USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > The early records of the town of Dedham, Massachusetts. 1659-1673, Volume 4 > Part 29
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John Eliot.
[On back.] M' Eliots answr to M' Jackson his returne upon theire reveiw
[Mass. Arch., CXII, 107.]
It is ordered by this Court, that whereas there was graunted to Dedham eight thousand akers of land the last session of this Court, Ensigne John Euerard & Jonathan Danforth are hereby appointed to lay out the same according to graunt. [Oct. 21, 1663 : Mass. Col. Rec., IV, Part II, 91.]
This tract of land, conteynig eight thousand acres, being layd out
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according to this1 plott given into the Court & remayning on file, beginning att A, & so running to L, by the Foote of a mountejne, south & by west two miles forty sixe rod ; from L to K, along by the same mounteine fiue miles forty rod south & by east two degrees easterly; From K to I, vpon a streight ljne two miles & a halfe & a half west halfe a point southerly; From H to I, vpon a streight line south halfe a point easterly, fower miles ; From G to H, norwest fower degrees, westerly three hundred sixty two rod; From E to G, S. S east three degrees southerly, one hundred & sixty rod ; from E to F south southeast, west three degrees southerly, eighty eight rod ; from D to E south west one hundred and eight rod ; from C to D south south east eighty rod ; From B to C south & by west three degrees westerly, five hundred & eighty rod ; from A to B west north west two degrees westerly, one mile twenty rod. This tract of land is lajd out at a place called Pecumptick, to answer the grant of the honoured Generall Court made to Dedham for the lands at Natick, which the Indians are setled vpon, by the Courts order, it lyinge northward from Hadley about tenn or twelue mile. Layd out as abouesajd May, 1665,
By me, Joshua Fisher.
The Court allowes & approoues of this returne, provided they make a toune of it, to majntejne the ordinances of Christ there once wthin five yeares, & that it interfere not wth Majr Genll Dennison & Hadley grant.
[Oct. 11, 1665 : Mass. Col. Rec., IV, Part II, 282.]
To the much Honord the Gouernour. the Deptie Gouernour And the Asist- ants and Deputies. Assembled at Boston in Generall Court. 7 of 3 mo. 1662
The petition of vs whose names are heere vnto subscribed Humbly sheweth:
That whereas we being [ ] that thorough the blessing of God vpon vs in posteritie and otherwise. the people there [ ] increased to a greater number then the Accomadacion belonging to that Town is able to supply with Land to empue. which the said Inhabitants haueing taken notice of, haue for the supply of vs your petitioners Granted vs a smale Tract of Land. within thier owne Bounds. in the westerly end thereof. which being in- competent for our encouragemt. of it selfe. by reason of streightnes of supply in seuerall respects. especially in Meadowe and vnderstanding that ther is some Land yet vngranted. in the Countreyes hand and at the dispose of the Generall Courte. lyeing adjacient to the said Land so granted vs by the Towne as afore said vpon the north. or northwest side of Charles Riuer (.that we humbly conceaue) might be vsefull for our encouragemt and supplye. it being beyond the westerly end of the last grante made to Meadfield
We your petitioners doe therefor humbly praye this Honourd Court. to Grante to vs such a tract of Land. in the place aforesaid on the North. or
1 Joshua Fisher's plan in Mass. Arch., Plan Book I, 24, 27.
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northwest side of Charles Riuer. as may be conteyned within ye extent of foure miles square. to be layed out in respect of the forme. according to the direction of whome so euer you may please to empower and apoint thereto. so as may be most conduceable to the good of that intended plantation
And further we humbly intreat this honord Generall Court to Grant to the said plantation and the Inhabitants thereof the pruelidge of a Towne- shipe and such freedoms and Liberties as other Townes within this Jurisdic- tion vsually enjoye. and we your petitioners shall all wayes praye &c:
Subscribed by Nathanell Coalburne, John Gay, Joshua Kent, John Farington, Richard Ellice, Anthony Fisher, Nathanell Stearnes, Nathanell Fisher, James Thorpe, Ralph Freeman, John Kent, Samuell Fisher, James Draper, Joh Littlefield, John Aldis, Cornelius Fisher, Isaack Bulard, James Fales, Robart: Ware, Samuell Parker, Nathanell Gay, Nathanell Bullard
In Ans' to this peticon Wee think meete that Maior Eleazer Lusher Capt. Roger Clapp: m" Ed: Jackson; Robert Hinsdel or any three of them, with Leiuet. Joshua Fisher or some other Artist be Impowred vpon view of the place to lay out the land desired or so much of it as they iudge needfull, to make A plantacon.there & that they be A distinct Townshipp prouided they setle An Able Ministry among them within two years: And that so many of the Peticoners, as haue interrest in the Indian plantacon at Natick or of others of Dedham as shall setle there, be considered for their Interrests re- tayned by the Indians at Natick.
Richard Russell, Edward Tyng, Joseph Hills:
The deputyes approue of the return of the Comittee in answer hereto reffering to the consent of or Honerd magists hereto
William Torrey Cleric [Mass. Arch. CXII, 142.]
From Dedham
To the much Honrd the Gour Dpt Gour Asistants and Depts assembd in Gen: Court att Boston ye 3ª May 65
The petition of vs whose names are heerevnto subscribed (being yet nonfreemen) most humbly sheweth:
That whereas the gracious pvedence of or good God hath bene pleased to lay out ye bounds of many of or habitations for vs: that we may and (we hope) shall say our portions are falne amongst ye godly by whom wee are In- couraged to breath after God and Christ: Allthough not yet past our None- age so as to attaine the fullnes of all mercies that itt doe please our God heere to tender vs the want whereof wee doe not. we cannot blame any for. but our own selues: and desire to be more quickened vp to waitt vpon God in the vse of the meanes tendered. still to vs in the holy Institutions of Jesus Christ acording to his owne dispensations
And wee further (as wee acknowledg it to be our duty) from our harts) to blesse the Lord for that great blessing we Injoy vnder the shaddow of
John Richard
John Hunting Herrlich Bar John king Bory
John pappor
pulse wood ward sand John word fortifarming fort
homus aldring Samuel alanidy
Falah fromin Izva MorfoR LERt Effac Bullan. Samuell Everich famos change. maybey Michael Novcalfo John. Read
Maforward Rawr se.
Bonafhun futon
John fullor
ROBINE otelin
Elnathan Jun Jongh fayor? Eaton
John
Thomas Fischer
Jamos film
John pays John Bran
Samuch Forlady in Raul
nathaniel whiting
So wane DOOR
calharwe
Thickering Jobras Deble tamt funny tolough kingsberry
Kalhanul.
Elarzour Day
Sarayet Shores Samuell funthing
J.PEPR. elton
Daniele mau RiaR Nathanare & ColBurn
Tyfin Lettres fried Nathanell Heaton
Jonathan Homeand Edward foot
John colburne John Man
Chomay Claro
Arliam Aury
Charm Bland
Jamaj Sprayer
Honory Diving
John bit -
Fac-simile of signatures to the petition printed on pages 276, 278, from Mass. Arch., CVI, 110.
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APPENDIX.
Samop wayhop
Markand. Millon
mayan Mathanill 23 ullwant
Freml
-forma Hrapra athaniel
Fagor Gan Q
ESw. H3081
therain margo
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APPENDIX.
yor wings in a Godly righteous and peacable govermt for which we Earnestly pray to him vpon whose shoulders ye gouernment is laid. that he would long pľserve blesse and pfect
And whereas we heare it is reported that many in our stat and relation are dissatisfied with and disaffected to this prsent government which through an orderly long Establishment have bene so great a blessing to vs and many others here: This being considered: we thought it our duty to declare at this time that it is altogether vntrue in ye respect of vs ye subscribers hereof: and whereas we are not without fears: that some not only: not well willers to our peace and pruelidges. but Enemyes to ye cause of Jesus Christ now mannaged by yo" selves: whom we so loue and Honn", may possibly en- deavour to make some disturbance in these our chiefest and dearest enjoy- ments: we are afrayd least our silence in this juncture of time might lay vs vnder ye curse pnounced against Meroz Judg 5. for not coming out to helpe ye Lord against ye mightie
The p"mises considered our Humble petition to yo" selves : and our Earnest prayers to ye Father of mercies is that you will be strong onely be strong and very couragious. that neither for feare favour threats or flatteryes: any ye least. pt of our prcious liberties and prvelidges civill or ecclesiasticall be enfrindged shaken or weakened. Wherevnto we haue so vndoubted and true right in ye sight of God and good men. so fully and amply granted by Pattent and confeirmed to vs that is to ye Gouerno" and Company of the Massachusets: and whereof we hope in Gods due tyme to be more fully Interested: and in this our request we intreat we may be beleeved to be very reall and where in (God asisting vs by his grace) we purpose and pmise to be asisting to yo" selves to ye vttermost with our psons lives and estates when so ever need shall be. And shall ever pray
John Richards, Thomas Aldridg, Samuel Aldridg, Caleb Abell, Jona- athan Fuler, Robt Parker, James Allin, Nath French, Edward Cook, Thomas Payne, John Hunting, Hezekiah Gay, John Kingsbery, Eleazar Kingsbery, Michaell Medcalfe, John Fuller, John Payn, John Ware, Nathaniel Chicker- ing, Nathanell Gaye, Joseph Skelton, Jonathan Howard, Edward Scot, William Auery, Peter Woodward senir, John Pepper, Ezra Morsse, Samuell Euerid, John Read, Robert Allin, Jasper Clarke, Edw West, Michaell Will- son, Samuel [Gyles ], Nathaniel Richards, Tobias Doble, Eleazer Gay, Quintin Stockwell, Daniell Mackiah, Nathanaiel Colburne, John Colburne, John Man, Ephraim Morse, Epharim Clark, Henery Deuing, John Euerid, Ralph Freman, Robert Mason, Elnathan Dunkly, John Mason, James [Curwery], John Farrington, Isaac Bullard, James Thorpe, Edward hawes, Jonath fayerbank senir, John Eaton, Thomas Fisher, James Vayles, Nathanill Bullward, Nathaniell Whiting, Joseph Kingsbery, Samuuel Sheres, Samuell Huntting, John Lettellfeild, Nathanell Heaton, Thomas Clap, James draper, John Ric
[Mass. Arch., CVI, 110.]
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APPENDIX.
A petition to the General Court, setting forth the grievances of the In- dians, and asking redress, dated 1669, and styled,
"The humble petition of John Eliot, in behalf of the poor Indians at Natick. Showeth, That whereas, this honored Court did appoint a commit- tee to fix a line betwixt Dedham and Natick, bounding on each other, viz .: the worshipful Mr. Ting and Jackson, Dea. Park, and Lieut. Cook, of Bos- ton, who took pains in it, and the record of their determination is accepted and put into Court records: nevertheless some of Dedham do invade our line; upon one side, they forbid the Indians to plant, take away their rails. which they have prepared to fence their grounds, and on another side have taken away their lands and sold ym to others, to the trouble and wonderment: of the Indians. These are humbly to request this honored Court to em- power the same worshipful committee, and request you once more to take. pains and go to the place wt ye have already done, and request our brethren of Dedham to be quiet and let us peaceably enjoy our own. So committing this honored Court unto the Lord and to the word of his grace, I remain your humble petitioner, John Eliot."
[Bacon's History of Natick, p. 13.]
In ans" to the peticon of Mr Jnº Elliot, in behalfe of the Indians at Natick, the Court judgeth it meete to desire & empower the honoured Mr Edward Tyng, Mr Edw Jackson, Mr Wm Parks, & Left Richard Cooke, the former comittee, to repaire to the place, & on their vejw of the ljnes before some or both parties concernd, to declare vnder their hands where the bounds they setled between them ljes.
[May 19, 1669: Mass. Col. Rec. IV, Part II, 431.] .
Revª & loved in our lord
According to your desyre. Having received a coppy of yr letters to yr Hond comitty I shall giue my sence upon it. It is matter of greife yt you should thus troble yourselfe, ye Hond Comittee, & others not resting in ye late confirmation of their owne act & upon reasons so inconsistant wth ye record. To your 1t. ye record is plaine yt ye east line is to run from ye bent of ye river 10 rods from ye fence of ye feild & so I conceive it do but if your line come to ye point of ye feild below ye hil you must make more lines, & angles wch makes against your reason. To ye 3. & 9 you [ ] from ye line of ye marked trees: but who marked thos trees? not ye comitty, & [ ] ther is nothing in yt argumt. Your 5t is answered before To ye 6t I wonder you should say yt ye bent of ye river & ye river cannot be seen, wch standing upor. ye- plaine is very visible as is allso ye field upon ye same station [ ] ye estimate of ther distance about 70 or [ ] was judged of: nor is it much missed by your accompt. but this [ ]ment is against yourselfe in point of dis- tance & visibility of ye places whence yt estimate upon veiw was taken. To ye 7. & 9 wt force is in Decon Parkes testimony so many yeares since being absent: when ye cometty or some of them being upon ye place remembred ye-
-
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course meadow before ye bent of ye river. I beleive had D: Parke bene upon ye place he could not say y ever he cam at your bent: as a comitty man. to ye 8t It is enough yt ye record make ye bent ye bound not naming either marked tre or meadow why should any reson therof be required of them so many years after Your 10th may seeme strong to yourselfe but is as weake as ye rest you know yt text Levit 19. 15. Thou shalt not respect ye pson of ye poore in judgmt, & Deut 16. 20 That weh is alltogeth just shalt thou doe If you would doe good to ye poore Indeanes see yt thay doe no unjust act, & yt thay make restitution when it is done. It seemed strange to me to obserue yt thay make so many small feilds at a double charge in other mens lands, & not improue so much as lieth wast at ther doores wher one comon fence might take in many lotts. But to put an end to thes disputes, & yt we may at last be freed from thes incroachmts. I shall giue you 2 or 3 evident reasons yt your bent of ye river wth ye. line drawne fro it is utterly inconsistent wth ye reccord but ye other place exactly agreing wth it: 1 The Record sayth yt ye distance of ye bent of ye riuer to ye corner of ye feild by estimation was about 70 or 80 rod wheras your bent cannot be lesse then double yt distance, neither could it ever be judged of by veiw for ye wod land yt interpose exept thay had climed ye highest tre ther wheras ye other place comes neere yt dis- tance is easily guessed at by veiw. 2ly by ye record ye east line leaue your bent 10 rod east frö ye feild: but your line swallows up aboue an 100ª acres east of ye feild 3ly The record boundeth your land upon ye north [ ] with ye river from ye mouth of ye brooke to ye bent aboue [ ] must needs be
] downestreame. wher you have upstreame wher thos lands lye. but your [
no land north of ye river. [ ] absurd & [ ] ionall. were it to make ye
river a boundary [ ] yt never touch upon it. And wt else was your tempta-
tion to [ ] ye record so corruptly putting in ye word downeward, but ye sence of this argumt against you, to ye greife & offence of thos yt heard you. Now ye good lord pardon all failings, abate your too much confidence, cleere up ye truth, & equity of this case to yourselfe & ye Indeans, & bring all harts to a quiet submission to so wise & equall minded Comitty upon ther con- firmation of ther owne act
Wth my loue tendered to yourselfe & yours I rest
Yours in ye lord to loue & serue John Allin
Dedh 25. 8m. 69
[Written on back,] To ye Revd Mr John Elliot [ ] to ye Church of Christ in Roxbury thes.
I pray leaue this wth ye Honored M' Ting to counicate it to such as are concerned & then to deliver it as aboue if thay see fitt
[Mass. Arch., CX1I, 228, 229.]
A reply to the Rev'end M" Allin about the bounds betwixt Dedham & Natik prsented to the worpfull Comitty, upon yt affaire.
Rev'end & beloved in the Lord.
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I would not willingly greive either yourselfe, or any other child of God, this comfort I have yt I plead not for my selfe, but for Gods pore, & in a just cause. 1. my plea is yt the record maketh but two lines & one angle. the first line begins at a bent of the river. & runeth to the south end of the south feild. About ten rods distant from the fence & there maketh a corner, at a marked tree. then turneth west, at the same distanc from the fenc of the same feild. & runeth to the river. touching the west line, at the south end of the feild we are agreed. & touching the south line, wch is the east border, we are agreed of at least one halfe if not two thirds of it. viz in all yt pt of the line, wch runeth at the foot of the hill, about ten rod distant fro the fence, where there is a range of marked trees. this is the sum of my three first ppositions. to this you answr.
(if your line come to the poynt of the feild below the hill you must make more lines & angles weh maks against your reason A.) I beseech you S' let us joyne to issue the case vpon this poynt. begin we at the south angle wch is agreed on. & run back northward, at the foote of the hill, where a range of trees are marked, untill we come to the north poynt of the feild, weh mr Ting remembred & owned so soone as he saw it. so far we are agreed. Now fro henc, if the line unto the bent of the River wch I ppose, turne & make an angle, & thereby an other line. and if it runeth straight on unto the place weh you ppose to begin at, & maketh no angle, Then I pmise to be silent, & rest satisfied to begin at the place weh you ppose. And I request the same at your hands. viz. that if from the north corner of the feild aboue named, where the marked trees doe range, I say, if the line run right unto that bent of the river weh I ppose, & make no angle. & if it make an angle & a new line, to run unto your place pposed. Then be you silent, & rest satisfied therin. I beseech you for loves sake, & for the sake of the honour of christ, weh is not a litle concerned in this matter, let this poynt issue the case. and the rather, because, w" ever a judgment shall passe upon it, this poynt of the Record will bring forth the issue. therefore in prudence, let us now agree it. And in hopes yt you will consent to this plaine case, I shall the more briefly passe over the rest. 2 In the next place you speake unto my arguing fro the marked tree, refering it to my 3d & 4t. ppositions. but it is a mistake, for it is in my 7t pposition, yt I argue yt poynt, unto weh you answer (but who marked yos trees ? not the comittee, & therfore there is nothing in yt argument) A. I can pve sufficiently that the trees were marked, by the appoyntment of the comittee. & yt m' Ting commanded the Indians, not only to mark the trees, but to lay stones about the roots of the trees so marked. 3 Nextly. upon my 6t pposition you say (I wonder yt you should say, that the bent of the river cañot be seene, wch standing on the plaine, is very visible, as is also the feild upon the same station) A. such things as depend upon ocular demon- stration, need not yt words should be multiplyed about ym. but let yîn be
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looked upon, & see whether it be so or no. And wheras you say the feild is visible at yt station where you would begin. I answer. yt the feild mentioned in the record, at the foote wheroff the line runeth, about ten rods distant fro the east side of it, & at the same distanc at the south end of the same feild. I say, that feild is not visible, at the station you speak off, where you would begin. but it is visible at the bent of the river wch I insist upon. There be two great feilds, one begineth neere the bridg, & is that feild you meane, but there is a good distanc of woodlands betwixt this feild & yt feild upon the hill, wch is mentioned in the record. wch is evident by ocular demonstration.
4 Further you say touching this station & feild (where the estimate of the distanc of 70 or 80 rod was taken) A. the mistake in this poynt lyeth here. you would have the nor-west corner of this feild, neere the bridg to be the bound of this estimate, fro thenc to the bent of the river. But the real truth is, yt the north east corner of this feild, lying a litle beyond, or at the edges of the swamp, & right against the bent of the River, wch I ppose, was the bound of yt estimate.
5 In the next place, you object against my making use of Deakon Parks testimony, wch I doe, in two poynts. first. about the marked tree at the bent of the River, where the line begineth. & 2ly. yt we passed over a dirty swamp, afore we came at the bent of the River, where the line did begin. but you object his absenc at this reveiw. A. M' Ting, out of his godly ingenuity & tendernesse in so weighty a cause, wherin the honor of Christ is so much concerned, is willing to call the comitty to another reveiw. & y" yei may wth y" owne eyes determine those pleas wch depend upon ocular demonstration. we were in an hurry in the formerre view, because we hasted to the Lecture. & it was extreame hot. & m" cook was sick, so yt things could not possibly be throughly considered, as now yel may be at a 2ª reveiw. 6 my plea in my 10t pposition. yt we should not so injure the pore. you answer by two texts of scriptures, yt we must not unjustly favor the pore. I accept your intima- tion, & desire to watch against the error on yt hand, as I deslre you to watch against opp'ssing ym, or of seeming so to doe.
Some other things I will passe by at prsent, hoping yt you will consent to my first request, to issue the controversy upon the poynt, weh yourselfe ppose.
7 But you say (I will give 2 or 3 evident reasons, yt your bent of the River wth the line drawne fro it, is utterly inconsistent wth the record. but the other place exactly agreeing wth it. 1t. the record saith, yt the distance of the bent of the river, to the corner of the feild by estimation was about 70 or 80 rods wheras your bent cañot be lesse y" double yt distanc. neither could it ever be judged off by veiw, for the wood lands yt interpose, except yei had climbed the highest tree there, where as the other place cometh neere yt dis. tanc, is easyly guessed at by vew.) this is your first reason. A. you make the westerly corner neere the bridg to be the bound of this estimate. wch is a
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mistake. it was the easterly corner, wch lyeth just over against the bent of the River, & pveth a prudent estimate. And though it be ought of sight by the interposition of trees, yet when we turned downe fro the feild side, & came p'sently to the River, discreet men may guesse at an estimate, though yel have not a přset sight of both places.
2 your 2ª reason is this (by the record the east line leave you but ten rod east frö the feild. but your line swallows up above an hundred acrs east of the feild
A. your mistake lyeth about the feild mentioned in the record. the record speaketh of one feild, you speake of another. we have two great feilds there. one is the southermost feild, wch the record mentioneth, & layeth our line ten rods fro it, upon two sids theroff. viz. on the east side of it, & on the south side of it, by wch means it is most certaine, that, that is the feild mentioned in the record. but you speake of our other norwesterly feild, wch cometh all- most to the bridg, & endeth a litle beyond the swamp, by the bent of the river frö wch corner, the forementioned estimate of 70 or 80 rods, is taken, therby to describe the bent of the river. now beyond this feild southward is so much land at least, as you speak off, before the south feild wch is men- tioned in the record, begineth. But these things are very capable of a cleare determination, by looking upon y™ wth our eyes. wch I hope, if need be, the worpfull comittee, will onc more doe.
your 3d reason refereth to the record, upon anoth" poynt & place, wch concerneth not these lines in question. & you say, what greife, & offenc I gave &c. but sure I am, there is no such word or thing, in my lers to the worpfull comittee. therefore I shall forbeare to give any answer, till I better understand the matter. Meanewhile I joyne wth you in your Christian desire of pardon for all or failings in these our transactions about earthly things. and my soules desire is yt our last dayes may be our best dayes. & our last actions our best best actions. & yt we may syncearely act for Jesus Christ. & so comending you to the Lord, & to the word of his grace I rest your loving fellow labourer in or Lords Vinyard
Roxb: this 11' of the It 69. John Eliot
[On back of this letter is written], M' Eliots reply to M' Allins answer.
To the worpfull M' Ting wth the rest of the Comittee about Natik & Dedha bounds.
I intreat yt these may be sent to M' Allin of Dedha or a copie of ym, yt you may see the case fully discussed for we are agreed to discusse it by writing. and prsent all, first unto your selves. [Mass. Arch., CXII, 199, 200.]
Whereas, at the Generall Court in October, 1669, in answer to the request of some Praying Indians, setled vpon the north west corner of Naticke bounds, there was a graunt made of such a proportion of land as might be suiteable for their accomodation, and persons also deputed to lay
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