Eut how different soever they were in their opinions yet at their first settlements into commmiitys as Townships &c tliey were generally unanimous in setting aside some quantity of land for a provision for a minister M^hene^'er tiiey should be able to procure one and altlio' Long Island may justly be said to be more divided than any other part of tiie Colony yet the several Townships therein following the example of others made the same provision & particularly the town of Jamaica (whose Inhabitants were composed of Churcli men and Dissenters of all sorts) the better to induce a minister to come and abide with them did at a general Town meeting in IGCii (according to tlieir constant method and which was used in all otlier Townsliips within the said Colony) order & soon after build the parsonage house now standing in Jamaica by laying a rate upon all the Freeholders which rate was assessed upon their meadows (that being, the most equal way because every mans right and prupor-

PAPERS RELATING TO CKURCHES IN QUEENS COUNTY. 2'2j

tion in tliat townsliip did arise from the quantity of meadow land lie possessed.

Afterwards (according to tlieir usual method of Town meetings) they appointed persons to procure Ministers for them and to agree with them for certain & fix't Salarys being usually about Sixty poimds per annum, for the levying wliereof they appointed Assessors & Collectors who assessed & levied the said sums on tlie lands & estates of all the inhabitants of wdiat sect soever they were and for tlie better encouragement of a Minister they not only gave liim possession of the said parsonage house but also of divers others parcels of land in the said town.