USA > Connecticut > The public records of the Colony of Connecticut, prior to the Union with New Haven colony, 1636-1665 > Part 19
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John Bankes, Edward Adams, Phillip Pinckney, John Hoite and Georg Godding, being fyned twenty shillings apeece, as ap- peares in the Records of the Courte the 8th July, 1650, this Courte frees the said partyes from theire said fynes, and Thomas Staples fyne of forty shillings is brought downe to twenty.
Whereas in the order of Rating, the Comissioners of Faire- feild and Strattford are not inioyned and required to meete the Comissioners in the seuerall Townes vppon the River ; It is now ordered by this Courte that the said Comissioners of Faire- feild and Strattford shall yearely, in the Town of Hartford, two dayes before the Generall Courte in Septembr, meete with the Comissioners of the said seuerall Townes vppou the Riuer and
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bring with [them] the lists of the persons and the estates of theire seuerall Townes, that they may bee jointly examined and perfected, before they are transmitted to the said Generall Courte. And if the said Comissioners should not agree, they are to present the grounds of theire differing and disagreement vnto the said Courte, to bee by them issued and determined ; and theire fyne of twenty nobles at the Generall Courte, the 3d of November, 1650, is remitted by this Courte.
There being an occasion of debate in this Courte about. Seabrooks non-payment of the proporcon laid vppon that Towne in reference to the purchase and agreement with Georg Fen- wick Esqr, John Clarke and Thomas Birchard, Deputyes for that Towne, did ingage themselues in the behalf of the said Towne of Seabrooke, that there shall bee due payment made of the said leuye due by the said Towne of Seabrooke, to bee paid for 5 yeares now past, in October next, provided theire payment of what is due or shall bee due, bee no preiudice to them or the Inhabitants of Seabrooke, in pleading any seeming grounds or reasons they haue for their not paying of all or any parte of the said leuye ; the former Comittee are desiered to attend such reasons and allegations as they shall present, as formerly they were desired.
Thomas Thorneton affirmed in Courte, that it was reported there was a hundred beeues killed in Fairefeild last yeare.
This Courte taking into consideracon the proposition of the Inhabitants of Pequett for some inlargemt of meadow at Nian- tecutt, and whereas there was 500 acres of ground lying in Pequett graunted to fiue of Capt: Masons souldgers at the Pe- quett warr, wch being taken vp by Pequett, they doe desire may bee recompenced at Niantecutt; the Courte desires and ap- points that John Clarke and Thomas Birchard of Seabrooke should goe to Pequett and veiw the said percell of land there [17] giuen to the said souldgers, | and taken vp by Pequett, as be- fore and then goe to[Niantecutt] and lay out there vnto the said souldgers such and so m[uch] land as may bee fully equiuolent to theire former gr[aunt] of land at Pequett. And for the In- habitants of Pequett, [the] Courte graunts that theire bounds shall come to Bride Brooke, (the former graunt excepted,) pro- uided that it doe not come within the bounds of Seabrooke, 20*
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and provided that what meadow or marshe there is aboue two hundred acres, it shall be reserved for the countrys vse [or] other and further dispose.
Mr. Deputy and Mr. Ludlow are chosen Comissioners for this Jurissdiction to attend the next meeting of the Comission- ers of the vnited Colonyes, and so for the yeare ensuing as oc- cassion may require, and if the Deputy should bee gonn out of the Country to England before the said meeting, then Mr. Cul- lick is to supply his place.
It is ordered, that those that liue in seuerall companyes at farmes remoate from the seuerall Townes, shall haue libberty to keepe one in each quarter at home vppon euery training day, who is of age to bare armes, provided one man, (where more then one is,) shall tarry at home but one training day at a time, and that those whoe doe stay at home bee prouided with armes, according to lawe ; and where any one farme is so farre distant from the Towne as Mr. Fenwicks is, at Sixe Myle Iland, then one in like manner may remaine at home, for safety of the place.
This Courte graunts theire consent that Nathaniell Rescew should haue Goodwife Johnsons childe, wch was borne in the prison, as an apprentice to him, till hee is of the age of twenty one yeares, and that the said Rescew shall haue ten pounds with him, out of Newtons estate.
This day there was presented a letter to the Courte, by the Deputy, from John Wenthrop Esqr of Pequett, directed to the said Deputy, the contents whereof fol[lowth :]
Worthy Sr.
It was my intent to haue waited vppon yorselfe and the Honored Courte, but some occasions of absolute necessity (as Mr. Blinman can informe) require my hasting into the Bay, wch should have beene sooner if I had beene well to haue gon by land, but I haue expected a passage by water to Provi- dence, wch I am now promissed by a pinnace that I expect to returne from Leiftennant Gardiners this day; therefore I [18] desire to bee excused till some further opportunity.
There hath beene earnest motions to mee, from some well willers to the Comon good, to make some search and tryall for mettalls in this Country, and there is hope that there might bee a stock gathered for that purpose, if there were incouragements from the scuerall Jurisdictions. I have therefore made bould to propound the inclosed graunt to yorselfe and the Courte ; professing this, that I neither know nor haue heard of any
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mynes or mettalls within this Jurisdiction, for I haue not yet made any search, but only propound it for incouragement to any that will bee adventurers and joine in the vndertaking of such a designe ; wch is allready done in the Bay, where I know of two places of lead, one at Lynn and the other at Nuberry, but that at Lynn being chalenged by the Towne and so neare the Iron worke, that takes vp all the wood, that it cannott bee wrought there ; and the Towne hath beene at charge for the finding of the veine, but it cannot bee found, and so they are discouraged, for it was onely loose pecces that wee found. I doe not much desire to hauc any thinge put in about gold and siluer, yet if it be put in, it may incourage some, but I leaue all to the wisdome of the honored Courte, and with my humble scruice to yorselfe and the Deputy Gournor and the Magistrates and Deputies I rest,
May 13th, 1651.
Yor humble servant, John Wenthrop.
Whereas, in this rocky country, amongst these mountaines and stonye hills, there are probabilities of mynes of mettalls and mineralls, the discouery whereof, may bee for the great benefitt of the country, in raising a staple comodity ;- and whereas, John Wenthrop Esqr doth intend to bee at charge and adventure for the search and discouery of such mynes and mineralls ; for the incouragement whereof, and of any that shall adventure with the said John Wenthrop Esqr in the said buisines, It is therefore ordered by this Courte, that if the said John Wenthrop Esqr shall discouer, sett vppon and meinteine, or cause to be found, discoucred, set vppon and meinteined, such mynes of lead, copper or tinn, or any mineralls, as antimony, vitriall, black lead, allom, stone salt, salt springs, or any other the like, within this Jurissdiction, and shall sett vp any worke, for the digging, washing, melting, or any other operation about the said mynes or mineralls, as the nature thereof requireth, that then the said John Wenthrop Esqr, his heires, associates ptners or assignes, shall injoye forcuer the said mynes, with the lands, wood, timber and waters, within two or three myles of the said myne, for the necessary carrying on of the workes and meinteining of workemen, and provision of coales for the same ; provided it bec not within the bounds of any Towne allready, or any perticular persons propriety, and provided it bee not in nor bordering vppon any place that shall or may by the Courte bee judged fitt to make a plantation of.
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[19] A GENERALL COURTE IN HARTFORD, 11th OF SEPTEMBY, 1651.
John Haynes Esqr, Gournor.
Magistrates : Mr. Wells, Capt: Mason, Mr. Webster, Mr. Woollcott, Mr. Clarke.
Deputyes : Mr. Allyn, Mr. Phelps, John Bissell, Dauid Willton, Mr. Trott, Sam: Smith, John Demyng, Natha : Dickerson, John Clarke, Mr. Tallcott, Mr. Westwood' Andr: Bacon, Edw: Stebbing, John Bankes, Will: Hill, Thomas Mynott, Wm. Beardsly, Thomas Judd, Steph: Harte.
It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that Mattabeseck shall bee a Towne, and that they shall make choyce of one of theire inhabitants, according to order in that case, that so hee may take the oath of a Constable, the next convenient season.
It is likewise ordered, that Norwauke shall bee a Towne and that they prouide an inhabitant, according to order, who shall seasonably bee tendred to take the oath of a Constable.
This Courte being informed by the Townsmen of Hartford that John Lord, contrary to naturall affection, hath withdrawne himselfe from his wife, and left her destitute of a bed to lodge on, and very bare in apparell, to the indangering of her health, The said Courte doth herev[ppon] order and giue authority to the said Townsmen to require of the said John Lord the wear- ing apparrell of his wife, and allso a bed for her to lodge on, and allso to search after the same in any place within this Jurissdic- tion, and to restore it vnto her, and reasonable satisfaction shall bee giuen if any person shall bee damnified thereby.
It is ordered by this Courte, that the lyne of the Towne of Nameage shall begin on the east side the great Riuer oppositt to the point Mr. John Wenthrop now liues uppon, and so to runn vppon an east lyne to Powcatuck Riuer, together with all the meadow, except it doth exceed foure hundred and ten acres. It is not intended that any prt of the former limmitts of the Towne should bee abridged.
Allso the Iland commonly called Chippachauge,* in Mistick Bay is giuen to Capt : John Mason, as allso one hundred acres
* Now called " Mason's Island."
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OF CONNECTICUT.
of vpland and ten acres of meadow neare Mistick, where hee shall make choyce.
The Deputyes of Fairefeild haue, according to order of Courte in that behalfe, presented to the Courte a list of theire names and estates, wch in the Totall amounts to the sum of 8895l. 3s.
Thursday come seuen night is appointed by the Generall Courte for a day of Thanksgiuing in all the Townes in this Jurissdiction.
Vppon petition of Nicholas Olmstead, the Courte frees him from traininge vntill further order. Repealed : fol. 21.
The Court is adiourned to Wednesday come 3 weekes, after Lecture.
[20] A SESSION OF THE GENERALL COURTE IN HARTFORD, THE 6th OCTOBr, 1651.
Edw: Hopkins Esqr, Deputy.
Magistrates : Roger Ludlow Esqr, Mr. Wells, Mr. Wooll- cott, Mr. Cullick, Mr. Clarke.
Deputyes : Mr. Phelps, Mr. Trott, Mr. Tailecoat, Mr. Westwood, Edw: Stebbing, Natha: Dickerson, John Bissell, Andr: Bacon, John Deming, Sam: Smith, Steph: Harte, Will: Beardsly, Will: Hill, John Bankes, Tho: Judd.
This Courte considering the motion and request of the Townesmen of Hartford, for some of theire inhabitants to bee freed from training to morrow and next day, they doe graunt and consent that they shall haue libberty to take of so many from theire training aforesaid as are necessary to bee imployed about the raising of the worke prepared for the supporte of the great bridge.
This Courte being informed that there are seuerall Indians amongst vs that are knowne and may bee prooued to bee mur- therers of the English before the Pequett warrs, they doe referr the inquiry into the grounds and truth of the premisses vnto the magistrates of this Jurisdiction, and therefore doe desire that ye Gournor would write to, or seasonably conferr with Capt: Mason
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PUBLIC RECORDS
and Thomas Staunton, whether they know any such Indian, that soe they may bee brought to condigne punishment.
This Courte hauing considered the appeale of Thomas Bar- lowe and Jehu Burr, about the verdict of the Jury at the last Courte in Stratford, whereby they were judged to pay for a colte of Leiftennant Wheelers, they doe determine and con- clude that allthough they see not reason to confirme the full verdict of the Jury, yet they judge it meete that the said Bar- lowe and Burr should pay to Wheeler, for his damage, forty shillings.
Mr. Warde and John Bankes are desired to gather vp and make sale of any estate of that wch was sometimes Peter John- sons of Fairefeild, and that they shall therewith satisfie the charges of the nursing of the childe of Goody Johnson.
Nicholas Olmsteed, acknowledging to the Courte that by seu- erall irregular expressions in his petition, hee hath giuen just cause of offence vnto the Courte, manifesting in his express- ions his sorrow for the same, and desiring the Courte to pass it by, They doe remitt and pass by his offence ; and doe order that hee shall not bee freed from traininge vppon such a peti- tion, but if hee shall see cause, in time convenient, to present to the Courte the consideracon of his former good service, they shall bee freely willing to attend it, and to allowe him conven- ient and reasonable incouragemt ; the petition to bee taken of from the fyle.
Vppon the complaint of the Deputies of Strattford to this Courte, in the behalfe of Richard Buttler, against an Indian named Nimrod, that willfully killed some swyne of the said Buttlers, this Courte consenteth that Mr. Ludlow may prsecute the said Indian according to order made by the Comissioners in that respect.
[21] Whereas vppon the motion of Mr. Wells, Treasurer, It was propounded that in regard hee being in the place of Ma- gistrate, doth finde the execution of the Treasurers office to bee [some]what burdensome for both together, and therefore desires [to] bee eased of the Treasurers place, wch this Courte doth desire at the Courte of Election, may bee attended, and that they would thinke of some body else to bee Treasurer in his roome.
Andrew Warde, George Hull and William Beardsly are pro-
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OF CONNECTICUT.
pounded 'for Assistants to joine with the magistrates for the execution of justice in the Townes by the sea side.
It was ordered that Thomas Staunton should goe to Narra- gansett and demaund of Ninigrett 40l. for Eltwood Pomryes mare, or Pequoiam to bee d'd vp, according to the determina- tion of the Comissioners in Sept: last .*
William Leawis Junior is confirmed Leiftennant, to order the souldgers at Farmington : John Steele Junior, Ensigne, and Thomas Barnes, Serieant.
A letter being received from Capt: Mason, wherein hee de- sires, among other thinges, the advice of this Courte touching a motion propounded by some of New Hauen interessed in Dil- laware designe, for his assistance of them in that buisiness, with some incouragements for his settling there ; The Courte ordered that answer be returned, in reference to the foregoing particu- lar, to the following purpose :- That it is much in the desires of the whole Courte that hee would not enterteine thoughts of remouing his aboade out of this Colony, wherevnto they cannot giue the least allowance or approbation ; yet if his owne desire bee for the present service of that place, and theire importuni- ties continue for his employment there, the Courte cannott wholy deny him or them, the worke being that wch they are willing to promoate, but are content hee shall attend the ser- vice for 3 months, provided hee will ingage himselfe to returne within that time and continue his aboade amongst them as formerly :
* See p. 27, ante. "Eltweed Pomry, of Windsor, in Connecticutt Jurisdiction, hauing often petitioned the Comissioners about a mare of his, wilfully killed by a Pequott Indyan, called Po- quoiam, soone after the fore mentioned warr, when all sorts of horses were at a high price ; concerning which, Mr. Israell Stoughton, Generall for the Massachusetts, made an agreement with Meyantonime, one of the principall Narragansett Sachems, with or under whom the sayd Poquoiam liued, on behalfe of the offendors: * * * * * * Upon consid- eration of the premisses, the Comissioners thought fitt that the sayd monye be againe demanded of Ninigrett," he being the brother in law of Poquoiam, and heir to Miantonimo, " or that hee de- liuer Poquoiam into their hands ; but upon refusall or delay, that some fitt man, duely accompa- nied, be sent, by order & direction of the Government of Conecticutt, to require it, with allow- ance of the present charges, and if it be not forthwith paid, to make seizure to the vallew of 404. with the charges, and to bring it away with them ; and hereof the Narraganset Indians now . pr'sent were willed to informe Ninigrett ; onely, if after such payment or seizure, Vncas or Wequash Cooke shall by intertaining, pr'tecting or concealing Poquoiam, hinder Ninigrett from recouering the same of him, in such case the said 40l. shall be accounted due and be required from them or either of them." [Records of U. Colonies, Sept. 1651.]
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The Courte hath allso spoken with Leiftennant Bull, about the land at Nihantecutt, laid out to him and others with him, who hath promised to conferr with Vncas and indeuor to giue him reasonable content and satisfaction, in reference to the prem- isses, wch if they shall not answerably attend, then vppon in- formation the Courte will take further consideracon thereof, in seasonable time. And whereas hee certifies in his letter that hee is not satisfied in Saquassens being exalted vnder our power to great Sachemship, this Courte declares that they doe not know of any such thinge, neither doe they or shall they allowe or approoue thereof .*
[22] Mr. Webster and Mr. Cullick are desired to take an accot of the Treasurer of the debts of the Country, and how the last Country Rate is dissbursed, and present the same to the next session of the Generall Courte.
It is ordered, that Mattabeseck and Norwauke shall bee rated this prsent yeare in theire proporcon, according to the rule of rating in the Country, for theire cattle, and other visible estate, and that Norwaack shall present to Mr. Ludlow, and Mattabe- seck to Mr. Wells, in each Towne one inhabitant, to bee sworne by them, Constables in theire seuerall Townes.
It is ordered by this Courte that Wednesday next come fort- night, there bee a day of fasting and humilliation throughout this Jurissdiction, for and in consideracon of some diseases or infection that is among or neighbors & freinds of the Massa- chusetts, as allso for and concerninge the affaires of or natiue country, and prsperity of the Gospell of Jesus Christe.
* At a meeting of the Commissioners, in September, " Uncas complained that Sequassen some yeares since, as is well knowne, began hostile acts upon him, to the disturbance of the publique peace, whereupon he was occasioned to fight him and in the issue ouercame him and conquered his country, which though he gaue to the English and did not oppose the favour they were pleased to shew him in sparing his life, yet he cannot but looke upon himselfe as wronged in that Sequassen (as he was informed,) is set up and indeavored to be made a great Sachem, not- withstanding he hath refused to pay an acknowledgmt of wampom to him, according to his ingagements."
"The Commissionrs disclaimed any indeavors of theirs to make Sequassen greate, and are igno- rant of what he affirmes concerning the other, yet recommend it to the Gouernent of Con- ecticutt to examine the case, and to prvide that upon due proofe Vncas may bee owned in what shall bee just and equall, and Mr. Ludlow was intreated to promote the same." [Rec. ofU Colonies.]
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OF CONNECTICUT.
£ S.
Hartford estate was presented to this Courte to bee 22404:19.
Wyndsor,
. 15435:
Wethersfeild,
12748:
Farmington, . 04741:
Seabrooke, 04150:
Fairefeild, . 08895:3
Strattford,
07118:8:6d.
75492:10:6
It is ordered, that warrants shall goe out from the Treasurer for a whole rate, and that euery person, according to the order, to bee rated at 2s. vid. pr head, shall bee brought downe to 18d. pr head ; the whole rate to bee paid } in wheat, and } in pease, and § in good peage or Indian.
The Courte is adiourned to the first Wednesday in Decembr next.
[23] A SESSION OF THE GENERALL COURTE, THE 3d DAY OF DECEMBr, 1651.
John Haynes Esqr, Gournor.
Magistrates : Mr. Woollcott, Mr. Webster, Mr. Cullick. Deputyes : Mr. Phelps, Mr. Allyn, Mr. Tailecoat, Mr. Westwood, Edw: Stebbing, Natha: Dickerson, Andr: Bacon, John Bissell, John Demyng, Steph: Harte, Tho: Judd.
The Courte is adiourned to the first Tuesday in March next, by ten a clock in the morninge.
[24] A SESSION OF THE GENERALL COURTE, IN HARTFORD, THE 2d OF MARCH, 1651-52.
John Haynes Esqr, Gournor.
Magistrates : Mr. Wells, Capt: Mason, Mr. Woollcott, Mr. Webster, Mr. Cullick, Mr. Clarke.
Deputyes : Mr. Tailecoat, Mr. Phelps, Mr. Allyn, Mr. Westwood, Edw: Stebbing, Natha: Dickerson, Dauid 21
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PUBLIC RECORDS
Willton, John Bissell, Sam: Smith, Andrew Bacon, John Deming, Steph: Harte, Tho: Judd.
This Courte orders, that the Treasurer shall pay vnto John Cullick the sum of thirty two pounds nineteene shillings, out of the Country Rate pay, allready graunted and next to bee col- lected, wch is for so much the Country is indebted to Edward Hopkins Esqr ; the pay to bee made in Corne : if any wampum bee paid, it is to bee with so much allowance as shall make the wampum as good as corne.
This Courte considering John Clarks bill of Countryes charges, they doe conclude and order that the Treasurer shall - not pay him for the workmens diett aboue six shillings a weeke for one man.
This Courte orders that the Treasurer shall pay to Richard Goodman and John Pratt, for the carrying on of the necessary worke about the prison howse, out of the next Rate, thirty pounds in such pay as the Rate is to bee paid in this Towne.
Thomas Bull and others in the behalfe of the rest, hauing re- signed vp to the Courte one hundred acres of the grounds laid out at Niantecutt to them, of that parte thereof wch lyes next to Seabrooke, wch said hundred acres the Courte graunts lib- berty to the Indians that formerly posessed and planted the same, to posess and plant for the future, so long as they carry peacably and justly towards the English ;
This Courte graunts to the said Thomas Bull and the rest of the fiue of Capt: Masons souldgers, that they shall haue two hundred acres of that vpland wch lyes northward, next adioyn- ing to the remainder of land allready laid out to them, wch they accept in full satisfaction for the hundred acres they haue re- signed as before.
The Courte is dissolued.
[25] A GENERALL COURTE OF ELECTION IN HARTFORD, THE 20th MAY, 1652.
Magistrates elected :
Edward Hopkins Esqr, Gournor. John Haynes Esqr, Deputy.
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OF CONNECTICUT.
Roger Ludlow Esqr, John Wenthrop Esqr, Mr. Wells, Capt: Mason, Mr. Webster, Mr. Woollcott, Mr. Cullick, Sec"., Mr. Clarke, Mr. Howell, Mr. Tapping. Mr. Tailecoate, Treasurer.
Deputyes : Mr. Phelps, Mr. Steele, Mr. Tailecoat, Mr. Warde, Mr. Gayler, Mr. Westwood, Mr. Trott, Mr. Parkes, Edw: Stebbing, Natha: Dickerson, Andr: Bacon, John Deming, John Bissell, Tho: Coleman, Dauid Will- ton, Will: Hill, Will: Beardsly, Dan: Titterton, John Clarke, Tho: Chapman, Hugh Calkin.
This Courte there was made free,-Robert Lockwood, John Tailecoat, Tho: Whittmore, Tho: Allyn, Tho: Bissell, John Hossford, John Bissell, Will: Beamunt, Will: Waller.
This Courte hauing duely weighed and considered the grounds of John Coopers appeale to the same, in reference to the verdict of the Jury at Southampton in the tryall betweene Mr. Stanborough plaintiffe, and John Cooper senior, defendt, they finde and hereby doe declare that the said John Cooper had just ground and cause so to appeale ; allso, this Courte, considering the bill presented to them of Cooper to Peter Tall- man, Dutchman, and assigned by him to Stanborough, accord- ing to the euidence giuen in, they find that it was not an au- thentique bill.
Whereas, by an order in this Comon wealth, there is to bee a perticular Courte in Hartford the day before the two stand- ing Generall Courtes, in May and Septembr in each yeare, this Courte finding seuerall inconveniences that followes therevppon, doe hereby order that the aforesaid perticular Courtes shall bee kept in Hartford aforesaid vppon the second day before the said each standing Generall Courte, instead of the former, and that the said perticular Courtes now ordered shall bee ended before each Generall Courte.
This Courte considering the grounds of the seizure of the ves- sell and goods of Oulsterman, at Fairefeild, Dutchman, by John Cable and some others with him, the parties on both sides haue left themselues with submission to the judgmt of the said Courte, in reference to the premisses, they doe order that the said Dutch- man shall pay to the seizors the sum of fiue pounds, and all theire reasonable costs and charges therevppon, wch being done,
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PUBLIC RECORDS
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