The history of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, By a committee of the Dorchester antiquarian and historical society ...

188 HISTORY OF DORCHESTER.
This year it was voted by the General Court, that
no persons should receive into their houses any stranger without the leave of the Selectmen, upon such
penalty as the Selectmen " shall see good to lay
upon them."
1659. Selectmen-Humphrey Atherton, Roger
Clap, Hopestill Foster, Nathaniel Patten and Mr.
Jones.
This year 400 acres of land were given by the
proprietors for the use of the ministry.
The Selectmen issued their order in relation to
the entertaining of strangers. It begins as follows:
"' Whereas the General Court hath taken care
what strangers shall reside in this jurisdiction, and
how licensed, as by the law title'strangers' doth
appear," &c. It then goes on to state that if any
person in this town shall entertain any sojourner or
inmate in his house above one week, without license
from the Selectmen, he shall be fined. The first
person who suffered under this order was'" Angola
the negro," who was ordered to " depart this town."
This law appears to have been enforced with
considerable strictness.
" Thomas Meekins and James Minot did promise
to set up a Fulling Mill upon Neponset river, by
the first of December next."
The fifteenth of June, this year, was a day of humiliation in all the churches of this jurisdiction" in behalf of our native country, the fears of commotion and trouble in the country and Parliament;
rents and divisions in many of the churches, especially in Hartford; the hand of God against us in the