This day his Excellency the Gov' took ye oath of abjuration, as also did Geo. Vaughan, Esq., Lt. Gov', and Sam' Penhallow, John Wentworth, Rich Gerrish, Theo. Atkinson, Geo. Jaffrey, Rich Wibird & Tho. Wentworth, Esq., & Subscribed the Same. Tho Phipps, Esq., high Sheriff, made return of ye Assembly men chosen to represent the Severall towns of this Province, whose names are as follows: Portsmo. [P. 35.] Col. Jno. Plaisted, Exeter. Dover. Capt. James Davis, Capt. Jotham Odiorn, Mr. Sam Eastman. Capt. Andrew Wiggin. Newington. Mr. Jn Dam. The Sheriff was sent down to ye House of Representatives to call them to ye Councill board, who came accordingly, where were administered to them ye oaths instead of ye oaths of allegiance and Supremacy; also ye abjuration oath, which they sub * Samuel Shute, Governor of Massachusetts & New Hampshire, was the son of an eminent citizen of London. His mother was the daughter of Mr. Caryl, a dissenting minister of distinction. His early education was under the care of Charles Morton. From London he was sent to Leyden, and afterwards entered the army of King William, served under Marlborough and became a Lieutenant. He was wounded in one of the principal battles in Flanders. Arriving at Boston as Governor, Oct. 4, 1716, in the place of Dudley, he continued in office a little more than six years. He first came to New Hampshire, October 17th, 1716. [See Council Rec., Vol. II, p. 695.] As the Records serve to show, his administration was embittered by animosities among the Councillors, by conflicts of opinion with Lt. Gov. Vaughan, and by opposition from the Representatives. He returned to England, in January 1723, and died April 15, 1742 aged 80 years. [Allen's Biog. Dic.]-ED. scribed to; wch matter being finished, his Excellency desired them to wthdraw & settle their house, wch they did, & afterward p'sented John Plaisted, Esq., ye Speaker, who was well accepted. [Jos. Smith was chosen Clerk.*] Then his Excellency made a Speech to both houses, a copy whereof was delivered to ye Speaker of ye House of Representatives. It is as follows: Gentn: It is to me a great pleasure & Satisfaction yt his Majtie has been pleased to make me Gov over a Province where ye people have always signalised themselves in their duty and Loyalty to their Prince. Give me leave to assure you, yt one now fills ye throne of Great Brittain, in whose royall p'son all virtues are mett, wch in their proper turns shines forth in strong light; a Prince whom God has graciously caused to trample upon ye necks of his unnatural enemies, who conspired against him and his royal family, even without ye least semblance of reason; so that by ye preservation of ye illustrious house of Hanover, the dark & gloomy shades of Popery and Slavery wch were surrounding us from every side are dispersed, & we have now bright and happy views before us of ye long enjoym' of ye most valuable blessings of life, our Religion & Liberty. Since therefore, under his Maj'ties most auspicious reign we enjoy such protection & happiness, I question not but we are mett this day wth minds fully disposed to do everything that may be for his Maj'ties service & ye good of this Province. I shall therefore principally recommend to you, that in your severall stations you will endeavour to extirpate vice weh tends so much to ye dishonour of God and our Holy Religion; that virtue may meet with its just rewards, & that if there be any divisions among you they may be amicably adjusted. I also recommend to you that all the Laws already made be duely putt in execution, [P. 36.] and if you can think of making any new ones that may promote your trade and credit, and thereby render this a happy and flourishing Province, you shall be always sure of my hearty concurrence. Gent: There is one thing the king has strictly commanded me to observe to you, weh is, that thoh there has been two acts Parliament made in England, & a very good Law here for ye preservation of the Pine trees that are or may be serviceable for his Majties Royal Navy, yet still great wasts are committed in the woods of this Prov: of New Hampshire. I make therefore no doubt that out of a just regard to his Majties cominand, & also to your own interest, wch in this affair is so happily linckt to that of Great Britain, that his Majesty's pleasure will be for ye future entirely complyed with, and the offenders punished. Gentm. of the House of Representatives: It is to your most immediate care that matters relating to ye support & defence of this Prov: belongs; wch I, therefore, recom The Assembly Booke & papers sent for to Capt. Richard Wibird, the late Clerk, who delivered them to the Speaker.-Journ. of House. mend to you; and I question not that since I assure you that I am arrived here with hearty intentions to p'serve you in all your religious & civil rights, to do you all the good I can, & to guard against what may be hurtfull, that you will also think wt may be necessary for my support. Jan. 10th, 1716-7. Adjourned to Friday next, 10 o'clock, A. M. SAML. SHUTE. Pro: N. Hamp: At a Gen' Assembly held at Portsm® by adjournm Jan. 11th, 1716-7. Present, His Excellency Sam' Shute, Esq., Governor, This day Mark Hunking, Esq., Mr. Sherrif Phipps & Rich Waldron,* Cler. Con: took ye oathes of abjuration and subscribed the same. Adjourned for 2 hours. [P. 37.] Met according to adjournm'. Present as Before. Rich Waldron, Esq., Judge of Probate, appeared at ye Coun cill board & prayed the advice of His Excellency the Gov Councill abt granting letters of administration to ye creditors of ye Estate of Sir Charles Hobby, deceased. Adjourned till tomorrow, 10 o'clock, A. M. *This was a son of Col. Richard Waldron, and a grandson of Major Richard, whe was killed by the Indians in Dover, 1689. See more particular notice of him at las decease in 1753. Pro: N. Hamp2: At a Gen' Assembly held at Portsm° by adjourm Jan. 12th, 1716-7. Present, His Excellency Samuel Shute, Esq., Gov', His Hon' Geo: Vaughan, Esq., Lt. Gov', Sam' Penhallow, Mark Hunking, Esqs. Theo. Atkinson, Rich Wibird, Esqs. Sam. Penhallow & John Wentworth, Esq. were sent down to the house of Representatives to inform yt house that Rich Waldron, Esq., Judge of Probate, had been at ye Council Chamber to pray ye advice of his Excellency & Council in a matter that is now before him as Judge of Probate (viz.), the granting letters of administration to ye creditors of the estate of Sir Charles Hobby, deed, to ask their thoughts on this matter. This day his Hon' the Lt. Gov' & the Councill took an oath to be faithful Councillors, as also ye oath of secresy. Thomas Phipps, Esq., high sheriff, & Rich Waldron, Cler. Con., took also ye oath of secresy, and Benj. Akerman, the door-keeper. Adjourned till Monday next, 11 o'clock A. M. Mr. Eph Marston brought up a vote to this board for laying a duty on ye importation of European Goods. Rich Gerrish, Esq., made ye following motion at the Council Board (viz.), That whereas he had the bonds in his custody wh were given for ye security of the £1500 lett out of ye treasury; and the house of Representatives demanding the same, he prayed the advice of His Excellency the Gov and Councill thereupon: upon which it is In Councill, Ordered, That the s bonds be delivered by him to the s house of representatives; and accordingly, Thom Westbrook, Esq., is desired to go down to ye house of Representatives with ye gd Rich Gerrish, Esq., to see the same effected. Adjourned till 3 o'clock P. M. Pro: N. Hamp'. Met according to adjornm. Present, as before. Rich Gerrish, Esq., laid a receipt before this board, signed by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, for ye several bonds given for ye security of £1500 lett out of ye treasury, &c., delivered by him to the house of representatives, which receipt y said Gerrish took again to himself. Adjourned till tomorrow, 10 o'clock, A. M. The house ordered, "That said bonds for ye present be lodged in the hands of Joseph Smith, untill further order by vote of the house." |