[Continuing Officers in the Colonies.]

BY THE KING.

A PROCLAMATION

Declaring His Majesties Pleasure for Continuing the Officers in His Majesties Plantations, till His Majesties Pleasure shall be further Declared.

George R.

Whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Sixth Year of the Reign of the late Queen Anne, Our most Dear Sister, Intituled, An Act for the Security of Her Majesties Person and Government, and of the Succession to the Crown of Great Britain in the Protestant Line,[1] It was Enacted, amongst other Things, That no Office, Place, or Employment, Civil or Military, within any of Her said late Majesties Plantations, should become Void, by reason of the Demise or Death of Her said late Majesty, but that the Person and Persons in any of the said Offices, Places, or Employments, should Continue in the respective Offices, Places, and Employments for the Space of Six Months next after such Death or Demise, unless sooner Removed and Discharged by Us; And in regard it may happen, that Our Pleasure may not, within the said time, be Declared touching the said Offices, which will, at the end of the said Six Months, become Void: We, for the Preventing the Inconveniences that may happen thereby, in Our Princely Wisdom and Care of the State (reserving to Our Judgment hereafter the Reformation and Redress of any Abuses in Misgovernment, upon due Knowledge and Examination thereof) are Pleased, and do hereby Order, Signifie, and Declare, That all Persons that, at the time of the Decease of Her said late Majesty, 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, or Employments, as formerly they Held and Enjoyed the same, until Our Pleasure be further known, or that other Provision be made, pursuant to Her late Majesties Commissions and Instructions to Her Governors and Officers of the Plantations aforesaid.[2] 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 while the late Queen was Living. 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 for the contrary at their utmost Perils.

Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Two and twentieth Day of November, 1714. In the First Year of Our Reign.

God save the King. London, Printed by John Baskett, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, And by the Assigns of Thomas Newcomb, and Henry Hills, deceas'd. 1714.

1 p. folio. Copies in B. M., Dalk., and P. C. Entered on Patent Rolls; entered in Privy Council Register, I Geo., vol. 1, p. 119. Printed in "London Gazette," November 27, 1714.

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