THE FREEMAN'S PURCHASE. 291 



interests of our country. In the prosecution of this subject I 

 cannot do better than to take some limited extent of our State, 

 and to trace out the marks of progress, and find as far as possi- 

 ble the causes which have produced the most happy results. I 

 shall therefore refer to an ancient record — a transfer by deed 

 of what is called the " Freeman's Purchase." It is a convey- 

 ance of land by the aborigines to Capt. James Cudworth and 

 others, inhabitants of the town of Freetown. 



This territory included all the tract of upland and meadow 

 lying on the easterly side of Taunton River, bounded toward 

 the south with the river called the Falls, or Quequechand, and 

 so extending itself northerly until it comes to a little brook 

 called, by the English, Stacey's Creek, which brook issues out 

 of the woods into the marsh, or bay, of Assonet. 



This tract extended four miles wide and about eight miles 

 long. Also all the meadow on the westerly side of Taunton 

 River, and all the creeks, coves, rivers and inland meadows 

 not lying above four miles from the flowing of the tide. 



The consideration of this purchase was twenty coats, two 

 rugs, two iron pots, two kettles, and one little kettle, eight 

 pairs shoes, six pairs stockings, one dozen hoes, one dozen 

 hatchets, two yards broadcloth, and a debt satisfied to John 

 Burns, due from "Wamsitta 24th December, 1657. 



This deed was given by Wamsitta, the son and successor of 

 Massasoit and Tattapanum (supposed to be the wife of Wamsitta) 

 the squaw sachem of Pocasset. This deed was sealed and de- 

 livered in the presence of witnesses, and duly acknowledged, 

 June 9, 1659. 



This tract of territory, heretofore uncultivated except by a 

 wandering tribe of Indians, now became the care of an active 

 and enterprising class of men ; and at the present time you can 

 find unmistakable evidence that much labor was bestowed in 

 the clearing and cultivating the soil. Lots have been laid out 

 and immense walls erected, many of which have defied the 

 storms of an age, and are now in many places standing as 

 erect as the day in which they were built. While whole fields 

 are grown over with thorns and briars, everything indicates that 

 at one period there was thrift and prosperity. 



Commerce was introduced with the South and the West India 

 Islands, and this no doubt opened a channel by which they could 



