A brief Remembrance When the Report concerning the pretended Riot in the Isle of Axholm shall be read. Humbly tendered to every individual member of Parliament, By the Freeholders' and Commoners within the Manor of Epworth in the said Isle, in number near 1200. besides new-erected Cottages. Against Certain Undertakers, who call themselves Particpants in the draining of the Level of Hatfield-Chase; Concerning 7400 acres of Commonable Lands (being no part of the said Chase, but lying within the Manor of Epworth) taken from the Freeholders' by the said Undertakers about twenty years since, under colour of the late King's Patent contrary to law. And because the Report doth not at all set forth the proceed that have been at Law, therefore the Freeholders' humbly inform, as followeth: viz.  
THat in Hilary-Term, 1654. they commenced their Suits at Law against the Participants, to try their Title to the said Lands.  
In Trinity-Term following, viz. 1646. (and not in 1642. as the Participants in their Petition to the late Parliament falsely suggest) the Participants exhibited and English Bill in the Exchequer, to stay those Suits at Law.  
In Michaelmas-Term, 
Vide the Decree, and the Equivocation of Mr. Say and Mr. Darley the Reporters, in fol. 3. of the Report, when it shall be read, upon that Decree.  1650. that Bill came to full hearing: and the Decree then made, doth establish the possession no otherwise with the Participants than it was when that Bill was exhibited.  
Where note, That about 4000 acres of the said 7400 acres had been then about five years before the said Bills exhibiting, in the Freeholders' possession: in which case, all reftitution of possession, under colour of a Riot, is by Law excluded.  
Note also, That Decree also gives way to the Freeholders' to go to Trial at Law for the rest.  
In Michaelmas-Term, 1651. the Freeholders', in pursuance of the said Decree, by Order of the Exchequer, had a Trial at that Bar, in the name of Thomas Vavasour Gent. before which time, the supposed Riot was committed: which Vavasour was no Ryotor.  
There being now about 100 charged as Ryotors, It is humbly submitted, Whether all the rest of the Freeholders' and Commoners, being above a thousand, shall suffer the loss of their possession so left unto them as aforesaid by the Decree of Feb. 1650. upon the full hearing of the Participants own Bill in equity, and afterwards recovered by the Freeholders' at Law, upon a Verdict in the name of one that was no Rioter.  
Besides, it is clear by the Depositions (if Mr. Say have taken them aright, whereof the Freeholders' to this day never had copies) that there is no improvement of the grounds by the said Participants. In all which respects, the Freeholders' now desire to be Improvers of their ancient inheritance, both for their own and the Commonwealths good.  
The Freeholders' also humbly inform, That By that partial and wicked contrived Report of Mr. Say and Mr. Darley, two Members of the late Parliament, the equitable part of the Cause shall never come to your view, but lie hidden in the Depositions, whereof to this day the Freeholders' never had copies: whereby it is abundantly proved, as followeth. 

1. That the Undertakers did but at their first coming into those parts desire to cut thorough the Manor of Epworth, that is in Lincolnshire, to drain Hatfield-Chase, and many other Manors that lie in Yorkshire; and that without cutting thorough the Manor of Epworth, they could not drain Hatfield-Chase and those other Manors.  
2. That they have been at no more charge within the Manor of Epworth, then in making one Drayn of four miles in length; and that in stead thereof, they have stopped up some old Sewers, and diverted the course of an ancient Navigable River called Idle within the said Manor; and that the South part of the Manor is as subject to be surrounded with water as it was before the pretended Drayning.  
3. That the Lands before the pretended Drayning was worth 10 s. an acre per an. one with another throughout; and that 3000 acres of the 7400 acres which the Undertakers took from the Free holder's, lying towards the North side of the Manor, was worth xx s. an acre per an. before the pretended draining; and 2000 acres more thereof, lying towards the South, was worht 15 s. and acre yearly.  
4. That the Participants took all the best ground, and left the Freeholders' the very worst.  
5. That the grounds before the draining fed all manner of  far for the Butcher.  
6. That the Freeholders' cannot keep half so many  levant and couchant, that is, winter and summer, upon their tenements, as they could before the pretended Drayning, but are enforced to Joyst their  in foreign places, and turn their Meadow grounds into pasture.  
7. That in that respect, divers sold their estates within the said Manor, and bought and went to live elsewhere out of the Manor.  
8. That the grounds, before the pretended Drayning, was better in summer, by reason of the overflowing of water in winter.    
All which Mr. Say and Mr. Darley have concealed in their Report, purposely withholding the truth, to induce your Honours the more readily to believe there is an improvement; whereas indeed there is none: so as unless your Honours take care that the Depositions be thoroughly perused, or that the Freeholders' may have copies thereof, to make their Exceptions to the said Report, they are likely to be undone through ignorance, as they have been already in a great measure; the Books either not being thoroughly perused, or not returned in to the Council as they were first taken, or aught to have been taken by Mr. Say; which we have occasion to suspect, in respect of a second Report now made to the Council, as also by some speeches that lately have been divulged by some of the adverse party to that purpose.  
July 6. 1653