Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

60 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886.
After the Windsor church had condemned Mr. Pynchon, he ap-
pealed to Mr. Eliot and the Roxbury church. There are indications
that he and his witnesses were at Koxbury at the time that several Con-
necticut men were at Charlestowu. At any rate, the Roxbury church
notified Mr. Pynchon's accusers when the}' were at the Bay that the
charges were being examined by the Roxbui-y church, which after a
thorough examination completely vindicated Mr. Pynchon. Thus
the Connecticut General Court and the Windsor church condemned
Mr. Pynchon, and the Massachusetts General Court and the Rox-
bury church stood by him.
It was at the town-meeting of April 16, 1640, that the important
vote was passed changing the name from Agawam (which was the
Indian name for meadow) to Springfield, after Mr. Pynchon's Eng-
lish home. The spelling as it stands on the record is " Spring-
feild."
But we are not yet done with the complications which feelings of
mutual distrust had precipitated between Springfield and Connecticut.
The latter showed a disposition to lay claim to lands over the Massa-
chusetts line, and a veritable tempest was roused by the Connecticut
court, which passed an order that " Ed: Hopkins, Esqr. now Gover-
nour, shall ha^•e the benefitt and liberty of free trade at Woronocoa
& att any place thereabout, uppon the River, and all other to be re-
streyned for the terme of seaven yeres, and the land to be purchased
for the Comonwelth." This region, which is the site of Westfield,
was in the heart of the beaver grounds. As soon as communication
could be established with the Bay the matter was fully ventilated,
and this letter to Connecticut was drawn up by the Massachusetts
General Court :
—
It is greivos to us to nieete \v"' siny occation tliat iniglit cause difference to
arise betweene yo'' people & us, standing in so near relation of friendsWp, neigh-
borhood, & Christianity, especially : therefor o"' study is (when any such arise)
to labor the renioveing of them upon the first appearance. Now, so it is, that
wee have here certified tliat you have given leave to some of yo""* to set up a