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Lords of Trade to Lord Cornbury and other Governors of Plantations.

[From P. R. O. B. T. Plantations General, C. No. 32, page 244.]

Circular Letter to the Governors of all her Majes ty's Plantations in America relating to Courts of Justice.

WHEREAS frequent Complaints have been made to Us of great Delays & undue proceedings in the Courts of justice in Several of her Majesty's Plantations whereby many of her Majesty's Subjects have very much Suffered And it being of the greatest Importance to her Majty Service, and to the Welfare of the Plantations, that justice be every where Speedily and duly Administred, and that all disorders, Delays and other undue Practices in the Administration thereof be effectually prevented: We have thought necessary to recommend to You as We do to the Several Governors of other her Majesty's Plantations in respect of their Government that in the Courts of Her Majesty's

of under your Government where you are Authorized to preside, You take care that Justice be impartially administred, and that as well there as in all other Courts established within her Majesty's said all Judges & other persons therein concerned do likewise perform their Several Duties without any Delay or Partiality.

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And whereas we are informed that there is great want of an especial Court for determining of Small Causes We do think it for her Majesty's Service that you recommend to the Assembly of the said

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the passing a Law for the Constituting such Court or Courts, which may be for the Ease of her Majesty's Subjects.

We further require you to take care that an exact Account be transmitted to Us by every Conveyance of the Causes which have been dispatched, and those which remain depending, and in General an Abstract of all proceedings in the several Courts of Justice, within your said Government So We bid you heartily farewell

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Memorandum. This was writ, mutatis, mutandis to the Governours of Barbadoes Leeward Islands Jamaica Bermuda Virginia Maryland New York New Jersey Massachusetts Bay New Hampshire.

From the Council of East Jersey to Lord Cornbury, announcing the death of Governor Andrew Hamilton.

[From East Jersey Under the Proprietary Governments, 2d Ed., page 228.]

May it please your Excellencie.

To y great griefe of us & of ye better part of this province it Pleased Almighty GOD to take to himself Our Late Worthy Governor Co"! Andrew Hamilton who departed this life On y 26th of this Instant; A person whose good Character is not unknown to your Excellencie. Wee being of ye Council of this province do (as in duty bound) humbly Represent the same to your Excellencie. Hoping yt your Excellencies favourable assistance & support for y preservation of the public peace will not be wanting to us, untill your

Excellencies Commission do arrive which wee do heartily desire may be Spediely; Your Excellencies prudent administration in your Government of New York giving us assurance of happiness under your Excellencies Conduct

We are May it please your Excellencies

most obedient Servants

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For his Excellencie Edward Lord Viscount Cornbury Governour of His Majties province of New York and Dependancies.

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Lords of Trade to Lord Cornbury, about the Quota of New Jersey for the defence of New York.

[From P. R. O. B. T. New Jersey, Vol. 12, p 132.]

To the Right Honble the Lord Cornbury.

My Lord

Her Majesty having been pleased to direct us to renew the Orders which have been formerly given to Several Governours and Proprietors of Plantations relating to the Assistance to be by them contributed towards the charge of maintaining and erecting Forts necessary for the Security and Defence of the Province of New York, in the Repartition whereof the sum required to be furnished by the Provinces of East and West Jersey was for each of them Two hundred and Fifty Pounds Sterling, And the said Provinces being now united, and by her Majesty's Commission put

under your Government; But no advance having been hitherto made there towards a Compliance with the Directions which were given by his late Majesty to the Earl of Bellomont dated the 19th of January 1700-1; We do here inclose a Copy of his Majesty's said Letter and further signify to your Lordship her Majesty's pleasure that You use your Utmost Endeavours with the Council and Assembly of New Jersey to induce them to an effectual compliance with the Foresaid Directions, in raising and remitting to New York the Sum'e of Five hundred Pounds Sterling as formerly required towards the Charge necessary far the Security of that Province; And your Lordship is thereupon to give us an Account of Your Proceedings and Success in this Service. We My Lord

are

Whitehall May the 21: 1703.

Your Lordships

Humble Servants

Rob Cecill
Ph: Meadows
WTM Blathwayt
Jno Pollexfen
Mat: Prior

Lord Cornbury to the Lords of Trade.

[From New York Col. Docts., Vol. IV., p 1044.]

To the Right Honble the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations."

My Lords

On the 3 of April last I received a Packet from your Lordships, with several Proclamations inclosed, directing a publick day of thanksgiving to be observed in England, upon occasion of the great and glorious success of Her Majesty's Armes, and your direction for

observing a day of publick Thanksgiving here in this province and New Jersey. In pursuance of your Lordship's commands, I issued a proclam" directing the 15 day of April to be observed throughout this province, which was strictly observed. I likewise wrote to some of the Gentlemen of New Jersey, who have acted as Justices of peace in the time of the proprietary Governm', to take care that a day of thanksgiving should be observed in that province; but I did not think it proper to issue a Proclamation there, because my Commiss" for that Govern' is not yet come, and I was doubtful whether that people (who are prone enough to throw of all Govern') would obey such a Proclamation knowing that I have not yet received my Commission.' It would be very well, if it were come, for at this time they are under no manner of Govern' which is a great mischief to this Province, as well as to that; for if any servant here is dissatisyed, or any Soldier has a mind to desert, it is but crossing Hudson's River and they are safe My Lords; Your Lordships most faithful humble servant

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New Yorke

May the 29th 1703.

CORNBURY.

Lord Cornbury arrived in New York as Governor of that province on May 3d' 1702. His Commissions and Instructions, as Governor of New Jersey, were prepared in August of that year, but did not receive Queen Anne's signature until (the Instructions) November 16th and (the Commission) Dec. 5th. They did not reach him until the 29th July, 1703, as stated on Page 506; and not until the 10th August did he start for New Jersey, and enter upon the administration of his duties as Governor of the Province.-ED.

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