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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Instructions to Samuel Stephens concerning the government of Albemarle County
Carolina. Lords Proprietors.
October 1667
Volume 01, Pages 162-164

[B. P. R. O. Col: Ent: Book. No. 20. P. 23.]

George Duke of Albemarle Master of his Majesties Horse, Edward Earle of Clarendon, William Earle of Craven, John Lord Berkeley,

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Anthony Lord Ashley, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir George Carteret Vice Chamberline of his Majesties Household and Sir William Berkeley Knight and Sir P. Colleton Bart: The trew and absolute Lords Propryators of all the Province of Carolina

To our trusty and Welbeloved Samuell Stephens Esqre Governor of our County of Albemarle, and the Isles and Islets within tenn leagues thereof, And to our trusty and welbeloved our councellors and assistants to our said Governor. Greeting:

Bee it knowne unto all men, that wee the said Lords and absolute propryators of the County within the province aforesaid, for divers good causes and considerations, but more especially out of the trust and confidence, reposed in you our said Governor and Councellors, for the faithfull management of the power and Authority by us to you given to the best availe and improvement of our Interest and Dominion in the said County of Albemarle, and Isles and Islets aforesaid and for the availe and improvement of the Interest Liberty propryety and defence of all such as shall plant and inhabitt there; Have given granted and by these presents doe give and grant (during our pleasure) unto you our said Governor by and with the consent of our Counsell, or any three of the 6. or 4. of a greater Number full and absolute power and authority for us and in our Names, to lett, sell, convey and assure such lands in our said County to such person and persons, and for such Estate and Estates, and with such provisoes, conditions and Lymitations as wee by our Instructions and Concessions, here unto annexed have directed and as you shalbe directed by such other Instructions and Rules as from time to time you shall receive from us, and not otherwise, thereby rattifying and confirmeing whatsoever you shall doe pursuant to the said Instructions and Concessions and to such Instructions Rules and directions as aforesaid As alsoe to make, doe, performe and execute all and singuler Act and acts, thing and things, powers and authorityes whatsoever which wee ourselves may cann might or could doe, in for concerneing or relateing unto the Government both Civill and Millitary of the said County and Isle and Islets aforesaid by virtue of the Letters Pattents of his most excellent Majesty Charles the Second Kinge of England, Scotland, France and Ireland defender of the faith, bearing date at Westminster the 20th day of June in the 17th yeare of his Reigne, To be exercised nevertheless according to such Instructions and with such Lymitations, Restrictions, conditions and Provisoes as in these presents are hereafter conteyned; Thereby rattifying, confirming and allowing all and every such act and acts, thing

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and things which our said Governor and our said Councellors in our Names shall doe in the premises pursuant to the Authority hereby committed; Provided and it is hereby declared that this present deede or anything therein conteyned doth not extend nor shall it be deemed or taken to extend, to give up to our said Governor or our said Councellors or either or any of them any power or authority to make any Manner of Grant conveyance, devise or other like disposition of any Lands lying within or being part of the said County, Isles or Islets aforesaid but according to our instructions and concessions, and reserveing for every acre English measure, which by virtue of this Authority you shall graunt to any person or persons ½d of lawfull mony of England yearely Rent to be paid to us our heires or assignes, upon every 25th day of March according to the English account the first payment whereof to begin on the 25th day of March which shalbe according to the English account in the year of our Lord God 1670; Provided alsoe that noe order or Lawes made or to be made by virtue of this our Authority, shalbe in force as Lawes, for any longer tearme then one yeare and a halfe, within one yeare of which time, they shalbe transmitted and presented to usfor our Assent; which being given they shalbe in continewall force, till expired by there owne Lymitation, or by act repealed; Provided alsoe that the executive parte of all the said powers herein given, shalbe made and exercised by you our said Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Major parte of our Councell; And if it shall happen that our said Governor or any of our said Councell shall depart or be absent at any time from our said County, unless other provision be by us made, that then it shall and may be lawfull, to and for our Governor and Councell or the major parte of them resident in our said County, to nominate elect and appointe any such able person or persons, as in there discretion, to them shall seeme most fitt to serve in and supply the place of such of the said persons respectively, during there absence from our said County, Giveing and graunting unto him or them soe chosen during the absence of our said Governor or Councillors, as full, large and ample powers as wee by these presents to our said Governor or Councillors have given; Anything in this present Comision in any wise to the Contrary notwithstanding; and alsoe in Case of death of the Governor or death or Removall of any Member of our said Councell from tyme to tyme to nominate and elect fitt and able persons in their steads or places, respectively, which persons soe nominated and chosen shall exercise all powers to those said Offices respectively belonging till our pleasure be signified to the Contrary; Given under our greate Seale of our said Province this        day of October Anno Domini 1667.