Looking Back: March 1665, News from the Southampton Town Records

The news of events of Southampton Town in March 1665 -  348 years ago. This is taken from the Historic Record Books of the Town of Southampton

"March the 19, 1665. By the overse. It is ordred that two men shall go to morrow morning and view the Chimnies in ye town and thy shall give warning to ye owners of such chimnies as are in their Judgment to bee pulled down and made new, that thy pull down such theire Chimnies within six days, and make them probably safe from chance of firing, within ye said six dayes. After which time being expired and ye said chimnies deflective as aforesaid not downe, the said men by themselves or some y t they shall appoint shall pull downe the said chimnies at the townes cost, and noe fire bee made in ye house until a safe chimney be finnished upon penalty of paying five pounds to ye Country, to be paid by them whoe shall make any such fire.

It is further ordred that any inhabitant of this towne that is legally warned to appear at the towne meeting and shall not appear according to warning shall folieit for such default 2 shillings sixpence, to be gathered by the Constable.
9 ber, 6, 66 Bye ye Constable and overse. It is concluded. and ye constable hath undertaken to give warning to ye Inhabitants to bring in to the townes men, the wampum thy are to pay for Qua qua, to ye Indians which comes to 16 d per SO, at 16 per penney.

9ber. 6. • 66 It is ordered that every Inhabitant be­ longing to this towne shall have and set up to his chimney a substantialjlarlder, which shall reach at least to the top of ye house, betweene this and this Wednesday five weekes, upon penalty'of five shillings pr weeke, to bee {>ald to the constable of the towne by the owner of such chimney or house that shall bee found without such a ladder soe set up. After ye said time of 5 weeks is expired ye said penalty to bee levyed and taken by the constable if they re­fuse to pay him upon his demand. Published.

(NOTE. The chimnies of these primitive houses were made with wooden frames, lathed and covered. inside and out, with a thick coat of plaster. The chimnies when lathed were said to be "catted," and when plastered were "daubed." Orders like the above were "published," by fixing a copy on the meeting house door, and beating the drum at the same time.)

And as Walter Cronkite use to sign off, "And that's the way it is," in Southampton Town, March 19, 1665.