to come..

vince, both allegiance, and that all and fingular the fubjects and liege prefent and people of us, our heirs and fucceffors, tranfported or to be transported into the faid province, and the children of them, and of fuch as fhall defcend from them, there already born, or hereafter to be born, be, and fhall be denizens and lieges of us, our heirs and fucceffors, of our kingdoms of England and Ireland, and be in all things held, treated, reputed and efteemed, as the liege faithful people of us, ouF heirs and fucceffors, born within our kingdom of England; and likewife, any lands, tenements, revenues, fervices and other hereditaments whatsoever, within our kingdom of England, and other our dominions, may inherit, or otherwife, purchase, receive, take, have, hold, buy and poffefs, and them may occupy and enjoy, give, fell, alien and bequeath, as likewife all liberties, franchifes and privileges, of this our kingdom of England, freely, quietly and peaceably, have and poffefs, occupy and enjoy, as our liege people, born, or to be born, within our faid kingdom of England, without the let, moleftation, vexation, trouble or grievance of us, our heirs and fucceffors; any ftatute, act, ordinance or provision to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.

Grant

to

lers of a li

And furthermore, that our fubjects may be the rather enthe faid fet-couraged to undertake this expedition with ready and chearberty to ful minds, know ye, That we, of our fpecial grace, certain trade to the knowledge, and mere motion, do give and grant, by virtue faid pro- of these prefents, as well unto the faid now Lord Baltimore,

vince.

and his heirs, as to all others who fhall, from time to time, repair unto the said country with a purpose to inhabit there, or to trade with the natives of the faid province, full licence to lade and freight in any ports whatsoever, of us, our heirs and fucceffors, and into the faid province of Maryland, by them, their fervants or affigns, to transport all and fingular their goods, wares, and merchandizes, as likewise all forts of grain whatfoever, and all other things whatsoever neceffary for food or cloathing, not prohibited by the laws and ftatutes of our kingdoms and dominions to be carried out of the said kingdoms, any ftatute, act, ordinance, or other thing whatfoever to the contrary notwithstanding, without any lett or moleftation of us, our heirs and fucceffors, or of any the heirs of us, our heirs and fucceffors; faving always to us, our heirs and fucceffors, the legal impofitions, cuftoms, and other duties and payments for the faid wares and merchandize, any ftatute, act, ordinance, or other thing whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding..

And

us,

vy forces &

army;

And because in fo remote a country, and fituate near fo Grant of a many barbarous nations, the incurfions as well of the fava- power to le. ges themselves, as of other enemies, pirates, and robbers, make war, may probably be feared, therefore we have given, and for and do every our heirs and fucceffors, do give power, by these presents, thing that belongs to unto the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, the office of by themselves or their captains, or other their officers, to a captainlevy, mufter, and train all forts of men, of what condition, generalofan or wherefoever born, in the faid province of Maryland, for the time being, and to make war, and purfue the enemies and robbers aforefaid, as well by fea as by land, yea, even without the limits of the faid province, and (by God's affiftance) to vanquish and take them; and being taken, to put them to death, by the law of war, or to fave them, at their pleafure; and to do all and every other thing which unto the charge and office of a captain-general of an army belongeth, or hath accustomed to belong, as fully and freely as any captain-general of an army hath ever had the fame.

or upon

upon rebels

Alfo, our will and pleasure is, and by this our charter, and of a we do give unto the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and power to fupprefs re affigns, full power, liberty and authority, in cafe of rebel- bellions,and lion, tumult or fedition, if any fhould happen (which God exercife forbid) either upon the land, within the province aforefaid, martial law the main fea, in making a voyage thither, or return- and defering from thence by themfelves, or their captains, deputies, or ters. other officers, to be authorized under their feals for that purpose, (to whom we alfo for us, our heirs and fucceffors, do give and grant by these prefents, full power and authority) to exercife martial law against mutinous and feditious perfons of thofe parts, fuch as fhall refufe to fubmit themselves to his or their government, or fhall refuse to serve in the wars, or fhall Hy to the enemy, or forfake their enfigns, or be loiterers or ftragglers, or otherways however offending against the law, cuftom, and difcipline military, as freely and in as ample manner and form as any captain-general of an army, by virtue of his office, might, or hath accustomed to use the fame.

nours upon

Furthermore, that the way to honours and dignities may Grant of a not seem to be altogether precluded and fhut up to men power to well-born, and fuch as fhall prepare themselves unto this confer hoprefent plantation, and fhall defire to deferve well of us the inhabiand our kingdoms, both in peace and war, in so far diftant tants of the and remote a country: Therefore we, for us, our heirs and province, with fucceffors, do give free and abfolute power unto the faid

faid

proper ti

now les

1

ufed in Eng

land;

and incor

being other, now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, to confer favours, than thofe rewards and honours, upon fuch inhabitants, within the province aforefaid, as fhall deserve the fame, and to inveft them with what titles and dignities foever as he fhall think fit (fo as they be not fuch as are now used in England,) as and to erect likewife to erect and incorporate towns into boroughs, and porate bo- boroughs into cities, with convenient privileges and immuniroughs and ties, according to the merit of the inhabitants, and fitness of cities, with the places; and to do all and every other thing or things, peculiar pri- touching the premises, which to him or them fhall seem meet immunities, and requifite; albeit they be fuch as of their own nature might otherwife require a more fpecial commandment and warrant than in these presents is expreffed.

vileges and

them;

Liberty to We will also, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and export the fucceffors, do give and grant licence, by this our charter, produce of the faid pro- unto the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, vince into and to all the inhabitants and dwellers in the faid province England or aforefaid, both prefent and to come, to import, unlade, by Ireland, and there to dif- themselves or their fervants, factors or affigns, all merchanpofe of dizes and goods whatfoever, that fhall arife of the fruits and commodities of the faid province, either by land or fea, or if they fo into any of the ports of us, our heirs and fucceffors, in our think fit, kingdoms of England or Ireland, or otherwife to difpofe of within one the faid goods, in the faid ports, and if need be, within one they fhall year next after the unlading of the fame, to lade the faid have unla- merchandizes and goods again, into the fame or other fhips, den them in and to export the fame into any other countries, either of fome Englifh or Irish our dominion or foreign, (being in amity with us, our heirs port, to ex- and fucceffors.) Provided' always, that they pay fuch cufport them toms, impofitions, fubfidies and duties for the fame, to us, again to any our heirs and fucceffors, as the reft of our fubjects of our try in amity kingdom of England, for the time being, fhall be bound to pay; beyond which, we will not that the inhabitants of the aforefaid province of Maryland fhall be any way charged.

year after

other coun

with the

crown of

England,

Grant of a power to erect and constitute feaports and

And furthermore, of our more ample and fpecial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, we do, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, grant unto the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, full and abfolute power and authority other places to make, erect, and conftitute, within the faid province of for lading Maryland, and the ifles and islets aforesaid, fuch and fo many and unlad fea-ports, harbours, creeks, and other places, for discharging ing goods and mer- and unlading of goods and merchandizes out of the ships, chandizes, boats and other veffels, and lading them in fuch and fo many places, and with fuch rights, jurifdictions, and liberties,

and

and privileges unto the faid ports belonging, as to him or them shall seem moft expedient; and that all and fingular the fhips, boats and other veffels, which fhall come for merchandize and trade into the faid province, or out of the fame fhall depart, fhall be laden or unladen only at fuch ports as fhall be fo erected and conftituted by the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs or affigns; any use, custom, or other things to the contrary notwithstanding: faving always unto us, our Saving to heirs and fucceffors, and to all the fubjects (of our king- the King's doms of England and Ireland) of us, our heirs and fuccef- fubjects refiding in fors, free liberty of fifhing for fea fifh, as well in the fea, England and bays, inlets, and navigable rivers, as in the harbours, bays, Ireland, the and creeks of the province aforefaid, and the privileges of liberty of fishing and falting and drying their fifh on the fhore of the faid province, drying their and for the fame caufe, to cut and take under-wood or twigs fish, within the faid prothere growing, and to build cottages and fheds neceffary in this behalf, as they heretofore have, or might reasonably have ufed; which liberties and privileges, nevertheless, the fubjects aforefaid of us, our heirs and fucceffors, fhall enjoy without any notable damage, or injury to be done to the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs or affigns, or to the dwellers and inhabitants of the faid province, in the ports, creeks, and fhores aforefaid, and efpecially in the woods and copfes growing within the faid province. And if any fhall do any fuch damage or injury, he shall incur the heavy displeasure of us, our heirs and fucceffors, the punifhment of the laws, and fhall moreover make fatisfaction.

vince.

ceive and

as fhall be

We do furthermore will, appoint and ordain, and by these Grant of a prefents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, we do grant unto power to rethe faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, that he the enjoy fuch faid Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, may from time to customs and time, for ever, have and enjoy the customs and fubfidies in port-duties the ports, harbours, and other creeks and places aforefaid, impofed by within the province aforefaid, payable or due for merchan- them and dizes and wares there to be laded and unladed; the faid cuf- the affembly toms and fubfidies to be reasonably affeffed (upon any occa- vince. fion) by themselves and the people there, as aforefaid, to whom we give power, by thefe prefents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, upon juft caufe, and in a due proportion, to affefs and impofe the fame.

of the pros

And further, of our special grace, and of our certain know- Grant of a ledge, and mere motion, we have given and granted, and by power to grant lands these prefents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, do give and in inherit grant, unto the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and af- ance, to be

Q 2

figns,

holden of

and their

heirs, not

tute Quia

emptores terrarum.

themfelves figns, full and abfolute power, licence, and authority, that he the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, from time withstand- to time hereafter, for ever, at his and their will and pleasure, ing the fta- may affign, alien, grant, demife, or enfeoffe of the premises, so many and fuch part or parcels to him or them that shall bei willing to purchase the fame, as they fhall think fit; to have and to hold to them the said person or perfons willing to take or purchase the fame, their heirs and affigns, in fee fimple, or infee tail, or for the term of life or lives, or years, to be held of the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, by fuch fervices, cuftoms, and rents, as fhall feem fit to the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, and not immediately of us, our heirs or fucceffors: And to the fame perfon or perfons, and to all and every of them, we do give and grant, by these presents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, licence, authority and power, that fuch person or perfons may take the premifes, or any parcel thereof, of the faid now Lord Baltimore, his heirs or affigns, and the fame hold to themselves, their heirs or affigns, (in what estate of inheritance foever, in fee fimple, or in fee tail, or otherwife, as to them and the now Lord Baltimore, his heirs and affigns, fhall feem expedient ;) the ftatute made in the parliament of Edward, fon of King Henry, late King of England, our predeceffor, commonly called the ftatute "Quia emptores terrarum," lately published in our kingdom of England, or any other statute, act, ordinance, ufe, law or custom, or any other thing, cause, or matter thereupon heretofore had, done, published, ordained or provided to the contrary, in any wife notwithstanding.

Power to e

And by these prefents we give and grant licence unto the rect manors, faid now Lord Baltimore and his heirs, to erect any parcels of land within the province aforefaid into manors, in every the faid manors to have and to hold a court of Baron, with all. things whatsoever which to a court Baron do belong, and to have and to hold view of frank pledge (for the confervation of the peace, and the better government of those parts) by, themselves or their ftewards, or by the lords, for the time being, of other manors to be deputed, when they fhall be: erected, and in the fame to use all things belonging to view of frankpledge.

No taxes

And further our pleasure is, and by these presents, for us, fhall be im- our heirs and fucceffors, we do covenant and grant to and pofed by the with the faid now Lord Baltimore, and his heirs and affigns, Kings of England upthat we, our heirs and fucceffors, fhall at no time hereafter. on the inha fet or make, or caufe to fet any impofition, custom, or other taxation,