1S99.] HAYS — penn's commission, 168-i. 5 



during his absence in America rendered his presence in England 

 necessary. 



He therefore departed for home in June, 1684, but before so 

 doing it was necessary to provide for the government of his prov- 

 ince in his absence, and to this end, he executed a commission on 

 the same day that he set sail, lodging in the hands of the Provin- 

 cial Council the powers of government vested in him, and he ap- 

 pointed Thomas Lloyd, who also held a commission to keep the 

 great seal, its President.^ 



In the Minutes of the Provincial Council it is stated that " at a 

 Councillheld at New Castle the 18''' of y'' 6'^ Month 1684 a com- 

 mission from y* Gov"" was read, Impowring the Prov^* Council! to 

 act in the Governm* in his Stead, Ths. Lloyd being Presid^ of y® 

 same." ^ 



In the Minutes of 31st of January, 1686, P.M., it is also stated that 

 "The commission from y^ Gov"" to y® Prov" Councill Impowring 



them to act in his stead, with y^ memorandum on the back side 



thereof was Read." ' 



Neither the text of this commission, northe important memorandum 

 on the back is given, nor, so far as I can learn, have they ever ap- 

 peared in print. I have been so fortunate, however, as to find the 

 original documeni among some unarranged papers in the possession 

 of this Society, and it bears no marks upon it to show that it was 

 ever recorded. It seems, therefore, desirable that the text of this im- 

 portant document should now be made available to students of the 

 history of this Commonwealth, as well as the memorandum on its 

 back, which is referred to in the second record in the Minutes of 

 the Provincial Council, which was executed on the same day on 

 board the Ketch Endeavour just as Penn was about to sail for home, 

 and which very materially restricted the large powers he had just 

 previously on the same day granted in the original instrument. 

 It constitutes another example of what has frequently been ob- 

 served, that man's first impulses are more generous than his second 

 thoughts. 



The following is the text of the commission : 



1 Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania. Published by the State, 

 Vol. i, p. 66. Harrisburgh, 1838. 



2 /Sid. 



'^ Ibid., p. 120. • 



