NOTES ON A MINUTE BOOK. 161 



countries, not only a retail dealer. On March 11, 1G52 (3) Master 

 Mayor Cole and H. Hobbs agree that the latter " shall serve 

 Master Mayor aforesaid as an apprentice the space of six yeares in 

 New England. . . ." We liave seen that Master Mayor and 

 the Company took much thought about relieving the poor. They 

 also strove to please the rich and powerful. One r|uotation on this 

 matter must suffice. On July 18, 1656, " It was resolved that 

 Master Bury and Master Val : (?) Stansby bee desired to ride to 

 Blandford on Wednesday next to invite General Desborough to a 

 private lodging at Master Stansby "s house, and that there bee a 

 Gallon of sacke and a sugar loafe psented to him from tlie Towne 

 together with a fatt sheepe." In the margin is written " Send a 

 gallon of White and Clarret." Then follows, " That the Judges 

 also bee psented with a gallon of wine, 2 sugar loaves, and a fatt 

 sheepe." It was wise to mollify Desborough. He, you remember, 

 was one of the major-generals just lately commissioned by Oliver 

 to carry out his military despotism. It is rather a long leap down 

 from Pasha Desborough to Town Beadle Nathaniel Bower. But 

 as we are now taking up isolated quotations we may here record 

 that on June 3, 1640, it was ordered that a new coat should be 

 made for that official. It was to be of black cotton " gathered 

 and wth ii long skirts." In this dress he "shall walk with a 

 painted staff of his office." But to his lasting disgrace he would 

 none of these insignia. This is recorded on June 5, and furtlier 

 that he was dismissed and banished from Dorchester for his bad 

 taste. The last of the many points touched on in this long }iai>er 

 must now be disposed of. I confess myself one of those fossilized 

 persons who wished that St. Peter's clock and chimes could liave 

 been improved instead of being improved away. I should have 

 wished it much more earnestly if I had then known what Ibis 

 book, C. 12, tells us. Whether any part of the niecliani.-<m of the 

 clock and chimes was original I know not. It i.- very probable, 

 although the chime-barrel itself was modern. But the; original 

 machinery was two hundred and fifty years old, and was paid for 

 by St. Peter's parishioners. On Apr. 29, 1640, it was "agreed on 



