USA > Connecticut > The public records of the Colony of Connecticut, prior to the Union with New Haven colony, 1636-1665 > Part 24
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Deputyes : Mr. Steele, Mr. Allyn, Mr. Gaylard, Mr.
281
OF CONNECTICUT.
Brewster, Mr. Trott, Mr. Ward, Mr. Hull, absent, Mr. Westwood, Mr. Newberry, Nath: Dickerson, Sam: Smith, Nath: Ward, Edw: Stebbing, Andr: Bacon, Tho: Coleman, Edw: Griswold, Math: Campfeild, Hugh Cal- kin, John Brunson, John Hurd, John Welles, John Clarke, Robert Webster, absent, Tho: Allyn.
Persons made free :- Bartho: Bernard, Wm. Gutteridge, Ben: Harbor, Philip Davis, Gabriell Line, Wm. Judd.
This Courte doth graunt that John Bissell shall keepe the ferry at Wyndsor for the next ensuing yeare, being ingaged to performe the former tearms of his keeping the same with this addition, that whosoever in this Jurisdiction shall be listed, with the approbation of the Gen: Courte, from yeare to yeare, for troopers, shall be passage free for horse & man, so long as he keepes himselfe vnder & performes the tearmes of his listing, so often as the said troopers shall with their listed horses travill with them to Springfeild towne or beyond.
Major Mason & Mr. Tailcoate are chosen Commissioners for the yeare ensuing, and Mr. Fitch as a Reserve.
Good: Groves is chosen an Assistant for the towne of Strat- ford, Ensigne Gold for Fairefeild, Good: Campfeild for Nor- walke; Good: Campfeild is ordered to give the oath vnto the other two Assistants.
Mr. Governor, Mr. Deputy, Mr. Culliek & Mr. Tailcoat are desired in some convenient time to advise wth the elders of this Jurisdiction about those things yt are prsented to this Courte as grevances to severall persons amongst vs; (and if they judge it nessisary,) to erave their healpe & assistance in drawing up an abstract from the heads of those things, to be prsented to the Gen: Courtes of the severall vnited Collonyes, and to desire an answer thereunto as sone as conveniently may be.
This Courte, at the request of Stratford, doe graunt that theire bounds shall be 12 myle northward, by Paugasitt River, if it be att the dispose by right of this Jurisdiction.
Jonas Wood having given to this Courte in writing vnder his hand, severall complaintes agt some persons in South Hamp- ton mentioned in the sd writing, & hath given bonds to prosi- cute his complts. to abide by the judgment of the Gen: Courte 25*
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in Octobr next: This Courte desire the Dep. Governor to write to Capt. Topping & Mr. Ogden & acqvaint them with the aforesd complaints, and thearfore if the complaints, with the grounds of them, are not timely removed and satisfaction made, it is desired & expected that the respective persons concerned should appeare in theire owne defence at the aforesd Gen: Courte, the first Thursday of Octobr next.
Geo: Fenwick Esqr, having manifested his respect to this Collony in graunting that the Towne of Seabrooke should have the vse of the Westerne necke, for their young cattle & sheepe or goates, till further order be given by him or his assigne, he reserving to himselfe ye propriety notwithstanding ; The Courte declares themselves, that is theire apprihensions yt ye benefit & advantage of the aforesd graunt should belong only to thos per- sons that cohabitt in the towne platte, till such time as the aforesd neck be called for again by & for the vse of the aforesd Geo. Fenwick Esqr or his assigne.
This Courte graunts Mr. James Fitch a compitent farme, conteining bet: 2 & 300 Acres, at Menunketeseck, so far as it is within theire power to make the aforesd graunt.
[71] It is ordered by the Courte, yt the Assistant & Clerke of the Trained Band in each towne of Stratford, Fairefeild & Nor- walke, shall hearby have power committed to them to examin & censure all defects of armes, in their severall townes ; and allso deffects vpon training dayes, both in not coming late or other- wise ; and to graunt out disstresses agt the respective delinquents for the same.
The Courte is adjourned to the day before the Quarter Courte in September next.
A GENERALL COURTE HELD AT HARTFORD, OCTOBr 2d, 1656.
Mr. Webster, Governor.
Mr. Welles, Dep. Governor.
Magistrates : Mr. Clarke, Mr. Tallcott, Mr. Willys. Dep : Mr. Steele, Mr. Allyn, Edw: Stebbing, Wm. Wads- worth, Joseph Mygatt, Rich: Butler, Mr. Gailer, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Newberry, Mr. Hollister, Mr. Robbins, Good: Dement, John Clarke, Mr. Ward, Hen: Grey,
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OF CONNECTICUT.
John Herd, John Wells, Lifetent Webster, John Brun- son, Sam: Haile, Good: Calkin.
Vpon ye complaint of Jonas Wood, this Courte orders, yt Mr. Ogden shall bee written to frö this Courte to graunt exicu- tion to Jonas Wood, according to the verdict of the Jury, agt John Cooper, at a Courte held at South Hampton about a yeare since.
Ordered by the Courte, that Tho. Backsters bill or bond lying in the Courte shall be returned to him by the Secritary, wn it is or can be found.
It is ordered by the Courte, yt wt person so ever, either In- dians or English, shall take any Wolfe out of any pit made by any other man to catch wolfes in, whearby they would defraude the right owner of their due from the towne or country, every such offendor shall pay to the owner of the pit 10s. or be whiped on their naked bodyes not exceeding 6 stripes.
Andr: Bacon & John Bernard are exempted from training & watching & warding, by the Courte.
It is ordered by this Courte & ye authority thearof, yt none in this Common Wealle shall sell any strong liquors after, above 8s. pr gallon by retail, sil: any yt are lycenced except ye ordinary keeprs, who shall not exceed 14s. pr gallon by retaile : this order to begin at ye 1 Decembranext, & this order to con- tinue for one yeare : & none in this Common weale lycenced shall sell wyne at above 18d. pr qvart, exept to ordinary keeprs who are not to exceed 2s. pr quart, & this order to continve for one yeare and to begin 1 of December next.
Good: Mygate is lycenced to sell strong lyquors by retaile.
It is also ordered for one yeare, yt two Magistrates shall have libertye to lycense such as they see meete, if thos lycenced shall retale* to sell.
It is ordered by this Courte & the authority thearof, that no towne wthin this Jurisdiction shall entertaine any Quakers, Ranters, Adamites, or such like notorious heritiques, or suffer to continve with them above the space of 14 dayes, vpon the pen- alty of 5l. per weeke for any towne entertaining any such per- son ; but the townes men shall give notice to the two next
* This word should be refuse. Several obvious errors and omissions occur in the record of this session, which is not in the hand writing of Mr. Cullick.
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Magistrates or Assistants, who shall have power to send them to prison, for the securing of them vntill they can conveniently be sent out of the Jurisdiction .*
It is also ordered, yt no master of any vessell shall land any such Heritiqs : but if they doe, they shall be compelled to trans- port them againe out of this Collony, (by any one Magistrate or Assistant,) at their first setting saile from the port wheare they landed them, duering which time the Assistant or Magistrate shall see them secured, vpon the penalty of 20l. for any master of any vessell yt shall not transport them as aforesd.
[72] It is allso ordered, yt none in this Collony shall sell any Indian any horse or mare, nor any boate or boate riginge, vpon ye penalty of five for one, for any such default.
It is allso ordered by this Courte, that vpon consideration of wt was commended to the severall Courtes, to have vpon re- corde to posterity the most memorable passages of Gods provi- dence + & settlinge & hitherto continuing his people in this Country, for the attaineing hearof, Major Mason, Mr. Stone, Mr. Goodwyn, Mr. Wareham, Mr. Steele & Good- man Stebbing, are desired to meete to collect such remarkable passages ; Mr. Pell: & Mr. Ward are desired to send in writing such occurrances by the sea-side.
It is ordered by this Courte, that such Constablest within this Jurisdiction shall make returne of their warrants at Octobr Courte, which they received the spring before, & ishue their accounts with the Treasuror about thos collections which they were adjoyned to attend by thos warrants for Country Levyes, vpon the penalty of 40s. to the publike Treasury, for every such default.
The Lists of the persons & estates in the severall Townes within this Jurisdiction :-
* This Order, (with the three which next follow,) was made by the General Court in con- formity with a recommendation of the Commissioners of the U. Colonies, who, at their session in September, had (upon the suggestion of the Governor and Magistrates of Massachusetts Colony,) " proposed to the severall Generall Courts, that all Quakers, Ranters and other notorious Here- tiques be prohibited comming into the Vnited Collonyes, and if any shall hereafter come or arise amongst vs, that they be forthwith secured and removed out of all the Jurisdictions."
" And that no horse or mare, young or old, be sould to any Indian, vnder the penalty of five for one."
" And also that no boates or barkes or any tackling belonging thearvnto be sould to any In dian, vnder the penalty of five for one." [Rec. of U. Colonies.]
+ Blank in the original.
# For 'each Constable' ?
OF CONNECTICUT. 285
Persons. Estates.
Estates.
Hartford, 188. 19675. 5s. 0. Stratford, 9033. 0. 0.
Wyndsor, 152. 15531. 0. 0. Middletowne, 2375. 10. 0.
Wethersfeild,107. 12504. 10. 0. Pequott,
6408. 11. 0.
Norwaake, 3154. 10. 0. Seabrooke, 4931. 0. 0.
Fairefeild, 10053. 4. 0.
This Courte graunts a Rate in the Country, to bee levyed by virtue of the Treasurors warrants to the Constables in each Towne, for three farthings in the pound, to bee pd halfe in wheat & halfe in pease.
This Courte orders, that when John Elderkin doth lay downe the ordinary att Pequott, yn & not before Geo. Tounge may have a lycence from any one Magistrate to keepe an ordinary according to the orders of this Courte, in the aforesd towne of Pequot.
It is ordered, yt next Wednesday come 3 weekes shall be kept a publique day of Thanksgiving to the Lord, for the gen: concurrances of many mercyes the yeare past, by all the plan- tations in this Jurisdiction, notice being to be given to ye offi- cers in each towne by the Deputyes of the Courte from the sd townes.
This Courte orders, that in ye action whearin Sam: Smith as Attourny to Tho. Stephenson, did cast Mr. Robbins, 10l., yt execution shall be respited vntill beter proofe appeare, pro- vided he bring it in at ye Quarter Courte in Septem: next.
The Courte is dissolved.
Some other orders made at the Courte in Octob" 4", 1656.
The names of thos that are appointed by the Courte, to be Leather sealers, for the yeare ensuing : For Hartford, John Stedman, Edw: Grannis; For Wyndsor, Good: Olderige, Jobe Drake; For Seabrook, Jonath: Rudd, John Olmesteed ; For Stratford, Good: Groves, & Robert Rice ; For Norwaack, Richard Olmesteed.
Octobr 2d, (56.) [73]
This Courte taking into serious consideration the severall deceites and abuses which in other places have beene and are commonly practised by the tanners, curiers, butchers and workers of Leather, as also the abuses and inconveniences
-
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which acreu to the severall members of this Common wealth by leather not sufficiently tanned and wrought, which is occa- tioned by the necligence & vnskillfullness of thos severall tradesmen, which before, in & after it is in the hand of ye tan- ner may be much bettered or impayred, for prevention hearof, it is ordered by this Courte and the authority thearof,
That no Butcher, by himselfe or any other person, gash or cutt any hide of ox, bull, steare or cow, in fleaing thearof, whearby the same shall be impayred, vnder the penalty of 12 for every such gash in hyde or skin.
Nor shall any person or persons vseing or which shall vse the mistery of tanning, at any time or times hearafter, offer or put to sale any kinde of leather which shall be insufficiently or not throughly tanned, or which shall not then have beene after the tanning thearof well & throughly dryed, vpon paine of for- fiture so much of his or their sd Leather as by any searcher or sealor of leather lawfully apointed shallbe found insufficiently tanned or not throughly dryed as aforesd.
Nor shall any person or persons vseing or occupying the mistery of tanning set any of their fatts in tann hills or other places wheare the woozes,* or Leather put into tann in the same, shall or may take any vnkinde heates, nor shall put any leather into any hott or warme oozes wtsoever, on paine of 201. for every such offence ; nor shall any person or persons vseing or occupying the mistery or facultye of curreing, burne or scauld any hide or leather in the curreing, but shall worke the same in all respects with good & suffitient liqvor both for qual- lity &z quantity, sutable to the condition of the Leather dreast by him or them, on paine of forfeture, for every such offence or act done contrary to the true meaning of this order, the full value of every such hide marred by his evell workmanship or handleing, which shall be judged by two or more sufficient and skillful persons, curreors or others, and their oath given them for that ende by one Magistrate or Assistant. And every towne wheare neede is or shall be, shall chuse one or two per- sons of the most able & skillfull within their severall towne- shipps, & present them to ye Courte or one Magistrate or As-
* Ooze; "the liquor of a tan vat." Webster.
287
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OF CONNECTICUT.
sistant, who shall appoint and sweare the sd persons by their discretion to make search and view within the presincts of their limmites as often as they shall think good and neede shalbe, who shall have a mark or seale prepared by each towne for that purpose : and the said searchers, or one of them, shall keepe the same & therewith shall seale such Leather as they shall [finde] suffitient in all points, one or other ; and if the sd searchers or any one of them shall finde any Leather sould or offered to be sould, brought or offered to be searched or sealed, which shall be tanned, wrought, converted or vsed contrary to the true intent & meaning of this order, it shall be lawfull for the sd searchers or any of them to seize all such Leather and to retaine the same in their custody, vntill such time as it bee try- ed by such tryars & in such manner as in this order is appoint- ed, viz : vpon the forfeture of any Leather, ye Officer so seiz- ing ye same shall wthin 3 dayes call to him 3 or 4 men, honest & skillfull in such ware, to view the same in the presence of the perty, who shall haue timely notice thearof, or without him, who shall certefye vpon their oaths to the next Quarter Courte or one Magistrate or Assistant, the defect of the same Leather, except the perty before submit to their judgment. Nor shall any searchor or sealor of Leather refuse with convenient speede to seale any Leather suffitiently tanned haveing timely notice ; nor shall any such searchor or sealor seale that which is insuffi- tiently tanned, vpon the forfeture for every such offence [of] 10s; & the fees for searching & sealing of Leather, shall be 2d pr hide for every number vnder five, & 12d for every dicker* of Leather, which the tanner shall pay vpon the sealing the sd Leathor, from time to time :
[74] Lastly, its ordered by the authority aforesd yt ye severall fynes & forfetvres in this order mentioned, be eqvally devided into 3 prts ; one part to the Common Treasuror of the Country, 3+ prt to the Common Treasury of the towne wheare the offence comitted, one 3d prt to the seizor or seizers of such Leather which is insuffitiently tanned, curried or wrought fro time to time.
* Dicker or dicre ; "a quantity of leather consisting of ten hides." Johnson.
t Thus, in the Record.
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PUBLIC RECORDS
A GENERALL COURT, CALLED BY THE GOVERNOR & MAGIS- TRATES, THIS 26th of FEBr, 1656.
Joh. Webster Esqr, Gouernor.
Tho: Wells Esqr, Deputy.
Magistrates : Major John Mason, Capt. John Cullick, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Willis, Mr. Tailecoat.
Deputies : Mr. Steele, Tho: Judd, Robert Webstr, Geo: Graues, Mr. Trott, Mr. Robbins, John Dement, Mr. Hollister, Capt. Denison, Will: Cheesbrook, Phillip Groues, Willi: Beardsly, Mr. Allyn, Mr. Gailerd, Mr. Phelps, Mr. Clarke, Nath: Ely, Sam: Hale, Cornelius Hull, Henry Grey, John Clarke, Robert Chapman, Mr. Lord, Will': Wadsworth, Joseph Mygat, Richard Butler.
This Court desires that Major Mason doe warne John Olm- steed, Constable in Seabrooke, to appeare at the next session of this Court in Hartford, to answer such irregularities in attend- ing his warrant for choise of Deputies for this Court as shall bee charged & proued, complained of here by William Waller, where the said Waller is also in like mañer to be warned to make good his complt. Voted.
This Courte appointe Mr. Steele, Mr. Allin, Mr. Dan: Clarke, Mr. Lord, William Wadsworth, Mr. Hollistr, John Deming, Robert Webster, wth the Magistrates, to bee Committee, to giue the best safe advice they can to the Indians, if they agree to meete & being mett shall craue the same of them.
This Court doth order that Mr. Warham, Mr. Stone, Mr. Blinman & Mr. Russell bee desired to meet, the first fifth day of June next, at Boston, to conferre & debate the questions formerly sent to the Bay Court, or any other of the like nature that shall bee prpounded to them by that Court or by or owne, wth such divines as shall bee sent to the said meeting from the other Collonies ; and that they make a returne to the Gen: Court of the issue of their consultations. Voted.
It is also ordered, that a coppy of the former order bee sent to the foure Eldrs chosen for the Synnod, wth a coppy of 12 questions more, wch this Court hath agreed should bee sent by the first opportunity to the Gouernor in the Bay, for the Synnod to consider wth the former questions. Excluded.
289
OF CONNECTICUT.
It is also ordered, that the Deputies, wth the Deacons of the Church in each towne, take care that their said Eldrs bee comely & honorably attended & suited wth necessaries in their journey to the Bay and home againe; and that the same, wth their prportion of charge in the Bay, during their abode there vpon this seruice, bee discharged by the Treasurer; and also the Deputies are impowered to presse horses (if need bee,) for the end aforesaid. Voted.
It is ordered, that the levy vpon the seurall townes for the Country, by the last Court, shall bee made for a penny vpon the pound. Voted.
[75] This Court doth grant liberty to Sam11 Marshall of Wind- zor, to sell strong liquors by retaile, for the space of one yeare.
This Court confirmes the former grant (prooued to them) of 20 myle Iland, wth the meadow adioyning on the east side the great Riuer, & comonage appertaining, to Robert Chapman of Seabrook.
Robert Webster is confirmed Recorder for the Towne of Middletowne, according to their desire. Voted.
¿ Whereas, there is pruision made formerly, against all vnlaw- full games, but the Court hath not explained themselves so farre . as there may bee need, what games they iudge & condemne as altogether vnlawfull, in the very nature of them, It is now or- dered, that if any person or persons, of what rank or quallity so euer, in this Jurisdiction, shall after the publishing of this order, play at Cards, Dice, Tables, or any other game wherein that great & sollemne ordinance of a Lott is expressly & di- rectly abused & prphaned, the persons playing or that shall play, more or lesse, at any of the aforesaid games, shall pay for euery offence 20ss. a peece to the publicke Treasury ; & the head of that family where any such game shall bee vsed or played, (if hee or shee know of, bee priuy to & allowe any such playing in their house or houses,) they shall pay in like manner, 20ss. for each time any such game is played in part or whole, but if they play wthout any privity or knowledge of theirs, then that wch otherwise should haue bene paid by them shall bee paid by the said gamesters or playrs, that is to say that the persons playing shall pay 20ss. a time for euery time they play at any of the aforsaid games, more then his former penalty, to the
26
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PUBLIC RECORDS
publicke Treasury ; onely it is pruided that one third part of the penalties shall bee to the party or parties that shall discouer and prooue the same to the Court. Voted.
It is ordered, that the sallery formerly allowed Daniell Por- ter shall bee continued to him for the next ensuing year, after the end of his last sallery. Voted.
Mr. Tho: Fitch, of Norwalke, beeing prsented to this Court as chosen by that Towne for Clarke of their trained band & Recorder of lands, is confirmed by this Court in the aforesaid respectiue offices & imployments. Voted.
This Court hauing read and considered a certificate from Mr. Laurence Cornelius, Dutchman, (& the Townsmen of Pequett,) they doe declare and shew that they allow and confirme the act of the Towne or Townsmen of Pequet in admitting the said Lawrence Cornelius an inhabitant of that Towne, to haue free trade amongst orselues ; p uided in all things hee obserues & kepes all the wholesome lawes and orders of this Jurisdict: that either are or shall be made.
This Court doth order that those that shall hereafter bee made free, shall haue an affirmatiue certificate vnder the hands of all or the major part of the deputies in their seuerall townes, of their peaceable and honest conversation, and those and only those of them wch the Gen: Court shall approue shall bee made free men. Voted.
[76] The Deputyes are desired to bring a list of the names of the Freemen in their seurall Townes to the Gen: Court in Octo- ber next.
The Court hereby manifests their desires that the reuerend Eldrs of the Counsell who formerly transacted the differences of Hartford Church,* would giue a meeting to the reuerend Eldrs of the Bay that haue tendred themselues voluntarily to
* " It appears, that about the years 1654 and 1655, several councils of the neighboring elders and churches were called, to compose the differences between the parties [in the church at Hartford.] They labored to satisfy them, with respect to the points in controversy. But the brethren at Hartford imagined that all the elders and churches in Connecticut and New Haven were prejudiced in favor of one party or the other, and therefore they would not hear their advice. For this reason it was judged expedient to call a council from the other colonies. Some time in the year 1656, it seems, a number of elders and churches from Massachusetts came to Hartford, and gave their opinion and advice to the church and the aggrieved brethren But it appears, that in the apprehension of the aggrieved, the church did not comply with the result." [Trumbull's Ilist. of Conn. I. 297.]
1
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OF CONNECTICUT.
come vp hither to consider and consult wch way may bee most agreeable to the rule, to put an end to the difference.
2. The Court desires that Hartford Church would write to the former Counsell to come together to Hartford to see if they can compose the differences amongst themselues in this Interim : if not the former request to bee attended.
3. That there may be letters gratulatory returned to the reu- erend Eldrs in the Bay, for their respect, & to continue their former resolutions to come vp to helpe in these cases.
4. The Court desires that Mr. Stone & the Church should, together wth their letters of request to the former Counsell, declare also vnto one or more of them, in writing, the prticu- lars wherein they are not sattisfyed wth the determination of the Counsell. Mr. Dan: Clarke is desired to draw the letters to the Eldrs in the Bay, and to the form" Counsell.
At the same time, Mr. Gouernor, Capt. Cullicke & Mr. Steele, (hauing no hand in the prmises,) did seuerall times expresse themselues openly in the Court, to this purpose ; that though they did exceeding greatly desire any way that might bee dis- couered to bee the way of God should bee attended for the heal- ing of those sad differences in the Church of Christ at Hart- ford, yet being not able, (though oft desired,) to obtaine any thing from the Court that might make it appeare that that wch they have done was (all things considered) the next way of peace according to God, they wthheld their votes; but did much & often expressly desire that the former Counsell might bee first showed the grounds & reasons, why the Church at Hartford could not submit to the advice giuen, as the dissenting brethren had done; wherein the Counsell missed any rule of Christ in their aduice for their conviction ; and if the Counsell did not returne a sattisfying answer, then they should bee willing further meanes should bee attended ; yet none of these things could bee obtained.
[In the margin ; ] The Courte is adjourned to the 2d Thursday in Aprill.
Whereas, there is great complaint of the damage that doth acrew vnto this Comonwealth by the vnruliness of Swyne, It is ordered by this Court & the authority thereof, that after the pub- lication of this order, no Swyne shall goe wthout rings, at any
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