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George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c:

To all to whom these presents shall come. Greeting

Know yee that wee reposing special Trust and confidence in the Loyalty Integrity and great abilities of William Little Esqre and out of our meer motion certain knowledge and special grace have assigned and appointed

and by these presents do constitute ordain and appoint the said William Little Esqre by the Name Authority an Style of Chief Justice of our Province of North Carolina to hear hold and determine in our General Court of said Province all Pleas as well Civil as Criminal all Pleas of the Crown or betwixt party and party Real personal or mixt or of other kind arising or happening within our said Province to be there heard and determined and of all Crimes and Offences done or perpetrated capital or not capital after the due Form of Law in all cases to proceed award and determine as to Justice shall appertain and of right is to be done. Giving and hereby granting to the said William Little Esqre full power and authority to award Process and do and perform all and every act or thing whatsoever which to the compleating of Justice and due order of the same in the said office of Chief Justice doth or may belong or hath been held used and accustomed. And Generally to act and do with as full power and authority in our said Province as any Chief Justice or Baron in any of our Courts at Westminster or any Chief Justice in any of our Plantations in America hath or ought to have respectively To have and to hold the said Office of Chief Justice of our Province of North Carolina during our Royall Will and Pleasure together with all the Jurisdictions Rights Priviledges and Immunities thereunto belonging Incident or of Right appertaining with full power and authority to take demand and receive all Fees Perquisites Profits and allowance to the said Office belonging accrueing or that may be granted or assigned. In Testimony whereof we have caused these our Letters Patents to be done under the Great Seal of our said Province. Witness our Trusty and well beloved George Burrington Esqre Our Captain General and Governor in Chief of our said Province. Given at Edenton the Eighteenth day of October in the Sixth year of our reign. Anno: Dom: 1732.

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