r provission & setling and do hope that
this may be of some vse in yt kind. I know not any claime made to
the said land by any towne, or any legall right y't any other
persons haue therein, and therefore are free for mee to occupy &
subdue as any other, may I obteyne the Court's approbation. I shall
not vse further motiues, my condition in other respecks & w't my
trouble & expenses haue been according to my poor ability in my
place being not altogether vnknowne to some of ye Court. That ye
Lord's prsence may be with & his blessing accompany all yo'r psons,
Counsells, & endeauors for his honor & ye weale of his poor people
is ye pray'r of

Yo'r supplliant

JOHN PRESCOTT SEN'R.

This request was referred to a special committee, composed of Edward
Tyng, George Corwin and Humphrey Davie, who reported as follows:

"In Reference to this Petition the Comittee being well informed
that the Pet'r is an ancient Planter and hath bin a vseful helpfull
and publique spirited man doinge many good offices ffor the
Country, Relatinge to the Road to Conecticott, marking trees,
directinge of Passengers &c, and that the Land Petitioned for
beinge but about 107 Acres & Lyinge not very Convenient for any
other Plantation, and only accomoclable for the Pet'r, we judge it
reasonable to Confirme the Indian Grant to him & his heyers if ye
honored Court see meete."

This report was approved. James Wiser _alias_ Quanapaug, the Christian
Nashaway Chief, who appears as grantor of the land, was a warrior whose
bravery had been tested in the contest between the Nipmucks and the
Mohawks; and was so firm a friend of his white neighbors at Lancaster,
that when Philip persuaded the tribe with its Sagamore Sam, to go upon
the war path, James refused to join them. He even served as a spy and
betrayed Philip's plans to the English at imminent risk of his life,
doing his utmost to save Lancaster from destruction. General Daniel
Gookin acknowledged that Quanapaug's information would have averted the
horrible massacre of February 10, 1676, had it been duly heeded. The
fact of the friendly relations existing between Prescott and the tribe
whose fortified residence stood between the two Washacum ponds is
interesting and confirms tradition. It is related that at his first
coming he speedily won the respect of the savages, not only by his
fearlessness and g