History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

1653.] ESTABLISHING THE PLANTATION. 7
"We hartily desire the Continuance of yonr peace And increase of
yoiir subjects in these parts : In order where luito we hiuubly tender
C desires that Liberty may be granted to erect a plantation about Fiueteene
miles aboue vs on this River of conetiqiiat if it be the will of the
Lord the place being we think very commodius consideratis considerandis
or the containing Large quantity s of excelent Land and Meadow
and tillable groimd sufiBcient for two larg planttations a work wch if it
should go on might as we conceiue proue greatly Advantagas to your
Commonwealth to wch purpose there are diuers in our Neighboring
plantations that have a desire to remoue thither with your Aprobation
thereof to the number of twenty-five families at least that Already
Appeer whereof many of them are of considerable quality for Estates
and fit matter for A church when it shal pleas God to giue opertimity
that way : it is o'' humble desires that by this Hon' Court some power
may be established her or som coiirse appointed for the regulating of
their first proceedings as concerning whome to Admit and other occoroncess
that so the Glory of God may be furethered and your peace and
hapiness not retarded and the Inducement to vs in these desires is not
any sinester respect of our owne but that we being so alone may by
this means may haue som more neighbourhood of your Jurisdiction,
thus not Doiibting j'our acceptance of o' desires we shal intreat the
Lord to sit among you in all your coxmsils and remaine yours mos
humble servants
Springfeild the John Pynchon
6 of J" (3) ""' 1653. Elizur Holliok
Sam" Chapix."
Action of the TliGSG two petitions which were presented
Court. to the General Court at the same time, were
acted upon by that body, on the 18th of
May, when the following vote, appointing commissioners to
lay out the land, was passed : —
"In ans'' to the peticon of seuerall inhabitants of Springfeild &c,
craving liberty & authoritje to erect a new plantacon and toiuieship at
Nonotiicke. &c. itt is ordered, that M'' Jn'' Pinchon. M'' Elitzur Holioke,
and Samuell Chapin shallbe. and heereby are. appointed a comittee to
diiiide the land peticoned for into two plantacons. and that the peticon-
ers make choice of one of them, where they shall haue libertje to
plant themselves, provided they shall not apropriate to any planter
above one himdred acres of aU sorts of land, whereof not above twenty
acres of meadow. tiU twenty inhabitants haue planted & setled them-
selves vppon the place, who shaU have power to distribute the land,
and give out proporcons of land to the seuerall inhabitants, according
to theire estates or eminent qiTaliffications, as in other tomies of this
jurisdiccon."^
1 Records of Massachusetts, vol. 4, part 1, p. 1.36.