due Obedience hereunto, you are to make an Entry of this Our Letter in the Books belonging to the said Office of Secretary. Whereof you are not to fail. And so We bid you farewell from the Councill Chamber at Whitehall this Eleventh day of December 1691. Hence Addington must have been commissioned on or before December 11, 1691. On May 16, 1692, Isaac Addington Secretary tooke his Oath for the due and faithful performance of his Office or place of Secretary, and the Oaths appointed to be taken instead of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; before the Gov' and Lt Governour.2 It is noteworthy that on the accession of Anne in 1702, no new Commission was issued to Addington; and perhaps this is explained by the fact that Addington was named in the Charter itself. In the controversy that took place early in 1715 as to who should administer the government,3 on a motion put by Addington himself on February 4th, "The Council declared their opinion that the Secretarys Commission remained in force, having been so accepted during all the last reign & ordered him to countersign the Proclamat and the said Proclamation was then published by beat of Drum sent to the Press & ordered to be dispersed into the several parts." 4 Addington was Secretary from May 16, 1692, until his death on March 19, 1715.5 1 Public Record Office, Colonial Office, Class 5, Volume 906, p. 404. 2 Council Records, ii. 168.. See pp. 55-60, above. • Council Records, vi. 312. Cf. p. 59, above. "On Saturday last the 19th Currant, Died here about Eleven a Clock in the Forenoon, the truly Honourable and Very Worthy Isaac Addington, Esq; Secretary for His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New England, Governor Dudley having reassumed the government on March 21, 1715, on March 26th The Governour acquainted the Council that he was purposed to give order to Addington Davenport & Paul Dudley Esqrs to take care of the Seals and the office of the Secretary Isaac Addington Esq' lately deceased until His Majestys pleasure be known therein.1 The order appointing Addington Davenport and Paul Dudley, also dated March 26, 1715, is as follows: Province of the Seal By His Excellency Joseph Dudley By Virtue of Her late Majesty's Commission for the Government of this Province, and the further Continuance thereof by His present Majesty's Most Gracious Proclamation to me Directed I do hereby appoint and Direct Addington Davenport Esq' and Paul Dudley Esq' Comissioners to keep His Majesty's Seal of this Province under two locks each of them a key, and to put the Seal to all such Instruments of Publick or other Concern by Warrant under my hand, and no other, upon any pretence whatsoever And they shall further forthwith by the Service and Assistance of Joseph Hiller sworn Clerk of the Council, make out and draw forth a particular Accompt of all Books of Record and minute Books files and Records Utensills and other things belonging & appertaining to His Majesty's Secretarys Office late in the hands and possession of the Honourable Isaac Addington Esq' deceased, and shew the said Accompt to the Governour and Council as soon as may be And this Order to continue until His Majesty's Pleasure may arrive, or other Order taken therein Given under my hand and Seal at Boston this Twenty sixth day of March Anno Domini 1715 And in the first who had with great Wisdom, Honour and Faithfulness served his Generation by the Will of GOD, in that Office for above Twenty years, being appointed thereto by the Late King William and Queen Mary of Glorious Memory, in their Royal Charter. He was born in New-England, and a great Honour to his Country; he Dyed in the Seventy-first Year of his Age" (Boston News Letter, March 21, 1715, p. 2/2). 1 Council Records, vi. 335–336. year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord King George over Great Britain &c J DUDLEY Boston 29th of March 1715 The above named A: Davenport, P: Dudley Esqrs and J Hiller Gent were sworne to the faithfull Discharge of the Trust Committed to the respectively in Pursuance of the Warrant above written before me J DUDLEY 1 SAMUEL WOODWARD was commissioned Secretary by George I on June 23, 1715. He reached Boston September 22,2 and on September 23d 3 A Letter from His Excellency Col° Burges (appointed Governour of this Province) to the Honourable the President & Council of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay brought by Sam" Woodward Esq' appointed Secretary of this Province was read at the Board & Mr Secretary Woodward producing his Commission under the Broad Seal for Secretary of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay the Governour not being present Voted That Andrew Belcher & Addington Davenport Esqr be desired to wait on His Excellency at Roxbury & desire His Excellencys presence or directions on the affair in the afternoon.4 Woodward's commission was read in Council and he was sworn on September 24, 1715.5 On October 3, 1 Massachusetts Archives, xlviii. 427. The appointment of Davenport and Dudley was noted in the Boston News Letter of April 18, 1715 (p. 2/2). 2 The Boston News Letter of September 26th said: Boston, On Thursday last . . . arrived in Capt. Parnell from London, Samuel Woodward, Esq; with a Commission from His Majesty, for the Secretary's Office of this Province of the Massachusetts-Bay; And on Saturday last, His Excellency the Governour came to Town, and in Council Administred the Oaths to him accordingly (p. 2/2). In this letter (printed in Sewall's Letter-Book, ii. 48-49), dated June 29, 1715, Colonel Burges said: Mr. Woodward, who gives you this, is apointed your Secretary: I take the Liberty to recommend him most earnestly to you, because I know he is a very honest Gentleman, and very capable of doing you Service; and will do all he can to deserve your Friendship, and have your Favour. • Council Records, vi. 378-379. See p. 91, above. An Inventory of all the Books Papers and Records Seals & Utensils belonging to the Secretary's Office made & taken by the Honble Addington Davenport Paul Dudley & Samuel Woodward Esqrs was read & signed by the sd Mr Secretary Woodward & the keys of the sa office with the abovesd particulars were delivered by the Governour to the sd Mr Secretary Woodward in Council Pursuant to His Majestys command in the Commission to him given under the Great Seal of Great Britain of Record in the sd Office. Andrew Belcher & Addington Davenport Esqrs are appointed a Committee to give directions about a convenient place in one of the upper rooms in the Town House for the lodging of Files of Papers &ca which incumber the Secretarys office.1 Samuel Woodward Esq' Secretary of this Province humbly moved to the Honble Lieut Gov' and Council That the business of the office was so far behind hand & so much dayly encreasing that he could not even with his utmost application and endeavour bring up the same without further assistance, and that according to the powers grant in His Majestys Letters Patents to him for Secretary of this Province, he proposed to depute Mr Joseph Marion to be deputy Secretary of the said Province to which the Honble Lieutt Governour & Council unanimously agreed & Ordered That the sd Deputation should be read at the Board & put in the Secretarys office & sd Joseph Marion took the oaths appointed by act of Parliamt to be taken instead of the oaths of Allegiance & Supremacy repeated & subscribed the Declaration, took the oath of Abjurat" and an oath for the true & faithfull discharge of his office as Deputy Secretary.2 On July 12, 1716, 1 Council Records, vi. 380. 2 Council Records, vi. 448. The following extract is from the Boston News Letter of May 14, 1716: Boston, On Thursday the 10th of May Currant, by & with the Approbation and Consent of the Hon. Lieut. Governour, and Council, and by Vertue of the Power and Authority Granted by His Majesty King GEORGE to Mr. Secretary Woodward. Mr. Joseph Marion was by him appointed Deputy Secretary of this Province; and his Deputation was read at the Council Board, and Ordered to be Recorded; and he then took the Oaths appointed by the Act of Parliament, as also an Oath for the true and faithful Discharge of his Duty in that Office (p. 2/2). (The deputation is not extant.) Samuel Woodward Esq' Secretary of this His Majestys Province produced His Majestys Licence to absent himselfe from the sd Province for & during the term of twelve months which was read at the Board. And the Secretary signified to the Honble Lieutenant Governour & Council that he should very speedily leave the Province & that he was ready to receive their commands home.1 Woodward was present at a Council meeting on August 3, 1716,2 after which his name disappears, and no doubt he sailed for England on or immediately after that date.3 JOSIAH WILLARD was commissioned Secretary by George I on June 17, 1717. He reached Boston on the 2d or 3d of December, 1717,4 and took office on the 4th: 1 Council Records, vi. 486 487. In a letter to J. White dated May 9, 1716, Jeremiah Dummer said: "If your Secretary comes over (to whom the King's leave is gone by the last ships) pray tell me who is the fittest man for the Post among you, seeing you are resolved not to accept it yourself" (2 Proceedings Massachusetts Historical Society, iv. 193). 2 Council Records, vi. 494-495. * The exact date of his sailing is not recorded in Sewall's Diary or in the Boston News Letter. He took messages from the Lieutenant-Governor to the House, and appeared before the House, on August 3; but the announcement of the prorogation of the House on that day was made to the House by Marion (Massachusetts House Journals, August 3, pp. 31–32); a proclamation issued by LieutenantGovernor Tailer on August 3 was signed "Joseph Marion, Dep. Secr." (Boston News Letter, August 13, p. 1/1); and a proclamation issued by Tailer on September 5 was signed "Josh Marion Dep Secry" (Court Records, x. 91). Many vessels sailed from Boston to London during August and September, but it seems not unlikely that Woodward went by the Dorothy: "Cleared Outwards, . . . The Ship Dorothy, Capt. Josiah Thwaites Commander for London" (Boston News Letter, August 6, p. 2/2). "Marblehead, Aug. 18. A Fishing Shallop is come in here who brought Letters from Capt. Thwaites bound from Boston to London: The Shallop met him 75 Leagues off" (Boston News Letter, August 20, p. 2/2). 4 The Boston News Letter of December 9, 1717, stated that "On Thursday last arrived here Capt. John Osborne in the Ship Patience and Judeth about Seven Weeks from London, in whom came Josiah Willard Esq; with a Commission from His Majesty for the Secretary's Office of this Province of the Massachusetts Bay: unto whom in Council before His Excellency the Governour, the Oaths for the said Post have accordingly been Administred" (p. 2/2). "Thursday last" was December 5th, and hence an error on the part of the news-writer for "Tuesday last," or possibly "Monday last." Under date of December 3d Sewall writes: "Visit Mr. Secretary Willard, who came to Town last night from Cape-Anne, where he arriv'd on the Lord's Day, 7. Weeks from the Downs" (Diary, ii. 151). |