Pages 525-543 
|  Pages 567-581
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| Pages 525-543
| Pages 567-581
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Historical Documents from 1711 to 1738.
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| WHEREAS it hath been represented unto me by her Maj'ties Attorney Generall, that it would be highly serviceable for her Maj'tie and for the benefit of this her colony that all Penall acts of Assembly hereof, and all other statutes of the Realm of Great Britain (Extending hereunto) should be put in Execution, and duly prosecuted against offenders thereof: And he having Intimated to me that thro' the Default of an Appointm't of proper persons for the Execution and due prosecution of the same (Composition has been often made with the Informer for his Moiety, the suit Dismist and her Maj'tie Defrauded of her Just share of y'e ffines forfeitures and amerciam'ts) in the severall and Respective County Courts of this Colony where he cannot possibly attend: ffor the future prevention and Remedy whereof I Doe hereby Authorise and Impower you −−− for and in her Maj'ties behalf to appear and likewise (unless her said Maj'ties Attorney Generall shall personally Attend) to prosecute all offenders against the Laws of Great Britain: The particular Acts of Assembly of this Colony and all other matters or things relating to the Crown, the Dignity of her Maj'tie, or against the Peace, as shall appear to be or Arise within Cognizance or Jurisdiction of the Perticular County Courts hereafter mentioned Viz: −−− & −−− the which Courts (I am by her Maj'ties Attorney Generall Informed) you attend, And I doe hereby likewise require you to take care that the Clerk of each of the said Courts return the Judgments and all fines & amerciam'ts: w'ch which shall be obtained in his Respective Court for the use and benefit of her Ma'tie unto the Secretaries office, that her Maj'ties Treasurer may by virtue thereof Give orders for the Due Levying of the same. And Likewise to Give Notice unto her said Maj'ties Attorney Generall of any Appeales obtained upon any such Prosecutions that he | Proclamation appointing attornies, to enforce the penal statutes of Great Britain, and of this colony. |
| may be prepared to Defend the same. Given under my hand and seal of the Colony the 2d day of November 1711 In the Tenth year of her Maj'ties Reign. | ||||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | ||||
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| A PROCLAMATION restraining Seating on out Lands dureing this time of Danger. | ||||
| WHEREAS notwithstanding my Proclamation Issued the 8th day of December 1710 whereby all persons were prohibited to Enter for or take up any Land between Nottoway and Maherine Rivers within Ten Miles of the Mouths of the said Rivers or on the south side of Maherine River within the bounds in controversie between this Government and Carolina Yet diverse persons have seated and continue to seat sundry Tracts of Land within the said bounds in contempt of the orders of the Government and thereby created misunderstandings with the Indians in those parts as well as Exposed themselves to the Insults of fforeign Indians by seating so remote from the other Inhabitants and puting themselves out of the protection of the Rangers appointed for the Defence of the ffrontiers For preventing of w'ch dangers and Inconveniencys I have with the Advice of her Maj'ties Council thought fitt to Issue this proclamation in her Maj'ties name prohibiting and forbidding all persons in any of the Countys herein after named to take up or Seat any Land beyond the bounds hereafter specifyed viz't. In the county of Nansemond beyond the Nottoway River and in the countys of Isle of Wight Surry and Prince George beyond the Maherine River And I Doe require all persons allready seated on any Lands beyond the said Limits or within Three Miles of any Town of the Tributary Indians forthwith to retire | Proclamation prohibiting the seating on the lands in controversy between Virginia and North Carolina, beyond the Nottoway and Meherin rivers. | |||
| and withdraw themselves and their stocks on pain of being prosecuted for the same And for the better Effecting thereof, and bringing to punishment such persons as shall obstinately persist in their Illegall Encroachments on her Majesties Lands I Doe require the Sheriffs of the Respective County's aforesaid to take all such persons into Custody untill they Give Bond with Good Security for their Appearance before me in Council on the 4th day of the next General Court to Answer their Contempt and that the said Sherifs return the Bail Bonds taken of such persons to the Council Office And I Doe further require the Surveyors of the said Countys to observe this proclamation and to receive no Entrys for Land out of the limits aforesaid untill further order And I Doe appoint this Proclamation to be published at all Churches and Chappells within the said Countys on the first Sunday after the Receipt thereof and thereafter to be Published and affixed at the court houses of the said Countys Given under my hand and the Seal of the Colony at Wmsburgh this Twenty Eighth day of January 1711 In the Tenth Year of her Majesties Reign. | |
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | |
| God save the Queen. | |
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| A FREEDOM FOR A SHIP.* | |
| Virginia sc: | |
| TO ALL TO WHOM these presents shall come I Alexander Spotswood her Majesties Lieut. Governor and Commander in Cheif of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia Doe Certifye and make known that Skinner Wallop of the County of Accomack came before me and | Form of freedoms for ships. |
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| * These freedoms, as they were then called, were obtained, in order that the owners of vessels might be entitled to the privileges of Virginia owners, which were very early granted, and of which there is frequent mention in our ancient laws. For these privileges, See Vol I. pa. 402, 480, 537 Vol. II. pa. 134, 272. Vol. III. pa. 347, 348, 352, 494 For the fee to the Secretary of the colony, for a freedom for a ship, see ante pa. 408, of this volume. |
| on Solemne Oath Declared that the Sloop Jangoteage of Accomack whereof the said Skinner Wallop is at present Master being square stern'd of the Burthen of Eleven Tun or thereabouts was Built in the said county of Accomack in the year Seventeen Hundred and Eleven and that Charles Taylor and the said Skinner Wallop is at present the Sole Owners thereof and that no fforreigner Directly nor Indirectly nor any person liveing out of this Colony hath any share part or Interest therein And at the request of the said Skinner Wallop I Doe further Certifye that the said Vessell is Entituled to all the Rights Priviledges and Exemptions Granted by Law to all Shipps and Vessells Solely owned by the Inhabitants of Virginia of which I Doe hereby require and Command all Officers and others whom it may Concern within this Colony to take notice and conform themselves accordingly. Given under my hand and the seal of the Colony at Williamsburgh this Nineteenth day of April In the Eleventh Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Anne by the Grace of God of Great Brittain ffrance and Ireland Queen Defender of the ffaith &c. Annoq; Dom. 1712. | ||||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | ||||
| A Freedome for the Sloop Jangoteage of Accomack. | ||||
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| FORM OF NATURALIZATION. | ||||
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| TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME GREETING:
WHEREAS by one act of Assembly made at the Capitol the 23d day of October 1705* for the better settling and peopling this her Majestys Colony and Dominion It is Enacted that it shall and may be Lawfull for the Governor or Commander in Cheif of |
Form of Naturalization. | |||
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| * See Vol III. pa. 434. | ||||
| this Dominion for the time being by a publick Instrument or Letters Patents under the broad seal thereof to declare any Aliene or Alienes Forreigner or Forreigners being already settled or Inhabitants of this Colony or which shall hereafter come to settle plant or Reside therein upon his or their taking the Oaths therein prescribed to be to all intents and purposes fully and compleatly naturalized, and that all persons having such publick Instrument or Letters patents shall by virtue of this Act have and enjoy to them and their Heirs the same immunitys and Rights of and unto the Laws and priviledges of this Colony and Dominion as fully and amply as any of her Majestys natural born subjects have or enjoy within the same and as if they had been born within any of her Majestys Realms and Dominions provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to enable or give power or priviledge to any Foreigner to do or execute any matter or thing which by any of the Laws of England concerning the plantations he is disabled to do or execute. And Samuel Damouvel a natural born subject of the ffrench King having settled & Inhabited for several years in the County of Westmoreland in this colony and now made application to me for the benefite of naturalization, and before me taken the Oaths prescribed by Law and subscribed the Test − I do therefore pursuant to the said authority hereby declare the said Samuel Damouvel to be to all intents and purposes fully and completely naturalized and to have and enjoy to him and his heirs the same immunities and Rights of and unto the Laws and privileges of this Colony and Dominion as fully and amply as any of her Majestys natural born subjects have or enjoy within the same, and as if he had been born within any of her Majestys Realms and Dominions according to the aforesaid act, saving always in such matters and things which by the Laws of England concerning the plantation he is disabled. Given under my hand and the seal of the Colony at Williamsburg the 24th day of April 1712 in the Eleventh year of her Majestys Reign. | |
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | |
| Samuel Damouvel's Naturalization. |
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Proclamation, enforcing the laws, for registering births, marriages, & deaths. | |||
| WHEREAS by the 16th act made at a Gen'all Assembly held by prorogation the 23d of March in the year 1661* It is enacted that the Minister or Reader of every parish shall well and truly and faithfully Record all Births Burials or Marriages that shall happen within their parishes in a Book to be provided by the Vestry for that purpose on penalty of 500lb. Tobacco to the use of the Parish and that every Master of a ffamily shall give notice to the Minister or Reader of the Day of the Birth Death or Marriage of every person to him or them Related under the penalty of one Hundred pounds of Tobacco. And I being informed of Great negligence both in the clerks of the Vestrys and in the masters of ffamilys in the observation of the said act have thought fitt with the advice of her Majesties council to Issue this proclamation in her Majesties name requiring and Commanding the Justices of the Respective Countys to Give in charge to the Grand Jurys to Inquire into the Breach of the said act and to present such Ministers Clerks or Masters of familys as shall be found Guilty of Neglecting their Duty in the premises and also to cause the Respective fines imposed by the said Act to be Duly Levyed and for as much as her Majestie hath thought fitt to Direct that for the better Information of the state of this her Majesties Colony and Dominion an account of all Births Christenings and Burials, be from time to time transmitted to her Majesties principal secretary of state I do hereby require the Clerks of the Vestrys in their Respective parishes once every half year That is to say In April and October to return to the Council Office an Exact account Digested into columns of all persons Borne Christened | ||||
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| * See Vol. 2, pa. 54. |
| and Buried distinguishing how many of them are males and how many ffemales to the End I may be y'e better Enabled to comply with her Majesties Royal Commands, And I Doe appoint this proclamation to be read and published in all Churches and Chappells within this Colony. Given under my hand and seal of the colony at Williamsburgh this first day of April 1712 In the 11th year of her Majesties Reign. | |||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | |||
| God Save the Queen. | |||
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Encouragement, to bring prize goods into this colony. | ||
| WHEREAS by an Act of Parliament made in the ninth year of her Majesties Reign Entituled an Act for the Encouragement of the Trade to America It is amongst other things enacted that from and after the the first day of June One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eleven all Prize Goods and merchandizes taken in America by any ship or vessell of war in her Majesties pay or service or by any other private ship or shipps of war acting by commission or commissions according to a former act for the Encouragement of the Trade to America made in the 6th year of her Majesties Reign and Imported into any of her Majesties plantations or colonies in America shall by lyable to the Dutys following That is to say all Europian Goods (Wines and Brandys Excepted) or other commodities which have usually been sent from Great Brittain to the Plantations taken as prize by any such ship or vessells of war shall be lyable to the customs and dutys payable to her Majestie for the like Goods Imported into the said plantations from Great Brittain and all other Goods Merchandizes and Commodities taken as prizes shall be subject to such Duties Customs and Impositions only as are payable for the same by any act or acts of Assembly in the said Plantations |
| Therefore to the end all her Majesties subjects may be informed of the said Exemptions
from Customes and other Encouragements Given them I have with the Advice of her Majesties Council
Issued this proclamation to publish and Declare that no other Customs Duties or Impositions shall
be Exacted or required for any prize goods Imported into this Colony than are by the said act of
Parliament Directed hereby requireing the officers of her Majesties Customs within this Colony to
observe the same and conforme themselves accordingly And I do appoint this proclamation to be
Read and Published by the sheriffs at the Court houses of their Respective Countys. Given under my hand and the seale of the Colony at Williamsburgh this first day of Aprill 1712 In the Eleventh year of her Majesties Reign. | |||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | |||
| God Save the Queen. | |||
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WHEREAS I have received Information that notwithstanding the several Proclamations & other orders heretofore Published restraining the takeing up any Lands within the Controverted bounds between this Colony and Carolina Diverse Inhabitants of this Colony have lately taken up & Entred with the Officers of Carolina for sundry Tracts of Land between Maherine & Roanoake Rivers moved by an Imagination that a possession of Lands within the said Bounds under Surveys or Grants from the Government of North Carolina will be sufficient to secure their Title thereto altho' the said Lands be afterwards adjudged to belong to her Majestie. To the End therefore that no person may be Imposed on or Deceive themselves by such a |
Proclamation, further restraining the taking up, or seating lands, within the contracted bounds, between Virginia & North Carolina, reciting an order of the Queen, in Council, prohibiting surveys or grants to be made by the subjects of either colony for such lands. |
| specious pretence I have thought fitt by and with the advice of her Maj'ties Council to Issue this Proclamation hereby Publishing and Declareing that her Maj'tie by order in her Privy Council the 1st day of March 1710 hath Expressly forbid any Surveys or Grants to be made either by this Governmt. or that of Carolina of any Lands within the bounds in Dispute untill the same be finally Determined And I Do in Pursuance of her Maj'ties said Commands require all her Maj'ties Subjects within this Colony to forbear Entring for Seating on or takeing out Patents for any Lands within the bounds in Dispute untill the finall Determination thereof in the manner her Maj'tie hath Prescribed Certifying such as shall act Contrary to her Maj'ties Commands in the Premises that if the Lands so by them Entred Seated or Patented do fall within this Colony they shall not only loose all benefitt of the said Entrys or Grants but also of the Rights upon which they have obtained the same and that the said lands with all and every the Improvements made thereon shall be Granted to any other of her Maj'ties subjects Desireing the same that have Given due obedience to her Maj'ties Commands and the orders of this Government Issued thereupon And I do require the Sherifs of the Severall Countys to cause this Proclamation to be read and Published at the Courthouses of their respective Countys Given under my hand & the seale of the Colony this 10th day of June 1712 In the Eleventh Year of her Maj'ties Reign. | ||||
| A: SPOTSWOOD | ||||
| God save the Queen.
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Regulations, for trading with the Western Indians. |
| Trade for Liberty to Goe out to Traffique with Certain Indians liveing to the Westward of this Dominion remote from any of the Nations Engaged in the War with the Governmt: of North Carolina under Such Conditions and Regulations as I shall think fitt to Direct for the prevention of all Dangers and Inconveniencys that may happen by the said Trade to any of her Maj'ties Colonys and Plantations I being desireous of all occasions to promote the Trade of this Governmt: and more Especially that so valuable a Branch thereof may not be lost to her Maj'ties Subjects here have thought fitt by and with y'e Advice of her Maj'ties Council to Grant free liberty to all her Maj'ties Subjects of this Dominion to Trade and Traffique with any Nation of Indians whatsoever Except the Tuscaroro Nation and such others as are in Actual League and Allyance with them for all Goods and Merchandizes whatsoever in as full and Ample Manner as they Used or Enjoyed the same before the prohibition Published by order in Council bearing date the 8th day of Octr: last past And to the Intent the said Indian Trade may be better Managed and Carryed on According to the true Intent and Meaning of the Lycences Above mentioned I Do with the Advice aforesaid Direct and require that every person Intending to Goe out to Trade with y'e said Indians shall take a passport under the Seale of the Colony and at the same time enter into Bond with Good Security in the sume of 300l. Sterl. to our Sovereign Lady the Queen that he will not Directly or Indirectly Trade or hold any Manner of Commerce or Correspondence with any of the Tuscoruro Indians or any other Nation in Allyance with them and also to follow such Rules and Instructions as shall be Given for the better Carrying on the said Trade and for the effectual prevention of such Dangers as may be Apprehended from their being Intercepted by the said Tuscaruro Indians or their Allys in their Journey Provided that Nothing herein Contained Shall Give any Liberty to the said Traders or any other person to sell any Powder Shott or Arms to any of the Tributary or Neighbouring Indians otherwise than According to the Respective Lycences Granted to the s'd Sev'll Nations nor to Give any Liberty for Selling Rum or other Strong Liquors in any Town or Percinct of the said Tributary Indians but |
| that the same are still prohibited and the offenders lyable to Prosecution According to Law for any offence of that Nature and all Justices of the Peace and other her Maj'ties officers are required to Use their Utmost Diligence to Detect and Prosecute such offenders accordingly And I Do require the Sheriffs of the Severall Countys to Cause this Proclamation to be read and Published at the Courthouses of their Respective Countys Given under my hand and the Seale of the Colony at Williamsburg this 10th day of June 1712 In the Eleventh Year of her Maj'ties Reign. | ||||||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | ||||||
| God save the Queen.
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Proclamation, publishing a suspension of hostilities between Great Britain and France. | |||||
| "Anne R. "WHEREAS for putting an End to this long and Expensive War and for restoring a Generall Peace a treaty hath for some time been set on foot and is now carrying on at Utrecht: And whereas for y'e preventing the Effusion of Christian blood and − all the events of War, which might possibly interrupt the progress of that Negotiation, and for the better |
| "securing the Trade of our Kingdoms and the Dominions thereunto belonging; It hath been
aggreed between us and his most Christian Majesty as follows "That is to say, "That there shall be a general Suspension of all Warlike Actions and Enterprizes, and of all Acts of Hostility in generall between the Armies, Troops, Feets, Squadrons and Ships of her Majesty of Great Brittain and the most Christian King during the Term of four months to commence from the Eleventh of this Instant August, and to continue until the Eleventh of December next. "And to prevent all occasion of Complaints and Disputes which may arise upon account of Ships Merchandizes, or other Effects which may be taken at Sea, during the time of this Suspension It hath been also mutually agreed, That such Ships, Merchandizes and Effects which shall happen to be taken in the Channell, and in the North Seas after the Space of twelve days, to be computed from the eighth of this instant August on which day the Said Treaty of Suspension was signed, and that all Ships, Merchandizes and Effects which shall happen to be taken after Six Weeks from the said eighth day of August, beyond the Channell the British Seas and the North Seas as far as Cape St. Vincent or beyond the said Cape to the Line, whether in the Ocean or in the Mediterranean, shall be restored on both sides. "We have thought fitt by and with the advice of our Privy Council, to notifie the same to all our Loving Subjects. And we do declare that our Royal Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby Strictly Charge and Command all our Officers both at Sea and Land & all our other Subjects whatsoever, to forbear all Acts of hostility, either by Sea or Land, against his most Christian Majesty, his Vessels or Subjects, during the space of four Months, under the penalty of Incurring our highest Displeasure. Given at our Castle of Windsor this Eighteenth day of August, in the Eleventh Year of our Reign, and in the Year of our Lord 1712." And I do hereby require the Sherifs of the respective Countys to cause publication hereof to be made accordingly at the Courthouses of their Said Countys. Given under my hand and the Seal of the Colony at Williamsburgh this 15th |
| day of October 1712, in the Eleventh Year of her Majestys Reign. | |||||||||
| God save the Queen. | |||||||||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | |||||||||
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Proclamation on preventing abuses in obtaining certificates
of rights for land. | ||||||||
| WHEREAS by the Royal Charter Granted by King Charles the 2d In favour of the Subjects of this Colony and Dominion it is amongst other matters declared that for the Encouragement of such as shall from time to time come to dwell in the s'd Colony there shall be assigned out of the Lands (not already appropriated) to every person so comeing to dwell fifty acres and forasmuch as Claims are thereupon frequently made for Land by such Certificates of Importation as are Contrary to the Express words and meaning of the s'd Royal Grant and that several fraudulent Rights do now appear in the Secretary's Office, which Cannot reasonably be allowed, To the end therefore that her Maj'ts Grants for Land may in a more just manner be obtained and her good Subjects be no Longer deceived in the Purchase of undue Certificates. I have thought fitt by and with the Advice and Consent of her Maj'ts Council to Issue this Proclamation hereby requireing all Persons who at the time of Publication hereof are Possessed of any Right for Importation w'ch are already proved That they deliver the same to the Clerk of the respective Countys where they reside before the first day of April next And y'e said Clerks are hereby likewise required to return all such Certificates to the Secretary's office on or before the Sixth day of next April General Court. To the Intent that the s'd Rights may be Examined before me in Council and such of them as shall appear to have been duly obtained, | |||||||||
| and not yet satisfied may be Registred in the Secretarys Office and a Certificate Endorsed thereon by the Clerk thereof, and so returned to the respective owners to be used for their benefitt in takeing up Land or transferred to others at their pleasure, and that such Certificates as shall appear to have been Unduly obtained may be Cancelled And for prevention of all frauds that may be Committed in obtaining Certificates of Rights for the future, the Clerk of every County Court where Rights shall happen to be proved, according to the true Intent and meaning of the said Royal Charter are hereby required every half year to return into the Secretarys Office a List of all Certificates of Rights obtained in y'e s'd County Courts respectively for the half year preceeding digested into Columns mentioning the names of the persons imported. The year of their Importation, and time when such Rights were proved. That y'e s'd Lists may be also fairly Registred In the Secretarys Office in Books kept for that purpose And I do with the advice aforesaid hereby Publish and Declare that no Rights for Importation allready proved or that shall hereafter be proved shall be allowed to pass for obtaining any Grant of Lands thereupon unless the same shall be returned and examined according to the time herein before prescribed and duely Entered in the Register of the Secretarys Office in the manner aforesaid And I do appoint and direct the Sherriffs of the respective Countys to cause this Proclamation to be read and Published at the Court houses and in all Churches and Chappells within their said Countys. Given under my hand and the Seal of this Colony at Wms'burg the 9th day of December 1712. In the Eleventh Year of her Majestys Reign. | |
| God save the Queen. | |
| A: SPOTSWOOD. |
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| A PROCLAMATION Prorogueing y'e Gen'll Assembly. | Proclamation on proroguing the Assembly. | ||
| WHEREAS the Generall Assembly begun at her Majesties Royall Capitol
the twenty second day of October 1712 Stands prorogued to the first day of July next And Whereas
I have by and with the Advice of her Majesties Council here found it Convenient that y'e said
Assembly be prorogued until further time. I do therefore by Virtue of y'e Powers and Authorities Derived to me by her Majesties Royal Commission by this Proclamation in her Majesties name Publish and declare that I have prorogued the said Assembly and it is prorogued to the fifth day of November next at which time I do hereby require every respective member thereof that they fail not in giving their attendance accordingly Given under my hand and the Seal of y'e Colony the tenth day of June Anno Dom. 1713. | |||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | |||
| God save the Queen. | |||
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IN OBEDIENCE to her Maj'tys Commands I do hereby publish and make known to all her Majestys Subjects within this Colony that a Treaty of Peace and Commerce is concluded between her Maj'ty our |
Proclamation, publishing the peace between Great Britain and France. |
| most Gracious Sovereign and his most Christian Majesty the ffrench King and that pursuant to her Maj'tys pleasure all acts of hostility against the subjects of the said ffrench King are henceforth to cease. And for the more solemn publication of the said Peace I do with the advice of her Maj'tys Council hereby order and direct that on the day hereafter appointed for a General Thanksgiving her Maj'tys Royal Proclamation herewith sent be openly read and published at the principal Church of each parish immediately before divine service by the Sheriffs of the respective Countys their officers or substitutes on horseback. And forasmuch as the terminating a long and expensive war by a peace so honourable to her Maj'ty and advantageous to all her Dominions is a great and valuable blessing deserving the most Solemn and publick acknowledgment. I have thought fit by and with the advice aforesaid to appoint and command that a General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the same be observed throughout this Dominion on Thursday the tenth day of September next. And for the more Religious solemnizing thereof I do hereby require the ministers of the respective parishes within this Colony to read Divine Service and therein the collect composed for this occasion and herewith sent and also to preach a Sermon suitable to y'e solemnity at the principal Church of their s'd parishes and that in such parishes as have no minister the Divine Service and a proper homily be read by the clerk or reader. And I do strictly charge and command that the said day of publick thanksgiving be devoutly and Religeously observed by all her Maj'tys Subjects as they tender the favour of Almighty God and on pain of suffering such punishment as may be justly inflicted on such as shall contemn or neglect soe Religious and necessary a duty Hereby requireing the Sheriffs of the respective Countys to cause this Proclamation to be read and published in all Churches and Chappels in their Countys and to cause copys of the collect or prayer aforementioned to be timely dispersed to the several parishes that both the ministers and people may have due notice to perform what is thereby enjoined them Given under my hand and the Seal of the Colony at Williamsburgh this 12th day of August 1713 In the Twelfth year of her Maj'tys Reign. | Ceremony to be observed. General thanksgiving enjoined. |
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| A PROCLAMATION | |||
| For Publishing the Peace between her Majesty, and his most Christian Majesty the ffrench King. | Royal Proclamations. | ||
| ANNE R. | |||
| WHEREAS a Peace hath been Treated and articles of Peace and Commerce have been concluded at Utrecht, the one and thirtieth day of March last between us and his most Christian Majesty the ffrench King, and the Ratifications thereof have been since Exchanged: In Conformity thereunto, we have thought fit hereby to command that the same be published throughout all our Dominions. And we do declare to all our Loving Subjects our will and pleasure, that y'e s'd articles of peace and commerce to be observed Inviolably, as well by Sea and Land, and in all places whatsoever, Strictly charging and commanding all our Loving Subjects to take notice hereof, and to Conform themselves thereto accordingly. Given at our Court at St. James's, the fourth day of May, in the Twelfth year of our Reign. | |||
| God save the Queen. | |||
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Forms of the Collect, to be used in Divine Service. | ||
| O Lord God of our Salvation, without whose aid and Influence all our Strength, Courage and Counsel, is vain and ineffectual; We thy unworthy servants, return thee our most humble and hearty thanks for all the success and Victories vouchsafed to our most gracious Queen and her allies during the whole course of a long and dangerous war; and that thou has been pleased now at last to crown them all with a blessed and Honourable peace. Give us Grace, we humbly beseech thee, to show our gratitude for these, and all thy other mercies, not only with our Lips but in our lives, that we may behave ourselves as a people that have been in so many remarkable instances the peculiar care of thy gracious providence, that thou mayst still delight to do us good, and continue thy Loving kindness to us, in the preservation of her Maj'tys person, |
| the prosperity of her Government, the success of her Counsells, a good understanding and union w'th the encrease of wealth and Industry among all her subjects, and the continuance of a lasting peace w'th all her neighbours to the honour and Glory of thy great name through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen. | |||
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WHEREAS diverse considerable tracts of Land have been long time taken up and Surveyed by sundry persons who under colour of such Surveys keep possession of the s'd lands without suing out patents for the same to the exclusion of others who would take up and cultivate the s'd Lands for the improvement of the Colony and encrease of her Majestys revenue, For the better and more speedy obviating such indirect practices, I have thought fitt by and with the advice of her Maj'ties Council by this proclamation to require all persons that have taken up and Surveyed any Lands since the death of Edw'd. Nott, Esqr. her Maj'tys late Govern. of this Colony and have not obtained patents for the same that they sue out such patents on the Conditions of Cultivation mentioned in her Maj'tys Royal Instrument before the 6th day of April General Court next coming or otherwise they shall be excluded the benefit of such Surveys and the Surveyors shall be at liberty thereafter to receive entrys for y'e same Lands from any other person that will take it up upon the Conditions afores'd. But forasmuch as sundry of the persons aforementioned being unable to Cultivate the Tracts they have entred for, may be willing to transfer their Rights and Surveys to others of greater ability I do hereby declare that y'e |
Proclamation requiring those who have taken up, and surveyed lands, to obtain patents; and for discovering escheated Lands. |
| s'd persons in whose behalf such Surveys were made shall be at liberty to assign over
the same to any other person or persons that shall be willing to take out patents for the s'd
tracts on y'e Conditions afores'd before the s'd 6th day of April Genl Court or in case the s'd
persons shall rather be desirous to quitt their pretensions to the s'd Lands and withdraw their
Rights the Clerk of the Secretary's Office is hereby required to deliver back such Rights
accordingly and for all Rights purchased of her Majestys Receiver General and not used or
intended to be used the purchasers shall if they desire it, be reimbursed the money paid for the
same upon returning them to the s'd Receiver General who is hereby directed to make such payment.
Reserving always to such persons who Surveyed any Lands before the death of the s'd Edward Nott
the benefit of their s'd Surveys according to the purport of my proclamation issued the 8th day
of December 1710 until her Maj'tys pleasure be signified upon what terms the said Lands shall be
granted them. And Whereas diverse persons keep possession of Lands rightfully Escheated to her Maj'ty without suing out Grants thereof under a mistaken notion that their possession will give them a preference to y'e Grant of the s'd Lands whenever the same shall be discovered, For undeceving such persons and for the better discovery of such Lands as are Escheated to her Majesty and not yet Granted, I have thought fit by and with the advice afores'd to publish and declare that as such unwarrantable possession doth not give them any Right to a Grant of such Escheated Lands so if such persons do not before the 25th day of December next coming sue for a grant of the same Lands in y'e usual manner they shall be excluded from all benefit of her Maj'tys favour as having justly forfeited the same by endeavouring to defeat her Majesty's just Rights to such Escheated Lands. And for the better ascertaining the bounds and quantity of all Lands hereafter found to Escheat to her Maj'ty I do hereby require the persons who shall obtain a grant thereof to cause the same to be truly Surveyed and a platt thereof returned into the Sec'ry's Office, that the exact bounds and quantity may be described in the patent and without which no patent will hereafter Issue thereupon Hereby requiring the Sheriffs of the respective |
| Countys to cause this proclamation to be published at all Churches Chappels and Court houses in their respective Countys. Given under my hand and the seal of the Colony at Williamsburgh the 12th day of August 1713 In the twelfth year of her Majestys Reign | ||||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | ||||
| | ||||
|
Proclamation, permitting the taking up of lands, within the bounds lately controverted between Virginia and North Carolina. | |||
| WHEREAS the Surveyors of this Colony have been for some Years past prohibited by Sundry orders of the Governmt. to receive Entry for any Lands which they might judge to be within the bounds in dispute between this Colony and North Carolina: And more particularly by my proclamation of the 10th of June 1712, the said Surveyors were restrained from Entering or Surveying any Lands to the Southward of the Maherine River: Yet for as much as the due West Line w'ch I have Lately Caused to be run from the Mouth of Nottoway River till it intersects Roanoak River doth now Ascertain the Limits of the Contraverted Lands next to Virginia. I have therefore thought fitt by and with the Advice and Consent of Her Majesty's Council to Issue this proclamation Hereby notifying to all her Majesty's Subjects y't shall be desirous to take up Land to be held of her Majesty within this Government, That full Liberty is Given then to Enter for and take up after the usual manner any of the Lands not heretofore Entered to the Northward of Roanoake River aforesaid, and of the Line Lately run from thence to the Mouth of Nottoway River; And the Surveyors of the Several Countys are to take notice hereof and conform themselves Accordingly. And I do Appoint this Proclamation to be read |
| and Published at the Courthouses of the respective Countys on the South side of James River: to the End that all her Majestys Subjects there may reap the benefite hereby intended. Given at the Council Chamber in Williamsburgh this 16th day of June 1714 in the Thirteenth Year of her Majesty's Reign. | ||
| A: SPOTSWOOD. | ||
| ||
| END OF THE FOURTH VOLUME. [Page 566 is blank.] |
| Pages 525-543
| Pages 567-581
|