r State.
In cases of extraordinary concernment, as of war and peace, levying of
money, making of new laws, and matters of extraordinary weight and
consideration, of which the Senate are not willing to take the burden
wholly upon themselves, or to undergo the envy or hazard of the
consequences thereof; in such cases the Senate causeth the Overholt to be
assembled, and, as the weight of the business may be, sometimes they
cause to be summoned an assembly of the whole body of the burgesses of
the city, before whom the business in the general is propounded, and they
are desired by the Senate to make choice of some deputies, to be joined
to the Senate and to assist them in the matters proposed. Then the whole
body of the freemen do commonly make choice of eight, sometimes more and
sometimes fewer, as they please, out of their own number, and these
deputies have full power given to them by this assembly to despatch and
determine, together with the Senate and the Overholt, their matters thus
proposed to the general consideration of that public assembly; and what
this Council thus constituted do resolve in these matters, the same is
put in execution accordingly, obligeth, and is freely submitted unto by
all the citizens, who look upon themselves by this their election of
deputies to have their own consents involved in what their deputies
determine.
In the evening Mr. Stetkin, with whom Whitelocke had been acquainted in
England, when he was there, a servant of the late King for his private
music, wherein he was excellent, came to Whitelocke, and with Maylard,
one of Whitelocke's servants, made very good music for his diversion.
This day the wind came about reasonable good for Whitelocke's voyage, who
thereupon ordered the captains away to their frigates and his people to
prepare all things in readiness for his departure tomorrow; his baggage
was carried down and put on board the frigates. He gave his most hearty
and solemn thanks to the Resident, and to all the gentleman of the
English Company of Merchants here, who had very nobly and affectionately
entertained Whitelocke at their own charge all the time of his being in
this city. He ordered his gratuities to be distributed among their
servants and to all who had done any service or offices for him, both of
the English house and of the townsmen, and ordered all things to be in
readiness to proceed in his voyage.
_June 17, 1654._
[SN: Whitelocke takes leave of the Sen
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