THE
CASE
OF
Sir
Robert
Killigrew
,
Thomas
Wyndham
,
William
Killigrew
,
Henry
Heron
,
and
Edward
Heron
,
Drainers
and
Participants
of
Lindsey
Levell
,
in
Lincolnshire
,
Claiming
under
the
late
Earl
of
Lindsey
.
THERE
being
several
Fenn-lands
,
in
the
County
of
Lincoln
,
subject
to
Inundations
,
and
hurtfully
surrounded
with
Water
,
to
the
Prejudice
of
this
Kingdom
;
several
Attempts
were
made
for
Draining
the
same
,
by
divers
Persons
,
by
Virtue
of
Commissions
of
Sewers
,
issued
out
in
the
Reigns
of
many
of
the
Kings
of
this
Realm
,
before
the
Reign
of
King
Charles
the
First
.
That
it
then
appearing
,
That
the
Charge
necessary
for
Draining
,
was
insupportable
to
the
People
,
by
Law
subject
to
pay
the
same
;
and
that
those
Taxes
which
had
been
laid
,
by
Virtue
of
the
Commissioners
of
Sewers
,
then
to
fore
issued
,
could
not
be
Paid
or
Levied
:
That
the
Lords
of
Manners
,
Free-holders
,
Land-holders
,
and
Commoners
,
in
and
near
the
said
Fenn-lands
,
did
Contract
with
the
said
Earl
and
his
Participants
in
the
said
Undertaking
,
that
he
should
have
Four
and
twenty
thousand
Acres
of
the
said
Lands
,
for
Draining
all
between
Bourne
and
Lincoln
;
and
as
soon
as
he
had
finish'd
the
most
difficult
part
,
(
viz.
)
that
between
Bourne
and
Kine
,
he
should
have
fourteen
thousand
Acres
,
as
a
proportionable
part
.
That
the
Commissioners
of
Sewers
were
to
be
Judges
,
when
he
had
perform'd
the
same
.
That
the
said
Earl
,
and
his
Participants
,
proceeded
with
such
Effect
,
that
they
made
a
River
Navigable
,
from
Bourne
to
Boston
,
being
four
and
twenty
Miles
;
and
thereby
,
and
by
other
Ways
and
Means
by
him
and
them
used
,
with
the
Expence
of
seventy
thousand
Pounds
,
effectually
performed
the
said
Undertaking
.
That
the
said
Earl
,
and
his
Participants
thus
legally
invested
,
and
,
as
they
thought
,
secured
,
entred
and
enjoyed
the
said
Lands
,
alotted
them
for
their
great
Trouble
and
Expence
;
and
in
pursuance
of
their
Contract
(
though
far
short
of
making
them
a
Recompence
)
built
Houses
thereon
,
and
Inclosed
,
Planted
,
Sowed
and
Improved
the
said
alotted
Lands
.
That
the
Troubles
of
that
King's
Reign
growing
on
,
some
ill-disposed
Persons
took
Advantage
thereof
,
and
disturbed
their
Possession
,
and
at
length
,
by
Violence
,
broke
in
upon
them
,
and
destroyed
their
Plantations
,
and
demolished
their
Houses
,
and
dispossessed
the
said
Undertakers
.
That
upon
the
Restauration
,
such
of
the
Undertakers
who
were
then
living
,
and
the
Heirs
of
those
who
were
dead
,
despairing
(
by
reason
of
the
Variety
of
their
Claims
,
and
the
Multitude
of
the
Wrong-doers
)
to
come
at
a
Satisfaction
for
the
Injury
sustained
by
the
ordinary
Methods
of
Law
.
To
avoid
being
suspected
of
Vexation
,
and
that
all
Persons
concerned
,
might
have
some
Right
done
them
,
and
their
Interest
established
for
the
future
,
did
apply
themselves
to
the
Parliament
,
for
Redress
:
And
once
the
same
and
all
Differences
relating
thereto
,
except
the
Judicature
for
the
future
,
were
Agreed
to
at
the
Bar
of
this
Honourable
House
,
when
the
sudden
End
of
that
Session
prevented
the
Passing
the
said
Bill
.
And
now
the
Petitioners
humbly
hope
they
shall
have
their
Grievances
Redress'd
,
and
that
this
House
will
have
due
Consideration
of
the
Merits
of
the
said
Undertakers
,
in
Draining
the
said
Levell
,
whereby
the
Publick
is
to
be
benefited
.
A
quick
Hearing
,
and
the
Judgment
of
this
Parliament
,
is
now
therefore
humbly
desired
by
the
Drainers
,
(
who
have
been
so
long
delayed
by
such
Persons
,
who
have
hitherto
craved
the
Justice
and
Judgment
of
Parliament
;
)
so
that
by
such
speedy
Hearing
,
the
said
Drainers
may
be
brought
to
Judgment
,
and
freed
from
giving
the
Parliament
any
farther
Trouble
in
this
Matter
.
And
therefore
Hope
the
Bill
shall
Pass
.
I.B.