He was a fellow commoner of Corpus Christi College (where he was styled the " handsome American") and studied law in the Temple In 1725, he returned to New York, and on the decease of John Barbaric, his uncle by marriage, was appointed by George II. to succeed him in the Provincial Council. He took his seat at the board, January 29, 1729, and held it to April 9, 1733, when he was appointed Chief

I Uiscellaneoiis works, by Gen. de Peyster; De Peyster Gen. Bef. p. M.

- Copied from original MSS. in Kec. of New Bochelle.

Justice of New York and continued so the remainder of his life. In 1753, on the accession of Sir Danvers Osborne as Governor, in the place of George Clinton, he received the commission of Lieutenant- Governor, which had been conferred upon him in 1747 by George II. and had been kept back by Clinton until this time. The oath of office was administered October 10, 1753. The tragical death of Sir Danvers Osborn by suicide two days afterwards, occasioned the elevation of Mr. de Lancey to the Gubernatorial chair, which he occupied till the 2d of September, 1755, when the new Governor, Admiral Sir Charles Hardy arrived, who administered the government till the 2d of July, 1757. Preferring a naval command Hardy resigned, and sailed in the expedition to Louisburgh, and Mr. De Lancey again took the reins of Government.

The ministry of England wished to keep the command of New York in the hands of Mr. de Lancey, but it was then, as it is to this day, a rule of the English Government never to appoint a native colonist to the supreme command over his own colony. To effect their object in this case without violating their rule, they decided not to appoint any new Governor as long as Mr. de Lancey lived; he therefore remained the Governor of New York under his commission as Lieutenant-Governor until his death, some three years afterwards, on the 30th of July, 1760.'