ment; and whereas most of the distressed people, that are come from Eleutheria,* are rather willing, (if any will venture for their supply and accommodation), to settle in the country than to transport themselves. And your petitioners, who have some of the best and most accommodable farms for the said Town, being not only willing to annex the same thereto, but otherwise to concern themselves for promoting a settlement, and hoping Mr. Gedney and Mr. Wharton may be prevailed with, upon condition that the waste and interjacent lands and islands may also be added thereto, to afford further enlargement and accommodation. Your petitioners humbly pray, that all the waste lands between Mr. Wharton's land, (being about 3 miles to the westward of Puggamugga river) and Mr. Gedney's, bordering upon the former grant, together with the Islands before the same, being not impropriated, may be granted to your petitioners for themselves and such as may be willing to concern themselves with them, in planting and peopling the said Town, and that the said Puggamugga River, if Mr. Wharton shall consent thereto, may be the stated Easterly bounds of said Township; or, otherwise, that meet persons may be appointed to run the line between such land, as you shall be pleased to allow to the said Town, and Mr. Wharton's land, that the present settlement may not be discouraged,-addition to a new plantation may not be driven away for want of those supplies, your petitioners are willing to add to the public charity and benevolence. And your petitioners ever pray, &c. JERIMIAH DUMMER. SIMEON STODDARD. In answer to this Petition, The President and Council do approve of, and allow of the petitioners removing the distressed Eleutherian people into Casco Bay, for their settlement and support, and will * One of the Bahama Islands. recommend their prayer for the grant of their lands, desired unto his Majesty for his Royal favour therein. By the President and Council. ED. RANDOLPH, Secretary. Council House, Sept. 15, 1686. Also at the motion of the petitioners, it was further consented to by Richard Wharton and Bartholomew Gedney, Esqrs., that they will annex their lands in or near said Town to the same, and as improvement shall be made on their respective lands, to contribute to Town charge and in improvement, and Mr. Wharton consented, reserving his propriety, that the town bounds shall extend Eastwardly as far as Puggamugga River. ED. RANDOLPH, Secretary. XII. Order that the Jurisdiction of Pemaquid be in the hands of Sir Edmund Andros. JAMES R. Trusty and well beloved. We greet you well. Whereas we have thought fit to direct, that our Fort and Country of Pemaquid, in regard of its distance from New York, be for the future annexed to and continued under the Government of our Territory and Dominion of New England. Our will and pleasure is, that you forthwith deliver or cause to be delivered, our said Fort and Country of Pemaquid with the great guns, ammunition and stores of war, together with all other utensils and appurtenances belonging to the said Fort, into the hand of our trusty and well beloved Sir Edmund Andros, Knight, our Captain General and Governor in chief of our Territory and Dominion of New England, or to the Governor or Commander in Chief there, for the time being, or to such person or persons, as they shall impower to receive the same, and for so doing, this shall be your warrant. Given at our Court at Windsor, this 19th day of September, 1686, in the second year of our reign. By his Majesty's command. SUNDERLAND P. Col. Dongan to deliver Pemaquid Fort to Sir Edmund Andros. JAMES REX. XIII. Commission to Edward Randolph. James the second by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas we have thought fit to appoint a President and Council, until we shall send over a Governor in Chief to take care of all our Territory and Dominion in New England, commonly called or known by the names of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, the Province of New Hampshire and Maine, and the Narraganset Country, otherwise called the king's Province, with all the islands, rights and members thereunto belonging, Know ye, that we reposing especial trust and confidence in the loyalty and abilities of our trusty and well beloved Edward Randolph, Esq., have given and granted, and, by these presents, do give and grant unto him, the said Edward Randolph, the several and respective places and offices of Secretary and sole Register of our Governor and Council, and of our government there, for the time being, of and in our Territories and Dominion aforesaid, and him, (the said Edward Randolph, Secretary and Register of our said Territory and Dominion), we do, by these presents, make, ordain and constitute, to have, hold, exercise and enjoy the said places and offices, or to him, the said Edward Randolph, by himself or his deputy or deputies during our pleasure, together with all fees, rights, privileges, profits, perquisites and advantages, to the said places and offices, or either of them, belonging or in any wise appertaining in as full and ample manner to all intents and purposes, as the Secretary and Register of our Island of Jamaica, or of any other our Plantations in America, have had or do now receive and enjoy. And hereof all persons, whom it may concern, are to take due notice, and yield obedience thereunto accordingly. Given at our Court at Windsor, the 21st day of September, 1685, in the first year of our reign.* XIV. Order for the preservation of the Colony Records. At a Council held in Boston, New England, on Wednesday, the 8th of December, 1686. Ordered, That Wait Winthrop, Esq., Simon Lynde, Esq., Benjamin Bullivant, Mr. Isaac Addington, and Mr. Daniel Allen be a committee, with the Secretary, to receive and sort and form the records of the country, now in the hand of Mr. Edward Rawson, late Secretary, that so they may be apt and ready for service; and that the persons above named, be all sworn to the faithful discharge of their trust in this matter, and, to the end it may be forthwith proceeded in, Mr. Lynde and Mr. Bullivant are empowered, and hereby ordered to take the same from Mr. Rawson tomorrow, and remove them in the posture they are now in, into the Library Chamber, and that there go forth a strict warrant to Mr. Rawson, to deliver them accordingly. And it is further ordered, that two locks be put upon the Office where such papers shall be lodged, and that Mr. Bullivant or such other person, as Mr. Randolph shall depute to that service, shall keep the key of one of the locks, and Capt. Winthrop, Mr. Lynde, or Mr. Addington the other. XV. Instructions to Sir Edmund Andros, concerning the surrender of Rhode Island and Connecticut Charters. JAMES R. Additional powers and instructions for our trusty and well beloved Sir Edmund Andros, Knight, our Captain [Though this commission is dated before the suspension of our Charter government, yet it was prepared for the Usurpation Administration,-and, therefore, is located with its documents. Pub. Com.] General and Governor in Chief in and over our Territory and Dominion of New England in America, given at our Court at Windsor, this 13th day of September, in the second year of our reign, 1686. Whereas we have been presented with the humble address of our Governor and Company of our Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation within our Territory and Dominion of New England, bearing date the 3d day of June last, wherein they take notice of our writ of quo warranto against their Charter, and thereupon declaring their resolution not to stand suit with us, have submitted themselves and their Charter to our Royal determination. Our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby authorize and empower you, upon your arrival in those parts, to demand, in our name, the surrender of their said Charter into your hands, in pursuance of their said declaration and address, and, taking our said Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, under your Government, to exercise the like powers and authorities in reference to the same, as we have given and granted unto you by our commission under the great Seal of England, for the Government of other Colonies, within our said Territory and Dominion of New England, assuring our good subjects of our Colony and plantation aforesaid, of our Royal countenance and protection in all things, wherein our service and their welfare shall be concerned, and giving us by the first opportunity, an account of their behavior and of your proceedings in obedience to these our commands. And, in case it shall happen, that upon the like writ of quo warranto, issued against the Charter of our Government and Company of our Colony of Connecticut, they shall be induced to make surrender of their Charter, our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby authorize and empower you in our name, to receive such surrender, and to take our said Colony of Connecticut under your Government, in the same manner as before expressed. By his Majesty's command. SUNDERLAND P. |