154 Address of Governor Dudley

    [January 14 1707/08]

    Address of Governor Dudley at the inauguration of President Leverett January 1707

    “Post mortum Rev[eren] di D[omini] Willardi, nuper huius Societatis maxime assidui, debita cum observantia mihi notiflcabunt Socii se liberrime te, (Rev[eren] de Domine) principalem et Praesidem successurum eligisse.

    Electionem Generalis Regia Majestatis Concillii manibus communicavi qui libenter assensum suum dederunt. Deinde huius Provenciae delegati in Curia magna et generalia minervalia et in hoc temporis articulo idonea tibi concesserunt stipendia. Communi assensu et suffragio Presbyterorum huius Provinciae certo certius mihi redditur quod tuum moderamen et cura huius societatis sibi ferent gratissima; et deinde maxima spe sumus omnes impleti vestro sedulo regimine et ductu hancce Academiam tam divina quam humana literatura legeantia1 et religione ita esse florituram ut nobis et vicinarum provinciarum sacrae majestatis subditu communi beneficio fuerit.

    Constituimus igitur et ordinamus ut in te religiose suscipias curam et institutionem omnium et singularum oflicianorum studentium et servorum huius societatis secundum singulas methodus ac leges salutares concessas et concedendas ac sacram religionem literaturam et bonos mores promovendos quantum in te situm est; et ut semper reddas debitam fidelitatem dominae Reginae ac obedientiam legibus. Donamus te quoque potestatibus, jurisdictionibus proprietatibus priviligiis in eadem amplitudine qua antecessores his Collegii Harvardini Presidis unquam donati fuerunt; Tradimusque tibi hos libros, chartas atque claves dictorum potestatum, jurisdictionum proprietatum et privilegiorum insignia atque testimonia.”

    [After being thus introduced to office, the President made a short speech expressing his sense of the weighty charge he had received—his solicitude for the happy issue &c.—and his reliance on the assistance and support of the College Legislators; when he had done the Governor made the following reply]—called Promissum et benedictio D. Gubernatoris in nomine inspectorum.

    Quod ad nos ulterius spectat pollicemur tibi non defuturos esse patrocinio concilio et quibuscunque tuum promoveamus emolumentum. Deum optimum maximum administrationi vestrae felices dare exitus in sui gloriam regiae Majestatis honorem commodum bonorum omnium et tui ipsius solamen humillime apprecamur.

    College Papers, Supplement, i. 15 (No. 33). The brackets are in the original.

    I am indebted to Daniel K. Clift for the following translation:

    After the death of Reverend Father Willard who was recently in most constant attendance in the Corporation, the Fellows with appropriate respect notified me that they have most willingly chosen you, Reverend Father, to succeed as principal and President.

    I have communicated the election to the body of her Royal Majesty’s General Council, who have willingly given their assent. Furthermore the delegates of this Province in the highest Assembly have granted to you a general token and a suitable stipend for this period of time. By the common assent and vote of the Presbyters of this Province it is most definitely related to me that they will consider your management and care of this Corporation to be most pleasing to them; and furthermore we are all filled with the greatest hope that by your assiduous leadership and command, this College by reading divine as well as secular literature and by religion is going to flourish so that it may be for the common benefit of us and of the neighboring provinces of her Royal Majesty as a [substitute?].

    We therefore resolve and ordain that you undertake upon yourself religiously the care and institution of the duties, collectively and individually of the students and servants of this Corporation according to the single methods and salutary laws granted and to be granted and that the sacred religion, literature and good morals be advanced as much as you are able; and that you always return the entrusted faith of the Mistress, the Queen and obedience to the laws. We also entrust you with the powers, jurisdictions, possessions, and privileges in the same amplitude with which the predecessors of the Harvard College President were ever entrusted with these. We commit to you these books, documents and keys, the seals and testaments of the aforementioned powers, jurisdictions, possessions and privileges.

    Promise and benediction of the Master, the Governor, in the name of the Overseers:

    Because it looks to us further, we promise that we will not be lacking to you in patronage, counsel, and by whatever means we may further your advantage. We most humbly pray that God, the highest, the greatest, give blessed results to your administration for His own glory, the honor of her royal Majesty, the advantage of all good men and for your own solace.