William the Third, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, to all to whom these presents shall come, sendeih greeting : Whereas our loving su!)jects William Nicolls, Esq., Captain Ebenezer Williams, David Jameson, John Harrison, and Samuel Haight have by their petition, presented to our trusty and well beloved Benjamin Fletcher, our Captain General and Governor-in-ohief of our province of New York and territories depending thereon in America, and prayed our grant and confirmation of a certain tract of land in our county of Westchester, beginning at a certain white oak tree marked with three notches, standing at the east side of Mamaroneck river, and thence by marked trees, as it runs south sixiy-five degrees and thirty minutes, eastwardly fifty-six chains to a black oak tree and the marked trees of Joseph Budd's pnrchase.

* Dow^ning's Landscape Gardening, p. 197,8, 9- There is a fine specimen of this noble tree on the property of Elbert Roosevelt, Esq , Pelham.

Vol, I. 33

250 HISTORY OF THE

standing near Westchester path, marked with three notches, and thence hy the marked irees of JosP|>h Biuid's purchase stand-ing near Westchester path aforesaid, lo an elm tree on the west side of Blind brook, and a white ash on the east side of the said brook, marked with three notches, and thence by the east side of the said brook, to the head thereof to a chesnut tree marked with three notches and the letters E. W. and H. ; thence south lo a white wood tree, and thence by marked trees west to Ryeponds ; thence including the said Rveponds, south to the head of Mamaroneck river, which runs on the west side of Brown's I'oint, and thence by Mamaroneck river and the east bounds of Richbell's patent to the place where it began, bounded west by Blind brook and vacant lands, north by vacant lands, west by Mamaroneck river, and souih by Budd and Jonas W. ('oryan's purchase, which reasonable request we being willing to grant, Know ye, of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have given, granted ratified and confirmed, &c., &c., and by these presents do for us, our heirs and successors, give, grant, ratify and confirm unto our said sovereign subjects, William Nicolls, Ebenezer Williams, David Jameson, John Harrison, and Samuel Haighi, all the aforesaid certain tract of land within our said county of Westchester, and within the limits and bounds aforesaid together with all and singular the woods, underwoods, trees, timber, feedings, pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, ponds, pools, \Aaters, water-courses, rivers, rivulets, brooks, streams, fishing, hawking, fowling, hunting, and all other profits, benefits, privileges, liberties, advantufjes, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the aforesaid recited certain tract of land, wiiliin the limits and bounds aforementioned l)felonging or in any ways appertaining, to have and to hold all the aforesaid certain tract of land, together with all and singular the woods, underwoods, trees, timber, feedings, pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, ponds, pools, waters, water-courses, rivers, rivulets, runs, brooks, streams, fishing, fowling, hunting, hawking, and also other profits, benefits, privileges, liberties, advantages, hereditaments, appurtenances whatsoever, to the aforementioned certain tract or tracts of land within the parts and bounds aforesaid belon^nng or in any ways appertaining unto ihem, the said William Nicolls, lObenezer Williams, David Jameson, John Harrison and Samuel Haight, their heirs an J assigns, to the only proper use, benefit and behoof of them, the said William Nicolls, Ebenezer Williams, David Jameson, John Harrison and Samuel Haight, their heirs and assigns forever, without any let, hindrance, or molestation, or right to be had or reserved upon pretence of joint tenancy, or survivorship, any thing contained in this our grant lo the contrary or anywise notwithstanding, to be holden of us, our heirs and successors, in free and common soccage as of our manor of East Greenwich, in our county of Kent, within the realm of England, yielding, rendering and paying therefor yearly and every year, unto us, our heirs and successors, the annual and yearly rent of twenty shillings current money of our said province, at our city of New York, on the Feast day of the Annunciation of our Blessed Virgin Mary, in lieu and stead of all other rents, dues, duties, services and demands