History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

42 HISTORY OF AMESBURY.
Abraham Tappan and John Bonde made oathe that they did
see this writing signed and delivered.
Sworn to by y e s d Tappan & Bonde y e 24 of y e 10 m. 1670.
Before me,
Robert Pike, Commis r."
This was by no means a solitary case, for long subsequent to
this date negroes were bought and sold as suited the wants of
the people.
Thomas Bradbury's orchard is mentioned on the record, show-
ing that in ten years orchards had been planted. The trees
must have been raised from the seed and were hardly in bearing
condition.
Dec. 3d. A meeting has held and an order passed that
"Anthony Coleby & William Browne shall have power to sease
upon all pipe-staves & boults, hogshead staves, barrell staves, all
kinds of heading and the like according to the order—not to
reach Richard Currier's and George Martin's staves y' are now
in the woods & eatch of y e one tree, already felled as also sayd
Currier's boults."
Dec. 24th. The meeting ordered that all the meadow north
of Little river to Hall's farm should be reserved for a common.
Salisbury was this year made a Shire town in the County of
Norfolk "till further orders from Court." Tradition says the
courts were held in the Cushing house, a part of which is yet
standing near East Salisbury on the Beach road and is no doubt
one of the first houses built subsequent to the log houses.
March 8th. Willi. Holdred sold to Henry Brown "his dwelling
house and all houses built or bought by him near unto &
his house lott & y e house lott of John Dickinson & John Hoyt
which he bought & 2 acres of meadow every thing except 5
loads dung & y e boards over and against y e oxen & a payer of
hinges of one of y e doores & y e railes y l lie by y e leantoo side
also his commonage & two of y e apple trees w ch y e s d William
shall make choice of."
Henry Biley who received a lot on the eastern side of the
circular road, between John Sanders and Robert Ring, was dead
in 1648 and his widow petitioned the General Court for leave