by him, and the Debts contracted by him in their Service; and that they ought to Gratifie him very Honourably for his several years of Service, both according to the Advantages they have had, and the several Disadvantages he hath met withall therein. And forasmuch as the greatest part of the Unhappi ness of the said Level arose from the Invasion of the said 7400 Acres, which was in Arrear of Taxes of Sewers almost 20000 1. They were of Opinion that he should receive two Third parts both of his Disbursements, and gratifitation out of the Improvement of the said 7400 Acres. All which in Obedience to His Majesties Commands, and to the end that Mr. Reading might have Reason done him, they humbly certified. And so zealous was Captain Boynton then therein, that he wrote a Letter to the Lord Castleton, and the Lord Downes, and other Commissioners, desiring them to joyn with him in Signing that Report to the King. His Majesty was thereupon Graciously pleased to write to the Commissioners to do him Reason accordingly, and to the Participants to give him satisfaction before they entred upon their respective proportions of the Land he had recovered for them. The Duke of Buckingham, the Marquess of Halifax, and the Earl of Manchester wrote to the Commissioners to the same effect, but no satisfaction could be got notwithstanding; Insomuch that Captain Hatfield wrote to the Marquess, That the knowledge He and 15 Mar. all the Country had of the great Services Mr. Reading had done therein, made him stand amaz'd at the Ingratitude of his Opposers. 1661. Mr. Bradborne thought the whole Level was then sufficiently Settled, and would be continued so without Mr. Reading's further help, contriv'd repealing his Collectorship, and thereupon the Commoners of Epworth immediately laid the 7400 Acres waste again, and defy'd all other Collectors of Sewers, and pursu'd them into Yorkshire, and threatned to Burn the Houses where the Cattle Distrain'd were Impounded; and thereupon Captain Hatfield and Mr. Bradborne sent up two Remonstrances to inform the Duke of Buckingham of their Insolencies in his Lieutenancy, and praying him to acquaint His Majesty therewith, it being impossible to preserve the Level and adjoyning Country from utter ruine without suppressing 24 Sept. these Ryoters; And his Grace did accordingly. And thereupon the Lord Keeper Bridgeman renewed the Commission of Sewers, and wrote several Letters to the Gentlemen in the Commission for each of the aforesaid Counties, to meet, and do Mr. Reading Reason. 11 Sept. 1666. 1668. He Petition'd, Exhibited his Accounts of Moneys expended as their Collector, amounting to above 8oool. besides those sums he 23 Jun. had laid out as Agent to the Participants. Those relating to his Collectorship they referr'd, and his Witnesses were examined upon Oath, and they proved most of the Particulars And Captain Boynton 13 Sept. having given it under his hand, that he conceived Mr. Reading |