be Deputy Secry & Register Yo" doe Sweare that you will faithfully & Carefully manage & p'forme ye sd office as Deputy Secry & Register Keepeing the Records of all things proper to ye sd office & fairly fileing & Coppying all such Records and papers as are Committed to yo" & in all things to demeane yo' selfe according to ye Charge & Duty of yo' place after yor best skill & Knowledge & pursuant to ye sd Indenture & deputacon giuen yo".

John West tooke ye aboue Oath in Councill ye 20th July 1688 upon ye Desire of ye sd Ed. Randolph. ED. RANDOLPH Secry.1 Randolph was Secretary from July 1, 1686, to the overthrow of Andros's government on April 18, 1689.2

1 Massachusetts Archives, cxxix. 90; printed in Toppan's Randolph, iv. 231. ? Randolph had great difficulty in obtaining possession of the records pertaining to his office. In a letter to the Committee dated August 23, 1686, he said:

His Matie hauing been Graciously pleased to grant me the Office of Secretary & Register of this Gomt I demanded the Records of the Generall Court & other Bookes of publick Concern, which ought to be lodged in my Office; and had an Order to that purpose; but some of ye Council & others looking vpon me as ye Onely enemy of their Country haue encouraged the former Secry to keepe them in his Custody (Toppan's Randolph, iv. 116).

In a letter to the Lord Treasurerr (the Earl of Rochester) of the same date (August 23, 1686), Randolph said:

His Majestie hath been graciously pleased to make me Secretary of his Councill here, but ye accounts of ye Late Treasurers & w'ever else relates to yo discovery of his Majties Revennue is kept from my knowledge: The publick Records & all ye Grants & Settlement of Lands in this Country ought to be lodged in my office are otherwise disposed of, not being willing to entrust them with me, who have been, & (as they say) am still ye Grand enemy of their Countrey (Massachusetts Archives, cxxvi. 66-67. Cf. Toppan's Randolph, iv. 121, 123–124).

The order referred to in the first of these letters was given June 13, 1686. The record of the Council meeting held that day states that Joseph Dudley, William Stoughton, Edward Randolph, and John Usher were the only members present; and then continues (Council Records, ii. 39-40; cf. Dudley Records, p. 250):

Who not makeing a full Councill (no business was done that day) only a letter writt by the Presidt to Edward Rawson Esqre late Secr: of the Massachusetts Colony and accordingly sent (a Copie whereof follows)

Whereas it bath pleased his Majty in the settlemt of the Government of this His Majtys Territory & Dominion to appoint and Commissionate Edward Randolph Esqre to be the Secretary and Register of this his Majtys said Governm and Dominion.

These are therefore in his Majty's name to order & require you to deliver into the said Mr Randolphs hands, the Books, Records, Files and other utensells belonging to the said Office of Secretary late exercised by yourselfe, that they may be

III

PERIOD FROM APRIL 18, 1689, TO MAY 16, 1692

Andros's government was overthrown April 18, 1689, on which day the following "Letter to Gov Andros requesting his surrendering the government and Fortifications" was sent :

safely disposed and managed for his Majty's service according to the directions that are or may be given unto the said Edw: Randolph, and hereof you may fail not. J. DUDLEY P.

On September 24 it was "Ordered. That Mr Rawson deliver up the Keys of the Records to Mr Addington and Mr Benj" Bullivant" (Council Records, ii. 77; cf. Dudley Records, p. 271). On October 21 it was "Ordered: That Mr Addington & Mr Bullivant attended M' Rawson on Saturday next, to assort, take an account and receive the Records of the late Governm and deliver them to the Secretary" (Council Records, ii. 80; cf. Dudley Records, p. 273). On December 8 it was

Ordered: That Wait Winthrope Esqre Symon Lynd Esqre Benjamin Bullivant, Mr Isaac Addington & M2 Daniell Allen, be a Committee with the Secretary, to receive and sort and form the Records of the Country, (now in the hands 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 faithfull discharge of their trust in this matter, and to the end it may be forthwith proceded in, Ma Lynd and Mr Bullivant are empowred and hereby ordered to take the same from M' Rawson to morrow and to 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 Cap Winthrop Ma Lynd or Mr Addington the other (Council Records, ii. 94-95; cf. Dudley Records, p. 281).

On February 4, 1687,

His Exce Seeing the great necessities of haveing the Records of the Country removed from the dwelling house of Mr Rawson late Secry

It was ordered that the persons Impowered by an order of the late President and Councill of the 8th of December last doe effectually persue the same and that the Office in the Court House in Boston be forthwith enlarged and prepared to receive them accordingly (Andros Records, pp. 249–250. Cf.Toppan's Randolph, vi. 181,210). In a draft in the Massachusetts Archives this reads:

Whereas by an Order of the late President & Councill dated the 8th day of December last It was ordered That Wait Winthrop, Simon Lynds Esqrs Benjamin Bulliuent, m Isaac Addington, & m2 Daniel Allin be a Comtee with the Secretary to receiue sort and form the Records of the Country (now in the hands of m1 Rawson late Secretary,) that they may be ready for Seruice, Enjoyning the sd Comte to be Sworn for the faithfull discharge of their trust impowering, & ordering, m❜ Lynd & m2 Bulliuent to take the same from m1 Rawson the next day following, &

SR

At the Town House BOSTON 18th April 1689

Our Selves as well as many others the Inhabitants of this Town and Places adjacent being Surprised with the Peoples Sudden taking to to remove the same, (in the posture they find them) into the Liberary Chamber. In pursuance whereof it is hereby Ordered That the sd Comtee do forthwith enter upon the effectual execusion thereof, bringing them to ye Office provided for them & Mr Rawson late Secry to be assisting in sorting & disposing them accordingly (cxxvi. 225).

A year went by when, on February 3, 1688, another order was issued (Massachusetts Archives, cxxviii. 36):

Att a Councill held at the Councill Chamber in Boston
ye 3d day of february 1687.

Forasmuch as the severall Orders formerly made for taking an account of the public Records of the late Massachusetts Collony have not been attended that the same might be putt into the Secryes Custody and all persons have recourse to them as Occasion Ordered that Ma Isaac Addington and M2 John Herbert Coward be and are hereby desired and authorized in the presence of Mr Edward Randolph Secry and M' Edward Rawson the late Secry or some one on [altered from "in," or "in" altered from "on"] his behalfe to take an account in writeing of all the said Records and that they beginn the same on Tuesday next and continue day by day about the same till compleated and that then the said Records be delivered into the hands of the said Secry and the account thereof by them taken forthwith returned to this board under their hands

By Order in Councill &c

JOHN WEST D Secry

What is perhaps the final allusion to this matter occurs in the following document (Massachusetts Archives, cxxvi. 238) under date of March 6, 1688:

Att a Councill held att ye Councill Chamber in Boston
on Tuesday ye 6th day of March 1687

Upon Reading this day in Councill ye Report made by Edwd Randolph Secry Edwd Rawson Isaack Addington & Jn° Herbert Coward togather with ye account

Arms; In the first motion whereof we were wholly Ignorant; are driven by the present Exigence and necessity to Acquaint your Excellency, That for the quieting, and Security of the People inhabiting this Countrey from the imminent dangers they many ways lye open and exposed unto; And for your own Safety, We judge it necessary, That you forthwith Surrender, and deliver up the Government, and Fortifications to be preserved to be disposed according to Order and direction from the Crown of England; which is Suddenly expected may arrive; promising all Security from Violence to your self; Or any other of your Gentlemen and Souldiers in person or Estate. Or else we are assured they will endeavour the taking of the Fortifications by Storm, if any Opposition be made

On April 19 a "Letter to Ensign John Pipon to give up the Castle, now under his command," was sent.2 On April 20 a "Council for

by them taken of ye publique Records of ye late Massachusetts Collony - pursuant to an Ord' of this Board beareing Date ye 3d of ffebruary past Ordered that ye sd Records be forthwith taken into ye Custody & Charge of ye Secry & Kept with ye other Records of this Dominion in the Secrys office where all psons may haue recourse to them as occasion & that ye Key heitherto Kept by m' Rawson of ye place where sd Records are be forthwith delivered to ye sd Secry

ye

1 Court Records, vi. 1.

By Ord' in Councill

2 vi. 1-2. By error this letter is dated "19th April 1690." The letter to Andros of April 18 was signed by fifteen persons, of whom three-William Browne, Bartholomew Gedney, and John Nelson - did not sign the letter of April 19 to Pipon. The letter to Pipon of April 19 was signed by fourteen persons, of whom twoWilliam Johnson and James Russell- - did not sign the letter to Andros of April 18.

Safety of the People and Conservation of the Peace" was appointed, as follows:

Council of Safety appointed

April 20th 1689

A Council for Safety of the People and Conservation of

Peace

Pursuant to the Advice given unto St Edmund Andros Whereupon the Fortifications and Government were Surrendred, And also being constreined by the Military Forces now in Arms

It is Agreed that the Gentlemen that are present and Subscribed that Advice together with such other of the old Magistrates Or such other Gentlemen as they shall Judge meet to Associate to them, are entrusted with the Safety of the People and Conservation of the Peace untill there be a farther and more Orderly Settlement. And Simon Bradstreet Esq3 is Chosen to Preside

On the same day (April 20) "Mr Isaac Addington is nominated and appointed Clerk of the Council, and to officiate as such." 2

On May 1 the doings of the Council for Safety on April 20 were approved:

We whose Names are underwritten being invited by the Gentlemen above named to be added unto them of the Council Do consent to and approve of, what was done by the Said Gentlemen in their Advice given

1 Court Records, vi. 2.

2 vi. 3.