Thu 27 Jul 1775
Warrant to Sheriff for returning 24 man jury to assess damages on behalf of the Commissioners for the Stroudwater Navigation on August 1st, together with a letter calling a juryman for service.
To Mr Geo Smith Baronet Sheriff of the County of Gloucester
We whose Hands and Seals are hereunto sett and subscribed being seven or more of the Commissioners named and appointed in pursuance of an Act of Parliament made & passed in the third year of the Reign of his late Majesty Geo the 2n Intitled "An Act for making navigable the River Stroudwater in the County of Gloucester from the River Severn at or near Framiload, to Wallbridge near the Town of Stroud in the same County", At a general Meeting of the said Coms held this Day at the George Inn within the Town of Stroud and in pursuance of the last Adjournment DO by virtue of the Powers and Authorities reserved & given to us in and by the sd Act issue this our Warrant hereby requiring you the sd Sherriff to impanel sumon & return of a Jury of twenty four able and sufficient men qualified according to the Laws & Statues of this Realm to be returned for Trials of Issues joined in his Majesty's Courts at Westmr to appear before us or seven or more of the Coms named and appointed in pursuance of the sd Act at the Dwellinghouse of known by the name or signe of situate in the parish of in the sd County of Glouc on the Day of August at 10 of the Clock in the forenoon of the same Day then and these to enquire and assess such Damages and Recompence as they shall think fit to be awarded to the Owners & Occupiers of any such Lands ? & Titles or Heredt or any part thereof as shall be used for or dammaged by making the sd River Stroudwater navigable for their respective Estates & Interests therein by reason of the cutting digging removing or otherwise using any of their respective Lands ? or Heredt for the purpose ? or for the Loss or Damage which they shall or may respectively sustain thereby And you are hereby also required to return Issues upon every such person so impanelled & returned no appearing the sum of forty Shillings And be you ? there present to make a due Return of this our Warrant And hereof ? for net at Given under our Hands Seals this 27th Day of July in the year of our Lord 1775.
Sir
there being a Cause respecting the Navigation of the Stroudwater to be ? at the next Assizes on which you are a Special Juror and will receive a Summons from the Sherif for that purpose and as the Event will be of great consequence to the Country and by no means proper for Decision of a Common Jury I shall esteem you attendance as a particular favour not only at the Tryal but also at the View which is appointed at Mr Halls at Framiload at 10 oClock in the morning on Tuesday the first of August.
And you will greatly oblige
Stroud 28th July 1775
