USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1636-1705 (vol. 1) > Part 13
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS. 145
Mr Cotton liveth and dieth in this place ; in the worke of the minnestry : In Consideration of which the said Mr Cotton and his wife doe fully and freely quitt and discharge the said Towne of that fifty pounds which they had promised to mistris Cotton formerly incase of her husbands decease in this place ;
Morover It is agreed that the said house shall now be viewed by four men ; mutually and Indifferently Chosen ; by the said Towne and Mr. Cotton : and they shall Judge in what condition the said house is : and sett a Just vallue therupon : according to theire best Judgments : and if God by his Provi- dence shall Call Mr Cotton from his worke in this place during his life time ; That then four men be by the said Towne and Mr Cotton mutually and Indifferently Chosen to view the said house and what the said house is better and the additions of building upon the land shalbe vallued by them and accordingly shalbe payed by the Towne to the said Mr John Cotton or his order ;
The prsons Chosen to acte according to this order in vallueing and Judging of the worth of the house etc; are
Leift : Morton and Joseph Dunham Chosen by the Towne and serjeant harlow and Joseph howland Chosen by Mr Cotton :
Att. a Towne meeting held att Plymouth the 7th of January 1675
The Towne haveing Received by theire Constable two warrants the one Injoyning them to presse eleven able sufficient men to goe forth as souldiers against the Indians our enimies the other Requireing a Rate of eleven pounds to be made for and towards the Charge of the souldiers to Goe forth
In obedience and in order wherunto the Towne primarily made Choise of a Councell for the Towne to advice and order the affaires of the Towne Respecting the prmises whose names are as followeth viz : Capt Willam Bradford Joseph Warren Mr Thomas Cushman Willam Crow Leiftenant Morton Willam Clarke Serjeant harlow
Accordingly alsoe they Chose Rators to Levy the said Rate Joseph Warren Willam Crow Willam Clarke
viz :
IO
146
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
The men appointed by the Towne to make and provide Clothing in the behalfe of the Towne for the souldiers now to Goe forth were
Mr Gray Joseph Warren Jabez howland Willam Clarke Joseph Bartlett
and the Towne stands hereby Ingaged to satisfy for which they shall order disburse in that Case
[124.] Measured and bounded unto John Cobb fifty acrees of land lying on both sydes of bridgwater path betwixt two swampes where Robert Lathams way Comes into the said Path, and is bounded with a white oake that stands on the South syde of the North swamp att the eastward end of the said land, and on the said syde ; and on the westward end it is bounded with a smale Red oake tree, on the Northsyde of the south swamp the said land is bounded att the eastward end with a forked young Red oake; and att the westward end of the said Land, on the said syde it is bounded with a great white oake tree standing, on the southsyde of the Path
ffebruary 18 th 1667
pr Willam Crow Surveyor
att the Towne meeting held att the Meeting house att Plymouth the 19 day of ffebruary 1675 Leift Morton appointed by the Towne to see
Robert flinney to the Gathering in Mr Cottons and Joseph howland sallery
It was ordered by the Towne that there shalbe forthwith a fortification build upon the fort hill att Plymouth : to be an hundred foot square the pallasadoes to be 10 foot and one halfe longe : to be sett 2 foot and an halfe in the Ground ; and to be sett against a post and a Raile ; every man is to doe three foot of the said ffence of the fortification the Pallasadoes are to be battered on the backsyde one against every two and sharpened on the topp to be accomplished by every male in each family from sixteen yeares old and upwards and that there shalbe a watch- house erected within the said ffence or fortification and that the three peece of ordnance shalbe planted within the said ffence or fortification ;
147
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Agreed with Nathaniell Southworth to build the said watchhouse which is to be sixteen foot in length and 12 foot in breadth and eight foot studd to be walled with board ; and to have 2 fflores the uper flore to be six foot above the lower fflore ; and he is to batten the walls and to make a smale paire of staires in it and to fram two smale windowes below to make 2 gables to the Roofe or eachsyde one, to Cover the Roof with shingle ; and to build a Chimney in the said house ; and to do all the worke therunto; onely the frame is to be brought to the place att the townes Charge; and for the said work hee is to have eight pounds to be payed either in money ; or other pay equivolent :
Att this meeting the Treasurer promised to procure Carriages for to mount the ordnance, or to pay for the makeing of them ;
Att the meeting held att the Meeting house att Plymouth the 4 th of May 1676 The Celect men Chosen were
Leift : Morton
Willam Crow
Willam Clarke
Joseph howland
The Deputies Leift Morton
Mr Gray
The Constable
Gorge Morton
Grandjurymen Serjeant harlow
Serjeant Tinkham
The Surveyors Steven Bryant
Isacke Cushman
Ephraim Tilson Mordica Ellis
Att this meeting the Town voated that 30 £ more shallbe Rated for to be aded to the former Rate to pay the souldiers etc ;
148
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
[125.]
Major Willam Bradford Mr John Cotton Mr Thomas Cushman Samuell ffuller Edward Gray
Steven Bryant
John Dunham sen :
Samuell Kinge sen :
Serjeant Ephraim Tinkham
John Cobb
John Mores
Thomas Lettice
James Cole
Gorge Bonum sen :
Andrew Ringe
Richard Wright
Gyles Rickard sen :
Willam Crow
Gorge Watson
Serjeant Willam harlow
John Jourdaine
Benjamin Eaton
Jonathan Barnes
Gyles Rickard Jun :
Samuell Dunham
Nathaniel Morton
Leift Ephraim Morton
Thomas Morton
Robert ffinney sen : Willam Clarke
Joseph Warren
Jonathan Shaw
Samuell Ryder
James Clarke
Abraham Jackson
Joseph Dunham John holmes
Leift Joseph howland
Joseph Bartlett Mr Joseph Bradford Nathaniel Southworth
149
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Thomas ffaunce John Bradford John Drew Jonathan Moray John Doten Joseph Churchill
Gorge Morton Robert Barrow Eliezer Churchill
Samuell Sturtivant Samuell harlow
Isacke Cushman
Elkanah Cushman John Bryant sen : Nathaniell holmes Baruck Jourdaine
Joseph ffaunce John Rickard
John Bryant Jacob Cooke
Ephraim Morton Jun
Robert Ransum
Ephraime Tilson
Caleb Cooke John Morton Samuell Dunham Jun
Willam Bradford Jun John Gray Thomas Clarke Jun John Sturtivant Samuell Gardian
Nathanell Wood allias Attwood
Isacke Lobdell Joshua Pratt Thomas Cushman Edward Doten Jonathan Pratt Gorge Morton John Barrow
150
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
[126.] Att the meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 13th of June one thousand six hundred seventy and six
The Raters Chosen were
Leift Morton serjeant harlow Willam Crow ;
Att this meeting the Towne ordered that all the Guns and swords belonging to the Towne shalbe delivered in unto the Counstable
The Towne voated alsoe att this meeting that all Inhabiting in this towne or within the bounds of the Townshipp shal be Rated to publick Charges except such as live on the almes of the Towne ;
Willam Crow were appointed to present to the
Jabez howland Court in the townes behalfe what and ; Joseph Warren charges is due to them from the Country ; in order therunto to pre- pare the said accoumpt against the next Court and then to present it
Att the Towne meeting held att Plymouth the 19th day of August 1676 Leift : Ephraim Morton and Leift : Joseph howland
were chosen Deputies to attend the next Generall Court and to acte in the Townes behalfe in the Concernes therof
serjeant harlow were chosen by the Towne to take
Willam Crow the accoumpt of each manes estate
and Joseph Warren in the Towne in order unto the settleing of matters Relating to the Raiseing of means by Rates in this Colonie for defraying of the publicke Charges of the Collonie ;
Leift Morton were Chosen Rators to levy the
Serjeant harlow Rates for the publicke Charges and Willam Crow fortwith to be Raised by Rates ;
It was ordered by the Towne that Joseph Warren and William Crow shall take the accoumpt of the last years Constable, and to Give it in att the next Towne meeting ;
Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 15 th day of September Annº Dom 1676 the Towne did agree and voate That Mr Cotton our Minnester shall have alowed unto him for this year, the sume of sixty pounds to be
151
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
payed in Current silver money of New England the one halfe therof to be payed by the last of october next ensueing the date heerof and the other halfe att or before the first day of Aprill Next ensueing the date heerof
The men appointed by the Towne to see the said engage- ment pformed that is to say to Colleet and eause to be payed ; by the Inhabitants are ; serjeant harlow and Nathaniell Southworth
It is agreed by the towne that the said sume shalbe levied by Rate on the said Inhabitants ; and the Rators Chosen were Serjeant Willam harlow Mr Willam Crow, and Joseph Warren ; Att a Towne meeting held att the Meeting house att Plymouth the 15th June 1677 the Rators Cliosen to make the Rate for the payment of the souldiers were
Mr Willam Crow Joseph howland Willam Clarke
The Comittie Chosen to take an aecoumpt of what is due from severall psons Relateing to the warr since the last expedition under Major Bradford are
the said Major the two Deputies Leiftenant Morton Mr Crow ; serjeant harlow Nathaniel Morton
[127.] Att the Towne meeting held att the Towne of Plymouth the 15th of May 1677 Mr Edward Gray and Joseph howland were Chosen Deputies to serve att the next Court and the severall adjournments therof
Leift : Morton were Chosen to serve in the office
Serjeant harlow of Celect men
and Mr Crow
Jonathan Barnes was Chosen Constable
Andrew Ringe and Chosen Grandjurymen
Benajah Pratt
Leiftenant Morton
were Chosen Surveyors
Serjeant Tinkham
of the highwayes
and Serjeant harlow
Mr Crow and were appointed by the Towne to take an aecoumpt of tlie
Joseph howland
152
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
estates of each man of this towne soe as it may be in a Reddines to be presented to the Next Court
Memorandum that all the Male Inhabitants Capeable of Workeing have pformed theire dutyes of worke to the highwaies viz all such of them as live in this Towneship from and between Major Bradfords and John Cobb
The Towne have ordered the Deputies of this Towne Now Chosen to make enquiry Concerning the Graunt of Saconett Lands unto the 1 servants and to declare that the towne find themselves agreived ; in that Larger Portions of Land by farr are distributed than was att first Given to them by the Court and this towne doth order the Secretary Leiftenant Morton Mr Crow and Serjeant harlow to Joyne with the Deputies of our Towne Now Chosen to serch the Records of the Graunts of the lands aforsaid and to prepare the Case by drawing up a draught of the pticulars of theire agrievantes Respecting the pmises soe as it may be in a Reddines to be psented to the Next approaching Generall Court In Regard that the Graunt of Land Att Agawaam is found deficient and that Notwithstanding wee are Rated according therunto as fully as if wee had a full Graunt of the propriety therof ;
It is ordered by the towne that our Deputies Now Chosen : shall endeavor to procure the said Graunt fully pfected ;
Gorge Bonum and Andrew Ring are appointed to view a smale Moyety of land lying in Alcarmus feild between Thomas Dotens Land and the Land of Joseph ffaunce : desired by Gyles Rickard : and to make Report therof to the Towne att the Next Towne Meeting ; that if it appeer not to be Matterially preju- diciall to the Naighborhood : that it shall then be Graunted to him by the Towne ;
In like manor they are desired to view a smale Moyety of Land desired by Nathaniel Wood and to make Report therof to the Towne ;
In Reference unto a smale psell of Land & a smale Cottage theron formerly posessed by Thomas Dunham deceased : Now desired by Benjamine Eaton the Towne have ordered
1 In early times the word " servant " did not necessarily mean what it does today. This should be remembered in connection with the statement that William Brewster was the servant of Sir William Davison.
153
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
that the said Benjamine Eaton enter upon the same and posesse and Improve it, being willing to Graunt and surrender up theire Right therin unto him, the said Benjamine Eaton to him and his heires and assignes for ever :
[128.] Att a Towne meeting of the Towne of Plymouth held att the meeting house att Plymouth the first of August 1677
The Rators Chosen to make all the Rates viz : for the minnester and the Country charges and the Towne Charges were Leift : Morton Serje : harlow Willam Clarke
The Towne have Graunted unto Gyles Rickard Jun : a smale psell of upland Ground being aboute two acrees be it More or lesse Lying and being in Alcarmus feild between the land in the possession off Joseph ffaunce on the southerly syde; and the land of Thomas Doten on the Northerly or Northwest syde or end ; and abutting on the Kinges highway, which leads from the towne of Plymouth to Wellinsley Brook ; and extending from the said highway westerly or southwest nearest up towards the woods, untill it meets with a psell of land appertaining to Gorge Watson : provided withall that hee his heires and successors is to leave an 1 highway to Goe from the aforsaid Comon Road between The aforsaid Thomas Dotens land and his said land ; up towards the woods, viz : an highway of forty foot wide for egress and Regresse, of borse and foot and Carts, to and from as occation may Require
The Towne have Graunted unto Thomas hewes a Certaine swamp Called hurtleberry swamp lying above serjeant harlowes between the uper old footpath as did formerly lead from the Towne of Plymouth towards Wellingsley Brooke and the path that Goeth from the Towne to the Naighborhood Comonly Called the little Towne: which swamp is Graunted to him to make tryall to make Meddow therof but not speedily to make sale therof provided alsoe that incase hee ditch or ffence about it hee shall not hinder Crosse nor stopp any high way that Goeth by it or lyeth Neare it pticularly hee shall not hinder nor Interupt the highway by which Serjeant harlow and others of the Naighbors doe usually Cart wood out of the woods ;
2 This highway was probably what is now Mt. Pleasant Street.
154
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
The Towne have Graunted unto Jonathan Morey three score acrees of upland Ground lying and being att the salt water pond by the way between Plymouth and Sandwich and six acrees of Meddowish Ground by the said pond adjoyning or neare unto the upland for a place for him to build and settle on : provided hee keep two sufficient Gates on the said land that soe Notwith- standing this Graunt passengers may passe through it; on the highway that Goes through the same as formerly ;
Att this meeting it was ordered agreed and voated that the sume which shalbe payed to Mr John Cotton our prsent minnester shalbe four score pounds for this yeare which sume shalbe payed in Country pay one third to be payed in wheat or butter or tarr or shingles, another third in rye pease or mault ; and the other third in Indian Corne the wheat att four shillings six pence per bushell, butter at six pence a pound Mault att four shillings a bushell, pease att three shillings and six pence a bushell Rye att three shillings and six pence a bushell Indian Corne att three shillings a bushell Tarr and shingle att prise Current with the Marchants The payments to be made : the one halfe by the first of November, the latter halfe by the first of March to those appointed to Collect it; and this to Continue till God in his Providence soe Impoverish, the Towne that they shalbe nessesitated to abate of the said sume ;
It is further agreed that if any will pay theire Rates or pte thereof in money they shall have liberty soe to doe ;
The Towne have Chosen Mr Edward Gray and Joseph Bartlett to Collect the Rate for the minnester for this prsent year ; and the said Edward Gray and Joseph Bartlett doe engage and promise to the Towne that the said sume as above mensioned shalbe payed Reasonably to the minnester att the times above appointed, provided like Course be taken for the future ;
[129.] Att the Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 8th of August 1677 It was ordered by the Towne that such woulves as have bine killed by any before this date unpaied for shalbe payed for twenty shillings a peece that is to say old woulves ; and that for such woulves as shalbe killed by any of the Towne after this date within the Township they shall have butt ten shillings a woulfe viz : an old woulfe but nott soe for cubbs ;
155
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Att this meeting thirty acrees of Land was Graunted, and fully Confeirmed unto John Bryant son in law to Steven Bryant ; lying att or neare a place Called Billingtons holes neare unto or upon Jonses River in the Township of Plymouth to be layed forth to him by Leiftenant howland and William Crow ;
Att the Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth on the 17th day of September 1677, The Towne Impowered and authorized Mr Edward Gray in theire behalfe to demand of the Towne of Scittuate, or such as are more emediately Concerned to make payment to him, the said Mr Gray the sume of nineteen pounds, sixteen shillings and eight pence for the said Towne of Plymouths use which is a debt due to the said Towne of Plymouth from the Towne of Scittuate soe ordered by the Country and upon Receipt of the said sume to give Receipts or acquittances for the same ; and the Towne doth heerby Impower the Towne Clarke, incase there shalbe occation to give a letter of attorney in theire name to sue for our due in that behalfe ; morover The Town doe heerby Impower the said Mr Gray to make payment of such pte of the said sume as is due to any souldier or souldiers unto whom it is assigned Retaining that which is his owne due therof and be heerby Responsible to produce the Remainder for to be Improved for the publicke use of the Towne ; and what charge the said Mr Gray shalbe att in procuring and Transporting of the said sume to be payed by the Towne
morover The Towne doe Impower Mr Edward Gray in theire behalfe to demand the sume of 2£ 4s of Steven Bryant and 2f from Willam Nelson Sen : and 3f from Jonathan Morey ; and 2£ from Mr Clarke & 4f from Samuell Ryder and to Improve the same; or soe much of it as hee shall see Cause for the Repaireing of the meeting house ;
The Towne have Graunted unto Andrew Ringe a smale psell of upland near his house about halfe an acree more or lesse to plant an orchyard or otherwise to use as hee shall see Cause
Att a Towne meeting held at the Meeting house att Plymouth the 7th of January 1677
Wheras att a meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 15th day of ffebruary 1669 : It was ordered by. the Towne that if the Constable doe Receive an order from either the Majestrates or any Majestrate Resideing in the Towne or from the Court or from the Celect men of the Towne att any
156
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
time to warne a Towne meeting and Neglect to Give due warning viz : by himselfe or others to every one written in the list of those who doe acte in Town meeting the said Constable soe Neglecting shall pay twelve pence for every one that hee Neglecteth soe to warne, to be levied to the Townes use by the Constable succeeding the yeer following, after such defects are made ; as alsoe that many whoe have bine orderly warned to towne meetings have frequently Neglected to appeer theratt : wherby the Towne is much damnifyed ;
It is further ordered by the Towne that if any shall absent himselfe from the Towne meeting being orderly warned ; which is to say a week before by the Constable or his Deputie unless occation Require a shorter warneing, shalbe fined two shillings for every such defect of non appearance to the use of the Towne unless hee Can make a Just defence for his said absence ; and that such fines for such defaults be forthwith made known to the Constable by the Towne Clarke; and forthwith levied by the Constable for the use of the Towne ;
A smal Moyety of land was Graunted by the Town to Mr Edward Gray lying att the foot of the hill below Mr Cottons att the watersyde viz : about 40 foot square to sett a ware house on : with libertie of Convenient egrese and Regresse therunto It was ordered by the Towne that Jonathan Morey be Invested with full power from the Towne to defend our Just Rights Incroached upon by others on our Comons towards Sandwich ;
[130.] Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 20th of May 1678
The Towne have sett and to ffarme lett Clarkes Island for the tearme of seaven yeers unto Richard Willis of Plymouth ; to begine from the fifteenth of october 1678 and from that time the said tearme of seaven yeers to be fully and compleatly ended, for and in Consideration of the full sume of three pounds pr yeer to be yeerly payed in Currant silver mony of New England To the Towne of Plymouth or to theire order : notwithstanding this lease any of the towne may fech what wood of the said Iland they pleas either for building fierwood or otherwise; but are heerby prohibited from puting any Cattle of any kind theron : to the said Willis his Anoyance or to the Anoyance of any that hee may take in under him to Improve the said Iland for the said Tearme of seaven yeers ; In Reference unto the Request of James
157
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Cole that hee may Reataine and Improve two acrees of land by him lately Inclosed with other land of his lying below the land of Daniell Dunham on the south syde of the Towne of Plymouth which said two acrees of land : is for the prsent att the Townes despose : In Regard that the Court Record doth not pfectly and clearly demonstrate the proprietors to whome Att the first it was alloted ;
The Towne doe heerby give libertie to the said James Cole his heires and assignes to Improve the said two acrees of land to his or theire pticular use and benifitt, untell any other true propriators doe appeer to lay Claime therunto ; viz : The Towne doth heerby surrender up unto the said James Cole his heires and assignes all the Right and Interest they have unto or in the said two acrees of land untill any other doe appeer to have better Right therunto, provided that hee the said James Cole doe leave out to the Townes use other two acrees of his owne land att the same place, to be att the Townes dispose soe longe as hee Retaines the aforsaid two acrees of land ;
Att a meeting of the Towne of Plymouth held att the Meeting house att Plymouth the 26th of June 1678
The Rators Chosen to make the Rates for the Minnester and other charges for the Country Rates were
Leift : Morton Mr Crow Will : Clarke
Att this meeting the Towne Graunted unto John Morton a smale peece of upland for an homsted to build an house on lying and being by the little brook where the old prison stood between that Cartway that Goeth allonge by the place, where the old prison stood; and the land of Andrew Ringe above and the barne of John Wood ;
The Collectors to Gather the minnesters maintainance for this yeer are Willam Clarke and Abraham Jackson whoe are to doe it on the same Conditions as it was pformed the last yeer ; five shillings was allowed to Goodman Edey viz : Samuell Edey for work don by him in time of the warr in makeing Clothes for souldiers
Serjeant harlow Mr Crow Joseph Warren
were ordered by the Towne to sett and to farme lett our Right of lands att Agawam etc for the tearme of seaven yeers from the date heerof ;
158
PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
It was ordered by the Towne that all such Cattle as are , or shalbe wintered in the Towne or Townshipp tho otherwise disposed of afterwards shalbe Rated for that yeer in which they were wintered ;
[131.] Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 15 th day of December 1678
The Towne have sett and to ffarme lett unto Edward Gray of Plymouth Clarkes Iland ; for the tearme of seaven yeers ; to begine att the date heerof and from thence to be Compleatly ended ; for and in Consideration of the sume of three pounds and nine shillings yeerly to be duely payed in current silver mony of New England to the said Towne or theire order for the said tearme of seaven yeers and that hee alsoe pay unto Patience Willis widdow the Relict of Richard Willis of Plymouth late deceased : the sume of twenty shillings silver money for that the said Willis had an Interest from the said Towne for the tearme of seaven yeers as aforsaid, the Towne haveing and Retaineing liberty Notwithstanding this Lease, they or theire order to ffech what wood they need from off the said Iland, as they shall see cause, either for building ffencing or fierwood ; but are herby prohibited from Leting any Cattle of any kind therupon, To the said Leasser his Annoyance or the Annoyance of any that hee may be in ptnershipp with: or take in under him for the Improvement of the said Iland, for the tearme aforsaid ; the Conditions above expressed being duely observed : he the said Edward Gray is to have and Injoy the said Iland for the said tearme of seven yeers, and although the said Edward Gray should decease before the said tearme of seaven yeers is expired ; yett Notwithstanding his heires successors, or assignes shall or may Injoy it on the like Conditions as above expressed, for the aforsaid tearme of seaven yeers It is likewise agreed by and between the towne and the said Edward Gray that hee may keep sixteen neate Cattle on Clarkes Iland Rate ffree and no more Edward () Gray his marke.
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