that there may be allowance for his disbursements and service in this her Majesty's Government; all which is humbly submitted to JOHN USHER.

by

New Castle, 15th October, 1706.

15th October, 1706. Read in Council, and to be read again to

morrow.

[P. 220.] Province of New Hampshire.

At a Council and General Assembly held

at Portsmouth by adjt on Wednesday, the 16th of October, 1706.

Mr. Secretary was sent down as a message to the House of Representatives to call them to this Board, who accordingly came, and his Excellency the Governour made the following speech, in hæc verba sequen:

Gentlemen,-I am glad to meet you to congratulate you of the happy news of her Majesty's glorious victory in Spain and Flanders, and of your own preservations in both the Provinces the summer past, notwithstanding the frequent marches of the enemie upon the frontiers.

I have endeavored to keep the expence as low as the security of the inhabitants would allow; and I am glad to be with you at your solemn Thanksgiving to Almighty God for all these his blessings.

The Summer expence is not fully provided for, the Treasurer's accounts will shew you, which you will take care of; and if there be anything necessary for the benefit of the Province, I shall be always ready to agree and represent it to your advantage, and you may not doubt of her Majesty's favor while you continue to do your duty for the just honors of the crown and your owne preservation.

16th October, 1706.

Mr. Bridger's commission was read as surveyor of her Majesty's woods, &c., and the Governour acquainted the Council that from letters from the Rt Honble the Lords

Comms of trade and plantations, [P. 221.] he was commanded to be assisting to the said surveyor, and to put forward the

. . after which Mr. Bridger's memorial was read, and ordered to be sent down to the Representatives. And the secretary was further advised on Friday, to lay before the Assembly the present Laws for the securities of Great Timber, that the Surveyor may further propose what is necessary for her Majesty's service in putting forward naval

stores.

Adja till Friday, 10 of the clock, Ante merediem.

Commission of John Bridger, Esq.

[Copied from " Commissions," &c., in Secretary's Office.]

NOTE. The Editor has taken the liberty to abridge this Commission, omitting only those parts which are formal and repetitious.

ANNE R.

"Judging it to be of

ANNE, by the Grace of God, Queen, &c. great advantage to our service, That all our Dominions be furnished with Masts, Pitch, Tar, Hemp and all other Naval stores from our said Colonies and Plantations: KNOW YE, That wee, reposing especial trust and confidence in the skill, diligence and integrity of the said John Bridger in and for the execution and performances of the several services abovementioned, and for other good causes and considerations us hereunto moving, of our special grace, certain knowledge and meer motion, Have nominated, constituted and appointed, and do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint him, the said John Bridger, to be surveyor-general of all and singu lar our Woods within all and every our Plantations in the Continent of America, now growing or being, or which hereafter shall or may Grow and be within our said Colonies & Plantations, or any of them; and wee doe hereby direct, authorize and require the said John Bridger to instruct our loveing subjects within our said Colonies in making pitch and tar, raising and curing of hemp and in all the matters relating to the production and the manufacturing of Naval stores there: To hold, execute and performe the said office of Surveyor General, during our pleasure, &c.; and we have thought fit to grant and allow unto him, the said John Bridger, a Salary, or yearly Sum of two hundred pounds of lawful money of England &c. . . And we do hereby authorize and re quire the said John Bridger, his Deputy or Deputies-at al convenient times and seasons in the year, to view and Survey all

our said Woods and Timber; and alsoe to mark such of the said Trees that now or hereafter shall be fitt and proper to be taken for the use of our Navy; and to keep a Register of the same; transmitting half yearly or oftener an Account of his proceedings herein to our High Admiral, or Commissioners for executing the office of High Admiral for the time being, to our High Treasurer or Commissioners of our Treasury, &c. . . . And, lastly, all our Governors, Lt. Governors, Justices, Constables, and all other our Civil officers within our said Colonies, &c. . . Are to be aiding, &c., the said John Bridger or his Deputys, &c., in the due execution of his and their duty," &c.

Given at our Court at Saint James, the twenty-fourth day of December, 1705; In the fourth year of our Reigne. By her Majestie's Command,

The Bill for the better collecting the duties of excise and to prevent Retailers of Liquors to sell without License was sent up to this Board to be enacted.

The Bill for reviving of Actions and processes lately depending in the Superiour Court of Judicature, of Assize and General Goal delivery, &c., within this her Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, and discontinued by the not holding of the said Court at Portsmouth, the second Tuesday in August last past, 1706, was sent up to this Board by the Representatives to be enacted.

[P. 222.] Ordered, that the Treasurer forthwith pay to the Honorable the Lieut. Governour four pounds, for his

Travelling expenses in coming into this Province for her Majesty's service.

(Order out.)

The Representatives' answer to the L Governour's memorial was sent to this Board in these words:

May it please your Excellency and Council,-As to what was presented to this House referring to the Lieut. Governour's application to your Excellency and Council, now before the Assembly, we humbly offer this, in answer: - According to her Majesty's direction, wee have done to the utmost of our abilities, and find that by your Excellency's Orders, several pounds every year has been paid by the Treasurer for defraying the L Governour's charges; should, if able, have been willing to have done more, but considering the poverty of the inhabitants and the great growing charges Risen and arising, are not capable of adding further at present. Sam' Keais, Clerk.

October 18th, 1706.

A vote about the Records was sent up to this Board, in hæc verba:

Forasmuch as the Assembly is informed that there remains one New Book of the Province Records in Samuel Penhallow, Esq.'s hand, all the rest being delivered unto Major Vaughan, the Recorder for the Province: The Assembly prays that your Excellency and Council would order the delivery of the said Book of Records to the said Recorder.

Past by the House.

October 18th, 1706.

Sam'l Keais, Clerk.

Eodem die, read in Council, and ordered that all the Books relating to the Recorder be put into his hands. Cha. Story, Secretary. [P. 223.] The memorial of John Bridger, Esq., was read at this Board, in hæc verba :

To his Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq,, Capt. General and Governour in Chiefe of her Majesty's colonies of the Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire, and to the Council and General Assembly of New Hampshire:

The memorial of John Bridger, Surveyor General of all her
Majesty's woods, on the Continent of America,
Sheweth:

That whereas her Majesty has been most graciously pleased by Her Commission to me granted and instructions commanded, to preserve and keep as much as in me lies, all her Majesty's woods from spoil and waste that shall or may be made for the future, by any of the inhabitants of her Majesty's colonies in America, pursuant to a clause in the charter of the Massachusetts Bay, which reserves all trees to her Majesty's use of twenty four inches diameter at twelve inches from the ground and upwards, from being cut, felled or destroyed, on the penalty or forfeiture of one hundred pounds to her Majesty, her heirs and successors, for every such tree cut, felled or destroyed, without her Royal license first had and obtained for the same:

And whereas there have been complaint made unto her Majesty of the spoil and waste made in her Majesty's woods; -I therefore in her Majesty's name, and by the authority to me granted, do for the time to come forbid all her Majesty's subjects to cut, fell or destroy any of the trees reserved as aforesaid, And do hereby request of his Excellency, &c., that he would be pleased to move and recommend the same to the Gentlemen of the Assembly; that they give notice accordingly to the inhabitants of their respective Counties or Towns, particularly to those whose livelihood chiefly consists in Logging and working in the woods, that they be very careful what Trees they fell in logging, &c.; especially those in the upper towns and Rivers adjacent; which trees if preserved would much lessen the charge her Majesty is now at in masting her royal Navy.

And I do hereby promise for my own part, that I will by no means or ways whatsoever restrain or hinder any of her Majesty's Loveing subjects from all lawful freedom, but will on all occasions and at all times, be ready and willing to be aiding and assisting to them or any of them, to the utmost of my power when the same shall be desired.

This memorial was sent down to the House of Representatives by Mr. Secretary Story.

The two several Bills following, having been three several times read and passed both Houses, were consented to by his Excellency, and by him signed accordingly, viz ;