A BONE OF CONTENTION. I31 



ever came before this later and permanent colonial com- 

 mission has not been discovered by a close scrutiny of 

 their records. It is jDresumable, however, that they refused 

 to entertain the question of the boundary any more ex- 

 plicitly than the first commission had settled it. If this 

 refusal was really made, it would account for the following 

 act passed by the Plymouth court two years later, which 

 was a tardy ratification of the first commission's decision : — 



The Court doth declare that both the propriety and jurisdiction 

 of the three score acres of marsh, lying on Scittuate side of Bound 

 Brooke, att the rivers mouth, next unto the sea, according to the 

 order of the commissioners, doth belonge unto the goverment of 

 the Massachusetts. 



The colonial commissioners were busy about Indian 

 and Dutch affairs, devising a common defense for all four 

 colonies, while this little boundary dispute concerned only 

 two of the four colonies, and they might well refuse to 

 act upon it. 



Both colonies were therefore left where they had been 

 since 1640. The Massachusetts court tried to put a stop 

 to this tedious affair by ordering: 



that Capt. Wm. Torrey and Capt. Richard Brackett are ap- 

 pointed by this Court to appointe both time and place for the 

 meeting with such commissioners as shall be chosen by the 

 Gennerall Court of New Plymouth, and joyne with them to lay 

 out that marish lying at Connahassett, belonging to this juris- 

 dicion, according to the former agreement betweene the commis- 

 sioners of this jurisdicion and New Plymouth, as thereby may 

 appeare, making theire returne to the next Court.* 



These men were promptly about their duty as the Mas- 

 sachusetts records testify : — 



Capt. Wm. Torrey & Capt. Richard Brackett are appointed 

 as commissioners from this Court to joyne with two from Plym- 



* Mass. Col. Rec, Vol. IV, Part I. p. 230. 



