Grant of Land North of the Saco River to Thomas Lewis and Richard Bonighton by the Council for New England; February 12

[Destry]

To all Christian people to whom these present writing indented shall come, the Council for the affairs of New England in America send greeting in our Lord God everlasting.

Whereas King James of famous memory, late King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, by his Highness' letters patent and royal grant under the great seal of England, bearing date the third day of November in the eighteenth year of his reign of England, France, and Ireland, etc., for the causes therein expressed did absolutely give, grant, and confirm to the said Council for the affairs of New England in America, and their successors forever, all the land of New England lying and being from forty to forty-eight degrees of northerly latitude and in length by all that breadth aforesaid from sea to sea throughout the main land, together with all the woods, waters, rivers, soils, havens, harbors, islands, and other commodities whatsoever thereunto belonging, with diverse other privileges, preeminences, profits, and liberties by sea and land, as by the said letters patents among other things contained, whereunto due relation being had more at large it does and may appear. Now know you that the said council for the affairs of New England in America, as well for and in consideration that Thomas Lewis, Gentleman, has already been at the charge to transport himself and others to take a view of New England in America aforesaid for the bettering of his experience in advancing of a plantation, and does now wholly intend by God's assistance with his associates to plant there, both for the good of his Majesty's realms and dominions and for the propagation of Christian religion among those infidels, and in consideration also that the said Thomas Lewis together with Captain Richard Bonighton, and also with their associates and company, have undertaken at their own proper costs and charges to transport fifty persons there within seven years next ensuing to plant and inhabit there to the advancement of the general plantation of that country and the strength and safety thereof among the natives or any other invaders, also for the encouragement of the said Thomas Lewis and Captain Richard Bonighton, and other considerations the said council thereunto moving, have given, granted, enfeoffed, and confirmed, and by this present writing do fully, clearly, and absolutely give, grant, enfeof, and confirm to the said Thomas Lewis and Captain Richard Bonighton, their heirs and assigns for ever, all that part of the main land in New England in America, aforesaid, commonly called or known by the name of Swanckadocke, or by whatsoever other name or names the same is or shall be hereafter called or known by, situated, lying, and being between the cape or bay commonly called Cape Elizabeth and the cape or bay commonly called Cape Porpoise, containing in breadth from northeast to southwest along by the sea four miles in a straight line, or accounting seventeen hundred and three score yards according to the standard of England to every mile, and eight English miles upon the main land on the north side of the river Swanckadock after the same rate, from the sea through all the breadth aforesaid, together with all the shores, creeks, bays, harbors, and coasts along the sea within the limits and bounds aforesaid, with the woods and islands next adjoining the said lands not being already granted by the said council to any other person or persons, together also with all the lands, rivers, mines, minerals of what kind or nature soever, woods, quarries, marshes, waters, lakes, fishings, buntings, hawkings, fowlings, commodities, emoluments, and heriditaments whatsoever, with all and singular their and every of their appurtenances in or within the limits or bounds aforesaid or to the said land lying within the said limits or bounds belonging or in anywise appertaining. To have and to hold all and singular the said lands and premises with all and singular the woods, quarries, marshes, waters, rivers, lakes, fishings, fowlings, hawkings, huntings, mines, minerals, of what kind or nature soever, privileges, rights, jurisdictions, liberties, royalties, and all other profits, commodities, emoluments, and hereditaments whatsoever before in and by these presents given and granted, or herein meant, mentioned, or intended, to be hereby given, or granted with their and every of their appurtenances and every part and parcel thereof, except before excepted, to the only proper use and behoof of the said Thomas Lewis, and Captain Richard Bonighton, their heirs, associates, and assigns forever, to the said Thomas Lewis and Captain Richard Bonighton, their heirs, associates, and assigns forever. Yielding and paying to our sovereign lord the King, one-fifth part of gold and silver ore, and another fifth part to the council aforesaid and their successors, to be holden of the said council and their successors by the rent hereafter in these presents reserved. Yielding and paying, therefore, yearly forever to the said Council, their successors or assigns, for every hundred acres of the said land in use twelve pence of lawful money of England, into the hands of the rent gatherer for the time being of the said council, their heirs or successors, for all service whatsoever. And the said Council for the affairs of New England in America aforesaid, do by these presents nominate, depute, authorize, appoint, and in their place and stead, put William Blakestoon of New England aforesaid, clerk, William Jefferys and Edward Hilton of the same, gentlemen, and either or any of them jointly or severally, to be their true and lawful attorney or attorneys, and in their name and stead to enter into the said part or portion of land and other the premises, with the appurtenances by these presents given and granted, or into some part thereof in the name of the whole, and peaceable and quiet possession and seizin thereof for them to take and the same so had and taken in their names and stead to deliver possession and seizin thereof to the said Thomas Lewis and Captain Bonighton, their heirs, associates, and assigns, according to the tenor, form, and effect of these presents, ratifying, confirming, and allowing all and whatsoever the said attorney or attorneys or either of them shall do in or about the premises by virtue hereof. In witness whereof the said Council for the affairs of New England, aforesaid, have hereunto caused their common seal to be put thereon the twelfth day of February, anno Domini 1629, and in the fifth year of the reign of our sovereign lord Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.,
R. Warwick
Edward Gorges

June 28, 1631: Possession, livery, and seizin had and delivered by the within named Edward Hilton, Gentleman, one of the commissioners nominated by the lords of the Council for the affairs of New England, to the within named Thomas Lewis, Gentleman. In the presence and sight of the persons named under.
Thomas Wiggin
James Parker
Henry Watts
George Vahan

This is a true copy of a patent exhibited by Mr. John Bonighton to the commissioners of the general court, being examined therewith word for word attests.

9:5th mo:1660

Thomas Savage.
Source:
Maine Historical Society.
Documentary history of the state of Maine / published by the Maine Historical Society, aided by appropriations from the state.
Portland : Bailey and Noyes, 1869-1916.
I. A history of the discovery of Maine, by J.G. Kohl. 1869.--II. A discourse on western planting, written ... 1854, by R. Hakluyt ... Preface and an introduction, by L. Woods ... ed. ... by C. Deane. 1877.--III. The Trelawny papers. Ed. ... by J.P. Baxter. 1884.--IV-VI. The Baxter manuscripts. [v. 1-3] ed. by J.P. Baxter. 1889-1900.--VII-VIII. The Farnham papers ... comp. by Mary F. Farnham. 1901-02.--IX-XXIV. The Baxter manuscripts. [v. 4-19] ed. by J.P. Baxter. 1907-16.
Collection of the Maine historical society. Second series.