21 | To John Pownall

    Boston Jan 11. 1761

    Dear Sr.

    Last night I recd. a box containing dispatches for all the Governors on the Continent on the Occasion of his Majestys accession to the & as I am dispatching an Express to New York, I write a line to take the Chance of the Packet boat to inform you of my receipt & care thereof. We received certain advice of the death of his late Majesty & the Proclamation of his present Majesty on Saturday Decr. 27th. I immediately called the Council to Consider whether I should proclaim his Majesty on this private, but undoubted intelligence (consisting of Many News papers between the death of the King & his funeral) or wait for public orders.126 Upon this the books were searched & it appeard that every one of the three former proclamations in this Century were made in pursuance of private accounts and without waiting for public orders, and in the instance of the death of Queen Ann the Public orders, did not arrive ’till near 8 Months after her decease, the Ship that was first sent with them being lost. Also consideration was had that, tho’ the Assembly was sitting, it would be necessary to suspend all business till the king was proclaimed: for it wod. be absurd to use the Stile of the late King, when we knew he was dead, & improper to use that of his present Majesty before he was proclaimed. It was therefore judged proper & necessary to proceed to the proclamation. We therefore proclaimed the King on Tuesday the 30th of Decr. & celebrated the obsequies of the late King according to the Custom of this Country, on thursday the first of Janry. The form of the proclamation we took from what had been used here before, and is, almost word for word the same as is ordered by the privy Council. For the rest of the Ceremonial, I refer you to printed papers, from whence you will observe that the General Court accompanied me to the Kings Chapel, an honour that the Kings Chappel never had before, & which was meant as a Compliment to the Govr., & was agreed to in both houses unanimously.

    I have a great deal to Write to you, & hope at the end of the Week to dispatch great part of it in a safe Vessel: this I dont much depend upon, as it is probable the packet may be sailed when this Gets to new York.

    I am Sr. &c

    The Govr.127 shall also hear from me by the next packet if possible. I have much to say to him.

    John Pownall Esqr.

    L, LbC BP, 1: 285-286.