JOSIAH WILLAED’S FIRST COMMISSION as SECRETARY OF THE PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY

    17 June, 1717

    [COMMISSION FROM HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE TO JOSIAH WILLARD TO BE SECRETARY OF THE PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY]

    George by the Grace of God [of Great Britain France & Ireland King, Defender of the Faith] &c. To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting

    Whereas Wee did by our letters Patents under our Great Seal of Great Britain bearing date at Westminster the three and Twentieth day of June in the first year of our Reign give and Grant unto our Trusty and Welbeloved Samuel Woodward Esquire the Office or place of Secretary of Our Province of Massachusets Bay in New England in America To have hold Exercise and enjoy the said Office or place unto the said Samuel Woodward by himselfe or his sufficient Deputy or Deputies (for whom he should203 be answerable) for and during our Pleasure and his Residence within Our said Province as by our said recited Letters Patent (relac̃on being thereunto had) may more fully and at large appear Now know yee that Wee have Revoked and Determined and by these presents do Revoke and Determine our said recited Letters Patents and every clause article and thing therein contained and further know yee that Wee of our especial Grace certain knowledge and meer moc̃on have given and granted and by these presents Do give and grant unto our Trusty and Welbeloved Josiah Willard Esquire the said Office or Place of Secretary of Our Province of Massachusets Bay in New England in America and him the said Josiah Willard Secretary of our said Province of Massachusets Bay in New England in America Wee do make Ordain and Constitute by these presents To have hold Exercise and enjoy the said Office or place unto the said Josiah Willard by himselfe or his sufficient Deputy or Deputies (for whom he shall be answerable) for and during our Pleasure and his Residence within our said Province With all Fees Rights Profits Priviledges and advantages whatsoever thereunto belonging in as full and ample manner as the said Samuel Woodward or any other Secretary of our said Province hath formerly held and enjoyed or of right ought to have held and enjoyed the same Provided always that if the said Josiah Willard shall not transport himselfe to our said Province of Massachusets Bay in New England in America within the space of Twelve months from the date of these presents or if he shall be absent from Our said Province for the space of one month at any one time from the time of his arrival there without Our especial leave and lycence under Our Signet or Sign Manual in that behalfe first had and obtained Then and in such case these Our Letters Patents and every thing herein contained shall cease determine and be void any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding In Witnesse [&c.] [whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents;] Witnesse our selfe at Westminster the seventeenth day of June. [In the third Year of Our Reign].

    [De Concessione Willard Armigero Officium]

    By Writ of Privy Seal.

    [COCKS]

    [Examined p J. Willard Se͞c͞r͞y]

    Public Record Office, Patent Roll, 3 George I, Part 4, No. 14. Compared with the record of Royal Commissions (Crown Commissions, 1628–1663, p. 33) in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.204