1 charge, have nominated and appointed, constituted and assigned, and by these presents do nominate and appoint, constitute and assign you, the said Richard Oswald, to be our Commissioner in that behalf, to use and exercise all and every the powers and authorities, hereby intrusted and committed to you, the said Richard Oswald, and to do, perform, and execute all other matters and things, hereby enjoined and committed to your care, during our will and pleasure, and no longer, according to the tenor of these our letters patent. And it is our royal will and pleasure, and we hereby authorise, empower, and require you, the said Richard Oswald, to treat, consult, and conclude with any Commissioner or Commissioners, named or to be named, by the said Colonies or Plantations, and any body or bodies, corporate or politic, assembly or assemblies, or descriptions of men, or person or persons, whatsoever, a peace or truce with the said Colonies or Plantations, or any of them, or any part or parts thereof; any law, act or acts of Parliament, matter or thing, to the contrary notwithstanding. And it is our further will and pleasure, that every regulation, provision, matter or thing, which shall have been agreed upon between you, the said Richard Oswald, and such Commissioner or Commissioners, body or bodies, corporate or politic, assembly or assemblies, descriptions of men, person or persons as aforesaid, with whom you shall have judged meet and sufficient to enter into such agreement, shall be fully and distinctly set forth in writing, and authenticated by your hand and seal, on one side, and by such seal or other signatures on the other as the occasion may require, and as may be or Commissioners, &c. as aforesaid so agreeing, and such instruments so authenticated shall be by you transmitted to us through one of our principal Secretaries of State. And it is our further will and pleasure, that you, the said Richard Oswald, shall promise and engage for us and in our royal name and word, that every regulation, provision, matter, or thing, which may be agreed to and concluded by you, our said Commissioner, shall be ratified and confirmed by us in the fullest manner and extent, and that we will not suffer them to be violated or counteracted either in whole or in part by any person whatsoever. And we hereby require and command all our officers, civil and military, and all others our loving subjects whatever, to be aiding and assisting unto you, the said Richard Oswald, in the execution of this our commission, and of the powers and authorities herein contained; provided always, and we hereby declare and ordain, that the several offices, powers and authorities hereby granted shall cease, determine, and become utterly null and void, on the first day of July, which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three, although we shall not otherwise in the meantime have revoked and determined the same, in witness, &c. And for so doing this shall be your warrant. Given at our Court of St James, the twenty fifth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and eightytwo.* In the twentysecond year of our reign. By his Majesty's command. THOMAS TOWNSHEND. To our Attorney or Solicitor-General. charge, have nominated and appointed, constituted and assigned, and by these presents do nominate and appoint, constitute and assign you, the said Richard Oswald, to be our Commissioner in that behalf, to use and exercise all and every the powers and authorities, hereby intrusted and committed to you, the said Richard Oswald, and to do, perform, and execute all other matters and things, hereby enjoined and committed to your care, during our will and pleasure, and no longer, according to the tenor of these our letters patent. And it is our royal will and pleasure, and we hereby authorise, empower, and require you, the said Richard Oswald, to treat, consult, and conclude with any Commissioner or Commissioners, named or to be named, by the said Colonies or Plantations, and any body or bodies, corporate or politic, assembly or assemblies, or descriptions of men, or person or persons, whatsoever, α peace or truce with the said Colonies or Plantations, or any of them, or any part or parts thereof; any law, act or acts of Parliament, matter or thing, to the contrary notwithstanding. And it is our further will and pleasure, that every regulation, provision, matter or thing, which shall have been agreed upon between you, the said Richard Oswald, and such Commissioner or Commissioners, body or bodies, corporate or politic, assembly or assemblies, descriptions of men, person or persons as aforesaid, with whom you shall have judged meet and sufficient to enter into such agreement, shall be fully and distinctly set forth in writing, and authenticated by your hand and seal, on one side, and by such seal or other signatures on the other as the occasion may require, and as may be or Commissioners, &c. as aforesaid so agreeing, and such instruments so authenticated shall be by you transmitted to us through one of our principal Secretaries of State. And it is our further will and pleasure, that you, the said Richard Oswald, shall promise and engage for us and in our royal name and word, that every regulation, provision, matter, or thing, which may be agreed to and concluded by you, our said Commissioner, shall be ratified and confirmed by us in the fullest manner and extent, and that we will not suffer them to be violated or counteracted either in whole or in part by any person whatsoever. And we hereby require and command all our officers, civil and military, and all others our loving subjects whatever, to be aiding and assisting unto you, the said Richard Oswald, in the execution of this our commission, and of the powers. and authorities herein contained; provided always, and we hereby declare and ordain, that the several offices, powers and authorities hereby granted shall cease, determine, and become utterly null and void, on the first day of July, which shall be in t the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eightythree, although we shall not otherwise in the meantime have revoked and determined the same, in witness, &c. And for so doing this shall be your warrant. Given at our Court of St James, the twenty fifth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and eightytwo.* In the twentysecond year of our reign. By his Majesty's command. THOMAS TOWNSHEND. To our Attorney or Solicitor-General. RICHARD OSWALD'S SECOND COMMISSION FOR NEGOTI ATING PEACE. * George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. To our trusty and well beloved Richard Oswald, of our city of London, Esquire, Greeting. Whereas, by virtue of an Act passed in the last session of Parliament, entitled "An Act to enable his Majesty to conclude a peace or truce with certain colonies in North America therein mentioned," it is recited, 'that it is essential to the interest, welfare and prosperity of Great Britain and the Colonies or Plantations of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia in North America, that peace, intercourse, trade and commerce should be restored between them;' Therefore, and for a full manifestation of our earnest wish and desire, and of that of our Parliament, to put an end to the calamities of war, it is enacted, that it should and might be lawful for us to treat, consult of, agree and conclude, with any Commissioner or Commissioners, named or to be named by the said Colonies or Plantations, or any of them respectively, or with any body or bodies, corporate or politic, or any assembly or assemblies, or description of men, or any person or persons whatsoever, a peace or a truce with the said * The parts of this Commission, which were altered or added, in consequence of the objections of the American Commissioners to Mr |