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4pp. Clerically signed Robert Warwick and Edward Gorges above an additional reaffirmation of grant dated June 1631, clerically countersigned by Thomas Wiggin, James Parker, James Watts, and George Donglan. Docketed "Patent Saco: east of the river". Bifolium. In 1629, less than a decade after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the Council of New England, an English joint stock company founded to establish colonial settlements in America, issued a series of grants subdividing their royal charter that had ceded to them all land between "degrees 34 and 44," from sea to sea. These grants were important, being among the earliest grants independently issued within the colonies. The present grant is of particular note for the history of Maine, being the grant made to Thomas Lewis and Captain Richard Bonython for the land north of the Swanckadocke River, i.e. the Saco River. The text of the grant reads (in part): ".Whereas King James of famous memory, late King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, by his Highness' letters patent and royal grant under the great seal of England, bearing date the third day of November in the eighteenth year of his reign of England, France, and Ireland, etc., for the causes therein expressed did absolutely give, grant, and confirm to the said Council for the affairs of New England in America, and their successors forever, all the land of New England lying and being from forty to forty-eight degrees of northerly latitude and in length by all that breadth aforesaid from sea to sea throughout the main land . that the said council for the affairs of New England in America, as well for and in consideration that Thomas Lewis, Gentleman, has already been at the charge to transport himself and others to take a view of New England in America aforesaid for the bettering of his experience in advancing of a plantation, and does now wholly intend by God's assistance with his associates to plant there, both for the good of his Majesty's realms and dominions and for the propagation of Christian religion among those infidels, and in consideration also that the said Thomas Lewis together with Captain Richard Bonighton, and also with their associates and company, have undertaken at their own proper costs and charges to transport fifty persons there within seven years next ensuing to plant and inhabit there to the advancement of the general plantation of that country and the strength and safety thereof among the natives or any other invaders, also for the encouragement of the said Thomas Lewis and Captain Richard Bonighton, and other considerations the said council thereunto moving, have given, granted, enfeoffed, and confirmed, and by this present writing do fully, clearly, and absolutely give, grant, enfeof, and confirm to the said Thomas Lewis and Captain Richard Bonighton, their heirs and assigns for ever, all that part of the main land in New England in America, aforesaid, commonly called or known by the name of Swanckadocke, or by whatsoever other name or names the same is or shall be hereafter called or known by, situated, lying, and being between the cape or bay commonly called Cape Elizabeth and the cape or bay commonly called Cape Porpoise, containing in breadth from northeast to southwest along by the sea four miles in a straight line, or accounting seventeen hundred and three score yards according to the standard of England to every mile, and eight English miles upon the main land on the north side of the river Swanckadock after the same rate, from the sea through all the breadth aforesaid ." The original vellum grant with seals is located in the archives of the Maine Historical Society. The present example is one of several extant early manuscript copies made during the subsequent conflicts and competing claims between the crown, Massachusetts and Maine. In 1652, commissioners were appointed to determine the correct boundary between Massachusetts and several of the early patents, with the former gradual.
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