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office. In the course of compiling the List,' a mass of data was collected that seemed of sufficient value since it was largely obtained from manuscript sources, or from printed sources not easily accessible to be put into convenient shape for consultation and reference. Hence these Notes. They are divided into the following six sections:

I Council for New England, 1685-1686

II Territory and Dominion of New England, 1686-1689

III Period from April 18, 1689, to May 16, 1692

IV Members of the Council, 1685-1691

V Province of the Massachusetts Bay, 1691-1775
VI Lists

It will be remembered that on June 27, 1683, a quo warranto 2 was issued against the Massachusetts Colony Charter which had been granted by Charles I on March 4, 1629. Edward Randolph reached Boston on October 26, 1683,3 and on November 7

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T the opening of this Court the Governor acquainted the Court, that since the last sitting of this Court Edward Randolph Esq, arrived, & had presented him wth his majtjes councils act, & his majħjes declaration & proclamation, wth the quo warranto issued out agt the Goūno & Company, &c 5

The Colony Charter was vacated by a decree in the Court of Chancery and judgment entered against it in October, 1684. At a General Court held on January 28, 1685,

1 The reason for undertaking these Notes was the fact that previous lists (such as those in Palfrey's History of New England, in Whitmore's Massachusetts Civil List, and in the Massachusetts Court Manual) were found to be both incomplete and inaccurate. Innumerable discrepancies occur between these Notes and previous lists, but, except occasionally, it has not been thought worth while to point out the differences.

2 It is printed in Massachusetts Colony Records, v. 421–422.

3 On February 14, 1684, Randolph wrote to Sir Lionel Jenkins: "I arriued in Boston vpon ye 26 of Oct1er late at night and found their Gen" Court that afternoon broake vp" (Toppan's Randolph, iii. 272). For the sake of convenience, the seven volumes of "Edward Randolph" published by the Prince Society are referred to in these Notes as "Toppan's Randolph," though the last two volumes were edited by the Rev. A. T. S. Goodrick.

♦ Simon Bradstreet.

5 Massachusetts Colony Records, v. 421.

• See Toppan's Randolph, i. 242 note 425, iv. 189.

T the opening of this Court the Gouerno

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declard it, yt on the

certeine or generall rumo's in Mr Jenner, lately arrived, yt or charter was condemned, & judgment entred vp, &c, they lookt at it as an incumbent duty to acquaint the Court wth it, & leaue the consideration of what was or might be necessary to them, &c.2

On May 12, 1686, "At a Generall Court for Elections,"

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YMON BRADSTREET, Esq, was chosen Goūno" for ye yeare ensuing, & tooke his oath ye same day.

Thomas Danforth, Esq, was also chosen Dept Goū, & tooke his oath at ye Gouno house ye same day.

Edward Rawson was chosen Secret, & tooke his oath 13 May.3

On May 14 Randolph reached Boston, bringing with him an Exemplification of the Judgment against the Charter 5 and Dudley's Commission (dated October 8, 1685) 6 as President of the Council for New England. On May 17 Dudley made a speech to the Court

1 Simon Bradstreet. James II was proclaimed in Boston on April 20, 1685 (Massachusetts Colony Records, v. 473–474), and in Plymouth on April 24 (Plymouth Colony Records, vi. 160).

2 Massachusetts Colony Records, v. 465. A copy of the judgment reached Boston July 1, 1685 (Sewall's Diary, i. 85), and was placed in Secretary Rawson's hands on July 2 (Toppan's Randolph, i. 243 note 428, 256; 4 Massachusetts Historical Collections, v. 142).

* Massachusetts Colony Records, v. 513.

4 See p. 11 note 3, below.

This Exemplification is printed in 4 Massachusetts Historical Collections, ii. 246-278.

• A copy of Dudley's Commission had reached Boston more than two months before Randolph's arrival. On March 3, 1686, Sewall wrote: "Mr. Stoughton calls at night and shews me the Names of the Persons in the Commission, telling me that a Copy of the Commission is come to Town. Comes by Eldridge, who bore away to Montserrat" (Diary, i. 123-124). On March 8 Wait Winthrop wrote to Fitz John Winthrop: "Here is little new since my last to you, only Jo. Eldrige, who came out in company with Geñer from England and was blowne off to the Leward Islands, is arived. By him came a coppye of the comissio for the Government of this Collony, the Prouince of Maine, New Hampsheir, and Kings Prouince or Narrogansett country, which was taken out of the Chancery and sent to Mr Dudley by a freind. The originall was on bord the Rose frigatt with M1 Randolph, and not yet ariued, but expected every day. The comission is to Mr Dudley, as President till the cheife Govern1 come, and to the rest named as of Counsell, whereof you (5 Massachusetts Historical Collections, viii. 459-460).

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7 Dudley also made a speech when the Council met on May 25. His two speeches were printed in a broadside and were reprinted in 1 Proceedings Massachusetts Historical Society, vii. 487-489, 489-490. The speech of May 25 is in the Council Records (ii. 2-4) and is printed in the Dudley Records, pp. 226–227.

and left with it "a true coppy of his majtes commission," 1 and on May 20 the Court sent its reply to "Joseph Dudley, Esq, & the rest of the gent" named in his majtyes comission." 2 On May 21 the Court met for the last time, the final entry in the record being, "This day the whole Court mett at the Gouo's house, & there the Court was adjourned to the seccond Wednesday in October next, at eight of the clocke in ye morning." 3

I

COUNCIL FOR NEW ENGLAND, 1685-1686

PRESIDENT

JOSEPH DUDLEY was commissioned President by James II on October 8, 1685. The government created by this Commission included the Massachusetts Bay, Maine, New Hampshire, and the Narragansett Country or King's Province. On May 25, 1686:

The President and Councill being assembled, the Exemplification of the Judgment against the Charter of the late Governour and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England publickly (in open Court where were present divers of the eminent Ministers, Gentlemen, and Inhabitants of the Town and Country) was Read, with an audible voice. Then His Majesties Commission of Government directed to the Presi dent and Councill was likewise read in open Court.

The President then proceeded and took the Oath of Allegiance and also the Oath conteined in that Commission, which were administered to all the Members of the Councill then present.1

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3 v. 517. The date there given for the final meeting is May 20, but our late associate Mr. Toppan pointed out that the true date was May 21 (Publications of this Society, vi. 81-82).

4 Council Records, ii. 1. (In these Notes the marginal entries found in the Council Records, Court Records, House Journals, etc., are sometimes omitted.) Cf. Dudley Records, p. 226. The records here cited as "Dudley Records" are those printed in November, 1899, by Robert N. Toppan in 2 Proceedings Massachusetts Historical Society, xiii. 226–286. They were copied by Mr. Toppan from the Council Records and from the Massachusetts Archives at the State House, Boston. The following notice appeared in the London Gazette of July 29, 1686: Whitehall, July 25. The Letters from New-England give an Account, That on the 14th of the last Month [an error for May] arrived at Boston Mr. Randolph, Secretary of that Colony, in His Majesties Frigat The Rose, with an Exemplification of the Judgment given upon a Scire Facias in the High Court of Chancery

On June 11:

Then the President took the following Oath in Councill to observe the Acts of Trade & Navigation:

You shall swear that you will to the best of your skill and power so long as you shall continue in the Government or Command of this territory & Plantation well and truly execute and perform, and cause to be executed and performed all matters and things which by the Statute made in the twelvth year of his late Majtys Reigne intituled an Act for the incourageing and increasing of shipping and Navigation, & by the other Statute made in the fifteenth year of his sa Matys reigne, Intituled: an Act for the encouragemt of Trade; you are required as President or Commander of this Territory and Dominion to be sworn to the performance of. So help you God.1

Dudley was President from May 25 to December 20, 1686.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT

WILLIAM STOUGHTON was appointed Deputy-President by President Dudley on May 26, 1686:

The President in full Councill declared William Stoughton Esq' to be Deputy President, which he accordingly accepted, to the great satisfaction of the whole Councill.2

here against their Charter, and with His Majesties Commission to Joseph Dudley Esq; as President, and divers other Gentlemen of those Parts to be of His Majesties Council for the Government of that Territory, until the Arrival of Sir Edmund Andross Governor in chief of New-England. Whereupon His Majesties Commission had been published by Proclamation with great Solemnity and Demonstrations of Joy, and the President and Council had already appointed Justices of the Peace and other Officers throughout the Government, and setled the Militia in His Majesties Name, all things being performed according to His Majesties Directions. There has also been presented to His Majesty by the hands of Robert Mason Esq; One of His Majesties Council there, a very Loyal Address from New-England, expressing their due Sense and Acknowledgments of His Majesties Grace and Favour in receiving them under His immediate Protection and Government (p. 2/2). 1 Council Records, ii. 36. Cf. Dudley Records, pp. 247-248.

2 Council Records, ii. 9. Cf. Dudley Records, p. 231. Writing in 1765 Hutchinson said:

Mr. Dudley's commission made him president of the council for Massachusetts Bay, New-Hampshire and Main, and the Naraganset country, or King's province, Stoughton was named deputy president, Simon Bradstreet, . . . and Edward Tyng were named of the council, not by separate warrants, or by mandamus, but all in one commission (History of Massachusetts, London, 1765, i. 351 note). And Palfrey, writing in 1864, said that "Dudley was appointed President, and Stoughton Deputy-President;" though he added in a footnote, "I have not been

Stoughton was Deputy-President from May 26 to December 20,

1686.

II

TERRITORY AND DOMINION OF NEW ENGLAND, 1686-1689

GOVERNOR

SIR EDMUND ANDROS was commissioned Governor by James II on June 3, 1686. The government created by this Commission included the Massachusetts Bay, Maine, New Plymouth, New Hampshire, and the Narragansett Country or King's Province. Reaching Nantasket December 19, 1686,1 Andros came to Boston December 20 and was sworn that day:

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His Exce 2 Sr Edmond Andros Knt Governour being landed, repaired forthwith to the Towne house attended hither by a great number of Merchants and others with all the Militia and Foot.

able to find the commission," except in part (History of New England, iii. 485 and note). As a matter of fact, however, no Deputy-President was named in Dudley's Commission, which provided "that the said Joseph Dudley and every succeeding President of the said Councell shall & may nominate & appoint any one of the members of the said Councell for the time being to be his Deputy and to preside in his absence" (Publications of this Society, ii. 38).

1 Sewall wrote on December 19 that "Tho. Baker told me Sir Edmund was below;" and on December 20: "Governour Andros came up in the Piñace, touches at the Castle, Lands at Gov Leveret's wharf about 2 P. M. where the President, &c. meet him and so march up through the Guards of the 8 Companyes to the Town House, where part of the Comission read" (Diary, i. 159–161). On December 20 Wait Winthrop wrote: "Yesterday morning, being Sabboth-day, St Edmond Andros arived at Nantasket. We ware some of us downe in the afternoone to know his comands, and are prepareing to receive his Excellency in as sutable mañer as may be. . . . He intends to be here about noone this day" (5 Massachusetts Historical Collections, viii. 471).

The following notices appeared in the London Gazette of October 25, 1686, and February 14, 1687:

Deale, Octob. 20. Yesterday sailed out of the Downes the Kings-Fisher, having on Board Sir Edmund Andros His Majesties Governor of New-England (October 25, 1686, p. 2).

Boston in New-England, Decemb. 27. The 20th Instant arrived here Sir Edmund Andros His Majesties Governor in chief of New-England, having been received with all Expressions of Joy and Respect. The Governor, and the Members of the Council being sworn, an Order was published to continue all Officers Civil and Military; And a general Council is appointed to be held here the 30th of this Month, of which Notice has been given to the Neighbouring Colonies (p. 2/1).

2 It is perhaps worth noting that this is apparently the first appearance in Massachusetts of the time-honored title "His Excellence"-or, as the form soon became, "His Excellency."

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