ways respect or concern the Sea or passage over the same or Naval or maritime Voyages or our said maritime Jurisdiction or the places or limits of our said Admiralty and Cognizance aforementioned and all other things done or to be done, with power also to proceed in the same according to the Statutes, Laws, Ordinances and Customs aforesaid anciently used as well of meer office mixt or promoted as at the instance of any party as the case shall require and seem convenient and likewise with Cognizance and decision of Wreck of the Sea great or small, and of the death, drowning and view of dead Bodies of all Persons howsoever killed or drowned or murthered or which shall happen to be killed drowned or murthered or by any other means come to their death in the Sea or public Streams, Ports, Fresh waters or Creeks whatsoever within the flowing of the Sea & high water mark throughout our aforesaid Province of Massachusetts Bay in America and Territories thereunto belonging and maritime parts of the same and thereto adjacent or elsewhere within our maritime Jurisdiction aforesaid together with the Cognizance of Mayhem in the aforesaid places within our maritime Jurisdiction aforesaid and flowing of the Sea and water there happening with power also of punishing all delinquents in that kind according to the exigencies of the Law and Customs aforesaid And to do exercise, expedite and execute all and singular other things which in and about the premises only shall be necessary or thought meet according to the Rights, Statutes, Laws, Ordinances and Customs aforesaid with power of deputing & Surrogating in your place for the premises one or more Deputy or Deputies as often as you shall think fit And also with power from time to time of naming, appointing ordaining, assigning making and constituting whatsoever other necessary fit & convenient officers and ministers under you for the said office and execution thereof in our said Province of Massachusetts Bay in America and Territories thereunto belonging and maritime parts of the same and thereto adjacent whatsoever Saving always the Right of our high Court of Admiralty of England and also of the Judge and Registrar of the said Court from whom or either of them it is not our intention in any thing to derogate by these presents and saving to every one who shall be wronged or grieved by any definite Sentence or Interlocutory Decree which shall be given in the Vice Admiralty Court of our Province of Massachusetts Bay in America aforesaid and Territories thereunto belonging the right of appealing to our aforesaid high Court of Admiralty of England Provided nevertheless and under this express condition that if you the aforesaid Thomas Hutchinson Esquire our Captain General and Governor in Chief aforesaid shall not yearly (to wit) at the end of every year between the Feasts of St Michael the Archangel and all Saints duly certify and cause to be effectually certified, if you shall be thereunto required, to us and our Lieutenant official principal and Commissary General and special and Judge and President of the high Court of our Admiralty of England aforesaid all that which from time to time by virtue of these presents you shall do execute, collect or receive in the premises or any of them, together with your full and faithful account thereupon to be made in an authentic form and Sealed with the Seal of our office remaining in your Custody that from thence and after default therein these our Letters Patent of the office of Vice Admiral aforesaid as above granted shall be null and void and of no force or effect Further We do in our name Command all and singular our Governors, Justices, Mayors, Sheriffs, Captains, Marshalls, Bailiffs, Keepers of all our Goals and Prisons, Constables and all other our officers and faithful and liege Subjects whatsoever and every of them as well within Liberties and Franchises as without that in & about the execution of the premises and every of them they be aiding, favouring, assisting submissive and yield obedience in all things as is fitting to you the aforesaid Thomas Hutchinson Esq' our Captain General and Governor in Chief of our Province of Massachusetts Bay in America aforesaid and to your Deputy whomsoever and to all other officers (by you appointed or to be appointed) of our said Vice Admiralty in our Province of Massachusetts Bay in America aforesaid and Territories thereunto belonging & Maritime parts of the same and thereto adjoining under pain of the Law and the peril which will fall thereon. Given at London in the high Court of our admiralty of England aforesaid under the Great Seal thereof the fourth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy one and of our Reign the Eleventh. GODF: LEE FARRANT Registrar THOMAS GAGE'S COMMISSION AS VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE PROVINCE OF THE 5 APRIL, 1774 George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Freland king defender of the Faith. To our beloved the honble THOMAS GAGE Esquire Lieutenant General of our Forces and our Captain General and Governor in Chief of our Province of Massachusetts Bay in America Greeting. We confiding very much in your fidelity care and circumspection in this behalf do by these presents which are to continue during our pleasure only, ordain, constitute and depute you the said Thomas Gage Esquire our Captain General and Governor in Chief aforesaid, our Vice Admiral Commissary and Deputy in the office of Vice Admiralty in our Province of Massachusetts Bay in America aforesaid and Territories thereon depending in the room of Thomas Hutchinson Esq and in the Maritime parts of the same and thereto adjoining whatsoever with power of taking and receiving all and every of the Fees, profits, advantages, emoluments Commodities and appurtenances whatsoever due and belonging to the said office of Vice Admiral, Commissary and Deputy in our said Province of Massachusetts Bay in America and Territories dependant thereon and maritime parts of the same and adjoining to them whatsoever according to the Ordinances and Statutes of our high Court of Admiralty of England and We do hereby commit and grant unto you the aforesaid Thomas Gage Esquire our power and authority in and throughout our Province of Mass Bay in America aforementioned and Territories thereof and maritime parts whatsoever adjacent thereto and also throughout all and every the Sea shores, public streams, Ports, fresh waters, Rivers, Creeks and Arms as well of the sea as of the Rivers and Coasts whatsoever of our said Province of Massachusetts Bay in America and Territories dependant thereon & maritime parts whatsoever of the same and thereto adjacent as well within liberties and franchises as without to take cognizance of and proceed in all causes Civil & Maritime and in Complaints, Contracts, offences or suspected offences, Crimes, pleas, debts, Exchanges, accounts, Charter parties, agreements, Suits, trespasses, injuries, extortions and demands and businesses Civil and Maritime whatsoever commenced or to be commenced between Merchants or between owners and proprietors of Ships and other Vessels and Merchants or others whomsoever with such owners and proprietors of Ships and all other Vessels whatsoever employed or used within the maritime Jurisdiction of our Vice Admiralty of our said Province of Massachusetts Bay in America aforementioned and Territories depending on the same or between any other persons whomsoever had, made began or contracted for any matter, thing, cause or business whatsoever done or to be done within our maritime Jurisdiction aforesaid, together with all and singular the incidents, emergencies, dependencies annexed and connexed causes whatsoever wheresoever or howsoever and such Causes, Complaints, Contracts and other the premises abovesaid or any of them which may happen to arise be contracted had or done to hear and determine according to the Rights Statutes, Laws Ordinances and Customs anciently observed and moreover |