Providence Plantation the Narraganset Country or Kings Province and of 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 We do hereby Give and Grant unto You the said Thomas Pownall 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 Qur Forces Forts and Places of Strength within Our Province of [the] Massachusets Bay to be Exercised by you the said Thomas Pownall and in your Absence from Our Territory and Dominion of New England by Our said Lieutenant Governor or Commander in Chief of Our said Province of the Massachusets 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] [Whereof We have caused these. our Letters to be made Patent] Witness Ourself at Westminster the Twenty-fifth day of February [in the Thirtieth Year of Our Reign] By Writ of Privy Seal [YORKE & YORKE] [The Great Seal of England Appending] Public Record Office, Patent Roll, 30 George II, Part 4, No. 7. Compared with the record of Royal Commissions (Crown Commissions, 1628–1663, pp. 151–155) in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.1 1 See footnote, p. 56, ante. FRANCIS BERNARD'S FIRST COMMISSION AS GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE OF THE 14 JANUARY, 1760 [HIS EXCELLENCY] FRANCIS BERNARD ESQ [HIS COMMISSION TO BE] GOVERNOR [OF THE MASSACHUSETS BAY] George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ereland king Defender of the Faith ca To Our Trusty and Welbeloved FRANCIS BERNARD Esquire Greeting Whereas by a Royal Charter under the Great Seal of England bearing date the Seventh day of October in the Third Year of the Reign of King William the Third the Colony of the Massachusets Bay the Colony of New Plymouth the Province of Main in New England 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 United Erected and Incorporated into One Real Province by the Name of Our Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England And his said Majesty did thereby grant to Our loving Subjects the[n] Inhabitants of Our said Province or Territory of the Massachusets Bay in New England and their Successors that there should be a Governor a Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Our said Province and Territory to be from time to time appointed and Commission1 Gov. Bernard was created a Baronet 5 April, 1760. 1 ated by the said King William His Heirs and Successors with several Priviledges Franchizes and Immunities thereby Granted to Our said Loving Subjects And Whereas We did by Our Letters Patent under Our Great Seal of Great Britain bearing date at Westminster the Twenty-fifth day of February in the Thirtieth Year of Our Reign Constitute and Appoint Thomas Pownall Esquire Captain General and Governor in Chief in and Over Our said Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England for and during Our Will and Pleasure as by the said recited Letters Patent relation being thereunto had may more fully and at large Appear Now Know You that We have Revoked and Determined and by these Presents Do Revoke and Determine the said Recited Letters Patent and every Clause Article and Thing therein contained And further Know You that We Reposing Especial Trust and Confidence in the Prudence Courage and Loyalty of you the said Francis Bernard of Our Especial Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion Have thought Fit to Constitute and Appoint And by these Presents do Constitute and Appoint You the said Francis Bernard 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 Direction We do hereby Require and Command You to do and Execute all Things in due manner that shall belong unto the Trust We have reposed in you according to the several Powers and Authorities mentioned 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 under 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 form as by the said Charter is directed And Our Will and Pleasure is That you the said Francis Bernard after the Publication of these Our Letters Patent do in the first place take the Oaths Appointed to be taken by an Act passed in the first Year of his late Majesty Our Royal Fathers Reign Intituled (An Act for the further Security of His Majestys Person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heirs 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 Twenty fifth year of the Reign of King Charles the Second Intituled (An Act for preventing dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants) And likewise that you take the usual Oath for the due Execution 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 Administration of Justice as otherwise And further that you take the Oath required to be taken by Governors of Plantations to do their Utmost that the several Laws relating to Trade and the Plantations be observed Which said Oaths and Declaration 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 unto you and in your Absence to Our Lieutenant Governor of Our said Province if there be any upon the Place All which being duly performed you shall administer to each of the Members of Our said Council and to Our said Lieutenant Governor if there be any upon the Place the Oaths mentioned in the said Act Intituled (An Act for the further security of His Majestys person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heirs 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 forementioned 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 unto all the Members that shall be Elected to serve in the General Assembly of our said Province the Oaths mentioned in the said Act Intituled (An Act for the further security of His Majestys Person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heirs 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 untill 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 use the Publick Seal of Our said Province for Sealing all Things whatsoever that pass the Great Seal of Our said Province under your Government And We do hereby give and grant unto 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 unto Us 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 upon Extraordinary Occasions to Grant Reprieves to the Offenders therein to the End and until Our Pleasure shall be further known And We do hereby Give and Grant unto You the said Francis Bernard by Yourself 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 them from one Place to another or to Embark them for Resisting and withstanding [at] [of] all Enemys Pirates and Rebels both at Land and Sea[1] And such Forces with their own Consent or with the Consent of Our Council and Assembly to Transport to any of Our Planta |