THE TOWN OF RYE. 17! 



The General Court took further order on the ist of October 1674, for 

 the securing of a regular pastor, empowering Captain John Allyn, Mr. 

 James Bishop, Mayor Robert Treat, with Mr. Gold, " to endeavour 

 also the obliging and settling of a minister at Rye." a 



This lead to the call of the Rev. Peter Prudden, 6 as the General 

 Court strongly endorsed him : — " At a court, holden at Hartford, May 

 17th, 1675, Major Nathan Gold, Major Robert Treat, and Mr. John 

 Burr, were nominated and appointed a committee to treat with the in- 

 habitants of Rye and those concerned in lands there, and labour to ac- 

 commodate matters, as that there may be suitable encouragement for 

 Mr. Prudden to settle in the ministry, and such other suitable inhabitants 

 with them as may promote the settlement of said town of Rye and the 

 ministry therein ; and if they shall find any averseness or difficulty with 

 the inhabitants or proprietors, in so just and necessary publique good of 

 the towne, they are empowered to do what they see meet for the end 

 aforesaid, and make report to the court in October next, for approba- 

 tion ; and for the encouragement of the ministry at Rye, this Court, for 

 this year, grants them a penny of the pound upon all the ratable estate 

 of their town, to be pay'd out of their county rate, and shall be ready 

 as need requires to continue such necessary encouragement as they shall 

 judge suitable.- 



Upon the 27th May, 1675, the town orders that the home lot of Peter 

 Disbrow, adjoining Timothy Knapp, be taken by the town in exchange 

 for the land by the Blind brook, south of Jacob Bridge's, The above 

 lot to be for Mr. Peter Prudden for a parsonage lot ; if not thus disposed 

 of, this agreement to be void. 



February 26, 1676. The town releases Peter Disbrow's lot, and can- 

 cels the above agreement. 



February 26th, 1677. John Brundige and John Purdy are empowered 

 to sell the frame intended for a parsonage house. 



The same year the Rev. Thomas Denham appears to have been min- 

 ister here ; for, June 15, a house lot is ordered for Mr. Thomas Denham, 

 and on November the 2 2d, we find the same individual admitted an in- 

 habitant of the town of Rye. June 21, 1678, Mr. Thomas Denham is 

 to have all the grass on the highway at the old town, besides an equal 

 share with the proprietors of Poningoe Neck. 



March 5th, 1679. Fifty poles of land lying before his door, toward the 



a Hartford Ccl. Rec. vol. iii. p. 53. 



6 Ditto vol. iii. p. 59. 



c It is Mr. Baird's impression that his name should be John, not Peter. That the Rev. John 

 was pastor of the church in Jamaica, L. I., iu 16T0 to 74, he was called in 1681 to Bedford. It 

 13 probably the same person who wa3 invited to the church in Bedford. 



