The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

To George Jaffrey, Proprietors' Clerk, &c.

After a seven Year's State of Recluseness and Inactivity, and under the present auspicious Appearance of our public Affairs; you now venture forth to assert your Property beyond the Walls of your late Retirement: and had you have kept yourself to what had been your indisputable Title, it would not perhaps been much noticed—But as you have lately in particular pointed at me, and given the publick to think I have advertised Lands in Eaton, Tamworth, &c. that I have no just Title to, and thereby to check (the progress of the Cultivation and Settlement of them which unhappily has been too much the Case elsewhere) which here goes on with Vigor, I am under an Obligation to inform the publick, that the Title to all the Lands I hold in said Towns, is indisputably clear, provided two points are made to appear. First, If the Governor's Grants, so called, by which the Tenure of the principal part of the Lands of this State are held, are good. And Secondly, if there is Faith and Confidence to be had in the Grants of the Proprietors holding under Mason's Patent. With Respect to the first, I take it to be clear; as to the second, that seems to be the Matter in Question, and good Vouchers by both to support my Title I am furnished with, ready for public or private Satisfaction.—I would not trespass so far as to say any Thing on the vague Title of Mason's Claim, or whether it should extend to right or curvilineal Lines—Suppose the last imaginary Line of their Claim should be fix'd by Consent or otherwise, and to include part of Tamworth, &c. my property is certainly good by the second position, viz. your own Grant, which I trust you yourselves won't dispute.—How absurd then is your publication, and how can I account for it, unless it's owing to your criminal Neglect, of not knowing your own Records and Grants; to which I refer any person concern'd for satisfaction, or to a Copy I have in possession, in Hand writing, and attested even by this same Mr. Jaffrey:—Instead of being intimidated with your Threats, you may be assur'd that I am very ready to defend the premises in due Course of Law, as soon as you please; and shall steadily pursue the Cultivation and Settlement of them, notwithstanding your present Cavils, which you'll find in the Issue as trifling and ineffectual as your Order of November 1770 in Andover—and as you have presumed to advertise said Lands for Sale, I do hereby Caution and Warn all persons from purchasing or entering on said Eaton, Tamworth &c. under the Right and Claim of Mason's Proprietors, so called, and in particular any Surveyors or others under them, from running any Lines there; as I am determin'd to prosecute every such person to the utmost Rigor of the Law.

JONATHAN MOULTON.

Hampton, April 11, 1782.