Volume 4
PDF "Page" Date Meetings/Land Click here to go to
Town Records, Vol.4
Subject
PDF "Page" Date Meetings/Land Subject
1


Cover
2 A

Births 252;Deaths 104; Marriages 99
3 B 10-1-1792-97
Retail liquor licenses
3 C


4 D 1-2-1798-99
Retail liquor licenses
4 E


5 F 9-20-1799
Retail liquor licenses
5 G 5-1800
Tavern Licenses
6 H 1801-1802
Tavern Licenses
6 I
Blank
7 J
Index
7 K


8 L







8 1 11-23-1733 & 11-29-1733 Notice of meeting on 11-29-1733. Meeting adj'd to 12-25-1733 re laying of 1st Div of 5 Divisions. Line from Deacon Tuck's mill to Little River mouth be fenced to stop cattle going to beach. (transcription typed and available at HHS of pages dated here to 7-13-1747)
9 2-3 12-25-1733 meeting cont'd from 11-29.
9 2 3-5-1734 meeting cont'd from 12-5. Meeting adj'd to March 7.
9 2 3-7-1734 meeting: surveyors chosen to survey the whole of first division land on south of Littler River.: Palmer, Marston, Lamprey, Page and Dow.
9 3 3-26-1735 Notice of meeting on 3-31-1735 to proprietors of the 1st Div. To meet at house of Capt. Jonathan Marston to receive the return and to say what further measures they will proceed in in order to divide their land to every proprietor his part and to order fencing.
9 3 3-31-1735 Meeting of 1st Div. proprietors
10 4-5 5-22-1738 Notice and meeting: ditching allowed for drainage; water of Sleepers Springs shall half of itt run down the natural way … and other half to run in Tucks Ditch to his pond... adj'd to 6-1-1738
10-11 5-6 6-1-1738 & 7-3-1738 meeting: lots drawn to be enterred into town book. adj'd to 7-3-1738
11-17 7-18 Return dated 5-22-1738 Lots 1-29; Lots 33 & 34 in First Hill area; Lots 35-41; Lots 30-32; Lots 44-50; Lots 42-43; Lots 1-17 explanations;pieces added to lots #1-13 and then near 2nd Div, a hwy and explanations. Little River Green area 37 lots.
11-17 7-18 1738 Return of 1st Division, lots laid out.(Lot numbers out of order in town book/by area) Every partand proportion having regard to the quality of the same… (see map at HHS 2014)
17-18 19-20 5-22-1738 Lots drawn in 1st Divisions Names of shares/50 lots listed
18 20-21 6-12-1738 Money due proprietors of 1st Div; portions of debt divided. To maintain a fence fromTucks mill to Little Rivers old mouth.
19-20 22-24 7-6-1747 & 7-13-1747 Returns accepted: to be divided into 12 parts, surveyor Samuel Palmer and lots drawn Proprietors of marsh flats and muddy around that layeth to the south ward of a straight line fromDeacon Tucks mill to Little River mouth etc. to Huckleberry flats, and the northerly line of John Dearborn grant in fresh meadow, etc. …
20-21 25-27 11-24-1708 Shares of thatch in Great Ox Common List of names and lot numbers 1-76. (p25)Ref. to meeting 9-9-1714 that the marsh shares will be equalized, shares of upland drawn, and that at later meeting of 10-7 shares would be drawn.
21 27 10-7-1714 Shares of marsh on Great Ox Common
22 28 10-12-1802 Meeting re lots, not cutting beach grass, ox common shares
22 29 12-21-1802
Articles of agreement between Coffin & Page to pass over property
23-24 30-32 5-1-1749
Agreement & covenant/meeting house pews
24 33 10-31-1749 meeting re Land to be laid out & lots drawn/Marsh between Pines and Rivers mouth, proprietors of Great Ox Common, Sea bank.
25 34 11-14-1749 Little shares drawn on Ox Common between Pines and Rivers mouth.
25-26 35-37 10-31-1749 &11-14-1749 Proprietors of Ox Common chose surveyors, but land was never laid out. Now to be done. Return made 11-14-1749
27 38 6-4-1755 Memorandum, sold to John Nay, Jonathan Moulton, Nathaniel Batchelder. Priviledges of pews
27 39 5-20-1765 meetings 1765-1781 Short mention of each meeting.
28 40 12-13-1782 meetings 1782-1790 Short mention of each meeting. Vote return for Senator and congressional Reps 3-16-1789-90
28-29 41-43 1-17-1774 meeting & votes re unconstitutional power of Great Britain. P 43:Town returns their sincere and hearty thanks to all their friends & Bretherin ...
30 44 7-5-1774 & 7-18-1774
meeting to discuss delegates appointed to join General Congress at Philadelphia
30-31 45-46 3-16-1779 Letter from Ebenezer Thayer re: the 3-16 meeting/money. Voted 3-16-1779 that these letters be entered into town book.
31-32 46-48 1803-1828
EAR MARKINGS
32 49 1-2-1775 notice & meeting meeting to chose delegates, deputies, and funds for delegates
33 50 5-8-1775
meeting re rights of colonies
33 51 8-7-1775 & 9-4-1775
To keep guardon beach, committees of safety
34 52 12-7-1778
meeting to raise money for Rev. Thayer
34 53 7-29-1726
meeting to raise money for enlisted men in northern army. If they don't return, their friends to be entitled to the same.
35 54 3-25-1777 & 3-29-1777 meeting raising troops & committee to raise troops
35-36 55-56 5-5-1777 meeting raise troops for 8 month term of enlistment; 3yrs or 1 yr.
36 56 7-14-1777 meeting held and adj'd to 7-21-1777. re: what measures town will take w/ those persons that are disorderly & cast contempt upon the authority in alarming times.
36 57 7-21-1777 meeting re endeavor to maintain the American cause
36-37 57-58 1-19-1778 meeting re raise funds to fill up Continental Battalions
37 58 2-5-1778 & 2-16-1778 Meeting notice for 1-16-1778 given on 2-5-1778, error, meaning 2-16-1778 Meeting: To leave it to represenatives to call a convention.
37 58 4-27-1778 & 5-18-1778 Notice and meeting to form & lay a permanent plan on the system for future government. 2nd article of notification: to discuss on 6-10 at Concord.
37 59 6-9-1778 meeting: voted to hire 3 soldiers to go to Providence in the cheapest manner w/ Capt. Henry Elkins.
37 59 7-7-1779 meeting: voted to hire soldiers to fill up Continental Army Voted to hire 3 soldiers to fill up Continental Army, in complying with requisition of the court.
38 60 6-21-1780 notice & meeting to raise money to hire soldiers Voted to hire soldiers and raise money by taxing.
38 60 7-31-1780 Meeting: voted 8 men needed to join army & pay$3,000 each for their service. Two men to go to Porstmouth as soldiers.
38 61 2-12-1781 meeting re state quota 16 to 1,354 men to fill state quota for 3 years in Continental Army. To meet at Concord to form & lay permanent plan of government for future.

61 5-28-1781 meeting at Concord to form plan, plan to meet 1st Tuesday of June (meant July?) for sole purpose of forming and laying plan…
39 62 7-9-1781 notice & meeting steps to securing? meeting house?
39 62 7-16-1781 notice & meeting
39 63 12-17-1781 notice & meeting on plan of government. Adj'd to 12-25-1781 meeting re State Convention of Delegates at Concord June 1681
39 63 12-25-1781 meeting Plan of government Committee chosen to make such remarks & objections on plan. Adj'd to 1-15-1782
40 64 1-15-1782 Meeting. Report read several times, (not recorded here) voted that it be accepted, that address be presented to Convention setting forth the reasons of town rejecting the form of government for the present. Vote of deliberation re town rejecting form of government. 82 legal voters present
40-41 65-66 1-21-1782 Address to the Convention. Plan was to be approved or rejected, or for proposing alterations and amendments. Town choses to propose alterations, amendments listed. I, II, III points. "The End & Design of the Institution of Civil Government"
41 67 4-8-1782 meeting meeting to form committee to hire soldiers
42 68 4-1-1782 Notice of this date Notice from Convention to towns re plans of government for review and acceptance, to pose questions on alterations and report. Chosing delegates to convention.
42 68 4-8-1783 Meeting to examine plan. adj'd to 4-22-1783
42 69 4-22-1783 Meeting cont'd: re accepting and revising plan. 76 persons present. Adj'd to 5-26-1782 Declaration of rights of people, taxes, 2 branches of gov't., President, Senate apoints civil & military officers. 3 yr. limit on revision of gov't., polls & Christopher Toppan chosen rep to convention in June.
43 70 5-13-1782 & 10-8-1783 meeting re accepting vote of constitutional form of gov't.
43 71 5-8-1802 & 6-14-1802
meeting re singing pew in church
44 72 3-14-1791 Copy of letter from Thayer re depreciation of town paper money. Ebenezer Thayer disposes of note of 1788 due from town to accept any considerations.
44 73
blank
45-46 74-77
VITALS - BIRTHS
47 79 2-26-1767 Letter re parsonage lands of North Hampton settlement of bounds. Copy presented to justice of the peace. Know all men by these presents …
48 80-81 1814-1827 Writs received Agreements between parties
49 82 4-2-1787 Notice & meeting to pay town's portion of debt of debt to Continental Security, sell parsonage lands, ministerial pay, assessment of polls & estates, committee to sell property, dissent of Jeremiah Marston. adj'd to first Monday in September (1787)
50 84 2-4-1738 Delegate chosen, meeting adj'd to March, 3rd Tuesday. . That meeting re lots in Ring, adj'd to 7-21-1783. Meeting to receive ancient records from Salem Abigail Marston, widow, heirs to estate of John Marston. Land around meeting house. Final adj'd to 2nd Monday in December.
50 84 12-13-1790 meeting re taxes for raising causeway
50 84 12-27-1790 Meeting: desire to sell more parsonage land, adj'd to March 2nd Tuesday. meeting re accrued interest to pay minister, Constitutional Securities
50 85 2-7-1891 Meeting: build two school houses, cut timber in parsonage, size of houses approval.
50-52 85-89 1797-1815 VITALS - MARRIAGES
53-55 90-95 1764-1787 meeting summaries
56-57 96-99 1788-1801 meeting summaries
57-58 99-100 1815-1822
VITALS - MARRIAGES
60 104 1832-1834
VITALS - DEATHS
60 105 12-16-1822 &12-17-1822 Perambulation of Hampton and North Hampton lines w/ description of bounds Standing at great rock in Benj. Shaw's pasture being 2 miles, 214 rods between rock and maple tree.
62 108 11-13-1815 Perambulation Hampton/Hampton Falls
62 109 7-19-1815 Perambulation Hampton / North Hampton.
63 110 10-1-1792 Meeting re: replacement and costs of funeral for Rev. E. Thayer, expenses for widow to purchase suitable clothing. Adj'd to 10-29.
63 110 10-29-1792 Meeting adj'd to 11-12.
63 110 11-12-1793 Meeting. Committee to hire preacher.
63 111 1-18-1793 Request noted to hire Mr. Nathaniel Thayer. Notice to meet 2-4-1793
63 111 2-4-1793 Meeting meeting re hiring Rev. Nath'l Thayer & pay to be derived from Continental funds & rent of parsonage lands.
64 112 2-4-1793 Dissent to pay Nath'l Thayer (list) To be made part of Town Record.
64 113 5-10-1793 & 5-27-1793 meeting re hiring minister, gate on Landing Road
64-65 113-114 8-26-1793 meeting re votes for State Legislature
65 115 1-26/27-1794 notice and meeting. Adj'd to 1st Monday in March and again to 3-18-1794 meeting re residency required for meeting & Daniel Dam salary as minister. Adj'd to 9-25, again to Nov 1st Monday, again to 11-24, care for Mrs.Thayer.
66 116 7-21-1794 Notice & meeting Mr. Jonathan Brown considered for minister & care for widow Thayer.
66 117 12-15-1794
meeting to settle on minister affairs.
67 118 12-15-1794 Notice of meeting / agenda
68 120 9-7-1795 Meeting re chance of negative vote. Adj'd to 9-28-1795 meeting to settle differences re calling & settling a minister
68 120-121 10-19-1795 Notice to meet 10-19-1795 (no meeting recorded) meeting re favoring Presbyterian form of church gov't. for peace & harmony of the town. Will agree to a combined platform of church gov't. & call Wm. Pigeon to settle here as minister.
69 122-123 12-7-1795 meeting to call council of Congregational & Presbyterian ministers, and considering Mr. Pigeon.
70 124 1796 Rev. Pigeon response to Presbyterian church & Society of Hampton. Recorded by the town clerk.
70-71 125-126
hard to read VITALS - MARRIAGES
72 128-129 3-18-1766 Annual meeting to settle the line between Hampton & Exeter. Surveyors chosen: Tuck, Moulton, Dearborn, Richardson, Rand, Towle, Moulton. Laws re beach, support of Mr. Cotton, school moving to beneficial location. Meeting adj'd to 3-25-1766. That meeting adj'd to4-1-1766
72-73 129-130 4-1-1766 Annual meeting cont'd. Constables selected, plan to hire preacher for 2-3 sabbaths - dissents against this vote listed, but voted to hire Mr. Bellnap-dissents listed.
73 130-131 4-28-1766 notice and meeting. Meeting adj'd to 5-12. Attempt to settle on either of three ministers: Ebenezer Thayer, John Marsh or Stephen Seales. Vote dissents listed.
73 130-131 5-12-1766 & 5-26-1766 Notices and meetings. Andrew Mace chosen culler of fishes 5-26. Vote to reconsider settling w/ John Marsh as minister. Vote and dissents re hiring preaching for 2-3 sabbaths. 26th: voted to hire Mr. Belnap to supply the pulphit for 2-3 sabbaths, dissents listed.
74 132 ? & 6-4-1766 hard to read
74 133 6-23-1766 meeting & adj'd to 7-7-1766 Invitation to Rev. Ebenezer Thayer as minister with incentives detailed in money and provisions.
75 134 7-7-1766 & 7-28-1766 & 8-11-1766. meeting & adj'd to7-21-1766, adj'd to 7-28. Plans to complete details of hiring Mr. Thayer. Meeting adj'd to 8-11-1766.
75 135 ?-13-1766 Letter to church and congregation of 1st Parish in Hampton. Thayer response. (hard to read)
76 136 1-5-1767 Notice? & meeting. (hard to read)
76 136 1-19-1767 meeting & adj'd to 1-26. Voted to rebuild parsonage house
76 137 1-26-1767 meeting & adj'd to 2-23-1767 re North Hampton Parish
76 137 2-23-1767 meeting re size of parsonage house, building and expenses. Committee chosen to give acquittances to North Hampton re parsonage land.
76-77 137-138 3-17-1767 notice & meeting. Surveyors chosen: Moulton, Rand, Fogg, James and Towle. Parsonage lands,
77-78 139-140 3-15-1768? Notice and annual meeting. Re fencing parsonage shares in 1st Div. and settle line. adj'd to 7-12-1768. No horses at large on beach, Bride Hill school
78 140 7-12-1768 Annual meeting cont'd. & adj'd to 7-18-1768.
78 141 7-18-1768 meeting & votes
78-79 141-143 3-21-1769 Notice & annual meeting Exchange parsonage land in Ring Swamp (Rand), Bride Hill school, church pews.
79-80 143-144 3-20-1770 Annual meeting. Surveyors chosen: Moulton, Dearborn, Lock, Fogg, Dearborn and Lane. Re letting out parsonage lands (voted 3-yr. lease), let or lease near Candlewood Swamp (Elkins land) (voted 10 year term).
80 144 8-20-1770 Notice & meeting Steeple repairs.
81-82 146-148 3-19-1771 Annual meeting voted to "shut up" & give to said Moulton the old road in lieu of new one. Vote to lay out new road. meeting adj'd to 4-8-1771. Surveyors chosen: Moulton, Coffin, Sanborn, Moulton and Elkins. Selectmen impowered to exchange old road w/ Col. John Moulton that leads to Drake side for the new one which Moulton has opened through his property.
82 149 2-3-1772 meeting. Agents chosen to defend against legal action: Moulton, Moulton and Marston. Dr. H. Jackson suit vs town
82-83 149-150 2-17-1772 meeting called in response to petition by townspeople. re swapping out psalm versions and introducing new tunes
83 150-151 3-17-1772 meeting re Brown to keep fence on road between Perkins & River. Agents to settle with Dr. H. Jackson. Exchange of parsonage land in 2nd W. Div. Surveyors chosen: Moulton, James, Moulton, Taylor and Lane.
84 152 4-7-1772 meeting requested by townspeople. School moving to 4 different parts of town and proportioning money raised. Bride Hill, Drakeside and North school.
84-85 152-154 3-16-1773 Annual meeting re gates at beach causeway, leasing Parsonage land for 3 yr. term. minister rate. Surveyors: Jenness, Moulton, Dearborn, Lane and Marston. Grammar school moves to Bride Hill.
85-86 155-156 3-15-1774 Annual meeting, surveyors: Moulton, Dearborn, Moulton, Marston, Towle. Sheep on hwys will be impounded and owner fined, same as for cattle. No hauling seaweed at night, pitching it into heaps below highwater mark.
86-87 157-159 3-21-1775 Annual meeting. Surveyors James, Dearborn, Lock, Fogg and Nay. To chose reps to Continental Congress. Sheep and seaweed hauling.
87-88 159-161 3-19-1776 Annual meeting. Surveyors Ward, Moulton, Marston and Nay. build guard house at seashore, pay men who went to Ipswich during alarms.
88-89 161-162 3-18-1777 Annual meeting. Surveyors Lock, Sanborn, Moulton, Coffin and Dearborn. Sheep, seaweed, swine, hogs need ring in the nose.
89-90 163-165 3-17-1778 & 3-23-1778 Annual meeting and adj'd to 3-23-1778. Surveyors: Dearborn, Sanborn, Brown, James and Lane. Rev. Thayer salary/depreciation.
91-92 166-168 3-16-1779 Annual meeting
92 169 5-17-1779 Petition from North Hampton to General Court re paying taxes on real estate and request reps from Hampton to appear and show cause. Committee chosen from Hampton Capt. Josiah Moulton, Joseph Dow & Ensign Philip Towle to show cause why pettioners should not be granted.
92 169 6-14-1779 Meeting re hiring soldiers for Continental Army.
93 170 8-9-1779 meeting (vote 43 for/2 against) Adj'd to 8-16. to receive the Declaration of Rights & Plan of Gov't. for State of NH formed by convention held at Concord 6-5-1779.
93 171 8-16-1779 meeting Voted to join with other towns to hold convention re important measures recommended by Congress. Delegates chosen: Capt. Josiah Moulton & Mr. Josiah Moulton.
94-95 173-175 3-21-1780 Annual meeting. Surveyors Towle and Lamprey. adj'd to 3-27-1780. Hang gate on beach causeway to control cattle & horses., to make up pay due to men enlisting for 12 months on behalf of town in 1777.
95-96 175-176 3-17-1781 Annual meeting notice?
96 176-177 3-20-1781 Annual meeting Moses Elkins to have improvements of parsonage land near Candlewood Swamp for 10 years, he giving other … rent. Benj. Brown 10 yrs in 1st Range. Bids taken for other parsonage lands and marsh. Adj'd to 3-26-1781. No meeting recorded
97-98 179-180 3-19-1782 Annual meeting Parsonage lands to be sold or let. Elisha Towle liberty to move the Guard house up to his house upon condition that he will move same back again when requested. Adj'd to 4-2-1783, then to 4-15-1783. No record of either.
98-99 181-183 3-18-1783 Annual meeting, adj'd to evening, adj'd to 3-22-1783.
99-101 183-186 3-16-1784 Annual meeting Selectmen to let out parsonage lands for 1 yr to highest bidder. Seaweed & sheep issues
101 186 2-27-1784 Writ from State poll tax for 21+ year-olds
101 187 3-16-1784 meeting re vote for Pres, Senators and jurors. (primary?)
102 188-189 3-15-1785 meeting re vote for Pres, Senators and jurors. (primary?)
102-103 189-191 3-21-1786 notice & meeting. Selling & letting of land, (hard to read). Adj'd to 4-11-1786. Voted to sell land north of Ring so as to leave the routein width, etc. To sell parsonage lands. Re laying out tract of land on north side of ring for burying yard. To bring in votes for Pres for said state & 5 senators for said county.
104 192-193 3-20-1787 Notice & meeting re gates from First Hill to Little River. Adj'd to another house, then adj'd to 3-30-1787.
104 193 3-18-1788 meetings re return of votes for Senate
105 194-195 3-18-1788 meeting & adj'd to 7-21-1788, & adj'd to Oct, then adj'd to Dec.
106 196-197 3-17-1789 meeting & adj'd to 4-8




106-107 197-198 3-16-1790 notice & meeting & adj'd to another house, then adj'd to 3-29, to 3-31 at which they voted to sell some pieces of parsonage land.
107-108 199-201 3-15-1791 Annual meeting & adj'd to 3-21-1791. Framing of school house.
108-109 201-202 3-15-1791 meeting & votes To vote for a president for said state to serve in said office for the town for one year. Votes for senators
109 202 3-15-1791? meeting re vote for county treasurer, recorder of deeds.
109 202 8-8-1791 notice & meeting. To chose town treasurer on account of public security belonging to said town. State calling for Convention at Concord to revise the State Constitution.
109-110 203-204 3-20-1792 Notice & Annual meeting & adj't. To 3-26.
110 204-205 3-26-1792 Annual meeting
110-111 205-206 5-7-1792 & 5-21-1792 meeting & votes (adj'd to 5-21) Articles of Ammendment to Constitution
111 207 8-27-1792 meeting to chose State Senators and vote on Constitutional amendments. (appear to be none for, 25 against) called by Act of Legislature
112 208 11-12-1792 meeting required by State to vote on above and juror selections. Return of votes showed each of 5 candidates as electors received 32 votes each. Vote to pay Widow Thayer amount due her late husband.
112-113 209-210 3-19-1793 Annual meeting Vote for governor, Senator, representative, county & town treasurer.
113 210-211 3-25-1793 meeting
113-114 211-212 3-18-1794 Annual meeting & adj't to 4-7-1794
114 212 4-7-1794 meeting cont'd. procure preacher
114 212- 12-8-1794 meeting
114-115 213-214 3-7-1795/ (error?)3-17-1795 Notice? & Annual meeting, adj'd to 3-13.
115-116 214-217 3-15-1796 annual meeting & adj'd to 3-28-1796
116-117 216-218 5-2-1796 meeting and lengthy dissent letter. re: to choose committee to to go to Mrs. Martha Thayer and demand a categorical answer whether she will move out of the parsonage huse which the town has voted to the Rev. Pidgeon.
117 218-219 5-23-1796 meeting Congregational members against Presbyterian ministry
117 219 8-29-1796 meeting voting for Congressional Reps.
118 220-221 11-7-1796 meeting Electors & Reps, Pres. & VP
118-119 221-222 11-28-1796 meeting opposition to Congregational Society
119-120 222-224 3-21-1797 meeting Votes for governor/Senators/Cong. Reps
120-121 224-226 7-10-1797 meeting (& adj'd to 7-24, 8-8, 8-21.) Cong. Society/ Divisio of property
121-122 226-227 10-30-1797 meeting
121-123 227-231 3-20-1798 meeting & adj'd to 3-28-1798 Selectmen to sell pieces of land in Rye.
123-125 231-235 7-30-1798 meeting dispute recorded re Timothy Dalton property the town purchased for use of the ministry.
126 236 8-27-1798 meeting and vote return Election of Congressional Reps
127-132 238-248 5-25-1798 Assessments of Res/Non-Res w/ inventory & doomage
132-133 249-250 3-19-1799 Meeting agenda/notice
134 252-253 1789-1822
VITALS - BIRTHS
135-136 254-257 3-19-1799 meeting & votes re dispute with Cong. Society.
136-137 257-259 9-9-1799 meeting re dispute with Cong. Society.
138 260 11-18-1799 notice of meeting
138 260 3-4-1801 meeting
138 261 1799
invoice for Exeter road
139 262 1799
invoice for East end
139 263 1799
invoice for North road
140 264 1799
invoice for Middle District
140 265 1799
invoice for Drakeside road
141-143 266-270 1799 Doomages for year
143-145 271-275 3-18-1800 meeting and votes for Senator. Turnpike road over causeway. To posphone articles 14,15,16 of the warrant for calling this meeting. Agents slected for lawsuits between Jesse Appleton, Martha Thayer and the town.
146 276-277 8-25-1800 meeting and votes for representatives. Benj. Shaw agent for lawsuit.
147 278-289 10-27-1800 meeting

280-281 2-2-1801 meeting juror selection

281 12-14-1801 meeting juror selection

281 1-29-1802 meeting juror selection

282-286 3-17-1801 notice of meeting

286 9-23-1800 meeting

287 11-23-1800 meeting adj'd to 11-20-1800

288-289 3-16-1802 meeting

290
meeting (hard to read)