Copy of an Instruction for the Governors of Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, forbidding them to Grant Lands or make Settlements which may interfere with the Indians bordering on those Colonys.

Whereas the Peace and Security of Our Colonys and Plantations upon the Continent of North America, does greatly depend upon the Amity & Alliance of the several Nations or Tribes of Indians bordering upon the said Colonys and upon a just and faithful Observance of those Treatys and Compacts which have been heretofore Solemnly Entered into with the said Indians by Our Royal Predecessors Kings and Queens of this Realm. And Whereas notwithstanding the Repeated Instructions which have been from time to time given by Our late Royal Grandfather to the Governors of Our several Colonys upon this head, the said Indians have made and do still continue to make great Complaints that Settlements have been made and Possession taken of Lands the property of which they have by Treatys Reserved to themselves by Persons claiming the said Lands under pretence of Deeds of Sale and Conveyance illegally, fraudulently and Surreptitiously Obtained of the said Indians. And Whereas it has likewise been represented unto us, that some of Our Governors or other Chief Officers of Our said Colonys regardless of the Duty they Owe to us and of the Welfare and Security of Our Colonies have Countenanced such unjust Claims and Pretensions, by passing Grants of the Lands so pretended to have been purchased of the Indians; we therefore taking this matter into Our Royal Consideration as also the fatal effects which would attend and content amongst the Indians in the present Situation of Affairs and being determined upon all Occasions to support and protect the said Indians in their just Rights and Possessions and to keep inviolable the Treatys and Compacts which have been Entered into with them; whereby strictly enjoin & Command that neither yourself nor any Lieutt. Governor President of the Council or Commander in Chief of Our said Colony/Province of [intentionally blank] do upon any pretence whatsoever upon pain of Our highest displeasure & of being forthwith removed from your or his Office pass any Grant or Grants to any Persons whatever of any Lands within or adjacent to the Territories possessed or Occupied by the said Indians or the property or Possession of which has at any time been reserved to or Claimed by them; And it is Our further Will and Pleasure that you do Publish a Proclamation in Our Name strictly enjoining & requiring all Persons whatever who may either wilfully or inadvertently have seated themselves upon any Lands so reserved to or claimed by the said Indians without any lawful Authority for so doing forthwith to remove therefrom; And in Case you shall find upon strict Enquiry to be made for that purpose, that any Person or Persons do Claim to hold or possess any Lands within Our said Colony/Province upon pretence of Purchases made of the said Indians, without a proper Licence first had and Obtained either from us or any of our Royal Predecessors or any Persons Acting under Our or their Authority; you are forthwith to Cause a Prosecutor to be Carried on against such Person or Persons who shall have made such fraudulent Purchases, to the end that the Land may be recovered by a due Course of Law. And Whereas the wholesome Laws which have at different times been passed in several of Our said Colonys and the Instructions which have been given by Our Royal Predecessors for restraining Persons from Purchasing Lands of the Indians without a Licence for that purpose for regulating the Proceedings upon such Purchases have not been duly Observed; It is therefore Our express Will and Pleasure that when any application shall be made to you for Licence to purchase Lands of the Indians you do forbear to grant such Licence until you shall have first transmitted to Us, by our Commissioners for Trade and Plantations the Particulars of such Application as well in respect to the Situation as the Extent of the Lands so proposed to be purchased and shall have received Our further directions therein. And it is Our further Will & Pleasure, that you do forthwith cause these Our Instructions to you to be made Publick, not only within all parts of Our said Colony/Province Inhabited by Our Subjects, but also amongst the several Tribes of Indians living within the Same to the end that Our Royal Will & Pleasure in the Premisses may be known and that the Indians may be Apprized of Our determined Resolution to support them in their just rights and inviolably to Observe Our Engagements with them.

The King's Order
In Council Relative to the Lands on the Carrying place at Niagara, 19th. June 1762
Recd. 16th Octor.
Ansd. by Letter to Wm. Sharpe Esqr. 20th. Ditto—