come poor, will
sometimes ask to be free from levies and taxes; but very few others do
ever ask for the parish alms, or, indeed, so much as stand in need of
them.

Sec. 55. There are large tracts of land, houses, and other things granted
to free schools, for the education of children in many parts of the
country; and some of these are so large, that of themselves they are a
handsome maintenance to a master; but the additional allowance which
gentlemen give with their sons, render them a comfortable subsistence.
These schools have been founded by the legacies of well inclined
gentlemen, and the management of them hath commonly been left to the
direction of the county court, or to the vestry of the respective
parishes. In all other places where such endowments have not been
already made, the people join, and build schools for their children,
where they may learn upon very easy terms.

CHAPTER XII.

OF THE TENURE BY WHICH THEY HOLD THEIR LANDS, AND OF THEIR GRANTS.

Sec. 56. The tenure of their land there is free and common soccage,
according to custom of east Greenwich; and is created by letters
patents, issuing under the seal of the colony, and under the test of the
governor in chief for the time being. I don't find that the name of any
other officer is necessary to make the patent valid.

Sec. 57. There are three ways of obtaining from his majesty a title to land
there, viz: 1. By taking a patent upon a survey of new land. 2. By
petition for land lapsed. 3. By petition for land escheated. The
conditions of the two former are the entry of rights; the condition of
the third a composition of two pounds of tobacco for every acre.

Sec. 58. A right is a title any one hath by the royal charter to fifty
acres of land, in consideration of his personal transportation into that
country, to settle and remain there; by this rule also, a man that
removes his family is entitled to the same number of acres for his wife,
and each of his children; a right may be also obtained by paying five
shillings, according to a late royal instruction to the government.

Sec. 59. A patent upon land for survey is acquired thus: 1. The man proves
his rights; that is, he makes oath in court of the importation of so
many persons, with a list of their names. This list is then certified by
the clerk of that court to the clerk of the secretary's office, who
examines into the validity of them, and files them in that office,
attesting them to