all other of

chofen eve

the month

vacancies in

it.

accept the fame, to be free of the faid company and body politick, and them into the fame to admit, and to elect and constitute fuch officers as they fhall think fit and requifite for The Governor, deputy the ordering, managing, and difpofing of the affairs of the governor, faid governor and company, and their fucceffors, And we and affifdo hereby, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, establish and or- tants, and dain, That once in the year, for ever hereafter, namely, ficers of the the faid fecond Thursday in May, the governor, deputy go- company vernor, and affiftants of the faid company, and other of- fhall be ficers of the faid company, or fuch of them as the faid ge- ry year by neral affembly fhall think fit, fhall be, in the faid gene- the general ral court and affembly, to be held from that day or time, affembly in newly chofen for the year enfuing, by fuch greater part of May. of the faid company, for the time being, then and there prefent. And if the governor, deputy governor, and and affif- Accidental tants, by these prefents appointed, or fuch as hereafter be any of thefe newly chosen into their rooms, or any of them, or any other offices may the officers to be appointed for the faid company, fhall die, be supplied by the geneor be removed from his or their several offices or places before ral affembly the faid general day of election, (whom we do hereby de- at any other clare, for any mifdemeanor or default, to be removeable by meeting of the governor, affiftants, and company, or fuch greater part of them, in any of the faid public courts to be affembled, as is Power to reaforefaid) that then, and in every such case, it shall and may governor, or be lawful to and for the governor, deputy governor, and affiftants, and company aforefaid, or fuch greater part of them fo to be aflembled, as is aforefaid in any of their affemblies, to proceed to a new election of one or more of their compa- misdemea ny, in the room or place, rooms or places, of fuch governor, deputy governor, affiftant, or other officer or officers fo dying, or removed, according to their difcretions. And immediately upon, and after fuch election, or elections, made of such governor, deputy governor, affiftant, or affiftants, or any other officer of the faid company, in manner and form aforefaid, the authority, office, and power before given to the former governor, deputy governer, or other officer and offices fo removed, in whofe ftead and place new shall be will and pleasure is, That as well fuch as are by these chofen, fhall, as to him and them, and every of them Oaths of ofrespectively, cease and determine, Provided alfo, and our taken by the prefents appointed to be the prefent governor, deputy gover- governor, nor, and affiftants of the faid company, as thofe that fhall and all other fucceed them, and all other officers to be appointed and chofen as aforefaid, fhall, before they undertake the execution of their faid offices and places refpectively, take their fe

1

place 2

veral

move the

any other officer of

the company, for any

fice to be

officers.

veral and respective corporal oaths, for the due and faithful performance of their duties in the feveral offices and places, before fuch perfon or persons as are, by these presents, hereafter appointed to take and receive the fame; that is to say, The faid John Wintrop, who is herein before nominated and appointed the prefent governor of the faid company, fhall take the faid oath before one or more of the mafters of our court of chancery, for the time being; unto which mafter of chancery we do, by thefe prefents, give full power and authority to adminifter the faid oath to the faid John Wintrop accordingly: and the faid John Mason, who is herein before nominated and appointed the prefent deputy governor of the faid company, fhall take the faid oath before the faid John Wintrop, or any two of the affiftants of the faid company; unto whom we do, by these presents, give full power and authority to adminifter the faid oath to the faid John Mafon accordingly; and the faid Samuel Willis, Henry Clerke, Matthew Allen, John Tappen, Nathaniel Gould, Richard Treate, Richard Lord, Henry Woollcot, John Talcott, Daniel Clerke, John Ogden, and Thomas Wells, who are herein before nominated and appointed the prefent affiftants of the faid company, fhall take the oath before the faid John Wintrop, and John Mafon, or one of them; to whom we do hereby give full power and authority to adminifter the fame accordingly. And our further will and pleafure is, That all and every governor, or deputy governor, to be elected and chofen, by virtue of thefe prefents, fhall take the said oath before two or more of the affiftants of the faid company, for the time being; unto whom we do, by thefe prefents, give full power and authority to give and adminifter the faid oath accordingly. And the faid affiftants, and every of them, and all or every other officer or officers to be hereafter chofen, from time to time, to take the faid oath before the governor, or deputy governor, for the time being; unto which faid governor, we do, the by thefe prefents, give full power and authority to adminiKing's fub- fter the fame accordingly. And further, of our more ample -jects, with their own grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, we have given free confent, and granted, and by thefe prefents, for us, our heirs and and of car-fucceffors, do give and grant unto the faid governor and rying goods and mer company of the English colony of Connecticut, in Newchandize England, in America, and to every inhabitant there, and from Eng- to every perfon and perfons trading thither, and to every Connecti- fuch perfon and perfons as are or fhall be free of the faid

Liberty of carrying

over

land to

cut.

colony,

the inhabi

tants of

colony, full power and authority, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, to take, fhip, transport, and carry away, for and towards the plantation and defence of the faid colony, fuch of our loving fubjects and ftrangers as fhall, or will, willingly accompany them, in and to their faid colony and plantation, except fuch perfon or perfons as are or shall be therein reftrained by us, our heirs and fucceffors; and alfo to fhip and tranfport all, and all manner of goods, chattels, merchandizes, and other things whatsoever, that are or fhall be useful or neceffary for the inhabitants of the faid colony, and may lawfully be tranfported thither; nevertheless not to be difcharged of payment to us, our heirs and fucceffors, of the duties, cuftoms and fubfidies, which are or ought to be paid or payable for the fame. And further, our will and pleasure is, and we do, for General dous, our heirs and fucceffors, ordain, declare, and grant unto nization of the faid governor and company, and their fucceflors, that all and every the fubjects of us, our heirs or fucceffors, Connecticut which fhall go to inhabit within the faid colony, and every of their children which fhall happen to be born there, or on the fea, in going thither, or returning from thence, fhall have and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural fubjects within any of 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 we do authorize and impower Oaths of althe governor or in his abfence the deputy governor for legiance and the time being, to appoint two or more of the faid affi- fupremacy. ftants, at any of their courts or affemblies to be held as aforefaid, to have power and authority to adminifter the oath of fupremacy and obedience to all and every perfon and perfons, which fhall at any time or times hereafter go or pass into the faid colony of Connecticut; unto which faid affiftants fo to be appointed as aforefaid, we do by these prefents give full power and authority to adminifter the faid oath accordingly. And we further, of our efpecial grace, Power to ecertain knowledge, and mere motion, give and grant unto rect courts the faid governor and company of the English colony of Con- of juftice for necticut in New-England in America, and their fucceffors, civil fuits, determining that it shall and may be lawful to and for the governor, or deputy governor, and fuch of the affiftants of the faid company for the time being, as fhall be affembled in any of the general courts aforefaid, or in any courts, to be especially fummoned or affembled for that purpose, or the greater part

of

of them, whereof the governor, or deputy governor, and fix of the affiftants, to be always feven, to erect and make fuch judicatories for the hearing and determining of all actions, caufes, matters and things happening within the said colony or plantation, and which fhall be in dispute and depending there, as they fhall think fit and convenient; and alfo, from time to time, to make, ordain and establish all manner of wholesome and reasonable laws, ftatutes, ordinances, direcmake laws, tions and inftructions, not contrary to the laws of this realm of England, as well for fettling the forms and ceremonies of government and magiftracy, fit and neceffary for the said the laws of plantation, and the inhabitants there, as for naming and England. ftyling all forts of officers, both fuperior and inferior, which

And to

and ordi

nances not contrary to

they fhall find needful for the government and plantation of the faid colony, and the distinguishing and setting forth of the feveral duties, powers and limits of every fuch office and place, and the forms of fuch oaths, not being contrary to the laws and ftatutes of this our realm of England, to be administered for the execution of the said several offices and places; as alfo for the difpofing and ordering of the election of fuch of the faid officers as are to be annually chosen, and of such others as fhall fucceed, in cafe of death or removal, and adminiftring the said oath to the new-elected officers, and granting neceffary commiffions, and for impofition of lawful fines, mulets, imprisonments, or other punishments, upon offenders and delinquents, according to the courfe of other corporations Reference within this our kingdom of England; and the fame laws, to other cor- fines, mulets and executions, to alter, change, revoke, annull, porations release or pardon, under their common feal, as by the faid kingdom of general affembly, or the major part of them, fhall be thought England. fit; and for the directing, ruling and difpofing of all other

within the

matters and things, whereby our faid people, inhabitants there, may be fo religiously, peaceably and civilly governed, as their good life, and orderly converfation, may win and invite the natives of the country to the knowledge and obedience of the only true God and Saviour of mankind, and the Christian Faith; which in our royal intentions, and the adventurers free profeffion, is the only and principal end of this plantation; willing, commanding and requiring, and by these prefents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordaining and apThe faid pointing, that all fuch laws, ftatutes and ordinances, inftruclaws fhall be tions, impofitions and directions, as fhall be fo made by the published in governor, deputy governor and affiftants, as aforefaid, and writing

published

common

feal.

have power

inhabitants

any enemies

published in writing under their common feal, fhall carefully under their and duly be obferved, kept, performed, and put in execution, comm according to the true intent, and meaning of the fame; and thefe our letters patents, or the duplicate or exemplification thereof, fhall be, to all and every fuch officers, fuperiors and inferiors, from time to time, for the putting of the fame orders, laws, ftatutes, ordinances, inftructions and directions, in due execution, against us, our heirs and fucceffors a fufficient warrant and difcharge. And we do further, for us, our The gov. of heirs and fucceffors, give and grant unto the said governor faid comand company, and their fucceffors, by these prefents, that pany hall it fhall and may be lawful to and for the chief commanders, to affemble governors and officers of the faid company for the time and array, being, who fhall be refident in the parts of New-England and arm the hereafter mentioned, and others inhabiting there, by their of the cololeave, admittance, appointment or direction, from time to ny, and contime, and all times hereafter, for their fpecial defence and fafety, to affemble, marfhal, array, and put in warlike war againft pofture, the inhabitants of the said colony, and to commif- that shall infionate, impower and authorize fuch perfon or perfons as vade them; they fhall think fit, to lead and conduct the faid inhabitants, and to encounter, expulfe, repel, and refift by force of arms, as well by fea as by land, and alfo to kill, flay and deftroy, by all fitting ways, enterprizes and means whatsoever, all and every such person or perfons as fhall, at any time hereafter attempt or enterprize the deftruction, invafion, detriment or annoyance of the faid inhabitants and plantation, and to use and exercise the law martial in such cases only as occafion fhall require, and to take or surprize, by all ways and means whatsoever, all and every fuch perfon or perfons, with their fhips, armour, ammunition, and other goods, of fuch as fhall, in fuch hoftile manner, invade or attempt the defeating of the faid plantation, or the hurt of the faid company and inhabitants, and, upon juft caufes, to and likeinvade and destroy the natives or other enemies of the faid wife upon colony. Nevertheless our will and pleasure is, and we do invade and hereby declare unto all chriftian kings, princes and ftates, destroy their that if any persons, which shall hereafter be of the said company or plantation, or any other, by appointment of the faid Provifo in governor and company, for the time being, fhall at any time cafe they or times hereafter rob or spoil, by fea or by land, and do injure any any hurt, violence, or unlawful hoftility, to any of the prince or fubjects of us, our heirs or fucceffors, or any of the fubjects state, in aof mity with England.

enemies.

fhall rob or