part, and the Right Houn'oble James, Marquess Hamilton of the other part witnesseth, that whereas our late Sovreigne Lord King James of blessed memory, by his Highness Letters Pattents, under the great seal of England, bearing date at Westminster the third day of November, in the eighteenth year of His Highness Reigne over the Realm of England, for the considerations in the same Letters Pattents expressed, hath absolutely given, graunted and confirmed, unto the said Councill and their successors forever, all the lands of New England in America, lying and being in breadth from forty degrees of northern Lattitude from the Equinoctial Line, to forty-eight degrees of the said northerly Lattitude, inclusively, and in length of and within all the breadth aforesaid throughout the main land from sea to sea, together also with all the firm lands, soyles, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, waters, fishings, mines and mineralls, as well royall mines of gold and silver, as other mines and mineralls, precious stones, quarries and all and singular other comodoties, jurisdictions, royalties, priviledges, franchises and preheminences, both within the said tract of land upon the main, and also upon the islands and seas adjoyning, as by the said Letters Pattents amongst divers other things therein contained, more at large it doth and may appear. Now this Indenture further witnesseth, that the said Councill in performance of an agreement made by and between themselves, and enacted the third day of February last past before the date of this present, for a competent sum of money, and also for other good causes and considerations them the said Councill hereunto especially moveing, have given, graunted, bargained, sold, Enfeofed and confirmed; and by these presents do give, graunt, bar gaine, sell, Enfeof and confirme unto the said James, Marquess Hamilton, his heirs and assigns, all that part, purparte and portion of main lands of New England aforesaid, scituate, lying and beginning at the_middle part of the mouthe or entrance of the River of Connecticutt in New England, and from thence to proceed along the sea coast, to the Narohigansets River or harbour, there to be accounted about sixty miles, and so up the westerne arme of that river to the head thereof, and into the land northwestward till sixty miles be finished, and so to cross over land southwestwards to meet with the end of sixty miles to be accounted from the mouthe of Connecticutt up northwest, and also all islands and isletts as well imployed as within five leagues distance from the premises, and abutting upon the same or any part or parcell thereof, not otherwise granted to any by speciall name, all which part and portion of lands and premises shal from henceforth be called by the name of the county of New Cambridge, and also the said Council for the consideration afores'd, have given, granted, bargained, sold, Enfeoffed and confirmed, and by these presents doe give, grant, bargain, sell, Enfeoff and confirm unto the said James, Marquess Hamilton, his heirs and assignes, all that other parcell or portion of lands, woods and wood grounds lying on the east side of the River of Sagadahock in the easterly part of New England aforesaid, containing and to contain there ten thousand acres, and to be hadd and taken together as conveniently as the same may be towards the head of the s'd river, and next unto the land of Edward Lord Georges there, which from henceforth is to be called by the name of and moreover the said Councill for the consideration aforesaid, have given, grant ed, bargained, sold, Enfeoffed and confirmed, and by these presents do give, grant, bargain, sell, Enfeoff and confirm unto the said James, Marquess Hamilton, his heirs and assignes, together with the said bargained premises, all the firm lands, soyles, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, waters, fishings, mines and mineralls, as well royall mines of gold and silver as other mines and mineralls, precious stones, quarries, and all and singular other commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, priviledges, franchises and preheminencies, both within the said tracts of lands upon the main, and also within the islands and seas adjoining, saveing, excepting and reserving out of this present graunt, only the fifth part of the oare of gold and silver due to His Majestie, his heirs and successors, and in and by the said Letters Pattents reserved-to have and to hold all those the said severall parcells of land, and all other the said bargained premises, with their and every of their appurtenances (except before excepted,) unto the said James, Marquess Hamilton, his heirs and assignes, to the only propper use and behoofe of him the said James, Marquess Hamilton, his heirs and assignes forever; and to be enjoyed as fully, freely and in as large, ample and beneficiall manner and forme, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, as they the said Councill and their successors by vertue of the said recited Letters Pattents may, might or ought to have, hold and enjoy the same, or any part or parcell thereof. In witness whereof to the one part of this present indenture, remaining in the hands of the said James, Marquess Hamilton, they the said Councill have fixed their common seal, and to the other part of this present indenture, remaining in the hands of the said Councill, the said Marquess hath sett his hand and seale. Dated the day and year first above written, Annoque Domini 1635. This is a true and authentick copee of the principal indenture above written, under the seal above specified, duely compared and collationed by uss Notaries Publick underscribing, in the presence of the witnesses afternamed, as doth witness our signe and subscription mannal at Hamilton, the 12th May, 1664. R. HAMILTON, Notarius Publicus, J. HAMILTON, Witness, WILL HAMILTON, Witness, J. MOTHERSPOON, Witness. Note. From the first settlement of Connecticut by the English in 1635, it does not appear from the records and files in the Secretary's office, that any official correspondence or communications passed between the settlers and the English Government till 1661, but the infant Colony was left to its own slender resources to struggle with innumerable difficulties and hardships, incident to the commencement of all new settlements:-This want of attention on the part of the British Government to the new Colony, may be ascribed to the civil dissensions and popular tumults which soon after commenced in England, which resulted in a long and bloody civil war, and eventually in the dethronement and execution of King Charles the First in 1649, which was soon followed by the dissolution of the monarchy, and the elevation of Cromwell to the Protectorship of England, Scotland, Ireland &c. in 1653. On the death of Cromwell in 1657, he was succeeded by his son Richard, who proved a weak and inefficient man, and resigned the Protectorship in 1659; upon which the monarchy was soon restored, and Charles the Second ascended the throne in 1660; the Government of England soon became settled and permanent; and a correspendence between them and the Colony commenced, which will be given in Chronological order. A COMPACT or CONSTITUTION of Government, entered into and adopted by the Colony of Connecticut, January 14th, 1638.* For as much as it has pleased the Almighty God by the wise disposition of his Divine Providence so to order and dispose of Kings, that we the Inhabitants of Windsor, Hartford, and Weathersfield,† now cohabiting and dwelling in and upon the River of Connecticutt and the Lands thereunto adjoining, and well knowing when a people gathered together, the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such a people, there should be an orderly and decent Government established according to God, to order and dispose of the affairs of the people at all seasons as occasion shall require; do therefore associate and conjoine ourselves to be as one publick Estate or Commonwealth, and do for ourselves and successors and such as shall be adjoining to us at any time hereafter, enter into combination and confederation together to maintain and preserve the Liberty and purity of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, which we now profess; as also the Discipline of the Church of Christ, according to the truth of said Gospel as now preached amongst us, as also in civil affaires to be guided and governed according to such Laws, Rules, Orders and De *This date of 1638, is owing to the manner of dating at that time. The first settlers of the Colony commenced the year on the 25th of March, and this was evidently in 1639, for as appears by the Record, the December preceding was 1638, and the April following 1639. †The three towns, Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield, composed at that time the Colony of Connecticut. |