[6] At a General Court held at Boston 8th of October 1672.
[6] At a General Court held at Boston 8th of October 1672.
In answer to the Petition of the farmers of Salem, Richard Hutchinson, Thomas Fuller &c, the Court judgeth it meet that all persons living within the tract of land mentioned in the towne grant to the Petitioners together with all lands and Estates lying with[in] the said bounds shall Contribute to all Charges referring to [ma]intainance of a minister or erecting [of a meeting] house there [and] that they shall have liberty to nominate and appoint Persons among themselves or towne of Salem not exceeding the Number of five who are hereby impowered from time to time for the makeing and gathering of all rates and levies for the ends above expressed-and in case of refusal or non payment of the same by any person or persons amongst them that then the Constables shall and are hereby impowered to make distress upon the goods of any who shall so neglect or refuse to afford their help in that case, and the same to deliver to the persons aforesaid to be improved accordingly and that when a minister shall be settled amongst them they shall be freed from Contributeing to the maintenance of the ministers of Salem.That this is a true Coppy taken out of the Court records attests EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.