WHEREAS the Countrie have offered to Master Burrell and his Associates , for the drayning of the great Levell in the sixe Counties aforesayd , and for the maintenance of the worke , beeing done , the quantitie of 80000 Acres , of which he offereth to ingage vnto the Countrie but 10000 Acres for the maintenance of the worke .

Wee offer , that if the Countrie will or can allott the sayd proportion of 80000 Acres to us , we will undertake to drayne the sayd Levell , and will ingage 15000 Acres , and a rent of 4 d. the Acre out of the whole 80000 Acres amounting to 1333 l. per Annum , for the maintenance of our worke , and will give to every Cottager , whose house shall happen to stand upon any part of the Land allotted to us , the summe of foure pounds towards the erecting of a new house , in some other part of the Common .

But because we conceiue it very difficult ( if not impossible ) to apportion , and set out a certaine number of Acres , out of so many and various particulars , as must necessarily be conteined in so great a quantitie of ground , unlesse the same should be taken only out of the Commons , and the seueralls spared , which we cannot conceiue reasonable , we therefore propound as followeth .

1. FIRST , whereas by the Lawe , the Commissioners of Sewers have no power to make a bargaine for any Composition of Land , till a taxe be set , and not paid , at the day appointed : We desire that a taxe of tenne shilling be laid upon every Acre of land , that lyeth under the high-water-marke , or is annoyed with fresh or salt water , or shall receive benefit , or ease by drayning within the Levell ; to which lowe demand we are descended , for the ease of the Countrie , which taxe must be paid at a day certaine , and to remaine in the hands of such as the Commissioners shall thinke fit to keepe it , the Vndertakers to have proportionably thereof , according to such parts and proportions of the said surrounded grounds , as they shall from time to time drayne ; PROVIDED that the sayd part be first adiudged drayned , and exceed the quantitie of 100000 Acres .

2. SECONDLY , For so much of this taxe , as shall not be paid at the day appointed ; we desire of the worst Land , one halfe ; Of the second sort , one third part ; Of the third sort , one fourth part .

3. THIRDLY , Whosoever shall thinke fit , to redeeme such part or proportion of his owne Lands , being severall , as by the Commissioners shall be allotted to the Vndertakers , shall ( if he desire it ) adventure seven shilling for every Acre of his Land , cha●ged with the sayd taxe of tenne shilling ( the estimate being set downe under his hand , of the whole number of Acres of his sayd Land ) so , as it be within 5 of 100 , and 50 of 1000 ; and so shall not part with any Land of his at all .

4. FOVRTHLY , Whosoever shall be unable or unwilling to pay the taxe of tenne shilling the Acre , or to venture seven shilling the Acre , and yet willing to redeeme his severalls , given by the Commissioners . We therefore make this offer , that he shall , if he please , have a defeazance , or such other securitie , as by Councell shall be advised from us : That if he pay thirteen shilling foure pence for e-every Acre of his said severalls , charged with the said taxe of tenne shilling , after they are adiudged drayned by the Commissioners , then he shall retaine all his severalls to himselfe . PROVIDED , that he demand the sayd defeazance , or other securitie , within one moneth after the Act or Decree of Sewers , whereby his Land shall be decreed to us .

5. FIFTLY , And because we desire to give all possible ease , and content to the Country , wee are content that one shilling of the taxe of tenne shillings for euery Acre be left in the hands of the owner , and one shilling of the seuen adventured , and one shilling foure pence of the mony due by the defeazance , shall remaine in the hands of the owners , 〈◊〉 urgent occasion and necessitie force vs to call , for some part , or the whole , which yet we hope we shall not need . But for the further ease of the Country , we are content that they shall pay the said seven shillings Adventure , for euery Acre of their severalls , in manner and forme following . vz. two shillings within one moneth after the taxe is set , and two shilling two moneths after , and the other two shilling two moneths after that : one shilling being still left in their hands as aforesaid . And for the twelve shilling of the thirteene shilling foure pence , to be paid after the worke shall be adiudged drayned , we demand to have it paid as followeth ; vz. foure shillings within one moneth , and foure shillings three moneths after that , and the other foure shilling three moneths after that .

● . SIXTHLY , If the house of any Cottager shall happen to stand in any part of any Common allotted to us , wee will build him an other in some convenient place in or upon the same Common .

If any of these three particular offers be accepted , we will undertake a generall drayning of the Fennes , and other Grounds annoyed with fresh or salt waters , within this Levell , and will expect no recompence , but out of such lands , as shal be adiudged drayned , or such money as the Countries shall agree to giue before hand by way of Adventure .

Wee will undertake to make good and maintaine for ever , at our owne charge , all such draynes and workes , as wee shall make , and will ingage for the performance thereof , a reasonable proportion of Land , as shall be agreed upon betweene us and the Commissioners .

That all the maine workes shall be made Nauigable , and be built for the most part , with Bricke and Stone .

That all Owners of Land and parties interessed shall haue libertie to adventure , after the rate of other adventurers .

That wee will vndertake to performe all this within foure yeeres to bee accompted from the time , the bargaine shall be fully perfected , with the Commissioners and the country . So we receive no impediment from the Commissioners , nor the Country .