full share; and they are sometimes general, sometimes local, and sometimes confined to parish limits. Sewing-circles, charitable associations, literary unions, religious brotherhoods, and such like, are silent yet powerful agencies for the gratification of the social instincts, for the acquisition of knowledge, the cultivation of taste, the improvement of manners, and the progress of religion; but especially for relieving the necessitous, comforting the sick, and providing for the young.

The Order of the Sons of Temperance. - Mystic Division, No. 20, of Massachusetts. This branch of a widely extended and benevolent fraternity was organized Oct. 5, 1853, and already numbers over thirty members. The first office, of W. P., has a new occupant every three months. The gentlemen who have held it are S. D. Poole, J. M. Usher, Benjamin H. Samson, William A. Sanborn, John Brown, and Richard G. Pinkham. A public installation of officers was had in the Town Hall, April 11, 1854, when delegations from other branches were present; and a supper afterwards made members and friends of both sexes happy. Fidelis ad urnam.

Mount Hermon Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. Last year, a few Freemasons, who were wont to attend the meetings of Hiram Lodge, West Cambridge, determined to establish a lodge in Medford, so that they might enjoy the pleasures of Masonry nearer home. Hearing of their determination, others of their brethren in Medford united with them in petitioning the Grand Lodge of the State to grant them the requisite authority for assembling as a legal lodge. A dispensation was granted; and, the proper time of probation having nearly elapsed, they will soon (in September, 1855) receive a charter, which will confirm them in the rights and privileges of a regularly constituted lodge. The original petitioners were Messrs. George Hervey, John T. White, E. G. Currell, C. E. Merrill, Cleopas B. Johnson, William Crook, Dr. Samuel Kidder, A. H. Gardner, Elisha Stetson, James Ford, and T. R. Peck. The lodge is now in a flourishing condition, and has every prospect of further success and extended usefulness under its efficient organization, which is as follows:

Worshipful George Hervey, Master.
Elisha Stetson, Senior Warden.
E. G. Currell, Junior Warden.
C. B. Johnson, Senior Deacon.
C. E. Merrill, Junior Deacon.

Hiram Southworth, Treasurer.
S. C. Lawrence, Secretary.
Lewis Keen, Senior Steward.
S. W. Sanborn, Junior Steward.
James Ford, Tyler.

Medford Salt-marsh Corporation. June 21, 1803: On this day, an act of incorporation was passed by the General Court, by which the proprietors of a tract of salt marsh, in Medford, were authorized to make and maintain a dike and fence for the better security and improvement of said marsh. Its bounds are thus described:

"Situate in the easterly part of said Medford, beginning at Malden line, and running westerly by the land of Andrew Hall, Joseph Wheelwright, and Simeon Holt, to the brick landing-place on Mystic River, and otherways bounded by said river, comprising all the marsh within said bounds. And the said corporation shall have power to erect and make a dike, of sufficient height and width, on the north bounds of said marsh, beginning at Malden line, and running westward by the land of said Andrew Hall and others, so far as a dike may be found necessary."

The act contains the usual provisions for choosing officers, assessing taxes, and regulating payments. The company was organized, and a fence built, the proprietors paying each his proportion. The town assessed taxes upon the corporation; and, Feb. 4, 1822, the town's tax was one hundred and fiftyseven dollars and seven cents. The corporation is bound to support the fences and dike, and can compel any proprietor to pay his share.

CHAPTER XV.

July 28, 1629.

HISTORICAL ITEMS.

- Mr. Joseph Bradshaw was present this day, as one of the assistants, at the sitting of the court in London.

1630. The fleet that brought over Governor Winthrop and the first settlers of Medford was nautically organized. The history" says, "Articles of consortship were drawn between the captain and mariners The Arbella to be the admiral; the Talbot to be the vice-admiral; the Ambrose, the rear-admiral." The Arbella was named in honor of Mrs. Johnson, the wife of one of the "five undertakers in London."

Aug. 23, 1630.-"Ordered that no person shall use or take away any boat or canoe without leave from the owner thereof, on pain of fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court."

Aug. 23, 1630.. -"It was ordered that carpenters, joiners, bricklayers, sawyers, thatchers, shall not take above 2s. a day; nor any man shall give more, under pain of 10s. to taker and giver; and that sawers shall not take above 4s. 6d. the hundred for boards, at six score the hundred, if they have their wood felled and squared for them; and not above 5s. 6d. if they fell and square their wood themselves."

Feb. 7, 1632.- On this day, Governor Winthrop, Mr. Nowell, and others, crossed our ford in Medford, and travelled on an exploring expedition towards the north-east, and came "to a very great pond, having in the midst an island of about one acre, and very thick with trees of pine and beech; and the pond had divers small rocks standing up here and there in it, which they therefore called Spot Pond. They went all about it on the ice."

1633.- Puritans: Neal says, "Hardly a vessel came into these ports but was crowded with passengers for New England."

July 2, 1633. "It is ordered that no person sell either wine or strong water without leave from the governor or deputy-governor ; and no man shall give any strong water to any Indian." 1638."Wine shall not be sold by innholders; but they may brew the beer they sell."

Oct. 1, 1633.Thanksgiving-day appointed by the General Court, the first on record. It was as follows: "In regard to the many and extraordinary mercies which the Lord hath been pleased to vouchsafe of late to this plantation, viz., a plentiful harvest, ships safely arrived with persons of special use and quality, &c., it is ordered that Wednesday, 16th of this present month, shall be kept as a day of public thanksgiving through the several plantations." 1635. A wharf, made by large trees laid crosswise, was built on the bank of Malden River, opposite the Wellington Farm; and a cartway led from it to the first house built in Medford.

March 28, 1636.- Governor Winthrop, writing to his son, says, "This morning, I went to Ten Hills with your mother and your wife, to have seen Goodman Bushnell. We are all in good health; and I praise God for it. Your wife and mother, and all of us, salute you and your good company. The Lord bless and prosper you. Farewell, my good son."

Oct. 28, 1636.-"It is ordered that the freemen of every town shall, from time to time, as occasion shall require, agree amongst themselves about the prices and rates of any town, whether workmen, laborer, or servant."

1636.-"Buying provisions and victuals to sell again is forbidden, unless leave be obtained of the governor."

Nov. 20, 1637.-"Ordered that no person shall sell any cakes or buns, either in the markets, or victualling houses, or elsewhere, upon pain of 10s. fine; provided that this order shall not extend to such cakes as shall be made for any burial or marriage, or such like special occasión."

Dec. 4, 1638. Three persons having been drowned, at Charlestown Ferry, by the careless upsetting of a canoe, the court "ordered that no canoe should be used at any ferry, upon pain of £5; nor should any canoe be built in our jurisdiction before the next General Court, upon pain of £10."

Sept. 9, 1639.- Registration of births, marriages, and deaths, expressly required; and to be sent annually to the court.

1640. Matthew Cradock was a member of Parliament from London.

June 2, 1641.—“The bounds for Charlestown Village (Woburn) are to be set out by Captain Cooke, Mr. Holliocke, and Mr. John Oliver, the contents of four mile square."

Mr. Carter, the first minister of Woburn, was ordained 1642, when seventy-seven ministers had been ordained in New England. 1642. Confederation against the Indians recommended by the General Court.

May 10, 1643.

The General Court appointed a committee to lay out a road from Cambridge to Woburn.

1643.- Middlesex was the first to recommend and adopt the division of territory into counties.

Mr. Edward Collins was chosen by Cambridge a representative in the General Court; but he, did not attend. They required him to give reasons for his neglect, or pay twenty shillings.

1644.- Medford was called to mourn the death of its founder, Matthew Cradock, Esq.; and, in 1649, lost a friend and neighbor, in the death of Governor Winthrop.

1644. It was customary with the early settlers in Medford to attend public worship in the neighboring towns when they had no preaching within their own plantation. On a sabbath, in the year 1644, when it was a serious loss to have "the go-to-meeting-bonnet" injured, the following semi-tragic scene occurred near Mystic Bridge. We give the narrative in the words of Governor Winthrop (“Journal," vol. ii. p. 161): "One Dalkin and his wife, dwelling near Meadford, coming from Cambridge, where they had spent their sabbath, and being to pass over the river at a ford, the tide not being fallen enough, the husband adventured over, and, finding it too deep, persuaded his wife to stay a while; but, it raining very sore, she would needs adventure over, and was carried away with the stream past her depth. Her husband, not daring to go help her, cried out; and thereupon his dog, being at his house near by, came forth, and, seeing something in the water, swam to her; and she caught hold of the dog's tail: so he drew her to the shore, and saved her life." If, at this time, it was flood-tide in Medford, there can be no doubt that marital chivalry was at a very low ebb. We related this hair-breadth escape to a lady of Medford, who instantly exclaimed, "I would have thrown my inhuman husband into the river, and then married the human dog!"

March 4, 1645. – "Whereas complaint hath been made to this

court, that divers persons within this jurisdiction do usually absent themselves from church meetings upon the Lord's day, power is therefore given to any two assistants to hear and censure, either by fine or imprisonment (at their discretion), all misdemeanors of that kind committed by any inhabitant within this jurisdiction, provided they exceed not the fine of five shillings for one offence."

1645. Something may be guessed concerning the state of things among the early settlers, when "a man walks on snow-shoes five miles to buy a bushel of corn, carries it on his back to mill, and thence home."

May 6, 1646.-The General Court forbid all persons taking any tobacco within five miles of any house.

1647. The sum of fifty pounds, and, in 1649, the additional sum of fifty pounds, given, by the will of Mathew Cradock, Esq., to the poor of St. Swithen's, are acknowledged as having been received, and entered in the "Vellum Book," Oct. 17, 1651. These sums were laid out in building shops against the church-wall.

1647. Charlestown's "part of Mistick Wear was granted as an allowance for the town school for ever."

66

1647. — The General Court invite the Synod to draw up a

confession of faith."

Nov. 11, 1647.- Medford was under the following law: Ordered that no lover shall seek the hand of his chosen one till he has asked permission of her parents. Penalty for the first offence, £5; for the second, £10; and for the third, imprisonment. According to this, courting, in those days, must have been a very dangerous busi

ness.

The "Cambridge Platform" adopted 1648; and the church at Malden gathered the same year.

Oct. 18, 1648. -The coopers

united in a company, and received

from the General Court an act of incorporation.

May 2, 1649. The General Court say, "Upon the petition of Mistick-side men, they are granted to be a distinct town, and the name thereof to be called Mauldon."

1649. The Middlesex County Records before this date are lost.

1649.

town."

"Horses must be registered in a book kept in each

In a neighboring towr, church troubles ran so high, in 1650, that they were obliged to call in the civil authorities.

1650. "Goodma" and "goodwife" were common appellations. "Mr." was applied only to persons of distinction. “ Esquire" was seldom used: was esteemed above that of "reverend." Mr. Josias Plaistowe pok corn from the Indians. The General Court ordered him to return the corn, and pay a fine; and "hereafter to be called by the name of Josias, and not Mr., as formerly he used to be."

1657. The name of Jonathan Wade first appears on the records