The council was convened the day succeeding its election.  After a few preliminary matters were disposed of, the great question was laid before it, of a division of property, and the grant of real estate.  Warrington and Charles Woolston laid down the theory, that the fee of all the land was, by gift of Providence, in the governor, and that his patent, or sign-manual, was necessary for passing the title into other hands.  This theory had an affinity to that of the Common Law, which made the prince the suzerain, and rendered him the heir of all escheated estates.  But Mark’s humility, not to say his justice, met this doctrine on the threshold.  He admitted the sovereignty and its right, but placed it in the body of the colony, instead of in himself.  As the party most interested took this view of the case, they who were disposed to regard his rights as more sweeping, were fain to submit.  The land was therefore declared to be the property of the state.  Ample grants, however, were made both to the governor and Betts, as original possessors, or discoverers, and it was held in law that their claims were thus compromised.  The grants to Governor Woolston included quite a thousand acres on the Peak, which was computed to contain near thirty thousand, and an island of about the same extent in the group, which was beautifully situated near its centre, and less than a league from the crater.  Betts had one hundred acres granted to him, near the crater also.  He refused any other grant, as a right growing out of original possession.  Nor was his reasoning bad on the occasion.  When he was driven off, in the Neshamony, the Reef, Loam Island, Guano Island, and twenty or thirty rocks, composed all the dry land.  He had never seen the Peak until Mark was in possession of it, and had no particular claim there.  When the council came to make its general grants, he was willing to come in for his proper share with the rest of the people, and he wanted no more.  Heaton had a special grant of two hundred acres made to him on the Peak, and another in the group of equal extent, as a reward for his early and important services.  Patents were made out, at once, of these several grants, under the great seal of the colony; for the governor had provided parchment, and wax, and a common seal, in anticipation of their being all wanted.  The rest of the grants of land were made on a general principle, giving fifty acres on the Peak, and one hundred in the group, to each male citizen of the age of twenty-one years; those who had not yet attained their majority being compelled to wait.  A survey was made, and the different lots were numbered, and registered by those numbers.  Then a lottery, was made, each man’s name being put in one box, and the necessary numbers in another.  The number drawn against any particular name was the lot of the person in question.  A registration of the drawing was taken, and printed patents were made out, signed, sealed, and issued to the respective parties.  We say printed, a press and types having been brought over in the Rancocus, as well as a printer.  In this way, then, every male of full age, was put in possession of one hundred and fifty acres of land, in fee.