the direction of the Secretary of the
Commonwealth, and the book distributed by him according to directions
contained in the resolve.

Senator Alfred S. Roe of Worcester and Representatives Francis C. Lowell
of Boston and Walter L. Bouve of Hingham were appointed as the
committee.

DECREE

OF THE

CONSISTORIAL AND EPISCOPAL

COURT OF LONDON.

DECREE.

MANDELL by Divine Permission LORD BISHOP OF LONDON--To The Honorable
THOMAS FRANCIS BAYARD Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria at the Court of Saint James's
in London and To The Governor and Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the
United States of America Greeting--WHEREAS a Petition has been filed in
the Registry of Our Consistorial and Episcopal Court of London by you
the said Honorable Thomas Francis Bayard as Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria at the Court
of Saint James's in London on behalf of the President and Citizens of
the United States of America wherein you have alleged that there is in
Our Custody as Lord Bishop of London a certain Manuscript Book known as
and entitled "The Log of the Mayflower" containing an account as
narrated by Captain William Bradford who was one of the Company of
Englishmen who left England in April 1620 in the ship known as "The
Mayflower" of the circumstances leading to the prior Settlement of that
Company at Leyden in Holland their return to England and subsequent
departure for New England their landing at Cape Cod in December 1620
their Settlement at New Plymouth and their later history for several
years they being the Company whose Settlement in America is regarded as
the first real Colonisation of the New England States and wherein you
have also alleged that the said Manuscript Book had been for many years
past and was then deposited in the Library attached to Our Episcopal
Palace at Fulham in the County of Middlesex and is of the greatest
interest importance and value to the Citizens of the United States of
America inasmuch as it is one of the earliest records of their national
History and contains much valuable information in regard to the original
Settlers in the States their family history and antecedents and that
therefore you earnestly desired to acquire possession of the same for
and on behalf of the President and Citizens of the said United States of
America AND WHEREIN you have also alleged that you are