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this colony.

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company.

clare and grant, unto the faid governor and company, and habitants of their fucceffors, that all and every the fubjects of us, our heirs and fucceffors, which are already planted and fettled within our faid colony of Providence plantations, or which fhall hereafter go to inhabit within the faid colony, and all and every of their children which have been born there, or which fhall happen hereafter to be born there, or on the sea going thither or returning from thence, fhall have and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural fubjects, within any the dominions of us, our heirs or fucceffors, to all intents, conftructions and purposes whatsoever, as if they and every of them were born within the realm of England. And Grant of further know ye, that we, of our more abundant grace, cer- the colony tain knowledge, and mere motion, have given, granted and to the faid confirmed, and by thefe prefents, for us, our heirs and fuc- governor & ceffors, do give, grant and confirm, unto the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors, all that part of our dominions, in New-England in America, containing the Nahantick and Nanhyganfett alias Narragansett bay and countries and parts adjacent, bounded on the weft, or wefterly, to the middle or channel of a river there, commonly called and known by the name of Pawcatuck alias Pawcawtuck river, and fo along the faid river, as the greater or middle ftream thereof reacheth or lies up into the north country, northward unto the head thereof, and from thence by a ftrait line drawn due north, until it meet with the fouth line of the Maffachufets colony, and on the north or northerly by the afore'faid fouth or foutherly line of the Maffachufets colony or plantation, and extending towards the east or eastwardly three English miles, to the eaft and north-eaft of the moft eaftern and north eastern parts of the aforefaid Narragansett bay, as the faid bay lieth or extendeth itself from the ocean on the fouth or fouthwardly, unto the mouth of the river which runneth towards the town of Providence, and from thence along the eastwardly fide or bank of the said river (higher called by the name of Seacunck river) up to the falls called Patucket falls, being the moft weftwardly line of Plymouth colony; and fo from the faid falls, in a strait line due north, until it meet with the aforefaid line of the Maffachufets colony, and bounded on the fouth by the ocean, and in particular the lands belonging to the town of Providence, Patuxit, Warwicke, Mifquammacock alias Pawcatuck, and the reft upon the main land, in the tract aforesaid, together with Rhode-Ifland, Blocke-Island, and all the reft of the iflands and banks in the Narragansett bay, and bor

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dering upon the coaft of the tract aforefaid, (Fishers-Island only excepted) together with all firm lands, foils, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, waters, fifhings, mines royal, and all other mines, minerals, precious ftones, quarries, woods, wood-grounds, rocks, flates, and all and fingular other com modities, jurifdictions, royalties, privileges, franchifes, preeminences and hereditaments whatfoever, within the faid tract, bounds, lands and iflands aforefaid, to them or any Habendum. of them, belonging, or in any-wife appertaining. To have and to hold the fame, unto the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors for ever, upon truft, for the ufe and benefit of themselves, and their affociates, freemen of the faid Tenendum. colony, their heirs and affigns. To be holden of us, our heirs and fucceflors as of the manor of Eaft-Greenwich, in our county of Kent, in free and common focage, and not Redden- in capite, nor by Knight's fervice. Yielding and paying therefore to us, our heirs and fucceffors, only the fifth part of all the ore of gold and filver, which from time to time, and at all times hereafter, fhall be there gotten, had or obtained, in lieu and fatisfaction of all fervices, duties, fines, forfeitures made or to be made, claims and demands whatsoever, to be to us, our heirs or fucceffors, therefore or thereout rendered, made or paid; any grant or clause, in a late grant to the governor and company of Connecticut colony in America, to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithstanding; the aforefaid Pawcatuck river having been yielded after much debate, for the fixed and certain bounds between thefe our faid colonies, by the agents thereof, who have alfo agreed, that the faid Pawcatuck river fhall be alfo called alias Narrogancett or Narroganfett river, and to prevent future difputes that otherwife might arife thereby, for ever here, after, fhall be conftrued, deemed and taken to be the Narrogancett river, in our late grant to Connecticut colony, Appeals to mentioned as the easterly bounds of that colony. And furthe king. ther, our will and pleasure is, that in all matters of public controverfies, which may fall out between our colony of Providence plantation, to make their appeal therein to us, our heirs and fucceflors, for redrefs in fuch cafes, within this Liberty to our realm of England; and that it fhall be lawful to and for pafs and rethe inhabitants of the faid colony of Providence plantation, país thro without lett or moleftation, to pafs and repafs with freedom English co- into and through the rest of the Englifh colonies, upon their lawful and civil occafions, and to converfe, and hold commerce, and trade with fuch of the inhabitants of our other English colones as fhall be willing to admit them thereunto,

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they behaving themselves peaceably among them; any act, claufe or fentence, in any of the faid colonies provided, or that fhall be provided, to the contrary in any wife notwithftanding. And laftly, we do for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordain and grant unto the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors, by these prefents, that these our letters patents fhall be firm, good, effectual and available, in all things in the law, to all intents, conftructions and purpofes whatsoever, according to our true intent and meaning herein. before declared; and thall be conftrued, reputed and adjudged, in all cafes, moft favourably on the behalf, and for the beft benefit and behoof of the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors, although exprefs mention, &c. In witnefs, &c. witness, &c.

Per Ipfum Regem,

First

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Firft Charter granted to the Colony of the MASSA-
CHUSETTS BAY, 1644.

CHARLES by the grace of God, King of England, Scot land, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.

To all to whom thefe Prefents fhall come, Greeting.

WHEREAS our most deare and royal Father King James of blessed memory, by his Highness's letters patents beareing date at Westminster the third day of November, in the eighteenth year of his reign, hath given and granted unto the Councel established at Plymouth in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering and governing of NewEngland in America, and to their heirs fucceffours and affignes for ever: All that part of America lying and being in breadth from fourty degrees of northerly latitude from the equinoxtiall line, to fourty-eight degrees of the faid northerly latitude inclufively, and in length of and within all the breadth aforefaid throughout the maine lands from fea to fea, together alfo with all the firme lands, foyles, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, waters, fishing, mines, and mineralls, as well royall mines of gould and filver, as other mines and mineralls, precious ftones, quarries, and all and fingular other commodities, jurifdictions, privileges, franchises and preheminences both within the faid tract of land upon the maine, and also within the islands and feas adjoining. Provided always that the faid iflands or any the premifles by the faid letters patent intended and meant to be granted were not then actually poffeffed or inhabited by any other chriftian prince, or ftate, nor within the bounds limits or territories of the fouthern colonies then before granted by our faid deare father to be planted by fuch of his loving fubjects in the fouthern parts. To have and to hold, poffefs and enjoy all and fingular the aforefaid continent, lands, territories, iflands, hereditaments and precincts, feas, waters, fifhings, with all and all manner their commodities, royalties, liberties, preheminences, and profits that should from thenceforth arife from thence, with all and fingular their appurtenances, and every part and parcel thereof, unto the faid Councel, and their fucceffors and affignes for ever, to

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province of

the fole and proper use, benefit and behoof of them the faid
Councel and their fucceffors and affignes for ever: To be Tenure.
houlden of our faid moft dear and royal Father, his heirs and
fucceffors, as of his mannor of Eaft-Greenwich in the county
of Kent, in free and common foccage, and not in capite nor
by knights fervice. Yielding and paying therefore to the faid Rent.
late King, his heirs and fucceffors the fifth part of the oare of
gould and filver which fhould from time to time and at all
times then after happen to be found, gotten, had and obtain-
ed, in, at, or within any of the lands, limits, territories and
precincts, or in or within any part or parcel thereof, for or in
refpect of all and all manner of duties, demands and fervices
whatsoever to be done made or paid to our faid dear Father
the late King, his heirs and fucceffors; as in and by the faid
letters patent (amongst fundry other claufes, powers, privi-
leges and grants therein contained) more at large appeareth.
And whereas the faid Councel established at Plymouth in the Recital of a
county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering, and grant of the
governing of New-England, in, America, have by their deed the Maffa-
indented under their commou feal, bearing date the nine- chusetts
teenth day of March laft paft, in the third year of our reign, Bay, (being
given, granted, bargained, fold, enfeoffed, aliened and con- part of the
firmed to Sir Henry Rofewell, Sir John Young, knights, before-
Thomas Southcott, John Humphrey, John Endicott and mentioned)
by the
Symon Whetcomb, their heirs and affociates for ever, all
that part of New-England in America aforefaid, which lieth Plymouth
and extendeth between a great river there commonly called to Sir Hen.
Monomack, alias Merrimack, and a certain other river there Rosewell
called Charles river, being the bottom of a certain bay there and others.
commonly called Maflachusetts, alias Mattachusetts, alias 3 Car. 1.
Maffatufetts bay, and alfo all and fingular thofe lands and
hereditaments whatsoever lying and being within the space
of three English miles on the south part of the faid Charles
river, or of any or every part thereof, and alfo al! and fingular
the lands and hereditaments whatsoever, lying and being
within the space of three English miles to the fouthward of
the southermost part of the said bay called Massachusetts,
alias Mattachusetts, alias Maffatufetts bay, and also all
thofe lands and hereditaments which lye and be within the
fpace of three English miles to the northward of the faid river
called Monomack, alias Merrimack, or to the northward of
any and every part thereof, and all lands and hereditaments
whatsoever, lying within the limits aforefaid, north and south,
in latitude and breadth, and in length and longitude, of and
within all the breadth aforefaid, throughout the main fands

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Council of

March 19,

there,

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