In the following spring[66] "Att a Generall meeting of ye Deputyes of Long Island held before ye Governer at Hempstedd, March 6th 1664 (March 16, 1665), It is this day ordered yt ye Towne of Huntington shall possesse & enjoye three necks of meadow land in Controversy between ym and Oyster bay as of Right belonging to them, they haveing ye more anncient Grant for them, but in as much as it is pretented that Chickano marked out fouer Necks for Huntington instedd of three, if upon a joynt view of them it shall appeare to be soe, then Huntington shall make over the outmost neck to Oyster bay," etc.
In the affirmation by John Ketchum and townsmen, who went with Cockenoe to these meadows according to the foregoing order of the assembly, we find the following interesting record:[67] "When wee came to the south to our meadows wee went ovar too neckes to our naybours who had called massapeege Indians, About the number of twentie, whoe opoased us About the space of an ower and would not suffer the Indian [Cockenoe] to goe and shew us the marked tree, then we show the Sachem [Tackapousha] the writing to which hee had set his hand which was our acquitance, and yet hee would not suffer the Indian to goe, when wee see nothing would prevaile, wee took our leave of them and said wee would carry backe this anser to them that sent us; but they not willing that wee should, tooke up the matter as wee did apprihend spake to the Indians whoe after gave leave to the Indian who was Chickemo to goe and shew us the tree, many off massapauge Indians went with us. Thomas Brush went before and not taking notise off the tree went past it then a massapauge Indian called him backe and shewed him the tree before Chickenoe came neare it, when Chickenoe came to the tree hee said that was the tree hee marked, as his master Commanded him. Massapauge Sachem said by his Interpriter that hee told muntaulke Sachem that hee was grived at his hart that hee had sould that necke upon which then wee was, but muntalket Sachem tould him that it was sould and it could not bee helped and therefore bid him goe and Receve his paye and so hee said hee did: and alsoe massapauge sachem owned his Land and that he had Receved the goods."
Thomas Topping of Southampton and William Wells of Southold, two of the Deputies, who were in Huntington at this time by order of the Assembly,[68] "touchinge three necks of meadowe, whch Huntington had formerly purchased of Muntaukatt Sarchem, and he informs true properiety as also in responsion to Oyster Bay inhabitants, who lay a claime to part of the said three Necks, saying thare are fouer necks & one thereof belongs to them, the said Chickinoe now did playnly and cleerly demonstrate before them that the Tree he first marked by his Master Muntakett Sachems order, and hath a second tyme denied according to order, is noe other but that whch ought justly to be owned by him and soe marked as aforesaid, and comprehends only Huntingtons just Purchase of three Necks of Medow and in truth is three necks of medowe & not four according to the present relation of Chickinoe." The Huntington men, it seems, were rather greedy, and Cockenoe, true to their interest, and having been "gratified," was trying to give them all they claimed.
The Massapeag Sachem Tackapousha, who has put on record "that it grived his hart" to make this sale, was a thorn in the flesh of the settlers of these two towns as long as he lived. It was utterly impossible to satisfy his demands. The records show that both the English and Dutch were obliged to buy him off time and time again.[69] He is one of the most selfish and turbulent characters we find in the whole aboriginal history of Long Island. Had he and his tribe been more powerful than they were, they would have left a bloody page on the annals of Long Island; as it was, it was his weakness alone that prevented it.
On November 3, 1669, at East Hampton, before the Rev. Thomas James and others,[70] "Checkannoo," with other chief men of the Montauk tribe, made an acknowledgment in "utterly disclayming any such vassalage as Ninecraft did declare to the Governor at Rhoad Island & doe protest against it in our owne names & in the name of ye rest of ye Indians at Montaukett & doe further declare that he shall have no more wampom of us without approbation of ye Governour of this place & that we acknowledge ye Governour at New Yorke as our chiefest Sachem."
The same year, with his associates, Cockenoe[71] gave a certificate that many years before they heard the old Sachem Wyandanch declare, in a meeting of the Indians, that he gave to Lion Gardiner and Thomas James all the whales which should come ashore, at any time, on Montauk.[72]
On December 1, 1670,[73] together with Poniuts, alias Mousup, grandson of Wyandanch, and other chief men of the tribe, "Chekonnow" joined in the Indian deed for the land between the ponds, to John Mulford, Thomas James, and Jeremiah Conkling. This conveyance took in all the land to the southward of Fort Hill between the "Ditch plain" and the "Great plain," and is remarkable for its Indian names of boundary places.[74]
By an entry of July 4, 1675,[75] Cockenoe was one of the crew engaged by James Schellinger and James Loper of East Hampton, as the record states, "uppon the Designe of whalleing ... During ye whole season next ensuing," then a growing industry on the south side. This service included the carting and trying out of the oil at some convenient place, for which the crew were to receive, "one halfe of one share of all profit what shall bee by us gotten or obtained During ye said terme of time."
The Indians of Long Island were disarmed in this year on account of King Philip's war, and on October 5[76] Mosup the Sachem, grandson of Wyandanch, with Pekonnoo [an error for Chekonno], Counselor, and others, made supplication by a letter written by Rev. Thomas James to Governor Andros at New York, "Alledging the fact that they had always been friends to the English and their forefathers before them, and this time of war fighting with the English Captains, desired that their guns might be returned, as it was the usual time of hunting." Owing to an indorsement on the back of this letter, written a week after by James, on mature consideration, the request in its entirety was not granted.[77]