ter protection and Security of Our Subjects Inhabiting those parts to Constitute and appoint And Wee do by these Presents Constitute and appoint you the said William Burnet to be Our Captain General and Commander in Chief of the Militia and of all the Forces by Sea and Land within Our Colonies of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation the Narraganset Country or Kings Province and all Our Forts and Places of strength within the same in time of War or imminent danger And for the better Ordering Governing and Ruling Our said Militia and all Our Forces Forts and places of Strength within Our said Colonies of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation and the Narraganset Country or Kings Province Wee Do hereby Give and Grant vnto you the said William Burnet and in your Absence to our Lieutenant Governor or Commander in Chief of our said Province of the Massachusets Bay all and every the like Powers as in these Presents are before Granted and recited for the Ruling Governing and Ordering Our Militia and all Our Forces Forts and Places of Strength within Our Province of the Massachusetts Bay to be Exercised by you the said William Burnet and in your absence from our Territory and Dominions of New England by Our said Lievtenant Governour or Commander in Chief of Our said Province of the Massachusetts Bay for the time being within Our said Colonies of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation and the Narraganset Country or Kings Province during the time of War or imminent Danger as aforesaid In Witness &c Witness Our selfe at Westminster the seventh day of March

Public Record Office, Patent Roll, 1 George II, Part 9, No. 18.

JONATHAN BELCHER'S COMMISSION

AS

GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS BAY

28 JANUARY, 1729-30

George the Second by the Grace of God be To Our Trusty and Welbeloved JONATHAN BELCHER Esquire Greeting

Belcher Armi

missionis

Whereas by a Royal Charter vnder the Great Seal of England bearing date the Seventh day of October in the third year of the Reign of King William the1 the Colony of the Massachusets Bay the Colony of New De Concessione Plymouth the Province of Main in New Eng- gero Comland the Territory of Accadie or Nova Scotia and the Lands lying between the said Territory of Nova Scotia and the Province of Main aforesaid were vnited Erected and Incorporated into one Real Province by the Name of Our Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England and his said Majestie did thereby Grant to our loving Subjects the Inhabitants of Our said Province or Territory of the Massachusets Bay in New England and their Successors that there should be a Governor a Lievtenant Governor and Secretary of Our said Province and Territory to be from time to time Appointed and comissionated by the said King William his heires and successors

1 Sic: the Third.

with several Privileges Franchises and Imunities thereby granted to Our said loving Subjects Now know you that Wee reposing especial Trust and Confidence in the prudence courage and Loyalty of you the said Jonathan Belcher of our especial Grace certain knowledge and meer mocon have thought fit to Constitute and appoint And by these presents Do Constitute and Appoint you the said Jonathan Belcher to be Our Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over Our said Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England and for your better Guidance and Direccon Wee do hereby Require and Command you to do and Execute all things in due manner that shall belong to the Trust Wee have reposed in you according to the several Powers and Authorities mencoñed in the said Charter and in these presents and such further Powers Instructions and Authorities as you shall receive or which shall at any time hereafter be Granted or Appointed you vnder our Sign Manual and Signet or by Our Order in Our Privy Council in Pursuance of the said Charter and according to such reasonable laws and Statutes as are now in Force or which hereafter shall be made and agreed upon in such manner and forme as by the said Charter is directed And Our Will and pleasure is that you the said Jonathan Belcher after the Publication of these our Letters Patents do in the first place take the Oathes appointed to be taken by an Act passed in the first year of the Reign of our late Royal Father King George the First Entituled (An Act for the further Security of His Majesties Person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heires of the late Princess Sophia being Protestants and for Extinguishing the Hopes of the pretended Prince of Wales and his open and Secret Abettors) as also that you make and subscribe the Declaration mentioned in An Act of Parliament made in the five and Twentieth year of the Reign of King Charles the Second Entituled (An Act for preventing Dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants) and likewise that you

take the vsual oath for the due Execucon of the Office and Trust of Our Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over Our said Province as well with Regard to the due and Impartial administracon of Justice as otherwise and further that you take the Oath requred to be taken by Governors of Plantations to do their vtmost that the several Laws relating to Trade and Plantations be observed which said Oathe and Declaracoñ Our Council of Our said Province or any three of the members thereof have hereby full Power and Authority and are required to tender and administer vnto you and in your Absence to Our Lievtenant Governor of Our said Province if there be any vpon the Place all which being duly performed you shall Administer to each of the members of Our said Council and to Our said Lievtenant Governor if there be any vpon the place the Oaths mencoñed in the said Act Entituled (An Act for the further Security of His Majesties Person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heires of the late Princess Sophia being Protestants and for extinguishing the Hopes of the Pretended Prince of Wales and his open and Secret Abettors) as also to cause them to make and subscribe the foremencoñed Declaration and to administer to them the Oath for the due Execution of their Places and Trusts as also that you Administer or cause to be Administred vnto all the members that shall be Elected to serve in the General Assembly of Our said Province the Oathes mencoñed in the said Act Entituled (An Act for the further Security of His Majesties Person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heires of the late Princess Sophia being Protestants and for Extinguishing the Hopes of the Pretended Prince of Wales and his open and Secret Abettors) and likewise cause them to make and Subscribe the forementioned Declaration and vntill the same shall be so taken and subscribed no person shall be capable of sitting though elected Our further Will and Pleasure is that you shall and may keep and vse the

Publick Seal of Our said Province for Sealing all things whatsoever that pass the Great Seal of Our said Province vnder your Government And Wee do hereby Give and Grant vnto you full Power and Authority where you shall see Cause and shall Judge any Offender or Offenders in Capital or Criminal matters or for any Fines or Forfeitures due vnto vs fit Objects of Our Mercy to Pardon all such Offenders and to remit such Fines and Forfeitures Treason and Wilfull Murder only excepted in which Cases you shall likewise have Power vpon Extraordinary Occasions to Grant Reprieves to the Offenders therein to the end and vntil Our Pleasure shall be further known And Wee do hereby give and Grant vnto you the said Jonathan Belcher by your selfe or by your Captains and Commanders by you to be Authorized full Power and Authority to levy arm muster Command and Employ all Persons whatsoever residing within Our said Province and Territory of the Massachusets Bay in New England and as occasion shall require to march from one place to another or to Embark them for the resisting and withstanding of all Enemies Pirates and Rebells both at Land and Sea and such Forces with their own Consent or with the Consent of Our Council and Assembly to Transport to any of Our Plantacoñs in America as occasion shall require for the Defence of the same against the Invasion or attempts of any of Our Enemies and such Enemies Pirates and Rebells if Occasion shall require to pursue and prosecute in or out of the limits of Our said Province or any part thereof And if it shall so please God them to vanquish apprehend and take and being taken either according to law to put to Death or keep and preserve alive at your discretion And Wee do further give and grant vnto you full Power and Authority to Erect Raise and Build within Our said Province and Territory aforesaid such and so many Forts Platformes Castles and Fortifications as you shall Judge necessary and the same or any of them to Fortify