The mayor and community grant "that all unlawful and unreasonably harsh
taxes and tallages which have often
been imposed by the great men of the aforesaid town upon the middle and
poor people, to their oppression and hindrance, taken of them forcefully,
without cause and to the great impoverishment of the town, shall not be
done hereafter except when required for profit or need, and then reasonably
and in a measured way, with contributions given according to the faculty,
might and power of every man without exception of any person." The account
of such tallages is to be audited before a group of townsmen chosen from
each of the three degrees.