VIRGINIA CHARTER S.

NUMBER I. King JAMES I.'S LETTERS PATENT to Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers and others, for two feveral Colonies and Plantations, to be made in VIRGINIA, and other Parts and Territories of AMERICA. Dated April 10, 1606.

1.

JAME

AMES, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. Whereas our loving and well difpofed fubjects, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Somers, Knights, Richard Hackluit, Clerk, Prebendary of Westminster, and Edward-Maria Wingfield, Thomas Hanham, and Ralegh Gilbert, Efqrs. William Parker and George Popham, Gentlemen, and divers others of our loving fubjects, have been humble fuitors unto us, that we would vouchsafe unto them our licence, to make habitation, plantation, and to deduce a colony of fundry 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 poffeffed by any chriftian prince or people, fituate, lying, and being all along the fea coafts, between four-and-thirty degrees of northerly latitude from the equinoctial line, and five-and-forty degrees of the fame latitude, and in the main land between the fame four-and-thirty and five-and-forty degrees, and the iflands thereunto adjacent, or within one hundred miles of the coaft thereof.

II. And to that end, and for the more fpeedy accomplishment of their faid intended plantation and habitation there, are defirous to divide themselves into two feveral colonies and companies: the one confifting of certain knights, gentlemen, merchants, and other adventurers, of our city of London and elsewhere, which are, and from time to time fhall be, joined unto them, which do defire to begin their plantation and habitation in fome fit and convenient place, between four-andthirty and one-and-forty degrees of the faid latitude, along the coafts of Virginia and coafts of America aforefaid; and, the other confifting of fundry knights, gentlemen, merchants,

I 2

and

Grant to

liberty to fettle any

rica, be

41°.

feacoaftnear

of fettlement to the 50 miles

and other adventurers, of our cities of Bristol and Exeter, and of our town of Plymouth, and of other places, which do join themselves unto that colony, which do defire to begin their plantation and habitation in some fit and convenient place, between eight-and-thirty degrees and five-and-forty degrees of the faid latitude, all along the said coaft of Virginia and America, as that coaft lieth.

III. We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their defires for the furtherance of fo noble a work, which may, by the providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the glory of his divine Majesty, in propagating of chriftian religion to fuch people, as yet live in darkness and miferable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the infidels and favages, living in those parts, to human civility, and to a fettled and quiet government: Do, by these our letters patents, graciously accept of, and agree to, their humble and well intended defires.

IV. And do therefore, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, the London grant and agree, that the faid Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George company of Somers, Richard Hackluit, and Edward-Maria Wingfield, adventurers of and for our city of London, and all fuch where on others, as are, or fhall be, joined unto them of that colory, the coaft of fhall be called the firft colony; and they fhall and may begin North Ame- their said first plantation and habitation, at any place upon tween lat. the faid coaft of Virginia or America, where they fhall think 34 and lat. fit and convenient, between the faid four-and-thirty and oneand-forty degrees of the faid latitude; and that they fhall and of the have all the lands, woods, foil, grounds, havens, ports, their place rivers, mines, minerals, marshes, waters, fifhings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatsoever, from the said first feat of their plantation and habitation by the space of fifty miles of English ftatute measure, all along the faid coaft of from it,each Virginia and America, towards the weft and fouthweft, as the depth of the coaft lieth, with all the islands within one hundred miles 100 wiles directly over against the fame fea coaft; and alfo all the lands, foil, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, woods, waters, marfhes, fifhings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatfoever, from the faid place of their firft plantation and habitation for the fpace of fifty like English miles, all along the faid coafts of Virginia and America, towards the eaft and north-eaft, or towards the north, as the coaft lieth, together with all the islands within one hundred miles, directly over against the said fea coaft; and also all the lands, woods, foil, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, marshes, waters, filhings, commodities, and here

way and to

into the

main land.

ditaments,

f

ditaments, whatfoever, from the fame fifty miles every way on the fea coaft, directly into the main land by the space of one hundred like English miles; and fhall and may inhabit and remain there; and fhall and may alfo build and fortify within any the fame, for their better fafeguard and defence, according to their beft difcretion, and the difcretion of the Council of that colony; and that no other of our subjects fhall be permitted, or fuffered, to plant or inhabit behind, or on the backside of them, towards the main land, without the exprefs licence or confent of the Council of that colony, thereunto in writing firft had and obtained.

tle any

where on

tween lat.

ment to the

V. And we do likewife, for us, our heirs, and fucceffors, Grant to the Plyby these presents, grant and agree, that the faid Thomas mouth com Hanham, and Ralegh Gilbert, William Parker, and George pany of liPopham, and all others of the town Plymouth in the county berty to fetof Devon, or elsewhere, which are, or fhall be, joined unto them of that colony, fhall be called the fecond colony; and the coaft of that they fhall and may begin their faid plantation and feat of North Ame their first abode and habitation, at any place upon the faid rica, becoaft of Virginia and America, where they fhall think fit and 380 and lat. convenient, between eight-and-thirty degrees of the faid 45°. latitude, and five-and-forty degrees of the fame latitude; and and of the that they fhall have all the lands, foils, grounds, havens, fea coaftnear ports, rivers, mines, minerals, woods, marches, waters, their place of fettlefifhings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatfoever, from the first feat of their plantation and habitation by the space of distance of fifty like English miles, as is aforefaid, all along the faid 50 from it each coafts of Virginia and America, towards the weft and fouth- way and to weft, or towards the fouth, as the coaft lieth, and all the the depth of iflands within one hundred miles, directly over against the 100 miles faid fea coaft; and alfo all the lands, foils, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, mines, minerals, woods, marfhes, waters, fishings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatfoever, from the faid place of their firft plantation and habitation for the space of fifty like English miles, all along the faid coast of Virgi nia and America, towards the east and north-eaft, or towards the north, as the coaft lieth, and all the islands alfo within one hundred miles directly over against the fame fea coaft; and alfo all the lands, foils, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, woods, mines, minerals, marfhes, waters, fifhings, commodities, and hereditaments, whatfoever, from the fame fifty miles every way on the fea coaft, directly into the main land, by the space of one hundred like English miles; and shall and may inhabit and remain there; and fhall and may also build and fortify within any the fame for their better fafeguard, accord

ing

into the

main land.

Provided

tlements

ing to their beft difcretion, and the difcretion of the Coun cil of that colony; and that none of our subjects shall be permifted, or fuffered, 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.

VI. Provided always, and our will and pleasure herein is, that the fet- that the plantation and habitation of fuch of the faid colonies, that shall be as fhall last plant themselves, as aforefaid, fhall not be made laft made within one hundred like English miles of the other of them, fhall bemore that first began to make their plantation, as aforefaid.

than 100

miles dif

the firft.

Each of

nies fhall be

appointed

thefe councils fhall

VII. And we do alfo ordain, establish, and agree, for us, tant from our heirs, and fucceffors, that each of the faid colonies fhall have a council, which fhall govern and order all matters and causes, which fhall arife, grow, or happen, to or within the thefe colo- fame feveral colonies, according to fuch laws, ordinances, governed by and inftructions, as fhall be, in that behalf, given and figned a council of with our hand or fign manual, and pass under the privy feal 13 perfons of our realm of England; each of which Councils fhall conby the king; fift of thirteen perfons, to be ordained, made, and removed, from time to time, according as fhall be directed and comprised in the fame inftructions; and shall have a several seal, for all matters that shall pafs or concern the the same several Councils; each of which feals fhall have the king's arms engraven on the one fide thereof, and his portraiture on the other; and that the feal for the Council of the faid firft colony fhall have engraven round about, on the one fide, thefe words; Sigillum Regis Magna Britannia, Franciæ, & Hibernia; on the other fide this infcription, round about; Pro Concilio prima Coloniæ Virginia. And the feal for the Council of the faid fecond colony fhall alfo have engraven round about the one fide thereof, the aforefaid words; Sigillum Regis Magna Britannia, Francia, & Hiberniæ; and on the other fide; Pro Concilio fecunda Colonia Virginia.

have feals.

VIII. And that alfo there fhall be a Council established A fuperior council of here in England, which fhall, in like manner, confift of 13 perfons thirteen perfons, to be, for that purpofe, appointed by us, England, our heirs and fucceffors, which fhall be called our Council appointedby of Virginia; and fhall, from time to time, have the superior the king. managing and direction, only of and for all matters that shall

refiding in

or may concern the government, as well of the faid several colonies, as of and for any other part or place, within the aforefaid precincts of four-and-thirty and five-and-forty degrees, above-mentioned; which Council fhall, in like manner, have a feal, for matters concerning the Council or colonies,

colonies, with the like arms and portraiture, as aforefaid, with this infcription, engraven round about on the one fide; Sigillum Regis Magna Britannia, Francia, & Hibernia; and round about the other fide, Pro Concilio fuo Virginia.

mines of

IX. And moreover, we do grant and agree, for us, our Liberty to heirs and fucceffors, that the faid feveral Councils, of and work all for the faid feveral colonies, fhall and lawfully may, by gold and filvirtue hereof, from time to time, without any interruption vet in faid of us, our heirs or fucceffors, give and take order, to dig, coloniespaymine, and search for all manner of mines of gold, filver, and into the king a fifth copper, as well within any part of their said several colonies, part of the as of the faid main lands on the backside of the fame colonies; gold and filand to have and enjoy the gold, filver, and copper, to be gotten, fifteenth of thereof, to the ufe and behoof of the fame colonies, and the the copper, plantations thereof; yielding therefore, to us, our heirs and fucceffors, the fifth part only of all the fame gold and filver, and the fifteenth part of all the fame copper, fo to be gotten or had, as is aforefaid, without any other manner of profit or account, to be given or yielded to us, our heirs, or fucceffors, for or in refpect of the fame.

ver, and a

for thofe colonies.

X. And that they fhall, or lawfully may, eftablish and Power toefcause to be made a coin, to pafs current there between the tablish coins people of those feveral colonies, for the more ease of traffic and bargaining between and amongst them and the natives there, of fuch metal, and in fuch manner and form, as the faid feveral Councils there fhall limit and appoint.

nies.

XI. And we do likewife, for us, our heirs, and fuc- Power to ceffors, by these prefents, give full power and authority to carry out the faid Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard the king's fubjects to Hackluit, Edward-Maria Wingfield, Thomas Hanham, fettle the Ralegh Gilbert, William Parker, and George Popham, faid coloand to every of them, and to the said several companies, plantations, and colonies, that they, and every of them, fhall and may, at all and every time and times hereafter, have, take, and lead in the faid voyage, and for and towards the said several plantations and colonies, and to travel thitherward, and to abide and inhabit there, in every the faid colonies and plantations, fuch and fo many of our fubjects, as fhall willingly accompany them, or any of them, in the faid voyages and plantations; with fufficient fhipping, and furniture of armour, weapons, ordnance, powder, victual, and all other things, neceffary for the faid plantations, and for their use and defence there: Provided always, that none of the faid perfons be fuch, as fhall hereafter be specially reftrained by us, our heirs, or fucceffors. XII. More