EXHIBIT 1


                         BANKBOSTON CAPITAL TRUST III

                          (a Delaware business trust)

                       Floating Rate Capital Securities
              (Liquidation Amount of $1,000 Per Capital Security)

                              PURCHASE AGREEMENT




     Dated:  ___________ , 1997

 
                                                           Draft of May 28, 1997

                        BANKBOSTON CAPITAL TRUST III

                        (a Delaware business trust)

                                $250,000,000

                      Floating Rate Capital Securities
            (Liquidation Amount of $1,000 Per Capital Security)

                             PURCHASE AGREEMENT

                                                         _______, 1997

     MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED
     CS FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
     LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
     SALOMON BROTHERS INC
       as Representatives of the several Underwriters
     c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
         1585 Broadway
         New York, New York  10036

     Ladies and Gentlemen:

          BANKBOSTON CAPITAL TRUST III (the "Trust"), a statutory
     business trust organized under the Business Trust Act (the
     "Delaware Act") of the State of Delaware (Chapter 38, Title 12,
     of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. (Sections 3801 et seq.)) and
     BANKBOSTON CORPORATION, a Massachusetts corporation (the
     "Company" and together with the Trust, the "Offerors"), confirm
     their agreement (the "Agreement") with Morgan Stanley & Co.
     Incorporated ("Morgan Stanley") and each of the other
     Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the
     "Underwriters", which term shall also include any underwriter
     substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for
     whom Morgan Stanley, CS First Boston Corporation, Lehman Brothers
     Inc. and Salomon Brothers Inc are acting as representatives (in
     such capacity, the "Representatives"), with respect to the issue
     and sale by the Trust and the purchase by the Underwriters,
     acting severally and not jointly, of the respective number of
     Floating Rate Capital Securities (liquidation amount of $1,000
     per capital security) of the Trust (the "Capital Securities") set
     forth in said Schedule A.  The Capital Securities will be
     guaranteed by the Company, to the extent described in the
     Prospectus (as defined below), with respect to distributions and
     payments upon liquidation, redemption and 

                                       1

 
     otherwise (the "Capital Securities Guarantee") pursuant to the Capital
     Securities Guarantee Agreement, to be dated as of _______, 1997 (the
     "Capital Securities Guarantee Agreement"), between the Company and The Bank
     of New York, as Trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"). The Capital Securities
     issued in book-entry form will be issued to Cede & Co. as nominee of The
     Depository Trust Company ("DTC") pursuant to a letter agreement, to be
     dated as of the Closing Time (as defined in Section 2(b)) (the "DTC
     Agreement"), among the Trust, the Guarantee Trustee and DTC.

          The Offerors understand that the Underwriters propose to
     make a public offering of the Capital Securities as soon as the
     Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been
     executed and delivered and the Declaration (as defined herein),
     the Indenture (as defined herein) and the Capital Securities
     Guarantee Agreement have been qualified under the Trust Indenture
     Act of 1939, as amended (the "1939 Act").

          The entire proceeds from the sale of the Capital Securities
     will be combined with the entire proceeds from the sale by the
     Trust to the Company of its common securities (the "Common
     Securities") , as guaranteed by the Company, to the extent set
     forth in the Prospectus, with respect to distributions and
     payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise (the "Common
     Securities Guarantee" and, together with the Capital Securities
     Guarantee, the "Guarantees") pursuant to the Common Securities
     Guarantee Agreement, to be dated as of _______, 1997 (the "Common
     Securities Guarantee Agreement" and, together with the Capital
     Securities Guarantee Agreement, the "Guarantee Agreements"), made
     by the Company, and will be used by the Trust to purchase
     $257,732,000 aggregate principal amount of  Floating Rate Junior
     Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due _______, 2027
     (the "Subordinated Debentures") to be issued by the Company.  The
     Capital Securities and the Common Securities will be issued
     pursuant to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the
     Trust, to be dated as of _______, 1997 (the "Declaration"), among
     the Company, as sponsor, Robert T. Jefferson, Kathleen M.
     McGillycuddy and Craig V. Starble, as administrative trustees
     (the "Administrative Trustees"), The Bank of New York, as
     property trustee (the "Property Trustee"), and The Bank of New
     York (Delaware), as Delaware trustee (the "Delaware Trustee,"
     and, together with the Property Trustee and the Administrative
     Trustees, the "Trustees").  The Subordinated Debentures will be
     issued pursuant to an indenture, to be dated as of _______, 1997
     (the "Indenture"), between the Company and The Bank of New York,
     as trustee (the "Debenture Trustee").

          The Capital Securities, the Capital Securities Guarantee and
     the Subordinated Debentures are hereinafter collectively referred
     to as the "Securities."  The Indenture, the Declaration, the DTC
     Agreement and this Agreement are hereinafter referred to
     collectively as the "Operative Documents."

          The Offerors have filed with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on
     Form S-3 (No. 333-27229) covering the registration of the
     Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
     "1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus or
     prospectuses. Promptly after execution and delivery of this

                                       2

 
     Agreement, the Offerors will either (i) prepare and file a
     prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A ("Rule
     430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
     1933 Act (the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule
     424 ("Rule 424(b)") of the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the
     Offerors have elected to rely upon Rule 434 ("Rule 434") of the
     1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a "Term
     Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule
     424(b).  The information included in such prospectus or in such
     Term Sheet, as the case may be, that was omitted from such
     registration statement at the time it became effective but that
     is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time
     it became effective (i) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is
     referred to as "Rule 430A Information" or (ii) pursuant to
     paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is referred to as "Rule 434
     Information."  Each prospectus used before such registration
     statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as
     applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434
     Information, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to
     the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a
     "preliminary prospectus."  Such registration statement, including
     the exhibits thereto, the schedules thereto, if any, and the
     documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12
     of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, at the time it became effective
     and including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
     Information, as applicable, is herein called the "Registration
     Statement."  Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule
     462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the
     "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement," and after such filing the
     term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b)
     Registration Statement.  The final prospectus, including the
     documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12
     of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, in the form first furnished to
     the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the
     Securities, is herein called the "Prospectus."  If Rule 434 is
     relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to the preliminary
     prospectus and the Term Sheet, and all references in this
     Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall mean the date of
     the Term Sheet.  For purposes of this Agreement, all references
     to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the
     Prospectus or any Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to
     any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed
     with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering,
     Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

          All references in this Agreement to financial statements and
     schedules and other information which is "contained," "included"
     or "stated" in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
     prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import)
     shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements
     and schedules and other information which are incorporated by
     reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
     prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all
     references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the
     Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the
     Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any
     document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
     (the "1934 Act"), which is incorporated by reference in the
     Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the
     Prospectus, as the case may be.

                                       3

 
          SECTION 1.  Representations and Warranties.

          (a)  The  Offerors jointly and severally represent and
     warrant to each Underwriter as of the date hereof and as of the
     Closing Time, and agree with each Underwriter as follows:

                 (i)     The Company meets the requirements for use of
          Form S-3 under the 1933 Act.  Each of the Registration
          Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has
          become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order
          suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
          or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued
          under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have
          been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the
          Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request
          on the part of the Commission for additional information has
          been complied with.  

               At the respective times the Registration Statement, any
          Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective
          amendments thereto became effective and at the Closing Time,
          the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration
          Statement and any amendments thereto complied and will
          comply in all material respects with the requirements of the
          1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and
          the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939
          Act (the "1939 Act Regulations"), and did not and will not
          contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
          state a material fact required to be stated therein or
          necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. 
          Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements
          thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or
          supplement was issued and at the Closing Time, included or
          will include an untrue statement of a material fact or
          omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in
          order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
          circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. 
          If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the
          requirements of Rule 434.  The representations and
          warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements
          in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any
          amendments thereto) or Prospectus (or any amendments or
          supplements thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity
          with information furnished to the Offerors in writing by any
          Underwriter through Morgan Stanley expressly for use in the
          Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or
          Prospectus (or any amendments or supplements thereto).

               Any preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as
          part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as
          part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424
          under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed in all material
          respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and any preliminary
          prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters
          for use in connection with this offering was identical to
          the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
          Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted
          by Regulation S-T.

                                       4

 
                (ii)     The documents incorporated or deemed to be
          incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and
          the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed
          with the Commission, complied and will comply in all
          material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and
          the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the
          "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read together with the
          other information in the Prospectus, at the time the
          Registration Statement became effective, at the time the
          Prospectus was issued and at the Closing Time, did not and
          will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
          omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
          or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
          circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

               (iii)     The accountants who certified certain
          financial statements and supporting schedules included in
          the Registration Statement are independent public
          accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
          Regulations.

                (iv)     The consolidated financial statements,
          together with the related schedules and notes, included in
          the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly
          the consolidated financial position of the Company and its
          subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the consolidated
          results of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows
          of the Company and its subsidiaries for the periods
          specified; said financial statements have been prepared in
          conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
          ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the
          periods involved, except as disclosed in the notes to such
          financial statements.  The supporting schedules, if any,
          included in the Registration Statement present fairly the
          information required to be stated therein.  The summary
          financial data included in the Prospectus present fairly the
          information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
          consistent with that of the audited financial statements
          included in the Registration Statement.

                 (v)     Since the respective dates as of which
          information is given in the Registration Statement and the
          Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein or
          contemplated thereby and, except for normal recurring
          dividends on the capital stock of the Company, there has not
          been (A) any material adverse change in the condition
          (financial or otherwise), earnings, business affairs or
          business prospects of the Trust, or of the Company and its
          subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, whether or not
          arising in the ordinary course of business, (B) any
          transaction entered into by the Trust, the Company or any
          subsidiary, other than in the ordinary course of business,
          that is material to the Trust, or to the Company and its
          subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, or (C) any
          dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made
          by the Company on its capital stock.

                (vi)     The Company is a corporation duly organized,
          validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
          Commonwealth of Massachusetts and has the corporate power
          and authority under such laws to own, lease and operate its
          properties and to conduct its business as described in the
          Prospectus; the Company is duly 

                                       5

 
          registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company
          Act of 1956, as amended; and the Company is duly qualified as a
          foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in
          each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases property of a nature, or
          transacts business of a type, that would make such qualification
          necessary, except to the extent that the failure to so qualify or be
          in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the
          Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise.

               (vii)     Each of BankBoston, N.A. ("BankBoston") and
          Rhode Island Hospital Trust National Bank ("Hospital Trust")
          is a duly organized and validly existing national banking
          association under the laws of the United States, continues
          to hold a valid certificate to do business as such and has
          full power and authority to conduct its business as such;
          Bank of Boston Connecticut is a duly organized and validly
          existing state-chartered savings bank under the laws of the
          State of Connecticut, continues to hold a valid certificate
          to do business as such and has full power and authority to
          conduct its business as such (BankBoston, Hospital Trust and
          Bank of Boston Connecticut are referred to collectively as
          the "Significant Subsidiaries"); each Significant Subsidiary
          has the authority under its jurisdiction of organization to
          own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
          business and is duly authorized to transact business and is
          in good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or
          leases property of a nature, or transacts business of a
          type, that would make such qualification necessary, except
          to the extent that the failure to so qualify or to be in
          good standing would not have a material adverse effect on
          the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one
          enterprise.

                    (viii)    The Company does not have any
          subsidiaries which are material to its business, except to
          the extent that one or more of the Significant Subsidiaries
          may be deemed to be so material.

                    (ix) (a) The Company had at the date indicated a
          duly authorized and outstanding capitalization as set forth
          in the Prospectus, (b) all of the outstanding shares of
          capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
          validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and
          (c) none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the
          Company was issued in violation of the preemptive rights of
          any stockholder of the Company.

                    (x)  The Trust has been duly created and is
          validly existing in good standing as a business trust under
          the Delaware Act with the power and authority to own
          property and to conduct its business as described in the
          Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations
          under the Operative Documents, as applicable, and the
          Capital Securities; the Trust is not a party to or otherwise
          bound by any material agreement other than those described
          in the Prospectus; and the Trust is and will, under current
          law, be classified for United States federal income tax
          purposes as a grantor trust and not as an association
          taxable as a corporation.

                                       6

 
                    (xi) The Common Securities have been duly
          authorized by the Declaration and, when issued and delivered
          by the Trust to the Company against payment therefor as
          described in the Prospectus, will be validly issued and will
          represent undivided beneficial interests in the assets of
          the Trust; the issuance of the Common Securities is not
          subject to preemptive or other similar rights; and at the
          Closing Time all of the issued and outstanding Common
          Securities of the Trust will be directly owned by the
          Company free and clear of any security interest, mortgage,
          pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equitable right.

                    (xii)     As of the Closing Time, the Capital
          Securities will have been duly authorized by the Trust and,
          when issued and delivered against payment therefor as
          provided herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and
          non-assessable undivided beneficial interests in the assets
          of the Trust and will conform in all material respects to
          the description thereof contained in the Prospectus and the
          issuance of the Capital Securities will not be subject to
          preemptive or other similar rights.

                    (xiii)    This Agreement has been duly authorized,
          executed and delivered by the Offerors.

                    (xiv)     The Declaration has been qualified under
          the 1939 Act and has been duly authorized by the Company
          and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed and
          delivered by the Company and the Trustees, and assuming due
          authorization, execution and delivery of the Declaration by
          the Trustees, the Declaration will, at the Closing Time, be
          a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable
          against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to
          the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by the
          receivership, conservatorship and supervisory powers of bank
          regulatory agencies generally as well as to bankruptcy,
          insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
          affecting creditors' rights generally or by general
          principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is
          considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) and the
          availability of equitable remedies (collectively, the
          "Enforceability Exceptions").

                    (xv) The Capital Securities Guarantee Agreement
          has been qualified under the 1939 Act; each of the Guarantee
          Agreements has been duly authorized by the Company and, at
          the Closing Time, will have been duly executed and delivered
          by the Company and will constitute a valid and binding
          obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company
          in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that
          enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability
          Exceptions.

                    (xvi)     The Indenture  has been qualified under
          the 1939 Act and has been duly authorized by the Company
          and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed and
          delivered by the Company and will constitute a valid and
          binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the
          Company in accordance with its terms except to the extent
          that enforcement thereof may be limited by the
          Enforceability Exceptions.

                                       7

 
                    (xvii)    The Subordinated Debentures have been
          duly authorized by the Company and, at the Closing Time,
          will have been duly executed by the Company and, when
          authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture
          and delivered against payment therefor as described in the
          Prospectus, will constitute valid and binding obligations of
          the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance
          with their terms except to the extent that enforcement
          thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions; and
          the Subordinated Debentures will be in the form contemplated
          by, and entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture and will
          conform in all material respects to the description thereof
          in the Prospectus.

                    (xviii)   Each of the Administrative Trustees of
          the Trust is an officer of the Company or BankBoston and has
          been duly authorized by the Company to execute and deliver
          the Declaration.

                    (xix)     The Trust is not, and following
          consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will
          not be, an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by
          an "investment company" which is required to be registered
          under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
          "1940 Act").

                    (xx) The Operative Documents conform in all
          material respects to the summary descriptions thereof
          contained in the Prospectus.

                    (xxi)     None of the Trust, the Company nor any
          Significant Subsidiary is in default in the performance or
          observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or
          condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage,
          loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument
          to which it is a party or by which it may be bound or to
          which any of its properties may be subject, except for such
          defaults that would not have a material adverse effect on
          the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business
          affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
          subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise; the execution
          and delivery of the Operative Documents by the Trust or the
          Company, as the case may be, the issuance and delivery of
          the Securities, the consummation by the Offerors of the
          transactions contemplated in the Operative Documents, and
          compliance by the Offerors with the terms of the Operative
          Documents to which they are party have been duly authorized
          by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company
          and, as at the Closing Time, will have been duly authorized
          by all necessary action on the part of the Trust, and do not
          and will not result in any violation of the charter or by-
          laws of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or the
          Declaration or the trust certificate of the Trust filed with
          the State of Delaware on May 14, 1997 (the "Trust
          Certificate"), and do not and will not conflict with, or
          result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
          constitute a default under, or result in the creation or
          imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
          property of assets of the Trust, the Company or any
          Significant Subsidiary under (A) any indenture, mortgage,
          loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument
          to which the Trust, the Company or any Significant
          Subsidiary is a party or by which it may be bound 

                                       8

 
          or to which any of its properties may be subject, except 
          for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges 
          or encumbrances that would not have a material adverse effect
          on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
          business affairs or business prospects of the Trust, or the
          Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise or
          (B) any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment,
          order or decree of any government, governmental
          instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
          jurisdiction over the Trust, the Company or any Significant
          Subsidiary or any of its properties.
             
                    (xxii)    No filing with, or authorization,
          approval, consent, license, order, registration,
          qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
          authority or agency, other than those that have been made or
          obtained, is necessary or required for the performance by
          the Company or the Trust of their obligations hereunder, in
          connection with the issuance and sale of the Capital
          Securities or the consummation of the transactions
          contemplated by the Operative Documents, except as have been
          previously made or obtained.

                    (xxiii)   To the best knowledge of the Offerors,
          no labor problem exists with employees of the Significant
          Subsidiaries or is imminent that could adversely affect the
          Trust, or the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
          enterprise, and the Offerors are not aware of any existing
          or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its
          or the Significant Subsidiaries' principal suppliers,
          contractors or customers that could be expected to
          materially adversely affect the condition (financial or
          otherwise), earnings, business affairs or business prospects
          of the Trust, or the Company and its subsidiaries considered
          as one enterprise.

                    (xxiv)    Except as disclosed in the Registration
          Statement, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or
          by any government, governmental instrumentality or court,
          domestic or foreign, now pending or, to the knowledge of the
          Company or the Trust, threatened against or affecting the
          Trust, or the Company or any Significant Subsidiary that is
          required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or
          that, in the final outcome, could, in the judgment of the
          Company, result in any material adverse change in the
          condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business
          affairs or business prospects of the Trust, or the Company
          and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or that
          could materially and adversely affect the properties or
          assets of the Trust, or the Company and its subsidiaries
          considered as one enterprise, or that could adversely affect
          the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the
          Operative Documents; the aggregate liability or loss, if
          any, resulting from the final outcome of all pending legal
          or governmental proceedings to which the Trust, the Company
          or any Significant Subsidiary is a party or which affect any
          of its properties that are not described in the Registration
          Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental
          to its business, would not have a material adverse effect on
          the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business
          affairs or business prospects of the Trust, or the Company
          and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

                                       9

 
                    (xxv)     There are no contracts or documents
          which are required to be described in the Registration
          Statement, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by
          reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which
          have not been so described or filed as required. 

                    (xxvi)  The Offerors and the Significant
          Subsidiaries each owns or possesses, or can acquire on
          reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent licenses,
          trademarks, service marks and trade names necessary to carry
          on their businesses as presently conducted, and neither the
          Offerors nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries has
          received any notice of infringement of or conflict with
          asserted rights of others with respect to any patents,
          patent licenses, trademarks, service marks or trade names
          that, in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
          decision, ruling or finding, could materially adversely
          affect the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
          business affairs or business prospects of the Trust, or the
          Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

                    (xxvii)  The Offerors and the Significant
          Subsidiaries each owns, possesses or has obtained all
          material governmental licenses, permits, certificates,
          consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations
          necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to
          operate its properties and to carry on its business as
          presently conducted, and neither the Offerors nor any
          Significant Subsidiary has received any notice of
          proceedings relating to revocation or modification of any
          such licenses, permits, certificates, consents, orders,
          approvals or authorizations that, in the aggregate, if the
          subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could
          materially adversely affect the condition (financial or
          otherwise), earnings, business affairs or business prospects
          of the Trust, or the Company and its subsidiaries considered
          as one enterprise.
        
                    (xxviii)  The Offerors and the Significant
          Subsidiaries each has good and marketable title to all
          properties and assets described in the Prospectus as owned
          by it, free and clear of all liens, charges, encumbrances or
          restrictions, except such as (A) are described in the
          Prospectus or (B) are neither material in amount nor
          materially significant in relation to the business of the
          Trust, or the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
          enterprise; and all of the leases and subleases material to
          the business of the Trust, and the Company and its
          subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and under which
          the Offerors or any Significant Subsidiary holds properties
          described in the Prospectus, are in full force and effect,
          and neither the Offerors nor any Significant Subsidiary has
          any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been
          asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Offerors or
          any Significant Subsidiary under any of the leases or
          subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the
          rights of such corporation to the continued possession of
          the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or
          sublease.

                                       10

 
                    (xxix)  The Company has not taken and will not
          take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or
          that might be reasonably expected to, cause or result in
          stabilization or manipulation of the price of the
          Securities.

          (b)  Any certificate signed by any Trustee of the Trust or
     any duly authorized officer of the Company or any Significant
     Subsidiary and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for
     the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
     the Trust or the Company, as the case may be, to each Underwriter
     as to the matters covered thereby.

          SECTION 2.     Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

          (a)  On the basis of the representations and warranties
     herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein
     set forth, the Trust agrees to sell to each Underwriter,
     severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and
     not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Trust, at the price per
     Capital Security set forth in Schedule B, the number of Capital
     Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such
     Underwriter, plus any additional number of Capital Securities
     which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant
     to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.

          (b)  Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
     certificates for, the Capital Securities shall be made at the
     offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, 919 Third
     Avenue, New York, New York  10022, or at such other place as
     shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Offerors, at
     10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing
     occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business
     day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with
     the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than
     ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the
     Representatives and the Offerors (such time and date of payment
     and delivery being herein called "Closing Time").

          Payment shall be made to the Trust by wire transfer of
     immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the
     Trust against delivery to the Representatives for the respective
     accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Capital
     Securities to be purchased by them.  It is understood that each
     Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account,
     to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the
     purchase price for, the Capital Securities which it has agreed to
     purchase.  Morgan Stanley, individually and not as representative
     of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make
     payment of the purchase price for the Capital Securities to be
     purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received
     by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such
     Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

          (c)   Certificates for the Capital Securities shall be in
     such denominations and registered in such names as the
     Representatives may request in writing at least one full business
     day before the Closing Time.  The Securities will be made
     available for examination and 

                                       11

 
     packaging by the Representatives in The City of New York not 
     later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior 
     to the Closing Time.

          (d)   As compensation to the Underwriters for their
     commitments hereunder and in view of the fact that the proceeds
     of the sale of the Capital Securities will be used to purchase
     Subordinated Debentures of the Company, the Company hereby agrees
     to pay at the Closing Time to Morgan Stanley in immediately
     available funds, for the accounts of the several Underwriters, a
     commission per Capital Security to be delivered by the Trust
     hereunder at the Closing Time as set forth in Schedule B.

          SECTION 3.     Covenants of the Offerors.  The Offerors
     covenant with each Underwriter as follows:

          (a)  The Offerors, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, will
     comply with the requirements of Rule 430A or Rule 434, as
     applicable, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and
     confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective
     amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective,
     or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus
     shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from
     the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any
     amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or
     supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, and
     (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
     suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of
     any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
     prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the
     Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the
     initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such
     purposes.  The Offerors will promptly effect the filings
     necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it
     deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of
     prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received
     for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not,
     it will promptly file such prospectus.  The Offerors will make
     every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order
     and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof
     at the earliest possible moment.

          (b)  The Offerors will give the Representatives notice of
     its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the
     Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)),
     any Term Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision to either
     the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time
     it became effective or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the
     1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish the
     Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable
     amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case
     may be, and will not file or use any such document without the
     consent of the Representatives, which consent shall not be
     unreasonably withheld.

          (c)  The Offerors have furnished or will deliver to the
     Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge,
     signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed
     and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith
     or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated
     or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and 

                                       12

 
     signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will 
     also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy
     of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each
     amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the
     Underwriters.  The copies of the Registration Statement and each
     amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical
     to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
     Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by
     Regulation S-T.

          (d)  The Offerors will furnish to each Underwriter, without
     charge, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be
     delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, such number of
     copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such
     Underwriter may reasonably request.  The Prospectus and any
     amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters
     will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies
     thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to
     the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

          (e)   The Offerors will comply with the 1933 Act,  the 1933
     Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations, the 1939
     Act and the 1939 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion
     of the distribution of the Capital Securities as contemplated in
     this Agreement and in the Prospectus.  If at any time when a
     prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in
     connection with sales of the Capital Securities, any event shall
     occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is
     necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the
     Underwriters or for the Offerors, to amend the Registration
     Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the
     Prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material
     fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
     the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
     circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a
     purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such
     counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or
     amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
     requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the
     Offerors will promptly prepare and file with the Commission,
     subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement as may be
     necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the
     Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such
     requirements, and the Offerors will furnish to the Underwriters
     such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the
     Underwriters may reasonably request.

          (f)   The Offerors will use their best efforts, in
     cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Capital
     Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities
     laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the
     Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications
     in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later
     of the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule
     462(b) Registration Statement; provided, however, that the
     Offerors shall not be obligated to file any general consent to
     service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a
     dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so
     qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing
     business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so
     subject.  In each jurisdiction in which the Capital Securities
     have been so qualified, the Offerors will file such statements
     and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction
     to continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less
     than one year from the effective date of the Registration
     Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration 

                                       13

 
     Statement.  The Offerors will also supply the Underwriters with 
     such information as is necessary for the determination of the 
     legality of the Capital Securities for investment under the laws 
     of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may request.

          (g)  The Company and the Trust will make generally available
     to their securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings
     statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits
     contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933
     Act.

          (h)  The Offerors shall take all reasonable action necessary
     to enable Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of
     McGraw Hill, Inc. ("S&P"), and Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
     ("Moody's") to provide their respective credit ratings of the
     Capital Securities.

          (i)  The Offerors will cooperate with the Underwriters and
     use their best efforts to permit the Capital Securities to be
     eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of
     DTC.

          (j)  The Trust will use the net proceeds received by it from
     the sale of the Capital Securities; and the Company will use the
     proceeds received by it from the sale of the Subordinated
     Debentures, in the manners specified in the Prospectus under "Use
     of Proceeds".

          (k)  Prior to the Closing Time, neither the Trust nor the
     Company will, without the prior written consent of Morgan
     Stanley, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer or agree to
     sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of,
     Capital Securities, any security convertible into exchangeable or
     exercisable for Capital Securities or the Subordinated Debentures
     or any debt securities substantially similar (including
     provisions with respect to the deferral of interest) to the
     Subordinated Debentures or any equity security substantially
     similar to the Capital Securities (except for the Securities
     issued pursuant to this Agreement).

          (l)  The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is
     required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will
     file all documents required to be filed with the Commission
     pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the
     1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

          SECTION 3A. Covenants of the Underwriters.  Each of the
     Underwriters represents and agrees as follows:

          (a)  The Underwriters will comply with the provisions of
     Rule 2810 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
     Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"), including, without
     limitation, Sections (b)(2)(B) and (b)(3)(D) thereof.

          SECTION 4.     Payment of Expenses.  

          (a)  Expenses.  The Company will pay all expenses incident
     to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement,
     including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the

                                       14

 
     Registration Statement (including financial statements and any
     schedules or exhibits and any document incorporated therein by
     reference) and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation,
     printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, the
     Operative Documents and such other documents as may be required
     in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of
     the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of
     the certificates for the Capital Securities to the Underwriters,
     (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel,
     accountants and other advisors, (v) rating agency fees, (vi) the
     fees and expenses of any trustee appointed under any of the
     Operative Documents, including the fees and disbursements of
     counsel for such trustees in connection with the Operative
     Documents, (vii) the qualification of the Capital Securities
     under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of
     Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable
     fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
     connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of
     the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the
     printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each
     preliminary prospectus, any Term Sheets and the Prospectus and
     any amendments or supplements thereto, (ix) the preparation,
     printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue
     Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (x) the filing fees
     incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
     to the Underwriters in connection with, the review, if any, by
     the NASD of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (xi) the
     fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the
     Securities, and (xii) the cost of qualifying the Capital
     Securities with DTC.

          (b)  Termination of Agreement.  If this Agreement is
     terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the
     provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the Company
     shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket
     expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of
     Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel for the
     Underwriters.

          SECTION 5.     Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.  The
     obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to
     the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the
     Offerors contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any
     Trustee of the Trust, officer of the Company or any of its
     subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
     performance by the Offerors of their obligations hereunder, and
     to the following further conditions:

          (a)  Effectiveness of Registration Statement.  The
     Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
     Statement, has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order
     suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall
     have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor
     initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the
     part of the Commission for additional information shall have been
     complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the
     Underwriters.  A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information
     shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule
     424(b) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information
     shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with
     the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Offerors have elected
     to rely upon 

                                       15

 
     Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with the Commission 
     in accordance with Rule 424(b).

          (b)  Opinion of Outside Counsel for Offerors.  At the
     Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable
     opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Brown & Wood LLP,
     counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably
     satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

          (c)  Opinion of General Counsel.  At the Closing Time, the
     Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as
     of the Closing Time, of Gary A. Spiess, General Counsel for the
     Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel
     for the Underwriters.

          (d)  Opinion of Special Delaware Counsel for Offerors.  If
     the opinion referred to in Section 5(b) does not cover applicable
     matters of Delaware law, at the Closing Time, the Underwriters
     shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the
     Closing Time, of special Delaware counsel to the Offerors, in
     form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the
     Underwriters.

          (e)  Opinion of Counsel for The Bank of New York.  At the
     Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable
     opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Emmet, Marvin & Martin,
     LLP, counsel to The Bank of New York, as Property Trustee under
     the Declaration, and Guarantee Trustee under the Capital
     Securities Guarantee Agreement, in form and substance reasonably
     satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

          (f)  Opinion of Special Tax Counsel for the Offerors.  At
     the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received an
     opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Brown & Wood LLP,
     special tax counsel to the Offerors, that  (i) the Subordinated
     Debentures will be classified for United States federal income
     tax purposes as indebtedness of the Company,  (ii) the Trust will
     be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as a
     grantor trust and not as an association taxable as a corporation
     and  (iii) although the discussion set forth in the Prospectus
     under the heading "Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences" does
     not purport to discuss all possible United States federal income
     tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of
     the Capital Securities, such discussion constitutes, in all
     material respects, a fair and accurate summary of the United
     States federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership
     and disposition of the Capital Securities under current law. 
     Such opinion may be conditioned on, among other things, the
     initial and continuing accuracy of the facts, financial and other
     information, covenants and representations set forth in
     certificates of officers of the Company and other documents
     deemed necessary for such opinion.  

          (g)  Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters.  At the Closing
     Time, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion,
     dated as of the Closing Time, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
     Flom LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to the
     incorporation and legal existence of the Company, the Capital
     Securities, the Indenture, the Capital Securities 

                                       16

 
     Guarantee, this Agreement, the Prospectus and other related 
     matters as the Underwriters may require.  Such counsel may also 
     state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they 
     have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of
     Trustees of the Trust, officers of the Company and its
     subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

          (h)  Certificates.  At the Closing Time, there shall not
     have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as
     of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material
     adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in
     the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
     Trust, or the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
     enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
     business, and the Representatives shall have received a
     certificate of the Chairman, any Vice Chairman, the Chief
     Executive Officer, the President or any Vice President of the
     Company and of the chief financial officer, the chief accounting
     officer or the Executive Director, Global Treasury of the Company
     and a certificate of an Administrative Trustee of the Trust,
     dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has
     been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations
     and warranties in Section 1 hereof were true and correct when
     made and are true and correct with the same force and effect as
     though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the
     Offerors have complied with all agreements and satisfied all
     conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied at or prior
     to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the
     effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and
     no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are
     pending or, to each such officer's knowledge, are contemplated by
     the Commission.

          (i)  Accountant's Comfort Letter.  At the time of the
     execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have
     received from Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. a letter dated such date,
     in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives,
     together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each
     of the other Underwriters, containing statements and information
     of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters"
     to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and
     certain financial information contained in the Registration
     Statement and the Prospectus.

          (j)  Bring-down Comfort Letter.  At the Closing Time, the
     Representatives shall have received from Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
     a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they
     reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to
     subsection (i) of this Section, except that the specified date
     referred to shall be a date not more than three business days
     prior to the Closing Time.

          (k)  Maintenance of Rating.  At the Closing Time, the
     Capital Securities shall be rated at least baa1 by Moody's and
     BBB by S&P, and the Trust shall have delivered to the
     Representatives a letter dated the Closing Time, from each such
     rating agency, or other evidence satisfactory to the
     Representatives, confirming that the Capital Securities have such
     ratings; and between the date of this Agreement and the Closing
     Time, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in the rating
     assigned to the Capital Securities or any of the Company's other
     debt securities by any nationally recognized statistical rating
     organization, and no such organization 

                                       17

 
     shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or 
     review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of 
     the Capital Securities or any of the Company's other debt securities.

          (l)  Additional Documents.  At the Closing Time, counsel for
     the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents
     and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them
     to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Capital Securities as
     herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any
     of the representations or warranties of the Offerors, or the
     fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all
     proceedings taken by the Offerors in connection with the issuance
     and sale of the Capital Securities as herein contemplated shall
     be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and
     counsel for the Underwriters.

          (m)  Termination of Agreement.  If any condition specified
     in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as
     required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the
     Representatives by notice to the Offerors at any time at or prior
     to the Closing Time, and such termination shall be without
     liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
     Section 4 and except that Sections 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any
     such termination and remain in full force and effect.

          SECTION 6.     Indemnification.

          (a)  Indemnification of Underwriters.  The Offerors agree to
     jointly and severally indemnify and hold harmless each
     Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
     within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
     the 1934 Act as follows:

               (i)  against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
          and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any
          untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
          fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any
          amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
          the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or the omission or
          alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be
          stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
          not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or
          alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
          preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment
          or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission
          therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the
          statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
          which they were made, not misleading;

               (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
          and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the
          aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or
          any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency
          or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
          based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any
          such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that
          (subject to 

                                       18

 
          Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the 
          written consent of the Offerors; and

               (iii)     against any and all expense whatsoever, as
          incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel
          chosen by Morgan Stanley), reasonably incurred in
          investigating, preparing or defending against any
          litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
          governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
          claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or
          omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission,
          to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or
          (ii) above;

     provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply
     to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent
     arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
     statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
     with written information furnished to the Offerors by any
     Underwriter through Morgan Stanley  expressly for use in the
     Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the
     Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if
     applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or
     any amendment or supplement thereto).

          (b)  Indemnification of Offerors, Directors and Officers. 
     Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
     the Offerors, their respective directors or trustees, the
     Company's officers who signed the Registration Statement, and
     each person, if any, who controls the Offerors within the meaning
     of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
     against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
     described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this
     Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements
     or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in
     the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including
     the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if
     applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or
     any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in
     conformity with written information furnished to the Offerors by
     such Underwriter through Morgan Stanley expressly for use in
     Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such
     preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
     supplement thereto).

          (c)  Actions against Parties; Notification.  Each
     indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably
     practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced
     against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder,
     but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve
     such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the
     extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in
     any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may
     have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement.  In
     the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above,
     counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Morgan
     Stanley, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
     Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be
     selected by the Offerors.  An indemnifying party may participate
     at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided,
     however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except
     with the consent of 

                                       19

 
     the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party.  
     In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees 
     and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local 
     counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties 
     in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related 
     actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general 
     allegations or circumstances.  No indemnifying party shall, without 
     the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or 
     compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to 
     any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental 
     agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in 
     respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under 
     this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified
     parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such
     settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional
     release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out
     of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii)
     does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
     culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any
     indemnified party.

          (d)  Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. 
     Notwithstanding the last sentence of Section 6(c), if at any time
     an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party
     to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of
     counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable
     for any settlement effected without its written consent if (i)
     such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt
     by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such
     indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of
     such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being
     entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have
     reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request
     prior to the date of such settlement; provided that an
     indemnifying party shall not be liable for any such settlement
     effected without its consent if such indemnifying party (1)
     reimburses such indemnified party in accordance with such request
     to the extent it considers such request to be reasonable and (2)
     provides written notice to the indemnified party substantiating
     the unpaid balance as unreasonable, in each case prior to the
     date of such settlement. 

          SECTION 7.     Contribution.  In order to provide for just
     and equitable contribution in circumstances under which the
     indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any
     reason held to be unenforceable by an indemnified party in
     respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses
     referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
     contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities,
     claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party,
     as incurred, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
     relative benefits received by the Offerors on the one hand and
     the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the
     Capital Securities pursuant to this Agreement.

          The relative benefits received by the Offerors on the one
     hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with
     the offering of the Capital Securities pursuant to this Agreement
     shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the
     total net proceeds from the offering of the Capital Securities
     pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received
     by the Offerors and the total commission received by the
     Underwriters, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price
     of the Capital Securities.

                                       20

 
          The Offerors and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
     just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7
     were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters
     were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
     method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
     considerations referred to above in this Section 7.  The
     aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and
     expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above
     in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other
     expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
     investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or
     any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
     body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon
     any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or
     alleged omission.

          Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no
     Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess
     of the amount by which the total price at which the Capital
     Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were
     offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which
     such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
     such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
     omission.

          No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
     meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to
     contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
     fraudulent misrepresentation.

          For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who
     controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
     1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights
     to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the
     Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration
     Statement, each trustee of the Trust and each person, if any, who
     controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
     Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
     contribution as the Company.  The Underwriters' respective
     obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several
     in proportion to the number of Capital Securities set forth
     opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not
     joint.

          SECTION 8.     Representations, Warranties and Agreements to
     Survive Delivery.  All representations, warranties and agreements
     contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the
     Company or trustees of the Trust submitted pursuant hereto shall
     remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any
     investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or
     controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Trust or the
     Company, and shall survive delivery of the Capital Securities to
     the Underwriters.

          SECTION 9.     Termination of Agreement.

          (a)  Termination; General.  The Representatives may
     terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Offerors, at any time
     at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the
     time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates
     as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material
     adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, 

                                       21

 
     or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the 
     Trust or the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
     whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or
     (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the
     financial markets in the United States or any outbreak of
     hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis, in
     each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
     judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the
     Capital Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
     Capital Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the
     Company has been suspended or limited by the Commission, or if
     trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York
     Stock Exchange or in the NASDAQ National Market System has been
     suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading
     have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required,
     by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the
     Commission, the NASD or any other governmental authority, or (iv)
     if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or
     New York authorities.

          (b)  Liabilities.  If this Agreement is terminated pursuant
     to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of
     any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4
     hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall
     survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

          SECTION 10.    Default by One or More of the Underwriters. 
     If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time
     to purchase the Capital Securities which it or they are obligated
     to purchase under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"),
     the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours
     thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the
     non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to
     purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities
     in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein
     set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have
     completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

               (a)  if the number of Defaulted Securities does not
          exceed 10% of the total number of Capital Securities to be
          purchased hereunder, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters
          shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase
          the full amount thereof in the proportions that their
          respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the
          underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters,
          or

               (b)  if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10%
          of the total number of Capital Securities to be purchased
          hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without liability
          on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

          No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any
     defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

          In the event of any such default which does not result in a
     termination of this Agreement, either the Representatives or the
     Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time for a
     period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required
     changes in the Registration 

                                       22

 
     Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.  
     As used herein, the term "Underwriter" includes any person 
     substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

          SECTION 11.    Notices.  All notices and other
     communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed
     to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard
     form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be
     directed to the Representatives c/o Morgan Stanley at 1585
     Broadway, New York, New York 10036, attention of
     _________________________, with a copy to Skadden, Arps, Slate,
     Meagher & Flom LLP, 919 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022,
     Attention of Gregory A. Fernicola, Esq.; notices to the Offerors
     shall be directed to BankBoston Corporation, 100 Federal Street,
     MA BOS 01-25-01, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, attention of Gary
     A. Spiess, General Counsel with a copy to Brown & Wood llp, One
     World Trade Center, 58th Floor, New York, New York 10048,
     Attention of Edward F. Petrosky, Esq.

          SECTION 12.    Parties.  This Agreement shall each inure to
     the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the
     Offerors and their respective successors.  Nothing expressed or
     mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to
     give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters
     and the Offerors and their respective successors and the
     controlling persons and officers, directors and trustees referred
     to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives,
     any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect
     of this Agreement or any provision herein contained.  This
     Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended
     to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and
     the Offerors and their respective successors, and said
     controlling persons and officers, directors and trustees and
     their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no
     other person, firm or corporation.  No purchaser of Capital
     Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor
     by reason merely of such purchase.

          SECTION 13.    GOVERNING LAW AND TIME.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL
     BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
     STATE OF NEW YORK.

          SECTION 14.    Effect of Headings.  The Article and Section
     headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience
     only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

                                       23

 
          If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
     our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a
     counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all
     counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the
     Underwriters and the Offerors in accordance with its terms.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        BANKBOSTON CORPORATION

                                        By
                                          --------------------------
                                          Title:

                                        BANKBOSTON CAPITAL TRUST III

                                        By                             
                                          --------------------------
                                          Title:

      CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
       as of the date first above
       written:

     MORGAN STANLEY & CO.
       INCORPORATED
     CS FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
     LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
     SALOMON BROTHERS INC

     By: MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED

     By                                                                
       -----------------------------------
          Authorized Signatory

     For themselves and as representative of the other Underwriters
     named in Schedule A hereto.

                                       24

 
                                 SCHEDULE A

                                                          Number of    
         Name of Underwriter                        Capital Securities
         -------------------                        ------------------

      MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED . . . . . . .
      CS FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . .
      LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.  . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      SALOMON BROTHERS INC  . . . . . . . . . . . . .   
                                                          --------
      Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      250,000
                                                          ========



                                    Sch A-1

 
                                 SCHEDULE B

                         BANKBOSTON CAPITAL TRUST III
                                    250,000
                       Floating Rate Capital Securities
              (Liquidation Amount of $1,000 Per Capital Security)

          1.   The initial public offering price for the Capital
     Securities, determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $
     _________ per security.

          2.   The purchase price for the Capital Securities to be
     paid by the several Underwriters shall be $_______ per security,
     being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set
     forth above.

          3.   The commission for the Capital Securities to be paid by
     the Company to the Underwriters for their commitments hereunder
     shall be $_____ per Capital Security.


                                    Sch B-1