Trusty and well beloved, wee greet you well, whereas by an act of Parliament of this our Realme, made in the 25th year of our Reigne, certain rates, duties and impositions are imposed upon certain comodities of the groth, production and manufacture of our plantations in Asia, Africa or America, that shall be shipped or laden on board any shipp or vessell, for which bond shall not be first given to bring the same to our Kingdome of England, Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, which rates, duties and impositions are to be levyed and collected under such penalties, both to the officers and upon the goods, as for non payment of, or defrauding us of our customes in England; the collection whereof is by the said act to be ordered and managed by our commissioners of our customes in England, under the authority and direction of our Lord High Treasurer of England, or commissioners of our Treasury for the time being.

And whereas our commissioners of our customes, have in pursuance of such direction, appointed Edward Randolph Esqr., for collecting the said duties arising and growing due to us, by vertue of the said act, and have impowered him to make and depute such deputies or under officers as may be further necessary, wee will and require you that you give all due encouragement and assistance to the said Edward Randolph, in the execution of his duty and place, and to such persons as shall from time to time, be by him appointed to the said offices, and that you do strictly command all other officers and persons whatsoever, civill or military, within your government to be aiding and assisting to them therein; you are moreover, to take effectuall care that all former laws relating to the trade of our plantations, be duly observed and executed, and particularly the act for encourageing and encreasing of shipping and navigation, made in the 12th year of our Reigne, the act for encouragement of trade, made in the 15th year of our Reigne, and the act for better regulating to the plantation trade made in the 22 and 23 years of our Reigne, and also our proclamation of the 24 November, in the 27 year of our Reigne, for enforceing the said laws; and you are once a year to return to our said commissioners of our customes, a list of all such shipps or vessells as shall lade within your government, any of the enumerated plantation comodities, as is provided by the aforementioned act of the 22 and 23 years of our Reigne, as also a list of all the bonds taken by you, together with such other matters as they shall desire from you. And you are from time to time, to correspond with our commissioners of our customes, and to inform them what you conceive further necessary for our service in the premises. — Given at our Court at White Hall, twelfth day of November, in the one and twentieth year of our Reign. By his Majesties command,

ESSEX,

L. HYDE,

J. ERNLE,

ED. DERING,

S. GIDELPHIS.

To our trusty and well beloved, the Governour, for the time being, of our Colony of Connecticott, New England.