At a third court, also held at Charlestown, regulations were enacted
against allowing the Indians the use of firearms, and against parting
with corn to them, or sending it out of the jurisdiction, without a
license. Constables were appointed for Salem and Dorchester. The wages
of common laborers were fixed at sixpence a day, and those of mechanics
who were employed in building at sixteen pence, in addition to "meat and
drink." Order was given for the seizure of "Richard Clough's strong
water, for his selling great quantity thereof to several men's servants,
which was the occasion of much disorder, drunkenness, and misdemeanor."
The execution of a contract between certain parties for the keeping of
cattle was defined and enforced. Sir Richard Saltonstall was fined four
bushels of malt for absenting himself from the meeting. Thomas Gray, for
"divers things objected against him," was ordered "to remove himself out
of the limits of this patent before the end of March next." "For the
felony committed by him, whereof he was convicted by his own
confession," John Gouldburn, as principal, and three other persons, as
accessories, were sentenced "to be whipped, and afterward set in the
stocks." Servants, "either man or maid," were forbidden to "give, sell,
or truck any commodity whatsoever, without license from their master,
during the time of their service." An allowance was made to Captains
Underhill and Patrick for quarters and rations; and, for their
maintenance, a rate of fifty pounds was levied, of which sum Boston and
Watertown were assessed eleven pounds each, and Charlestown and
Dorchester seven pounds each, Roxbury five pounds, and Salem and Mystic
each only three pounds--a sort of indication of the estimated wealth of
those settlements respectively.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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