To THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY—

The humble Petition of Anne, Dutchess of Ham-ilton, Daughter and heir of James, late Duke of Hamilton, sheweth—

That your Petitioner, is by vertue of an antient grant, made to the said James, Duke of Hamilton, intituled to a tract of land in America, formerly called the county of New Cambridge, and now known by the name of the Narragansett country, or the Kings Province, and to severall islands adjacent thereunto, as by the annexed state of the case may more fully appear; which said tracts of lands your petitioners father intended to settle, untill he was prevented by the rebellion in England, wherein he espouseing the royall cause of King Charles the first, lost his life, leaving your petitioner very young, duering which warr, and your petioners minority, severall persons possessed themselves of the best, and considerable part of the said tract of land and islands, without any title derived from your petitioners said father, or herself, and have never paid any quit rent, or made any acknowledgement for the same, though your petitioner and her late husband, William, Duke of Hamilton, made frequent claims to it after the restauration of King Charles the second, and offered, as your petitioner still does offer, to confirme to the planters, their respective settlements under such reasonable acknowledgments as are paid by other planters in the like cases.

Your petitioner therefore most humbly prays your Majestie to give order, that she may be established in her right to the said tract of land, and that the said inhabitants may pay her such quit rents for her lands they have taken upp, as your Majesty in your great wisdome shall think just, and that the residue of the lands unimproved may be put into your petitioners possession, and your petitioner will ever pray. A true copy.

WILLIAM BRIDGEMAN.