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

194 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1667-1668.
was again taken by the town in 1676, when it was voted to
"giue M'' [Joseph] Hawly An Invitation to teach schole
in this Towne on the same conditions or termes as formerly. '^
The- selectmen, under the former vote, had hired Mr. Hawley
a conple of years before. From his own accounts there
is proof that he taught here first in 1674, as will be seen in
the proper chronological order.
Orders Concerning Much trouble and loss werc occasioucd in
Swine and Horses ^-^q mcadows by swine rootiug up and de-
in the Meadows. •
, a j v t a j.
stroymg our corn and peece. in August,
1667, the matter was brought before the town and stringent
orders passed for the protection of these crops. In the
regulations adopted it is stated that previous orders for
preventing such damages were " inefectual for the end because
of Swomps and high bushy places into which the
hogs run away and cannot be got to pound." Any person
finding swine within the fence "of the corne feild" insuffi-
ciently "yooked or ringed," might demand "toe shillings
for every Swine be they beger or less excepting sucking
pegs of sex weeks old." Proof of ownership was to be
deemed sufficient without impounding them. This order
did not remedy the evil, and three years afterwards another
proviso was added. All swine so taken were to be impounded
at once, and if one man could not drive them he
was authorized to call in such assistance as was required.
The pigs were to be appraised and as many of them sold as
would pay the "charges for poundinge damage and drivinge
;
" the owner was allowed twenty-four hours in which
to redeem them. A similar order was passed regarding
horses found in the corn fields. If in case either of swine
or horses, the owner failed to pay the charges "the Townsmen
were toe make distres upon his goods and take the
pay and pay it by the constable.
Duties Imposed The General Court "being sencible of the
upon importa- great uccessity to regulate the way of raysing
moneys for the defraying of the pub-
lick chardges of the comonwealth," in November, 1668,
enacted that there should "be a custome imposed on all
goods & merchandizes * * imported into this jurisdic-
"