JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT SERIES FUND
Instrument Fixing the Number of Trustees and
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Appointing Individual to Fill Vacancy
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The undersigned, constituting a majority of the Trustees of John
Hancock Tax-Exempt Series Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust),
acting pursuant to Section 2.12 of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust
dated July 1, 1996, as amended from time to time (the "Declaration of Trust"),
do hereby:
(a) fix the number of Trustees at sixteen (16);
(b) appoint Maureen R. Ford to fill the vacancy thereby created, such
appointment to become effective upon Ms. Ford accepting in writing such
appointment and agreeing to be bound by the terms of the Declaration of
Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this instrument this
7th day of December, 1999.
/s/Dennis S. Aronowitz /s/Gail D. Fosler
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Dennis S. Aronowitz Gail D. Fosler
/s/Edward J. Boudreau, Jr. /s/William F. Glavin
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Edward J. Boudreau, Jr. William F. Glavin
________________________ /s/Anne C. Hodsdon
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Stephen L. Brown Anne C. Hodsdon
________________________ /s/John A. Moore
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Richard P. Chapman, Jr. John A. Moore
/s/William J. Cosgrove /s/Patti McGill Peterson
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William J. Cosgrove Patti McGill Peterson
________________________ /s/John W. Pratt
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Douglas M. Costle John W. Pratt
/s/Leland O. Erdahl /s/Richard S. Scipione
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Leland O. Erdahl Richard S. Scipione
/s/Richard A. Farrell
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Richard A. Farrell
<PAGE>
The Declaration of Trust, a copy of which, together with all amendments
thereto, is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, provides that no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the
Trust or any Series thereof shall be subject to any personal liability
whatsoever to any Person, other than to the Trust or its shareholders, in
connection with Trust Property or the affairs of the Trust, save only that
arising from bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of his/her duties with respect to such Person; and all such Persons
shall look solely to the Trust Property, or to the Trust Property of one or more
specific Series of the Trust if the claim arises from the conduct of such
Trustee, officer, employee or agent with respect to only such Series, for
satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the affairs of
the Trust.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS )
)ss
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK )
Then personally appeared the above-named Dennis S. Aronowitz, Edward J.
Boudreau, Jr., William J. Cosgrove, Leland O. Erdahl, Richard A. Farrell, Gail
D. Fosler, William F. Glavin, Anne C. Hodsdon, John A. Moore, Patti McGill
Peterson, John W. Pratt, and Richard S. Scipione, who acknowledged the foregoing
instrument to be his or her free act and deed, before me, this 7th day of
December, 1999.
/s/Ann Marie White
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Notary Public
My Commission Expires: 10/20/00
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