WHereas the Lawes Published by the Honoured General Court, Lib. 1. Pag. 76. Sect. 3. Do Require all Townes from time to time to dispose of Single Persons and inmates within their Towns to Service, or otherwise. And in Pag. 16. Tit. Children and Youth, It is Required of the Select men, That they see that all Children and Youth under family Government, be taught to Read perfectly the English Tongue, have knowledge of the Capital Lawes, and be taught some Orthodox Catechisme, and that they be brought up to some honest imployment profitable to themselves and the Common Wealth, and in case of neglect on the part of the family Governours, after Admonition given them, the said Select men are Required with the help of two Magistrates, or next Court of that Shire, to take such Children or Apprentices from them, and place them forth with such as will look more strictly to them.

The neglect whereof, as by sad experience from Court to Court aboundantly appeares, doth occasion much Sin and prophanes to encrease among us; to the dishon­our of God, and the ensnareing of many Children and servants, by the dissolute lives and practices of such as do live from under family Government, and is a great dis­couragement to those family Governours who conscientiously endeavour to bring up their youth in all Christian nurture as the Lawes of God and this Common Wealth doth require.

THese are therefore in his Majesties Name to Require you to acquaint the Select men of your Town, that the Court doth expect and will Re­quire that the said Lawes be accordingly attended, the prevolency of the former neglect notwithstanding. And you are also required to take a list of the names of all those young persons within the bounds of your Town, who do live from under family Government, viz. do not serve their Parents, or Masters, as Children, Apprentices, hired Servants, or journey men, ought to do, and usually did in our Native Country; being subject to their Commands and Discipline: and the same you are to Returne to the next Court