privileges, benefits and immunities, and in the profits thereof arising, their ancestors, and those whose Estate they have by virtue of our said Letters Patent and by the skilful directions of the said Daniel Houghstetter have travelled in the search, works, and the experiments of the mines and ewers aforesaid, to their very great charge and expenses, and have brought these Works to very good effect, whereby great benefit hath ensued and is like more and more to ensue to Us and this our Realm of England, if the persons now and hereafter having interests in the licenses, powers, authorities, privileges, benefits and immunities aforesaid, and the profits thereby arising, might, by our Grant, be incorporate and made a perpetual Body Politic, thereby to avoid divers and sundry inconveniences which, by the several deaths of the persons abovesaid or their assigns, should also from time to time

ensue.

Know ye, therefore, that We, minding and carefully intending the furtherance and advancement of the said Mineral Works so prosperously attempted, and with great charges begun and continued to the benefit and commodity of this our Realm of England and the subjects of the same, are not only well pleased and contented that the said William, Earl of Pembroke (and the others before-named), their heirs and assigns of every of them, together with such other persons and person as now have any lawful interest of or in the said licenses, powers, authorities, privileges, benefits and immunities, or any of them, shall enjoy, have, and use all the authorities, privileges, grants, liberties and licenses contained and specified in the said Letters Patent above remembered, according to the articles, clauses, grants and covenants in the same contained, which WE, for Us, our heirs and successors, do by these presents ratify and confirm, and do will the same in all respects to be construed and taken beneficially in favour of the said William, Earl of Pembroke [and the others before

named], their heirs and assigns, and of the heirs and assigns of them and every of them, but also for the better and more advancement of the said Mineral Works, and also to prevent such inconvenience as might hereafter be a let or hindrance to the same of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion have given and granted, and by these Presents for Us our heirs and successors, do give and grant to the aforenamed William, Earl of Pembroke, [and others aforenamed], that they, by the name of Governors, Assistants, and Society of the City of London of and for the MINES ROYAL, shall be from henceforth for ever one Body Politic in itself, incorporate and a perpetual Society of themselves, both in deed and name, and them by the name of Governors, Assistants and Society of the City of London, of and for the Mines Royal, WE for Us, our heirs and successors do constitute, make, ordain, incorporate, name and declare to be a Body Politic, corporate and perpetual, and by that name to have succession and continuance for ever by these Presents, and that they and their successors shall and may from time to time for ever, have a Common Seal to serve for the affairs and business of the said Governors, Assistants and Society, and of their successors, and that they and their successors shall and may be for ever able persons in the law as well to purchase, obtain, get, have and enjoy to them and their successors for ever, by the name aforesaid, of all and every person and persons now having or which hereafter shall have any lawful interest of, in, or to the said liberties, licenses, powers, authorities, profits, commodities, and other things whatsoever by the said late Queen granted by Her said Letters Patent or of, in, or to any part or parts thereof, all such right, title and interest as they or any of them have of, in, or to the same, or any of them, or of, in, or to any profit, benefit, or advantage arising of or by the same, or any of them, or of or by any parts or portions of the

same, or any of them, as also to purchase, obtain, get, or have, to them and their successors, of whatsoever person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, in fee and perpetuity, or for term of life, lives, or years, or otherwise, at their wills and pleasures, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, and hereditaments, whatsoever they be, by the name of Governors, Assistants, and Society of the City of London, of and for the Mines Royal, and by the same name shall and may lawfully alien, grant, let, or set the same lands, tenements, rents, reversions, and hereditaments, or any part thereof, to any person or persons able in the law to receive and take the same, and that they and their successors, by the name of Governors, Assistants, and Society of the City of London, of and for the MINES ROYAL, shall and may be able in the law to sue and be sued, [&c.]

And furthermore, WE, for Us, our heirs, and successors, do by these presents, grant unto the said Governors, Assistants, and Society, and their successors, that they shall and may have one Governor, or two Governors of the said Society, and one Deputy or more Deputies to the said Governor or Governors, at their will and pleasure, and six more Assistants, at their will and pleasure, to assist and be joined with the Governor or Governors of the said Society, for the time being, or his or their Deputy or Deputies, for the better government of the said Society, and the matters, things, and causes of the said Governors, Assistants, and Society of the City of London, or of, or for the Mines Royal, from time to time, as need shall require.

And further, WE do make, ordain, and constitute, by these Presents, the before-named Robert Viscount Cranborne and Sir John Popham, Knight, to be the first and present Governors of the said Society, until the first Monday in the month of May, which shall be in the year of our Lord God Sixteen Hundred and Five, and further if need shall so

require, until one other Governor, or two other Governors shall be chosen in their place.

And We do likewise make, ordain and constitute, by these Presents, the aforesaid Sir John Smith, Knight,* and Arnold Oldsworthy, Esquire, to be the first and present Deputies to the said Governors, until the said first Monday in the said month of May, in the said year of our Lord God Sixteen Hundred and Five.

And We do likewise make, ordain, and constitute, by these Presents, the above-named Sir Roger Owen, Knt., Francis Needham, Christopher Toldervey, William Gamage, Francis Beale, and Otes Nicholson, to be the first and present Assistants to the said Governors and to their said Deputies, to have and enjoy the said offices of Assistants [until the time aforesaid].

And further, We for Us, our heirs and successors do by these Presents grant to the said Governors, Assistants and Society of the City of London, of and for the Mines Royal, and to their successors, that they the said Governors, Assistants and Society, and their successors and every of them, shall and may from henceforth, until by rules and ordinances hereafter to be made as hereafter is declared, it shall be otherwise appointed, in places convenient and honest, as well within our City of London as elsewhere, within our Realm of England, where the Governors of the said Society, or his or their Deputy or Deputies for the time being, shall from time to time appoint, and after for ever, at such other place or places within our said Realm of England, as by rules and ordinances hereafter from time to time to be made, from time to time shall be appointed, assemble, and meet together in good and decent order, as well for the keeping of their Courts and for ordering of their affairs, business and things, as also for

Had this Sir Jno. Smith, appointed Deputy in 1604, anything to do with either Sir Thos. Smith or Thomas Smyth the Customer PG. G. F.

elections from time to time to be made of their Governor or Governors, and of his or their Deputy or Deputies, and of the Assistants aforesaid, or of any of them, and for the doing and executing of all and singular the powers, authorities, and things by these our Letters Patent in anywise granted, according to the purport and true intent hereof shall and may at such times and in such places as by ordinances, laws or rules, according to the tenor of these presents to be made, shall be from time to time therefor limited or appointed, name, elect, and choose one sage and discreet person, or two sage and discreet persons of the said Society, at their liberty and pleasures, to be the Governor or Governors of the said Society for one year ensuing, and so long after the same one year until one other Governor or two other Governors (as the case shall require) shall be duly elected and take upon him or them the room or rooms of the Governor or Governors of the same Society and one or so many more sage and discreet persons of the said Society as by the like ordinances, laws, or rules shall be limited or appointed to be the Deputy or Deputies of the said Governor or Governors, for so long a time as by the said laws, ordinances, or rules shall be limited or appointed, and six or so many more discreet persons of the said Society, as by the like ordinances, laws, or rules shall be limited or appointed to be the Assistants of the said Governor or Governors, and of his or their Deputy or Deputies, for so long a time as by like ordinances, laws, or rules hereafter shall be limited or appointed.

And that if it shall fortune the said Governor or Governors, Deputy or Deputies and Assistants, or any of them before by these presents appointed, or which shall hereafter be elected or chosen as is aforesaid do die or decease out of this transitory life before the end of the time for which they shall be so elected and chosen as is aforesaid, that then and so often it shall and may be lawful to or for the said Governor