USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900 > Part 12
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Copy examined,
Per GEORGE JAFFREY, Prop. Clk.
The following paper, as explanatory of the last, may be intro- duced, though the date carries us beyond the present period :
Province of New Hampshire :
At a meeting of the Proprietors of the lands purchased of John Tufton Mason, Esq., in New Hampshire, held at Portsmouth, in said Province, on the seventh day of December, 1750 :
Voted,-That the proposed reserved seventeen shares in Sou- hegan-East, (so called,) otherwise called Narraganset, No. 5, be drawn for at this meeting, and that the particular home-lots as here- tofore surveyed and laid out by the claimers under the Massachusetts Government, that shall be drawn by any particular person or per- sons, shall be to the respective person by whom drawn, and to whom entered, to have and to hold the same in severalty, to them, their heirs and assigns respectively, forever. And that the other divisions in said Tract of land, as heretofore surveyed and laid out, as afore- said, belonging unto the home-lots respectively, shall be to the said persons, respectively, who draw the said home-lots, to have and to hold the same, in severalty, to them, their heirs and assigns, forever, in the same manner, and upon the same conditions as they hold in severalty the sundry tracts or parcels of land voted to be held in sev- eralty by a vote passed by said Proprietors at a meeting by them held on the 25th day of July, 1750.
Pursuant to the above vote, the following draft of the said seven- teen shares reserved in Souhegan-East, (so called,) otherwise called
100
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
Narraganset, No. 5, were voted to be recorded in the following man- ner, as they were drawn at this meeting :
Drawn to.
1st, Theodore Atkinson, Esq., 2d, Messrs. Meserve, Blanchard, Green and March, 3d, John Moffit, Esq.,
4th, John Kinge,
5th, John Wentworth, Jr., Esq.
6th, George Jaffrey, Esq.,
7th, Mark H. Wentworth, Esq.,
8th, Thomas Parker, Esq.,
9th, John Ordiorne, Esq.,
10th, William Parker, Esq.,
11th, Mary Moor and Daniel Pierce, Esq., 12th, Matthew Lacimon, Esq.,
13th, Joshua Pierce, Esq.,
14th, Samuel, Sally and Clement March, Esq.,
15th, Thomas Wallingford, Esq.,
16th, Richard Wibird, Esq.,
17th, Jno. Tomlinson, and John Tufton Mason, Esq., A true Copy of record, as attested by, Portsmouth, May 1st, 1796.
Home-lots. No. 39, on Merrymack.
No. 61, on Merrymack.
No. 89, on Merrymack,
No. 76, “ 66
No. 83, “ 66 No. 20, on Babosook.
No. 41, on Merrymack.
No. 95, “
No. 69, “
No. 1, "
No. 79, “ 66
No. 1, on Piscataquog.
No. 66, on Merrymack.
No. 75, “ 66
No. 17, " Babosook.
No. 31, " Merrymack.
No. 35, “
GEO. JAFFREY, Prop. Clk.
Transcribed, June 15, 1796.
It may, perhaps, seem to some readers superfluous to introduce papers of this kind, but it should be remembered that to the future antiquary or historian they may have great value. The Proprietors' Book of Records, preserved in the archives of this town, is becoming (1850) quite a relic of antiquity. It is bound in parchment, and is . in a good state of preservation. They held their meetings in Bos- ton, at "Mr. Luke Vardy's," also "at the house of Peletiah Glover, at the sign of the three horse-shoes, near the Common."
One vote of the proprietors may be given, showing they had some regard for the religious welfare of their township : "Feb. 15th, 1748. Voted,-That one-third of the time, Preaching shall be to accom- modate the inhabitants at the upper end of the town; one other third part, at the lower end of the town; the last third, about Straw- berrie hill ;- all in such houses as said committee shall think proper for each part of the inhabitants." The committee referred to were some of the settlers of the place.
As we have already stated, the people who received title to these
101
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
wild lands (as they then were) had no desire to settle on them, but sold them either to those who were already there, or to men who desired to move into the frontier and hew out a home. It was by these immigrants, therefore, to whom we have already referred, that our town was mainly settled in the first place.
(Grantees of Bedford, 1757.) (Mass. Archives, Vol. 115, p. 844.)
In Obedience to and Order inserted in Publick Print That the several Clerks of the respective Townships be and they are hereby directed to deposit attested Copies, under Oath, of all the Original Grants that have been Made Within these thirty years past, together With a List of the Names of the Grantees, & who have fulfilled the Conditions of their Grants into the secretarys Office by the Last day of March upon pain of the Displeasure of the Court &c.
This May therefore Certifie that the Lowest Narraganset Town- ship on Merrimack River No. 5 bounded East on Merrimack River, South on Sowbeeg (or sowhegan) River, West partly on salem Nar- raganset, or otherwise Called sowhegan West, partly on that which some have Called New Boston, bounded North on that which some have Called shovestown. Granted by the General Court of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay to 120 men. Whereof 60 were to settle in such time as was then set. the said town hath been all Laid Out in 3 divisions beside meadow Each division Except the first hath 123 Rights Laid Out Viz. One for Each proprietor, One for the first Minister, One for the Ministry, & One for the school, the Meadow Lotts are all Laid Out & Numbred, Each meadow Lott Coupled With some One of the third division Except such Lotts in the third division, as have meadow in them. the Lotts througout the town are all drawn, & most of them on Record. There is twenty Acres Laid out to build a Meeting house on, there is 120 acres Granted by the proprietors to Deacon Jonathan Williams Our Proprietors Treasurer And 120 Acres to Captain Joseph Blanchard, he to Erect a Good sawmill & a Good Corn-mill, there is also suit- able provision Made for ways, I am informed there is about 60 fam- ilies setled in the town : but no minister setled, nor Meeting house built, the Late War hath been some discouragement. since the Town hath been Reckoned in New-hampshire Government, it is divided not far from the Middle, & some addition Made to the south end, & Erected into a township And some addition to the North end, & that also made a township.
There are 17 Gentlemen belonging to New-hampshire Which some Call Lord proprietors, Which pretend the Land is theirs, yet have Confirmed the Rights of the original proprietors, as the Lots have been already Laid out & surveyed. Excepting and reserving only 17 Rights or shares as According to said Laying out, the par- ticular Rights or shares to be determined & ascertained hereafter.
here is a true Coppy of their Vote transcribed
102
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
Province of New Hampshire:
At a Meeting of the Proprietors of the Lands Purchased of John Tufton Mason Esqr in the Province of New Hampshire held at Portsmouth in said Province by Adjournment on the Ninth day of November anno Domini 1748
Voted That the Rights of the Original Proprietors of souhegan East, Otherwise Called Narraganset No. 5 on Merrimack River, be and are hereby Confirmed to them according as the said Lots have been already surveyed and Laid Out, excepting and reserving only seventeen shares or Rights as according to said Laying Out; the Particular Rights or shares so Excepted and Reserved to be deter- mined and ascertained hereafter : but that the Particular Rights and shares of Major Edward White and the Reverend Doctor Ebenezer Miller be not among the excepted and Reserved rights as aforesaid, but that their said Rights & shares among said Proprietors surveyed as aforesaid, be hereby Granted and Confirmed to them their Heirs and Assigns.
Copy of Record
attest Geo : Jeffrey jun" Proprs Clerk
At a Proprietors Meeting of the Narraganset Town No 5 at the house of Mr Samuel Knealand in Boston, & met accordingly on ye 30th Day of October 1734 at ten a Clock in the forenoon and Chose the Honoble Samuel Thaxter Esqr Moderator of said meeting-
Then they Proceeded to Draw the setlers Lotts as they were Marked, the Even numbers were setlers and the Odd were non setlers.
on pescataquog
No 1 Governour Belcher Esq. 2 James Davenport
on Merrimack
No 1 Jacob Griggs
5 Samuel Hollis
2 John Plimton
6 James yates
3 Habijah savage
7 Israel Hubbard
4 Thomas simpkins
8 Addington Davenport Esq"
9 Richard Bill
51 John Payson
10 John Dorrill
52 Samuel Pollard
11 John Richards
53 Samuel Wadsworth
12 Thomas Daws
54 Owen Harris
13 William Dinsdell
14 Richard Foster
56 Thomas Viccos
15 Jabez Hunt
16 Thomas Bernard
17 Thomas Holbrook
18 Benjamin Dyer
60 Moses Ayers
61 Thomas Jefferies
20 Joseph Thorn
62 Gamaliel Roggers
21 Samuel Gill
63 Gideon Terril
64 Ebenezer Jones
22 Paul Dudley Esq"
59 Jonathan Gay
19 William Clark Esqr
55 Henry Wilson
57 Joseph Briggs
58 Samuel Lyon
103
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
23 Edmond Weld
24 David Evans
65 samuel Gurnet 66 Capt Ebenezer Horr
25 Thomas Beatle
67 Joseph Benson
26 George Talbott
68 Henry Leadbetter
27 John Baker
69 Jonathan Proutt
28 John Barns
70 Rebeccah Abbott
29 Shadrach Thayer
71 Thomas Tilestone
30 Ebenezer Williams
72 Benjamin smith
31 John Wilson
73 Madam Levingston
32 Henry Timberlake
74 Benjamin Turner
33 James Townsend
75 samuel Fisk
34 Sarah Perkins
76 John Lane for Ephraim
35 Alford Butler
77 samuel Bass
36 John Morey
78 William Oglebe
37 Isaac Hatch
79 Caleb stedman
38 John Langley
80 Zechariah smith
39 Joseph Prince
81 Benjamin swain
40 Samuel Gile
82 John Lane
41 Silence Allen
83 John Mears
42 Benjamin Williams
84 William Dean
43 William Davenport
85 John Tuckerman
44 Edward White
86 Thomas Waymouth
45 Robert Vose
87 John Rice
46 Joseph Savel
47 Ebenezer Williams
89 Jonathan Williams
48 Nathanael Goodwine
90 John Triscott
49 Samuel Miller
91 Edward Tyng
50 John Arnoll
93 Ephraim More
94 Joseph Gardner
97 John Ruggles
98 Benjamin Langdon
home lots on Babbosick
1 John Burrill
2 samuel Belcher
12 John Chamberlin
No 3 David Jacobs
13 samuel Thaxter
4 samuel Linkhorn
14 John Gridley
5 Ebenezer Hartshorn
15 Rebeccah Hannors
6 John Leach
16 William Hasey
7 sarah Warren
17 John Cutler
8 samuel Williams
18 Thomas Baker
9 John Gridley
19 James Pitts
10 John Nelson
20 Ephraim Colburn
I am inclined to believe there Was One Lot Laid out for the Minister & One for the school, in the first Division, between the fifty seventy, & fifty Lots on Merrimack River but they are not Numbred & Recorded, as i Can find, so that i fear they Will be Lost. The first Minister, the Ministry, & school Lots, in the second & Third Division are as followeth
92 Israel Vicary
96 Zechariah Chandler
95 Benjamin Bates
11 Benjamin Bicknall
88 Andrew Oliver
104
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
second Division
Third Division
no.
Minister Lots No. 16th 19th
10th
59
Ministry Lots No. 11th 9 Range upland meadow 90
school Lots No. 22 d
21 st
9th Range upland meadow
60
89 First Minister
I have No Account who are setled in the Town : but by Word of Mouth, according to that account, their names follow
John Moor
Robert Gilmore
Thomas Meglotherin
John Goff Esqr
Paterson David smith
Thomas Chandler
Macdugal
James Walker
mľ Woods
Bushnal
Lieut Moses Barron
samuel Vose now setling
Thomas Viccary
Eleazer Lyon
Robert Gilmore
John Robie Andrew Walker
widow Farmer
Thomas Farmer
Capt John Chamberlin
William Henry James Canady
John Tom James Moor
James Mathas
John Burns
John Moreland Wallice James Moor the Miller
Thomas Barus Thomas Viccary jun
samuel miller
William Awls
William Arbuckle
Robert Mecormick
Robert Read
David Thompson
Garret Rowen
William Corwell
Benjamin Smith
John Maquig
Deacon Orr Widow Maquade
William Moor
Richard Macalister Goyn Riddle
Hugh Riddle
Robert Walker
Jonathan Lyon
James Little
John Little
Forgos Canady
John Bell
John Maglotherin
Noah Thare
Lin
Matthew Patten
samuel Patten
James Macknite
Patrick Taggard
I am informed there are four sawmills in the Town and two Corn Mills. I Cannot inform Who have Performed the setling Condi- tions, any Otherwise than I have Done. Humbly offered
Milton march 25 1751 samuel Wadsworth Proprietors Clerk
Suffolk ss. Boston 26th March 1751 Mr Samel Wadsworth appeared, & made solemn Oath that the fore- going Return is to the best of his knowledge just & true Before me Thos Hubbard J. Pacs
9th Range upland meadow 58
87 Ministry
School
Widow smith, once Capt. lovels widow
105
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
2 Miles Mind. W Hem lock
Staro +
East by the needle
Stores
Peach Tree
Chesnut
Plan of Bedford
N: 29ir: 3 m/+20pole
merrimack River
Fast by the needle 5 miles +3/4-
Stake +Stones
Stake Stones
Entred & Recorded According to the Original Plan on the back of the Charter the 21st May 1750 pr Theodore Atkinson Secry
(Taken from Masonian Papers, N. H. State Papers, Vol. 27.)
The origonal Proprietors names in the Narragansett Township Nº five Now Bedford whose Rights were drawn by the Proprietors of Mr Masons Right as they are Recorded in the Proprietors Book Nº 39 home lott joseph Prince Drawn by Colº Atkinson
Nº 61 Thomas Jafferies Drawn by Meserve Blanchard Green and March
Nº 89 jonathan Williams drawn by Mr Moffat
Nº 74 Benjamin Turner drawn by john Rindge
Nº 83 john Mears drawn by john Wentworth junr
Nº 20 on Babusuck Ephraim Colburn drawn by George jaffrey Nº 41 Silence Allen drawn by Mark Hunking Wentworth
Nº 95 Benjamin Bates drawn by Thomas Packer Nº 69 jonathan Prout drawn by jotham Odiorne
Nº 1 jacob Griggs drawn by William Parker
Nº 79 Caleb Steadman drawn by Mary Moor and Daniel Peirce Nº. 1 on Piscataquog Governor Belchard drawn by Mathw Livermore
Nº 65 Samuel Gurnet drawn by joshua Peirce
Nº 75 Samuel Fisk drawn by Solly and March
Nº 17 on Babusuck john Cuttler drawn by Thomas Wallingford No 31 john Wilson drawn by Richard Wibird
No 35 Alford Buttler drawn by Tomlinson and Mason
copy of the original Proprietors names as they stand Recorded to the several home lotts above Numbered ₱ Mathw Patten Proprs clerk
INCORPORATION.
A few years after the first settlement, the inhabitants petitioned to be incorporated, and in 1750 the town which had been called
106
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
Souhegan East or Narraganset No. 5 was incorporated under the name of Bedford.
It received the name in honor of the then duke of Bedford, to whom we have heretofore referred.
The south bound of the town granted as Souhegan East had been the Souhegan river or a portion of it, as appears from the proprie- tors' map and from the town charter itself. The Proprietors' Book of Records also shows the following article acted on :
At a General meeting of the Proprietors of the Narragansett Town No. 5 meet at Mr. Luke Vardys in Boston Wednesday the Eighteenth Day of June 1740 at ten o'clock forenoon 4th to see whether the Proprietors Will Vote any more money for finishing the Highway between Piscataquog and Souhegan
Voted 3$ 4ª be added to the former 3$ 4ª Raised for that end. Yt Mr Robert Walker to do said work & those yt are delinquents in ys Case to be proceeded with according to Law as to yr Lots the first 38 4ª to be paid down into the Treasurers hands & the other when ye work is don.
This would indicate that the proprietors or the inhabitants had built a road as far south as Souhegan river, and as far north as Pis- cataquog river.
When, however, the town was incorporated, the south bound of the incorporated territory extended only to a line drawn east and west through a "point three miles north of the bridge over the Sou- hegan river at John Chamberlain's house." The strip between the Souhegan river and the south line of Bedford, when Bedford was Souhegan East, was added to the town of Merrimack, apparently without opposition from the town of Bedford, although the settlers of what was then the town of Bedford seem to have expended some money in building a road and a bridge on this territory. This strip was three miles wide from north to south, and four and one half miles long from east to west.
There seems also to have been a difference between the inhabit- ants of Souhegan East, or Narragansett No. 5, known now as Bed- ford, and those of Souhegan West, or Narragansett No. 3, known now as Amherst, as to where the division line ran between them, for in the Proprietors' Book of Records we find the following entry :
We, the subscribers, being committees chosen by the Proprietors of the Townships of Narraganset No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, to set and establish the line between the said township, so far as they join (part of which has been disputed a number of years,) and hav-
107
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
ing met in the month of December, 1766, and was disappointed by a great snow falling after we met, which caused us to break off at that time. We met again the latter end of the next March, and began at a heap of stones on the North bank of Souhegan River, being the corner of Messers Wilson's and Ushers land, being well-known and allowed to be the Southwest corner of said No. 5, and the Southeast corner of said No. 3, and from thence we run about one and one- half degrees West, makeing proper allowance to make our com- passes quadrate, and continued said course as far North as to be East from the Northeast corner of said No. 3, being a large heap of stones, well-known and allowed to be the corner, and we came out about 40 rods distant to the East, with set-off from said heap of stones, and running the line Westward, as far as the Southwest cor- ner of said No. 5, being a beach tree, marked with the number of stones laid to the foot of the same, and found that from said heap of stones to the said beach tree is a line, well marked and accordingly in our said capacity we agreed and established the same to be the line on that part between said No. 3 and No. 5, and finding the snow very deep in the back woods, we broke off at that time, when straithing the line within the said Northeast corner of said No. 3, and that at the bank of Souhegan River, where we first began, and we met again in January, 1771, and began at the said heap of stones on the bank of said Suhegan River and run North three degrees West by one of our compasses, which carried a straight line, to said Northeast corner of said No. 3, and found the same line antiently marked with a number of corner bounds of lots of said line, said line being the line claimed by the proprietors of said No. 5, and have perambulated and new-marked said line, and do in our said capaci- ties agree and establish the said line as we found the same was for- merly run, and marked, and now perambulate and new-marked by us to be the line between the said townships of No. 3 and No. 5, and finds that the line running from the said heap of stones on the bank of the River aforesaid, as formerly claimed by the proprietors of said No. 3, interferes into the land of said No. 5, and is not a proper point to run a straight line between the said heap of stones on the bank of the River aforesaid, and the Northeast corner aforesaid, And that the said line claimed by the proprietors of said No. 3, extends no farther North than the North end of the home lots or first divi- sion in said No. 3, and that from the North end of said home lots to the Northeast corner of said No. 3 aforesaid, the corners of the divi- sion of lots in said No. 3 are on the line which runs straight between the corners of said townships which we have now perambulated and new-marked.
Witness our hands, this 25th day of January, A. D., 1771.
Moses Barran, ) Committee for Andrew Bradford, S No. 3.
Samuel Patten,
Samuel Vose, Committee for
Matthew Patten, No. 5.
108
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
The foregoing settlement of the line between the townships was voted accepted at the Proprietors' Meeting, held the third day of January, 1774.
A true record,
Attest,
MATTHEW PATTEN, Proprietors' Clerk.
With the growth of the city of Manchester, it became apparent that the village which had grown up at the northerly part of Bed- ford belonged more properly to the city than to the town. Accord- ingly, petition was made at the general session of the legislature in 1853, to have this part of the town of Bedford cut off from Bedford and added to Manchester. The legislature granted the petition, and appointed P. T. Abbott at Manchester, J. H. Stevens and Charles H. Moore at Bedford, as the committee to make the division. Their report is appended :
We began at Northeast corner of Bedford on the bank of the Merrimack river it being a southerly line said Manchester at stone marked B & M. which is established as the corner bound, the line then runs North Eight and one half degrees west five rods to a stone sixty six rods to a stone marked B & M. thence South one and a half degrees East five rods to a stone marked B & M. which is sunken in middle of the road, thence North 882 degrees west One hundred and sixty rods to a stone marked B & M. thence North 22º degrees East 35 rods to a stone marked B & M. at the Boynton road so called, thence same course 147. rods to a stone marked B & M. at the Meeting house road so called. thence same course 161 rods to a stone marked B & M. at the Worthley road so called, thence same course 66 rods to a stone marked B & M. standing in the wall, thence westerly by the wall 28} rods to a stone marked B. & M & G. which is established as a corner standing in the wall-
November A D 1855.
P. T. ABBOTT, Com. of Manchester. J. H. STEVENS, CHARLES H. MOORE, Selectmen of Bedford.
SOUHEGAN EAST VESTED WITH TOWN PRIVILEGES.
April 11, 1748 .- Gov. Wentworth informed the Council of. " The situation of a number of persons, inhabiting a place called Souhegan- East, within this Province, that were without any township or Dis- trict, and had not the privilege of a town in choosing officers for regulating their affairs, such as raising money for the ministry," &c.
109
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
Upon which, his Excellency, with the advice of the Council, was pleased to order that the above-mentioned persons, living at s'd place, be and hereby are empowered to call meetings of the s'd inhabitants at which meeting they may, by virtue hereof, transact. such matters and things as are usually done at town or Parish meet- ings within this Province, such as choosing officers, raising money for paying such charges of the s'd inhabitants, as shall be voted by a majority present at any such meeting. Provided, nevertheless, that nothing herein contained, shall be construed, deemed, or taken as a grant of the land, or Quieting any possession. And that this order may be rendered beneficial to the s'd inhabitants, tis further ordered, that Capt. John Goffe, Jun'r, call the first meeting, by a written noti- fication, posted up at a public place amongst the inhabitants, fifteen days before the time of the s'd meeting, in which notification the matters to be transacted are to be mentioned; and after that, the Selectmen may call meetings, and are to follow the rules in so doing, that are prescribed by law, for Town and Parish meetings. This .Vote to continue and be in force till some further order thereon, and no longer.
CHARTER GRANTED TO SOUHEGAN EAST, IN 1750.
At a Council holden at Portsmouth according to his Excellency's Summons, on Friday, May the 18th, 1750 :- Present :- Ellis Huske, Theodore Atkinson, Richard Wibird, Samuel Smith, John Downing, Samuel Solley, and Sampson Sheaffe, Esquires :- A petition signed Samuel Miller, William Moore, and others, presented by John Goffe, Esq., and Mr. Samuel Patten, praying for a charter of Incorporation . of the inhabitants of a place called Souhegan-East, in this Province, being read, and Joseph Blanchard, Esq., in behalf of the town of Merrimack, also at the same time appearing, and the parties being heard on the said Petition, and agreeing where the line should run, in case his Excellency, with the advice of the Council, should think proper to grant the Petitioners a Charter of Incorporation. Mr. Goffe and Patten, upon being asked, declared that the sole end pur- posed by the petitioners, was to be incorporated with privileges as other towns, by law, have in this Province.
Upon which the Council did unanimously advise that his Excel- lency grant a Charter of Incorporation, as usual in such cases.
The following is a copy of the petition before mentioned :
-
110
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
PETITION FOR INCORPORATION.
To his Excellency, Benning Wentworth, Esq., Governor and Com- mander-in-Chief of his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, and to the Honorable, his Majesty's Council, assembled at Ports- mouth, May 10, 1750.
The humble Petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of Souhegan- East, so-called, Sheweth, That your Petitioners are major part of said Souhegan ; that your petitioners, as to our particular persuasion in Christianity are generally of the Presbyterian denomination : that your petitioners, through a variety of causes, having been long des- titute of the gospel, are now desirous of taking the proper steps in order to have it settled among us in that way of discipline which we judge to tend most to our edification; that your petitioners, not being incorporated by civil authority, are in no capacity to raise those sums of money, which may be needful in order to our proceed- ing in the above important affair. May it therefore please your Excellency, and Honors, to take the case of your petitioners under consideration, and to incorporate us into a town or district, or in case any part of our inhabitants should be taken off by any neigh- boring district, to grant that those of our persuasion, who are desir- ous of adhering to us may be excused from supporting any other parish charge, than where they conscientiously adhere, we desiring the same liberty to those within our bounds, if any there be, and. your petitioners shall ever pray, &c.
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