Anno vicesimo septimo Reginæ Elizabethæ.
CAP. XXVI.
An Act for explaining of the Statute for the amending of the High wayes, betweene Middleton and the Kings Ferry, leading into the Isle of Sheppey in the County of Kent.
"WHEREAS at the Parliament holden in the eighteenth yeere of the Queenes Majesties raigne that now is, there was one very necessary and profitable Law then made, for the repairing and maintaining of the Ferry and passage called the Kings Ferry, within the Isle of Sheppy in the County of Kent, and for the usuall High way leading from the market Towne called Middleton to the said Ferry: In and by which Act or Statute for the repairing and amending of the said high way leading from Middleton to the laid Ferry, being in great decay, it is amongst other things enacted, that it should bee lawfull from hencefoorth yeerely during the space of ten yeeres, for three Justices of the peace, whereof one to bee of the Quorum, next inhabiting to the said Towne of Middledon within the said County of Kent, reasonably to assesse and taxe all and every land occupiers dwelling out of the said Isle, and within foure miles distand from the said Ferry, as to their discretions should seeme convenient, not exceeding the summe of one pennie, upon every acre of fresh Marsh and upland in one yeere, and upon every tenne Acres of salt Marsh one penny in one yeere. And forasmuch as upon the letter of the same braunch some doubt and question hath risen, whether the said Justices could lesse any but such as bee land occupiers, and dwelling out of the said Isle, and within foure miles distant of the said Ferry: And that thereby the taxations by them to bee made by the letter of the said law, wil not suffice to repaire the said decayed wayes, for that the lands & grounds lying out of the said Isle, and within foure miles distant from the said Ferrie, are for the most part occupied by such persons as be inhabiting without the compasse of the said foure mites, by reason whereof the said highwayes remaine stil unrepaired & not amended & are growen into further decay, then at the time of the making of the said Statute they were, to the great danger and annoiance of the Queenes majesties subiects palling by & through same:' For the better explanation of the said statute, & for the redresse of the said wayes, be it now enacted by the Queene our Soveraigne Ladie, the Lordes Spirituall and Temporall, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authoritie of the same, that yerely from henceforth for ever, betweene the feast of Easter and the feast of Pentecost, it shall and may be lawfull to and for fixe, five, foure or three Justices of the Peace, whereof one to be of the Quorum, inhabiting within eight miles of the said Towne of Middleton within the said Countie of Kent, to assesse and taxe upon all and every the lands and grounds lying and being without the said Isfle, and within foure miles distant from the said Ferry, such assessements and taxations for and towards the repairing and amending of the said high way, as to them shall seeme reasonable, notwithstanding that the owners or occupiers of the same lands or grounds be dwelling without the compasse of the said foure miles, so that the same assessements and taxations exceede not above one peny for every Acre of fresh Marsh and Upland for one yeere, and not above one peny for every tenne Acres of salt Marsh for one yeare, the saide former Acte, or any Article, Braunch or tiling therein contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. And that the laid taxations and assessments shall bee levied and imployed for and towards the repayring of the saide high way, by such person and persons dwelling out of the sayd Isle within foure miles of the said Ferry, as by the Justices that shall aseffe and taxe the same shall be limited and appointed, and the same person and persons so to bee appointed, to have like power and authoritie for the levying thereof by distresse, in such manner and forme as is limited to the said Ferry Warden, by the said recited Statute for the levying and gathering of assessments within the said Isle, and the said person and persons so to bee appointed to accompt and to deliver the arrerages thereof (if any happen to be) to the seid Justices at such time and place as by them shall be appointed.
