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and left alone;' he was found leaning on a stump, and while searching for his watch* to surrender it, the soldier suspecting him to be looking for his pistol, discharged a musket shot through his hip, and he was conducted a prisoner, mortally wounded, to the American camp.

The importance attached to this victory can be estimated from the great applause bestowed on those effecting it. Gen. Johnson was received at New York, soon after, with great ceremony, and the most flattering attentions paid him. The House of Commons presented him with five thousand pounds sterling in consideration of his important services and the King gave him the title of Baronet. Ruggles being the second in command, was highly commended. His activity and bravery gained for him a high and deserved reputation, and his sovereign George II, regarding his conduct with approbation, bestowed on him a lucrative office, "Surveyor General of the Woods," and he ever after manifested the most loyal attachment to the government.

B.

FROM THE LONDON NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

THE BIRDS OF PASSAGE.

BY MRS: HEMANS.

Birds, joyous Birds of wandering wing!

Whence is it ye come with the flowers of Spring!
-"We come from the shores of the green old Nile,
From the land where the roses of Sharon smile,
From the palms that wave through the Indian sky,
From the myrrh-trees of glowing Araby.

"We have swept o'er cities, in song renown'd—
Silent they lie, with the deserts round!

We have cross'd proud rivers, whose tide hath roll'd
All dark with the warrior-blood of old;

And each worn wing hath regain'd its home,
Under peasant's roof-tree, or monarch's dome."

"And what have ye found in the Monarch's dome,

Since last ye traversed the blue-sea's foam."
"We have found a change, we have found a pall,
And a gloom o'ershadowing the banquet's hall,
And a mark on the floor, as of life-drops spilt-
-Nought looks the same, save the nest we built!"

This watch is now in the possession of Mr. Pomroy of Northampton. + Worth £3000 per annum. See Massachusetts Spy for Oct. 6, 1775.

Oh! joyous Birds, it hath still been so !
Through the halls of Kings doth the tempest go!
But the huts of the hamlet lie still and deep,
And the hills o'er their quiet a vigil keep.

Say, what have you found in the Peasant's cot,
Since last ye parted from that sweet spot?

"A change we have found there, and many a change
Faces and footsteps and all things strange!

Gone are the heads of the silvery hair,

And the young that were, have a brow of care,
And the place is hush'd where the children play'd
--Nought looks the same, save the nest we made!"

Sad is your tale of the beautiful earth,

Birds that o'ersweep it in power and mirth!
Yet through the wastes of the trackless air,

Ye have a guide, and shall we despair?
Ye over desert and deep have pass'd—
-So shall we reach our home at last!

DEATHS SINCE MARCH 22.

Charlton-Jonathan Winslow, 75. Ichabod Tower, 87. Mrs. Susannah Johnson, 27. Wm. K. O'Brien, 32.

Dudley-Mrs. Sylvia Healy, 27. Mrs. Lucy Conant, 82.

Rutland Mrs. Louisa Munroe, 27.
Shrewsbury-Mrs. Lydia Newton, 79.
Barre-Miss Adeline Woodbury, 16.
Boylston-Jotham Flagg, 26.
Sterling--Miss Caroline Goss, 2.
West Boylston-Artemas Cheney, 8.

Mrs. Mary Goodrich, 49.

Mrs. Mary Gorham, 63.
Mrs. Rebecca Osgood, 37.

Miss Mary Gill, 38.

Phillipston-Mrs. Alice Goddard, 75. Miss Nabby Baldwin, 30. Hubbardston-Philemon Woodard, 77. Levi Greenwood, 68. Widow

Margaret Murdock, 84. Widow Ann Goodspeed, 94.

Sturbridge-Abijah Bullard, 51.

Worcester-Mrs. Abiah Hair, 70. Noah Harris, 68. Miss Clarissa God

dard, 25.

Millbury-Sumner Barton, 19. Widow Susannah Blanchard, 74.

Oakham-Widow Neletiah Nye, 86.

West Brookfield-Mathew Wood, 56.

Sutton--Jacob Severy, 91. Mrs. Elizabeth Wheelock, 25. William King, Esq. 91.

William Dean, 95.

Ward-Col. Josiah Goulding, 72.

Leicester-Miss Lucretia Waite, 29. Horace W. Whittemore, 2.
Hardwick-Mrs. Rebecca Willis, 78.

Gardner-David Cowee, 81.

Holden-Widow Olive Stratton, 74. Mrs. Rebecca Maynard, 32.
Winchendon-Thomas Greenwood, 75.

Royalston-Amos Jones, 84. Miss Almira Greenwood, 21. Mrs. Sarah W. Batcheller, 42.

Oxford-Mrs. Rebecca Shumway, 82. Jonas Miller, 30.
Templeton-Israel Lamb, 90. Jonathan Phillips, 76.
Northborough--Deacon Isaac Davis, 77.

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TOPOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF THE TOWN OF LEICESTER.

THE EDITORS ARE INDEBTED TO EMORY WASHBURN, ESQ. OF LEICESTER, FOR THE FOLLOWING SKETCHES OF THAT TOWN.

In attempting a work like the history of any town in the interior of New England, great difficulties are to be encountered. The records of many are so imperfect, that they often serve rather to perplex, than enlighten the enquirer. Traditions have often become too vague and uncertain to be relied on with any degree of confidence, and the threads by which the labyrinth of events is to be traced, are often broken, or irrecoverably lost.

Notwithstanding these difficulties and discouragements, we have attempted to give, somewhat fully, the description and historical memoranda of the town of Leicester.

We have been prompted to this, more from feelings of local interest and attachment, than from any hope of literary reputation, or, much less, of profit. The graves of our fathers are here; and we felt a curiosity to trace, not only their histories, but also those of all who were their cotemporaries, and acted or suffered with them. We felt desirous of snatching from oblivion, events connected with the history of our country, and preserving the names of men whose merits deserve a place on its pages. We have met with obstacles in accomplishing our task, which we could not surmount, and have often been compelled to present extremely imperfect sketches where justice seemed to require a complete detail. We acknowledge ourselves indebted for many favors in performing the work proposed. Every one whose age gave him a knowledge of events previous to our own day, has been pretty liberally taxed

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for the materials of this work. We have also to acknowledge ourselves under obligations to H. G. Henshaw, Esq. for the use of the valuable papers of the late Col. Wm. Henshaw.

We cannot better acknowledge the aid received from the HoD. Edward D. Bangs, Esq. Secretary of the Commonwealth, than by transcribing the following letter politely forwarded in answer to enquiries made for information respecting the incorporation of the town of Leicester. "Agreeably to your request, I have examined into the particulars which were wanted respecting Leicester. It appears, as was the case with most towns at that period, that there never was a formal act of Incorporation. The votes by which the settlement was constituted a town, and received its name of Leices ter, I have copied, and now transmit to you. In June, 1714, a survey and plan of the town was reported to the General Court by John Chandler, Esq. was accepted, and is on file. I have looked for the old Indian deed, mentioned in the vote of the General Court, but it is not to be found. My copy is exactly correct, unless it should be the Indian names, which it is very difficult to decypher. I believe, however, they are right, or nearly so."

Extract from General Court records, under date of February 15, 1713. "The following order passed; in the House of Representatives, read and concurred: viz. Upon reading a petition of Joshua Lamb, Richard Draper, Samuel Ruggles, Benjamin Tucker, and others, setting forth, that upon the twenty seventh day of January, 1686, for a valuable consideration therefor paid, they purchased of Philip Traye,* and Monckhue,* his wife, John Wanpom,* and Wawonnow,* his wife, and other Indians, the heirs of Oorashoe,* the original Sachem of a place, Towtaid, lying near Worces ter, a certain tract of land, containing eight miles square, abutting, southerly on the land which the Governor lately purchased of the Indians, and westerly, the most southerly corner, upon a little pond, called Paupogquincog*; then to a little hill, called Wehapekatonnuc*; and from thence to a little hill, called Aspompok*; and so then easterly, upon a line, until it came against Worcester bounds, and joins unto their bounds; as may be seen more at large by the original deed, executed by the said Indians Proprietors, and acknowledged before the Hon. William Stoughton, Esq. praying confirmation of the said tract of land to them and their associates, that they may be encouraged to proceed forthwith to settle the

The Indian names designated by an asterisk are difficult to be decypher ed, and may not be copied with perfect accuracy.

same with inhabitants, under such directions and reservations as shall be thought meet;

Ordered, That the Prayer of the Petitioners be granted; Provided, that within seven years time, fifty families settle themselves in as defensible and regular a way as the circumstances of the place will allow, on part of the said land; and that a sufficient quantity thereof be reserved for the use of a Gospel ministry there, and a school; Provided also, that this interfere with no former grant, and this grant shall not exceed the quantity of eight miles square. The town to be named Leicester, and to belong to the County of Middlesex. Consented to:

J. DUDLEY.

"A true Copy from the proceedings of Council, under date of February 15, 1713, as recorded in Vol. 8, of General Court Records, pages 351–352.

Attest,

EDWARD D. BANGS, Secr'y
of the Commonwealth."

We are the more gratified in having been favored with the foregoing copy of the record, as we are thus able to correct some errors in dates, into which Mr. Whitney has fallen, in his history of this town. The deed from the Indians we have not been able to find, and as the original grantees never, we believe, removed here, it probably never formed any part of the records of the town.

This tract, thus granted, had been called by the English, who had visited it, "Strawberry Hill," previous to the act of the General Court, above recited.

The particular boundaries of the town were fixed by a special act of the General Court, in January, 1714.*

The proprietors of the township held a meeting, in Boston, or the 23d February, 1713, to take measures to secure their grant, and voted for this purpose to give the eastern half of the town to the first fifty families which should settle there, within the period specified by the act. And in 1722, they again met and authorized Col. Joshua Lamb,† Samuel Green, Nathaniel Kanney, and

* Whitney.

† Col. Joshua Lamb was an enterprising and wealthy citizen, of Roxbury, He was largely interested in the unincorporated lands of the state He, together with others belonging to Roxbury, were at one time proprietors of what is now Hardwick, which, for many years was called after him, Lambstown. He never removed to Leicester, but his descendants have resided in Spencer, and one of them, bearing the same name, is at present one of the Selectmen of Leicester.

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