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DECEMBER MEETING, 1913

STATED MEETING of the Society was held at the house of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, No. 28 Newbury Street, Boston, on Thursday, 18 December, 1913, at three o'clock in the afternoon, the President, HENRY LEFAVOUR, LL.D., in the chair.

The Records of the Annual Meeting were read and approved.

The CORRESPONDING SECRETARY reported that letters had been received from Mr. FRANCIS HENSHAW Dewey and Mr. ALFRED CLAGHORN POTTER accepting Resident Membership.

Mr. EDWARD KENNARD RAND and Mr. WILLIAM ROSCOE THAYER, both of Cambridge, were elected Resident Members. Mr. ALBERT MATTHEWS spoke as follows:

In the Preface to Volume II, issued last spring, it was stated that five of the Massachusetts Royal Commissions were not printed because "no copies have been found, though diligent search has been made for them in London, Boston, and elsewhere." In a notice of Volume II which appeared in the latest number of the American Historical Review,1 Professor Charles M. Andrews said that three of the

1 October, 1913, xix. 157-158. Professor Andrews says:

The first volume containing the commissions is now before us and the second, which will contain the royal instructions issued during the same period, is already provided for. With the completion of this work an undertaking of first importance will have been finished, constituting not only the most important publication of this active society, but the first presentation in print of a complete series, as far as obtainable, of the commissions and instructions issued to a royal governor in any of the colonies. We can only wish that an effort of this kind would arouse the state of Massacusetts to atone for a long and not very creditable neglect by printing its colonial records for the period after 1686. It stands now with the state of South Carolina as the only two of the thirteen original colonies that have failed to fulfil this duty to themselves and to colonial history.

five missing Commissions were extant; and upon my writing him for the references, he very kindly sent them. Hardly had these reached me, when I received from Miss Drucker, our copyist in London, a letter stating that she had just found two of the Commissions, one of which was not mentioned by Professor Andrews. Thus four of the five Commissions have been recovered at one stroke, leaving only Isaac Addington's Commission as Secretary still unfound.2 The four Commissions now printed for the first time are the following:

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William & Mary by the Grace of God King & Queen of England Scotland France & Ireland Defenders of the Faith &c To our Trusty & Welbeloved WILLIAM STOUGHTON Esq Greeting

1 Though not mentioned by him, it was of course known to him. The introductory note to Professor Andrews's "Guide to the Materials for American History, to 1783, in the Public Record Office of Great Britain. Volume I. The State Papers," was dated October 15, 1912. The volume reached Boston last January, at which time the Preface and text of Volume II were cast, so that, unfortunately, in preparing the Preface I could not avail myself of the information found in Mr. Andrews's volume. Nor does that volume contain a list of the Commissions or Instructions, though Mr. Andrews writes:

To treat the subject from the standpoint of British policy demands, however, that the student have before him a complete collection of all the commissions, instructions, and additional instructions issued to the British colonial governors, Canadian, American, and West Indian, from the earliest times to 1784. A list of all such documents is printed in the Report of the American Historical Association for 1911 (p. 110, note).

The list referred to, compiled by Mr. Andrews himself, fills pp. 396-528 of Volume I of the Report for 1911. This volume, however, has only just been published and my copy reached me one week ago to-day. Hence it was not available in preparing Volume II.

2 This was issued on or before December 11, 1691: see p. 97, above.

Mr William
Stoughton

Lieut Govern

Whereas by Our Commission under Our Great Seale of England bearing date the 12th day of this instant December We have thought fit to constitute & appoint Our Trusty & Welbeloved S William Phips Knt to be Our Captain Generall & Governor in Chief of Our Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England, and also to be Our Lieutent & Commander in Chief of the Militia within Our whole Territory & Dominion of New England in America. And Whereas We repose especiall Trust & confidence in y Loyalty Courage & circumspection. We do by these presents constitute & appoint you to be Our Lieut Govern' of Our Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England, and to be Deputy Lieut of the Militia within Our whole Territory & Dominion of New England in America. To have hold exercise and enjoy the said Place & Office, for & during Our pleasure with all Rights, Priviledges, Profits, Perquisits & Advantages to the same belonging, or appertaining And in case of the death or absence of the said S William Phipps We do hereby authorize & require you to execute & performe all & Singular ye Powers & directions contained in Our said Commission to Sr William Phipps, and such Instructions as We have already or hereafter Shall from time to time Send unto him. And you are to observe & follow such orders & Directions as you shall receive from Vs, the said S William Phipps, or any other Our Chief Govt of Our Said Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, and Our Lieutent & Commander in Chief of the Militia within Our whole Territory and Dominion of New England for ye time being, And We do hereby command all & Singular Our Officers Ministers & Loving Subjects of Our Said Province & Dominion and others whom it may concerne to take due notice hereof, and to give their ready obedience accordingly Given at Our Court at Kensington the 14th day of December 1691 in the 3d yeare of Our Reigne.

By his Majtys command
NOTTINGHAM.1

II

WILLIAM TAILER'S FIRST COMMISSION

APRIL 7, 1711

Anne R.

Anne, by the Grace of God, Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c To our Trusty and Welbeloved WILLIAM TAILER Greeting.

1 Public Record Office, Colonial Office, Class 324, Vol. 22, pp. 409–410.

Colt Wm
Tailer Lieut
Govt of the
Massachusets
Bay in New-
England

Whereas by Our Commission under Our Great Seal of England, bearing date the first day of April 1702 in the first Year of Our Reign, Wee have constituted and appointed Our Trusty & Welbeloved Joseph Dudley Esq' Our Captain Generall & Governor in Chief in & over Our Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England & the Territorys depending thereon in America. Wee reposing especial Trust & Confidence in Your Loyalty Courage & Circumspection, do by these Presents constitute & appoint you the Said WILLIAM TAILER to be Our Lieutenant Governor of Our Said Province & Territorys of the Massachusets Bay in New England, To have, hold, exercise & enjoy the said Place and Office for and during Our Pleasure, with all Rights, Privileges, Profits, Perquisits & Advantages to the Same belonging or appertaining. And further in case of the Death or absence of the Said Joseph Dudley, We Do hereby Authorize and empower You to execute & performe all and Singular the Powers and Directions contained in the said Commission to the Said Joseph Dudley & Such Instructions as are already or hereafter Shall from time to time be Sent to him. And You are to observe & follow Such Orders & Directions as You Shall receive from Us, the Said Joseph Dudley, or any other chief Governor of the Said Province, & Territorys of the Massachusets Bay in New England for the time being. And all & singular our Officers, Ministers & Loving Subjects of Our Said Province and Territorys, & others whom it may concern, are hereby commanded to take due notice hereof, and to give their ready obedience accordingly. Given at Our Court at St James's the Seventh day of April 1711. in the Tenth Year of Our Reign. By Her Maty's Command. DARTMOUTH.1

III

WILLIAM TAILER'S SECOND COMMISSION

APRIL 28, 1715

George R.

George by the Grace of God King of Great Britain france and Ireland defender of the faith &c to our Trusty and Welbeloved WILLIAM TAYLOR Esq' Greeting

1 Public Record Office, Colonial Office, Class 324, Vol. 32, pp. 68-69. There is also a copy of this Commission in Public Record Office, Colonial Office, Class 389, Vol. 42, pp. 65–66.

Esq Lieut
Govern of the
Massachusetts
Bay in New
England

day of

Whereas by our Commission under our great Seal of Great Brittaine bearing date the in the first year of our William Taylor Reign We have Constituted & appointed our Trusty and Welbeloved Elizeus Burges Esq' our Captain General and Governour in Cheif in and over our Province of the Massachussets bay in New. England and the Territories depending thereon in America, We reposing Especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty Courage and Circumspection, do by these Presents Constitute and appoint you the Said WILLIAM TAYLOR to be our Lieut. Governour of our Said Province and Territories of the Massachussets bay in New-England to have hold and Enjoy the Said Place and Office, for and During our Pleasure, with all rights Priviledges Profitts Perquisites and advantages to the Same belonging or Appertaining and further in Case of the Death or absence of the said Elizeus Burges We do hereby authorize and Impower you to Execute and Perform all and singular the powers and Directions Contained in the Said Commission to the said Elizeus Burges and such Instructions as are already or hereafter shall from time to time be Sent to him, and you are to observe and follow Such orders and Directions as you shall receive from us, the Said Elizeus Burges, or any other Cheif Governor of the said Province and territories of Massachusets bay in New England for the time being and all and singular our officers Ministers and Loving Subjects of our said Province and Territories and all others whom it may Concern are hereby Commanded to take due notice hereof and to give their Ready obedience accordingly. Given at our Court at St. James's the 28th day of April 1715, in the first year of our Reign By His Majty's Comand.

JAMES STANHOPE.1

IV

WILLIAM DUMMER'S FIRST COMMISSION

JULY 28, 1716

George P. C. R.

George Prince of Wales &ca Guardian of the Kingdom of Great Brittain &c & His Majestys Lieutenant within ye Same, To WILLIAM DUMMER Esq Greeting,

1 Public Record Office, Colonial Office, Class 5, Vol. 190, p. 258.

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