ing by their encroachments. Under these circumstances an effort
was made to incorporate a township from this tract and to establish its
boundaries. The following petition makes a fair statement of the case,
though the signatures to it are not autographs:

To His Excel'cy: Joseph Dudley Esq: Cap't: Generall & Gov'r: in
Chief in and over Her Maj'ties: Province of Mass'ts: Bay in
New-England, Together with y'e Hon'ble: the Council, &
Representatives in Gen'll: Court Assembled on the 30'th of May, In
the Tenth Year of Her Maj'ties: Reign Annoq Dom'i: 1711,--The
Humble Petition of us the Subscribers Inhabitants of Concord,
Chelmsford, Lancaster & Stow &c within the County of Midd'x in the
Province Afores'd.

Most Humbly Sheweth

That there is a Considerable Tract of Land Lying vacant and
unimproved Between the Towns of Chelmsford, Lancaster & Stow &
Groton, as s'd Groton was Survey'd & Lay'd out by Mr. Noyce, & the
Plantation Call'd Concord Village, which is Commonly known by the
Name of Nashoba, in the County of Midd'x: Afores'd. & Sundry
Persons having Made Entrys thereupon without Orderly Application to
the Government, and as we are Inform'd, & have reason to believe,
diverse others are designing so to do.

We Yo'r Hum'ble Petitioners being desirous to Prevent the
Inconveniences that may arise from all Irregular Intrusions into
any vacant Lands, and also In a Regular manner to Settle a Township
on the Land afores'd, by which the frontier on that Side will be
more Clos'd & Strengthened & Lands that are at Present in no wise
beneficiall or Profitable to the Publick might be rendred
Servicable for the Contributing to the Publlick Charge, Most Humbly
Address Ourselves to your Excy: And this Honourable Court.

Praying that your Petitioners may have a Grant of Such Lands
Scituate as Afores'd. for the Ends & Purposes afores'd. And that a
Committee may be appointed by this Hon'ble: Court to View, Survey
and Set out to Yo'r. Petitioners the s'd. Lands, that so Yo'r. s'd.
Petitioners may be enabled to Settle thereupon with Such others as
shall joyn them In an orderly and regular manner: Also Praying that
Such Powers and Priviledges may be given and confered upon the same
as are granted to other Towns, And Yo'r Petitioners shall be Most
ready to attend Such D