Item 31: Royal Warrants from King George III (removed to Oversized Print Box #3), 1783 August 22-1784 June 10
Item — Box: 2, Folder: 31
Dates
- Created: 1783 August 22-1784 June 10
Creator
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Royal Warrants
Condition Note:
Fair. Vinegar smell. Very brittle.
Measurements:
2 pages. Both, 18 ⅜ in. x 11 ½ in.
Description:
The following item is two royal warrants written by King George III to Richard Rigby on August 22, 1783, and June 10, 1784. The first page is a warrant directed to Richard Rigby, 1722-1788, the Paymaster of the Forces, who was in charge of the military’s finances. The King commands that when Rigby is giving out the debentures for the soldiers’ pay, he should deduct not only a small amount from each (as a form of tax), but also to deduct from each Captain the subsistences, or living costs, of two men. The funds generated should be used only if the troops are kept complete, possibly to be given to newly recruited soldiers to hold them off until the next payday. This may also be a form of punishment of the captains, where their pay is deducted if they do not keep their troops complete. This document was written directly after the American Revolutionary War and one month before the signing of the Peace of Paris (1783), which was a group of peace treaties among Spain, France, Great Britain, the United States, and the Dutch. This suggests that the pay reduction may also be a form of cutting down on spending after the costly wars. The signatures at the bottom of the document of J Buller, Graham, and John Aubrey likely belong to John Buller, 1721-1786, James, Graham 1755-1836, and Sir John Aubrey 1739-1826. Buller, Graham, and Aubrey all served as Lords of the Treasury at the time of the document’s writing. The second page is a warrant also directed to Richard, Rigby. The King recognizes that false names were often allowed to be put on the Muster Rolls of the Horse Guards and Horse Grenadier Guards in order to increase the pay of their officers. This increase was to be used for maintaining their ranks, in other purposes outlined in George II’s warrants dated April 15, 1728, and February 10, 1746/7. It was also to give certain war invalids an extra recompense for their service, according to various warrants from George I and two warrants from George II, dated May 1, 1735, and December 5, 1746. As of the issuing of the warrant, the King would no longer allow this, and instead orders Rigby to add the full pay of one man for each company on each company’s payday to be used for the previously mentioned applications. Therefore, the captains’ pays would not be affected, and the judgment for the money’s use belongs to Rigby instead of the various captains. This would save money by preventing the captains from using it for their own means or whenever they deemed it necessary. At the bottom of the document lie the same signatures from John Buller, 1721-1786, James Graham, 1755-1836, and Sir Aubrey John, 1739-1826.
Location:
St. James’s Palace, United Kingdom
Transcription:
[first page, front]
George R. [Signature]
[left margins] Warrant for deducting the subsistence of two member Troop or Company from the Captains in case they do not keep them compleat [sic] [complete] according to the Establishment.
[center] Our Will and Pleasure is, that in the Debentures to be made out by you for the Pay of Our Forces upon this Establishment, when and as often as there shall appear upon the Muster Rolls of any Troop or Company of Our said Forces any Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] of Private Men, you do not only deduct what the said Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] shall amount unto as usual, but you shall also deduct from each Captain, who shall have any such Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] on his Troop or Company the Subsistence of two Men allowed by this Establishment for Recruiting, for the time or times that any such Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] shall appear as beforementioned [sic] [mentioned before], It being Our Intention that the benefit of the said Allowance of Subsistence Money shall be only on condition, and during the time that the respective Troops and Companies are kept compleat [sic] [complete], according to the number of Effective Men allowed on this Establishment, and not otherwise. And for so doing, this shall be your Warrant. Given at Our Court at St. James’s, this 22[n]d. Day of August 1783, in the twenty third year of Our Reign. By His Majesty’s Command. Treasury Chambers 10th June 1784 J Buller [Signature] Graham [Signature] John Aubrey [Signature] To, Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved [sic] [Wellbeloved] Councillor Richard Rigby, late Paymaster General of Our Guards, Garrisons, and Land Forces in Great Britain, and Forces abroad, and to the Pay Master General of Our said Forces for the time being.
[first page, back]
George R. [Signature]
Whereas it hath been usual to allow a Number of fictitious Names upon the Muster Rolls of Our Two Troops of Horse Guards, and Two Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards, instead of Non Effective Men, in order to encrease [sic] [increase] the Allowance of the Pay of the several Officers of the said Troops, the better to enable them to maintain their Ranks in the Army, and for other purposes mentioned in Our late Royal Grandfather’s Warrants, bearing date the 15th. April 1728, and the 10th. of February 1746/7 and also to pass and allow One Man per Company upon the Muster Rolls of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, over and above the Allowance borne upon this Establishment for the Service of the Agent and Solicitor of Our said Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, in consideration of his great pains and trouble in performance of his duty as Agent and Solicitor to Our said Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, pursuant to several Warrants from Our late Royal Great Grandfather, and from Our late Royal Grandfather, dated 1st. May 1725, and 5th. December 1743, Our Will and Pleasure now is, that the said fictitious Names shall be no longer allowed upon the Muster Rolls of Our Horse Guards and Horse Grenadier Guards, nor upon the Muster Rolls of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids as formerly, but instead thereof We do hereby Authorize and direct that in the Debentures to be made out by you, from time to time for the Pay of Our two Troops of Horse Guards, and two Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards, and also for the Pay of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, you take care to allow the full Pay of Six Private Gentlemen of each of Our Two Troops of Horse Guards, and twenty nine Private Men of each of Our Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards, and also the full Pay of One Man, for each Company of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids over and above the Allowance to the Agent and Solicitor borne upon this Establishment, and notwithstanding the same may be respitted [sic] [respited], or not borne upon the Muster Rolls, yet the Amount of the full Pay of the said Private Gentlemen, or Private Men as well of Our Troops of Horse Guards, and Horse Grenadier Guards, as also of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, is to be computed and included in the Debenture or Debentures to be made out by You for the Pay of the said Troops, Regiment, or Independent Companies of Invalids, from time to time, and as often as the same shall be paid and cleared. It being Our Intention that the Officers of Our Troops of Horse Guards
[second page, front]
Guards, and Horse Grenadier Guards, and the Agent and Solicitor of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, now and for the time being, shall all and every one of them continue to have and receive the aforesaid Allowance respectively. Given at Our Court at St. James’s, this 22[n]d. day of August 1783, in the Twenty third Year of Our Reign. By His Majesty’s Command. Treasury Chambers 10th June 1784. J Buller [Signature] Graham [Signature] John Aubrey [Signature] [left margin]
To Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved [sic] [Wellbeloved] Councillor Richard Rigby, late Paymaster General of Our^Guards Garrisons and Land Forces in Great Britain, and Forces abroad. And to the Paymaster General of Our said Forces for the time being.
[second page, back]
George 3. [in pencil, upside-down]
George 3 [in pencil, vertical] g.
[left margins] Warrant for deducting the subsistence of two member Troop or Company from the Captains in case they do not keep them compleat [sic] [complete] according to the Establishment.
[center] Our Will and Pleasure is, that in the Debentures to be made out by you for the Pay of Our Forces upon this Establishment, when and as often as there shall appear upon the Muster Rolls of any Troop or Company of Our said Forces any Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] of Private Men, you do not only deduct what the said Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] shall amount unto as usual, but you shall also deduct from each Captain, who shall have any such Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] on his Troop or Company the Subsistence of two Men allowed by this Establishment for Recruiting, for the time or times that any such Respit [sic] [Respite] or Respits [sic] [Respites] shall appear as beforementioned [sic] [mentioned before], It being Our Intention that the benefit of the said Allowance of Subsistence Money shall be only on condition, and during the time that the respective Troops and Companies are kept compleat [sic] [complete], according to the number of Effective Men allowed on this Establishment, and not otherwise. And for so doing, this shall be your Warrant. Given at Our Court at St. James’s, this 22[n]d. Day of August 1783, in the twenty third year of Our Reign. By His Majesty’s Command. Treasury Chambers 10th June 1784 J Buller [Signature] Graham [Signature] John Aubrey [Signature] To, Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved [sic] [Wellbeloved] Councillor Richard Rigby, late Paymaster General of Our Guards, Garrisons, and Land Forces in Great Britain, and Forces abroad, and to the Pay Master General of Our said Forces for the time being.
[first page, back]
George R. [Signature]
Whereas it hath been usual to allow a Number of fictitious Names upon the Muster Rolls of Our Two Troops of Horse Guards, and Two Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards, instead of Non Effective Men, in order to encrease [sic] [increase] the Allowance of the Pay of the several Officers of the said Troops, the better to enable them to maintain their Ranks in the Army, and for other purposes mentioned in Our late Royal Grandfather’s Warrants, bearing date the 15th. April 1728, and the 10th. of February 1746/7 and also to pass and allow One Man per Company upon the Muster Rolls of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, over and above the Allowance borne upon this Establishment for the Service of the Agent and Solicitor of Our said Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, in consideration of his great pains and trouble in performance of his duty as Agent and Solicitor to Our said Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, pursuant to several Warrants from Our late Royal Great Grandfather, and from Our late Royal Grandfather, dated 1st. May 1725, and 5th. December 1743, Our Will and Pleasure now is, that the said fictitious Names shall be no longer allowed upon the Muster Rolls of Our Horse Guards and Horse Grenadier Guards, nor upon the Muster Rolls of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids as formerly, but instead thereof We do hereby Authorize and direct that in the Debentures to be made out by you, from time to time for the Pay of Our two Troops of Horse Guards, and two Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards, and also for the Pay of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, you take care to allow the full Pay of Six Private Gentlemen of each of Our Two Troops of Horse Guards, and twenty nine Private Men of each of Our Troops of Horse Grenadier Guards, and also the full Pay of One Man, for each Company of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids over and above the Allowance to the Agent and Solicitor borne upon this Establishment, and notwithstanding the same may be respitted [sic] [respited], or not borne upon the Muster Rolls, yet the Amount of the full Pay of the said Private Gentlemen, or Private Men as well of Our Troops of Horse Guards, and Horse Grenadier Guards, as also of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, is to be computed and included in the Debenture or Debentures to be made out by You for the Pay of the said Troops, Regiment, or Independent Companies of Invalids, from time to time, and as often as the same shall be paid and cleared. It being Our Intention that the Officers of Our Troops of Horse Guards
[second page, front]
Guards, and Horse Grenadier Guards, and the Agent and Solicitor of Our Regiment and Independent Companies of Invalids, now and for the time being, shall all and every one of them continue to have and receive the aforesaid Allowance respectively. Given at Our Court at St. James’s, this 22[n]d. day of August 1783, in the Twenty third Year of Our Reign. By His Majesty’s Command. Treasury Chambers 10th June 1784. J Buller [Signature] Graham [Signature] John Aubrey [Signature] [left margin]
To Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved [sic] [Wellbeloved] Councillor Richard Rigby, late Paymaster General of Our^Guards Garrisons and Land Forces in Great Britain, and Forces abroad. And to the Paymaster General of Our said Forces for the time being.
[second page, back]
George 3. [in pencil, upside-down]
George 3 [in pencil, vertical] g.
Creator
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu