In July, 1761, among the rough element, there seems to have been a "boom" in breaking windows and throwing stones. This state of things reached such a pitch that the Governor was forced to issue a Proclamation offering a reward for the detection of the offenders.
By His Excellency
Francis Bernard, Eſq;
Captain-General and Governor in Chief, in and over His Majeſty's Province of the Maſſachuſetts Bay, in New-England, and Vice-Admiral of the ſame.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas certain Persons, who remain hitherto undiscovered, have of late committed great Disorders in the Night-Time, within several Towns in this Province, and particularly have broke the Windows of some Meeting Houses, and of the Dwelling-Houses of several Persons, by flinging thereinto great Stones and Bricks, thereby indangering the Lives of the Inhabitants, as well as injuring their Houses, against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King, and in Contempt of his Laws:
I have therefore thought fit, with the Advice of His Majeſty's Council, to iſſue this Proclamation, requiring all Juſtices of the Peace, Sheriffs, Conſtables, and all other Officers whom it may concern, and alſo recommending it to all other His Majeſty's good Subjects within this Province, to uſe their utmoſt Endeavours for diſcovering and bringing to Juſtice all Perſons concerned in ſuch diſorderly and riotous Practices.
And I do hereby promiſe, that whoſoever ſhall diſcover and detect all or any of the Perſons concerned therein, ſo that they or any of them may be lawfully convicted of any ſuch Offences, ſhall receive out of the Public Treaſury of this Province the Sum of TEN POUNDS Lawful Money, as a Reward to be paid upon the Conviction of ſuch Offender or Offenders.
GIVEN at the Council-Chamber in Boſton, the Seventh Day of July, 1761, in the First Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord GEORGE the Third, by the Grace of GOD, of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, KING, Defender of the Faith, &c.
Fr. Bernard.