▁his ▁commission ▁was ▁with dra wn . ▁A ▁prov is ional ▁commission ▁was ▁issued ▁on ▁October ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 6 8 5 ▁to ▁Massachusetts ▁Bay ▁native ▁Joseph ▁D ud ley ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁New ▁England , ▁due ▁to ▁del ays ▁in ▁developing ▁the ▁commission ▁for ▁Kir ke ' s ▁intended ▁successor ▁Sir ▁Edmund ▁And ros . ▁ ▁D ud ley ' s ▁limited ▁commission ▁specified ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁rule ▁with ▁an ▁appointed ▁council ▁and ▁no ▁representative ▁legisl ature . ▁The ▁coun c ill ors ▁named ▁as ▁members ▁of ▁this ▁body ▁included ▁a ▁cross - section ▁of ▁polit ically ▁moder ate ▁men ▁from ▁the ▁old ▁colonial ▁govern ments . ▁Edward ▁Rand olph ▁had ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁crown ▁agent ▁investig ating ▁affairs ▁in ▁New ▁England , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁council , ▁as ▁well . ▁Rand olph ▁was ▁also ▁commission ed ▁with ▁a ▁long ▁list ▁of ▁other ▁posts , ▁including ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁domin ion , ▁collect or ▁of ▁custom s , ▁and ▁deput y ▁post master . ▁ ▁D ud ley ▁administration ▁D ud ley ' s ▁char ter ▁arrived ▁in ▁Boston ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 6 8 6 , ▁and ▁he ▁formally ▁took ▁charge ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 5 . ▁His ▁rule ▁did ▁not ▁begin ▁aus p ici ously , ▁since ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁magistr ates ▁refused ▁to ▁serve ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁named ▁to ▁his ▁council . ▁According ▁to ▁Edward ▁Rand olph , ▁the ▁Pur itan ▁magistr ates ▁"