Petition of William Stoughon and Joseph Dudley to the Massachusetts General Court

To the Honourable General Court Now Sitting in Boston, May 11, 1681

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The humble motion and petition of William Stoughton and Joseph Dudley[1] sheweth that whereas there is a large tract of land lying in the Nipmuc Country belonging partly to this Colony and partly to our neighbours of Plymouth and Connecticut, to which also there are several Indian claims, and some already devised to some persons abroad and amongst ourselves utterly improbable to be of benefit to this Colony by any settlement of inhabitants likely to be serviceable to the Country and other entanglements thereupon, which, because the said Country is so inland and remote and so uncertain how it will be divided since the patent lines are so much interrupted and questioned by our friends of Connecticut, all which they are sensible of and have been conversant in, being employed as Commissioners of the United Colonies, do propose to this General Court that some committee be impowered and employed fully to examine all claims and grants within the said Country and that the remainder be disposed some way for the Country's benefit, least under ill pretenses it be entangled and embezzled to the Country's disadvantage.  Or if it be thought meet that ourselves, as Commissioners abovesaid, do take any particular care and farther inspection into the said matter, we shall be willing so to do and to give this Court a full account thereof as we may or can without any charge to the Country for our service, provided we may have liberty to purchase to ourselves of such remaining Indians as have good title thereunto a small convenient tract of land, which may bee a meet recompense for our pains and travel therein.

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