Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 2.

Although the slaves were a small minority of the population, there was danger in allowing them to run at large; and, like other ‘property,’ if found straying abroad were, in a manner, ‘impounded,’ as the following vote of the town in 1734 discloses: ‘All Negroes Indians and Mulattoes—Servants That are found abroad without Leave and not on Their master's business shall be Taken up and whiped Ten Stripes on Their Naked back by any freeholder of This Town and be carryed To Their Respective masters and ye Said Master shall be obliged to Pay the Sum of Two shillings and Six pence in money To ye said Person That shall so Do.’

On the other hand, the spiritual welfare of the slaves was not neglected. Before 1740 special seats in the meeting-house were provided; and at a Town meeting in 1741 it was ‘voted that Jonathan Watson with the advice of the selectmen do make sum more convenience for the negroes to sit in the meeting house.’ The same meeting, it is to be noticed in passing, declined ‘to make the School house more comfortable for the winter.’

In 1745 the question of straying negroes again came up. The vote of this year differs from that of 1734 in three respects: (1) a specific part of the day is named; (2) the punishment is not inflicted by the person finding the slave; (3) the money fine is omitted. The vote is as follows: ‘Any person of said Town That shall Se any Negro Servant belonging to Said Town from home after Nine of the Clock at night and if said Servant Cannot satisfy the person That meets or finds him from home The Negros name shall be returned to the Justyce the next morning and desire the Justyce to Send for the Said Negros master and order ye Negro to be whiped in the market place not exceeding Ten ’