1697-03-29[Town Meeting March 29, 1697]
At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Beverly on the 29th day of March, 1697, it was voted
and agreed to by said inhabitants, that there shall be a town rate made of fifty pounds money, said rate to
be proportioned by the selectmen on said inhabitants, to be gathered to pay the town's debts already
contracted, it is also to defray any necessary charges in said town for the present year, so far as by said
rate it may be done.
At the same town meeting the inhabitants of Beverly, whereas there is money now in Deacon John Hill's
custody, that was gathered by way of contribution for the redemption of some persons from Turkish
captivity, but being not improved for that use it was voted that said money shall be improved for the relief
of the poor of said town.
At a legal town meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Beverly, on the 29th day of March, 1697, it was
voted & ordered by general vote of said inhabitants, that no person or persons whatsoever in or belonging
to our said town shall from this time until the first Tuesday of November next ensuing, sell, cut or carry
away or anyways destroy any green tree or trees, in our said town's common land of any sort or size
excepting hemlocks, on penalty of paying a fine of twenty shillings money for the use of the town, for
each and every tree so fell, cut or carried away, or anyways destroyed by any person or persons,
whomsoever in or belonging to our said town, always provided that there may be timber cut on our said
common, for the making & repairing of our town & country highway, as there shall be need from time to
time, at the discretion and order of the surveyors of highways, and John Trask, Samuel Corning junr., &
Robert Morgan are chosen surveyors of our said town's common for the year ensuing.
At the same town meeting it was voted that whereas Thomas Chubb & Robert Roundy have each of them
transgressed, in falling each of them a tree on our common, sometime the last winter contrary to order, the
penalty for each tree being fifteen shillings, the town doth now forgive each of them said fine.
At the same town meeting Jonathan Herrick was chosen viewer of fences in our said town for the year
ensuing.
At the same town meeting it was voted, that whereas by the breaking out of the pond into the sea at the
long beach, between our town and Manchester, commonly known by the name of farmer West's Beach,
the which occasions the laying out of a new way from Plum Cove to farmer West's land, the which doth
require extraordinary charge for the making of said way, it is therefore voted as above said that the town
shall make a way in equal proportion, and the four surveyors are to name such to work, for the making of
said way as belong to their squadron, in equal proportion according to the number of men in each part.