FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP INC
8-K, 1995-11-07
NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 26, 1995
        -----------------------------------------------------------------

                             FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP,INC. 
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                  RHODE ISLAND
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


                     1-6366                      05-0341324
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
           (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)


                50 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, Rhode Island 02903
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)



        Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 401-278-5800
                                                            ------------

        -----------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)






<PAGE>





Item 5.         Other Materially Important Events.
                ---------------------------------

                On October 23, 1995, Registrant agreed to issue and sell
                $250,000,000 of its 6% Senior Notes Due October 26, 1998 (the
                "Notes") under Registration Statement No. 33-55555. The Notes
                were purchased on October 26, 1995 by underwriters, Goldman
                Sachs & Co., Citicorp Securities, Inc., First Union Capital
                Markets Corp. and PaineWebber Incorporated.

Item 7.         Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and 
                Exhibits.
                ---------------------------------------------------------

                The following exhibits are filed as part of this report:

        (1)          Underwriting Agreement dated October 23, 1995 between 
                     Registrant, Goldman Sachs & Co., Citicorp Securities, 
                     Inc., First Union Capital Markets Corp. and PaineWebber
                     Incorporated relating to the Notes.

        (4)          Specimen certificate of the Notes.

       (12)          Statement of Computation of Ratios (for consolidated
                     ratios of earnings to fixed charges contained in the
                     Prospectus dated November 28, 1994 and Prospectus
                     Supplement dated October 23, 1995 relating to the
                     Notes) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 12 of the
                     Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-K for the
                     quarter ended June 30, 1995).




<PAGE>




                                   SIGNATURES

       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed in its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                            FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
                                              Registrant


                                            By:/s/William C. Mutterperl
                                               --------------------------
                                                William C. Mutterperl
                                                Senior Vice President,
                                                General Counsel and Secretary


Date:  October 26, 1995




<PAGE>


                                  Exhibit Index


 Item 601
Exhibit Table
Reference                             Exhibit Title
- -------------                         -------------

 (1)        Underwriting Agreement dated October 23, 1995 between Registrant, 
            Goldman Sachs & Co., Citicorp Securities, Inc., First Union Capital 
            Markets Corp. and PaineWebber Incorporated relating to the Notes.

 (4)        Specimen certificate of the Notes.

(12)        Statement of Computation of Ratios (for consolidated ratios of 
            earnings to fixed charges contained in the Prospectus dated November
            28, 1994 and Prospectus Supplement dated October 23, 1995 relating 
            to the Notes) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 12 of the 
            Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
            June 30, 1995).




                                                                   EXHIBIT 1


               FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.


                 Underwriting Agreement


                                          New York, New York
                                          October 23, 1995

To the Representatives 
  named in Schedule I 
  hereto of the Under-
  writers named in 
  Schedule II hereto


Dear Sirs:  

          Fleet Financial Group, Inc., a Rhode Island corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to sell to the underwriters named in Schedule II
hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as representatives
(the "Representatives"), the principal amount of its debt securities
identified in Schedule I hereto (the "Debt Securities"), to be issued under
an indenture dated as of October 1, 1992, (the "Indenture") between the
Company and the trustee named in Schedule I hereto (the "Trustee").  If so
indicated on Schedule I hereto, the Company also proposes to issue warrants
(the "Warrants") to purchase the aggregate principal amount listed in
Schedule I hereto of the debt securities identified in Schedule I hereto
(the "Warrant Securities").  The Warrants, if any, are to be issued
pursuant to the Warrant Agreement listed in Schedule I hereto (the "Warrant
Agreement") between the Company and the Warrant Agent listed in Schedule I
hereto (the "Warrant Agent").  The Debt Securities and the Warrants, if
any, are hereinafter referred to as the "Purchased Securities".  The
Purchased Securities and the Warrant Securities are referred to herein as
the "Securities".  If the firm or firms listed in Schedule II hereto
include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I hereto, then the terms
"Underwriters" and "Representatives", as used herein, shall each be deemed
to refer to such firm or firms.  

          1.  Representations and Warranties.  The Company represents and
              -------------------------------
warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this
Section 1.  Certain terms used in this Section 1 are defined in
paragraph (c) hereof.

          (a)  If the offering of the Securities is a Delayed Offering (as
     specified in Schedule I hereto), paragraph (i) below is applicable
     and, if the offering of the Securities is a Non-Delayed Offering (as
     so specified), paragraph (ii) below is applicable.

               (i)  The Company meets the requirements for



<PAGE>


                                                                          2

          the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act")
          and has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
          "Commission") a registration statement (the file number of which
          is set forth in Schedule I hereto) on such Form, including a
          basic prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering
          and sale of the Securities.  The Company may have filed one or
          more amendments thereto, and may have used a Preliminary Final
          Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. 
          Such registration statement, as so amended, has become effective. 
          The offering of the Securities is a Delayed Offering and,
          accordingly, it is not necessary that any further information
          with respect to the Securities and the offering thereof required
          by the Act and the rules thereunder to be included in the Final
          Prospectus have been included in an amendment to such
          registration statement prior to the Effective Date.  The Company
          will next file with the Commission pursuant to Rules 415 and
          424(b)(2) or (5) a final supplement to the form of prospectus
          included in such registration statement relating to the
          Securities and the offering thereof.  As filed, such final
          prospectus supplement shall include all required information with
          respect to the Securities and the offering thereof and, except to
          the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a
          modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form
          furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent
          not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such
          specific additional information and other changes (beyond that
          contained in the Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Final Pro-
          spectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution
          Time, will be included or made therein.  If the Rule 434 Delivery
          Alternative is used, the Company will also file the Rule 434 Term
          Sheet in accordance with Rule 434.  As filed, such Rule 434 Term
          Sheet shall contain all the information required by Rule 434, and
          except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing
          to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the
          form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the
          extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only
          such specific additional information and other changes (beyond
          that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the
          Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be
          included or made therein.  Upon your request, but not without
          your agreement, the Company will also file 


<PAGE>


                                                                          3

          a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement in accordance with Rule
          462(b).

               (ii)  The Company meets the requirements for the use of
          Form S-3 under the Act and has filed with the Commission a
          registration statement (the file number of which is set forth in
          Schedule I hereto) on such Form, including a basic prospectus,
          for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the
          Securities.  The Company may have filed one or more amendments
          thereto, including a Preliminary Final Prospectus, each of which
          has previously been furnished to you.  The Company will next file
          with the Commission either (x) a final prospectus supplement
          relating to the Securities in accordance with Rules 430A and
          424(b)(1) or (4), or (y) prior to the effectiveness of such
          registration statement, an amendment to such registration
          statement, including the form of final prospectus supplement.  In
          the case of clause (x), the Company has included in such
          registration statement, as amended at the Effective Date, all
          information (other than Rule 430A Information) required by the
          Act and the rules thereunder to be included in the Final
          Prospectus with respect to the Securities and the offering
          thereof.  As filed, such final prospectus supplement or such
          amendment and form of final prospectus supplement shall contain
          all Rule 430A Information, together with all other such required
          information, with respect to the Securities and the offering
          thereof and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree
          in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive
          respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time
          or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall
          contain only such specific additional information and other
          changes (beyond that contained in the Basic Prospectus and any
          Preliminary Final Prospectus) as the Company has advised you,
          prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. 
          If the Rule 434 Delivery Alternative is used, the Company will
          also file the Rule 434 Term Sheet in accordance with Rule 434. 
          As filed, such Rule 434 Term Sheet shall contain all the
          information required by Rule 434, and except to the extent the
          Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall
          be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior
          to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the
          Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional
          information and other changes (beyond that contained in the 


<PAGE>


                                                                          4

          latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you,
          prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. 
          Upon your request, but not without your agreement, the Company
          will also file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement in accordance
          with Rule 462(b).
 .

          (b)  On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or
     will, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed (if required) in
     accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Pro-
     spectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material
     respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and the
     respective rules thereunder; on the Effective Date, the Registration
     Statement did not or will not contain any untrue statement of a
     material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
     therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
     misleading; on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the
     Indenture did or will comply in all material respects with the
     requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the
     "Trust Indenture Act"), and the rules thereunder; and, on the
     Effective Date, the Final Prospectus, if not filed pursuant to
     Rule 424(b), did not or will not, and on the date of any filing
     pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus
     (together with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
     necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
     circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
                                                               --------
     however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
     -------
     (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the
     Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust
     Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information contained in or
     omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or
     any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
     information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any
     Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in
     connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement or the
     Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto).

          (c)  The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall
     have the meanings indicated.  The term "the Effective Date" shall mean
     each date that the Registration Statement, any post-effective
     amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration 


<PAGE>


                                                                          5

     Statement became or become effective.  "Execution Time" shall mean the
     date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the
     parties hereto.  "Basic Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus referred
     to in paragraph (a) above contained in the Registration Statement at
     the Effective Date including, in the case of a Non-Delayed Offering,
     any Preliminary Final Prospectus.  "Preliminary Final Prospectus"
     shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Basic
     Prospectus which describes the Securities and the offering thereof and
     is used prior to filing of the Final Prospectus.  "Final Prospectus"
     shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that
     is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time,
     together with the Basic Prospectus or, if, in the case of a Non-
     Delayed Offering, no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) is required, shall
     mean the form of final prospectus relating to the Securities,
     including the Basic Prospectus, included in the Registration Statement
     at the Effective Date.  If the Rule 434 Delivery Alternative is used,
     such term shall also include the Basic Prospectus and the Rule 434
     Term Sheet, taken together.  "Registration Statement" shall mean the
     registration statement referred to in paragraph (a) above, including
     incorporated documents, exhibits and financial statements, as amended
     at the Execution Time (or, if not effective at the Execution Time, in
     the form in which it shall become effective) and, in the event any
     post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration
     Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as hereinafter
     defined), shall also mean such registration statement as so amended. 
     Such term shall include any Rule 430A Information and Rule 434
     Information deemed to be included therein at the Effective Date as
     provided by Rule 430A and Rule 434, respectively.  "Rule 415",
     "Rule 424", "Rule 430A", "Rule 434", "Rule 462(b)" and "Regulation S-
     K" refer to such rules or regulation under the Act.  "Rule 430A
     Information" means information with respect to the Securities and the
     offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration
     Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A.  "Rule 434
     Delivery Alternative" shall mean the delivery alternative permitted by
     Rule 434.  "Rule 434 Information" shall mean any information to be
     included in a Rule 434 Term Sheet.  "Rule 434 Term Sheet" shall mean
     the term sheet or abbreviated term sheet delivered by the Underwriters
     to investors and filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to
     Rule 434.  "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement" shall mean a
     registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to
     Rule 462(b) relating to the final Delayed Offering covered by the
     initial 


<PAGE>


                                                                          6

     Registration Statement.  Any reference herein to the Registration
     Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or
     the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the
     documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
     Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the
     Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the
     Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final
     Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms
     "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration
     Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or
     the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the
     filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date
     of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic
     Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus,
     as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.  A
     "Non-Delayed Offering" shall mean an offering of securities which is
     intended to commence promptly after the effective date of a regis-
     tration statement, with the result that, pursuant to Rules 415 and
     430A, all information (other than Rule 430A Information) with respect
     to the securities so offered must be included in such registration
     statement at the effective date thereof.  A "Delayed Offering" shall
     mean an offering of securities pursuant to Rule 415 which does not
     commence promptly after the effective date of a registration
     statement, with the result that only information required pursuant to
     Rule 415 need be included in such registration statement at the
     effective date thereof with respect to the securities so offered. 
     Whether the offering of the Securities is a Non-Delayed Offering or a
     Delayed Offering shall be set forth in Schedule I hereto.

          2.  Purchase and Sale.  Subject to the terms and conditions and
              ------------------
in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase
price set forth in Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Securities
set forth opposite such Underwriter's name in Schedule II hereto, except
that, if Schedule I hereto provides for the sale of Securities pursuant to
delayed delivery arrangements, the respective principal amounts of
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters shall be as set forth in
Schedule II hereto less the respective amounts of Contract Securities
determined as provided below.  Securities to be purchased by the
Underwriters are herein sometimes called the "Underwriters' Securities" and
Securities to be purchased pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts 


<PAGE>


                                                                          7

as hereinafter provided are herein called "Contract Securities".  

          If so provided in Schedule I hereto, the Underwriters are
authorized to solicit offers to purchase Securities from the Company
pursuant to delayed delivery contracts ("Delayed Delivery Contracts"),
substantially in the form of Schedule III hereto but with such changes
therein as the Company may authorize or approve.  The Underwriters will
endeavor to make such arrangements and, as compensation therefor, the
Company will pay to the Representatives, for the account of the
Underwriters, on the Closing Date, the percentage set forth in Schedule I
hereto of the principal amount of the Securities for which Delayed Delivery
Contracts are made.  Delayed Delivery Contracts are to be with institu-
tional investors, including commercial and savings banks, insurance
companies, pension funds, investment companies and educational and
charitable institutions.  The Company will enter into Delayed Delivery
Contracts in all cases where sales of Contract Securities arranged by the
Underwriters have been approved by the Company but, except as the Company
may otherwise agree, each such Delayed Delivery Contract must be for not
less than the minimum principal amount set forth in Schedule I hereto and
the aggregate principal amount of Contract Securities may not exceed the
maximum aggregate principal amount set forth in Schedule I hereto.  The
Underwriters will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or
performance of Delayed Delivery Contracts.  The principal amount of Secu-
rities to be purchased by each Underwriter as set forth in Schedule II
hereto shall be reduced by an amount which shall bear the same proportion
to the total principal amount of Contract Securities as the principal
amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter bears
to the aggregate principal amount set forth in Schedule II hereto, except
to the extent that you determine that such reduction shall be otherwise
than in such proportion and so advise the Company in writing; provided,
                                                              --------
however, that the total principal amount of Securities to be purchased by
- -------
all Underwriters shall be the aggregate principal amount set forth in
Schedule II hereto less the aggregate principal amount of Contract
Securities.

          3.  Delivery and Payment.  Delivery of and payment for the
              ---------------------
Underwriters' Securities shall be made on the date and at the time
specified in Schedule I hereto (or such later date not later than five
business days after such specified date as the Representatives shall
designate), which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the
Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 8 hereof (such
date and time of delivery and payment for the Underwriters' Securities
being herein called the "Closing Date").  Delivery of the Underwriters'
Securities 


<PAGE>


                                                                          8

shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the
several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through
the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of
the Company by either certified or official bank check or checks drawn on
or by a New York Clearing House bank and payable in next day funds or in
Federal or similar same day funds as set forth in Schedule I.  Delivery of
the Underwriters' Securities shall be made at such location as the
Representatives shall reasonably designate at least one business day in
advance of the Closing Date and payment for the Securities shall be made at
the office specified in Schedule I hereto.  Certificates for the
Underwriters' Securities shall be registered in such names and in such
denominations as the Representatives may request not less than three full
business days in advance of the Closing Date.  

          The Company agrees to have the Underwriters' Securities available
for inspection, checking and packaging by the Representatives in New York,
New York, not later than 1:00 p.m. on the business day prior to the Closing
Date.

          4.  Agreements.  The Company agrees with the several Underwriters
              -----------
that:  

          (a)  The Company will use its best efforts to cause the
     Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, and
     any amendment thereto, to become effective.  Prior to the termination
     of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any
     amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the
     Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Final Prospectus) to the Basic
     Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the
     Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and
     will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement or Rule 462(b)
     Registration Statement to which you reasonably object.  Subject to the
     foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final Prospectus,
     properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed with the
     Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within
     the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to
     the Representatives of such timely filing.  If the Rule 434 Delivery
     Alternative is used, the Company will also cause the Rule 434 Term
     Sheet, properly completed, to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
     Rule 434 within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence
     satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing.  Upon your
     request, the Company will cause the Rule 462(b) Registration
     Statement, properly completed, to be filed with the Commission
     pursuant to Rule 462(b) and will provide evidence satisfactory to 


<PAGE>


                                                                          9

     the Representatives of such filing.  The Company will promptly advise
     the Representatives (i) when the Registration Statement, if not
     effective at the Execution Time, and any amendment thereto, shall have
     become effective, (ii) when the Final Prospectus, any supplement
     thereto, any Rule 434 Term Sheet or any Rule 462(b) Registration
     Statement shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
     424(b), (iii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the
     Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have
     been filed or become effective, (iv) of any request by the Commission
     for any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the
     Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (v) of the
     issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effec-
     tiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or threaten-
     ing of any proceeding for that purpose and (vi) of the receipt by the
     Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
     qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
     initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.  The
     Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such
     stop order and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the
     withdrawal thereof.

          (b)  If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities
     is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a
     result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would
     include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
     material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of
     the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it
     shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement
     the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the
     respective rules thereunder, the Company promptly will prepare and
     file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph
     (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement which will correct
     such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

          (c)  As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally
     available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
     earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries
     which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule
     158 under the Act.

          (d)  The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel
     for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration
     Statement (including exhib-


<PAGE>


                                                                         10

     its thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an
     Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, as many copies of
     any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any
     supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request.  The
     Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all
     documents relating to the offering.

          (e)  The Company will arrange for the qualification of the
     Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the
     Representatives may designate, will maintain such qualifications in
     effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities and
     will arrange for the determination of the legality of the Securities
     for purchase by institutional investors.

          (f)  Until the business day following the Closing Date, the
     Company will not, without the consent of the Representatives, offer,
     sell or contract to sell, or announce the offering of, any senior debt
     securities.

          (g)  The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it has
     complied with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida,
     Chapter 92-198, An Act Relating to Disclosure of Doing Business with
                     ----------------------------------------------------
     Cuba, and the Company further agrees that if it commences engaging in
     ----
     business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate
     located in Cuba after the date the Registration Statement becomes or
     has become effective with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
     with the Florida Department of Banking and Finance (the "Department"),
     whichever date is later, or if the information reported in the
     Prospectus, if any, concerning the Company's business with Cuba or
     with any person or affiliate located in Cuba changes in any material
     way, the Company will provide the Department notice of such business
     or change, as appropriate, in a form acceptable to the Department.

          5.  Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters.  The
              --------------------------------------------------
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwriters' Securities
shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on
the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time and the
Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any
certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional
conditions:

          (a)  If the Registration Statement has not become effective prior
     to the Execution Time, unless the Representatives agree in writing to
     a later time, the Registration Statement will become effective not
     later 


<PAGE>


                                                                         11

     than (i) 6:00 p.m. New York City time, on the date of determination of
     the public offering price, if such determination occurred at or prior
     to 3:00 p.m. New York City time on such date or (ii) 12:00 Noon on the
     business day following the day on which the public offering price was
     determined, if such determination occurred after 3:00 p.m. New York
     City time on such ate; if filing of the Final Prospectus, or any
     supplement thereto, is required pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Final
     Prospectus, and any such supplement, shall have been filed in the
     manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b), or if the
     filing of the Rule 434 Term Sheet is required pursuant to Rule 434,
     the Rule 434 Term Sheet will be filed in the manner and within the
     time period required by Rule 434; and no stop order suspending the
     effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and
     no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
     threatened.

          (b)  The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives the
     opinion of Edwards & Angell, counsel for the Company, dated the
     Closing Date, to the effect that:  

               (i) each of the Company and Fleet National Bank ("Fleet
          Bank-RI") and any other subsidiary or subsidiaries which the
          Representatives may reasonably request (individually a
          "Subsidiary" and collectively the "Subsidiaries") has been duly
          incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation or national
          banking association in good standing under the laws of the
          jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized, with full
          corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct
          its business as described in the Final Prospectus; the Company is
          duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation under the
          laws of the State of New York and neither the Company nor Fleet
          Bank-RI or any such other Subsidiaries is required to be
          qualified to do business as a foreign corporation under the laws
          of any other jurisdiction; and the Company is duly registered as
          a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of
          1956, as amended; 

               (ii) all the outstanding shares of the capital stock of
          Fleet Bank-RI and any such other Subsidiaries have been duly and
          validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and (except as
          provided in 12 U.S.C. Sec. 55) nonassessable, and, except as
          otherwise set forth or incorporated by reference in the Final
          Prospectus, all outstanding 


<PAGE>


                                                                         12

          shares of capital stock of Fleet Bank-RI and such other
          Subsidiaries are owned by the Company free and clear of any
          perfected security interest and, to the knowledge of such
          counsel, after due inquiry, any other security interests, claims,
          liens or encumbrances;

               (iii) the Purchased Securities conform to the description
          thereof contained in the Final Prospectus; and, if the Securities
          are to be listed on any stock exchange, authorization therefor
          has been given, subject to official notice of issuance and evi-
          dence of satisfactory distribution, or the Company has filed a
          preliminary listing application and all required supporting
          documents with respect to the Securities with such stock exchange
          and such counsel has no reason to believe that the Securities
          will not be authorized for listing, subject to official notice of
          issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution;

               (iv) the Indenture and the Warrant Agreement, if any, have
          been duly authorized, executed and delivered; the Indenture has
          been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; and the
          Indenture and the Warrant Agreement, if any, constitute legal,
          valid and binding instruments enforceable against the Company in
          accordance with their respective terms (subject, as to
          enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganiza-
          tion, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors'
          rights generally from time to time in effect and to the
          availability of equitable remedies which are discretionary with
          the courts); and the Securities have been duly authorized and,
          when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions
          of the Indenture and delivered pursuant to the Warrant Agreement,
          in the case of Warrant Securities, and delivered to and paid for
          by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, in the case of
          the Underwriters' Securities, or by the purchasers thereof
          pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts, in the case of any
          Contract Securities, will constitute legal, valid and binding
          obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the
          Indenture;

               (v) to the best knowledge of such counsel, there is no
          pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before any court
          or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
          involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, of a character
          required to be disclosed in the 


<PAGE>


                                                                         13

          Registration Statement which is not adequately disclosed in the
          Final Prospectus, and there is no franchise, contract or other
          document of a character required to be described in the
          Registration Statement or Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an
          exhibit, which is not described or filed as required; 

               (vi) the Registration Statement has become effective under
          the Act; any required filing of the Basic Prospectus, any
          Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, and any
          supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
          manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b), or if
          the Rule 434 Delivery Alternative was used, the required filing
          of the Rule 434 Term Sheet has been made in the manner and time
          period required by Rule 434; to the best knowledge of such
          counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
          Registration Statement has been issued, no proceedings for that
          purpose have been instituted or threatened, and the Registration
          Statement and the Final Prospectus (other than the financial
          statements and other financial and statistical information
          contained therein as to which such counsel need express no
          opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the
          applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the
          respective rules thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to
          believe that at the Effective Date the Registration Statement
          contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
          state any material fact required to be stated therein or
          necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that
          at the Closing Date the Final Prospectus includes any untrue
          statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
          necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
          circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

               (vii) this Agreement and any Delayed Delivery Contracts have
          been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

               (viii) without expressing any opinion with respect to the
          Warrant Securities, no consent, approval, authorization or order
          of any court or governmental agency or body is required for the
          consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or in any
          Delayed Delivery Contracts, except such as have been obtained
          under the Act 


<PAGE>


                                                                         14

          and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any
          jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of
          the Securities by the Underwriters and such other approvals
          (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained;

               (ix) neither the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the
          consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated
          nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of any Delayed Deliv-
          ery Contracts will conflict with, result in a breach of, or
          constitute a default under the charter or by-laws of the Company
          or the terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument
          known to such counsel and to which the Company or any of its
          subsidiaries is a party or bound, or any order or regulation
          known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company or any of
          its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative
          agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over
          the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and

               (x) no holders of securities of the Company have rights to
          the registration of such securities under the Registration
          Statement.

     In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters
     involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the
     State of Rhode Island or the United States, to the extent deemed
     proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other
     counsel of good standing believed to be reliable and who are
     satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters of
     fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible
     officers of the Company and public officials.  References to the Final
     Prospectus in this paragraph (b) include any supplements thereto at
     the Closing Date.

          (c)  The Representatives shall have received from Cravath, Swaine
     & Moore, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated
     the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the
     Securities, the Indenture, any Delayed Delivery Contracts, the Regis-
     tration Statement, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement
     thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may
     reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such
     counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling
     them to pass upon such matters.

          (d)  The Company shall have furnished to the 


<PAGE>


                                                                         15

     Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman
     of the Board, the President or any Executive Vice President and the
     principal financial or accounting officer or treasurer of the Company,
     dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such
     certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the
     Final Prospectus, any supplement to the Final Prospectus and this
     Agreement and that:

               (i) the representations and warranties of the Company in
          this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on
          and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the
          Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements
          and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or
          satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

               (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
          Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for
          that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company's knowledge,
          threatened; and

               (iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements
          included in the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
          thereto), there has been no material adverse change in the
          condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties
          of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether or not arising from
          transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set
          forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus (exclusive of
          any supplement thereto).

     (e)  At the Closing Date, KPMG Peat Marwick shall have furnished to
     the Representatives a letter or letters (which may refer to letters
     previously delivered to one or more of the Representatives), dated as
     of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
     Representatives, confirming that they are independent accountants
     within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective
     applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and stating in
     effect that:

               (i) in their opinion the audited consolidated financial
          statements and financial statement schedules included or
          incorporated in the Registration Statement and the Final
          Prospectus and reported on by them comply in form in all material
          respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
          and the Exchange Act and the 


<PAGE>


                                                                         16

          related published rules and regulations;

               (ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest unaudited
          consolidated condensed financial statements made available by the
          Company and its subsidiaries; carrying out certain specified
          procedures (but not an audit in accordance with generally
          accepted auditing standards) which would not necessarily reveal
          matters of significance with respect to the comments set forth in
          such letter; a reading of the minutes of the meetings of the
          stockholders, directors and the executive and audit committees of
          the Company; and inquiries of certain officials of the Company
          who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters of
          the Company and its subsidiaries as to transactions and events
          subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial
          statements in or  incorporated in the Final Prospectus, nothing
          came to their attention which caused them to believe that:

                    (1) the amounts in the unaudited "Summary Consolidated
               Financial Data", if any, included in the Final Prospectus do
               not agree with the corresponding amounts in the audited
               consolidated condensed financial statements or analyses
               prepared by the Company from which such amounts were
               derived; or

                    (2) any unaudited consolidated financial statements
               included or incorporated in the Registration Statement and
               the Final Prospectus do not comply in form in all material
               respects with applicable accounting requirements and with
               the published rules and regulations of the Commission with
               respect to financial statements included or incorporated in
               quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; and
               said unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements
               are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting
               principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with
               that of the audited consolidated financial statements
               included or incorporated in the Registration Statement and
               the Final Prospectus;

                    (3) with respect to the period subsequent to the date
               of the most recent consolidated financial statements (other
               than any capsule information), audited or unaudited, in or
               incorporated in the Registration 


<PAGE>


                                                                         17

               Statement and the Final Prospectus, there were any changes,
               at a specified date not more than five business days prior
               to the date of the letter, in the long-term debt of the
               Company or capital stock of the Company or decreases in the
               stockholders' equity of the Company as compared with the
               amounts shown on the most recent consolidated balance sheet
               included or incorporated in the Registration Statement and
               the Final Prospectus, or for the period from the date of the
               most recent consolidated financial statements included or
               incorporated in the Registration Statement and the Final
               Prospectus to such specified date there were any decreases,
               as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding
               year; in consolidated net interest income, consolidated net
               interest income after provision for possible loan losses,
               consolidated income before income taxes or in total or per
               share amounts of consolidated net income of the Company,
               except in all instances for changes or decreases set forth
               in such letter, in which case the letter shall be
               accompanied by an explanation by the Company as to the
               significance thereof unless said explanation is not deemed
               necessary by the Representatives; or

                    (4) the amounts included in any unaudited "capsule"
               information included or incorporated in the Registration
               Statement and the Final Prospectus do not agree with the
               amounts set forth in the unaudited financial statements for
               the same periods or were not determined on a basis
               substantially consistent with that of the corresponding
               amounts in the audited financial statements included or
               incorporated in the Registration Statement and the Final
               Prospectus; and

               (iii) they have performed certain other specified procedures
          as a result of which they determined that certain information of
          an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited
          to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from
          the general accounting records of the Company and its
          subsidiaries) set forth in the Registration Statement and the
          Final Prospectus and in Exhibit 12 to the Registration Statement,
          including the information set forth under the captions "Fleet
          Financial Group, Inc.", "Recent Developments" and "Consolidated
          Ratios of 


<PAGE>


                                                                         18

          Earnings to Fixed Charges" in the Final Prospectus, the
          information included or incorporated in Items 1, 6 and 7 of the
          Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated in the
          Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the information
          included in the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
          Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included or
          incorporated in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q,
          incorporated in the Registration Statement and the Final
          Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company and
          its subsidiaries, excluding any questions of legal
          interpretation. 

          References to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (e) include
     any supplement thereto at the date of the letter. 

          (f)  Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates
     as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
     (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus
     (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i)
     any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to
     in paragraph (e) of this Section 5 or (ii) any change, or any
     development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
     business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries the effect
     of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in
     the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to
     make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or the
     delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration State-
     ment (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus
     (exclusive of any supplement thereto).  

          (g)  Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been
     any decrease in the ratings of any of the Company's debt securities by
     any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as
     defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given
     of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating.  

          (h)  Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished
     to the Representatives such further information, certificates and
     documents (including an opinion of counsel for the Company with
     respect to the foreign qualification of specified subsidiaries) as the
     Representatives may reasonably request.  

          (i)  The Company shall have accepted Delayed Delivery Contracts
     in any case where sales of Contract 


<PAGE>


                                                                         19

     Securities arranged by the Underwriters have been approved by the
     Company.  

          If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not
have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this
Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects
reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the
Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the
Closing Date by the Representatives.  Notice of such cancelation shall be
given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in
writing.
  
          6.  Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses.  If the sale of the
              ----------------------------------------
Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to
the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof is not
satisfied or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of
the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision
hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the
Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all out-
of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel)
that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed
purchase and sale of the Securities.

          7.  Indemnification and Contribution.  (a)  The Company agrees to
              ---------------------------------
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person who controls
any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act
against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the
Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at
common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the registration statement for the registration of the
Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Basic
Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, or in
any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as in-
curred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action; provided, however, that (i) the Company will not be
                     -------- --------
liable in any such 


<PAGE>


                                                                         20

case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises
out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on
behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use
in connection with the preparation thereof, and (ii) such indemnity with
respect to the Basic Prospectus or any Preliminary Final Prospectus shall
not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling such
Underwriter) from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or
liability purchased the Securities which are the subject thereof if such
person did not receive a copy of the Final Prospectus (or the Final
Prospectus as supplemented) excluding documents incorporated therein by
reference at or prior to the confirmation of the sale of such Securities to
such person in any case where such delivery is required by the Act and the
untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in the Basic
Prospectus or any Preliminary Final Prospectus was corrected in the Final
Prospectus (or the Final Prospectus as supplemented).  This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may
otherwise have.  

          (b)  Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs
the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within
the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as
the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with
reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation of the documents referred to in the
foregoing indemnity.  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have.  The Company
acknowledges that the statements set forth in the last paragraph of the
cover page, under the heading "Underwriting" or "Plan of Distribution" and,
if Schedule I hereto provides for sales of Securities pursuant to delayed
delivery arrangements, in the last sentence under the heading "Delayed
Delivery Arrangements" in any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final
Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on
behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the documents referred
to in the foregoing indemnity, and you, as the Representatives, confirm
that such statements are correct.

          (c)  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified
party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party 


<PAGE>


                                                                         21

under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party
will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified
party otherwise than under this Section 7.  In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying
party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled
to appoint counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party to represent the
indemnified party in such action; provided, however, that if the defendants
                                  --------  -------
in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying
party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there
may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties
which are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right
to select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such
indemnified party or parties.  Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying
party to such indemnified party of its election so to appoint counsel to
defend such action and approval by the indemnified party of such counsel,
the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under
this Section 7 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i)
the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance
with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood,
however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses
of more than one separate counsel (plus any local counsel), approved by the
Representatives in the case of paragraph (a) of this Section 7,
representing the indemnified parties under such paragraph (a) who are
parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have
employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of
the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment of
counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party;
and except that, if clause (i) or (iii) is applicable, such liability shall
be only in respect of the counsel referred to in such clause (i) or (iii).

          (d)  In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) of
this Section 7 is due in accordance with its terms but is for any reason
held by a court to be unavailable from the Company on grounds of policy or
otherwise, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the
aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending
same) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may 


<PAGE>


                                                                         22

be subject in such proportion so that the Underwriters are responsible for
that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount
bears to the sum of such discount and the purchase price of the Securities
specified in Schedule I hereto and the Company is responsible for the
balance; provided, however, that (y) in no case shall any Underwriter
         --------  -------
(except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to
the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of
the underwriting discount applicable to the Securities purchased by such
Underwriter hereunder and (z) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.  For purposes of this Section 7, each person
who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Act shall have the
same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who
controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange
Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration
Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company, subject in each case to clauses (y) and (z) of
this paragraph (d).  Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly
after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding
against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made
against another party or parties under this paragraph (d), notify such
party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to
so notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from
whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may
have hereunder or otherwise than under this paragraph (d).

          8.  Default by an Underwriter.  If any one or more Underwriters
              --------------------------
shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be
purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to
purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their
obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be
obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions
which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule
II hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite
the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase;
provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of
- --------  -------
Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities
set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the
right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase
any, of the Securities, and if 


<PAGE>


                                                                         23

such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this
Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter
or the Company.  In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth
in this Section 8, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not
exceeding seven days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that
the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus
or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.  Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its
liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for
damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

          9.  Termination.  This Agreement shall be subject to termination
              ------------
in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the
Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to
such time (i) trading in the Company's Common Stock shall have been
suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange or trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been
suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such
Exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by
Federal or New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire or
Massachusetts state authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any
outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of
a national emergency or war or other calamity or crisis the effect of which
on the financial markets is such as to make it, in the judgment of the
Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities.

          10.  Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective
               ------------------------------------------
agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements
of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made
pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company
or any of the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in
Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the
Securities.  The provisions of Sections 6 and 7 hereof shall survive the
termination or cancelation of this Agreement.  

          11.  Notices.  All communications hereunder will be in writing
               --------
and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be
mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to them, at the address
specified in Schedule I hereto; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed,
delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at 50 Kennedy Plaza,
Providence, Rhode Island 02903, attention of the Senior Vice President and
General Counsel.


<PAGE>


                                                                         24


          12.  Successors.  This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and
               -----------
be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the
officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7
hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

          13. Applicable Law.  This Agreement will be governed by and
              ---------------
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

          If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the  enclosed duplicate hereof,
whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding
agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.


                            Very truly yours,

                            FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

                            By: 
                                ---------------------------------
                                Title:  Vice President -  Finance


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
  as of the date first above written:


BY:  GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

By:
                                          
     -------------------------------------


For themselves and as Representative of the other
Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto.




<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE I


Underwriting Agreement dated October 23, 1995

Registration Statement No. 33-55555

Representatives:                    Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                                    85 Broad Street
                                    New York, NY 10004

                                    Citicorp Securities, Inc.
                                    399 Park Avenue
                                    New York, NY 10043

                                    First Union Capital Markets Corp.
                                    301 South College Street
                                    One First Union Center
                                    Charlotte, NC 28288-0604

                                    PaineWebber Incorporated.
                                    1285 Avenue of the Americas
                                    New York, NY 10019

Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:

         Title:   6% Senior Notes Due October 26, 1998

         Trustee:  The First National Bank of Chicago

         Principal amount:  $250,000,000

         Purchase price: 99.583% of principal amount plus
                         accrued interest, if any, from October 26,
                         1995, to the date of delivery

         Type of Funds:  Wire transfer of Federal (same day) funds

         Sinking fund provisions:  None

         Redemption provisions:  Not redeemable prior to maturity

         Other provisions:  None


Closing Date, Time and Location:    October 26, 1995
                                    9:30 a.m., New York time
                                    Cravath, Swaine & Moore
                                    825 Eighth Avenue
                                    New York, NY  10019

Type of Offering: Delayed Offering

Modification of items to be covered by the letter from
  KPMG Peat Marwick delivered pursuant to
  Section 5(e) at the Execution Time:  None


<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE II


                                          Principal Amount
                                          of Securities to
Underwriters                               be Purchased
- ------------                              ----------------

Goldman, Sachs & Co.                         $190,000,000
Citicorp Securities, Inc.                      20,000,000
First Union Capital Markets Corp.              20,000,000
PaineWebber Incorporated                       20,000,000

                                          ---------------
        Total ..........................  $   250,000,000
                                          ===============



                                                                   EXHIBIT (4)

Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The
Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC"), to Issuer or its agent
for registration of transfer, exchange, or payment, and any certificate issued
is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is requested by
an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to
such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY
TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON
IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest
herein.

THE NOTES ARE NOT SAVINGS  ACCOUNTS,  DEPOSITS OR OTHER  OBLIGATIONS OF ANY
BANK OR NONBANK SUBSIDIARY OF FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. AND ARE NOT INSURED BY
THE FEDERAL  DEPOSIT  INSURANCE  CORPORATION,  BANK  INSURANCE FUND OR ANY OTHER
GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

REGISTERED                                                           REGISTERED

NUMBER SPECIMEN                                                     SPECIMEN

                          FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

                      6% SENIOR NOTES DUE October 26, 1998
                                                             CUSIP:  338902AV1

     FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., a Rhode Island corporation (hereinafter called
the "Company", which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture
hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE &
CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of SPECIMEN on October 26, 1998,
and to pay interest thereon from October 26, 1995, or from the most recent
Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for,
semi-annually on April 26 and October 26 in each year, commencing April 26, 1996
at the rate of 6% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made
available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly
provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture,
be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes)
is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such
interest, which shall be the April 11 or October 11 (whether or not a Business
Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date; provided,
however, that in case of a Note originally issued between a Regular Record Date
and the Interest Payment Date or on an Interest Payment Date relating to such
Regular Record Date, interest for the period beginning on the date of issue and
ending on such Interest Payment Date shall be paid on the next succeeding
Interest Payment Date to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more
Predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record
Date with respect to such succeeding Interest Payment Date. Any such interest
not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable
to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person
in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered at the
close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted
Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of
Notes of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or
be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes of this series may be
listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more
fully provided in said Indenture. Interest will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

     Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on
this Note will be made at the offices or agencies of the Company maintained for
that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in The City
of Providence, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at
the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts;
provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be
made by check drawn upon any Paying Agent and mailed on or prior to an Interest
Payment Date to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall
appear in the Security Register.

     This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company
(herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued under an Indenture
dated as of October 1, 1992 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and The First
National Bank of Chicago (herein called the "Trustee", which term includes any
successor Trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all Indentures
supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective
rights of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and the
terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.
This Note is one of a series of Notes of the Company designated as its 6% Senior
Notes Due October 26, 1998 (herein called the "Notes"), limited in aggregate
principal amount to $250,000,000.

     Upon any distribution of assets of the Company upon dissolution, winding
up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of, premium, if
any, and interest on, the Notes is to be subordinated in right of payment to the
extent provided in the Indenture to the prior payment in full of all Senior
Indebtedness and Other Financial Obligations of the Company (each as defined in
the Indenture). Each Holder of the Notes, by the acceptance thereof, agrees to
and shall be bound by such provisions of the Indenture.

     The Notes may not be redeemed prior to their maturity on October 26, 1998.

     As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set forth
therein, the transfer of this Note may be registered in the Security Register of
the Company upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the
office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of (and
premium, if any) and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or
accompanied by, a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company, duly executed by the registered Holder hereof or his attorney duly
authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized
denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the
designated transferee or transferees.

     The Notes are issuable only as registered Notes without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. As provided in the
Indenture, and subject to certain limitations set forth therein, this Note is
exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different
authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

     No service charge will be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

     Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this Note, the
Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the
Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for the purpose
of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other purposes, whether or
not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such
agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

     If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall occur and be
continuing, the principal hereof may be declared due and payable in the manner
and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

     The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the trustee under
each series to be affected with the consent of the Holders of 66 2/3% in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series to be affected.
The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified
percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any
series, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive
compliance by the Company 

<PAGE>

with certain  provisions of the  Indenture  and certain past defaults  under the
Indenture  and their  consequences.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of
this Note shall be  conclusive  and binding upon such Holder and upon all future
Holders of this Note and of any Note  issued upon the  registration  of transfer
hereof or in exchange  herefor or in lieu hereof whether or not notation of such
consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

     No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of
the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any, on this Note at the times, place and rate, and in the coin and
currency, herein prescribed.

     All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have
the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

     Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the
Trustee, directly or through an authenticating agent, by the manual signature of
an authorized officer, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the
Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:  October 26, 1995

                                              FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.


                                              By
                                                ------------------------------
                                                   Chairman


                                              By
                                                ------------------------------
                                                   Secretary


                         CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

     This is one of the Securities of the series provided for under the
within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:  October 26, 1995         THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO, as Trustee


                                 By
                                   ------------------------------
                                         Authorized Officer




                                    ASSIGNMENT

     FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
   IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

- ------------------------------------------------------------------
Name and address of assignee, including zip code, must be printed 
or typewritten)

- ------------------------------------------------------------------

- ------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note, and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably 
constituting and appointing

- ------------------------------------------------------------------
Attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the within Company, 
with full power of substitution in the premises.


Dated:
      -------------------------                    ---------------------------
                                        NOTICE:    The signature to this
                                                   assignment must correspond
                                                   with the name as it appears
                                                   upon the face of the within
                                                   or attached Note in every
                                                   particular, without
                                                   alteration or enlargement or
                                                   any change whatever.




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