claim to the tract west of the Connecticut River, now a portion of that State, by the interpretation of her charter, claimed the greater part of the same territory. By the terms of the charter of Massachusetts Bay, of 1629, that colony was granted all the lands

Which lye and be within the space of Three English myles to the northward of the saide River called Monomack alias Merrymack, or to the norward of any and every Parte thereof.

Under this clause Massachusetts Bay claimed that her jurisdiction extended 3 miles north of the farthest part of the Merrimac River, which would embrace a large portion of New Hampshire and Vermont. New Hampshire contested this claim, and after several years' controversy was more than sustained by a decision of the King in 1740. New Hampshire in her turn claimed the territory of Vermont, on the ground that Massachusetts and Connecticut, having been allowed tɔ extend their boundaries to within 20 miles of the Hudson River, her western boundary should go equally as far, and contended that the King's decree of 1740 left that fairly to be inferred; also, that the old charters of 1664 and 1674 were obsolete.

By a decree of the King, however, the territory west of the Connecticut River, from the 45th parallel of north latitude to the Massachusetts line, was declared to belong to the province of New York. (Vide New Hampshire, p. 51.)

As most of the settlers of Vermont were from New Hampshire, this decision of the King caused great dissatisfaction, and the Revolution found Vermont the scene of conflicting claims, and the theater of violent acts, culminating, in some instances, in actual bloodshed.

On January 15, 1777, Vermont declared herself independent and laid claim to the territory west as far as Hudson River, and from its source north to the international boundary, including a tract along the west shore of Lake Champlain. A part of New Hampshire, also, at one time sought a union with Vermont.

In 1781 Massachusetts assented to her independence. She adjusted her differences with New Hampshire in 1782, but eight years more passed before New York consented to her admission into the Union. In 1791 Vermont was admitted as an independent State, but was required to restrict her boundaries to their present extent.

The act of New York, of March 6, 1790, giving her consent to the admission of Vermont, defines her boundaries. (Vide Slade's Vermont, p. 507.)

The northern boundary was settled by the United States and Great Britain by the treaty of Washington, in 1842. (Vide p. 17.)

The eastern boundary is low-water mark on the west bank of the Connecticut River. (Vide New Hampshire, p. 51.)

The southern boundary was settled by the decree of 1740. (Vide New Hampshire, p. 48.)