<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.16
<SEQUENCE>5
<FILENAME>ex16.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>

                 JOHN HANCOCK PATRIOT PREMIUM DIVIDEND FUND II

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

    I do hereby  constitute  and appoint  George Boyd,  John J. Danello,  Thomas
Kinzler,  Betsy Anne  Seel,  Gordon M.  Shone,  Alfred P.  Ouellette,  Genevieve
Pluhowski,  or any  one of  them,  my  true  and  lawful  attorneys  to  execute
registration  statements to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") and/or the
Investment  Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"),  and to do any and
all acts and things and to execute any and all instruments for me and in my name
in the capacities  indicated  below,  which said attorneys,  or any of them, may
deem necessary or advisable to enable John Hancock Patriot Premium Dividend Fund
II (the  "Fund")  to comply  with the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act,  and any rules,
regulations and  requirements  of the SEC, in connection with such  registration
statements,  including specifically, but without limitation, power and authority
to  sign  for  me in the  capacity  indicated  below,  the  Fund's  registration
statement  on Form  N-14  relating  to the  fund  merger  listed  below  and any
amendments  (including pre- and  post-effective  amendments)  thereto;  and I do
hereby ratify and confirm all that the said attorneys,  or any of them, shall do
or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney.

Fund Merger
-----------
John  Hancock  Patriot  Premium  Dividend  Fund I, John Hancock  Patriot  Select
Dividend Trust,  John Hancock Patriot Global Dividend Fund, John Hancock Patriot
Preferred Dividend Fund, into John Hancock Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME                     SIGNATURE                   TITLE                                   DATE
----                     ---------                   -----                                   ----
<S>                      <C>                         <C>                                     <C>
Keith F. Hartstein       /s/ Keith F. Hartstein      President and Chief Executive Officer   December 13, 2006
                         ----------------------

John G. Vrysen           /s/ John G. Vrysen          Executive Vice President and Chief      December 13, 2006
                         ----------------------      Financial Officer

Ronald R. Dion           /s/ Ronald R. Dion          Chairman *
                         ----------------------

James R. Boyle           /s/ James R. Boyle          Trustee *
                         ----------------------

James F. Carlin          /s/ James F. Carlin         Trustee *
                         ----------------------

Richard P. Chapman, Jr.  /s/ Richard P. Chapman, Jr. Trustee                                 December 14, 2006
                         ----------------------

William H. Cunningham    /s/ William H. Cunningham   Trustee *
                         ----------------------

<PAGE>

NAME                     SIGNATURE                   TITLE                                   DATE
----                     ---------                   -----                                   ----

Charles L. Ladner        /s/ Charles L. Ladner       Trustee *
                         ----------------------

Dr. John A. Moore        /s/ Dr. John A. Moore       Trustee                                 December 14, 2006
                         ----------------------

Patti McGill Peterson    /s/ Patti McGill Peterson   Trustee *
                         ----------------------

Steven R. Pruchansky     /s/ Steven R. Pruchansky    Trustee *
                         ----------------------
</TABLE>

*September 12, 2006
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
