The Public Option
As our nation struggles yet again to identify what is best accomplished by the private sector, and what is our shared public responsibility as a “common weal,” I submit the following extracts from the first volume of the Records of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England. (I have recast the original in more contemporary spelling, since the blog publisher didn’t seem to like superscriptions. Page numbers and dates are attached to each entry).
These records from 1628 through 1641 offer evidence of considerable government intervention in health care and quality of life issues in the earliest days of Massachusetts. Apparently the Puritans trusted government to work. They seemed to have expected it to make life better, healthier, safer.
THE PUBLIC OPTION
Mr Thomas Oliver is granted 15£ for recovering Daniell Mansfelt, having had him in hand since winter was twelve month, & being yet further to help him, he was so frozen./ May 13, 1640 [I, 290]
Whereas Thomas Lane, late servant to John Burslyn, by the providence of God, is fallen lame & impotent, & hath since remained at Dorchester, where he hath been chargeable to that plantation, & like so to continue, it is therefore ordered, that the inhabitants of Wessaguscus shall send to Dorchester for the said Thomas Lane, & shall pay for all the charges they have been at in keeping him during his abode at Dorchester./ June 3, 1634 [I, 121]
For Robert Cutler, in regard of his lameness, charge, & weak estate, by reason of his long sickness, the deacons of Charlestown were wished to see him, & affoard such help as is needful, & bring in their bills, & the Treasurer to pay the same./ October 28, 1636 [I,183]
George Munnings is granted 5£ in regard of the loss of his eye in the voyage to Block Hand./ October 28, 1636 [I, 183]
The fines of this week are agreed to be given to George Munnings, who lost his eye in the country’s service, & this to be added to the 5£ given before./ October 28, 1636 [I, 184]
HEALTH CARE
William Swifte promiseth to gyve xx£ towards the cure of his late servant, infirm & lame./ April 7, 1635
CONSUMER PROTECTION
It is ordered, that no bread shall be made finer then to afford at 12 ounces the two penny loaf, & whosoever selleth lighter weight to forfeit his bread. This to bee of force within 14 days after publication./ May 13, 1640 [I, 296]
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
William Blanton, appearing, was enjoined to appear at the next Court with all the men that were in the canoe with him, & [Thomas] Aplegate, which owned the canoe out of which the 3 persons were drowned; & it was ordered, that no canoe should bee used at any ferry upon pain of 5£, nor no canoe to be made in our jurisdiction before the next General Court, upon pain of 10£./ December 4, 1638 [I, 246]
William Blanton, William Potter, Robert Thorpe, Henry Neale, John Fitch, & Thomas Aplegate, appearing, were discharged, with an admonition not to adventure too many into any boat./ March 5, 1639 [I, 249]
It is ordered, that no man should carry over any other at a ferry with a canoe, under pain to forfeit the canoe to the treasury./ May 13, 1640
GUN CONTROL
Further, it is ordered, that if any person shall shoot of any piece after the watch is set, he shall forfeit 40s, or if the Court shall judge him unable, then to be whipped; the second fault to be punished by the Court as an offence of an higher nature./ April 12, 1631 [I, 85]
It is ordered, that the captain & officers shall take especial care to search all pieces that are brought into the field for being charged, & that no person whatsoever shall att any time charge any piece of service with bullets or shot, other than for defense of their houses, or at command from the captain, upon such penalty as the Court shall think meet to inflict./ July 3, 1632 [I, 98]
IMMIGRATION
It is ordered, that the Scottish & Irish gentlemen which intends to come hither shall have liberty to sit down in any place upon Merrimack River, not prepossessed by any./ September 25, 1634 [I, 129]
It is ordered, that the goods of the persons come from Ireland shall be free from this [tax] rate./ May 13, 1640 [I, 295]
SMOKING
It is further ordered, that noe pson shall take any tobacco publicly, under pain of punishment; also that every one shall pay 1d for every time he is convicted for taking tobacco in any place, & that any Assistant shall have power to receive evidence & give order for the levying of it, as also to give order for the levying of the officers charge; this order to begin the 10th of November next./ October 3, 1632 [I, 101]
WELFARE
It was ordered, that such moneys as shall be laid out for the maintenance of Widow Bosworth & her family, shall be paid again by the Treasurer./ August 5, 1634 [I, 123]
HOMELAND SECURITY
Whereas many complaints have been made to this Court, both formerly & at present, of the great neglect of all sorts of people of using the lawful & necessary means of their safety, especially in this time of so much/great danger from the Indians, it is therefore ordered, that the military officers in every town shall provide that the watches bee duly kept in places most fit for common safety, & also a ward on the Lords days, the same to begin before the end of this first month, & to be continued until the end of September; & that every person above the age of 18 years (except magistrates & elders of the churches) shall be compellable to this service, either in person or by some substitute, to be allowed by him that hath the charge of the watch or ward for that time, upon pain of 5s for every default, to be levied by distress by the surveyor of the arms, & to be employed for light & fire, & such necessaries, by the discretion of the military officers./
And all such persons (except such as some Courte or the counsel shall see cause to dispense with, & except those of Boston who shall herein be ordered by the magistrates there) shall come to the public assemblies with their muskets, or other pieces fit for service, furnished with match, powder, & bullets, upon pain of 12d for every default, to be levied & employed as aforesaid./
And no person shall travel above one mile from his dwelling house, except in places where other houses are near together, without some arms, upon pain of 12d for every default, to be levied & employed as aforesaid./
And every town shall provide a sufficient watch house before the last of the 5th month next, upon pain of 5£./ March 9, 1637 [I, 190]
These records from 1628 through 1641 offer evidence of considerable government intervention in health care and quality of life issues in the earliest days of Massachusetts. Apparently the Puritans trusted government to work. They seemed to have expected it to make life better, healthier, safer.
THE PUBLIC OPTION
Mr Thomas Oliver is granted 15£ for recovering Daniell Mansfelt, having had him in hand since winter was twelve month, & being yet further to help him, he was so frozen./ May 13, 1640 [I, 290]
Whereas Thomas Lane, late servant to John Burslyn, by the providence of God, is fallen lame & impotent, & hath since remained at Dorchester, where he hath been chargeable to that plantation, & like so to continue, it is therefore ordered, that the inhabitants of Wessaguscus shall send to Dorchester for the said Thomas Lane, & shall pay for all the charges they have been at in keeping him during his abode at Dorchester./ June 3, 1634 [I, 121]
For Robert Cutler, in regard of his lameness, charge, & weak estate, by reason of his long sickness, the deacons of Charlestown were wished to see him, & affoard such help as is needful, & bring in their bills, & the Treasurer to pay the same./ October 28, 1636 [I,183]
George Munnings is granted 5£ in regard of the loss of his eye in the voyage to Block Hand./ October 28, 1636 [I, 183]
The fines of this week are agreed to be given to George Munnings, who lost his eye in the country’s service, & this to be added to the 5£ given before./ October 28, 1636 [I, 184]
HEALTH CARE
William Swifte promiseth to gyve xx£ towards the cure of his late servant, infirm & lame./ April 7, 1635
CONSUMER PROTECTION
It is ordered, that no bread shall be made finer then to afford at 12 ounces the two penny loaf, & whosoever selleth lighter weight to forfeit his bread. This to bee of force within 14 days after publication./ May 13, 1640 [I, 296]
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
William Blanton, appearing, was enjoined to appear at the next Court with all the men that were in the canoe with him, & [Thomas] Aplegate, which owned the canoe out of which the 3 persons were drowned; & it was ordered, that no canoe should bee used at any ferry upon pain of 5£, nor no canoe to be made in our jurisdiction before the next General Court, upon pain of 10£./ December 4, 1638 [I, 246]
William Blanton, William Potter, Robert Thorpe, Henry Neale, John Fitch, & Thomas Aplegate, appearing, were discharged, with an admonition not to adventure too many into any boat./ March 5, 1639 [I, 249]
It is ordered, that no man should carry over any other at a ferry with a canoe, under pain to forfeit the canoe to the treasury./ May 13, 1640
GUN CONTROL
Further, it is ordered, that if any person shall shoot of any piece after the watch is set, he shall forfeit 40s, or if the Court shall judge him unable, then to be whipped; the second fault to be punished by the Court as an offence of an higher nature./ April 12, 1631 [I, 85]
It is ordered, that the captain & officers shall take especial care to search all pieces that are brought into the field for being charged, & that no person whatsoever shall att any time charge any piece of service with bullets or shot, other than for defense of their houses, or at command from the captain, upon such penalty as the Court shall think meet to inflict./ July 3, 1632 [I, 98]
IMMIGRATION
It is ordered, that the Scottish & Irish gentlemen which intends to come hither shall have liberty to sit down in any place upon Merrimack River, not prepossessed by any./ September 25, 1634 [I, 129]
It is ordered, that the goods of the persons come from Ireland shall be free from this [tax] rate./ May 13, 1640 [I, 295]
SMOKING
It is further ordered, that noe pson shall take any tobacco publicly, under pain of punishment; also that every one shall pay 1d for every time he is convicted for taking tobacco in any place, & that any Assistant shall have power to receive evidence & give order for the levying of it, as also to give order for the levying of the officers charge; this order to begin the 10th of November next./ October 3, 1632 [I, 101]
WELFARE
It was ordered, that such moneys as shall be laid out for the maintenance of Widow Bosworth & her family, shall be paid again by the Treasurer./ August 5, 1634 [I, 123]
HOMELAND SECURITY
Whereas many complaints have been made to this Court, both formerly & at present, of the great neglect of all sorts of people of using the lawful & necessary means of their safety, especially in this time of so much/great danger from the Indians, it is therefore ordered, that the military officers in every town shall provide that the watches bee duly kept in places most fit for common safety, & also a ward on the Lords days, the same to begin before the end of this first month, & to be continued until the end of September; & that every person above the age of 18 years (except magistrates & elders of the churches) shall be compellable to this service, either in person or by some substitute, to be allowed by him that hath the charge of the watch or ward for that time, upon pain of 5s for every default, to be levied by distress by the surveyor of the arms, & to be employed for light & fire, & such necessaries, by the discretion of the military officers./
And all such persons (except such as some Courte or the counsel shall see cause to dispense with, & except those of Boston who shall herein be ordered by the magistrates there) shall come to the public assemblies with their muskets, or other pieces fit for service, furnished with match, powder, & bullets, upon pain of 12d for every default, to be levied & employed as aforesaid./
And no person shall travel above one mile from his dwelling house, except in places where other houses are near together, without some arms, upon pain of 12d for every default, to be levied & employed as aforesaid./
And every town shall provide a sufficient watch house before the last of the 5th month next, upon pain of 5£./ March 9, 1637 [I, 190]
posted by David at 3:08 PM
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