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NATURAL AND CIVIL 



number of purchasers appeared to advance the 

 purchase money, and pay the customary fees 

 and donations, he was always ready to make the 

 grants^ and issue the charters. Nor could the 

 purchasers be apprehensive that any controver- 

 sies could arise respecting the validity of grants 

 and charters, purporting to be made by the king 

 of Great Britain, under the signature and seal 

 of the governor of New Hampshire ; as this was 

 one of the royal provinces, and the lands were 

 fairly purchased and paid for. They had fur- 

 ther reasons for such expectations, for a royal 

 decision had been made, which was understood 

 to have decisively assigned these lands to that 

 province. ' 



The provinces of Massachusetts and New 

 Hampshire, had a long and tedious controversy, 

 respecting their divisional line. This was not 

 settled until March 5, 1740 ; when George thef 

 second, determined, " that the northern boun- 

 dary of the ])rovince of Massachusetts be, a 

 similar curve line, pursuing the course of Mer- 

 rimack river, at three miles distance, on the 

 north side thereof, beginning at tlie Atlantic 

 ocean, and ending at a point due north of Pa- 

 tucket falls ; and a straight line drawn from 

 thence, due west, until it meets with his Majes- 

 ty's other governments." This line was run in 

 1741, and has ever since been admitted as the 

 boundary line, between Massuchusftts and New 

 Hampshire. By this decision, and the estab- 

 lishment of this line, the government of New 

 Hampshire concluded, that their jurisdiction ex- 

 tended as far west, as Massachusetts had claim- 

 ed .and exercised ; that is, v.ithin twenty miles 



