Every Day Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony

Contract for the Frame of a Boston House, August 20, 1679

Articles of Agreement indented made and Concluded the twentieth day of August Ano Domi One thousand six hundred Seventy and nine. And in the thirty first yeare of the Reigne of King Charles the Second over &c. Betweene Robert Taft of Brantery, in New England housewright on the one part and John Bateman of Boston in New England aforesd shopkeeper on the other part are as followeth —

Imps The sd Robert Taft for himselfe heires Execrs and Admrs doth hereby covenant promiss and grant to and with the sd John Bateman his Execr and assignees in manner and forme following (that is to Say) that the sd Robert Taft his Execror assignees shal and will erect set up and finish for the sd John Bateman his Execrs or Assignes the frame of a new Tenemt or dwelling house to contain thirty foot in length and twenty Seven foot or thereabout in breadth according to the dimentions of the Cellar frame of the sd house two Storey high besides the garrett and each roome seven foote high betweene the Sumer and floare and to make the sd house to jet at the first storey in the front Eighteen inches and to make and place frame for the Cellar according to the present dimentions thereof and place the same and to build three floares of Sumers and joise and to make and place in the front of the sd house two gable ends to range even with the Roof of the sd house and also two gable ends on the backside to range as aforesd and to make and place in the front of ye Second Storey two large casement windows and two windows in the garett and in the end next the Mill Creeke three windows Vizt one large Casement window in the low[er] Roome and one large Casement window in the Second Storey and one window in the garrett and on the backside one large Casement window in the low[er] Roome two large Casement windows in the second Storey and two windows in the garrett and to make & send to Boston the frame of the Cellar within Six weeks next after the date hereof and to rayse the same in place within one week then next following (provided the cills of the sd Cellar be cleare) and to finish the frame of the sd house on or before the first day of march next and rayse the same with all possible Speed after it is brought to Boston. In Consideration whereof the sd John Bateman for himself his 3 heires execr and Admrs doth hereby covenant promis and grant to and with the sd Robert Taft his Execr and assignes to pay for the transportation of the frame of the sd cellar and house from Brantery the place where it is to be framed to Boston and also to pay or cause to bee paid unto the sd Robert Taft his Execr Admrs or Assignes the full and just sum of thirty pounds Vizt one halfe part thereof in lawfull money of New England and the other halfe part thereof in English goods at money price and to pay the same in manner and forme following (that is to Say) five pounds in money and five pounds in goods at the time of Ensealing hereof and five pounds in money and five pounds in goods when the frame of the Cellar is laid down and the floare of the cellar is laid and five pounds in money and five pounds in goods when the whole worke is compleated and in every respect finished in matter and forme aforesd. And for the true performance hereof the sd partys binde themselves their heires Execr and Admrs each unto the other his Execr and Assignes in the penall Sume of fifty pounds of lawfull money of New England well and truly to be paid by virtue of these presents. In witness whereof the partys above-named to these present Articles interchangeably have Set their hands and Seals the day and yeare first above written.

John Bateman. [Seal]

Signed Sealed & Delivd in presence of

John Hayward scr

Eliezer Moody Servt

Owned in Court p Bateman 27 April 1680 p Is Addington Cler

Vera Copia Attestd Is Addington Cler

– Suffolk County Judicial Court Files, No. 1916.

Note. This contract provides for the frame of a house and not for a complete building. But it is of unusual interest for it supplies proof of the existence in Boston of a house having two gables on each side of the roof, i. e., six gables on a rectangular building twenty-seven by thirty feet in size.

Robert Taft, of Braintree, an ancestor of ex-President Taft, delivered the frame, but before he had completed the work Bateman entered into possession and set his carpenters at work to finish the building. Taft brought suit to recover payment for the frame and the Court gave a verdict in his favor, from which Bateman appealed. From the testimony it appears that on the ground floor there were two rooms, one of which was eleven by twenty-four feet, and a space nine by eight feet had been left in which to build the chimney. The "articles of agreement" required that Taft provide for fourteen windows but he put up "six more than my Couanant was." Bateman, on the other hand, claimed that the frame was "the weakest slenderest and most dozed timber that hath been Seen … most of the timber Wany & on many of the Sumers the Bark left on to make it square and wch Indeed was the Occasion of all this Trouble."

This house was built for a "shop keeper" and probably the long front room on the ground floor was to be used for a shop. It was located at what is now the southeasterly corner of North and Blackstone streets, the canal to the mill pond being on the northerly end of the house and the harbor behind it.

Contract To Build the First King's Chapel, Boston July 21, 1688

Memorandum it is agreed by and between John Holebrook of Weymouth in the county of Suffolk, housewright, Stephen French of the same place, housewright – and Jacob Nash of the same place housewright of the one part and Anthony Hayward Esq of the other part as followeth (that is to say) Imprimis the said John Holebrooke, Stephen French & Jacob Nash doe Covenant pmise and agree to and with the said Anthony Heywood his heires Admrs and Assins and Also in the consideracion herein after mencioned that they the said John Holebrooke Stephen French and Jacob Nash or some or one of them shall & will by or before the last day of November now next ensueing Erect sett up and build on such spott of Ground as the sd Anthony Heywood shall for that end assigne of good sound timber well & workmanlike wrought one frame of building of the Dimensions following (that is to say) in length fifty four feet in breadth thirty six feet studd twenty feet with five windows in the front five windows in the rear and two windows at each end of such dimensions as are sett downe in a platt of the same made by Mr. P. Wells Surveyor and the same frame shall clapboard fill with brick & seale with lime and hair & white washing and the roofe thereof with board & shingles make tight & stanch and shall & will on the west end of the sd frame Erect, build & sett up One Belfry of ten feet square twenty feet above ye roofe of the sd frame and of sufficient strength for a bell of five hundred weight and the said entire frame shall finish & complete with Masons and smiths worke and sufficiently glaze all the sd windows with good square glasse & iron casemts and the same building see completed and finished as above is Covenanted & locked with sufficient locks to the doors thereof shall deliver with the keys thereof in to the sd Anthony Haywood In Consideracion whereof the said Anthony Haywood doth cove't pmise & agree to pay or Cause to be paid unto the said John Holebrooke Stephen French Jacob Nash the sume of two hundred & Sixty pounds (that is to say) One hundred & thirty pounds thereof in Goods & merchandize at the price for which same shall be then sold for money Sixty five pounds in money & sixty five pounds in goods perform'd as the said frame shall be raised and remaining Sixty five pounds in money & sixty five pounds in Goods when the sd building shall be finished as above is Covenanted. In witness whereof all the sd partyes have hereunto to sett their hands and seales and Consent that the same shall remaine in the hands ye sd Anthony Haywood this one & twentieth day of June Anno Dme 1688.

John HolebrookSteph FrenchJacob NashAnthony Haywood

Sealed & delivered in the presence of

Benja Bullivant

Will White

Thaddeus Mackarty

– Suffolk County Judicial Court Files, No. 2598.

Note. The foundations for the first Episcopal Chapel in America were laid in Boston in October, 1688, following a long controversy between the local authorities and the representatives of the King and their followers. Little has been known as to the details of the construction of this building. Judge Sewell records in his Diary, under date of Oct. 16, 1688, "The ground-sills of ye Chh are laid ye stone-foundation being finished." The records of the Church preserve no information and any contemporaneous documents seem to have disappeared with the exception of this contract for the construction of the building which is now printed for the first time. The exact size of the building heretofore has not been known. Rev. Henry Wilder Foote in his Annals of King's Chapel, Boston, 1882, supplies no information although he states that the Chapel was built at a cost of £284.16.0, an amount that probably represents the total cost including furnishings. In the Annual Report of the Boston Cemetery Commissioners for 1902-3, an attempt is made to show by a plan, partly based upon grants of land by the town, the several enlargements of the Chapel made at various times. Here, the size of the first building is shown to have been forty-six by sixty-four feet, proportions quite at variance with the correct size – thirty-six by fifty-four feet, as shown in the contract here printed.

The windows, probably of generous proportions for the time, were to be supplied with iron casements filled with "square glasse." Iron casement sash probably were rare in Massachusetts at that time. One is mentioned in the inventory of the estate of Edward Wharton, of Salem, in 1678, valued at six shillings. Square glass is most unusual. It probably was cut to size at special order as diamond-shaped glass was in common use. In January, 1752, and probably much later, "Diamond Glass, and 6 by 4" were still sold in the shops in Boston. These glass windows were a source of constant expense to the church wardens because of the popular dislike of the townspeople and the antagonism of the Puritan small boy. The first service was held in the Chapel, June 30, 1689. Four moths later the church records show a payment of £5.10.0. "for mending church windows." On November 5, 1691, was taken "A Colecktion for mendin ye church winders" and a few days later £7.0.0. was paid out for the work. The next March, six shillings was paid for "24 Squ: glas."

APPENDIX B

Rev. Samuel Skelton's Accompte (1629-1630)

Rev. Samuel Skelton, the rector at Sempringham, England, came over under appointment of the Massachusetts Bay Company to minister to the spiritual needs of the little colony at Naumkeag, afterwards named Salem. He sailed in the ship George arriving in the summer of 1629. During the voyage and until the end of the following year the minister and his family were furnished with the following supplies from the Massachusetts Bay Company storehouse.

Coppie of An Accompte of monies Mr. Skelton is Creditor viz.95

Mr. Skeltons account wth. the Companie

Mr. Skelton is D. pr. viz.

APPENDIX C

An Abstract of the Inventory of Contents of the Shop of Capt. Joseph Weld of Roxbury, made February 4, 1646-7

48 yds. greene cotton at 22d.

85 yds. red cotton at 2/1.

1¾ yds. kersey at 5s.

11 yds. do at 3/2.

52 yds. yellow cotton at 22d.

8 yds. white cotton at 20d.

21 yds. red cloth at 7/9.

39 yds. broad cloth at 8/8.

21 yds. broad cloth at 9/7.

8 yds. do do at 15/4.

42 yds. greene tamie at 2/1.

5 yds. red do at 2/1.

3 yds. flannel at 2/2.

12 yds. scarlet broad cloth at 16/6.

41 yds. course at 3/2½.

24 yds. frize at 4/7.

31 yds. penniston at 2/7.

38 yds. do at 2/11.

44 yds. grey Kersey at 5/6.

66 yds. fustian at 1s.

15 yds. Holland at 5/9.

7 yds. do at 4/1½.

7 yds. Slezie lawne at 4/.

8 yds. blue linen at 1/4.

29 yds. lane at 6/9.

3 pr. bodies at 3/2.

11 belts @ 3/2.

15 do @ 3/.

23 bandeliers at 2/.

14 pr. Stockings at 1/6.

41 pr. do at 1/3.

15 pr. Jecs at 2/9.

10 doz. points at 2/.

61 combs at 3½d.

14 doz. thimbles at 1/9.

18 pr. pads at 6d.

1 spectacle case 1/.

26 gro. thread buttons at 9d.

29 primers at 2d.

8 lb. thread at 12/3.

10 pces. tape at 1/1.

5 gro. buttons at 2/.

5 gro. do at 1/.

6 doz. great buttons at 1/2.

17 silk buttons at 2/.

14 yds. lace at 2d.

64 yds. lace at 3½d.

3 pces. binding at 1/2.

80 yds. ribboning at 2½d.

21 doz. tape at 1/.

43 lb. ginger at 1/.

6 pr. slippers at 2/.

20 1b. whalebone at 10¾d.

17 1b. pepper at 2/1.

2 1b. worm seed at 8/.

5 1b. cinnamon at 8/4.

7 hat bands at 4d.

2 1b. nutmegs at 1/9.

½ lb. blue starch at 1/8.

Cloves, 10d.

3 yds. buckram at 1/2.

Pack needles and tainter hooks, 15/.

40 lb. sugar at 10d.

3 lb. powder at 2/2.

26 lb. raisins at 4d.

A barrell of fruit, £5.11.3.

4 lb. starch at 4d.

1 counter, £1.

4 pr. scales, 8s.

48 lb. Lead weights, 9s.

1 file of brass weights, 5s.

12 lb. yarn, £1.13.0.

A net 24 yards [no value].

2 sconces, a melting ladle, a hitchell, 8/.

– Suffolk County Probate Records, Vol. II, p. 52

Robert Turner of Boston, shoemaker, died in 1651. In his shop were children's shoes at 9d. per pair, No. 7 shoes were valued at 3s., No. 10 at 4s., No. 11 at 4/4, No. 12 at 4/8, No. 13 at 4/10. Boots were 14s. per pair, and wooden heels were 8d. per doz. He also sold hats. Black hats were valued from 5 to 14 shillings, each; colored hats from 5 to 10 shillings; black castors were 14s. each, black coarse felts, 3s. each, children's colored, 3/6, and children's black castor with band, 4s. —Suffolk County Probate Records, Vol. II.

APPENDIX D

Abstract of an Inventory of the Goods of Capt. Bozone Allen, Shopkeeper, of Boston, Deceased, made Sept. 22, 1652, by Edward Hutchinson and Joseph Rock

Broadcloth at 18s. per yard.

Red broadcloth at 15s.

Red ditto at 15s.

Tammy at 20d.

Grogram at 3s.

Silk mohair at 3/6.

Blue grogram or cheney at 3s.

Blue paragon at 3s.

Black satinisco (½ ell) 2s.

Calico at 15d.

Buckram at 14d.

Bengal tafety at 3s.

Silk grogram at 7/6.

Satinisco at 3/4.

Noridge stuff at 2/10.

Hair color satinisco at 3/3.

Colchester serge at 2/8.

Cotton cloth at 2/10.

3 Couerlids at 15s.

Packitt Lawn at 6/6.

4 papers Manchester at 5s.

1 pr. stockings at 4s.

10 pr. cotton gloves at 22d.

5 pr. ditto at 14d.

Tapes white & colored, 11s.

5 gr. briches clasps at 2/2.

2 packetts pins at 2s.

Small clasps, 3/8.

Dutch thread (per lb.) at 6s.

Feathers (per doz.) at 3s.

2 doz. Collars & belly pieces at 2/3

Stomachers at 12d.

7 gr. thread buttons at 7s.

8 masks at 8d.

7 gr. Chaine & other silk buttons at 34s.

7½ gr. flatt cassacke at 6s.

4 gr. small coat at 6/6.

4 gr. large cloak at 14s.

3 gr. silver buttons at 9s.

2 doz. gold cloake buttons at 3s.

7 doz. Jacks at 2s.

25 oz. Silver & silver & gold lace at 5/10.

34 yds. silver lace at 16d.

37 yds. silk & silver lace at 5d.

9 doz. silk lace at 20d.

Green ribbon (per doz.) at 9s.

22 yds. ditto at 3/4.

Silk & gold fringe (per yd.) at 15s.

344 yds. looped lace at 18d.

Colored silk (per oz.) at 2s.

30 yds. loom lace at 14d.

12 yds. ditto at 2/4.

10 yds. ditto at 22d.

17 yds. black galloon at 2½d.

Band strings (per lot) £2.0.0.

2 pr. eastailes (sic) at 5d.

1 doz. side hinges (per doz.) at 7s.

1 doz. lamb heads (per doz.) at 7s.

23 sm. Key rings & 10 large 4/10.

Latches (per doz.) at 8s.

1 smoothing iron, 2/8.

1 doz. steeles, 2/3.

8 padlocks at 5d.

Cupboard locks (per doz.) at 12s.

4 gimletts at 2d.

2 handsaws at 18d.

4 files at 6d.

22 hour glasses (per doz.) at 7/6.

4 bells at 13½d.

57 scales (per doz.) at 16d.

1 doz. wire candlesticks and 5 bigger, 6/4.

6 doz. taylor's thimbles at 8d.

5½ doz. waistband clasps at 20d.

14 pr. snuffers at 11d.

12 doz. neck buttons at 6/8.

Little glasses & twists & small ribbon, 1.02.06.

8 doz. sissers at 3/4.

13 pr. tobacco tongs (per doz.) at 3s.

4 doz. combs at 2/6.

A parcell paper, 11.0.0.

10 bush. pease at 4s.

Weights, scales & Counters & the graite, 3.5.0.

– Suffolk (Co.) Judicial Court Files, No. 1389.

APPENDIX E

Manufactures and Other Products Listed in the Rates on Imports and Exports Established by the House of Parliament, June 24, 1660 96

Imports of Merchandise

Andirons or Creepers of Lattin, of Iron

Anvills

Apples, the barrell conteyning 3 bushell

Aquavitæ

Argall, white & red, or powder

Arrows for trunkes

Aule blades

Auglers for carpenters

Axes or hatchets

Babies or Puppets for children

Babyes heads of earth

Toys for children

Baggs, with locks, and with steel rings without locks

Ballances, gold Ballances, ounce Ballances

Balls. Tennis balls, Washing balls

Bands. Flanders bands of bone lace

Cut worke of Flaunders

Barbers aprons of checkes, the piece not above tenn yards

Barlings, the hundred

Baskets, hand baskets or sports

Basons of Lattin

Bast, or straw hats knotted and plain

Bast ropes

Battry Bashrones or Kettles

Bayes of Florence

Beades, of Amber, Bone, Box, Corrall, Christal, Glass & Wood, Jasper square

Beaupers, the peece conteyning xxv yards

Bells. Hawkes bells French making, Norembrough making, Horse bells, Doggs bells, Morrice bells, Clapper bells

Bellows

Bitts for Bridles

Blacking or Lamp black

Blankets. Paris mantles coloured, and un-coloured

Boards. Barrell bords, Clapbords, Past boords for books, Pipe bords or pipe holt, White boords for shoemakers

Bodkins

Boratoes or Bumbazines, narrow, broad, or of Silke

Bookes, unbound, the basket or maund

Bosses for Bridles

Botanoes, per piece

Bottles, of Earth or Stone, of Glass covered with Wicker, of Glass with vices covered with leather, of Glass uncovered, of Wood, sucking bottles

Boultell, Raines, and the baile

Bowe staves

Boxes. Fire or Tinder Boxes

Nest Boxes

Pepper Boxes

Spice Boxes

Round Boxes or French Boxes for Marmalade or Jelly

Sand Boxes

Sope Boxes

Touch Boxes covered with leather do covered with velvet do of Iron or other Metall guilt

Tobacco Boxes

Braceletts or Necklaces, Red or of Glass

Brass, Laver Cockes, Pile weights, Trumpets, Lamps

Bridles

Brouches, of Lattin or Copper

Brushes. Bearde brushes of Heath course of Heath fine or head brushes of Hair, called head brushes of Heath, called rubbing brushes of Hair, called comb brushes of hayre, called weavers' brushes of hair, called rubbing brushes

Brimstone

Buckrams, of Germany, fine, of the East countrey, of French making, Carricke buckrams

Buckles, for Girdles, for Girths

Buffins, Mocadoes & Lille Grograms, narrow and broad

Bugasines or Callico Buckrams

Bugle. Great, small or seed Bugle, Lace

Bullions for purses

Bulrushes

Burr for Milstones

Buskins of Leather

Bustians

Buttons, of Brasse, Steel, Copper, or

Lattin, of Crystall, of Glass, of Thred, of silke, of fine damaske, of Bugle, for Handkirchers, of Hair

Cabinets or Countores, large and small

Caddus or Cruel Ribbon

Camaletto, half silk, half haire

Candles of Tallow

Candle plates or Wallers of Brasse or Lattin

Candlesticks, of Brasse or Lattin or of wyre

Candleweeke

Callicoes, fine or course

Canes of wood

Capers

Capravens

Capp hookes or hooke ends

Capps, double turfed or Cockered Capps for Children

Night Caps of Sattin, Velvet

Night Caps of Silke Knitt

Night Caps of Woollen

Night Caps of Linnen

Cards. Playing Cards, Wool cards

Carpetts, of Tonny, of Scotland, of Cornix, Brunswicke Carpets, China of Cotten, course, Gentish, Turkey or Ventice, of Persia

Carrells

Cases for looking glasses guilt for spectacles guilt do unguilt for Needles or Pin cases for Needles French guilt

Casketts, of Iron, of Steele

Caveare

Cawles of Linnen for women, of Silke

Cesternes of Lattin

Chafing dishes of Brasse, Lattin, or Iron

Chaines for Keys or Purses, for Doggs

Chairs of Walnutt tree

Chamblett, unwatered or Mohaire, watered, half silke halfe haire

Cheese

Cherries

Chesse boards

Chess-men

Chests, of Iron, large & small of Cipresse wood, the nest of 3

of Spruce or Danske, the nest of 3

painted

Chimney backs, small and large

China Pease

Chizells for Joyners

Citternes

Clapboord, the small, the great & the Ring

Claricords, the payre

Clokes of Felt

Cochaneile, Silvester or Campeache

Coles of Scotland

Coffers, covered with gilt Leather covered with Velvett with Iron barrs, the nest of 3

plaine, the nest painted, the nest

Comashes out of Turkey

Combes, for wool, of bone, of box, lightwood combes, of horne for Barbers, of Ivory, Horse Combes

Comfetts

Compasses, of Iron for Carpenters, of brasse for Ships

Copper, unwrought brickes or plates, round or square, chaines, purles or plate

Copras, green

Cordage, tard or untard

Corke tackles, of Iron and Steele

Cork for Shoemakers

Corne, wheat, rye, beanes, barly, mault

Coverlets of Scotland

Counters of Lattin

Crosbows, of Lathes, Thred and Rackes

Cruses of Stone, without covers, & with

Cushons of Scotland

Cushon cloths, course, and of Tapestry

Cuttle bones

Daggs with fire lockes or Snap-lances

Daggers. Blades, for children, of bone for children, blacke with velvet sheathes, gilt, with velvett sheathes

Deales, Meabro, Norway, Burgendorp, Spruce

Desks or stayes for bookes for women to worke upon covered with wollen

Dialls of wood and bone

Dimitty

Doggs of earth

Dornix, with caddas, silke, woll, thred, and French making

Dudgeon

Durance or Duretty, with thred or silk

Druggs – a great variety listed including Bezor Stone of the East India, Holliworsles, white and red Corall, Fox lungs, Guiny pepper, Hornes of Harts or Staggs, Lapis Lazuli, mummia, Musk Codds, Nutmegs, oyle of Scorpions, oyle Petrolium, Red Lead, Sanguis draconis, Scorpions

Earthen Ware, Brickstones, Flaunders Tile to scower with, Gally Tiles, Paving Tiles, Pann Tiles etc.

Elephants teeth

Emery stones

Fanns, for Corne, of Paper, for Women and Children, French making

Feathers for bedds, also Ostridge Feathers

Felt for Cloakes, French making

Fiddles for Children

Fire shovells

Figuretto, the yard

Files

Fish, Codd, Cole, Eeles, Haddockes, Herrings, Lamprells, Linge, Newland, Salmon, Scale fish, Stock fish, cropling, lubfish and titling, Whiting

Flannele

Flaskes, of horne, covered with leather, with velvett

Flax, Spruce Moscovy, undrest and wrought

Fleams to let blood

Flockes

Flutes, course

Freeze of Ireland

Frizado, the yard

Furrs, Armins the Timber, Badger, Bare skins, Beaver, Budge, Calaber, Catts, Dokerers the Timber, Fitches the Timber, Foxes, Foynes, Grays, Jennets, Letwis, Leopard, Lewzernes, Martrones, Miniver, Minkes, Mole skins, Otter, Ounce, Sables, Weazell, Wolfe, Wolverings