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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Proposals by the Board of Trade of England concerning the nomination of Attorneys General in the colonies
England. Board of Trade
September 07, 1696
Volume 01, Pages 463-464

[B. P. R. O. Amer: & W. Ind: No. 601.]
TO THEIR EXCELLENCYS THE LORDS JUSTICES.

May it please your Excys

In obedience to your Excys Order of the 23th of July last annexed to an Extract of a Presentment from the Comrs of the Customes, Wee humbly represent to your Exeys that in our opinion the constituting Atturnys Generall in each respective Plantation as moved for, by the Commrs of the Customes will be conducing to the ends by them proposed; And that therefore in order to the putting of that design in execution, Wee have advised with Mr Edward Randolph Surveyor Generall of his Majtys Customes in the Continent of America, and are by him informed that William Randolph the present Atturney Generall in Virginia is wholly unacquainted with the Lawes and practice of the Courts in England; that George Platter the present Attorney Generall in Mariland is a favourer of illegal Trade, that David Lloyd the present Atturny Generall in Pensilvania has declared that he served for the Province only and thereupon refused to put severall forfeited Bonds in suit, That Anthony Checkly the present Atturny Generall of the Massachusets

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Bay is not only ignorant of the Lawes of England but has been himself an illegall Trader. For which reasons Wee are also humbly of opinion that the forenamed Persons are not fit to be his Matys Atturnys Generall, however fitt they may be judged by the Proprietors of any of those Provinces for the Places that they have Power to dispose of. And that it may be expedient for his Matys service that the Persons following whom the said Mr Edward Randolph represents as duly qualyfyed may be constituted His Matys Atturnys Generall for the respective Colonies hereafter mentioned vizt for Virginia, Mariland and Pensilvania (as also for North Carolina and West Jersey where there is at present no Atturny Generall) Edward Chilton, For the Massachusets Bay (as also for Road Island and New Hampshire, where also there is at present none) Thomas Newton. For New Yorke, (as also for East Jersey and Conecticott where also there is at present none) James Graham. These being the only alterations of this kinde for which wee have any Grounds suggested to us. Wee omitt to mention those of His Matys Colonies wherein there are Atturnys Generall already settled, and humbly submitt our opinion upon these to your Exeys consideration

J. BRIDGEWATER
PH. MEADOWS
JOHN POLLEXFEN
JOHN LOCKE
ABR: HILL.

Whitehall
September the 7th 1696.
A true Copy
RICH: COLINGE.