1748 March 22 (Tuesday). This morning Ebenezer set out upon a designed journey to Connecticut after flax and was to have gone with Mr. Samuel Baker but when he was at Esquire Baker’s he understood there were several men, come down with flax, who gave a most discouraging account of the river and that there was no room to expect any flax on this side under 4 shillings the pound. He therefore returned home, and my wife and I rode over to the said Esquire’s and we (the Esquire and I) bought a Bagg of 200 weight — their price was 5/ per pound but they threw in 40 S in the whole Bagg and 3 pound and 1/2 of over plus weight. So that we did not give quite 4/9 the pound. After this Esquire Baker and I went to Deacon Newton’s to obtain his consent to put into the Warrant for the designed Meeting the abovementioned article about a grant. Deacon Newton would consent to it if I desired it, but not of his own motion — his reason was that the block must be removed out of the way (meaning that the 82.10-0 of arrears must be first sued for) or he could not go forward. There ensued warmer talk than ever I had had with Deacon Newton. I urged him to consider how unreasonable it was that he would not do his present duty for the support of the ministry in this Precinct, because somebody else did not do their duty some years ago: and that they should quarrell with me not for suing and straining upon them in the Law, but because I was charitable and compassionate and would not. My Wife went to Mr. Abner Newton’s while the Esquire and I were at the Deacon’s. I went to her and dined there but Mr. Newton was gone to Boston and we dined with his wife. Spent some hours there and heard her tell of her husband’s dissatisfaction about my preaching old sermons. I perceived that Mr. Francis Whipple had been among them. I gave her many Reasons for my Doing it. She mentioned nothing else, we parted in peace. Called at Mr. Samuel Williams where was Neighbour Eliezer Rice. Mr. Williams brought on discourse about the precinct’s present circumstances and especially with regard to my Sallery and the building a Meeting House. N.B. Neighbour Rice offered to pay me before that very night the sum which the Town was indebted to me if I would give him the power which I have to recover it in a Court of Law. But I refused to accept of it. We returned home at eve in safety.