, His Majesty in his Instructions having Referrd y^ Consideration of the Case of Rob' Livingston of New -York to my self and Council! to inquire and Examine into the Justicd of his Demands for Several Sums of mony pretended to be advanced by him for ye Service of his Majesty in ye said Province, with Interest for ye same, for which ye said Livingston Obtained several! orders from ye Lords of y^ Treasury and fmm his Majesty & Councill, and likewise to Enquire into y® Causes and reasons wlij tliere

BIANOR OF LIYI^GSTON. 635

was a Delay given, and suspension of obedience to ye said orders by ye Late Governoiir and Council] of New- York, as likewise to Enquire into ye Causes and reasons why y« s'^ Livingston was not permitted to Exercise y^ severall Employments in said Province granted to him by a Commission from his Majest^e,

In obedience ■ therefore to his Majes Commands, k on yc Petition of y* s^^ Livingston I made an order Summoning Coll: Fletcher late Govern"" of tliis Province or some in his belialf, to appear before me at New-York on y® IG'^^ of May last, witli ye Complaint Exiubited in England against the said Livingston, with witnesses and Evidences to justify y® same, Ijut on y^ said day nor sinc€ has any appeared in belialf of y^ said Coll Fletcher, his Attorneys declaring they h.ud no orders to appear against the said Livingston, And on y^ lOt'^ Instant I ordered a liearing of ye whole matter before myself and wliere y^ Councill did declare, tliey did not believe they c^uld Properly be Judges of what they then liad objected against y® said M^' Livingston, nor had they any thing further to offer or lU'ge against liim more than formerly, that they knew nothing to ye Prejudice of his Reputation, and added that he v.'as ye fittest man in ye Province for ye Imploys he Executes, and Particularly as Victualler of ye Forces.