General Court’s Two Responses, 1684

Manuscript and Literal Transcription

Letters in the transcription are underlined for one of these three reasons: th is substituted for a written y where it represents the sound th (as in the definite article, which was never pronounced “yee”); F is substituted for ff, a common way of ‘capitalizing’ that letter; or an abbreviation is expanded to the full word.

General Court's First Response—October 17

General Court's First Response, 1684
Magistrates:
In Answer to the petition of some of the Inhabitants of Cambridge whose dwellings
are on the extreame parts of their bounds towards on the extreame partes of their bounds towards Concord This Court having heard the Allegations & pleas
of Both partyes To which the consent of those that Appeared in court
on behalf of the Towne doe order that the petitioners be lisensed
to errect for themselves a publick meeting house and procure some
able & orthodox minister to dispense the ordinanses of God amongst
them, and when so provided they are lisensed to Appoint for
themselves a Constable and to choose select men. 3 or 5 annally
to order their oune prudentially & to exercise distinct from the
Towne in a military way, and shall in all other respects be
a distinct society and not obliged to the Towne for duty or
payments, save onely towards the maintenance of their great
Bridge over Charls River the Grammar schoole & the charge
of the Deputies for the Generall Court for the regulation
and maintenance thereof they shall continue and remain
to the Town in all respects as heretofore, And It is ordered
that the divishionall line shall be sixe miles from Cambridg
meeting howse measuring along the high road leading to
Concord, And at the end of said sixe miles to be a streaght line
crosse the bounds of the Towne with which crosse line is to Run
parralel with the now stated head line at the eight miles end
of the said Townes bounds. The magistrates hand pass
this their brethren the deputies hereto Consenting.

17 October 1684 Edward Rawson Secretary

Deputies:
The Deputes Consent hereto
provided the deviding line run as the Committee have stated
it in their returne, & if the towne
of Cambridge Consent not hereto
then they to provide an able etc.
minister for the village within one
yeare next after the Date hereof
the honored Magistrates hereto consenting

William Torrey, Clerik

General Court's Second Response—October 30

Magistrates:
October 30th 1684. Upon further Consideration, the Magistrates
grant the Petitioners to settle a village as within expressed, and that
the Dividing Line be at the end of Five Miles and an half, as sta-
-ted by the committee, for the space of Seven years next hereafter to
be compleated; and that then, the Seven years being expired,
it is left to the determination of this Court, whether the Dividing Line
shall so remain as the committee have set it; or to be at the Six Miles
End according to the former vote of the Magistrates. Desiring
the Consent of our Brethren the Deputies herewith.

Samuel Sewall per order.

Deputies:
The deputies consent not hereto but adhere
to their former vote on the other side.

William Torrey Clerik