WEE His Majeſties Loyal and Dutiful Subjects the Repreſentatives of His Majeſties Province of the Maſſachuſetts-Bay in New England, Convened in General Court or Aſſembly, having had before us the Accompts of the Treaſury, whereby we are ſenſible of the neceſſity of granting a further ſupply of Money: As well for the paying and diſcharging of the Debts already due and owing from the Province, as of the future growing Charge thereof: For procuring of Arms and Ammunition for the uſe of this Province; As alſo for the ſubſiſting and paying of Wages to Souldiers and Seamen, and Veſſels Hire, that have been, are or ſhall be imployed in His Majesties Service within this Province; For the paying of ſuch Salaries and Allowances as have been or ſhall be made and granted by the General Court or Aſsembly: And all ſuch Allowances and Payments as are directed by any Act of this Province, to be made out of the Publick Treaſury; And for ſupport of the Government, and anſwering of the incident and contingent Charges in and about the ſame. Do unanimouſly Grant unto His moſt Excellent Majeſty, for the ends, uſes and intents before mentioned, and for ſuch other uſe and uſes as ſhall be limited by this Court and no other, A Tax of Three Thouſand and Seventy Nine Pounds, Ten Shillings in Money, to be Levied upon Polls and Eſtates, both real and Perſonal within the ſaid Province, as in and by this preſent Act for the manner and proportion thereof is directed and ſet forth.

And be it Enacted by His Excellency the Governour, Council, and Repreſentatives in General Court Aſſembled, and by the Authority of the ſame. That the Treaſurer do forthwith iſſue out and ſend his Warrants directed to the Aſſeſſors, Select-men or Truſtees of each Reſpective Town and Precinct within this Province, 〈1 paragraph〉 Requiring them to Aſſeſs and apportion the Sum herein ſet upon ſuch Town or Precinct to this preſent Tax on the Polls and Eſtates lying and being within the ſame, or Diſtricts thereof, or next adjoyning thereto, not paying elſe where, in manner and according to the Rules following: That is to ſay, To aſſeſs all Male perſons of the Age of Sixteen Years and upwards (other than ſuch who are herein after exempted) at the Sum of Two Shillings on the Poll, and all Eſtates as well real as perſonal in whoſe hands tenure or occupation ſoever the ſame is or ſhall be found, and Incomes by any Trade or Faculty which any perſons do or ſhall exerciſe (except as in and by this Act is hereafter excepted) at one Penny on the Pound, and to abate or multiply ſaid Sum (if need be) ſo as to make up together with what ſhall ariſe upon Polls the Sum total hereby ſet and ordered for ſuch Town or Precinct to pay; and in making their ſaid Aſſeſsment, to Eſtimate Houſes and Lands at Six Years Income of the yearly Rent whereat they are or may reaſonably be ſet or let for in the places where they lye, and to Eſtimate Indian, Molatto and Negro Servants proportionably as other perſonal Eſtate according to their ſound Judgment and Diſcretion; Alſo to Eſtimate every Ox of four years old and upwards, at Forty Shillings, every Cow of three years old and upwards, at Thirty Shillings, every Horſe above three years old, at Forty Shillings, every Swine of a year old or upwards, at Eight Shillings, and every Sheep a year old and upwards, at Four Shillings. Likewiſe Requiring the ſaid Aſſeſſors, Select men or Truſtees to make a fair Liſt or Liſts of the ſaid Aſſeſsment, ſetting forth in diſtinct Columns againſt each particular perſons name how much he is aſſeſſed at for Polls, how much for Houſes and Lands, and how much for his perſonal Eſtate and Income by his Trade or Faculty, and the Liſt or Liſts ſo perfected and ſigned by them, or the major part of them to commit to the Collector, Conſtable or Conſtables of ſuch Town or Precinct, and to return a Certificate of the name or names of ſuch Collector, Conſtable or Conſtables, together with the Sum total to each of them reſpectively committed unto himſelf, ſome time before the Sixteenth Day of May next Enſuing. And the Treaſurer upon Receipt of ſuch Certificate, is hereby impowred and ordered to iſſue forth his Warrants to the Collectors, Conſtable or Conſtables of ſuch Town, Requiring him or them reſpectively to collect the Sum total of the Liſt or Liſts to him or them committed, 〈1 paragraph〉 and to pay the ſame in to the Treaſury, and iſſue the Accompts thereof with himſelf or his Succeſſor in ſaid Office at or before the the laſt day of June next following.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That each Town and Precinct within this Province, ſhall be aſſeſſed and pay as its proportion to this preſent Tax, the Sum hereafter following. That is to ſay, In the County of SUFFOLK.   l. s. d. Boſton, Five Hundred Eighty Five Pounds. 585 00 00 Roxbury, Fifty Two Pounds, Ten Shillings. 52 10 00 Dorcheſter, Sixty Seven Pounds, Ten Shillings. 67 10 00 Milton, Twenty Seven Pounds. 27 00 00 Brantrey, Forty Eight Pounds. 48 00 00 Weymouth, Thirty Three Pounds. 33 00 00 Hingham, Fifty One Pounds. 51 00 00 Dedham, Thirty Five Pounds, Five Shillings. 35 05 00 Wrentham, Nine Pounds. 9 00 00 Medfield, Thirty Pounds. 30 00 00 Mendon, Six Pounds. 6 00 00 Hull, Fifteen Pounds. 15 00 00 In the County of ESSEX. Salem, One Hundred Twenty Three Pounds. 123 00 00 Ipſwich, One Hundred Thirty Seven Pounds, Five Shillings 137 05 00 Newbury, Ninety One Pounds, Ten Shillings. 91 10 00 Salisbury, Twenty Four Pounds. 24 00 00 Aimsbury, Twelve Pounds. 12 00 00 Haverhill, Twenty Four Pounds. 24 00 00 Andover, Thirty Pounds. 30 00 00 Bradford, Twelve Pounds. 12 00 00 Topsfield, Twenty Four Pounds. 24 00 00 Marblehead, Forty Eight Pounds. 48 00 00 Lynn, Forty Nine Pounds, Ten Shillings. 49 10 00 Wenham, Twenty One Pounds. 21 00 00 Beverly, Thirty Seven Pounds, Ten Shillings. 37 10 00 Glocester, Twenty Seven Pounds. 27 00 00 Mancheſter, Seven Pounds, Ten Shillings. 7 10 00 Rowley, Thirty Six Pounds. 36 00 00 Boxford, Eighteen Pounds. 18 00 00 In the County of MIDDLESEX. Charlſtown, Eighty Four Pounds. 84 00 00 Cambridge, Fifty Seven Pounds. 57 00 00 Watertown, Eighty One Pounds. 81 00 00 New Town, Thirty Three Pounds. 33 00 00 Sudbury, Thirty Nine Pounds. 39 00 00 Marlborough, Twenty Seven Pounds. 27 00 00 Medford, Eleven Pounds, Five Shillings. 11 05 00 Malden, Twenty Five Pounds, Ten Shillings. 25 10 00 Wooburn, Forty Five Pounds. 45 00 00 Reading, Thirty Three Pounds. 33 00 00 Billerica, Sixteen Pounds, Ten Shillings. 16 10 00 Chelmsford, Twenty One Pounds. 21 00 00 Concord, Forty Three Pounds Ten Shillings. 43 10 00 Stow, Three Pounds. 3 00 00 Groton, Twelve Pounds. 12 00 00 Lancheſter, Six Pounds. 6 00 00 Sherbourn, Sixteen Pounds, Ten Shillings. 16 10 00 Framingham, Six Pounds. 6 00 00 Dunſtable, Three Pounds. 3 00 00 In the County of HAMPSHIRE. Springfield, Thirty Six Pounds. 36 00 00 Northampton, Thirty Four Pounds, Ten Shillings. 34 10 00 Hadley, Twenty Four Pounds. 24 00 00 Hatfield, Nineteen Pounds, Ten Shillings 19 10 00 Southfield, Seven Pound, Ten Shillings. 7 10 00 Weſtfield, Twelve Pounds, Fifteen Shillings. 12 15 00 Enfield, Three Pounds. 3 00 00 Deerfield, Three Pounds. 3 00 00 In the County of PLYMOUTH. Plymouth, Thirty Nine Pounds. 39 00 00 Situate, Fifty Five Pounds, Ten Shillings. 55 10 00 Marſhfield, Thirty Three Pounds 33 00 00 Duxbury, Twenty Four Pounds▪ 24 00 00 Bridge-water, Twenty Seven Pounds. 27 00 00 Middleborough, Nine Pounds. 9 00 00 In the County of BARNSTABLE. Barnſtable, Forty Six Pounds, Ten Shillings. 46 10 00 Yarmouth, Thirty Pounds. 30 00 00 Eastham, Thirty Pounds. 30 00 00 Sandwich, Thirty Four Pounds, Ten Shillings. 34 10 00 Falmouth, Nine Pounds. 9 00 00 Manamoit, Nine Pounds. 9 00 00 Rocheſter, Nine Pounds. 9 00 00 Harwich, Twelve Pounds. 12 00 00 In the County of BRISTOL. Briſtol, Twenty Seven Pounds. 27 00 00 Taunton, Forty Six Pounds, Ten Shillings. 46 10 00 Dartmouth, Forty Three Pounds, Ten Shillings. 43 10 00 Freetown, Six Pounds, Fifteen Shillings. 6 15 00 Rehoboth, Thirty Six Pounds. 36 00 00 Swanſey, Thirty Three Pounds. 33 00 00 Little Compton, Thirty Pounds. 30 00 00 Tiverton, Twelve Pounds, Fifteen Shillings. 12 15 00 Attleborough, Six Pounds. 6 00 00 In the County of YORK. York, Six Pounds. 6 00 00 Wells, Three Pounds. 3 00 00 Kittery, Fifteen Pounds. 15 00 00 In Dukes County. Edgar town, Fifteen Pounds. 15 00 00 Tisbury, Seven Pounds, Ten Shillings. 7 10 00 Chilmark, Nine Pounds. 9 00 00 Nantuckett, Thirty Pounds. 30 00 00

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That the Aſſeſſors of each of the Towns and Precincts aforeſaid, ſhall aſſeſs and apportion the Sum herein before ſet on ſuch Town, upon the Folls and Eſtates within the ſame, according to the Rules before mentioned to be contained in the Treaſurers Warrant for aſſeſſing the ſame. And if any perſon or perſons ſhall upon notice given by the Aſſeſſors refuſe or neglect to bring in unto them a Liſt of his or their Eſtates, ſuch perſon or perſons ſhall be aſſeſſed according to the ſound diſcretion and judgment of the ſaid Aſſeſſors.

Provided, That nothing in this Act ſhall extend or be conſtrued to the Aſſeſſing of the Governour and Family, nor of the Praeſident, Fellow or Students of Harvard Colledge, Settled Miniſters, Grammar School Maſters, or of any that receive Alms. Who are hereby reſpectively Exempted as well from being taxed for the Poll as for their Eſtates being in their own hands, and under their actual management & Improvement and their Income.

And whereas by an Act made and paſſed at this preſent Seſſion, Entituled, An Act, Directing how Rates and Taxes to be granted by the General Aſsembly, ſhall be Aſeſſed & Collected: It is provided, That Aſſeſſors of Publick Rates and Taxes may be annually Elected by the Reſpective Towns at the time by Law appointed for the Choice of Town Officers. And whereas all or moſt of the Towns and Precincts within this Province have Choſe their Town Officers for the year enſuing, before the publica • ion of the ſaid Act, and their being made acquainted with the contents of the ſame.

Be It therefore Enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That each Town and Precinct within this Province that hath not, or ſhall not Chooſe Aſſeſſors of Publick Rates and Taxes at the ſame time that they have or ſhall make Choice of other Town Officers as aforeſaid, may, and hereby is impowred (before or within the ſpace of ſeven days next after the Receipt of the Treaſurers Warrant aforeſaid, by the Select-men or Truſtees thereof) to Chooſe Aſſeſſors for ſuch Town in ſuch manner as by the afore recited Act they might have done at the time when they made choice of other Officers for the ſame Town or Precinct: And that ſuch Aſſeſſors ſo Choſen at any Town Meeting duly to be warned and aſſembled, ſhall be liable to the ſame Service and Duty, and to the ſame penalty in caſe of their refuſal or neglect, as if they had been choſen at the ſame time with other Town Officers. And that the Select men or Truſtees of each and every Town or Precinct where no Aſſeſſors are or ſhall be Choſen or being Choſen ſhall refuſe to Serve, ſhall be the Aſſeſſors of ſuch Town, according to the true intent and meaning of the ſaid Act before recited.

And be it further Enacted, That the Sum of Four Hundred Pounds, of the Tax herein and hereby granted, ſhall be applied to and for carrying on of the Trade with the Indians, (if His Excellency the Governour, and Council ſhall ſee it neceſſary) to be managed according to the Directions contained in the Act paſt at the laſt Seſſion of this Court, Entituled, An Act, For giving neceſſary Supplies to the Eaſtern Indians, and for Regulating of Trade with them

And whereas in the year One Thouſand Six Hundred Ninety Six, There was ſet upon the Inhabitants of the Town of Wrentham by an Act of the General Aſſembly, the Sum of Twenty Pounds as the ſaid Towns proportion to a Tax then granted, and a Liſt thereof committed to Edward Gay, then Conſtable of ſaid Town, yet by reaſon that the Treaſurers Warrant (for the better enabling the ſaid Conſtable Edward Gay to Collect the ſaid Sum) did miſcarry, and through ſome other defects, the ſaid Twenty Pounds hath not been hitherto Collected, but is ſtill outstanding and unpaid.

It is hereby further Enacted, That the Treaſurer be & is hereby impowred and directed forthwith to iſſue out a Warrant to the ſaid Edward Gay, impowring and requiring him to collect and gather in the ſaid Sum of Twenty Pounds aſſeſſed upon the Inhabitants of ſaid Town of Wrentham in the Year aforeſaid, and not hitherto collected according to each perſons proportion in the Liſt committed then to him by the Select-men of that Town, and to pay in the ſame into the Treaſurer, and iſſue the Accompts thereof with him, or his Succeſſor, on or before the laſt Day of June next. And the ſaid Edward Gay upon Receipt of the Treaſurers Warrant aforeſaid, is hereby impowred and required to collect and pay in the ſaid Sum accordingly.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That the Treaſurer be, and is hereby impowred to iſſue forth a certain number of the Bills of Credit of the late Colony of the Maſſachuſetts, to the Sum of Two Thouſand Pounds and no more, towards the uſes for which this preſent Tax 〈◊〉 granted, which Bills ſhall paſs out of the Treaſury at the value therein expreſſed, the Treaſurer to have Credit in his Accompts for ſo man • Bills as he ſhall ſo emit and iſſue forth at the ſame value they we •• received into the Treaſury; And the ſaid Bills ſhall be taken and a •• cepted in all publick Payments at the Sum therein expreſſed, and 〈◊〉 preſent Tax to be a Fund for the repayment of all ſuch Sums in 〈◊〉 Bills as ſhall be in the hands of particular perſons in currant Mon •• of this Province. And all perſons having now any Bills of Credit 〈◊〉 their hands are to bring them into the Treaſury by the firſt day of Ap ••• next, and ſhall thereupon have Credit in the Treaſury as formerly 〈◊〉 ſuch Bills as they ſhall ſo bring in; but in caſe of their neglect to bri •• the ſame in accordingly ſhall loſe the benefit of any advance thereupon.