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History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

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72 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1659.<br />

difficult, and transportation laborious and uncerta<strong>in</strong>. The<br />

mill was <strong>in</strong> process <strong>of</strong> construction, but not nearly com-<br />

pleted. In addition to this catalogue <strong>of</strong> hardship, a disastrous<br />

storm had deprived them <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>in</strong>cipal part <strong>of</strong> the<br />

previous year's crop. Yet amid all these discouragements<br />

the little community cheerfully added to <strong>its</strong> burdens by the<br />

<strong>settlement</strong> <strong>of</strong> a m<strong>in</strong>ister and provided liberally for his<br />

ma<strong>in</strong>tenance. Feel<strong>in</strong>g sensibly the weak and impoverished<br />

condition <strong>of</strong> the people, the selectmen, <strong>in</strong> October, peti-<br />

tioned the General Court for relief. This document, set-<br />

t<strong>in</strong>g forth the deplorable condition <strong>of</strong> affairs, still preserved<br />

<strong>in</strong> the archives <strong>of</strong> the state, is presented <strong>in</strong> full : —<br />

"The humble Petition <strong>of</strong> the Inhabitants <strong>of</strong> <strong>Northampton</strong>.<br />

Wheras It hath pleased God <strong>in</strong> his p- vidence to br<strong>in</strong>g yovf humble<br />

Petitioners to a Plantation that is remote <strong>from</strong> other Plantations, wher<br />

unto wee are Constra<strong>in</strong>ed to fetch <strong>in</strong> supplies, and F<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g the burden<br />

exceed<strong>in</strong>g heavy did set vpon the make<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> a mill, w'^ hath b<strong>in</strong> very<br />

long a doe<strong>in</strong>g, and exceed<strong>in</strong>g chargeable to effect, to answere our endes,<br />

but is not yet p'^fected, the Charges <strong>of</strong> the mill be<strong>in</strong>g soe heavy,<br />

that wee are much weakened <strong>in</strong> oiu- estates by it, furthermore It pleased<br />

God <strong>in</strong> his p'^vidence vpon the edg <strong>of</strong> harvest was 13 month to aflfiict vs<br />

by a dreadfull storme soe that wee were bereaved <strong>of</strong> the greatest p' <strong>of</strong><br />

otu" Cropp w x<br />

tition, no record can bb found <strong>of</strong> any vote<br />

<strong>in</strong>struct<strong>in</strong>g them to present such a docui-ient. The presumption<br />

is that they did so on their own responsibility.<br />

That their action <strong>in</strong> this matter did not meet the approval

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