Copy of manuscript 'King's Warrant' [King George III], declaring 'Major General Saml. Townsend, discharged from further accounting for the Sum of £17464. 14. 8 received by him for Recruiting Service from the end of the year 1778, to 24th. June 1786.'

Folio, 2 pp. On first leaf of bifolium, with the verso of the second leaf docketed, under the heading 'King's Warrant'. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. Headed '(Copy)', and with 'George R' in a bold hand in the top left-hand corner. Although the signature is almost certainly not in the hand of the king, the document is docketed in pencil: 'Signature of his late beloved Majesty King George III on Copy of a Warrant retained by General Saml. Townsend'. Begins (in another hand): 'Whereas We are given to understand that our Trusty and Well beloved Major General Samuel Townsend Inspector General of the Recruiting Service is set insuper in the Account of Our Right Trusty and Well beloved Counseller Richard Rigby late Paymaster General of Our Forces for the Sum of Seventeen Thousand Four Hundred Sixty Four Pounds Fourteen Shillings and Eight Pence being Money Imprested to him for carrying on the above Service from the end of the year 1778, to the 24th. day of June 1786 [...]'. The document records that the original was signed by Pitt, Eliot and Aubrey, as 'Commissioners for auditing the Public Accounts', 'the Commissioners having recommended unto Us to discharge Major General Samuel Townsend from rendering any further Account of the same'.