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

SPRINGFIELD, I636-1SS6. 125
In l(5o3 tlie town appropriated a tract of laud ou Chicopee plain
to snpi)ort a schoolmaster. The custom of subsidizing the iuukeejier
has ali'eady ])een spoken of. This was a custom brought from Eng-
land. At a latei- date Samuel Ely was released from duty on train-
ing days if he would agree to keep an ordinary.
The 3'oung blood u[)on the judge's bench began to produce results.
Daniel, a Scotch servant, gets twenty lashes for profaning the Sal)-
bath ; Joaue ^Miller is summoned to answer the charge of calling her
husband a '' foole, toad, vermine, and threateninge him ;
is fined for selling cider to the Indians ;
" Sanuiel Ely
Aquossowump, an Indian, is
flogged for theft ; and Goodwife Hunter is gagged and made to stand
half an hour in the stocks for sundry " exorbitancys of y'' toung."
The town-meeting showed a like infusion of new life. Its reduced
numbers were not followed l>y reduced financial burdens in town
expenses. Mone^' for Moxon's real estate was provided for, which
ran the tax-rate to £107 l"2s. 6ri. in 1653. The}' paid that j'ear £35
ou the Moxon purchase, £50 for Rev. Mr. Horsford, with the hope
that he would remain with tliem, and l.s. 3d. for an hour-glass, wliich
latter ensured them full measure of preaching on the Sabbath.
In 1653 John Pynchon was dropped from the l)oard of townsmen,
probably because he was a magistrate and recorder of deeds. The
new board of selectmen were George Coltou, Robert Ashley, Thomas
Cooper, Benjamin Cooley, and Thomas Stebbins. This was quite a
change, and a change, too, in the direction of the small landholders.
The importance of the selectmen was lessened by the vote of October,
16(54. In defining the powers of the new board it is expressly said
that " giving out of y'' laud belongs to y*" towne." Ou the previous
May John Pynchon's lot ou Long Hill had been increased by the
town, upon the condition that he would buy a fiock of forty sheep,
and sell them as he might to the inhabitants. In 1666 jNIr. Pynchon
proposed to spend £200 in building a new mill, and a stormy town-
meeting took place on account of a proposition to refund this money.
iThe proposition was voted down. A private subscription was tiien