The history of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, By a committee of the Dorchester antiquarian and historical society ...

HISTORY OF DORCHESTER. 433
were dissatisfied with the result. At a meeting of
the inhabitants of the town, held on the 8th of
March, 1659, it was voted, that they " would have
a triall at the Charge of the towne for to gett Tomson's yland for the town of Dorchester, as they supposed yt it is theirs by right. And it was alsoe voted, the same day, that the selectmen are desired and
impowered to execute the triall in the best way and
maner, as they shall thinke best and most convenient for the obtaining of it." Lieut. Roger Clap and
Ensign Hopestill Foster were appointed to manage
the business. They accordingly presented to the
Court the following petition.
" To the Honrd Generall Court Now assembled at Boston,
the petition of the inhabitants of Dorchester
Humbly sheweth,
"That wheras there was many years since granted by
this court, as appears by record, a sertaine Iland called
Thomsons Iland wch we the said Inhabitants possest
diuers years and hopefull to haue euer enjoyd the same
for the benefit of Or selues and posterity (the same being
giuen to and for the maintenance of a free scoole In Dorchester) but the sd Iland hath bin taken from vs and setled on others to the almost if not totall ouerthrow of or
free scoole we" was soe hopefull for posterity, both our
owne and neihbors also who had or might haue reaped
benifit thereby.
"Our Humble Request to this honad Court is, that you
would be pleased to reneiue yor former grant of the said
Iland, and confirme the same vnto vs, we conceiuing we
had Just title ther vnto, or Elc, that you would bee pleased to grant vnto vs one thousand ackors of land In some
conuenient place or places (for the end aforsd, namly,
the maintenance of or dijng scoole) where we shall find it,