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THE LANDING

An agreement was made, August 4, 1640, between the town and Richard Knight, in regard to his building and keeping a mill at the Landing, for which the town was to allow him a "reasonable accommodation."

The Landing here mentioned was at a bend in the river, where it swept along by the upland, about half a mile south of the enclosed portion of the Meeting-house Green already mentioned. It was afterward frequently called Freese's Landing, and is now familiarly known as "The Landing," being on the southerly side of the road, opposite the Benjamin Perkins house; and is, very likely, the place where the first settlers brought their shallop to shore. Across the neck of land around which the river formerly flowed, a passage for the water was made at an early period, and in the course of years, this passage, widened and deepened by the force of the current, became the main river; while that part of the old river between the Landing and the upper end of the passage, or cut, was gradually filled up, so that it long since ceased to be part of the river; and that portion of the river between the Landing and the lower or easterly end of the cut, has so much diminished in size, that it may be regarded as a creek or cove.

At an adjourned town-meeting, August 25, the following vote was passed: "On the fifth day of the weeke, the Teacher, bro: Hussey, bro :Crosse, bro: Moulton and bro: Tucke, w^th the Towne Clarke [are] to goe and view the highwayes towards Colchester." A week later the following entry is made in the records: "On the sixth day of y^e weeke all the highwayes about the Towne are to be viewed by as many of the Towne as will."

William Palmer was chosen grand juryman for the court to be holden at Boston on the first Thursday in September.

John Crosse was chosen, "by votes in writing," deputy for the town to the next General Court of Election to be holden in Boston on the seventh day of October, in case he be timely recovered of his present infirmity." The records of the Court show that he was present as a member. At this session John Moulton was appointed "to take caption, or cognizance, and to make replevies" in Hampton.

November 6, the town voted that a way, four rods in width, should be laid out from the Meeting-house Green to the Falls, passing through Richard Swaine's home lot. This way, or road, crossed the salt marsh, and will be noticed again as the causeway or causey.

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