Colonial governor; born in
Roxbury, Mass., July 23, 1647; graduated at Harvard in 1665; prepared for the ministry, but, preferring politics, became a representative in the
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general court and a magistrate.
From 1677 to 1681 he was one of the commissioners for the united colonies of
New England.
He was in the battle with the Narragansets in 1675, and was one of the commissioners who dictated the terms of a treaty with that tribe.
In September, 1685,
King James commissioned him president of
New England, and in 1687 he was made chief-justice of the Supreme Court.
Dudley was sent to
England with
Andros in 1689, and the next year was made chief-justice of New York.
He went to
England in 1693, and was deputy governor of the
Isle of Wight.
He entered Parliament in 1701, and from 1702 to 1715 he was captain-general and governor of
Massachusetts.
Then he retired to his quiet home at
Roxbury, where he died, April 2, 1720.
The disputes between the royal governors and the people, which continued about seventy years, were begun in
Massachusetts with
Dudley.
In his first speech he demanded a “fit and convenient house” for the governor, and a settled and stated salary for him. The
House, in their answer the next day, observed that they would proceed to the consideration of these propositions “with all convenient speed.”
They resolved to present, out of the public treasury, the sum of £500, and said, “as to settling a salary for the governor, it is altogether new to us, nor can we think it agreeable to our present constitution, but we shall be ready to do, according to our ability, what may be proper on our part for the support of the government.”
The governor sent for the speaker and the representatives to come to his chamber, when he declared his disappointment because of their procedure, and expressed a hope that they would think better of the matter.
