1689-11-01[Town Meeting November 1, 1689]
At a general town meeting warned according to law ye 1: of November 1689. Chosen for
Clerk of the Writs, chosen for the office of Town Clerk: Mr. Exercise Conant.
At the same town meeting we the inhabitants of Beverly for several causes do order that no
person, directly or indirectly, dispose of the town’s wood that grows upon the Common that is to say
out of the town.
2ly we order that no man shall fall any trees for wood or timber without the consent of the Selectmen
for the space of three years on the penalty of paying 20s per tree, one half to the informer, the other
half to the Selectmen for the use of the town
3ly that the Selectmen from time to time are fully empowered by the town to prosecute in the town’s
behalf against any man that shall break these orders
4ly we do empower the Selectmen to give leave to such of our neighbors who are in necessity of
building or fencing of land & such as have this leave to cut the tops of the timber or wood they fall
on penalty of five shillings a tree and further all trees that are fallen down that lies now on our
Common cut by any man laying claim unto it, they shall have one day’s liberty from the date above
said to cut said wood otherwise it is free for any of the inhabitants to cut where they find it
At the same town meeting the Selectmen were appointed to prosecute all such persons as
break the town orders before said as to the town’s damage in wood & timber in reference to time
past.
At the same town meeting, Ensign Samuel Corning, Lieutenant John Dodge & Samuel Balch
were chosen a Committee to seat those persons who want seats in the room of those who are
deceased or removed & to regulate any disorder it is to understood the persons to be seated in our
meeting house.