We crave leave in some measure to make answer to your Excellency's speech, as to the payment of the officers and soldiers for the time past; according to our former promise we have considered thereof, and shall raise wherewith to satisfy as far as our capacity will admit of. As to the other charges of the Province, we have considered of and gone beyond our ability in raising of money for defraying of those charges; and as to placing more men at the fort than already there, we humbly offer to your Excellency's consideration as followeth: First; our poverty is such and our debts so great already that we are no ways capable of raising more money at this time. Secondly; should twenty men be ordered to the said fort, they are not capable of defending against an Enemy. Thirdly; Those men already there, together with the trained band belonging to New Castle, being ordered to attend their duties in watching, warding, &c., will be far easier than a frontier Garrison in the Province; That company being exempted from all other duties, save only to the said fort. Also, one half of Portsmouth and Hampton Company are ordered upon any alarum to repair thither; And yet, notwithstanding this, if your Excellency and Council should Judge our proposals not sufficient, but should see cause to order more men to the said fort, that it may be done by towns in equal proportions, throughout the said Province, and that New Castle take the first turn. Past by the House. May the 8th, 1708. Sam' Keais, Clerk. [P. 249.] A full vote was sent up to the Board by the House of Representatives, in hæc verba sequen: Whereas a list of soldiers' wages to Norridgawack and Port Royal, as also transport vessels and other debts, a list of which lies with the Assembly, amounting to one thousand sixty nine pounds, eleven shillings; One hundred and eighty pounds of the said sum being for the managing our affairs by our Agent in England, on further consideration add thirty pounds nine shillings, to make the whole sum eleven hundred pounds : Voted, that a Rate be made on all persons and estates throughout this Province, in equal proportion, according to former rules, for the abovesaid sum of one thousand sixty nine pounds, eleven shillings, with the addition abovesaid, to be paid in the species to the several persons in each town to whom the Province is indebted at the price set on the said species; And that all to whom the Province is indebted shall take their respective debts in said species (his Excellency ready money royally advanced by any person only excepted) and what due on such accounts to be brought into money and soe paid, which said Rate or assessment shall be made and committed to the several Constables, soe as to be collected by the last day of December next; That the Treasurer's trouble will be much lessened by the Constable or other person appointed in each town to pay the same, That he may only receive nine pence in the pound for this whole Rate, and that a committee of both Houses be appointed to set the prices of the species the Rate to be paid in; this together with the income of the River, wee hope may answer the ends. Past by the House. May 8th, 1708. Sam' Keais, Clerk. Voted in Council, that Mr. Ellott and Mr. Plaisted be a committee along with two of the Representatives, to con. sider of the species, and sit this afternoon. Cha. Story, Secretary. Major Smith, Capt. Dudley, are appointed to join with those of the Council to settle the species. Sam' Keais, Clerk. [P. 250.] Province of New Hampshire. At a Council and General Assembly His Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq., Governour, Ordered in Council, that whereas the sessions have neglected to appointe a person in the several Towns to take account of the ratable estates according to an Act of Assembly, entitled An Additional Act for the equal assessing and collecting of public taxes, The select men of the several towns are hereby required to proceed to lay the taxes for this year without any such return, the said Act notwithstanding, according to former custom; and the Assembly will then further advise. The Representatives voted a concurrence with the Honble the Council. Sam' Keais, Clerk. Upon reading the petition of Samuel Shipperd and . . . . True, on behalfe of several other inhabitants lying near the line of both Provinces: Ordered, that what goods have been restrained by the Constable of Hampton from said True be returned to him again; the tax being taken by the Constable of Salisbury six days before. Ordered, that Mr. Walton from time to time employ the soldjers at the fort at New Castle in the repair of the works while they are off their duty, keeping account hereof that they may be paid six pence per diem for their service, besides their wages. Ordered, that one hundred and thirty one pounds, ten shillings, be paid in course out of the Province Rates for service for Capt. Walton and four soldjers at the fort Wm and Mary, from the 25th March, 1707, to the 25th March, 1708. [P. 251.] Ordered, that Mr. Secretary Story's debenter, for his service in that post, amounting to forty five pounds, thirteen shillings, being approved of by the Assembly and allowed at this Board, be paid out of the eleven hundred pounds tax raised this session. The following vote was sent up to this Board by the House of Representatives: Voted, that a Latin School be kept in Portsmouth; that the school master from time to time be appointed by his Excellency, Council, and settled minister of the town, And that the said school master be paid by the several towns within this Province after the rate of fifty pounds per annum, besides what the select men of Portsmouth shall order to be paid by each of their inhabitants that sends his child to learn Latin; and to be a free school for writers, Readers and Latinists, &c.; the sum to be paid by each town, viz: Portsmouth twenty eight pounds, Hampton eight pounds, Exeter six pounds, Dover six pounds, New Castle forty shillings; And that this Act continue in force for and during the space of two years and no longer-then to cease and end; And that the select men in every town within this Province make assessment on their inhabitants for each of their proportions as aforesaid, to be collected and paid unto the said schoolmaster yearly, by the first day of March; And if the select men in each town or any of them shall fail of making such assessment, it shall be lawful for any two Justices of the Peace in this Province to issue forth a warrant or warrants, directed to the Sheriff, to levy on any of the select men or their estate for any such sum not paid according to the time. May the 10th, past by the House. Sam' Keais, Clerk. May 10th, 1708. Read in Council and consented to, nemine contradicente, and to be past into an Act. Cha. Story, Secretary. Province of New Hampsre. [SEAL.] An Act for a free School to be kept at Portsmouth. Whereas there is noe Latin School as yett Established in any town in this Province, for the encouragement of learning and virtue:* Be it therefore Enacted by his Excellency the Governour, Council and Representatives convened in Generall Assembly, and by ye Authority of ye same, That a Latin School bee kept att Portsmouth in ye said Province; and that the schoolmaster from time to time bee appointed by his Excellency, Council, and settled ministers of the Town; and that the said school master bee payd by yo severall Towns within this Province, the sum of fifty pounds money pr. Annum, besides what ye selectmen of Portsmo shall Order to be pd by each of those Inhabitants that send their children to learn Latin; And to be a free school for writers, readers and Latinists; & the severall sums to be pd by each Town are as follows, viz: Portsm° twenty eight pounds, Hampton eight pounds, Dover six pounds, Exeter six pounds, and New Castle two pounds; and that this Act continue too [2] years. And that the selectmen in every town within ye Province make assessments on their Inhabitants for each of their proportions, as aforesaid, to be collected and payd unto the said schoolmaster yearly, by ye first day of March; and if ye selectmen in each Town or any of them shall fail of making such assessments, itt shall be lawful for any two Justices of the Peace in the Province to issue forth a warrant or warrants, directed to ye sheriff, to levy on any of ye selectmen or their estates, for any such sum not payd according to time, to pay the same to the schoolmaster from year to year. Read three times in the House of Representatives and past to be Enacted, and sent upp to the Honble the Council for their concur rence. John Pickerin, Speaker. *[We conclude, therefore, that this was the first Latin free school established in New Hampshire. As early as 1658, there was a school in Dover in which the master was requested to teach "to reid, write, cast a compte, latine, as the parents shall require." See Provincial Papers, Vol. I., p. 312. And under the Laws of Mass., "every town consisting of one hundred families or upward was required to set up a Grammar School, and appoint a master able to instruct youth so as to fit them for the Colledge," &c.— Prov. Pap., Vol. I, p. 312.-ED.] |