MARTHA'S VINEYARD. 409 



the government of Massachusetts Bay may receive ^^ Mar- 

 tin's Vineyard into their jurisdiction if they see fit," it never 

 up to that time having been under the control of any of the 

 colonial governments. 



In 1650 Mr. Thomas Mayhew, the grantee under Lord 

 Stirling, who seems to have devoted himself to christianizing 

 the savao;es, writes from there that the " natives of 'Mar- 

 tin's' Vineyard were mostly Christians, and that all the island 

 was in a measure leavened." 



In 1654 Capt. Humphrey Atherton was authorized " to 

 pasture sheep on ' JSIartin's ' Vineyard and Nantucket, he 

 performing the law for keeping sheep." 



In 1658 the commissioners of the united colonies wrote to 

 Mr. Thomas Mayhew of " Martin's " Vineyard concerning 

 the Indians there. 



In 1662 one John Doggett (who might reasonably have 

 complained when they wrote his name Doghead), of the 

 island called "Martin's" Vineyard, at the October court at 

 Pl}Tiiouth, complained against the town of the said Vineyard 

 for the title of certain land in the enjoyment of which he was 

 disturbed, and prevailed. Nicholas Morton and John Pease 

 of "Martin's" Vineyard were appointed to answer to the 

 suit. This same Doggett, at the July court in Plymouth, 

 complained against one Geo. Ro])inson of "Martin's" Vine- 

 yard for defamation, and Robinson was ordered " to pay five 

 pounds, and to make acknowledgment to the court and at 

 home on training day at the head of the company." 



October 25 of the same year Doggett was tried for " un- 

 civil carriage " to Mary Robinson and acquitted. 



The same year the commissioners of the colonies wrote 

 Mr, Robert Boyle, governor of the "corporation for the 

 propagation of the gospel among the Indians," that Mr. 

 John Eliot had l)aptized divers of the Indians on ' ' Mar- 

 tin's " Vineyard. 



The next year Simon Bradstreet, president of the commis- 

 sion, wrote Mr. Boyle on the matter of the Indians at 

 " Martin's " Vineyard. 



In 1664 Mr. John Eliot asked that ten pounds be paid to 

 Samuel, an Indian of the church of "Martin's" Vineyard, 

 as a teacher at Nantucket. 



