34 



THE PREDECESSORS OF THE 



choose and elect one able and discreet person to be their Town 

 Clerk and Clerk of the Peace, who is always to be an Englishman 

 born, but well skilled in the languages of East India, and is to be 

 assistant to the Mayor and Aldermen in all such businesses and 

 employments as they shall require of him, and is to keep all records 

 of the said Court that shall be committed to him by the said 

 Mayor and Aldermen, and to keep a Register of all proceedings, 

 judgments and sentences passed by the said Court, and to have 

 and receive fer his pains and care in that business such salary 

 and such moderate fees (and no others) as the Court of Alder- 

 men shall appoint : And we do hereby declare that the person 

 so elected for that important employment shall be always 

 esteemed a Notary Public, and is hereby qualified to do any act 

 or thing or make any Testimonials that are proper and do apper- 

 tain to the duty of a Notary Public, unto which acts and 

 Testimonials the Mayor of the said Corporation for the time 

 being may affix the Public Seal of the said Corporation, for 

 which the said Mayor or whoever he shall appoint may receive 

 and demand the Duty of six fanams for every time the Public 

 Seal of the Corporation shall be affixed to any Testimonial." 



On Thursday, the 13th September 1688, " the President 

 and Council met at the Fort Hall to advise about the estab- 

 lishing of the Corporation, where were present all, the Mayor, 

 Recorder, Aldermen and Burgesses in town; when it was 

 agreed to meet in their gowns and ornaments at the Town 

 Hall on the 29th instant, the Aldermen in scarlet serge 

 gowns, and the Burgesses in white China silk, to consult 

 about the choosing whom they shall think fit to make up the 

 number of Aldermen appointed by the Charter : and on 

 Saturday, the 29th September, according to this day's appoint- 

 ment the President, Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, Burgesses 

 and chief of the inhabitants met at the Fort Hall, before 

 whom the Right Honorable Company's Charter was publicly 

 read by the Secretary. After which the President adminis- 

 tered oaths to the Mayor and Recorder for the due 

 performance of their places ; and then the Mayor and 



