History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

194 HISTORY OF AMESBURV.
John Hoyt received of the West parish, for " drawing a deed
for y e parish of y e buring place, and a bond, and giving out
coppys, ooo 12 oo."
Rev. Thomas Wells received of the West parish ^"23 6 s. 8 d., but
what services were rendered is not known. If his colleague, Rev.
Edmund March, was with him at this time, the probability is
that he preached for Mr. Wingate.
1733.
For many years past those keeping horses were required to
enter them with the clerk, giving a description, in order to
obtain a license for them to run at large on the town's com-
mons. Unless such license was procured they were liable to be
taken up as stray beasts. A book was kept for that purpose,
and to enter ear-marks, which is yet in the clerk's office,
although very much worn. The following are copies of some
of the entries :
—
"Mr. Wells, A white mare w th a small slit on y e topp of her
right ear. March y e 28, 1694."
" Richard Martin a iron grey mare w th a square notch cutt
on y e under side of y e left ear & a square pece cut out of y e
uper side of y e right ear ; an other mare black w th y e same mark.
Aprill y e 11 th 1694."
Such licenses were required from 1694 to 1733,
after which
none are found. The town commons were gradually narrowing
down till they finally disappeared altogether. In 1694 there
were 17 horses licensed, in 1725 only 21; but no doubt there
were many not licensed—kept at home for work.
Cattle and sheep were also marked by slitting and notching
their ears, and the varied marks display considerable ingenuity.
Feb. 24th. On the West parish records is found an order
"To y e R nd mister Winget, which was allowed him for dividing
y e east parsonedg 02 00 00." The town records make no men-
tion of the committee appointed to divide the parsonage land or
the time when it was divided, but the above order shows that
it was done previous to this date.
For many years the Friends have had much trouble with John
Collins about "bearing testimony" or preaching, against which