The Court of General Sessions of the Peace answered this defiance of these towns in the following manner, Jan. 20, 1693-4: ‘Whereas there was an order of the General Court, referring the settlement of Mistick bridge, to the County Court of Middlesex, and said Court ordering the repairs of said bridge to be by the respective towns of Charlestown, Reading, Woburn, Maiden and Medford, according to their wonted manner, until the General Court make further provision, and the defects of said bridge having been presented to this Court, before the late law respecting bridges, the Court order that the respective towns, do forthwith make sufficient repairs of the said defects of said bridge, upon pains and penalty of five pounds fine to their Majesties for their respective defaults of each of said towns, and then to make returns of their doings therein to the next General Sessions of the Peace for Middlesex, and that for the future it shall be left to the determination of the law.’
Jan. 23, 1693-4. ‘The Selectmen of Medford appear in Court and answer that their part of the bridge is in good repair.’
This prompt order of the Court had its effect upon the delinquent towns, for Woburn, the leader in the controversy, appeared in Court, Dec. 15, 1694, and the record says, ‘That Woburn's return in regard to repairs on the northerly half of Mystic bridge, accepted by the Court.’ Woburn records also say, ‘That the bridge was sufficiently mended by Josiah Convers, Sworn Surveyor, and returns made as aforesaid, and recorded.’ In obeying the order of the Court without appeal, the three towns were doubtless influenced by the language of the Court in saying that these defects in the bridge were brought to its notice before the late law respecting bridges, and also by the decision of the Court that in
