10    NEW-HAMPSHIRE    GAZETTEER.

His manners were haughty, besides, they knew he was in the interest
of Allen, who claimed the land they occupied. In 1696, Wm.Part-
ridge, of Portsmouth, superceded Usher as Lieutenant Governor.

One of his first acts was to restore several members of the council
who had been suspended by Usher. In 1698, the Earl of Belmont
was appointed Governor of New York, Massachusetts Bay and
New-Hampshire.

During the year, Allen came over and assumed the rule of the
colony. There was a continual altercation between him and the
people, originating from the claim he pretended to hold on their
land. In the Spring of 1699, the people were relieved from the
rule of Allen, and the Earl of Belmont assumed the government of
New-Hampshire and reinstated Partridge. Allen being disappoint-
ed and provoked at the treatment he had received at the hands of
the Earl of Bellomont, and the cool reception of the people, again at-
tempted to gain possession of the territory he had purchased of the
Masons. The courts of the colony decided against him. He then
applied to the King, but he could not fully convince him, of the
validity of his claim; but he was granted permissson to commence    13

new suits in the New-Hampshire courts. His sudden death pre-
vented any final decision.

Allen left one son, who was sole heir to his claim. He renewed
the suit, but a verdict was rendered against him. He then ap-
pealed to the Queen, but, before a final decision, death ended the
contest. The controversy was finally terminated by yielding to the
claimants, under Mason’s grant, the unoccupied portions of the
province. This Mason controversy had been the source of a great
amount of trouble to the colonies for nearly seventy-five years.

There was scarcely a year but these claims were presented to the
people, in some form ; either by courts or by governors appointed
for that purpose, in the interests of the Masons.

In 1702, the Earl of Bellomont having died, the Queen appointed
Joseph Dudley Governor of Massachusetts and New-Hampshire.

The next year Usher was again appointed Lieutenant Governor.

Dudley, on assuming his office, fearing that the Indians had a
feeling of discontent, called the chiefs of several tribes together, and
again renewed their friendship which they promised to maintain.

But in 1703, owing to the trouble between the French and English
governments, the Indians, notwithstanding the pledges they had
made to Governor Dudley but a few months before, were iuduced