FOOTNOTE:
[1] In the copy in the British Museum, this word is printed from, but the word for is substituted in manuscript, and in a contemporaneous hand is appended the following note: "The above Error was not found out by either of the Clerks of the Secretaries of State, Offices, &c, but published and Publickly Stuck up at the 'Change, where a Country-fellow made his Remark on the Error, which occasion'd fresh Expresses to be dispatched to the [illegible] and Plantations abroad, at the additional Expense of £8000."
[1759, October 23.]
[Thanksgiving in England for Defeat of French.]
BY THE KING.
A PROCLAMATION
For a Publick Thanksgiving.
George R.
We do most devoutly and thankfully acknowledge the great Goodness and Mercy of Almighty God, who hath afforded Us his Protection and Assistance in the just War, in which, for the common Safety of Our Realms, and for disappointing the boundless Ambition of France, We are now engaged; and hath given such signal Successes to Our Arms, both by Sea and Land, particularly by the Defeat of the French Army in Canada, and the Taking of Quebec; and who hath most seasonably granted Us at this Time an uncommonly plentiful Harvest: And therefore, duly considering that such great and publick Blessings do call for publick and solemn Acknowledgments, We have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to issue this Our Royal Proclamation, hereby appointing and commanding, That a General Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for these His Mercies, be observed throughout Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, upon Thursday the Twenty ninth Day of November next. And, for the better and more religious and orderly Solemnizing the same, We have given Directions to the most Reverend the Archbishops, and the Right Reverend the Bishops of England, to compose a Form of Prayer suitable to this Occasion, to be used in all Churches and Chapels, and other Places of Publick Worship, and to take Care for the timely dispersing thereof throughout their respective Dioceses. And We do strictly charge and command, That the said publick Day of Thanksgiving be religiously observed by all Our loving Subjects, as they tender the Favour of Almighty God, and upon Pain of suffering such Punishment as We may justly inflict upon all such as shall contemn or neglect the Performance of so religious and necessary a Duty.
Given at Our Court at Kensington, the Twenty third Day of October, One thousand seven hundred and fifty nine, in the Thirty third Year of our Reign.
God save the King.
London: Printed by Thomas Baskett, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty; and by the Assigns of Robert Baskett. 1759.
1 p. folio. Only copy found in Mass. Historical Society. Entered on Patent Rolls; entered in Privy Council Register, II Geo., vol. 18, p. 170. Printed in "London Gazette," October 27, 1759. It was ordered by the Privy Council that the Thanksgiving should also be celebrated in Ireland, and a proclamation with practically the same wording was issued by the Lord Lieutenant and Council of Ireland, October 30, 1759. A printed copy of this latter proclamation is in the Dublin Public Record Office.
[1759, October 23.]
[Thanksgiving in Scotland for Defeat of French.]
BY THE KING.
A PROCLAMATION
For a Publick Thanksgiving.
George R.
We do most devoutly and thankfully acknowledge the great Goodness and Mercy of Almighty God who hath afforded Us his Protection and Assistance in the just War in which for the common safety of Our Realms and for disappointing the boundless Ambition of France We are now engaged; and hath given such signal Successes to Our Arms both by Sea and Land particularly by the defeat of the French Army in Canada and the taking of Quebeck and who hath most seasonably granted Us at this time an uncommonly plentiful Harvest And therefore duly considering that such great and publick Blessings do call for publick and solemn Acknowledgments, We have thought fit by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council to issue this Our Royal Proclamation hereby appointing and commanding That a general Thanksgiving to Almighty God for these His Mercies be observed throughout that part of Our Kingdom of Great Britain called Scotland upon Thursday the Twenty Ninth day of November next. And we do strictly charge and command That the said Publick Thanksgiving be reverently and decently observed by all Our loving Subjects in Scotland on the said Twenty Ninth day of November next as they tender the favour of Almighty God and would avoid his Wrath and Indignation and upon pain of such Punishment as We may justly inflict upon all such as shall contemn or neglect the Performance of so religious a Duty. Our Will and Pleasure is therefore and We charge That incontinent this Our Proclamation seen Ye pass to the Market Cross of Edinburgh and all other Places needful and there in Our Name and Authority make Publication thereof that none pretend Ignorance And Our Will and Pleasure is That Our Sollicitor do cause printed Copies hereof to be sent to the Sherifs of the several Shires Stewarts of Stewarties and Baillies of Regalities and their Clerks whom We ordain to see the same published; And We appoint them to send Doubles thereof to the several Paroch Kirks within their Bounds that upon the Lords day immediately preceding the Day above mentioned the same may be published and read from the Pulpits immediately after Divine Service.
Given at Our Court at Kensington the twenty third day of October One Thousand Seven hundred and Fifty nine in the thirty third Year of Our Reign.
God save the King.
1 p. folio. Only printed copy noted by the editor was advertised for sale by the Museum Book Store of London in 1909, priced at £27. 10s. Entered on Patent Rolls; entered in Privy Council Register, II Geo., vol. 18, p. 171, from which this transcript was made. Printed in "London Gazette," October 27, 1759.
[1760, October 27.]
[Continuing Officers in the Colonies.]
BY THE KING.
A PROCLAMATION
Declaring His Majesty's Pleasure for continuing the Officers in His Majesty's Plantations till His Majesty's Pleasure shall be further signified.
George R.
Whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Sixth Year of the late Queen Anne, of blessed Memory, intituled, "An Act for the Security of her Majesty's Person and Government, and of the Succession to the Crown of Great Britain in the Protestant Line," it was enacted (amongst other Things) That no Office, Place, or Employment, Civil or Military, within any of her said late Majesty's Plantations, should become void by Reason of the Demise or Death of her said late Majesty, her Heirs, or Successors, Kings or Queens of this Realm; but that the Person and Persons in any of the Offices, Places, or Employments aforesaid, should continue in their respective Offices, Places, and Employments, for the Space of Six Months next after such Death or Demise, unless sooner removed and discharged by the next in Succession to whom the Crown of this Realm should come, remain, and be, according to the several Acts of Parliament for limiting and settling the Succession of the Crown, as by the said recited Act may appear; And in regard it may happen, that Our Pleasure may not, within the said Time, be declared, touching the said Offices, Places, and Employments, in Our Foreign Plantations, which will, at the End of the said Six Months, become void; We, for preventing the Inconveniences that may happen thereby, in Our princely Wisdom and Care of the State (reserving to Our Judgement hereafter the Reformation and Redress of any Abuses in the Execution of any such Offices, Places, and Employments, upon due Knowledge and Examination thereof) have thought fit, with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to issue this Our Royal Proclamation, and do hereby order, signify, and declare, That all Persons that, at the Time of the Decease of Our late Royal Grandfather King George the Second, of glorious Memory, were duly and lawfully possessed of, or invested in, any Office, Place, or Employment, Civil or Military, in any of Our Plantations, and which have not been since removed from such their Offices, Places, or Employments, shall be, and shall hold themselves continued in the said Offices, Places, and Employments, as formerly they held and enjoyed the same, until Our Pleasure be further known, or other Provision be made, pursuant to the Commissions and Instructions of Our said late Royal Grandfather, to His Governors and Officers of the Plantations aforesaid; and that in the mean time, for the Preservation of the Peace, and necessary Proceedings in Matters of Justice, and for the Safety and Service of the State, all the said Persons, of whatsoever Degree or Condition, do not fail every one severally, according to his Place, Office, or Charge, to proceed in the Performance and Execution of all Duties thereunto belonging, as formerly appertained unto them, during the Life of Our said late Royal Grandfather: And further, We do hereby will and command all and singular Our Subjects in the said Plantations, of what Estate or Degree they, or any of them, be, to be aiding, helping, and assisting, at the Commandment of the said Officers, in the Performance and Execution of the said Offices and Places, as they tender Our Displeasure, and will answer the contrary at their utmost Perils.
Given at Our Court at Saville House, the Twenty Seventh Day of October, 1760, in the First Year of Our Reign.
God Save the King.
No printed copy found. Entered on Patent Rolls; in Crown Office Docquet Book, vol. II, where it is dated October 25; and in Privy Council Register, III Geo., vol. 1, p. 11. Printed in "London Gazette," October 13, 1761, from which this transcript was made.
[1763, October 7.]
[Establishing New Governments in America.]
BY THE KING.
A PROCLAMATION
George R.
Whereas We have taken into Our Royal Consideration the extensive and valuable Acquisitions in America, secured to Our Crown by the late Definitive Treaty of Peace, concluded at Paris the Tenth Day of February last;[1] and being desirous, that all Our loving Subjects, as well of Our Kingdoms as of Our Colonies in America, may avail themselves, with all convenient Speed, of the great Benefits and Advantages which must accrue therefrom to their Commerce, Manufactures, and Navigation; We have thought fit, with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to issue this Our Royal Proclamation,[2] hereby to publish and declare to all Our loving Subjects, that We have, with the Advice of Our said Privy Council, granted Our Letters Patent under Our Great Seal of Great Britain, to erect within the Countries and Islands ceded and confirmed to Us by the said Treaty, Four distinct and separate Governments, stiled and called by the Names of Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and Grenada, and limited and bounded as follows; viz.
First. The Government of Quebec, bounded on the Labrador Coast by the River St. John, and from thence by a Line drawn from the Head of that River through the Lake St. John to the South End of the Lake nigh Pissin;[3] from whence the said Line crossing the River St. Lawrence and the Lake Champlain in Forty five Degrees of North Latitude, passes along the High Lands which divide the Rivers that empty themselves into the said River St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the Sea; and also along the North Coast of the Baye des Chaleurs, and the Coast of the Gulph of St. Lawrence to Cape Rosieres, and from thence crossing the Mouth of the River St. Lawrence by the West End of the Island of Anticosti, terminates at the aforesaid River of St. John.
Secondly. The Government of East Florida, bounded to the Westward by the Gulph of Mexico, and the Apalachicola River; to the Northward, by a Line drawn from that Part of the said River where the Chatahouchee and Flint Rivers meet, to the Source of St. Mary's River, and by the Course of the said River to the Atlantick Ocean; and to the Eastward and Southward, by the Atlantick Ocean, and the Gulph of Florida, including all Islands within Six Leagues of the Sea Coast.
Thirdly. The Government of West Florida, bounded to the Southward by the Gulph of Mexico, including all Islands within Six Leagues of the Coast from the River Apalachicola to Lake Pentchartrain; to the Westward, by the said Lake, the Lake Mauripas, and the River Mississippi; to the Northward, by a Line drawn due East from that Part of the River Mississippi which lies in Thirty one Degrees North Latitude, to the River Apalachicola or Chatahouchee; and to the Eastward by the said River.
Fourthly. The Government of Grenada, comprehending the Island of that Name, together with the Grenadines, and the Islands of Dominico, St. Vincents, and Tobago.
And, to the End that the open and free Fishery of Our Subjects may be extended to and carried on upon the Coast of Labrador and the adjacent Islands, We have thought fit, with the Advice of Our said Privy Council, to put all that Coast, from the River St. John's to Hudson's Streights, together with the Islands of Anticosti and Madelaine, and all other smaller Islands lying upon the said Coast, under the Care and Inspection of Our Governor of Newfoundland.
We have also, with the Advice of Our Privy Council, thought fit to annex the Islands of St. John's, and Cape Breton or Isle Royale, with the lesser Islands adjacent thereto, to Our Government of Nova Scotia.
We have also, with the Advice of Our Privy Council aforesaid, annexed to Our Province of Georgia all the Lands lying between the Rivers Altamaha and St. Mary's.
And whereas it will greatly contribute to the speedy settling Our said new Governments, that Our loving Subjects should be informed of Our Paternal Care for the Security of the Liberties and Properties of those who are and shall become Inhabitants thereof; We have thought fit to publish and declare, by this Our Proclamation, that We have, in the Letters Patent under Our Great Seal of Great Britain, by which the said Governments are constituted, given express Power and Direction to Our Governors of Our said Colonies respectively, that so soon as the State and Circumstances of the said Colonies will admit thereof, they shall, with the Advice and Consent of the Members of Our Council, summon and call General Assemblies within the said Governments respectively, in such Manner and Form as is used and directed in those Colonies and Provinces in America, which are under Our immediate Government; and We have also given Power to the said Governors, with the Consent of Our said Councils, and the Representatives of the People, so to be summoned as aforesaid, to make, constitute, and ordain Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances for the Publick Peace, Welfare, and Good Government of Our said Colonies, and of the People and Inhabitants thereof, as near as may be agreeable to the Laws of England, and under such Regulations and Restrictions as are used in other Colonies: And in the mean Time, and until such Assemblies can be called as aforesaid, all Persons inhabiting in, or resorting to Our said Colonies, may confide in Our Royal Protection for the Enjoyment of the Benefit of the Laws of Our Realm of England; for which Purpose, We have given Power under Our Great Seal to the Governors of Our said Colonies respectively, to erect and constitute, with the Advice of Our said Councils respectively, Courts of Judicature and Publick Justice, within Our said Colonies, for the hearing and determining all Causes, as well Criminal as Civil, according to Law and Equity, and as near as may be agreeable to the Laws of England, with Liberty to all Persons who may think themselves aggrieved by the Sentences of such Courts, in all Civil Cases, to appeal, under the usual Limitations and Restrictions, to Us in Our Privy Council.
We have also thought fit, with the Advice of Our Privy Council as aforesaid, to give unto the Governors and Councils of Our said Three New Colonies upon the Continent, full Power and Authority to settle and agree with the Inhabitants of Our said New Colonies, or with any other Persons who shall resort thereto, for such Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, as are now, or hereafter shall be in Our Power to dispose of, and them to grant to any such Person or Persons, upon such Terms, and under such moderate Quit-Rents, Services, and Acknowledgments as have been appointed and settled in Our other Colonies, and under such other Conditions as shall appear to Us to be necessary and expedient for the Advantage of the Grantees, and the Improvement and Settlement of our said Colonies.
And whereas We are desirous, upon all Occasions, to testify Our Royal Sense and Approbation of the Conduct and Bravery of the Officers and Soldiers of Our Armies, and to reward the same, We do hereby command and impower Our Governors of Our said Three New Colonies, and all other Our Governors of Our several Provinces on the Continent of North America, to grant, without Fee or Reward, to such Reduced Officers as have served in North America during the late War, and to such Private Soldiers as have been or shall be disbanded in America, and are actually residing there, and shall personally apply for the same, the following Quantities of Lands, subject at the Expiration of Ten Years to the same Quit-Rents as other Lands are subject to in the Province within which they are granted, as also subject to the same Conditions of Cultivation and Improvement; viz.
To every Person having the Rank of a Field Officer, Five thousand Acres.—To every Captain, Three thousand Acres.—To every Subaltern or Staff Officer, Two thousand Acres.—To every Non-Commission Officer, Two hundred Acres.—To every Private Man, Fifty Acres.
We do likewise authorize and require the Governors and Commanders in Chief of all Our said Colonies upon the Continent of North America, to grant the like Quantities of Land, and upon the same Conditions, to such Reduced Officers of Our Navy, of like Rank, as served on Board Our Ships of War in North America at the Times of the Reduction of Louisbourg and Quebec in the late War, and who shall personally apply to Our respective Governors for such Grants.
And whereas it is just and reasonable, and essential to Our Interest and the Security of Our Colonies, that the several Nations or Tribes of Indians, with whom We are connected, and who live under Our Protection, should not be molested or disturbed in the Possession of such Parts of Our Dominions and Territories as, not having been ceded to, or purchased by Us, are reserved to them, or any of them, as their Hunting Grounds; We do therefore, with the Advice of Our Privy Council, declare it to be Our Royal Will and Pleasure, that no Governor or Commander in Chief in any of Our Colonies of Quebec, East Florida, or West Florida, do presume, upon any Pretence whatever, to grant Warrants of Survey, or pass any Patents for Lands beyond the Bounds of their respective Governments, as described in their Commissions; as also, that no Governor or Commander in Chief in any of Our other Colonies or Plantations in America, do presume, for the present, and until Our further Pleasure be known, to grant Warrants of Survey, or pass Patents for any Lands beyond the Heads or Sources of any of the Rivers which fall into the Atlantick Ocean from the West and North-West, or upon any Lands whatever, which, not having been ceded to, or purchased by Us as aforesaid, are reserved to the said Indians, or any of them.
And We do further declare it to be Our Royal Will and Pleasure, for the present as aforesaid, to reserve under Our Sovereignty, Protection, and Dominion, for the Use of the said Indians, all the Lands and Territories not included within the Limits of Our said Three New Governments, or within the Limits of the Territory granted to the Hudson's Bay Company, as also all the Lands and Territories lying to the Westward of the Sources of the Rivers which fall into the Sea from the West and North West, as aforesaid; and We do hereby strictly forbid, on Pain of Our Displeasure, all Our loving Subjects from making any Purchases or Settlements whatever, or taking Possession of any of the Lands above reserved, without Our especial Leave and Licence for that Purpose first obtained.
And We do further strictly enjoin and require all Persons whatever, who have either wilfully or inadvertently seated themselves upon any Lands within the Countries above described, or upon any other Lands, which, not having been ceded to, or purchased by Us, are still reserved to the said Indians as aforesaid, forthwith to remove themselves from such Settlements.
And whereas great Frauds and Abuses have been committed in the purchasing Lands of the Indians, to the great Prejudice of Our Interests, and to the great Dissatisfaction of the said Indians; in order therefore to prevent such Irregularities for the future, and to the End that the Indians may be convinced of Our Justice, and determined Resolution to remove all reasonable Cause of Discontent, We do, with the Advice of Our Privy Council, strictly enjoin and require, that no private Person do presume to make any Purchase from the said Indians of any Lands reserved to the said Indians, within those Parts of Our Colonies where We have thought proper to allow Settlement; but that if, at any Time, any of the said Indians should be inclined to dispose of the said Lands, the same shall be purchased only for Us, in Our Name, at some publick Meeting or Assembly of the said Indians to be held for that Purpose by the Governor or Commander in Chief of Our Colonies respectively, within which they shall lie: and in case they shall lie within the Limits of any Proprietary Government, they shall be purchased only for the Use and in the Name of such Proprietaries, conformable to such Directions and Instructions as We or they shall think proper to give for that Purpose: And We do, by the Advice of Our Privy Council, declare and enjoin, that the Trade with the said Indians shall be free and open to all our Subjects whatever; provided that every Person, who may incline to trade with the said Indians, do take out a Licence for carrying on such Trade from the Governor or Commander in Chief of any of Our Colonies respectively, where such Person shall reside; and also give Security to observe such Regulations as We shall at any Time think fit, by Ourselves or by Our Commissaries to be appointed for this Purpose, to direct and appoint for the Benefit of the said Trade; And We do hereby authorize, enjoin, and require the Governors and Commanders in Chief of all Our Colonies respectively, as well Those under Our immediate Government as those under the Government and Direction of Proprietaries, to grant such Licences without Fee or Reward, taking especial Care to insert therein a Condition, that such Licence shall be void, and the Security forfeited, in Case the Person, to whom the same is granted, shall refuse or neglect to observe such Regulations as We shall think proper to prescribe as aforesaid.
And We do further expressly enjoin and require all Officers whatever, as well Military as those employed in the Management and Direction of Indian Affairs within the Territories reserved as aforesaid for the Use of the said Indians, to seize and apprehend all Persons whatever, who, standing charged with Treasons, Misprisions of Treason, Murders, or other Felonies or Misdemeanors, shall fly from Justice, and take Refuge in the said Territory, and to send them under a proper Guard to the Colony where the Crime was committed of which they stand accused, in order to take their Tryal for the same.
Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Seventh Day of October, One thousand seven hundred and sixty three, in the Third Year of Our Reign.
God save the King.
London: Printed by Mark Baskett, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty; and by the Assigns of Robert Baskett. 1763.
1 p. folio. Copies in Antiq., and P. C.; also in Mass. State Archives, and John Carter Brown Library. Entered on Patent Rolls; entered in Privy Council Register, III Geo., vol. 3, p. 102. Printed in "London Gazette," October 8, 1763, and in several of the colonial newspapers, as the "Providence Gazette," December 17, 1763; also in the "Annual Register," vi, 208, Knox, "New Collection of Voyages," 1767, ii, 265, and elsewhere.