Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 26.

[p. 36] east side of Winters Brooke: where it is to meeit Mr Winthroupes farmes fence: The fence is to be made sufficiently, And so mayntayned for One And twentie Yeares Next Insueing the Date hearof, Sufficient to fence of all reasonable Cattle: and to make good all Damoges that may Arrise from any difficentse in the said fence: or any part there of: Exsepting the Gate which he the said Richard is not to mayntayne: In Consideration where of the said Leffttenant Richard Sprague is to have the use of twentie Cowe Commons the full terme of twentie one yeares A fore Exspresed: he and his Assignes: And at the end of the said Terme thay are to be Serrendered up unto the said propriators Againe. Also he is to have free Leave And Libarty to make use of any Stones: or Brush: from of the Common: for making or repeairing the said fence: And for the true performance of every perticular Above Exspresed: the Selecte men in the behalfe of the propriatores And Richard Sprague for him selfe: his heires Executors And Administrators: Doe firmly by these ptsnts bind them selves each partie: to the other: In the Just and full summe of Two hundred Pounds: In witnes where of thay the boeth parties have heare unto Interchangably put theire hands: the day and yeare Above written: It was also Agreed upon before the signing hear of, that what the said fence shall be Adjudged worth at the end of the fore mentioned terme of one and twentie yeares: more than it is at this present: is to be payed unto the said Richard Sprague: or his Assignes:

The fence at present is Adjudged worth thirtie pounds by muttuel consent.

Signed And Delivred In the Presents of

Richard Sprague, Solomon Phippes, Edward Burtt.

Lieutenant Sprague was one of the three brothers who, with four others, formed the exploring party sent by Endicott from Salem in 1628-29. He was then but twenty-four years of age. They went out into an unknown country, following the Indian trail, and lighted on ‘an uncouth wilderness, full of timber,’ and adjoining ‘the farm Mr. Cradock's servants had planted.’ He became a settler in the peninsula we know as Charlestown the next year with Governor Winthrop's company and was a man of note in the town.

Governor Winthrop died in 1647 but his farm was still in possession of the family and a fence was required between it and Charlestown's ‘common land.’ Through