COMMISSION FOR Greenwich Hospital WILLIAM the Third By the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To Our Dearly Beloved Brother-in-Law Prince George Hereditary of Denmark The most Reverend Father in God Thomas Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury for the time being Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved Councellor Sir John Sommers Knight Keeper of Our Great Seal of England and Our Chancellor of England Keéper and Commissioners of Our Great Seal for the time being Our Right Trusty and Right Entirely Beloved Cousin and Councellor Thomas Duke of Leeds President of Our Privy Council and the President of Our Privy Council for the time being Our Right Trusty and Right Welbeloved Cousin and Councellor Thomas Earl of Pembrook and Montgomery Keeper of Our Privy Seal and the Keéper of Our Privy Seal for the time being Our Right Trusty and Right Entirely Beloved Cousins and Councellors Henry Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal of England William Duke of Devonshire Steward of Our Houshold Charles Duke of Bolton Charles Duke of Shrewsbury one of Our Principal Secretaries of State and William Duke of Bedford Our Right Trusty and Entirely Beloved Counsins and Councellors John Marquiss of Normanby and Charles Pawlett Esquire commonly called Marquiss of Winchester Our Right Trusty and Right Welbeloved Counsins and Councellors Robert Earl of Lindsey Great Chamberlain of England Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex Chamberlain of Our Houshold Aubrey Earl of Oxford John Earl of Bridgewater Thomas Earl of Stamford John Earl of Bath Daniel Earl of Nottingham Lawrence Earl of Rochester William Earl of Portland Thomas Earl of Fauconberg Charles Earl of Monmouth Ralph Earl of Mountague Richard Earl of Scarborough Francis Earl of Bradford Henry Earl of Romney Master of Our Ordnance and the Master of Our Ordnance for the time being Richard Earl of Ranelagh in Our Kingdom of Ireland Paymaster of Our Forces Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved Cousin and Councellor Charles Lord Dursley commonly called Viscount Dursley Son and Heir Apparent of Our Right Trusty and Right Welbeloved Cousin George Earl of Berkley The Right Reverend Father in God Henry Bishop of London and the Bishop of that Seé for the time being Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved Councellors Robert Lord Lexington Charles Lord Cornwallis Sidney Lord Godolphin First Commissioner of Our Treasury Henry Lord Capell Thomas Lord Coningsby in Our Kingdom of Ireland Charles Montague Esquire one of the Commissioners of Our Treasury Chancellor and Vnder-Treasurer of Our Exthequer and the Chancellor and Vnder-Treasurer of Our Exchequer for the time being Sir John Trevor Knight Speaker of Our House of Commons and Master of Our Rolls and the Master of Our Rolls for the time being Sir Robert Howard Knight Auditor of the Receipt of Our Exchequer Thomas Wharton Esquire Comptroller of Our Houshold Sir John Trenchard Knight Our Principal Secretary of State and Our Principal Secretary of State for the time being Sir John Holt Kinght Chief Justice Assigned to hold Pleas before Vs and the Chief Iustice to be Assigned to hold Pleas before Vs for the time being Sir John Louther Baronet Sir Henry Goodrick Knight and Baronet Lieutenant General of Our Ordnance Edward Russell Esquire First Commissioner of Our Admiralty Treasurer of Our Navy and Admiral of Our Navy Royal Richard Hampden and Hugh Buscowen Esquires Our Trusty and Welbeloved Sir Stephen Fox Knight one other of the Commissioners of Our Treasury Sir William Trumball Knight one other of the Commissioners of Our Treasury John Smith Esquire one other of the Commissioners of Our Treasury and the Treasurer of England Treasurer of Our Exchequer and Commissioners of Our Treasury for the time being Sir John Louther of Whithaven Baronet Henry Priestman Esquire Robert Austin Esquire Sir Robert Rich Knight and Baronet Sir George Rook and Sir John Houblon Knights which Six last named are also Commissioners of Our Admiralty and the High Admiral of England or the Commissioners for Executing the Office of High Admiral of England for the time being Our Right Trusty and Right Welbeloved Cousins William Earl of Craven Charles Bodvile Earl of Radnor George Earl of Berkley and Arthur Earl of Torrington Our Trusty and Welbeloved Sir William Gregory Knight Sir Gyles Eyre Knight and Sir Samuel Eyre Knight Iustices Assigned to hold Pleas before Vs and the Iustices to be Assigned to hold Pleas before Vs for the time being Sir George Treby Knight Chief Iustice of Our Court of Common Pleas Sir Edward Nevill Knight Sir Thomas Rokeby Knight and Sir John Powell Knight Iustices of Our Court of Common Pleas and the Chief Iustice and Iustices of the same Court for the time being Sir Nicholas Letchmore Knight Sir John Turton Knight Sir John Powell Knight Batons and George Bradbury Cursitor Baron of Our Court of Exchequer and the Chief Baron Barons of the Coife and Cursitor Baron of Our Court of Exchequer for the time being The most Reverend Father in God John Arch-Bishop of York Primate and Metropolitan of England and the Arch-Bishop of York for the time being The Right Reverend Father in God Nathaniel Bishop of Duresme Peter Bishop of Winchester William Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry William Bishop of Landaffe Edward Bishop of St. Asaph Thomas Bishop of Rochester Thomas Bishop of Carlisle Jonathan Bishop of Exon Thomas Bishop of St. Davids Gilbert Bishop of Sarum Humphrey Bishop of Bangor Edward Bishop of Worcester Symon Bishop of Ely Gilbert Bishop of Hereford Nicholas Bishop of Chester John Bishop of Oxford John Bishop of Norwich Richard Bishop of Peterborough Edward Bishop of Gloucester Robert Bishop of Chichester Richard Bishop of Bath and Wells John Bishop of Bristol and James Bishop of Lincoln and the several Bishops of the same Seés for the time being Our Trusty and Welbeloved Sir Edward Ward Knight Our Attorny General Sir Thomas Trevor Knight Our Solicitor General Samuel Travers Esquire Surveyor General of Our Lands Sir Christopher Wrenn Knight Surveyor General of Our Works Our Trusty and Welbeloved Sir Thomas Lane Knight Mayor of Our City of London and the Mayor of the same City for the time being Sir Robert Clayton Sir Patience Ward Sir John Moor Sir William Pritchard Sir Robert Jeffery Sir Thomas Stamp Sir John Fleet Sir William Ashhurst Sir Jonathan Raymond Sir Peter Daniel Sir Samuel Dashwood Sir Thomas Kinsey Sir John Parsons Sir Edward Clark Sir Humphrey Edwin Sir Francis Child Sir Richard Levett Sir William Gore Sir Thomas Cooke Sir James Houblon Sir Thomas Abney Sir William Hedges Knights Thomas Darwin and Joseph Smart Esquires Aldermen of Our City of London and all and every the Aldermen of the same City for the time being Our Trusty and Welbeloved Edmond Bowyer of Camberwell Esquire Michael Godfrey Esquire Sir Leonard Robinson Knight Chamberlain of London Sir John Morden Sir John Banks Sir Josiah Child Sir Peter Vandeput Sir William Russell Sir
Ralph Earl of Montague Richard Earl of Scarborough Francis Earl of Bradford Henry Earl of Romney and the Master of Our Ordnance for the time being Richard Earl of Ranelagh Charles Lord Dursley commonly called Viscount Dursley Henry Bishop of London and the Bishop of that Seé for the time being Robert Lord Lexington Charles Lord Cornwallis Sidney Lord Godolphin Henry Lord Capell Thomas Lord Coningsby Charles Montague and the Chancellor and Vnder-Treasurer of Our Exchequer for the time being Sir John Trevor and the Master of Our Rolls for the time being Sir Robert Howard Thomas Wharton Sir John Trenchard and Our Principal Secretaries of State for the time being Sir John Holt and the Chief Iustice to be Assigned to hold Pleas before Vs for the time being Sir John Louther of Louther Sir Henry Goodrick Edward Russell Richard Hampden Hugh Buscowen Sir Stephen Fox Sir William Trumball John Smith and the Treasurer of England Treasurer of Our Exchequer and Commissioners of Our Treasury for the time being Sir John Louther of Whithaven Henry Priestman Robert Austin Sir Robert Rich Sir George Rook Sir John Houblon and the High Admiral of England or the Commissioners for Executing the Office of High Admiral of England for the time being William Earl of Craven Charles Bodvile Earl of Radnor George Earl of Berkley and Arthur Earl of Torrington Sir William Gregory Sir Gyles Eyre and Samuel Eyre and the Iustices to be Assigned to hold Pleas before Vs for the time being Sir George Treby Sir Edward Nevill Sir Thomas Rokeby and Sir John Powell and the Chief Iustice and Iustices of the Court of Common Pleas for the time being Sir Nicholas Lechmere Sir John Turton Sir John Powell and George Bradbury and the Chief Baron Barons of the Coife and Cursitor Baron of Our Court of Exchequer for the time being John Arch-Bishop of York and the Arch-Bishop of York for the time being Nathaniel Bishop of Duresme Peter Bishop of Winchester William Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry William Bishop of Landaffe Edward Bishop of St. Asaph Thomas Bishop of Rochester Thomas Bishop of Carlisle Jonathan Bishop of Exon Thomas Bishop of St. Davids Gilbert Bishop of Sarum Humphrey Bishop of Bangor Edward Bishop of Worcester Symon Bishop of Ely Gilbert Bishop of Hereford Nicholas Bishop of Chester John Bishop of Oxford John Bishop of Norwich Richard Bishop of Peterborough Edward Bishop of Gloucester Robert Bishop of Chichester Richard Bishop of Bath and Wells John Bishop of Bristol and James Bishop of Lincoln and the several Bishops of the same Seés for the time being Sir Edward Ward Sir Thomas Trevor Samuel Travers Sir Christopher Wrenn Sir Thomas Lane and the Mayor of Our City of London for the time being Sir Robert Clayton Sir Patience Ward Sir John Moor Sir William Pritchard Sir Robert Jeffery Sir Thomas Stamp Sir John Fleet Sir William Ashhurst Sir Jonathan Raymond Sir Peter Daniel Sir Samuel Dashwood Sir Thomas Kinsey Sir John Parsons Sir Edward Clark Sir Humphrey Edwin Sir Francis Child Sir Richard Levett Sir William Gore Sir Thomas Cooke Sir James Houblon Sir Thomas Abney Sir William Hedges Thomas Darwin and Joseph Smart and all and every the Aldermen of the same City for the time being Edmund Bowyer Michael Godfrey Sir Leonard Robinson Sir John Morden Sir John Banks Sir Josiah Child Sir Peter Vandeput Sir William Russell Sir Jeremy Sambrook Sir Gabriel Roberts Sir John Foche Sir Henry Furnes Sir William Scawen Sir Joseph Horne Sir Richard Onslow Baronet John Lock Gilbert Heathcott and Arthur Shallott Esquires Sir Richard Haddock Sir Cloudsley Shovell Edmund Dummer Charles Sergison Samuel Pett Thomas Wilshaw Dennis Liddall Benjamin Tinewell and the Principall Officers in the nature of Commissioners of Our Navy for the time being Sir Charles Hedges Henry Guy Thomas Papillon Thomas Western Charles Duncomb Peter Houblon Edmund Bolter Thomas Firmin and William Lowndes John Hill Captain Samuel Rutter Captain John Bowyers Captain John Conaway Captain Roger Paxton Captain John Benbow Sir Matthew Andrews Captain John Nicholls Captain Ralph Sanderson Robert Lord Lucas Sir Henry Shere James Southern Captain Robert Fisher Captain George Phenney Captain Samuel Atkinson Captain Henry Greenhill Captain Henry Risby Captain Balthazar St. Mitchell Captain Humphrey Ayles Captain John Jacob Captain William Cruft Captain William Gutteridge Captain John Hazelwood and the Master and all and every the Wardens Assistants and Elder Brethren of Trinity House of Deptford Strond for the time being to be Our Commissioners for the Purposes herein after mentioned And to the end that Our Royal Purpose and Intention herein may the better take Effect Our Will and Pleasure is and We do hereby Order Direct and Appoint That you do from time to time Meét together at some Convenient Place for the Execution of this Our Commission and that at your first or some other Subsequent Meéting or Meétings so many of you as shall be then present of whom any one or more of you being of Our Privy Council and any one or more of you the Commissioners of Our Treasury and any one or more of you the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Our High Admiral of England for the time being to be Threé at the least do consider of such Proper and Fit Methods as you shall judge most Expedient to be Observed in Executing the same And We do also by these Presents Authorize and Impower you Our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of you of whom any one or more of you Our Privy Councellors and any one or more of you the Commissioners of Our Treasury and any one or more of you the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Our High Admiral of England for the time being to be Threé at the least to call to your Aid and Assistance such Persons as you shall think fit to Assist and Advise you in the Due and Effectual Execution of this Our Commission and out of your own Number as often as you shall judge it Expedient to Appoint and Constitute such and so many Sub-Committeés for the better Managing and Carrying on Our said Purpose and Intention in this Our Commission and to Invest them with such Powers as you shall think fit to intrust them with pursuant to the Powers hereby given to your selves and to Revoke or make Void the same and Revive and make a New the said Sub-Committeés so often as you shall think neédful as aforesaid And We do by these presents Authorize and Require you our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of you of whom any one or more of you Our Privy Councellors and any one or more of you the Commissioners of Our Treasury and any one or more of you the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Our High Admiral of England for the time being to be Threé at the least calling to your Assistance Our Surveyor General of Our Works and also such other Artists and Persons as you shall think fit to consider what part
and how much of the Structures and Buildings now standing upon the Pieces or Parcels of Ground contained in Our Grant above mentioned will be unfit or not serviceable for the Hospital hereby intended to be Exected and in what manner such of the present Structures as you shall think fit to stand may best be Altered Fitted and Prepared for the Vse and Service of the said Hospital in Order to Represent the same to Vs with all convenient speéd And We do also Authorize and Require you Our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of you of whom Three or more to be such as aforesaid forthwith according to the best of your Iudgments and Discretions to prepare One or more Model or Models of such Buildings Works Erections and Conveniencies as you shall think most fit and proper to be Erected and Made in and upon the Premisses by Vs Granted as aforesaid for the Vse of the said intended Hospital with such Schemes or Draughts as may best Explain the same and with all convenient Speed to present such Model or Models to Vs for Our Royal Approvation And We do further hereby Authorize and Impower you Our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of you of whom Three or more to be such as aforesaid Calling to your Assistance Our Attorney or Sollicitor General or any other of Our Council Learned in the Law for the time being or such others as you shall think meet to Consider of and Prepare a Charter or Charters of Foundation of such Hospital and also such Statutes Constitutions Orders and Ordinances as may be Proper for the Foundation Perpetual Management Order Rule and good Government of the same and of the Poor People Officers Servants and others that shall be entertained in and about the same and for and concerning all other Matters and things relating thereto and to present the same to Vs for Our Royal Consideration And whereas the Great and Earnest Desire which We have to set about so Good and Pious a Work hath Engaged Vs to begin the same at this time although by Reason of the present Necessity of Our Affairs We cannot Advance so considerable Sums for the beginning and Carrying on the said Works as We do Desire and Intend and by Gods Blessing in times of Peace shall be enabled to do Yet nevertheless as a further Instance of Our Princely Zeal for Advancing the said Design We have Resolved and Determined and do hereby Declare and make Known That from henceforth We will yearly cause to be Issued and Paid out of Our Treasure at and upon the Feast of the Birth of our Lord Christ in every Year or at such other time in every Year as shall be desired by Our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of them the Sum of Two thousand Pounds for and towards the Edifying Perfecting and Endowing the said Hospital And to that end We do hereby for Vs Our Heirs and Successors Require the Commissioners of Our Treasury and Vnder-Treasurer of Our Exchequer now being and the Treasurer of Our Exchequer and Commissioners of the Treasury and Vnder-Treasurer of the Exchequer of Vs Our Heirs or Successors for the time being without any further or other Warrant to be had or obtained from Vs Our Heirs or Successors in that behalf from time to time to direct their Warrants or Orders for the Payment of the said yearly Sum of Two thousand Pounds as aforesaid out of such of Our Treasure of Vs Our Heirs or Successors as shall not be Appropriated to other Vses to the said Treasurer for the said Hospital hereby Appointed or to such other Treasurer or Treasurers as shall be Appointed as herein after is Directed at the said Feast of the Birth of Our Lord Christ in every Year or at such other times in every Year as shall be desired by Our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of them as aforesaid during the Continuance of this Our Commission And having no Doubt but that Great Numbers of Our good Subjects will be disposed to follow Our Example and will with great Chearfulness and Readiness Contribute to the Advancing so Charitable a Design which besides the Relief of so many Poor Disabled and Necessitous Persons will prove of Great Advantage to the Kingdom in the increasing the Navigation and Naval Strength thereof by Encouraging Fit Persons to betake themselves to Sea-Service as soon as Our Royal Intentions in the Premisses shall be made known and that their Assisting Vs in the Building and Endowing the said Hospital will be most Highly Acceptable to Vs We do by these Presents Authorize and Impower you Our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of you and We do by these Presents Give and Grant to you or any Seven or more of you full Power and Authority to Take and Receive from such of Our good Subjects as shall be Piously Disposed to Contribute towards the Erecting and Endowing of the said Hospital all such Voluntary Gifts or Subscriptions of or for any Sum or Sums of Money Goods or Chattels or of or for any Estate or Interest in any Manors Lands Tenements Rents Hereditaments or other Matters or Things whatsoever which any Person or Persons shall be willing to Give Limit Appoint or Bestow for or towards the Building Furnishing or Endowing of the Hospital aforesaid and for causing to be Collected and Received whatsoever shall be Given Contributed Bequeathed Designed or Appointed for that Vse by the Hands of the Treasurer that shall be hereafter Appointed to Receive the same And to the end that Our Intentions in the Premisses may be better known to Our Loving Subjects We do Require you to cause Publick Notification of these Presents or the Tenor or Scope thereof to be made in such Places or by such Ways and Means as you shall think most Conducible to the Furtherance of the said Charity And We do also by these Presents Authorize and Impower you Our said Commissioners or any Seven or more of you of whom any one or more of you Our Privy Councellors and any one or more of you the Commissioners of Our Treasury and any one or more of you the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Our High Admiral of England for the time being to be Threé at the least in case you shall find the same to be necessary for Carrying on the Design and Intention of this Our Commission by Instruments or Writings under your Hands and Seals to Depute and Substitute such Persons as you shall think fit to Intrust to take such Subscriptions as aforesaid and to Collect or Bring in the Moneys which shall be Contributed Bequeathed Designed or Appointed for the Vses aforesaid to the Hands of the Treasurer or Receiver General hereafter Appointed and to Displace or Discharge such Substitutes or Deputies or any of them and to Appoint others in the Place of them or any of them from time to time as you shall seé cause and to Settle Establish and Appoint such Cheques