indiandeed1684
INDIAN DEED - SALE of LAND IN MARLBOROUGH ~

INDIAN DEED OF THE PLANTATION OF MARLBOROUGH.

To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come, Greeting

Know Yee, That we, the Indian inhabitants of the Plantations called Natick and Wamesit, in the Massachusetts Colonie in New England, viz. [the names of the Grantees, as written below, with the omission of Andrew Philim or Pitimee, and John Wamesqut, and the addition of Edmund Asowanit, making the whole number 25,] for and in consideration of the sum of thirty-one pounds of lawful money of - New England, which said sum, wee the said here the names are repeated do acknowledge ourselves to have received of Abraham Williams and Joseph Rice, both of the town of Marlborough, in the County of Middlesex, in New England, who, in the said payment, not only for themselves, but also as agents in behalf of all the rest of their fellow purchasers, belonging to the said town of Marlborough, and of the said sum of thirty-one pounds, and every part and parcel thereof, wee the said, [names repeated,] for ourselves, and for our heirs, executors, administrators and consigns, do freely, clearly, and wholly exonerate, acquit and discharge the said Abraham Williams and Joseph Rice, and all their said fellow purchasers belonging to the said town of Marlborough, and every of them, and their heirs, executors, administrators, and every of them forever ; have given, Granted, bargained, sold, and by these presents do give, grant, bargain, and sell and confirm unto the said Abraham Williams and Joseph Rice, and unto all their fellow purchasers, belonging to the said town of Marlborough, and unto all and every of their several heirs and assigns forever, all that tract of land, which is contained within the bounds of the Town, Township or Plantation, called Marlborough, aforesaid, as the said bounds were laid out, plotted, and represented by Mr. Samuel Andrews of Cambridge, unto the Court of the Massachusetts Colonie aforesaid, and by the Court accepted and recorded; that is to say, all Upland Meadows, Swamps, Woods, Timber, Fountains, Brooks, Rivers, Ponds, and Herbage within said bounds of the said Town, Township or Plantation of Marlborough, together with all and singular the appurtenances thereof', and all manner of profits, gains and advantages, arising upon or from, the said tract of land, which the said Abraham Williams or Joseph Rice, or all or any of their fellow purchasers, belonging to the said town of Marlborough, at any time formerly had or now have, or hereafter at any time may or shall have, (except a certain farm some years laid out to Mr. John Alcocke, deceased, which lyeth within the bounds of said town or township of Marlborough, and is by the said [names repeated] utterly and totally exempted and excluded from this present bargain.)

To have and to hold all the forementioned tracts of land here the description is repeated to their own proper use and improvement, as is above declared, (except the farm before excepted), to themselves, the said Abraham Williams and Joseph Rice, and to all their said fellow purchasers, belonging to the said Marlborough, and unto all and several their heirs, and assigns forever, in a good and sure estate of inheritance in fee simple, without any claim or demand, any obstruction, eviction, expulsion or molestation whatsoever, from us the said, [names repeated], or from the heirs, executors, administrators or assigns of us the Indians, or either of us, or from any other person or persons whatsoever, acting by, from, or under us or them, or any of them, our said heirs, executors, administrators or assigns.

Furthermore, wee the said [names repeated] do covenant and grant, with and to the said Abraham Williams and Joseph Rice, and all their said fellow purchasers, belonging to said Marlborough, that wee the above named Indians have been until the conveyance and assurance made by these presents, the true and proper owners of all the said tract of land, lying within the bounds of the plantation or township of Marlborough, together with all and singular the appurtenances thereof in our own right, and to our own use, in a good, absolute and firm estate of inheritance, and in fee simple, and have full power, and good right, and lawful authority to grant, bargain, sell, and convey, and assure, the tract of land, and every part and parcel thereof, with all and singular the appurtenances of the same, as is before in these presents mentioned : And wee the said [names repeated] do warrant and assure that all the tract of land and all and every the appurtenances thereof, by these presents alienated and sold, have been and are at this time of signing and sealing of this Deed of Sale, utterly and totally free and clear from any former bargains, sales, gifts, giants, leases, mortgages, judgments, executions, extents, and incumbrances whatsoever ; and wee the said, [names repeated], for ourselves and our heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, do and shall, from time to time, and at. all times hereafter (as occasion shall afford) confirm, defend, and make good, unto all intents and purposes, this whole bargain and sale aforesaid, and unto all and several their heirs and assigns forever.

IN WITNESS of all which premises, wee the said names repeated have hereunto set our bands and seals, this twelfth they of June, in the year of our Lord Christ, one thousand Six hundred eighty and four, Annoq. Regni Regis Caroli Secundi XXXV1.
 

ANDREW PILIM, (PITIMEE)
 Attorney to Old F. Waban

signum
JOHN X NASQUANET

 signum
JOHN X NASQUANET

 signum
WILLIAM  X WONONATOMOG

 signum
JOHN  X SPEEN

 signum
LAWRENCE X NOWSAWANE

 signum
JACOB X PONOPOHQUIN

 his mark
JEREMY X SOSOOHQUOH

 his mark
SAMUEL X WILLIAM

 signum
NATHAIEL X QUANKATOHN
JAMES SPEEN

 signum
JOHN X WAMESQUT

 signum
JOB X POPONO

 his mark
BENJAMIN X TRAY

 his mark
SOSOWUN X NOO

 signum
JAMES X WISER
SIMON BETOGKOM

 his mark
GREAT X JOHN

THOMAS WABAN

 HIS MARK
ABRAHAM SPEEN

 HIS MARK
GREAT X JAMES

signum
JACOB X PETWAT

 SIGNUM
JEHJA X KIN

 SIGNUM
PETER X EPHRAIM
Attorney for John Awoosamug

 SIGNUM
JOHN X AWOOSAMUG

 SIGNUM
THOM X DUBLET

 SIGNUM
BENJAMIN B. BOHO
 

Signed , Sealed and delivered in presence of us witnesses;

SIMON CROSBY
JOHN CURTIS

 HIS MARK
HENRY X RICE

[Indians]
JOHN MUGUS
DANIEL TAKAWOMPAIT


June 11th and 12th, 1684.-At a Court held at Natick, among the Indians, there
appeared in Court and before me, all the sealers and subscribers to this Deed, being
twenty-five [there are twenty-six signatures] persons in number, and freely acknowl-
edged this writing to be their act and deed.

As attests,  DANIEL GOOKIN, Sen'r, Assistant.

This Deed entered in the Register at Cambridge.-Lib. 9, page 293-299. 7.2.'85.
By THOMAS DANFORTH, R.

On the original document it is seen that the following grantees signed their names; Andrew Pitimee, James speen, Simon Betgkom, Thomas Waban and Benjamin B. Boho; the same is true of the two Indian witnesses.  This fact shows that under the guardianship of Eliot and Gookin, the Indians had made advances in learning what was deemed a civilized life.

Source: History of Marlborough by Charles Hudson as written in his book

It is presumed that Mr. Hudson viewed the document personally and copied verbatum.

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