EDWARD RANDOLPH’S COMMISSION as COLLECTOR, SURVEYOR, AND SEARCHER OF CUSTOMS IN THE COLONIES OF NEW ENGLAND

    15 October, 1681

    Charles the second &c. To all to whome &c.

    Whereas by severall Acts of Parliament vizt the Act of Tonnage and Poundage made in the twelfth yeare of our Reigne the Act for encouraging and increasing of Shipping and Navigac̃on made in the same yeare the Act for prventing Frauds and regulating abuses in our Customes made in the Fowerteenth yeare of our Raigne the Act for encouragemt of Trade made in the Fifteenth yeare of our Raigne And the Act for encouragemt of the Greenland and East land Trades and for better securing the plantacon trade made in the twenty Fifth yeare of our Raigne for the Keepeing of our Plantac̃ons beyond the Seas in a more firme dependance vppon this our Kingdome of England in asmuch as they are peopled with the subiects thereof and for the makeing this Kingdome a staple not onely of the comodities of those Plantac̃ons but alsoe of the Comodities of other Countryes for the supplyeing of them Provision hath beene made that noe comodities of Europe should bee carried to any the said Plantac̃ons but what should be bona fide shipped and laded in England and alsoe that the Comodities of the plantac̃ons ꝑticulerly therein enumerated and named should bee brought into this our Kingdome of England or Ireland Principality of Wales or towne of Berwicke vppon Tweede and that for such of the said Plantac̃ons Comodities for which bond should not bee First given before the ladeing thereof to bring the same to England Wales or Berwicke and to no other place certeine rates and duties are imposed on the said Comodities payable to us our heires and successors in our said plantac̃ons before the ladeing thereof to bee levyed and collected by such persons as should bee appointed in our said respective plantac̃ons vnder the managemt of the Comissioners of our Customes in this Kingdome vnder the authority of our high Treasurer or Comissioners of our Treasury for the time being for the Collec͞cion of which rates and Duties in our severall Colonies of New England and alsoe to the End the said lawes may bee duely observed and obeyed according to the true intent and purport thereof and alsoe that Wee may be duely answered our parte and share of all such Forfeitures as ought to accrew to vs by virtue of the said lawes Now Know yee that Wee for the considerac̃ons aforesaid and of our especiall grace certaine Knowledge and meere moc̃on have created and erected and by these presents for vs our heires and Successors doe create and erect the Office which shall bee and shall bee called the Office of Collector Surveyor and Searcher of our Customes within our Colonyes of New England vnder the management of our Commissioners of our Customes in this our Kingdome of England And that further alsoe Wee reposeing especiall trust and Confidence in the Fidelity care and Circumspec͠con of our trusty and well-beloved Edward Randolph Esqr of our more especiall grace certeine Knowledge and meer moc̃on have given and granted and by these prsents doe give and grant vnto the said Edward Randolph the said Office of Collector Surveyor and Searcher of our Customes within our Colonyes of New England vnder the management of the Commissioners of our Customes in this our Kingdome of England and him the said Edward Randolph Collector Surveyor and Searcher of our Customes within our said Colonyes of New England vnder the management of our Com̄issioners of our Customes in this our Kingdome of England Wee doe by these prsents Ordayne and Constitute To have and to hold the said Office of Collector Surveyor and Searcher as aforesaid vnto the said Edward Randolph dureing our pleasure to bee executed by himselfe or his sufficient Deputy or Deputies And Know yee further that Wee of our more especiall grace certaine Knowledge and meere moc̃on have given and granted and by these presents doe give and grant vnto the said Edward Randolph for the Execuc̃on of the said Office the yearely sum̄e of One hundred pounds payable quarterly att the Fower most vsuall Feasts or termes in the yeare (that is to say) the Feasts of Saint Michaell the Arch Angell the Birth of our lord Christ the Annunciac̃on of the blessed virgin Mary and the Nativity of Saint John Baptist by even and equall porc̃ons To bee paid vnto the said Edward Randolph out of our Customes Subsidies and other duties ariseing vpon goodes and merchandizes imported or to bee imported into this our Kingdome of England or exported out of the same from time to time by the hands of our receivor generall Farmers or Collectors thereof the said Salary or allowance to comence from the Feast of Saint John Baptist now last past and the First payment to bee made for the quarter ended at the Feast of Saint Michaell the Arch Angell last past giveing and by these presents granting vnto the said Edward Randolph his Deputy or Deputies full power and authority to Collect and receive to our vse all the aforesaid rates duties and Imposic̃ons and to search for and seize all such Europian goods as contrary to the said lawes or any of them shall bee carried to any of our Colonies of New England which shall not have beene bona fide laden in this our Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales or Towne of Berwick vppon Tweed as alsoe all such of the said plantac̃on Comodities which shall come to any of our said Collonyes of New land210 and not have first paid before the ladeing thereof in any other of our said Plantac̃ons the rates and duties as aforesaid respectively imposed on the said Comodities and alsoe to seize all such shipps and vessells and theire lading respectively which contrary to the aforesaid lawes or any of them shall lade or shall have laden any of the said plantac̃on Comodities not haveing first given bond with condic̃on as is provided in the Act of Parliament made in the twelfth yeare of our Raigne for the encouragement and encrease of shipping and Navigac̃on and alsoe to search for seize and proceed against any other goods or Marchandizes shipps or vessells whatsoever as are or shalbe any otherwise lyable to Forfeiture as vncustomed or prohibited or any otherwaies whatsoever by virtue of the said Acts of Parliament or any of them or any other law now in force or that shall bee in force and to vse all lawfull wayes and meanes in relac̃on thereunto And Wee doe hereby Authorize Will and Comand the said Edward Randolph for his due Execuc̃on of the said Office to pursue and observe all such Orders rules and direc͠cons concerning the same as hee hath already received or shall from time to time receive from vs or from ye Comissioners of our Treasury now being or our high Treasurer or Comissioners of our Treasury which hereafter shall bee or from the Comissioners of our Customes in England which now bee or hereafter shall bee strictly chargeing and requireing all Governors Deputy Governors Magistrates Officers and persons whatsoever to be ayding and assisting to the said Edward Randolph or his Deputy or Deputies in all things concerning the due Execuc̃on of the said Office and Wee doe also Comand and require all our Judges Justices of the peace and other Officers and Ministers That these our letters pattents bee allowed of in all Courts of Record or elsewhere within our said Colony of New England or any other our Dominions In Witnesse &c. Witnesse our selfe att Westminster the Fifteenth day of October.

    By writt of Privy Seal

    Public Record Office, Patent Roll, 33 Charles II, Part 7, No. 15.