History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

196 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1749.
Report of the Com- Tlio Committee made their report at an
mittee. adjourned meeting in December, but it was
not accepted. It was apparently referred
back to tliem for further consideration. At the annual
March meeting the next year, the committee submitted
the following report :
—
"The committee appointed by the First Precinct In Northampton, to
consider of a motion of the Rev. Mr. Jonathan Edwards for the set-
tling of his salary, having fully considered that matter, have agreed to
report as their opinion, that it is advisable for the Precinct to settle a
Salary as a recompense for Mr. Edwards Labour in the Gospel Ministry
amongst them and particularly they propose
" That Mr. Edwards be allowed the Improvement of one half of the
Sequestered Land that Lyeth in the Common or General Field In the
Town of Northampton, to use it annually, during his Continuance in
the work of the Ministry amongst them, and that he be allowed and
paid out of the Town Treasury annually One Hundred Pounds in bills
of Public Credit of the old Ten' of the value they now pass at, to
enable him to piirchase firewood for his family, and in case that in any
year, fire wood should be Commonly Sold for more than twenty-five
Shillings pr Load, for an ordinary Sled Load, that then & in Such Case,
the Parish make an addition to the Hundred Pounds jiroportionate to
the rise of wood, and in case wood shall in any year be sold Commonly
for less than twenty-five shillings per Load, then the sum to be paid
for that purpose be proportionably less than One Hundred Pounds.
"They further report that there be annually paid to s'd Mr. Edwards,
out of the Town Treasury a further Sum of Seven Hundred
Pounds in bills of Public Credit of the old Ten"^ at their present value,
or in other bills of Public Credit proportionably, and the value of the
Bills to be Estimated by the prices of the following necessaries of Life,
at 30s.
which are now Recorded at the following rates, viz : Wheat
per Bushel. Rye at 20s. per Bushel. Indian Corn at 12s. per Bushel,
Pork at 2s. per pound, and beaf at twelve i)ence per jjound. and in Case
that any or all of these necessaries of Life before mentioned Should in
any year vary in their price, So as to alter the General Summ that then
there be an addition to the Summ of £700 or a diminution therefrom.
So as to make the Sum to be paid proportionate to £700 at the prices
hereinbefore set, as for Instance if each of these five articles Should
rise in their price One Eighth, that then an Eighth be added to the
sum of £700, or if two of them Should rise one quarter and one rise an
Eighth, and the other two remain at the Same price, that then there be
an addition of one Eighth to the £700, and So if the prices of those
necessaries Should be lowered in like manner, that the Sum be lowered
in the Same proportion. The foregoing Sums to be paid annually to