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to adminif-ginia, for the time being, or, any two other at all times here, ter to any after, and from time to time, have full power and authority, perfon going into Virgi- to minifter and give the oath and oaths of fupremacy and nia the oath allegiance, or either of them, to all and every person and perof allegi fons, which fhall, at any time or times hereafter, go or pafs fupremacy. to the faid colony in Virginia.

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Power to XIII. And further, that it fhall be lawful likewife for the the fame faid treasurer or his deputy, for the time being, or any two perfons to others of our faid council for the faid firft colony in Virginia, oaths of of- for the time being, from time to time, and at all times hereto per- after, to minifter fuch a formal oath, as by their Jifcretion shall fons em- be reafonably devifed, as well unto any perfon or perfons, employed in faid ployed in, for, or touching the faid plantation, for their hoplantation, neft, faithful, and just difcharge of their fervice, in all fuch witneffes in matters, as fhall be committed unto them for the good and judicial pro- benefit of the faid company, colony, and plantation; as alfo, ceedings. unto fuch other perfon or perfons, as the faid treasurer or his deputy, with two others of the faid council, fhall think meet, for the examination or clearing of the truth, in any cause whatsoever concerning the faid plantation, or any business, from thence proceeding, or thereunto belonging.

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XIV. And furthermore, whereas we have been certified, the mibe- that divers lewd and ill-difpofed perfons, both failors, foldiers, divers per- artificers, hufbandmen, labourers, and others, having received fons em- wages, apparel, and other entertainment from the faid comployed or engaged by pany, or having contracted and agreed with the faid company, to go, or to ferve, or to be employed in the faid plantation of the faid first colony in Virginia, have afterwards, either withdrawn, hid, or concealed themselves, or have refused to go thither, after they have been fo entertained and agreed withal; and that divers and fundry perfons also, which have been sent and employed in the faid plantation of the faid first colony in Virginia, at and upon the charge of the faid company, and having there mifbehaved themselves by mutinies, fedition, or other notorious mifdemeanors, or having been employed or fent abroad, by the governor of Virginia, or his deputy, with fome ship or pinnance, for our provifion of the faid colony, or for fome difcovery, or other bufinefs and affairs, concerning the fame, have from thence moft treacherously, either come back again and returned into our realm of England, by ftealth, or without licence of our governor of our faid colony in Virginia, for the time being, or have been fent hither, as mifdoers and offenders; and that many alfo of those persons, after their return from thence, having been queftioned by our faid council here, for fuch their misbehaviours and offences, by

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their infolent and contemptuous carriage in the presence of our faid Council, have fhewed little refpect and reverence, either to the place, or authority, in which we have placed and appointed them; and others, for the colouring of their lewdness and misdemeanors committed in Virginia, have endeavoured by most vile and flanderous reports, made and divulged, as well of the country of Virginia, as also of the government and eftate of the faid plantation and colony, as much as in them lay, to bring the faid voyage and plantation into difgrace and contempt; by means whereof, not only the adventurers and planters, already engaged in the faid plantation, have been exceedingly abused and hindered, and a great number of other our loving and well-difpofed fubjects, otherwife well-affected, and inclined to join and adventure in fo noble, christian, and worthy an action, have been discouraged from the fame, but also the utter overthrow and ruin of the faid enterprize hath been greatly endangered, which cannot miscarry without fome difhonour to Us and our kingdom.

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XV. Now, forasmuch as it appeareth unto Us, that these Powergiven infolences, mifdemeanors, and abufes, not to be tolerated in frer or his any civil government, have, for the most part, grown and deputy, with proceeded, in regard our faid Council have not any direct one of the power and authority, by any express words in our former the faid letters patents, to correct and chaftife fuch offenders; we company, to therefore, for the more fpeedy reformation of fo great and caufe fuch enormous abuses and misdemeanors, heretofore practifed and offenders to committed, and for the preventing of the like hereafter, do, hended, and by these presents, for us, our heirs, and fucceffors, give and proceeded grant to the faid treasurer and company, and their fucceffors, against in England, or for ever, that it shall and may be lawful for our faid Council fent back to for the faid first colony in Virginia, or any two of them, Virginia, to (whereof the said treasurer or his deputy, for the time being, nished, as to be always one) by warrant under their hands, to fend for, they fhall or to cause to be apprehended, all and every such person and think properfons, who shall be noted, or accufed, or found, at any per. time or times hereafter, to offend, or misbehave themselves, in any the offences before mentioned and expreffed; and upon the examination of any fuch offender or offenders, and just proof made by oath, taken before the faid Council, of any such notorious misdemeanors by them committed, as aforefaid; and also upon any infolent, and contemptuous, or indecent carriage and misbehaviour, to or against our faid Council, fhewed or used by any fuch perfon or perfons, fo called, convented, and appearing before them, as aforefaid; that in all fuch cafes, they, our faid Council, or any two of them, for the time

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being, fhall and may have full power and authority, either here to bind them over with good fureties for their good behaviour, and further therein to proceed, to all intents and purposes, as it is ufed, in other like cafes, within our realm of England; or else, at their difcretions, to remand and send them back, the faid offenders, or any of them, unto the faid colony in Virginia, there to be proceeded against and punished, as the governor, deputy, or council there, for the time being, fhall think meet; or otherwife, according to fuch laws and ordinances, as are and fhall be in ufe there, for the well-ordering and good government of the faid colony.

XVI. And for the more effectual advancing of the faid erect lotte-plantation, we do further, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, of Fies. our special grace and favour, by virtue of our prerogative royal, and by the affent and confent of the Lords and others of our privy council, give and grant, unto the said treasurer and company, full power and authority, free leave, liberty, and licence, to fet forth, erect, and publifh, one or more lottery or lotteries, to have continuance, and to endure and be held, for the space of one whole year, next after the opening of the fame; and after the end and expiration of the faid term, the faid lottery or lotteries to continue and be further kept, during our will and pleasure only, and not otherwise. And yet nevertheless, we are contented and pleafed, for the good and welfare of the faid plantation, that the faid treasurer and company fhall, for the dispatch and finishing of the said lottery or lotteries, have fix months warning after the said year ended, before our will and pleasure fhall, for and on that behalf, be conftrued, deemed, and adjuged, to be in any wife altered and determined.

XVII. And our further will and pleasure is, that the faid lottery and lotteries fhall and may be opened and held, within our city of London, or any other city or town, or elsewhere, within this our realm of England, with fuch prizes, articles, conditions, and limitations, as to them, the faid treasurer and company, in their difcretions, fhall feem convenient.

XVIII. And that it fhall and may be lawful, to and for the said treasurer and company, to elect and chufe receivers, auditors, furveyors, commiffioners, or any other officers whatfoever, at their will and pleasure, for the better marfhalling, difpofing, guiding, and governing of the faid lottery and lotteries; and that it fhall likewise be lawful, to and for the faid treasurer and any two of the faid Council, to minister to all and every such person, so elected and chofen for officers, as aforefaid, one or more oaths, for their good behaviour, just

and

and true dealing, in and about the faid lottery or lotteries, to the intent and purpose, that none of our loving fubjects, putting in their names, or otherwise adventuring in the faid general lottery or lotteries, may be, in any wife, defrauded and deceived of their faid monies, or evily and indirectly dealt withal in their faid adventures.

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XIX. And we further grant, in manner and form aforesaid, that it shall and may be lawful, to and for the faid treasurer and company, under the feal of our faid council for the plantation, to publish, or to cause and procure to be published, by proclamation or otherwise (the faid proclamation to be made in their name, by virtue of these prefents) the faid lottery or lotteries, in all cities, towns, boroughs, places, within our faid realm of England; and we will and command all mayors, juftices of peace, fheriffs, bailiffs, conftables, and other officers and loving fubjects, whatsoever, that, in no wife, they hinder or delay the progress and proceedings of the faid lottery or lotteries, but be therein, touching the premises, aiding and affifting, by all honest, good, and lawful means and endeavours.

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XX. And further our will and pleasure is, that in all Doubtful queftions and doubts, that fhall arife, upon any difficulty of paffages conftruction or interpretation of any thing, contained in thefe, trued in faor any other our former letters patents, the fame fhall be vour of the taken and interpreted, in moft ample and beneficial manner grantees. for the faid treasurer and company, and their fucceffors, and every member thereof.

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XXI. And lastly, we do, by these prefents, ratify and con- Confirmafirm unto the faid treasurer and company, and their fucceffors, former letfor ever, all and all manner of privileges, franchifes, liberties, ters patents immunities, preheminences, profits, and commodities, what- in all points foever, granted unto them in any our former letters patents, and not in these prefents revoked, altered, changed, or abridged. the prefent Although express mention of the true yearly value or certainty of the premises, or any of them, or of any other gift or grant, by us or any of our progenitors or predeceffors, to the aforefaid treasurer and company heretofore made, in thefe presents is not made; or any ftatute, act, ordinance, provision, proclamation, or restraint, to the contrary thereof heretofore made, ordained, or provided, or any other matter, cause, or thing, whatfoever, to the contrary, in any wife, notwithstanding.

In witness whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patents. Witnefs Ourfelf, at Westminster, the twelfth day of March, in the ninth year of our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the five-and-fortieth. PENSYL

PENSYLVANIA CHARTER,

Granted by King CHARLES II. in the Fourteenth Year
of his Reign.

Prima Pars Patentium de Anno Regni Regis CAROLI Secundi
Tricefimo Tertio.

CH

HARLES the Second, &c. to all to whom these presents fhall come, Greeting. Whereas our trufty and wellbeloved fubject William Penn, efquire, fon and heir of Sir William Penn, deceased, out of commendable defire to enlarge our English empire, and promote fuch useful commodities as may be of benefit to us, and our dominions; as also to reduce the favage natives, by gentle and juft manners, to the love of civil fociety and chriftian religion, hath humbly befought leave of us to transport an ample colony unto a certain country herein after described, in the parts of America not yet cultivated and planted; and hath likewife humbly befought our Royal Majefty to give, grant, and confirm all the faid' country, with certain privileges and jurifdictions requifite for the good government and fafety of the faid country and colony, to him and his heirs, for ever: Know ye therefore, That We, favouring the petition and good purpose of the faid William Penn, and having regard to the memory and merits of his late father, in divers fervices, and particularly to his conduct, courage and difcretion, under our dearest brother James Duke of York, in that fignal battle and victory fought and obtained against the Dutch fleet, commanded by the Heere Van Obdam, in the year one thousand fix hundred and fixty-five; in confideration thereof, of our fpecial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have given and granted, and by this our prefent Charter, for us, our heirs, and fuccefPremiffes fors, do give and grant, unto the faid Sir William Penn, his heirs and affigns, all that tract or part of land in America, with all the islands therein contained, as the fame is bounded on the Eaft by Delawar river, from twelve miles diftance northwards of Newcastle Town, unto the three and fortieth degree of northern latitude, if the faid river doth extend fo far northwards; but if the said river fhall not extend fo far northwards, then by the faid river fo far as it doth extend;

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