EDWARD RANDOLPH'S COMMISSION AS COLLECTOR, SURVEYOR, AND SEARCHER OF CUS- 15 OCTOBER, 1681 Charles the second &c. To all to whome &c. Whereas by severall Acts of Parliament vizt the Act of Tonnage and Poundage made in the twelfth yeare of our Reigne the Act for encouraging and encreasing M Randolph of Shipping and Navigacon made in the same Office yeare the Act for p'venting Frauds and regulating abuses in our Customes made in the Fowerteenth yeare of our Raigne the Act for encouragem of Trade made in the Fifteenth yeare of our Raigne And the Act for encouragem of the Greenland and East land Trades and for better securing the plantacon trade made in the twenty Fifth yeare of our Raigne for the Keepeing of our Plantacons beyond the Seas in a more firme dependance vppon this our Kingdome of England in asmuch as they are peopled with the subiects thereof and for the makeing this Kingdome a staple not onely of the comodities of those Plantacons but alsoe of the Comodities of other Countryes for the supplyeing of them Provision hath beene made that noe comodities of Europe should bee carried to any the said Plantacons but what should be bona fide shipped and laded in England and alsoe that the Comodities of the plantacons pticulerly therein enumerated and 160 named should bee brought into this our Kingdome of England or Ireland Principality of Wales or towne of Berwicke vppon Tweede and that for such of the said Plantacons Comodities for which bond should not bee First given before the ladeing thereof to bring the same to England Wales or Berwicke and to no other place certeine rates and duties are imposed on the said Comodities payable to us our heires and successors in our said plantacons before the ladeing thereof to bee levyed and collected by such persons as should bee appointed in our said respective plantačons vnder the managem* of the Comissioners of our Customes in this Kingdome vnder the authority of our high Treasurer or Comissioners of our Treasury for the time being for the Colleccion of which rates and Duties in our severall Colonies of New England and alsoe to the End the said lawes may bee duely observed and obeyed according to the true intent and purport thereof and alsoe that Wee may be duely answered our parte and share of all such Forfeitures as ought to accrew to vs by virtue of the said lawes Now Know yee that Wee for the consideracons aforesaid and of our especiall grace certaine Knowledge and meere močon have created and erected and by these presents for vs our heires and Successors doe create and erect the Office which shall bee and shall bee called the Office of Collector Surveyor and Searcher of our Customes within our Colonyes of New England vnder the management of our Commissioners of our Customes in this our Kingdome of England And that further alsoe Wee reposeing especiall trust and Confidence in the Fidelity care and Circumspecčon of our trusty and wellbeloved Edward Randolph Esq' of our more especiall grace certeine Knowledge and meer močon have given and granted and by these p❜sents doe give and grant vnto the said Edward Randolph the said Office of Collector Surveyor and Searcher of our Customes within our Colonyes of New England vnder the management of the Commissioners of our Customes in this our Kingdome of England and him the said Edward Randolph Collector Surveyor and Searcher of our Customes within our said Colonyes of New England vnder the management of our Comissioners of our Customes in this our Kingdome of England Wee doe by these p'sents Ordayne and Constitute To have and to hold the said Office of Collector Surveyor and Searcher as aforesaid vnto the said Edward Randolph dureing our pleasure to bee executed by himselfe or his sufficient Deputy or Deputies And Know yee further that Wee of our more especiall grace certaine Knowledge and meere močon have given and granted and by these presents doe give and grant vnto the said Edward Randolph for the Execucon of the said Office the yearely sume of One hundred pounds payable quarterly att the Fower most vsuall Feasts or termes in the yeare (that is to say) the Feasts of Saint Michaell the Arch Angell the Birth of our lord Christ the Annunciacon of the blessed virgin Mary and the Nativity of Saint John Baptist by even and equall porcons To bee paid vnto the said Edward Randolph out of our Customes Subsidies and other duties ariseing vpon goodes and merchandizes imported or to bee imported into this our Kingdome of England or exported out of the same from time to time by the hands of our receivor generall Farmers or Collectors thereof the said Salary or allowance to comence from the Feast of Saint John Baptist now last past and the First payment to bee made for the quarter ended at the Feast of Saint Michaell the Arch Angell last past giveing and by these presents granting vnto the said Edward Randolph his Deputy or Deputies full power and authority to Collect and receive to our vse all the aforesaid rates duties and Imposicons and to search for and seize all such Europian goods as contrary to the said lawes or any of them shall bee carried to any of our Colonies of New England which shall not have beene bona fide laden in this our Kingdome of England Dominion |