At a Generall Quarter Sessions and Inferior Court of Common Pleas, holden in his Majesty's name at Newport, for Rhode Island, King's Province, &c., the 13th day of December, 1687. JUSTICES PRESENT. FRANCIS BRINLEY, Chairman and Judge. Capt'n JOHN FONES, CALEB CARR, Sen'r, JOHN COGGESHALL. GRAND JURY. Capt'n Benjamin Gorton, Foreman. Capt'n James Barker, Henry Bull, Jun'r, Henry Tibbetts, Sen'r, Henry Hall, James Badcock, Sen'r, James Blackmore, Abiah Carpenter, Thomas Brookes, Charles Tillinghast, Robert Carr, George Cooke, Stephen Braiton. William Allen, Thomas Cornell, John Albro, Jun'r, Jonathan Sprague, John Hawkins, all being returned by the Sheriff, to serve on the Grand Jury, and they refusing to take the oath in Court, when called thereunto, they and every of them, are for their said offences, sentenced to pay a fine of six shillings, and eight pence, in or as money, for each for each person. Ordered, That all cord wood, put to sale in the town of Newport, on Rhode Island, shall be corded, except the parties concerned shall otherwise agree, and that the Justices of the Peace, living in the said town of Newport, or the major part of them, shall have power from time to time, to appoint a fit person to be a corder of wood in the said town, and the person by them appointed, shall be sworn to the true performance of his office, when called thereunto; and to be allowed for his services. four pence a cord. For preventing damage by fire, it is ordered, that if any chimney in any street or other parts of the town of Newport, on Rhode Island, between the places commonly called and known by the name of the Pound, and the lands late the lands of Thomas Clifton, deceased, shall be foul and take fire and burn above the funnel, that the person using the said chimney shall forfeit for each time two shillings, six pence, in or as money. And also it is further ordered, that every owner of a house or houses, in the said parts of the said town, shall provide for every dwelling house a ladder to stand against each the said houses, that shall reach up to or near the ridge of the said house, within nine months after the end of this Sessions, or pay a fine of five shillings for his or her default. Upon the request of the Overseers of the Poor, of the town of Newport, it is ordered, that Lieut. Col. Peleg Sanford, and Thomas Ward, are added unto them, to help them in making a rate on the estates of the inhabitants, and others within the said township, for the relief of the poor of the said town of Newport. December 14th. Hannah Clarke, of Jamestown, widow, having in Court confessed that the male child in her arms was a bastard child, born of her body, on the 28th of August, last; for which fact of hers, the Court do sentence the said Hannah to be well whipped ten stripes, on her naked back, in the open street, in the town of Newport, or pay a fine of twenty shillings, in or as money. This Court being informed that William Palmer and Daniel Mackinces, both of Rochester, victuallers, have misbehaved themselves, and otherwise not being fitly qualified for that employment, this Court do order, that the said William Palmer and Daniel Mackinces be suspended from keeping victualling houses, or selling ale, beer, cider, or any other strong drink, by retail, on penalty by law prescribed. Samuel Stapleton and Christopher Hargall, both of Newport, being sent for, appeared in Court, and the reason demanded of them why they kept not their shops shut on the First day of this instant December; it being a day set apart by his Excellency, the Governor and Council, for thanksgiving and praise to God. Samuel Stapleton's answer was, that he was above the observation of days and times. Christopher Hargall's answer was, that his boy opened the shop, and what work his son did, was on his own account; and that he was lame, or else he did not know but that himself might have wrought. Ordered, That the Constable or Constables, or major part of them, in such the respective towns in this Province, being assisted with one or more Justices of the Peace, shall have power to appoint such and so many meet persons to be Surveyors of Highways, as by them shall be judged convenient, to take care for the repairing the ways in their respective townships; which said Surveyors are to be appointed in each town on or before the last Tuesday in February next; which said Surveyors are to attend their said service on penalty by law appointed. William Turpin, of Providence, Victualler, not appearing in Sessions, according to his Excellency's order, for the taking of a license, it is ordered, that the said William Turpin be suspended from keeping a Victualling House, or selling ale, beer, liquor or other strong drink by retail, on penalty by law provided. Ordered, That the Clerk to the Constables of Providence, do acquaint the said Wm. Turpin, of the aforesaid written order, and if he submit not, to make presentment in the case according to law. Ordered, That if any person or persons shall entertain James Herbert in their dwelling house, or other place, day or night, except the persons who have him in keeping, or sell or give any sort of strong drink, ale, beer or cider, to the said James Herbert, shall for every his or her so doing, pay a fine of five shillings, in or as money. Ordered, That there be a rate of one hundred and sixty pounds levied and raised on the several towns and places in this Province or County, for and towards the building of a Court House in each of the towns of Newport and Rochester; and repairing the Prison in Newport, and paying of debts lately contracted within this Province or County, and to be paid unto the Treasurer of this Province or County, on or before the 1st day of July, next ensuing, in the species hereinafter named: that is to say, in money or sheep's wool, at seven pence half penny a pound; butter made in the spring, at four pence half penny a pound; Indian corn at twenty pence the bushel; rye at two shillings, sixpence a bushel; pork at fortytwo shillings a barrel; all the said species to be good and merchantable. The proportion that each town is levied and assessed to pay is as followeth : Newport, Portsmouth, Providence, Warwick, 12 Deptford, 27 £160 Rochester, 18 Ordered, That the Constables of each the respective towns within this Province or County of Rhode Island, or King's Province and Providence Plantations, shall warn the inhabitants of their town to meet together on or before the first Wednesday in April next, to choose three or five men of the inhabitants of their town, to assess and levy the rate assessed and levied on their town (by his Majesty's Justices sitting in General Quarter Session, held in Newport, the 13th day of December, 1687), on each of the estates of the inhabitants, and others within the precincts of their township; which said rate is to be made, and the list thereof perfected under the hands of the said rate makers, or the major part of them, on or before the third Wednesday in the said month of April, and forthwith to be delivered to the Constables of each town; who are hereby required to gather and collect the same, and the said rate by them gathered and collected, the said Constables shall send unto the Treasurer of this Province of Rhode Island, &c., on or before the 1st day of July next. And the better to enable the Constables to gather and collect the said rate, the said Constables are empowered, if any person or persons refuse to pay the rate so assessed on them, to distrain of the estate of the person or persons neglecting or refusing to pay the same. It is also ordered, That Mr. Francis Brinley, Lieut. Col. Peleg Sanford and Capt'n John Fones, or the major part of them, are hereby empowered and requested to bargain and agree to and with such and so many workmen, artists and others, for the materials, building and erecting in the said towns of Newport and Rochester, the said two Court Houses, as in their discretion shall seem meet; and that an order under the hands of them, or the major part of them, to the Treasurer of this Province or County, to pay to any person or persons, either for materials to be used, or work done about the building the said houses, shall be a sufficient warrant for the said Treasurer to pay the same. John Woodman, nominated to be Treasurer, and sworn. Ordered, That the Clerk write a letter, to be sent to his Excellency, the Governor, to acquaint him that this Court have, in pursuance to the advice of the Judges to them given, considered the necessity and charge of two Court Houses; one to be built in the town of Newport, and the other in Rochester. And to give his Excellency an account what they have at present computed the charge may be. Ordered, That if any person or persons shall sit tippling or drinking in any Victualling House, within this Province or County, on the First day of the week, or be found playing or sporting on the First day of the week, shall for every of the said offences, be prosecuted and punished as by law is appointed'; and all masters of families are strictly required to take care of their servants and children, for whom they are to be accountable; and the Constables in each town are strictly required to take care that this order be duly observed. Ordered, That the Clerk copy and send forth the orders concerning the rate, to the Constables of the several towns, and |