Wm Strahan doctor of laws in and through the whole archdeaconry of Colchester official lawfully appointed to our beloved in christ the rev Edw Creffield Jas Brome and Edm Massey clerks in the county of Essex jointly and severallat greeting, whereas the rev Nathaniel Ball clerk our lawful surrogate in a certain cause of accepting or renouncing letters of administration of the goods chattels and credits of Jn Fletcher late of Earls Colne in the county of Essex deceased together with his last will and testament and codicil annexed as the same were left unadministered by Martha Fletcher also deceased whilst living the widow relict executrix and residuary legatee named in the said last will and testament of the said Jn Fletcher deceased or of showing cause why the same should not be granted and committed in due form of law unto Benj Moses and Math Fletcher and Eliz Abbott widow the natural and lawful children of the said Jn and Martha respectively deceased and legatees named in the said will of the said Jn or such of them as should be approved of by the court, and also of bringing in exhibiting and leaving in the registry of the said archdeaconry a true and perfect inventory of the goods chattels and credits of the said Jn deceased, upon oath, promoted by the said children and legatees against Solomon Grimston gent, possessor of the goods chattels and credits of the said Jn Fletcher deceased, and executor of the last will and testament of the said Martha Fletcher deceased, rightly and duly proceeding, did, at the petition of the proctor of the said Solomon Grimston alleging the said Solomon Grimston was an executor nominated and appointed in and by the codicil to the said last will and testament of the said Jn Fletcher deceased, decree a commission to issue forth the swear the said Solomon Grimston as well to the truth of the said will and codicil, as to the faithful performance thereof, and also to and concerning the truth of an inventory of the goods chattels and credits of the said deceased, respectively hereunto annexed, and that the power hereunder written be granted and committed unto you jointly and severally in manner and form following (justice so requiring) we do therefore by these presents, grant unto you jointly and severally full power and authority to receive admit and duly swear the said Solomon Grimston as well to the truth of the said will and codicil, as to the faithful performance thereof, and also to and concerning the truth of the inventory aforesaid, respectively hereunto annexed (and that the same contains a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods chattels and credits of the said Jn Fletcher deceased, which since his death have come to the hands possession or knowledge of the said Solomon Grimston you assuming the principal register of our said court, of his deputy or some other faithful and legal notary public indifferent to the aforesaid parties, as and for your register and actuary in this behalf, and generally to do perform and dispatch all and singular other acts matters and things requisite and necessary to be done in or about the premises, hereby charging and enjoining you (the aforesaid oaths being taken and received) that you do duly transmit to us, our surrogate or some other competent judge in their behalf, on or before the last day of this instant june the said will with codicil and inventory, and the whole proceedings had and sped thereon, authentically and closely sealed together with these presents given the 8.6.1745 M Lucas deputy register