HISTORICAL REFERENCES: MASSACHUSETTS. 697 



Felt quotes the following words of Mr. Higginsou uttered in 1629, and contrasts them with the facts concerning 

 the same iish, " the bass, in 1845," when they were " seldom seen in our waters :" 



"Whilst I was writing this letter my wiffo brought me word, that the fishers had caught 1600 basso at one draught, 

 which if they were in. England were worth many a pound." 



A regular distribution by law of land to the fishermen was in 1G35 ordered by the Salem authorities. Felt has 

 thus entered the occurrence : 



" 1635. Our tow-u authorities, to ' avoid the inconvenience found by granting of land for fishermen to plow,' ordered 

 'a howse lott and a garden lott or ground for the placing of the flakes, according to the company belonging to their 

 families, the greatest family not above two acres and the common of the woods neer adioyning for their goates and 

 their cattle."' 2 



GRANTS OF LAND TO FISHERMEN AND OTHERS. In the Essex Institute Historical Collections, Vol. ix, 1868, ara the 

 subjoined desires and grants of and to certain persons of Salem : 



" 23TH OF THE llTH MO : ANN" 1636. 



" William Hackford Received for an Inhabitant & may also have a fnshing Lott." 



"7TH OF 12- MO: 1636. 

 " Sarg: Woolf may have a fishing Lott at Winf Harbo r . 



"AT A TOWNE MEETING llTH OF Y c 5 MONETH 1636. 



* * * " Its agreed That Thomas Moore sonne to widow Moore & his wife are received for Inhabitants and may 

 have one fishing lott on the neck. 



"AT A MEETING THE 25TII OF THE 10TH MONETII, 1637. 



* * " " There is grauuted to Richard Graves : half an acre of land upon the neck for the setting of his howse, 

 bee promising to follow fishinge. 



"THE 3D DAY OF THE FIRST MONETII, 1637. 



" Widow Moore dcsireth a howse looto ncerc vnto the Winter Hand, among the ffishermens lotts. 



"THE 2lTH OF lira MONETII 1638. 

 ' Gra tinted to John Browne an halfe acre lott for a flashing lott neere to Winter Harbor. 



"4TH DAY OF THE 12TII MONETH, 1038. 



" Graunted to Joseph Youiige, tin halfe acre lot neere the winter harbor for fishinge. Also a 10 acre lott neero to 

 Mr. Dowuinge's farmc. 



" Graunted to Thomas ffryar 5 acres of land & a halfe acre lott neere winter harbor for fishinge. 



" Graunted to Henry Swan halfe nn acre of land neere to Winter harbor for fishinge as also a 10 acre lott, ueere 

 to the Pona by Mr. Blackleech his farme. 



" Grauuted to Joseph Kitchcrill halfe an acre at Winter harbor if ho imply it in ffishing. 



'' THE 4TH DAY OF THE 12TII MONETII. 



" Grnnnteil to Hugh Browne half an acre of laud neere about winter harbo r for to further his fishing, w cl1 if hoe 

 follow it not, hec is to surrender it againe to the towne. 



"Daniell Jiggles desires an halfe acre lott neere about Winter Harbo r for their fishing affaires. 



" There is grannted to Daniell Jiggles half an acre of land neere aboute Winter harbo r for fishing vppon the like 

 tonnes as Hugh Browne hath his. 



" THE 16TH OF THE OTH MONETII, 1639. 



" Edmond Tompson hath grannted him halfe an acre of laud at winter harbo r or thererbouts for a fishing 

 lott. 



' Grannted to Henry Hayward an half acre of land for a fishing lott about winter harbor. It is permitted that such 

 as have fishing lotts about Winter Harbo r & the Hand shall have libertio to fence in their lotts to keepe off the 

 swine mid goates from their fish, soe that they leave it open after harvest is in. 



" Grannted to [Richard] Moore an half acre of land for a fisher lott, near about winter harbor. 



' Grauntcd to Matthew Nicks fisherman 5 acres of land." 



Felt states that on May 22, 1G39, the general court of Salem, for the encouragement of the fishery, exempted the 

 stork employed in it from taxes. They forbad cod and bass fish t.o be used for manure. 



Additional encouragement was given to the Salem fishermen in the same year, as maybe seen from the following : 



"1039, Nov. Irttb. Those having lots about Winter Harbour and the Island, have liberty to fence in their lots 

 to keep oft the sw ine and goats from their fish, so shall they leave it open after the cattle is in." 



