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ANCIENT CHARTERS,

RELATING TO THE

FIRST SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA.

LETTERS PATENT to Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, and others, for two several Colonies and Plantations, to be made in VIRGINIA, and other parts and Territories of America.

(Dated April 10th, 1606. 4 James 1st.—Stith's App. No, 1. pa. 1.)

First charter to Sir Gates, &

Thomas

I. JAMES, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. WHEREAS Our loving and well-disposed subjects, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Somers, Knights, Rich- others. ard Hackluit, Clerk, Prebendary of Westminster, and Edward-Maria Wingfield, Thomas Hanham, and Ralegh Gilbert, Esqrs. William Parker, and George Popham, gentlemen, and divers others of our loving subjects, have Preamble. been humble suitors unto us, that we would vouchsafe unto them our licence, to make habitation, plantation, and to deduce a colony of sundry of our people into that part of America, commonly called Virginia, and other parts and territories in America, either appertaining unto us, or which are not now actually possessed by any

H

1606. christian prince or people, situate, lying and being all along the sea coasts, between four and thirty degrees of Ap'l 10th. Northerly latitude from the Equinoctial line, and five 4th James and forty degrees of the same latitude, and in the main land between the same four and thirty and five and forty degrees, and the islands thereunto adjacent, or within one hundred miles of the coasts thereof.

1st.

First charter to Sir Thomas Gates and others.

II. And to that end, and for the more speedy accomplishment of their said intended plantation and habitation there, are desirous to divide themselves into two several colonies and companies; the one consisting of certain knights, gentlemen, merchants, and other adventurers, of our city of London and elsewhere, which are and from Preamble. time to time shall be, joined unto them, which do desire to begin their plantation and habitation in some fit and convenient place, between four and thirty and one and forty degrees of the said latitude, alongst the coasts of Virginia and coast of America aforesaid; and the other consisting of sundry knights, gentlemen, merchants, and other adventurers, of our cities of Bristol and Exeter, and of our town of Plimouth, and of other places, which do join themselves unto that colony, which do desire to begin their Plantation and habitation in some fit and convenient place, between eight and thirty degrees and five and forty degrees of the said latitude, all alongst the said coast of Virginia and America, as that coast lyeth.

Preamble.

First colony.

III. We greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their desires for the furtherance of so noble a work, which may, by the providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the glory of his divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian religion to such people, as yet live in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the infidels and savages, living in those parts, to human civility, and to a settled and quiet government; Do by these our letters pattents, graciously accept of, and agree to, their humble and well intended desires;

IV. And do therefore, for us, our heirs, and successors, grant and agree, that the said Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard Hackluit, and Edward-Maria Wingfield, adventurers of and for our city of London, and all such others, as are, or shall be joined unto them of that colony, shall be called the first colony; and they

1606.

1st.

Gates and

shall and may begin their said first plantation and habitation, at any place upon the said coast of Virginia or Ame- Ap'l 10th. rica, where they shall think fit and convenient, between the said four and thirty and one and forty degrees of the said 4th James latitude; and that they shall have all the lands, woods, soil, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, mar- First charshes, waters, fishings, commodities, and hereditaments, ter to Sir whatsoever, from the said first seat of their plantation and Thomas habitation by the space of fifty miles of English statute others. measure, all along the said coast of Virginia and America, towards the west and south-west, as the coast lyeth, with all the islands within one hundred miles directly over against the same sea coast; and also all the lands, soil, grounds, havens, parts, rivers, mines, minerals, woods, waters, marshes, fishings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatsoever, from the said place of their first plantation and habitation for the space of fifty like English miles, all alongst the said coast of Virginia and America, towards the east and north-east, or towards the north, as the coast lyeth, together with all the islands within one hundred miles, directly over against the said sea coast; and also all the lands, woods, soil, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, marshes, waters, fishings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatsoever, from the same fifty miles every way on the sea coast, directly into the main land by the space of one hundred like English miles; and shall and may inhabit and remain there; and shall and may also build and fortify within any the same, for their better safeguard and defence, according to their best discretion, and the discretion of the council of that colony; and that no other of our subjects shall be permitted, or suffered to plant or inhabit behind, or on the backside of them, towards the main land, without the express licence or consent of the council of that colony, thereunto in writing first had and obtained.

V. And we do likewise, for us, our heirs, and succes- Second sors, by these presents, grant and agree, that the said Tho- colony. mas Hanham, and Ralegh Gilbert, William Parker, and George Popham, and all others of the town of Plimouth in the county of Devon, or elsewhere, which are, or shall be, joined unto them of that colony, shall be called the second colony; and that they shall and may begin their said Plantation and seat of their first abode and habitation, at any place upon the said coast of Virginia and America,

1606.

4th James 1st.

ter to Sir

Thomas

others.

where they shall think fit and convenient, between eight and thirty degrees of the said latitude, and five and forty Apl 10th. degress of the same latitude; and that they shall have all the lands, soils, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, woods, marshes, waters, fishings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatsoever, from the first seat of First char- their plantation and habitation by the space of fifty like English miles, as is aforesaid, all alongst the said coast Gates and of Virginia and America, towards the west and southwest, or towards the south, as the coast lyeth, and all the Islands within one hundred miles, directly over against the said sea coast; and also all the lands, soils, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, woods, marshes, waters, fishings, commodities, and heredita ments, whatsoever, from the said place of their first plantation and habitation for the space of fifty like miles, all alongst the said coast of Virginia and America, towards the east and north-east, or towards the north, as the coast lyeth, and all the Islands also within one hundred miles directly over against the same sea coast; and also all the lands, soils, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, woods, mines, minerals, marshes, waters, fishings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatsoever, from the same fifty miles every way on the sea-coast, directly into the main land, by the space of one hundred like English miles; and shall and may inhabit and remain there; and shall and may also build and fortify within any the same for their better safeguard, according to their best discretion, and the discretion of the council of that colony; and that none of our subjects shall be permitted, or suffered, to plant or inhabit behind, or on the back of them, towards the main land, without the express licence of the council of that colony in writing thereunto first had and obtained.

Proviso.

Each volo

ny to have

VI. Provided always, and our will and pleasure herein is, that the plantation and habitation of such of the said colonies, as shall last plant themselves, as aforesaid, shall not be made within one hundred like English miles of the other of them, that first began to make their plantation, as aforesaid.

VII. And we do also ordain, establish and agree, for council. us, our heirs, and successors, that each of the said colonies shall have a council, which shall govern and order all matters and causes, which shall arise, grow or happen, to or within the same several colonies, according to such

1st.

First char

ter to Sir

Thomas

Gates and

others.

laws, ordinances, and instructions, as shall be in that be- 1606. half, given and signed with our hand or sign manuel, and pass under the privy seal of our realm of England; Ap'l 10th, each of which councils shall consist of thirteen persons, 4th James to be ordained, made, and removed, from time to time, according as shall be directed and comprised in the same instructions; and shall have a several seal, for all matters that shall pass or concern the same several councils; each of which seals shall have the king's arms engraven on the one side thereof, and his portraiture on the other; and that the seal for the council of the said first colony shall bave engraven round about, on the one side, these words; Sigillum Regis Magne Britanniæ, Franciæ, et Hiber- Number of nice: on the other side this inscription round about; the council. Pro Concilio prima Coloniæ Virginia. And the seal for Their seals. the council of the said second colony shall also have engraven, round about the one side thereof, the aforesaid words: Sigillum Regis Magnæ, Britannia, Francia, and Hiberniæ; and on the other side; Pro Concilio secundo Colonia, Virginia:

council in

England; its number,

and seal.

VIII. And that also there shall be a council establish- Superior ed here in England, which shall, in like manner, consist of thirteen persons, to be, for that purpose, appointed by us, our heirs, and successors, which shall be called our Council of Virginia; and shall, from time to time, have the superior managing and direction, only of and for all matters, that shall or may concern the government, as well of the said several colonies, as of and for any other part or place, within the aforesaid precincts of four and thirty and five and forty degrees, abovementioned; which council shall, in like manner, have a seal, for matters concerning the council or colonies, with the like arms and portraiture, as aforesaid, with this inscription, engraven round about on the one side; Sigillum Regis Magnia, Britannia, Francia, and Hibernia; and round about the other side, Pro Concilio suo Virginia.

IX. And moreover, we do grant and agree, for us, our heirs and successors, that the said several councils, of and for the said several colonies, shall and lawfully may, by virtue hereof, from time to time, without any interruption of us, our heirs or successors, give and take order, to dig, mine, and search for all manner of mines of gold, silver, and copper, as well within any part of their said several colonies, as of the said main lands on the backside

May search for mines. and dig

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