133 Draft of an Order of the General Court for the Government of Harvard College

    [ca. 1704]

    Ordered, that the inspection of the Colledge shall be under the Reverend Nehaemiah Hobart as President, William Brattle as Vice-President, Samuel Torrey Samuel Williard Peter Thacher, Samuel Angier, John Danforth Henry Gibs, Jonathan Pierpoint Beniamin Wadsworth Henry Flint Jabez Fitch Masters of Art as fellows, who are hereby empowered to govern that Society and to dispose of the revenues belonging to the Colledge for the support and benefitt of the officers and students therein,1 and to conferr degrees as formerly untill her Majesties pleasure shall be further known.2

    College Papers, i. 33 (Nos. 72–75). There are four drafts, of which the order is not certain; this is considered No. 1. It calls for a board of twelve, including the two tutors, Flint and Fitch. In draft No. 2 Torrey and Thacher were deleted. Draft No. 3 substitutes James Allen for Torrey, adds Cotton Mather and Nehemiah Walter, and drops Fitch, whose place is taken by Tutor Remington. Thus the total named in draft No. 2 comes to ten, in draft No. 3, to thirteen. Draft No. 4 is simply a copy of No. 3. All of the men named as Fellows had served in that capacity before. See Hoffmann, Commonwealth College, p. 429; he dates the first two versions from about 1702, the last two after January 4, 1702/03, when Jonathan Remington was appointed Tutor in place of Jabez Fitch. Hobart as President, Brattle as Vice-President, and a Board numbering 13 was recommended by Increase Mather in his letter of October, 1702 to the Speaker (No. 131).