Ousamequin, or Ossamequin, sometimes written Woosemequin, was Massasoit himself, who in the latter part of his life had adopted that name. This contract is said to have been made and executed on a small rocky hill where Seth Latham now lives, anciently called Sachem's Rock, a little south of Whitman's Mills in the east parish. The wear, which they at first established as their centre, was a little above the mills, back of Deacon William Harris' house, and near the ancient fording place. The first mill erected on this stream stood near the wear, which consequently became useless and was discontinued as a fishing place. Traces of the old road at the fording place on the south side of the river, and also of the old wear at the bottom of the river, are still to be seen.

This river and the pond from which it proceeds, as well as the neighbourhood in which they are situated, still retain the name of Satucket, a contraction of Saquatuckett, or Massaquatuckett, as it was sometimes written. While the grant from the court was only four miles each way, equal to eight miles square, this purchase from the Indians was seven miles each way, equal to fourteen miles square. The reason of this difference is not very obvious; but the purchase was probably made thus extensive, either in reference to the "seven miles" mentioned in the first order of court, or with a view to additional grants in future.

The plantation was incorporated into a distinct town in the year 1656, agreeably to the following act of court. "Ordered that henceforth Duxbury new plantation be allowed to be a township of itself, distinct from Duxbury, and to be called by the name of Bridgewater; provided that all public rates be born by them with Duxbury upon equal proportions." This proportion appeared, by a public tax assessed about that time, to have been established at one third; as Duxbury paid l. 6: 0: 9, and Bridgewater 1. 2:0: 3. The name was probably adopted from fancy, as most of the names of towns were in the "old Colony," and not because any of the settlers came from Bridgewater in England.

The inhabitants soon discovered, that they had not left themselves four miles on the east of their centre at the wear, without encroaching upon the Major's purchase, so called (now part of Pembroke,) and, what was probably a more important discovery to them, they found also, that there was a large tract of swamp and meadow lands, called Hockomock, lying on the west beyond their four miles towards Taunton (now Easton and Raynham.) They therefore began very early to make application to court for leave to move their centre, and extend their limits, westward, so as to include these lands; as appears, as well as the reasons they assigned for it, in the following order in 1658. "It is agreed by the court that there shall be chosen such as the town of Bridgewater shall think meet, that are no way engaged in the new plantation of Duxbury, to view out the land and meadow desired by Bridgewater, and to consider of the reasonableness of their desire in reference to the accommodating of some useful men in church and Commonwealth and make true report of the same to the court." And in 1662 the same was granted them as follows.

"In answer to a petition preferred to the court by Bridgewater, it is agreed, that the meadow land lying northward and westward from the centre within the seven miles is granted them."

They afterwards, by the leave of court, removed their centre about one mile and a half west from the wear and constituted a large oak Tree, near the old dwelling house of the present Thomas Hayward, their central monument: which was ever afterwards, as long as it stood, called the "centre tree," and the place still retains the name of "the Centre." Some remains of the stump are still visible in the wall on the south side of the road, and are in the divisional line between the east and west parishes.

In 1668 the court, "in answer to a petition of Bridgewater desiring their enlargement may extend to the six miles they purchased of the Indians by order of court," made another grant to the town of "six miles from the centre on the north side, if the line of the Colony hindreth not, and on the west side up to Taunton

bounds," now Easton and Raynham, "and on the south and southeasterly sides unto Titicut river, as far as the six miles extends, and so likewise on the east side, that is to say, the whole six miles from the centre, east, west, north and south; always provided, that grants of lands formerly made by court be not molested. It is also ordered that those lands, that are between Bridgewater and Namasket," now Middleborough, " already granted, shall be determined by the court unto what township they shall belong; and that the Indians be not molested; and that they be careful to provide a competency of land for Mr. Keith."

This was commonly called "the two miles additional grant," as the first was, "the old four mile grant." It would seem by some expressions in this grant, as if it were understood, that the original purchase of the Indians had been only six miles each way, and not seven, as the fact was. There seems also to have arisen about that time a question in the court as to the extent of it; for we find the depositions of Constant Southworth and Samuel Nash, two of the purchasers, respecting it, upon record, in which they say, "they purchased six miles every way from the wear, and have for it the writing or deed under Ossamequin's own hand, which is seven miles." Probably they had ascertained, that six miles would comprehend all the land around them, not included in other grants, and had therefore asked of the court for that extent only, and doubts had arisen whether they had purchased that quantity of the Indians. These depositions were probably introduced to show they had purchased six miles and more, even "seven."

By this additional grant, they obtained their two miles on the north towards the colony line, and some on the cast, north of "the major's purchase," in the north east corner of the town; but, very little, if any, elsewhere. Their original four miles would extend to the "major's purchase" on the east, and "the Taunton north purchase" on the west, and the Indian plantation at Teightaquid had been reserved by the Court in all their grants. This plantation had been granted to the Titicut Indians by Chick

atabut, a sachem of Massachusetts living on Neponset river, being "three miles, on each side of the river," and was called Keketticut, or Ketticut, or Teightaquid, and now commonly written Titicut. So much of it, however, as lies north of the river was contained within the six miles, and they were afterwards allowed to purchase it of the Indians, and Elder Brett, Mr. Nicholas Byram, and Mr. Samuel Edson, were appointed by court for that purpose. They accordingly, November 20, 1672, procured a deed of it from Pomponoho, alias Peter, chief of the Titicut Indians; being "all the land lying north of Titicut river, within the bounds of Bridgewater, what lands were mine or were either my father's or grandfather's or any otherwise conferred on me, excepting one hundred acres lying up the river to the eastward of Small Brook, given to an Indian called Charles, my brother in law, and a certain parcel of land lying against the wear and bounded by the landing place, running to the head of my field containing about ten acres to the utmost ;" signed with his mark, p, witnessed by Joseph Hayward and John Cary, sen. and acknowledged before Josiah Winslow, governor. The consideration was 167. viz. "61. current money, and 107. in good merchantable corn." The two lots reserved were afterwards purchased of the individual Indians owning them by some of the settlers of the town. The 100 acres were purchased of Charles by Edward Mitchell and Elisha Hayward. Thus all the lands within the most extensive limits of the town, appear to have been fairly purchased of the natives; and we have the above named Governor Winslow's attestation upon record, that this was the case in all the towns in the old colony.

If there were any lands within the last grant, "lying between Bridgewater and Namasket," besides those contained in the Titicut plantation, the Court, having reserved the right to themselves to determine unto which town they should belong, settled that question afterwards by constituting the river the boundary between Bridgewater and Middleborough.

In the year 1685, the Court of Assistants were empowered to examine, allow, and confirm, from time to time, all claims and titles to lands formerly granted to

towns or individuals by the General Court, and when allowed they were to "pass the seal of the government for confirmation." In pursuance of this order, the grants above mentioned were confirmed by Thomas Hinckley, Esq. governor, March 6, 1686, and the boundaries of the whole town, generally described. The deed was attested by Nathaniel Clark, secretary. And on the 23d of December, of the same year, a deed of confirmation was also procured from "Josiah, son of Josiah Wampatuck," called an Indian sachem, living at Mattakeset, now Pembroke, of all the town lying "north of the south four mile line," that is, all excepting the late "Titicut purchase" contained in the deed of Pomponoho, which needed no confirmation. The consideration of Wampatuck's deed was "ten pounds in money, and one hundred acres of land lying on the upper end of poor meadow on both sides of the river." These one hundred acres were afterwards bought and are now owned by individuals in the town. This deed of confirmation was made to Samuel Edson, sen. Ensign Haward, and John Willis, sen. in behalf of all the proprietors, signed with Wampatuck's mark, witnessed by John Soule, Joseph Bearstow, and Samuel Tinsley, probably inhabitants of Mattakeset, and acknowledged before William Bradford, deputy governor. It appears, therefore, that the greatest part of the town has been twice purchased of the natives, once of Massasoit, and again of Wampatuck, a valuable consideration having been paid to each. The original" four mile grant" was never allotted, but remained in common among the proprietors, who, in 1662, after "some of the committee, originally named in the grant for laying it out, were dead, and others taken off by other occasions," were authorized by court to appoint a committee from among themselves to lay out their lands, and all their agreements respecting their proprietary were to be recorded by the clerk of the town, who was consequently made clerk also of the proprietors. There was an attempt however made to divide the whole "commons" at once among the proprietors; but William Brett, their elder, wrote to Gov. Winslow requesting him with "the honored Court" to prevent it. His letter is long and par