Reynolds, Thomas Bray and several others, have of late, without right or lawful authority mowed the meadows lying near to their settlements, and have forcibly carried away the grass and hay from thence, by means whereof, they are left destitute of any hay or fodder for their cattle in winter, and if not relieved therein, it will be to their utter ruin. These are therefore to authorize and require you, to call before you the persons above named, and such others as you shall find have been concerned in mowing of the said meadow, and what right or title they or either of them have to the said meadow; and unless some particular grant shall be shown to you for the same, you are to cause the said grass or hay, cut off the said meadow, as aforesaid, or the like quantity, as can be found in the possession of those that cut the same, to be seized and secured, and forthwith to make report to me of your proceedings herein, that such further order may be given, as shall be thought necessary. Dated at Boston, the 14th day of July, 1687. To Captain John Fones, Justice of Peace, at King's Province. By his Excellency: Upon hearing and examining of the matter in difference between the towns of Greenwich alias Deptford, Kingston alias Rochester, and the French families, lately settled in the Narragansett country, about a parcel of meadow lying near the settlements and appointed for their accommodation; but cut and mowed by several persons of both the said towns, which appears to be done in a violent, forcible manner; and the hay cut thereupon, being likewise by my order secured and stacked, I do, therefore, for the accommodation of the said parties for the present, till the right thereto can be determined and settled, order and appoint, that all hay cut and made upon the said meadows, as aforesaid, be by the direction of any two Justices of the Peace, forthwith divided into two equal shares or moieties, and that one moiety thereof, be given for the use of John Nicholes, Gyles Pierce and George Vaughan, of Greenwich, aforesaid; and James Reynolds, James Reynolds, Jun'r, Henry Reynolds, Joseph Reynolds, Francis Reynolds, John Swett, William Bentley, John Andrew, and George Haven, of Kingston, share and share alike, who, I am informed live remote and are most wanting thereof. And the other moiety to be left for the use and benefit of the said Fench families there, who, being strangers, and lately settled, and wholly destitute, and have no other way to supply themselves. And all persons therein concerned, are to take notice hereof, and conform themselves thereunto accordingly, until further orders shall be given in said matter. Dated at Boston, the 5th day of August, 1687. To Major Richard Smith, and Captain Fones, Justice of the Peace, who are to see this order forthwith executed.* Letter to Andros respecting Court Houses. To his Excellency, Sir Edmund Andros, Captain Generall and Governor in Chief of his Majesty's Territory of New England. These present. May it please your Excellency: Sir: In pursuance of the directions to us given us by the Judges in the late As Mass. Hist. Col. Vol. VII., p. 182. sises at Newport, on Rhode Island, concerning our not having a convenient Court House, and our computation of the charges thereof, and our presentation thereof to your Excellency, and having in the Quarter Sessions computed the costs of two small houses for that use, suppose the charges thereof will be about one hundred and forty pounds; and also judge it convenient, that one of them be erected in the town of Newport, and the other in the town of Rochester; and humbly present the same to your Excellency for approbation and direction therein and also nominate John Woodman of Newport, to be a fit person for a Treasurer of this Province, if your Excellency approve thereof. And remain your Excellency's most humble FRANCIS BRINLEY, PELEG SANFORD. servants.* Newport, on Rhode Island, Dec. 15, 1687. : At the Generall Quarter Sessions and Inferior Court of Common Pleas, holden in his Majesty's name at Newport, on Rhode Island, Naragansett or King's Province, and Providence Plantations, the 14th day of June, 1687. JUSTICES PRESENT. FRANCIS BRINLEY, Chairman and Judge. Lieut. Collonell PELEG SANFORD, Major RICHARD SMITH, Capt'n JOHN FONES, Mr. JOHN COGGESHALL, Mr. CALEB CARR, Sen'r, Capt'n JAMES PENDLETON. GRAND JURYMEN SWORN. Thomas Olney, Foreman. James Greene, Andrew Willet, Jeremiah Browne, John Whipple, Peleg Sherman, John Knowles, Joseph Mowry, Rouse Helines, Thomas Fry, Nathaniel Niles, Thomas Burge, John Rice. *Potter's Narragansett, p. 221. CONSTABLES SWORN IN COURT. Henry Briteman, George Sisson, Thomas Durfee, of Portsmouth; Jacob Mott, Robert Westgate, Jireh Bull, John Easton, Jun'r, John Headley, for Newport. William Hancock, for New Shoreham. The Court adjourned till 7 o'clock, to-morrow morning. The Court called and sat. June 15th. Ordered, That the Clerk write orders and deliver to the Constables, that appeared at sessions, to warn the persons appointed for Constables to serve the year ensueing, to appear in sessions, or before one of the Justices of the Peace, to give their oath to said office. Upon the petition of Sarah Potter, of Warwick, it is ordered, that the consideration thereof, be referred to the Justices of the Peace, of Providence, Warwick, and Rochester, to inquire into, and take care concerning the premises therein contained. James Herbert, prisoner, in his Majesty's jail in Newport, being indicted, was called in Court, and his indictment being read to him, and he demanded guilty or not, his answer was, that he would not say any thing; and so was remanded to jail. The Court of Sessions called and sat. June 16th. James Herbert, prisonor, being indicted, called in Court, and his indictment being read to him, and demanded guilty or not, answered he would not answer, and so was remanded to jail. The following overseers of the poor were appointed. John Maxon, John Fairfield, for Haversham. James Reynolds, Samuel Albro, for Rochester. Capt'n Clement Weaver, John Heath, for Deptford. Nathaniell Waterman, Pardon Tillinghast, Shadrack Manton, for Providence. Samuel Stafford, Moses Lippitt, for Warwick. Nicholas Carr, Oliver Arnold, for Jamestown. Gideon Freeborne, John Borden, Mathew Borden, Portsmouth. John Woodman, Benedict Arnold, Lawrence Turner, Peter Easton, for Newport. Robert Guthridge, Nathaniel Niles, for New Shoreham. Whereas, several persons being by their recognizances of good behaviour, and to appear at a Court at Rochester, in the King's Province, and the said Court being not held at the time appointed, and all the persons did there at that time and place appear, which said recognizances the Justices were by commission to hear and determine all things relating thereunto at this Court, and the said persons being called, not appearing, this Sessions do order, that the said persons shall be summoned to appear at the next Generall Quarter Sessions, to answer. Persons admitted to have licenses : William Mayes, John Davis, Robert Little, Charles Beere, George Halsall, of Newport. James Herbert, now prisoner in his Majesty's jail, being twice called in Court, and his indictment read to him, he was demanded guilty or not guilty, he said he would not answer. The sentence of the Court is, that the said James Herbert pay five pounds in money, and give his own bonds of twenty pounds, to be of good behaviour and appearance at the next Quarter Sessions, and to remain in prison till he perform the sentence. Ordered, That Edmund Calverly, late Generall Sergeant, Jailor, be allowed twenty shillings for his service. Ordered, That the Clerke write Prohibitions to prohibit the selling of all sorts of strong drinks in the King's Province. At a Generall Quarter Sessions and Inferior Court of Common Pleas, holden in his Majesty's name at Rochester, for Rhode Island, Narragansett, or King's Province, and Providence Plantations, the 14th day of September, 1687. JUSTICES PRESENT. FRANCIS BRINLEY, Chairman and Judge. Lieut. Col. PELEG SANFORD, Major RICHARD SMITH, Capt'n JOHN FONES, RANDALL HOLDEN. GRAND JURY SWORN. Phillip Smith, Foreman. John Wood, John Greene, Samuel Gorton, Nicholas Carr, Ephraim Moss, Daniel Lawton, Benjamin Shearman, George Whitman, Thomas Mumford, Rouse Helmes, John Maxon, Samuel Winsor, William Cory. Upon the request of the Overseers of the Poor, of Newport, in what way they should raise maintenance for the poor, It is ordered, That the Overseer of the Poor of each town within this Province or County, shall have power to make and assess a rate or levy on all and every the estates of the inhabitants and others within their townships, according to the custom of England, for the relief of the poor of each of their respective towns. John Whipple and William Turpin, both of Providence, are forbidden selling of any sort of strong drink by retail, by his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, sitting in Generall Quarter Sessions, at Rochester, September the 14th, 1687, except they or either of them, shall appear before two of his Majesty's Jus tices and give bond according to law. |