Two fifty

COMMISSION PASSED UNDER THE GREAT SEAL OF GREAT BRITAIN

APPOINTING THOMAS GRAVES TO BE GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF IN AND OVER THE ISLAND OF NEWFOUNDLAND, THE COAST OF LABRADOR, ETC.

25 April 1763.

GEORGE the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c.

To Our Trusty and well beloved Thomas Graves Esquire, Greeting:

Whereas Wee Did by Our Letters Patent under Out Great Seal of Great Britain bearing date at Westminster the twenty ninth day of May in the first year of Our Reign constitute in Chief in and over Our Island of Newfoundland in America Our Fort and Garrison at Placentia and all other Forts and Garrisons Erected and to be Erected in that Island for and during Our Will and Pleasure as by the said Letters Patent Relation being thereunto had may more fully and at large appear Now know You that Wee have revoked determined and made void and by these Presents Do revoke determine and made void the said Recited Letters Patent and every Clause Article and Thing therein contained And Wee reposing especial Trust and Confidence in the Prudence Courage and Loyalty of You the said Thomas Graves of Our especial Grace certain knowledge and meer Motion have thought fit to constitute and appoint and by these presents Do constitute and appoint you the said Thomas Graves to be Our Governor and Commander in Chief in and over our said Island of Newfoundland and all the Coasts of Labrador from the Entrance of Hudsons Streights to the River Saint Johns which discharges itself into the Sea nearly opposite the West End of the Island of Anticosti including that Island with any other small Islands on the said Coast of Labrador and also the Islands of Madelaines in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence as also of all Our Forts and Garrisons Erected and Established or that shall be Erected and Established in Our said Islands of Newfoundland Anticosti and Madelaine or on the Coast of Labrador within the Limmitts aforesaid And We Do hereby require and command you to do and Execute all Things in due manner that shall belong to your said Command and the Trust Wee have reposed in You according to the several Powers and Directions granted or appointed you by this resent Commission and the Instructions either herewith given to You or by such further Powers Instructions or Authorities as shall at any time hereafter be granted or appointed you under Our Signet or Sign manual or by our Order in our Privy Council And Wee Do further give and grant unto you the said Thomas Graves full Power and Authority from time to time and at all times hereafter by your self or by any other to be Authorized by you in that behalf to administer and give the Oaths mentioned in an Act passed in the first Year of the Reign of King George the first Intituled (An Act for the further Security of his Majesty's Person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heirs of the late Princess Sophia being Protestants and for extinguishing the Hopes of the pretended Prince of Wales and his open and secret Abettors) to all and Every such Person and Persons as you shall think fit who shall at any time Or times pass into our said Islands or shall be resident or abiding there or upon the Coast of Labrador within the Limitts aforesaid And Wee Do by these Presents give and grant unto you full Power and Authority to constitute and appoint Judges and in Cases requisite Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer for the hearing and determining of all criminal Causes Treason Excepted according to Law and for awarding Execution thereupon with all reasonable and necessary Powers Authorities Fees and Privileges belonging thereunto Justices of the Peace with other necessary Officers and Ministers for the better Administration of Justice and keeping the Peace and Quiet of the said Island and Coasts aforesaid which Justices of the Peace so Authorized may and shall hold and keep General Quarter Sessions of the Peace in such Places as you shall appoint according to the Custom of this part of Great Britain called England and to adjourn such Session from time to time and from place to place as shall be most convenient and necessary for the peace and welfare of Our Subjects Inhabiting there provided neither you nor they do any thing by virtue of this Commission or the Powers hereby granted contrary or oppugnant to the Act for encouraging the Trade to Newfoundland passes in the tenth and eleventh years of the Reign of King William the Third nor any way obstruct the powers thereby given and granted to the Admiral of Harbours or Captains of Our Ships of War or any other Matter or Thing either prescribed by the said Act or by such Instructions as you shall receive from Us as aforesaid And Wee Do hereby give and grant unto You full power and Authority where you shall see cause or shall judge any Offender or Offenders in Criminal Matters or for any Fines or Forfeitures due unto us fit Objects of Our Mercy to pardon all such Offenders and to remit all such Offences Fines and Forfeitures willfull Murder only Excepted in which case you shall likewise have power upon extraordinary Occasions to grant Reprieves to the Offenders until and to the Intent Our Royal Pleasure may be known therein and all such Justices of the Peace and their Inferior Officers and Ministers whom you or they shall appoint amongst the Planters or Inhabitants Resident and abiding there are strictly required and enjoyed in all Cases and times and when ever necessary to be aiding and assisting to the utmost of their Power to the Commodore or Commander of Our Ships of Warr and to the several Admirals in their respective Harbours in putting in Execution the several good Rules and Orders prescribed by the said Act for encouraging the Trade to Newfoundland And Provided also that no person or persons so by you appointed to be Justices of the Peace as aforesaid or other Officers of Ministers belonging or appertaining to them do presume or be suffered to Act in such Office or Place untill he or they have taken the aforesaid Oaths mentioned in the said Act for the further Security of his Majesty's Person and Government and the Succession of the Crown in the Heirs of the late Princess Sophia being Protestants and for Extinguishing the hopes of the pretended Prince of Wales and his open and secret Abettors as also made and subscribed the Declaratio mentioned in an Act of Parliament made in the twenty fifth year of the Reign of King Charles the Second Intitled (An Act for preventing Danger which may happen from Popish Recusants) and also to take such Proper Oath or Oaths as are usually taken in this Kingdom by Person executing such Offices and Trusts which said Oasts and Declaration you shall administer or give or cause the same to be administered and given to all and every the Person and Persons who ought to take the same according to the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom And Wee Do hereby give and grant unto You and said Thomas Graves full power to Erect appoint and set apart one or more convenient Court House or Court Houses for the more orderly meeting or such Justices of the Peace in Order to hold such their Quarter or other Sessions with a convenient Prison adjoining thereto for the keeping of such Offenders as may be found necessary to be committed to safe Custody untill such Court or Sessions can conveniently be held for trying and delivering Offenders against Our Laws and the Peace of Our Subjects And Wee Do hereby require and command al Officers Civil and Military and all other Inhabitants of Our said Islands and the Coasts and Territories of Labrador and Islands adjacent thereto or dependant thereupon within the Limits aforesaid to be obedient aiding and assisting unto you in the Execution of this Our Commission and of the Powers and Authorities herein contained and in Case of your Death Our Will and Pleasure is that the Person upon whom the Command of Our Ships under your Command shall devolve do take upon him the Administration of the Government of Our said Islands and Territories as aforesaid and Execute Our said Governor and Commander in Chief might or ought to do for and during Our Will and Pleasure.

As Wee do hereby declare Ordain and appoint that you the said Thomas Graves shall and may hold Execute and Enjoy the Place of Our Governor and Commander in Chief in and over Our said Island of Newfoundland and all the Coast of Labrador form the Entrance of Hudsons Streights to the River Saint Johns which discharges itself into the Sea nearly opposite the West End of the Island of Antiscoti Including that Island with any other small Islands on the said Coasts of Labrador and also the Islands of Madelaines in the Gulph of Saint Lawrence as also of all Our Forts and Garrisons Erected and established or that shall be Erected and Established in Our said Islands of Newfoundland Anticosti and Madelaine or on the Coasts of Labrador within the Limits aforesaid with all and Singular the Powers and Authorities hereby granted unto you for and during Our Will and Pleasure In Witness &c Witness Our self at Westminster the twenty fifth day of April in the third Year of Our Reign.