USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 22
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 22
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 22
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 22
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
On Sunday morning, 5 March, there was an earthquake.
[Henry Walton was presented at the court for saying " he had as Leave to heare a dogg Barke as to heare mr Cobbett preach." He was acquitted, however, for want of proof.]
A controversy was in agitation respecting the right of the Assistants to a negative vote upon the resolves of the Repre- sentatives. Mr. Cobbet wrote a treatise, in which he advocated the right of the Assistants, and the question was finally decided in their favor.
On the 5th of June, says Governor Winthrop, " there arose a sudden gust at NW. so violent for half an hour as it blew down multitudes of trees. It lifted up their meeting-house at New- bury, the people being in it. It darkened the air with dust, yet through God's great mercy it did no hurt, but only killed one Indian. It was straight between Linne and Hampton." .
In June, Mr. Edward Tomlins was appointed by the Court, a commissioner to treat with the Indians. He was also appointed clerk of the writs instead of Mr. Richard Sadler. [Mr. Lewis has placed his Indian mission a little too early, or else he was more than once detailed for such service. It was on the 30th of May, 1644, that he was " ordred and appoynted, by both howses of the Courte to goe vppon a messuage to ye Narragan- sett sachems," and dismissed from the "howse for ye present to ppare himselfe for ye jurney." (Col. Recs.) He went on his mission in company with Humphrey Atherton. And it is rep- resented that one of their first acts was to catechise the benight- ed Narragansetts on the Ten Commandments.]
Mr. Joseph Armitage, who kept the tavern on the west of Saugus river, having become involved in pecuniary difficulty, in consequence of certain speculations beyond his means, his R* 14
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1643.
wife Jane presented a petition to the General Court, in June, that they would "reconfirme the custody of the said ordinary to the petitioness." It was signed by the two ministers, and by thirty-two other principal inhabitants, and was granted on the 26th of October. "Joseph Armitage is allowed to keep the ordinary, but not to draw wine."
[It is probable that Mr. Armitage remained in straitened cir- cumstances for some time, for at the June term of the court at Salem, in 1669, he presented a petition for the payment of a number of old demands for entertainment furnished to sundry dignitaries, which reads thus :
To the Honered Court now sitting at Sallem. The Humble petition of Jo- seph Armitage Humbly Sheweth that in the time that I kept Ordinary ther was sum expences at my Hows by some of the Honored magistrates & Depe- tys of this County as apears by ther bills charged oupon Auditor Generall, which I never Receaued. Therfor your Humbell petticioner doth humbly request this Court that they would give me an Order to the County Treasurer for my pay & so your pour petitioner shall ever pray for your prosperity.
JOSEPH ARMITEGE.
[The demands and vouchers appear as follows. And they certainly present a refreshing glimpse at the simplicity of the times. Just think of a governor of the present day traveling in the style of Endicott and Bradstreet.
[No. 1.]
Mr Auditor Generall, There were divers gentlemen, that attended mee at my going to the election, together with the servants, that at their going & returning back, which had in beare & wine, at Joseph Armitages, eleven shil- lings & 4d., which I pray give you a bill to the Treasurer that hee may be paid. 4th of the 8th moneth, 1650. yrs, Jo. ENDECOTT.
[No. 2. Armitages bill.]
the gouerners Expences from the Coart of election, 1651, till the end of October, 1651: to bear & cacks, [beer and cakes] 6d .; bear and cacks to him- self and som other gentllemen, 1s. 2d .; bear and cacks with Mr Downing, 1s. 6d .; bear & a cack, 6d. - 3s. 8d.
to the Sargents from the end of the Coart of election, 1651, till the end of October, 1651, bear & cacks, Is. 2d .; for vitalls, beear & logen, 5s .; to Benja- min Scarlet, the gouerners man, 8d .; bear & vitells, 2s .; to the Sargents, Is. 9d. ; beear and cacks, 1s .; to a man that Caried a leter to warne a Court about the duchman, 1s. 6d .; to the Sargents, 1s. 2d. - 14s. 3d.
Mr Auditor, I pray you give a note to Mr Treasurer, for the payment of 17s. 11d. according to these two bills of Joseph Armitage.
Dated the 7th of the 11th mo. 1651.
Jo. ENDECOTT.
[No. 3. Wiggins bill.]
Mr tresorer, I pray you pay to Joseph Armitage the som of one shilling fouer pence, which I expended going to the generall Court this 17. 8 mo. 1650. THO. WIGGIN.
[No. 4. Bradstreetes bill.]
due to goodman Armitage, for beare & wyne att severall times as I came by in the space of aboute 3 veares, 4s. 3d. May 15th, '49. More for my man
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1644.
& horse, as hee returned home the last yeare when I was a Commissioner, hee being deteyned a sabboath day, 6s. 8d. SIMON BRADSTREETE.
[No. 5. Armitagis bill.]
Payed, by the order of the Magistrates, To Henry Skerry with a Udall a prisoner, 3s. 10d .; To John Kiching going with Abner Ardway to the prison, 3s; To the Constable, when Rubin went to prison, 3s. 10d .; To them that carried Robert Hithersay to prison from Salsberry, 4s. 10d. - 15s. 6d.
Mr Auditor, I pray you passe this bill allso to the Treasurer.
23. 11 mo. 1649. Jo. ENDECOTT, Govr.
[No. 6. Samuel Symonds bill.]
7th first mo. 1650. Due to Joseph Armitage for my refreshment in return- ing from Boston Courts of Assistants, 10d. SAMUEL SYMONDS.
[No. 7.]
There is due to Joseph Armitage, of Lyn, one shilling and four pence for our dinner, the 6th of ye 3ª mo. 1651.
THO. BRADBURY, ESDRAS READE, Depts.
Reseved of Joseph Armitage tenn pence. Witnes my hand this 6. 3 mo. JO. WHIPPLE. 1651.
Reseved at Joseph Armitages fouer pence by mee.
6. 3 mo. 1651. HUGH CAUKING, [who signs by a cross, his mark.] Mr Auditer, pay to Joseph Armeteg fouer pound sevene shillings one pence. 9. 4 mo. 1652. JOSEPH JEWET, Guard, EPHRAIM CHILD.
It was probably on account of the refusal of the Court to allow Mr. Armitage to sell spirit, that he procured the warrant mentioned in the Salem court files, 27 December, when Joseph Armitage was presented, " for procuring a warrant for seaventy persons to appeare forthwithe before the Governor, which we conceave may be of dangerous consequence."
[Mr. Armitage having been fined for not informing the consta- ble of a person being drunk in his company, as the law required, petitioned to have the fine remitted. But the Court answer, 13 May, 1651, that they see " no cawse to abate the petitioner any part of that fine."
[Mr. Armitage died in 1680. His administrator was Henry Styche. Richard Haven and John Ballard appraised the estate which they rendered at £6.2.6.]
1644.
The Company of Undertakers for the Iron Works, on the 7th of March, laid before the Court ten propositions for the advance- ment of their designs ; the most important of which were grant- ed. They were allowed permission to make use of six places, three miles square in each place, wherever they might choose, without interfering with previous grants. Their privileges were to continue twenty-one years; with exemption of them- selves, their workmen, and stock, from all public taxes, for ten years.
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1644.
On the 20th of May, the Court allowed the town "thirty sacre shot" for their two great guns, of which Captain Bridges had the care. [The sacre, or saker, was a peculiar kind of ordnance, of French invention, as the name would seem to indicate. It was frequently used as a field piece. "Of guns, the long sacre is most esteemed," says Dampier in his Voyages, 1688.]
At the same Court, the name of Lynn Village was altered to Reading.
[There was a great drought this year, and much sickness prevailed in the summer. A public fast was held in July, in consequence.]
At the Quarterly Court, 27 August, the following persons were presented : " Wm. Hewes and John his son, for deriding such as Sing in the Congregation, tearming them fooles; also William Hewes for saying Mr. Whiting preaches confusedly ; also John Hewes for charging Mr. Cobbitt with falsehood in his doctrine. Wm. Hewes and John his son, shall pay 50s. a peece for a fine, and that it be Injoyned they shall make an humble confession at Lynn, at a publick meeting, which accord- ing to it the Court will consider of their fines." [The name seems to have been spelled Hewes, or Hughes, interchangeably. Thus, on the Colony Records, 16 Oct. 1650, is found the follow- ing: "In answer to the petition of Purnell Hughes, wife of William Hughes, of Lynne, the Court accept of hir acknowledg- ment, and according to hir request, pardons hir hir offence in selling strong waters wthout license whereby one was distem- pered." This Hewes family does not seem to have been above reproach.
[Hugh Burt and Samuel Bennett, of Lynn, were presented to the grand jury as " common sleepers in time of exercise." They were fined 2s. 6d. each.]
On the 13th of November, the Iron Company presented to the Court seven more propositions; in reply to which, the Court, in addition to their former grants, allowed them three years " for the perfecting of their worke, and furnishing of the country with all sorts of barr iron." They gave any of the inhabitants liberty to share in the work, by " bringing in within one year, no less than 100£ a person, with allowance to the adventurers, &c., for 1000£ already disbursed;" if they would complete the finery and forge, as well as the furnace, which " is already set up." They gave them liberty, in all waste places, " to make use of all yron ston, or yron oare," to cut wood, and to make ponds and highways. They likewise granted them immunities, civil and religious, equal with any in the jurisdic- tion ; and recommended them to provide religious instruction for the families of their workmen, who were to be free from all watchings against the Indians, and from all trainings.
2
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1645.
1645.
The establishment of the Iron Foundry was highly approved by the Court, who passed the following order on the 14th of May :
"Whereas it is now found by sufficient purpose that the iron work is very successful, both in the richness of the ore and the goodness of the iron, and like to be of great benefit to the whole country, especially if the inhabitants here should be interested therein, in some good proportion, one half at the least, and whereas the time limited for adventurers to come in will be expired in the ninth month next: This Court, taking the same into serious considera- tion, and being careful that such an opportunity, for so great advantage to the Commonwealth might not be let slip, have taken order, that speedy notice thereof should be given to every town within this jurisdiction, expecting that all such persons as are of sufficient ability, and intend their own benefit, with the common good, will forthwith appear to come in to share in the work, according to their abilities; and for their better instruction, and direction herein, they are hereby to understand that there is already disbursed between £1200 and £1500, with which the furnace is built, with that which belongeth to it, and good quantity of mine, coal, and wood, provided, and some tons of sow iron cast, and some other things in readiness for the forge, &c .; they are also to know that no adventurer is to put in less than £100; but divers may join together to make up that sum, so it come all under one name. There will be need of some £1500 to finish the forge, &c., which will be accepted in money, beaver, wheat, coals, or any such commodities as will satisfy the workmen ; and these are to be paid in to Mr. Henry Webb, of Boston, by such direction as they may receive from the undertakers, Mr. John Winthrop, jun., Major Sedgwick, Mr. Henry Webb, aforesaid, and Mr. Joshua Hewes ; the new adventurers are also to know that they must bear their part in such loss as is befallen the first stock, by forbearance or otherwise, to the time of the new adventurers paying in their adventures ; and all such as will adventure are desired to hasten their resolutions, that the work may go on speedily."
A question has arisen, whether the first forge might not have been established at Braintree. It certainly was not. The first purchase of land for the iron works at Braintree, which has been discovered, was not till some months after this time, namely, on the twenty-ninth of September, 1645, when George Ruggles sold to Richard Leader twenty acres. The grant of "2860 acres," made for the iron works " to be set up" at Braintree, was not laid out till the eleventh of January, 1648. It is certain that an iron foundry was in successful operation at Lynn, as early as 1643, and as mention is only made by the Court of one forge, it follows of course that it must have been this. In 1691, iron ore, called " rock mine," was taken from the ledges at Nahant for the forge at Braintree.
[The first deed on record, in our County Registry, is one from Thomas Dexter, who, " for the sum of 40£ the year, hath sould unto Richard Leader, for the use of the Iron Works, all that land," &c.]
The Court ordered, that youth, from ten to sixteen years of age, should be exercised, on training days, in the use of small guns, half pikes, and bows and arrows. They also ordered, that
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ANNALS OF LYNN -- 1645.
any person who should make or publish a false report, should be fined ten shillings, or set in the stocks.
Mr. Edward Burcham was chosen " Clarke of the Writts, and to record deaths, births, and marriages for the Towne."
" Thomas Layton hath liberty granted him by the house of deputies, to drawe wine for the town for one yeare." [The license was granted to him at the request of the town.]
" Thomas Layghton, Edward Burcham, and Thomas Puttnam, are chosen by the house of deputies to end small controversies." [These controversies, or " small cawses " as they are sometimes called on the records, were such as in pecuniary matters did . not exceed twenty shillings.]
The number of inhabitants having been considerably dimin- ished by the removal of so many families to Reading, Long Island, and other places, a petition was presented to the Court for an abatement of taxes. The original paper, very much torn and trampled by the mob which dilapidated Governor Hutchin- son's house and papers in 1765, is still in existence. It com- mences with "humbly shewing, that whereas the overrulinge Providence of God hath much weakened our hands, which yet were never of like strength with others about us, to bear such a share in the publique disbursements and debts of the country as formerly, we therefore make bold truly to informe this hon- oured Court of our infeebled estate with which we have more immediate cause to be best acquainted. Those fewe able per- sons which were with and of us, its not unknowne how many of them have deserted us; as my lady Moody, whose share in a former rate of this town, at 80£ was above 4£ and her estate, left now in a life rate, pays not 1£ 10s. Mr. Howell, 6.£. Mr. Willis, 5£. Mr. Keayne, 2£. Mr. Edward Tomlins, neare 3£. John Poole, 1.£ 15s. Mr. Sadler, 1£ 10s. Nic. Browne, as much. Lieftenant Walker, 1.£. Wm. Halsey; 1£. John Cowper, 1£. Mr. Wade, 12s. James Hubbard, 12s. Wm. Cowdrey, Wm. Blott, Wm. Martin, Thomas Marshall, Zachary ffitch, 10s., each of them, besides above 20 more, whose share in such a rate was, some 8, some 7," &c. The petitioners state, that between "two and three hundred acres of the deserted farms is soe overrun with Sorrel that it is scarce quittinge cost to such whose neces- sities is such as with us force them to improve the same. We would not envy our neighbor townes, which are of the risinge hand by tradinge or otherwayes; we rather wish theyr pros- perity ; but for ourselves, we are neither fitted for or inured to any such course of trade, but must awayte God's blessinge alone upon our Lands and Cattel; our Earnest Request therefore is, that this honoured Court, in which is the Confluence of the wisdom, fidelity, and Equity of the Country, would please seri- ously to weigh the premises touching our present estate, and
.
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ANNALS . OF LYNN - 1645.
proportion out such share of Publique Charges, according not to our supposed but real Abilities which the 'Lord hath left us ; and we shall cheerfully put too our shoulders and continue our joynt prayers for you and yours. Resting yours to serve and obey in the Lord." This petition was signed by Thomas Put- nam, Francis Lightfoot, Henry Collins, William Longley, and Thomas Laighton, selectmen. The Court, in their reply, say : " We conceive the estate of lin should be considered ; " and when they lay the tax, which was £616.15, they required only £25 from Lynn.
[A few facts regarding some of the individuals named in the foregoing paragraph, which do not appear to have fallen under the eye of Mr. Lewis, will be here given. Those spoken of will be distinguished by italics.
[Mr. Keayne, seems to have been Benjamin, son of Robert Keayne, of Boston, the first captain of the Ancient and Honor- able Artillery Company ; and he is elsewhere mentioned in this volume. He could have been in Lynn but a short time. His wife was a daughter of Gov. Thomas Dudley. But their con- nection proved to be an unhappy one. He repudiated her and went back to England. She was excommunicated in October, 1647, and became greatly reduced in position. Their only child, Ann, seems to have inclined to the wayward paths her mother trod. Old Mr. Keayne provided well for the granddaughter, by his will, enjoining, however, that no part of the property left for her should in any event go to her mother, and appointed certain eminent gentlemen, with his wife, "to dispose of her for her future education, to some such wise and godly mistress or family, where she may have her carnal disposition most of all subdued and reformed by strict discipline; and also that they would show like care and assistance in seasonable time to pro- vide some fit and godly match, proportionate to her estate and condition, that she may live comfortably and be fit to do good in her place and not to suffer her to be circumvented or to cast away herself upon some swaggering gentleman or other, that will look more after the enjoying what she hath, than live in the fear of God, and true love to her."
[Benjamin Keayne had a farm at Lynn, which, in 1646, was under a small mortgage. Those two eminent divines, John Cotton, of Boston, and Thomas Cobbet, of Lynn, were guardians of a young man named Theophilus Skeppar, and Mr. Keayne was indebted to this Skeppar "in ye sume of 51l. payable to ye said Theophi: at ye age of 21 yeares," for which payment he had mortgaged "his farme at Linn." Keayne afterward made over all his estate to his wife and his father for distribution among his creditors. Upon this the guardians became alarmed, apparently lest the assignment should supersede the mortgage,
-
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1645.
and petitioned the Court on the subject. And the Court ordered that the "said farme in Linn shall not be allienated or any way disposed by ye wife or fathr of Mr Benia: Keayne, but shall remain engaged for securing ye 51l. to ye said orphan, at ye age of 21 yeares as is pvided in ye deed above mentioned." Benjamin Keayne died in 1658. His wife, who in her low estate had become the wife, real or reputed, of a Mr. Pacey, died in 1659. And Ann, after having had two husbands, died in 1704.
[William Halsey. I think this must mean Thomas Halsey, who came here in 1637. He remained but a short time, and went to Southampton. His will was probated in New York, in 1679, and in it he names three sons and a daughter. See the name under date 1638.
[John Cowper. I do not see who this can be unless it is the individual called John Cooper, under date 1635, in the list of land distributees, 1638, and elsewhere, who became one of the Southampton settlers, and was "our neighbor John Cooper," licensed, 25 January, 1655, to sell strong liquor to all the peo- ple there excepting Indians and such as would not "use it properly."
[Mr. Wade. This was probably Samuel Wade who was here in 1641; the same individual who was robbed by his servant, Richard Wilson, of "8l. of money & divers small things," for which the Court ordered the said Richard "to be put fourth to servise for 3 or 4 yeares except hee can procure 10l .; also hee is to have a T set vpon his vpmost garment; the servise is to bee wth his m', if his m" will have him, or else to bee put out by the countrey." Mr. Wade must have left Lynn before 1645. There was a Richard Wade here, for a short time, about 1637. [James Hubbard. There was a man of this name here, in 1637. In 1641 he went to Long Island. From the circum- stance that the following mysterious entry on the Colony Rec- ords, 1 December, 1640, is immediately succeeded by two others relating to Lynn, it is judged that the individual in question had been complained of for assault and battery : " James Hub- bard is discharged, the hurt being little, and done unwiting, the other pressing upon him."]
Some of the inhabitants of Lynn and Salem petitioned the Court for liberty to form an independent company. The Court gave permission, and a band was formed, called "The Military Company of Lynn and Salem." [And they were allowed to assemble for military exercise, either in Lynn or Salem, as often as they pleased.]
At the Quarterly Court, on the 5th of July, Samuel Bennet was presented, "for saying, in a scornful manner, he neither cared for the Towne, nor any order the Towne could make."
Captain Robert Bridges was appointed by the Court, a com-
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1645.
missioner to negotiate between Lord De La Tour and Monsieur D'Aulney, the governors of the French provinces on the north of New England. He was accompanied by Richard Walker and Thomas Marshall. For their "good service " in this em- bassy, Captain Bridges was allowed ten pounds, Lieutenant Walker four pounds, and Sergeant Marshall forty shillings.
[On the 14th of May, the Court chose Captain Bridges and four others to draft bills for "possitive lawes " against lying, sabbath-breaking, profanity, drunkenness, &c.]
On the 14th of October, the Company of Undertakers for the Iron Works presented a petition to the Court, which was granted. As the answer of the Court comprises some interesting informa- tion respecting the Iron Works, it is transcribed.
1. It was granted and by this Court ordered, that the undertakers, their agents and assigns, are hereby granted the sole privilege and benefit of making Iron and managing of all Iron mines and works that now are, or shall be dis- covered and found out, or hereafter shall be in this jurisdiction, for the term of twenty-one years from the former grant: Provided that the said adventur- ers, their agents or assigns, do, within three years from the former date, use their best endeavors to their utmost skill to perfect so many of the said works, that the inhabitants of this jurisdiction be furnished with bar iron of all sorts for their use, not exceeding twenty pounds per ton: Provided, also, that it shall be in the liberty of any within this jurisdiction to be adventurers with the undertakers, that by the last day of this October they bring in their adven- tures, not less in one man's name than fifty pounds, with allowance to the adventurers, for the stock of one thousand pounds by them already disbursed.
2. The Court doth hereby further grant to the said undertakers, their agents and assigns, in all places of waste and lands not appropriated to any town or person, that the said undertakers, their agents or assigns, at all times during the said term of twenty-one years, shall and may freely and at their own discretion have and take all manner of wood and timber, to be converted into coals, or any other uses for the service of the undertakers, as also all manner of earth, stones, turf, clay, and other materials for buildings and reparation of their works, forges, mills, or houses built, or to be built, or for making or moulding any manner of guns, pots, and all other cast-iron ware, and for converting wood into charcoal, and also to get, dig, and carry away of all manner of stone, iron ore, and wood of all sorts, and any other material, or things of use for their works, and it is hereby also granted to the said undertakers, their agents, or assigns, that they shall have free liberty to make all convenient ways and passages, as also all manner of dams, watercourses, sluices, ponds of water, in all waste grounds, or other conveyances, to, from, and for the service of the said works built or to be built not appropriated to any town or person, during such time as the said works shall continue : Pro- vided, if by any pond, sluice, dam, or any other work (though in land appro- priated) they should spoil, or any ways prejudice the land appropriated to any town or person, the said undertakers shall make due and just satisfaction.
3. Also the Court doth hereby further grant to the said adventurers, their agents, or assigns, in all the grounds that are or shall be appropriated, that the said adventurers, their agents, or assigns, shall have free liberty at all times during the term, to dig, get, carry away all manner of stone, or iron ore, and to make and use all convenient ways and sluices, watercourses, pools, dams, ponds of water, and other conveniences, to, from, and for the service of the said works through all the said grounds, that are or hereafter shall be appro- priated, (except houses, orchards, not exceeding three acres, and yards) giving S
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