Dongan Patent

              [Original Parchment. ]— THOMAS DONGAN, Capt-Gen-erall Governour in Chiefe and Vice Admirall of the Province of New yorke, and its Dependencyes Under his Majesty James the Second by the grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland King Defender of the faith &c
To all to whome this shall come Sendeth Greeting Whereas Richard Nicolls Esquire Governor Generall under his then Royall Highness James Duke of Yorke & Albany &c now his present Majesty of all his Territoryes in America did by a certaine writeing or Patent under his hand and seale bearing Date the thirteenth day of March in the ninetenth yeare of his Late Majestyes Reigne and in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty six Ratifie confirme and grant unto Mr John Mullford Justice of the peace Mr Thomas Backer Thomas Chatfield Jeremiah Conckling Steven Hedges Thomas Osborne Senior & John Osborne as Patentees for and in
the behalfe of themselves and their associates the ffreeholders and Inhabitants of the towne of Easthampton scituate lyeing and being in the East rideing of Yorkshire upon long Island in the eastermost part of the said Island and to their heires Successors and Assignes all that tract of Land which already hath been or that hereafter shall be Purchased for and on the behalfe of the said Towne whether from the natives Indyan Proprietors or others within the bounds and Limitts hereafter set forth and exprest That is to say their west bounds begin-ing from the East Limitts of the bounds of Southampton as they are now laid out and staked according to agreement & consent so to stretch east to a certaine Pond comonly called the ffortpond which lyes within the old bounds of the lands belonging to the Muntauk Indyans and from thence to go on still east to the outmost extent of the Island on the north they are bounded by the Bay and on the South by the sea or Maine Ocean all which said tract of land within the bounds and limitts beforemenconed and all or any plantacon thereupon from henceforth are to belong and appertaine to the said Towne and be within the Jurisdiccon thereof Together with all havens harbours Creeks Quarries woodlands meadows pastures marshes waters Jakes rivers fishing hawking hunting and fowling and all other profits Comodityes Emoluments & hereditaments to the said tract of land and premisses within the limitts and bounds afore menconed described belonging or in any wise appurtaineing.
To have and to hold all and singular the said lands hereditaments and premisses with their & every of their appurtenances and of every part and parcell thereof to the said Patentees and their associates their heires Successors and assignes to the propper use and behoofe of the said Patentees and their associates their heires Successors & assignes forever Moreover the sd Richard Nicolls Esqr Governor as aforesaid did thereby Ratifye confirme and grant unto the said Patentees
and their associates their heires Successors and assignes all the Priviledges belonging to a towne within this Government and that the place of their present habitacon shall continue and retaine the name of Easthampton by which name and stile it shall be distinguished and knowne in all bargaines and sales Deeds Records & writeings They the said Patentees and their associates their heires Successors and associates their heires Successors and assignes Rendring and paying such dutyes and acknowledgments as now are or hereafter shall be constituted and established by the laws of this Government under the obedience of his Royall Highness his heires and Successors as by the said writeing or Patent Recorded in the Secr*yes Office relacon being thereunto had may more fully appeare And Whereas There is part of a certaine Tract of land within the bounds and limitts aforesaid Comonly called Mountack which remaines yett unpurchased from the Indyans   And Whereas Samuell Mullford and Thomas James some of the ffreeholders of the said towne of Easthampton by the request of the rest of the ffreeholders of said towne have made applicacon unto me that I would grant liberty unto the ffreeholders of said towne to purchase said tract of land off the Indyans and that the ffee and inheritance thereof may only belong unto the ffreeholders of said towne their heires Successors and assignes ferever And that I would confirme the premisses by Patent under the seale of the Province   Now Know Yee That I the said Thomas Dongan by virtue of the power and authority to me derived from his most Sacred Majesty aforesaid and in pursuance of the same for and in consideracon of the Quitt-rent herein after reserved and other good and lawfull consideracons me thereunto moveing have granted ratified released and confirmed and by these presents do grant ratifye release and confirme unto Thomas James Capt Josiah Hobart Capt Thomas Talmage Lieut John Wheeler Ensigne Samuell Mull-ord John Mullford Thomas Chatfield Senior Jeremiah Conk-
line Stephen Hand Robert Dayton Mr Thomas Backer & Thomas Osborne ffreeholders and Inhabitants of Easthampton herein after erected and made one body Corporate and politique and willed and determined to be called by the name of the trustees of the ffreeholders and Comonalty of the towne of Easthampton and their Successors all the aforerecited tracts and neckes of lands within the limitts and bounds aforesaid with all and singular the houses messuages Tenements buildings milnes milnedams fencings inclosures gardens Orchards fields pastures woods underwoods trees timber feedings Comon of pasture meadows marshes Swamps plaines rivers Rivo-lets waters lakes ponds brookes streames beaches Quarries mines mineralls Creekes harbours highwayes and easements fishing hawking hunting and fowling (Silver and gold mines Excepted) and all other ffranchizes Profitts Comodityes & hereditaments whatsoever to the said tracts and necks of land and premisses belonging or in any wise appartaining or there-withall used accepted reputed or taken to belong or in any wise to appurtaine to all intents purposes and constructions whatsoever as also all and singular the rents arreareadges of rents issues and profitts of the said tract of land and premisses heretofore due and payable As also I do by these presents give and grant full power lycence and authority unto the said Trustees of the ffreeholders and Comonalty of the towne of Easthampton and their Successors to purchase the said tract of land of the native Indyans Comonly called Mountack and if it should so happen that the said Indyans should be unwilling to make sale of the said tract of Land comonly called Mountack within the Limitts aforesaid Then I further will and determine on behalfe of his most Sacred Majesty his heires & Successors that the sd Trustees of the ffreeholders and Comonalty of the towne of Easthampton aforesaid and their Successors forever shall at all times hereafter be the only persons capable in the law for the purchase of the said tract
of land Comonly called Mountack and none others To have and to hold all the beforerecited tract of land and premisses with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said Thomas James Capt Josiah Hobart Capt Thomas Telmage Lievt John Wheeler Ensigne Samuel Mullford John Mullford Thomas Chatfield Senior Jeremiah Conkline Stephen Hand Robert Dayton Mr Thomas Backer Thomas Osborne Trustees of the freeholders and Comonalty of the towne of Easthampton and their successors for ever to and for the Severall and respective uses following and to no other use intent and purpose whatsoever that is to say as for and concerning all and