36 John Appleton’s Petition to the General Court

    [ca. October 30 1654]

    To the right worshipfull, the Governour, the Deputye Governour together with the rest of the worshipfull Magistrates, and Deputyes in the Generall Court now assembled at Boston.

    The petition of John Appleton of Ipswich humbly sheweth, That whereas your humble petitioner having right to one hundred pounds part of the portion bequeathed to his wife by her father Mr. Josse Glover deceased; and whereas your petitioner hath commenced a suite at the County Court at Ipswich Last past, in which Court your petitioner could not obtain any issue, but being by the said Court advised to have recorse to this Honoured Court, The humble request therefore of your petitioner is, That this honoured Court would be pleased to graunt your petitioner the Favour to have his cause heard by a Committee or otherwise as this honoured Court shall appoint, and the favour of the day appointed of hearing, your petitioner shall rest humbly thankfull.

    The deputyes thinke meet to referre this pet[ition] to the Committee for petitions and desire our honoured magistrates consent thereto.

    William Torrey Cleri[cus]

    Consented to by the magistrates.

    Edw. Rawson Secretary

    In Answer to this petition and petition of Mr. Dunster wee conceive that this Court may doe well to appoint an Administrator to the estate of Mr. Glover so far as it has reference in this jurisdiction as also to appoint three meete persons that may heare and determine all things in difference aboute the said estate of Mr. Glover and every person that hath any interest therein.

    Humphray Atherton

    Richard Broun

    Ward [. . .]

    The deputies approve of the returne of the committee in answer to these petitions and have appoynted Mr. Henry Dunster to be Administrator to the estate and also have Nominated Major Denison Captayne Atherton and Captayne Norton to heare and determine all thinges in difference Concerninge the same with reference to the consent of the honoured magistrates thereto.

    William Torrey Cleri[cus]

    Henry Dunster Papers. John Appleton, of Ipswich, married Priscilla Glover, third and youngest daughter of the Reverend Jose Glover. Appleton’s petition was answered by the General Court on November 1, 1654. Records of Massachusetts Bay, iv.1 214–215. For the gist of the litigation between Appleton and Dunster see Morison, Seventeenth Century, i. 315–316.