Whereas the present Warr necessarily cals forth sundry men into the Country Service, whose Imployment and Livelyhood Consists in Husbandry, the promoting whereof in our Respective Towns for the Raising of Corn and Provisions, it of great Necessity for our Subsistance.

It is therefore Ordered by this Court; That the Select men of the Respe­ctive Towns do take Effectual Care, Order Impow­ring the Select men to hire such as shall manage the Husbandry of these in the Service. and are hereby Impowred to Impress men for the management and Carrying on of the Husbandry of such per­sons as are called off from the same into the Service, who have not suffici­ent help of their own left at home to manage the same, who shall be al­lowed Eighteen Pence a day for their said work, Eighteen Pence [...] their [...] to be paid by the Re­spective persons for whom they work. Provided it do not appear that [Page 46] any persons Imployed have been unfaithful in their Labour, in which Case the Select men shall have Power to deduct from their wages such Propor­tion as they shall see meet.

THis Court taking into Consideration the great Disappointment the Country hath suffered by Reason of non-Appearance of Souldiers Im­pressed for several Expeditions. Souldiers refu­sing to make Ap­pearance, and serve the Coun­try Foot Soul­diers to pay four Pound. Troopers six Pound.

Do Judge meet that every person Impressed as a Souldier for the Ser­vice of the Country, and neglecting to make his Appearance accord­ing to Order, every such Foot Souldier shall pay the Summe of four Pounds, and every Trooper shall pay the Summe of Six Pounds, and if their neglect or refusal be Accompanied with Refractoriness, Refaction, or Contempt upon Authority, such person shall be punished with Death, or some other grievous punishment.

And the Committee of Militia in the several Towns where the Of­fence is Committed, are hereby Impowred and Required to call before them all such as shall be Delinquents as is above expressed, and on Con­viction of there neglect to give Warrant to the Constable to Levy the said Fines, which said Fines shall be Improved to purchase Arms for the Towns use: Provided it shall be in the power of the Council upon Peti­tion of any Person agrieved, and just Reason Alleadged and proved to make Abatement of the said Fines as in their wisdome and Discretion they shall Judge meet;

And it is hereby Ordered that the Return of all Neglects and Defects in the Cases aforesaid be sent to the Committee of Militia in the several Towns, who are hereby required to take Care for the strict Execution hereof.

THis Court being Informed that sundry persons who through the Cala­mity of the Warr are forced to remove to other places, do Account themselves free from Duty in these places.

Do Order that all such persons so Removing shall stand in Respect of Charges and Duty to the publick in the same Capacity with the proper Inhabitants amongst whom they make their Abode or Residence. [...] as Remove to be the same with the Inhabitants.

WHereas it appears in the Bils of Disbursements stated by the Militia of the several Towns, and Transmitted to the Treasurer, there is a great Disproportion between Town and Town in the Prices set for the Hire of Hor­ses in the Countries Service, for the preventing the like Inconvenience for the Future.

It is Ordered; Stated price for Horse Hire in their Service Eighteen Pence per Weak. That the stated price for the Hire of a Horse for the Countryes use shall be one Shilling six pence in mony per Week throughout this Jurisdiction.

For the Preservation of the Frontier Towns.

IT is Ordered; That each of the said Towns be by the Committee of Militia divided into so many parts as a meet Number, may each day by [Page 47] Turns be sent forth upon the Scout, with whom a party of [...] at the Charge of the Country shall be joyned, that the said [...] be Constant­ly managed by a suitable Commander in each of said Towns Appointed by [...] Committee, [...] who shall be paid his wages by the Country, and for the Encouragement of said Towns, and more Effectual Carrying on of this work, that the Souldiers abroad in Service appertaining to [...] Towns be returned [...], and they freed from the Impress during their Attendance to the Service abovesaid, for their own, and the Countries Defence. And that the Frontier Towns be Accounted Meadfield, [...] Chelmsford, Andover, Hoverd, Exiter, and for their further [...].

It is hereby Declared to be the Duty of every chief Commander or Officer present in any Town upon notice given him of [...], or Distress of any Neighbour Town to send forthwith what [...] can be [...] with Safety at home for the Security of the Distressed.

THe Court being Informed of the Difficulty the Town of Salem [...] withal, to find persons that will serve to the Constables [...] by Rea­son of the smalness of the Fine Imposed by Law on such as do refuse. Town of [...]

It is Ordered by this Court that it shall be Lawful for the said Town henceforth to Impose a Fine of Ten Pounds upon such as do refuse to serve in the Office of a Constable there, any Law to the Contrary notwith­standing.

IN Answer to the Petition of John Beaudon a wounded Souldier for relief, their being many in like nature, that stands in like need.

The Court Judgeth it meet to Appoint Mr. Edward Ting, Mr. Joseph Dudley, Capt. Hugh Mason, [...] and Mr. William Parkes to be a stand­ing Committee to Consider of Petitions of this Nature, and make their Report of what they Judge meet to be done therein to this Court, and this Committee to Continue till the Court take further Order.

WHereas by the late Law prohibiting Trading [...] and Trading with the Indians except in open [...] and Towns where Goods are sold unto the English, Advantage is given to persons by that Exception to Car­ry on a Voluntary Trade with the Indians, which may prove of dangerous Consequence to the publick Weal.

It is therefore Ordered by this Court and the Authority thereof, [...] That all Trade with the Indians be prohibited & for the Future, it is hereby prohibi­ted that no person whatsoever within this Jurisdiction, presume to Trade with any Indian, or Indians, directly, or Indirectly, by themselves or others; Any Commodity whatsoever upon Penalty of Forfeiture of their whole Estates for each Offence, being Convicted thereof before lawful Authority, one third to the Informer, and the Remainder to the Coun­ty; Provided that this Law do no way prohibit the necessary supply and Relief to such Indians and their Families as are by Order Imployed in the Countries Service, or as are otherwise under the special Care and Inspecti­on of Authority; So that such Supply and Relief to these Indians be made as the Court or Council shall allow, or if no Estate, then to be banished up­on pain of Death. And that by such as are under the special Care and In­spection [Page 48] of Authority, [...] meant such as being peaceably disposed do come in, (and being Appointed the place) do live within the view, and under the Eye, and Protection of the English.

WHereas there are distracted persons in some Towns that are Unruly, whereby not only the Families wherein they are, but other suffer much Damage by them.

It is Ordered by this Court and the Authority thereof; That the Select men in all Towns where such persons are, Select men [...] the Distracted are hereby Impowred and In­joyned to take Care of all such persons that they do not Damnifie others. And also to take Care and Order the Management of their Estates in the Times of their Distemperature, so as may be for the good of themselves and Families depending on them; And the Charge to be paid out of the Estates of all such persons where it may be had, otherwise at the publick Charge of the Town such persons belong unto.

THis Court Considering the great Inconveniency that will Ensue if per­sons be left at Liberty to withdraw from the Frontier Towns that are yet standing out, thereby Enfeebling the Remote parts of the Country, and tending to the Damage of the whole.

Do therefore Order; That it shall not be in the Liberty of any person whatsoever, Committees of [...] power in each Town who is by law Injoyned to Train, Watch, Ward, or Secur, to leave the Town he is an Inhabitant of, upon any pretence whatsoever, without Liberty first obteined from the Committee of Militia in the Town to which [...] by the Council of the Common-Wealth; upon the Penalty of Twenty Pounds, except within one week after they be required by the Committees of Militia to return to their Station, they shall accordingly Return, which Summe of Twenty Pounds upon Certificate from the Committees of Militia, to the Country Court of that Shire, or to any two Magistrates, shall by their war­rant be forthwith Levyed upon the Estates, or for want thereof upon the persons of such Delinquents to be disposed of, either to such as will Come unto the said Town, to strengthen them, or towards the bearing the Charge of the Warr; Or otherwise, as those that stand it out shall see meet.

And it is further Ordered; That no person capable to Assist in securing the Garrison he belongeth to, shall absent himself by going out of Town without acquainting of, and Liberty obteined from the Commander of said Garrison, upon Penalty of five shillings for each Offence in that kind, that so the danger to which the Garrisons in the Respective Towns are ex­posed too by frequent absence of such as are for the Defence of them may be prevented.