An Abstract or the Laws of New England, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the protection and proviſion of the Countrey.
1 FIrſt, A Law to be made (if it be not made already) for the trayning of all men in the Countrey fit to beare armes unto the exerciſe of military Diſcipline; and withall another Lawe to be made for the maintenance of military Officers and Forts.
2 Becauſe fiſhing is the chiefe ſtaple commodity of the Countrey, therefore all due encouragement to be given, unto ſuch hands as ſhall ſet forwards the trade of fiſhing; and for that end a Law to be made. That whoſoever ſhall apply themſelves to ſet forward the trade of fiſhing, as Fiſher-men, Marriners and Ship wrights, ſhall be allowed, man for man, or ſome or other of the Labourers of the Countrey, to plant and to reape for them, in the ſeaſon of the yeare, at the publike charge of the Common-wealth, for the ſpace of theſe ſeven yeares next enſuing; and ſuch Labourers to be appointed and paid by the Treaſurer of the Common-wealth.
3 Becauſe no Common-wealth can maintaine either their authority at home, or their honour and power abroad, without a ſufficient Treaſury: a Law therefore to be made for the electing and furniſhing of the Treaſury of the Common-wealth, which is to be ſupplyed and furniſhed.
1 By the yearely payment.
Firſt, Of one penny, or halfe penny an Acre of Land to be occupied throughout the Countrey.
Land in common by a Towne to be paid for out of the Stocke or Treaſury of the ſame Town.
Secondly, Of a penny for every beaſt, Horſe or Cow.
Thirdly, Of ſome proportionable rate upon Marchants.
This rate to be greater or leſſe as ſhall be thought fit.
2 By the payment of a barrell of Gun-powder, or ſuch goods, or other munitions out of every ſhip, that bringeth forraine Commodities.
3 By fines and mulcts upon treſpaſſers beaſts.
4 A Treaſurer to be choſen by the free Burgeſſes out of the Aſſiſtants, who ſhall receive and keep the Treaſury and make disburſements out of it, according to the direction of the generall Court, or of the Governor or Counſellors, whereof they are to give an accompt at the generall Court.
It ſhall pertaine alſo to the Office of the Treaſurer, to ſurvey and overſee all the munitions of the Countrey, as Cannons, Culvering, Muskets, Powder, Match, Bullets, and to give accompt thereof to the Governor and Counſell.
5 A Treaſury alſo or Magazin, or Storehouſe to be erected, and furniſhed in every Town, as Deut. 14.28. diſtinct from the Treaſury of the Church, that proviſion of Corne and other neceſſaries, may be laid up at the beſt hand, for the reliefe of ſuch poore, as are not members of the Church; and that out of it ſuch Officers may be mainteined, as Captaines and ſuch like, who do any publike ſervice for the Town: But chiefly this Treaſury will be requiſite for the preſerving of the livelyhood of each Town within it ſelfe.
That in caſe the Inheritance of the Lands belong to any Towne, come to be alienated from the Towneſmen, which may unavoydably fall out: Yet a ſupply may be had and made to the livelyhood of the Town by a reaſonable Rent charge, upon ſuch alienations laid by the common conſent of the Land-owners and Towneſmen, and to be paid unto the Treaſury of the Town.
This Treaſury to be ſupplyed.
1 Firſt, By the yearely payment of ſome ſmall rate upon Acres of Land.
2 By fines or amerciaments put upon treſpaſſours beaſts.
A Town Treaſurer to be appointed for the overſight and ordering of this choſen out of the free Burgeſſes of the ſame Town, who is to diſpoſe of things under his charge, according to the directions of the Iudges of the Towne, and to give accompt at the Townes Court to the Iudges and free Burgeſſes of the Town or to ſome elected by them.