Spotswood, an able experienced officer of Great merit, who has resided amongst His Majesties subjects in America for twenty five years past and has his estate fixed in this part of the world, and on whom therefore the soldiers to be enlisted may depend for all acts of Justice and kindness.

In obedience therefore to His Majesty's Commands to me given to encourage the raising a number of troops within this Province for the service aforesaid, and to make the proper dispositions thereunto — I have tho't fit with the advice of His Majesties Council to issue this Proclamation, to make known His Majesties gracious intentions and declarations, for the encouragement of all able bodied effective men, that are willing to enlist themselves in this service for the expedition aforesaid; That they shall be supplyed with arms & proper cloathing and be paid by His Majesty, and have their share of any booty which shall be taken from the enemy, be sent back to their respective habitations when the service shall be over, unless any of them shall desire to settle themselves elsewhere, and that His Majesty will order a number of blank Commissions to be given by me to the officers that shall command the troops to be raised in this Province. — And for the better encouraging of this affair all Volunteers that shall enlist and proceed in this service shall be exempted from all impresses for three years next after their return.

And all such able bodied effective men being His Majesty's Subjects, who are willing to engage in the said service are directed to enter their names with the Captains or Commanding officers of the Companys of Militia to which they respectively belong, or where they reside.

Given at the Council Chamber In Portsmouth, the twenty ninth day of April 1740, In the thirteenth year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God, of Great Britain France & Ireland King, Defender of the faith &c.

J. Belcher By order of His Excellency the Gov' with the advice of the Council Richd Waldron Secry

GOD SAVE THE KING

[Endorsed] Proclamation to encourage Volunteers to enlist into His Majesties service Apr 29, 1740.

[The foregoing is copied from the original document. Other papers relative to the declaration of war against Spain may be found in Vol. V., pp. 41-52. — ED.]

[3-79]

[Instructions to Governor Belcher to Issue Letters of Marque, May 20, 1740.]

By the Commissioners for Executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain & Ireland &c.

L: S:

Whereas by an act passed the last session of Parliament, entituled an act for the more effectual securing and encouraging the Trade of His Majestys British Subjects to America and for the encouragement of Seamen to enter into His Majesty's service, It is amongst other things therein enacted, That any Person or Persons in any part of America or elsewhere by us impowered and appointed shall from and after the fourth day of January one thousand seven hundred and thirty nine [1740 N. S. ?] at the request of any British owner or owners of any ship or vessel, giving such bail and security as have been usually taken upon granting Commissions or letters of Marque except onely for the payments of the tenths of the value of prizes which shall be taken to the Lord High Admiral or Commissioners for Executing the office of Lord High Admiral for the time. being cause to be issued forth in the usual manner one or more commission or commissions to any Person or Persons whom such owner or owners shall nominate to be Commander or in Case of death successively commanders of such ship or vessel for the attacking surprizing seizing and taking by and with such ship or vessel, or the Crew thereof any place or fortress upon the Land or any Ship or Vessel, Goods, Ammunition, Arms, Stores of War; or Merchandizes belonging to, or possessed by any of His Majesty's Enemys, in any Sea, Creek, Haven or River: These are therefore to impower you Jonath Belcher Esq' Captain General and Governor in Chief of His Majestys Provinces of the Massachusetts Bay & New Hampshire, and by these Presents, We do impower and appoint you the said Jonathan Belcher Esq' to Cause to be Issued forth, pursuant to the said act, by Warrant under your Hand and the Seal of the said Provinces of Massachusetts Bay & New Hampshire directed to the Judge of the Admiralty of the said Provinces, Commissions or Letters of Marque at the request of any British owner or owners of any Ship or Vessel to any Person or Persons whom such owner or owners shall nominate to be Commander, or in Case of death successively Commanders of such Ship or Vessel and to cause such bail and security to be taken as is directed by the said act; and moreover to Cause that in granting such Commissions or letters of Marque all other things be had and done conformable to and as the said act requires. For which

this shall be your warrant. Given under our hands and the seal of the office of admiralty, the 20th of May 1740.

Th: Lytleton
Tho Clutterbuck

H: Powlett

To Jonathan Belcher Esq' Capt. General and Governor In Chief of His Majesty's Provinces of the Massa Bay and New Hamp1 In America -

By Command of their Lordships

J Burchet [?]

Copy from the original, examined March 10th 1740–1

Rich Waldron Secry

[Endorsed] Instructions from the Lds of the Admiralty To Gov Belcher May 20: 1740

[3-80]

[Governor Belcher's Proclamation to Encourage Enlistments in the Service against Spain, July 11, 1740.]

By His Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq' Governor & Commander In Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of New Hampsh' in New England.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas His Majesty has been pleased by His Instructions to me under His royal Sign manual, bearing date the second day of April last to signify that in the prosecution of the war against Spain, he is determined by GOD'S assistance in so just a cause to vindicate the honour of His imperial Crown, to revenge the injuries done to His Subjects to assert their undoubted rights of commerce & navigation and by all possible means to attack annoy and distress a nation that has treated his people with such insolence and barbarity; and has therefore given orders for equipping and setting forth an expedition against the territorys of the Catholic King in the west Indies to consist of a large Squadron of His Majestys Ships of war under the command of the Honorable Edward Vernon Esq' Vice Admiral of the blew Squadron - and a Considerable body of land forces to be commanded by the right Honorable Charles Lord Cathcart Major General of His Majestys forces as General and Commander In Chief of the said expedition, and that he has determined to raise a body of troops in His Colonys

on the Continent of North America to joyn the other troops at a particular rendezvous which will be appointed for that purpose, and to act in conjunction with them under the Command of the said General; and that altho' His Majesty has not tho't fit to fix any particular Quota for this Province, because he would not set bounds to our zeal for His service, yet he is graciously pleased to express His royal confidence in us, that considering the great number of Inhabitance in this Province, and that of late years they have been much increased, we will exert ourselves on this occasion; as far as the circumstances of the province will allow, assuring us, that we cannot render a more acceptable service to him, and to our mother Country or do anything more essential for our own interest. And whereas His Majesty hath Commanded me that I do with the utmost zeal and diligence promote and encourage so necessary a disposition, and that I forthwith issue a proclamation giving notice of His Royal Intentions in this behalf, and for inviting His good Subjects in this Province chearfully to Enlist in that Service. I have therefore tho't fit with the advice of His Majestys Council to Issue this proclamation hereby to make known His Majestys pleasure in this affair, and the following encouragements He is graciously pleased to give to such able bodied effective men as shall enlist in the said service (viz1) That each Company shall consist of one hundred men including four Sergeants four Corporals and two Drummers, besides Commission officers, which shall be one Captain two Lieutenants and an Ensign; His Majesty reserving to himself the nomination of the field & staff officers of the said forces, and one Lieutenant for each Company to be a man of Experience, to be sent from Great Britain to meet the Company at the General rendezvous, and that each Company shall be furnished with one Serjeant to be drawn out of the old Soldiers of the independent Companys in New York; and that the rest of the officers are left to my nomination, and I daily expect blank Commissions under His Majesty's sign manual which will be filled up by me & delivered free of all charge to such Commission officers; That the Troops to be raised in pursuance of these His Majesty's Instructions as well officers as soldiers shall enter into His Majesty's pay, and enjoy the same rank and pay with the rest of His Majestys troops, so long as they shall continue in His service; That all the Sergeants Corporals Drummers & private soldiers, shall be entituled to receive His Majestys Pay from the respective days they shall be enlisted, and the officers from the day their Commissions bear date; which officers shall take post & rank in the respective battalions in which they shall be formed according to the date of the Certificates by which it shall appear when each Captain respectively had compleated his Levys;

and as a further Encouragement to such officers and soldiers as shall engage in this Expedition, I do assure them in His Majestys name that the soldiers shall not only be cloathed and armed according to such samples as His Majesty has ordered to be sent from Great Britain and furnished with tents and entertained in His Majestys Pay, but that after their arrival at the General place of rendezvous, they shall be provided for in every other respect as His Majesty's British Troops; and that they shall have their just share and proportion of all plunder or booty gained or taken from the enemy according to their services; and if by the blessing of God upon His Majesty's arms any of the enemies lands or settlements shall fall into His Hands, The American Troops shall have a share thereof as well as the rest of the forces in preference to all other Persons that shall not engage in this Expedition; and that so soon as the said Expedition shall be determined, whatever the success thereof may be, all the troop raised in the American Colonies for this purpose as well officers as soldiers shall have free leave to return to their respective Provinces, and shall be transported thither at His Majesty's expence except those only that shall chuse for their own advantage to settle or remain in such places or Garrisons as shall fall into His Majestys hands, where they shall receive all due encouragement; and the soldiers whether they remain there or return home after the said Expedition, shall retain their arms and cloathing. And particularly that all such Persons as are able Pilots for the Spanish Coasts and harbours shall meet with all suitable encouragement from His Majesty

And to the intent that all Persons proposing to engage in the said service, may have their election of the Captains in whose Companys they would enlist; I shall order the names of the Captains and other Commission officers to be appointed by me for this service to be printed in the weekly newspapers

Given at the Council Chamber In Portsmouth the eleventh day of July 1740 in the fourteenth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King, Defender of the faith &c

J. Belcher

By order of His Excellency the Gov' with the advice of the Coun

cil

Richd Waldron Secry

GOD SAVE THE KING

[Endorsed] Second Proclamation to Encourage Enlistments of Volunteers agst N Spain July 11, 1740