Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

124 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886.
uel Chapin, took the oath as magistrates, Nov. 22, 1652. It was
the turniug-poiut in everything that makes Springfield a stronghold
of regular government in local affairs. John Pynchon was only
thirty-one years of age. The business of administration was more
closely attended to; the "presenter," or grand juryman, was in-
structed to seek out offences against the laws of the colony. The
regular court days came in March and September, and while private in-
terests continued to figure in court as before, public causes multiplied.
Richard Sikes is fined for smoking on a hay-cock ; Goody Griffith
is punished for carrying fire uncovered in the streets, and in a multi-
tude of ways it became evident that a strong governing hand had
taken hold of the helm.
When Mr. Smith sailed for England late in the autumn of l()o2
he left his wife here, probably on account of sickness and death in
his family ; the General Court did not think best to confirm his elec-
tion as captain of the Springfield trainban.l, - uutill he shall return
from England." But the elections of John Pynchon as lieutenant
and of Elizur Ilolyoke as ensign were at once approved. And it
might be here remarked that every officer, froin hog-reeve to magis-
trate, was first elected by the people, the General Court only using
its prerogative of ratification.
Mr. Pynchon secured from the General Court in 1652 the loan of a
"great gun" for the protection of the town. It was ordered from
Boston that " Samuel Chapin be joyned with M^ Pinchon & M^ Hol}^-
oke for the dividinge of the townes." The division referred to was
at " Noatucke " or Northampton ; the commission was duly performed,
and approved by the Bay authorities in 1654, and the year following
the Northampton commissioners were ordered to take the oath before
the Springfield commissioners. The latter court was also sometimes
specially called upon to try cases in the infant plantation, as appears
from the vote passed in May, 165(;, that John Pynchon and Elizur
Ilolyoke shall try Robert Bartlett, charged with committing " a great
misdemeanor in attemptinge to force the s'* Smith's wife."