Middlesex County (Mass.). Warrant to attach goods of Abel Taylor, 1783. Small Manuscript Collection, Harvard Law School Library.

Middlesex, ss. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, To the Sheriff of Our County of Middlesex his Under-Sheriff or Deputy, Greeting.

We command you to attach the goods or estate of Abel Taylor of Stow in said county — yeoman — to the value of nine — pounds, and for want thereof to take the body of the said Taylor — (if he may be found in your precinct) and him safely keep, so that you have him before our Justices of our {Inferiour} Court of Common Pleas, next to be holden at Groton — within and for our said county of Middlesex, on the third Tuesday of May next — then and there in our said court to answer unto Nathan Smith of Weston in said county esquire — in a plea of the case for that the said Taylor at said Groton on the first day of December in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred & eighty being indebted to the pltf in the sum of three hundred & ten pounds & ten shillings according to the accompt annexed then & there promised the pltf to pay him the same [sum?] on demand [(a line appears to have been cut off of this leaf - the tops of some letters visible but text not deciphered)] And for that the said Taylor at said Groton afterwards viz on the same day in consideration that the pltf had before that titme at the special instance & request of the said Taylor sold & delivered him other goods wares & merchandize than those mentioned in the accompt annexed though of like quantity & quality then & there promised the pltf to pay him as much money as the same goods wares & merchandize were reasonably worth on demand. Now the pltf avers that {for?} the same goods wares & merchandize were reasonably worth ^one^ other sum of two hundred & seventy pounds of which the said Taylor then & there had due notice ———————

And for that the said Taylor at said Groton afterwards viz on the same day being indebted to the pltf in the sum of forty pounds & ten shillings for the like sum before that time [{illegible and lined through}] {of} ^by^ the said Taylor had & received {to} ^of^ the plft's ^{to} his^ use then & there promised the pltf to pay him the same sum on demand ---------————

And for that the said Taylor at said Groton afterwards viz on the {same} day of the purchase of this writ in consideration that the pltf had before that time at the special instance & request of the said Taylor sold & delivered him other goods wares & merchandize than those ^{[before?]}^ mentioned ^in the accompt annexed^ [{illegible and lined through}] ^{the}^ like quantity & quality then & there promised the pltf to pay him as much money as the same goods wares & merchandize were reasonably worth on demand. Now the pltf in fact avers that the same good wares & merchandize were reasonably worth one other sum of four pounds [{illegible}] two shillings nine pence & two farthings of which the said Taylor then & there had due notice. Yet though requested the said Taylor hath never paid {either}^any^ of the aforesaid sums but neglects it ————

To the damage of the said Smith as he saith the sum of nine {pound} — pounds, which shall then and there be made to appear, with other due damages. And have you there this writ, with your doings therein. Witness John Tyne — Esq: at Cambridge, this eleventh day of April in the year of our Lord, 1783 [Tradmason?] Cler

DOCKET TITLE IN CENTRAL PANEL

Writ Smith vs Taylor

TEXT IN LEFT PANEL, READING UP

Middles ss May ye 3rd 1783 by vertue of the within writ I attacht a dwelling house reputed to be the estate of the within named Taylor and at the same time left a summons at his last and usual place of abode as the law directs [from travil & savoir by?] William Baker Dept Sheriff

PENCIL NUMBER IN RIGHT PANEL, READING UP

901032

NAME IN BOTTOM PANEL, INVERTED

Nathan Smith

Mr. Abel Taylor of Stow to Nathan Smith [Dr & spouse?] Novr 21 to cash pd. in January £30 cash pd. in June £10.10s 40.10.0 22 to 2 1/2 bushels salt £150 — 1 bushe of Rock salt} 210.0.0 £60 Decr 1 to one bushel rock salt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60.0.0 310:0.0 £ £ 310.10.0 [on?] 4.2.9 1/2 £310.10/— 40.10 270.0 [Dept yeoman?]

AT LEFT, READING UP

Abel Taylor a/c