1609. May 23d. into any other foreign country, with a purpose there to sell and dispose thereof; that then all the goods and chattels of the said person, or persons, so offending and transported, together with the ship or vessel, wherein such 7th James transportation was made, shall be forfeited to us, our heirs and successors. 1st. tion of charters' XXVI. And further our will and pleasure is, that in Construc all questions and doubts, that shall arise, upon any difficulty of construction or interpretation of any thing, contained either in this, or in our said former letters patents, the same shall be taken and interpreted, in most ample and to treasur beneficial manner for the said treasurer and their successors, and every member thereof. favorable er and company, and company. Former confirmed. XXVII. And further, we do, by these presents, ratify and confirm unto the said treasurer and company, and privileges their successors, all the privileges, franchises, liberties, and immunities, granted in our said former letters patents, and not in these our letters patents revoked, altered, changed, or abridged. vileges of XXVIII. And finally, our will and pleasure is, and we Who entir do further, hereby, for us, our heirs, and successors, grant tled to pri and agree, to and with the said treasurer and company, adventur and their successors, that all and singular person and per- ers. sons, which shall at any time or times hereafter adventure any sum or sums of money, in and towards the said plantation of the said colony in Virginia, and shall be admitted by the said council and company, as adventurers of the said colony, in form aforesaid, and shall be enrolled in the book of records of the adventurers of the said company, shall and may be accounted, accepted, taken, held, and reputed, adventurers of the said colony, and shall and may enjoy all and singular grants, privileges, liberties, benefits, profits, commodities, and immunities, advantages, and emoluments, whatsoever, as fully, largely, amply, and absolutely, as if they, and every of them, had been precisely, plainly, singularly, and distinctly, named and inserted in these our letters patents. against XXIX. And lastly, because the principal effect, which To guard we can desire or expect of this action, is the conversion and reduction of the people in those parts unto the true worship of God and Christian religion, in which respect the church we should be loath, that any person should be permitted N stitions of to be ten persons. the oath of to pass, that we suspected to effect the superstitions of the supremacy church of Rome; we do hereby declare, that it is our dered to all will and pleasure, that none be permitted to pass in any voyage, from time to time to be made into the said country, but such, as first shall have taken the oath of supremacy; for which purpose, we do, by these presents, give full power and authority, to the treasurer for the time being, and any three of the council, to tender and exhibit the said oath, to all such persons, as shall, at any time, be sent and employed in the said voyage. Although express mention of the true yearly value or certainty of the premises, or any of them, or of any other gifts or grants, by us or any of our progenitors or predecessors, to the aforesaid treasurer and company heretofore made, in these presents is not made; or any act, statute, ordinance, provision, proclamation, or restraint, to the contrary hereof had, made, ordained, or provided, or any other thing, cause, or matter, whatsoever, in any wise notwithstanding. In witness whereof, we have caused these our letters to be made, patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, the 23d day of May, in the seventh year of our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the **** the trea Company ja. A Third Charter of K. James I. to the Treasurer and (Dated March 12, 1611-2.-Stith's Appendix, I. JAMES, by the grace of God, king of England, charter to Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith; to all to whom these presents shall come greeting, Whereas, at the humble suit of divers and sundry our loving for Virgin subjects, as well adventurers as planters of the first colony in Virginia, and for the propogation of christian religion, and reclaiming of people barbarous to civility and humanity, we have, by our letters patents, bearing date, at Westminster, the three and twentieth day of May, in the seventh year of our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and the two and fortieth of Scotland, given and Recital. granted unto them, that they, and all such and so many of 1611-2. our loving subjects, as should from time to time for ever March 12. after, be joined with them, as planters or adventurers in 1st. the said plantation, and their successors, forever, should 9th James be one body politick, incorporated by the name of, The Treasurer and Company of Adventurers and Planters of the city of London for the first Colony in Virginia. 3d Charter, &c. Forme boundaries reci II. And whereas also, for the greate good and benefit of the said company, and for the better furtherance, strengthening and establishing of the said plantation, we did further give, grant and confirm, by our said letters patents, unto the said treasurer, and company, and their successors, for ever, all those lands, countries, or territories, ted. situate, lying, and being, in that part of America called Virginia, from the point of land, called Cape or Point Comfort, all along the sea coasts, to the northward, two hundred miles, and from the said point of Cape Comfort all along the sea coast, to the southward, two hundred miles, and all that space and circuit of land, lying from the sea coast of the precinct aforesaid, up or into the land, throughout from sea to sea, west and northwest, and also all the islands, lying within one hundred miles, along the coast of both the seas of the precinct aforesaid, with divers other grants, liberties, franchises, and preheminences, privileges, profits, benefits, and commodities, granted, in and by our said letters patents, to the said treasurer and company, and their successors, for ever: III. Now, forasmuch as we are given to understand, Preamble. that in those seas, adjoining to the said coast of Virginia, and without the compass of those two hundred miles, by us so granted unto the said treasurer and company, as aforesaid, and yet not far distant from the said colony in Virginia, there are, or may be, divers islands, lying desolate and uninhabited, some of which are already made known and discovered, by the industry, travel, and expences of the said company, and others also are supposed to be and remain, as yet, unknown and undiscovered, all and every of which it may import the said colony, both in safety and policy of trade, to populate and plant, in regard whereof, as well for the preventing of peril, as for the better commodity and prosperity of the said colony, they have been humble suitors unto us, that we would be pleased to grant unto them* an enlargement of our said * and MS. 302600 March 12. 1611-2. former letters patents, as well for a more ample extent of their limits and territories into the seas, adjoining to and upon the coast of Virginia, as also for some other mat9th James ters and articles, concerning the better government of the said company and colony, in which point our said former letters patents do not extend so far, as time and experience hath found to be needful and convenient: 1st. 8d charfer, &c. Extension of boundaries, so as the conti nent. IV. We therefore, tendering the good and happy success of the said plantation, both in regard of the general to include weal of human society, as in respect of the good of our all the is own estate and kingdoms, and being willing to give furJands lying within therance unto all good means, that may advance the bene 3 hundred fit of the said company, and which may secure the safeleagues of ty of our loving subjects, planted in our said colony under the favour and protection of God Almighty, and of our royal power and authority, have therefore, of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, given, granted, and confirmed, and for us, our heirs and successors, we do, by these presents, give, grant, and confirm, to the said treasurer and company of adventurers and planters of the city of London for the first colony in Virginia, and to their heirs and successors, for ever, all and singular those Islands whatsoever, situate and being in any part of the ocean seas bordering upon the coast of our said first colony in Virginia, and being within three hundred leagues of any the parts heretofore granted to the said treasurer and company, in our said former letters patents, as aforesaid, and being within or between the one and fortieth and thirieth degrees of northerly latitude, together with all and singular soils, lands, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, waters, fishings, mines, and minerals, as well royal mines of gold and silver, as other mines and minerals, pearls, precious stones, quarries, and all and singular other commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, privileges, franchises, and preheminences, both within the said tract of land upon the main, and also within the said Islands and seas adjoining, whatsoever, and thereunto or thereabouts, both by sea and land, being or situate; and which, by our letters patents, we may or can grant, and in as ample manner and sort, as we, or any our noble progenitors, have heretofore granted to any person or persons, or to any company, body politick or corporate, or to any adventur + MS. wheel. MS. companies. March 12. 1st. 3d char ter, &c. Habend um. er or adventurers, undertaker or undertakers, of any dis- 1611-2. coveries, plantations, or traffick, of, in or into any foreign parts, whatsoever, and in as large and ample manner, as if the same were herein particularly named, mentioned, 9th James and expressed: Provided always, that the said Islands, or any the premises herein mentioned, or by these presents intended or meant to be granted, be not actually possessed or inhabited by any other Christian prince or estate, nor be within the bounds, limits, or territories of the northern colony, heretofore by us granted to be planted by divers of our loving subjects, in the north parts of Virginia. To have and to hold, possess and enjoy,* all aud singular the said Islands, in the said ocean seas so lying, and bordering upon the coast and coasts of the territories of the said first colony in Virginia, as aforesaid; with all and singular the said soils, lands, and grounds, and all and singular other the premises, heretofore by these presents granted, or mentioned to be granted, to them, the said + treasurer and company of adventurers and planters of the city of London for the first colony in Virginia, and to their heirs, successors, and assigns, for ever, to the sole and proper use and behoof of them, the said treasurer and company, and their heirs, and successors, and assigns, forever; to be holden of us, our heirs, Tenure. and successors, as of our manor of East Greenwich, in free and common socage, and not in capite; yielding and paying therefore to us, our heirs, and successors, the fifth part of the ore of all gold and silver, which shall be there gotten, had or obtained, for all manner of services whatsoever. adventur V. And further, our will and pleasure is, and we do, Additionni by these presents, grant and confirm, for the good and ers admitwelfare of the said plantation, and that posterity may here- ted. after know, who have adventured and not been sparing of their purses in such a noble and generous action for the general good of their country, and at the request, and with the consent, of the company aforesaid, that our trusty and well beloved subjects, George, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry, Earl of Huntington, Edward, Earl of Bedford, Richard, of Clanrickard, &c. who since our said last letters patents are become adventurers, and have joined themselves with the former adventurers and planters of the said company and society, shall from § MS. mean. + MS., first. * MS. and and singular. § MS. subject. + MS. Treasurers. |