SEVERAL Laws and Orders MADE AT A GENERAL COURT Held at Boston, February the 4th 1679./80. EDWARD RAWSON Secretary.
IT is Ordered by this Court and the Authority thereof, that for the future there shall be annually chosen according to our Charter, eighteen Assistants, besides the Governour and Deputy-Governour, in manner following, viz. The Constables of each Town shall give timely notice to, and warn their Freemen to meet upon the second Tuesday in April next, who being so met, shall put in their Votes for Governour, Deputy Governour, and twenty Assistants, with Major General, Secretary Treasurer and Commissioners of the united Colonyes, all in distinct papers fairly written, the whole number of twenty for Assistants being to be put into one List, cut almost asunder betwixt each name, which Votes shall be received by the Deputyes chosen for the next General Court, Order for Nomination and Election of Governour, Assistants, & publick Officers. or some other meet Person chosen by the Freemen where no Deputy is, and sealed up in the presence of the Freemen and the Deputyes, or other persons chosen for that end, are to bring the said Votes to Boston so sealed up, to the Court house by one of the clock, on the Monday before the Election day, on the penalty of ten pounds for every Person that doth neglect so appearing; where in the presence of the Governour, Deputy Governour and Assistants, or so many of them as shall be then present the Proxyes shall be opened and sorted forthwith by the Persons so assembled, and so kept distinct, sealed up and numbered, with the name of the Party on the backside with the number of Votes inclosed till Wednesday, when all the Freemen that have not Voted by Proxy are required to appear at the Court House in Boston aforesaid, by seven of the clock in the morning, to bring in their Votes for Elections of Governour, Deputy Governour, Assistants and other [Page 75] Officers that are then to be chosen according to Charter, in Papers a aforesaid: all which Votes are to be sorted and numbred with the Proxyes. And the Governour and Deputy Governour being chosen and proclaimed, the eighteen that have most Votes, are to be proclaimed Assistants for the Year ensuing, and other general Officers to be chosen as formerly. Also it is Ordered, that every Person admitted to be present as above, at the opening and numbring of the Votes, shall before they enter upon the said work, or be admitted to be present thereat, take their Oathes to deal truly in the trust committed to them as abovesaid; this Law or Order to stand for this year only, as to be manner of Choice.
WHereas you A B. C. are appointed and betrusted for the opening the Proxies sent in by the Freemen, and receiving sorting and numbring the Votes for the choice of Governour, Deputy Governour, Oath to be administred to those that sort and number the Votes. Assistants, and other publick Officers of this Jurisdiction, to be chosen on the Election day; You do now swear by the Name of Almighty God that you will deal truly and uprightly therein as also that you will not either directly or indirectly discover either the persons or number of Votes until the Election be ended, So help you God.
The Governour and Company of the Massachusets Bay in New-England. To A. B. Captain.
WHereas you are appointed Captain of a Foot-Company for the Service of his Majesty in the Town of B. in the County of E in the Colony of the Massachusets Bay. These are in his Majesties Name to Authorize & require you to take into your care & conduct the said Company, Form of Military Officers Commission [...] & diligently to intend that service by leading and exercising your interior Officers and Souldiers in peace and war, commanding them to obey you as their Captain, and you to observe and obey all such Orders and directions as from time to time you shall receive from your Major, or other Superior Officer, In Testimony whereof, &c.
IT is Ordered by this Court that every person legally chosen in any Town within this Jurisdiction to serve in the Office of a Tything man according to Law, Addition to the Law of Tything men. and do refuse to take his Oath shall pay as a Fine to the Town forty Shillings, and another to be chosen in his room for that year, and so from time to time the same course is to be observed in all Towns. And further, It is Ordered, that the Constable of each Town from time to time shall Assist the Tything-men in the Execution of their Office, being thereunto desired by the said Tything men or any two of them.