Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 3.

come and say that they will not contend with the King.

The Court having considered the same, order the said town to pay a fine of three shillings to be disposed of as the law directs, and that they pay fees and costs.

Travellers on these roads were subject to the annoyance of opening and closing gates that had been erected across the ways by individuals through whose farms they passed. The early records of Charlestown say that in the year 1648 ‘Mr. William Stitson be entreated to get a man to make up a fence of three rails and a gate at Mistick Bridge, to run from the river and over the highway to Mr. Winthrops' rails.’ And in 1658 ‘Mr. Richard Russell and Thomas Lynde, were appointed to agree with Mr. Collins, to make a gate upon Mistick Bridge, to secure our commons from any stray cattle, the charges to be borne by the proprietors of the commons.’

In the year 1695 John Hall, Senior, was granted permission by the County Court to hang a gate at the end of his land, ‘that he may have the benefit of the improvements thereon.’ And in the year 1711 ‘John Usher be allowed to hang two gates in the roads within his farm, one on the road from Charlestown to Medford, and one on the road from Charlestown to Cambridge, for this year.’ Mr. John Usher owned a part of Governor Winthrop's ‘Ten Hills farm,’ the same estate afterwards in the possession of Col. Isaac Royall.

Colonel Royall maintained a gate across Harvard street, on the southerly limit of his farm, as late as the year 1771.

It is to be remembered that the part of Medford situated on the south side of Mistick river was within the limits of Charlestown until the year 1754.

In the records of the County Court, and in our own town records, may be found numerous references to encroachments upon our highways, taking into consideration the fact that most of our great highways