Licence to build a College or Colleges in London, Miles of London.

or within ten

If any Abuses or
Differences

arise, they shall
be reformed and
settled by the

Lord Chancellor

while living:

afterwards by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the

or Keeper, the

Lord Treasurer, the Bishop of

London, the Lord

Privy Seal, and the two Secre

Et ulteriùs dedimus et concessimus, ac per praesentes pro nobis heredibus et successoribus nostris damus et concedimus, praefatis Praesidi Concilio et Sodalibus Regalis Societatis praedictae et successoribus suis plenam potestatem et authoritatem erigendi aedificandi et extruendi, aut erigi aedificari et extrui faciendi vel causaudi, intra Civitatem nostram London, vel decem milliaria ejusdem, unum vel plura Collegium vel Collegia cujuscunque modi vel qualitatis, pro habitatione assemblatione et congregatione praedictorum Praesidis Concilii et Sodalium praedictae Regalis Societatis et successorum suorum, negotia sua et alias res eandem Regalem Societatem concernentia ad ordinandum et disponendum.

Et ulteriùs volumus, ac per praesentes pro nobis heredibus et successoribus nostris ordinamus constituimus et appunctuamus, quòd si aliqui abusus vel discrepantiae in Clarendon alone, posterum orientur et accident de gubernatione aut aliis rebus vel negotiis praedictae Regalis Societatis, unde ejusdem constitutioni stabili mini et studiorum progressui Lord Chancellor, vel rebus et negotiis aliqua inferatur injuria vel impedimentum; quòd tunc et toties per praesentes pro nobis heredibus et successoribus nostris [ordinamus]* authorizamus nominamus assignamus et constituimus praefatum praedilectum et perquam fidelem Consanguineum et Conciliarium nostrum Edwardum, Comitem Clarendon, Cancellarium nostrum Regni nostri Angliae, per seipsum durante vita sua, et post ejus mortem tunc Archiepiscopum Cantuariensem, Cancellarium vel Custodem Magni Sigilli Angliae, Thesaurarium Angliae, Episcopum Londinensem, Custodem Privati Sigilli, et duos Principales Secretarios, pro tempore existentes, aut aliquos quatuor vel plures eorum, easdem discrepantias et abusus reconciliare componere et reducere.

taries of State for

the time being,

or four or more of

them.

General Clauses.

Et ulteriùs volumus, ac per praesentes pro nobis heredibus et successoribus nostris firmiter injungendo praecipimus et mandamus omnibus et singulis Justiciariis Majoribus Aldermannis Vicecomitibus Ballivis Constabulariis et aliis officiariis ministris et subditis nostris heredum et successorum nostrorum quibuscunque, quòd de tempore in tempus sint auxiliantes et assistentes praedictis Praesidi Concilio et Sodalibus Regalis Societatis praedictae et successoribus suis in omnibus et per omnia, secundùm veram intentionem harum Literarum nostrarum Patentium.

*From the Patent Roll.

Eò quòd expressa mentio de vero valore annuo vel de certitudine praemissorum sive eorum alicujus, aut de aliis donis sive concessionibus per nos seu per aliquem progenitorum sive praedecessorum nostrorum praefatis Praesidi Concilio et Sodalibus Regalis Societatis ante haec tempora factis, in praesentibus minimè facta existit; aut aliquo statuto actu ordinatione provisione proclamatione sive restrictione in contrarium inde antehac habito facto edito ordinato sive proviso, aut aliqua alia re causa vel materia quacunque, in aliquo non obstante.

In cujus rei testimonium has Literas nostras fieri fecimus Patentes. TESTE Me ipso, apud Westmonasterium, quinto decimo die Julii, anno regni nostri decimo quarto. Per ipsum Regem.

HOWARD.*

FIRST CHARTER,

Granted to the President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society of London, by King Charles the Second, A.D. 1662.

Charles the Second, by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., to all to whom these present Letters shall come, greeting.

We have long and fully resolved with Ourself to extend not only the boundaries of the Empire, but also the very arts and sciences. Therefore we look with favour upon all forms of learning, but with particular grace we encourage philosophical studies, especially those

*This document, with those of a similar nature, subsequently granted to the Society, are preserved in a strong box in the apartments of the Royal Society. The first Charter is on four skins of vellum; it was drawn by Sir Robert Sawyer, then Attorney-General, and is remarkable for its clearness and legal terseness. The first skin contains some remarkably handsome ornamented capitals and flowers, with a finely executed Portrait of Charles II. in Indian ink within the initial letter C. The Great Seal of the Kingdom in green wax is appended to the Charter.

Incorporation, and Corporate Name.

Capacity to purchase,

and to grant ;

to sue and be sued;

which by actual experiments attempt either to shape out a new philosophy or to perfect the old. In order, therefore, that such studies, which have not hitherto been sufficiently brilliant in any part of the world, may shine conspicuously amongst our people, and that at length the whole world of letters may always recognise us not only as the Defender of the Faith, but also as the universal lover and patron of every kind of truth:

Know ye that we, of our special grace and of our certain knowledge and mere motion, have ordained, established, granted, and declared, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors do ordain, establish, grant, and declare, that from henceforth for ever there shall be a Society, consisting of a President, Council, and Fellows, which shall be called and named The Royal Society; And for us, our heirs, and successors we do make, ordain, create, and constitute by these presents the same Society, by the name of The President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society, one body corporate and politic in fact, deed, and name, really and fully, and that by the same name they may have perpetual succession; and that they and their successors (whose studies are to be applied to further promoting by the authority of experiments the sciences of natural things and of useful arts), by the same name of The President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society aforesaid, may and shall be in all future times persons able and capable in law to have, acquire, receive, and possess lands and tenements, meadows, feedings, pastures, liberties, privileges, franchises, jurisdictions, and hereditaments whatsoever, to themselves and their successors in fee and perpetuity, or for term of life, lives, or years, or otherwise in whatsoever manner, and also goods and chattels, and all other things, of whatsoever kind, nature, sort, or quality they may be; and also to give, grant, demise, and assign the same lands, tenements, and hereditaments, goods and chattels, and to do and execute all acts and things necessary of and concerning the same, by the name aforesaid; And that by the name of The President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society aforesaid they may henceforth for ever be able and have power to plead and be impleaded, to answer and be answered, to defend and be defended, in whatsoever Courts and places, and before whatsoever Judges and Justices and other persons and officers of us, our heirs, and successors, in all and singular actions,

pleas, suits, plaints, causes, matters, things, and demands whatsoever, of whatsoever kind, nature, or sort they may or shall be, in the same manner and form as any of our lieges within this our Realm of England, being persons able and capable in law, or as any body corporate or politic within this our Realm of England, may be able and have power to have, acquire, receive, possess, give, and grant, to plead and be impleaded, to answer and be answered, to defend or be defended; And that the same President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society aforesaid, and their successors, may have for ever a Common Seal, to serve for transacting the causes and affairs whatsoever of them and their successors; and that it may and shall be good and lawful to the same President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society aforesaid, and to their successors for the time being, to break, change, and make anew that Seal from time to time, according as it shall seem most expedient to them.

Pre

and to have a alterable at plea

Common Seal.

sure.

The Council to whom the Presi

consist of 21 (of

dent to be always one).

The Fellows to be

chosen in the first President and

month, by the

And that our royal intention may obtain the better effect, and for the good rule and government of the aforesaid Royal Society from time to time, we will, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors do grant to the same President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society aforesaid, and to their successors, that henceforth for ever the Council aforesaid shall be and consist of twenty-one persons (of whom we will the President to be always one); And that all and singular other persons who within one month next following after the date of these presents shall be received and admitted by the President and Council, and in all time following by the sident, Council, and Fellows, into the same Society, as Members of the Royal Society aforesaid, and shall have been noted in the Register by them to be kept, shall be and shall be called and named Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows. aforesaid: whom, the more eminently they are distinguished for the study of every kind of learning and good letters, the more ardently they desire to promote the honour, studies, and advantage of this Society, the more they are noted for integrity of life, uprightness of character, and piety, and excel in fidelity and affection of mind towards us, our Crown, and dignity, the more we wish them to be especially deemed fitting and worthy of being admitted into the number of the Fellows of the same Society.

And for the better execution of our will and grant

D

Council; after

that month, by the President,

Council, and

William, Vis

to be the first

President;

to hold till St. Andrew's Day

next (if he shall

in this behalf, we have assigned, nominated, constituted, and made, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors do assign, nominate, constitute, and make, our very well-beloved and trusty William, Viscount Bronncker, Chancellor to our very dear consort, Queen Catherine, to be and become the first and present President of the Royal Society aforesaid; willing that the aforesaid Wilcount Brouncker, liam, Viscount Brouncker, shall continue in the office of President of the Royal Society aforesaid from the date of these presents until the feast of St. Andrew next following after the date of these presents, and until one other of the Council of the Royal Society aforesaid for the time being shall have been elected, appointed, and Sworn to that office in due manner, according to the ordinance and provision below in these presents expressed and declared (if the aforesaid William, Viscount Brouncker, shall live so long); having first taken a corporal oath well and faithfully to execute his office in and by all things touching that office, according to the true intention of these presents, before our very well-beloved and very trusty Cousin and Councillor Edward, Earl of Clarendon, our Chancellor of England: to which same Edward, Earl of Clarendon, our Chancellor aforesaid, we give and grant full power and authority, to administer the oath aforesaid in these words following, that is to say :—

so long live), and

till another out of

the Council be chosen and sworn;

but first to be Sworn before the Lord Chancellor.

The President's
Oath.

The first Council named;

I, William, Viscount Brouncker, do promise to deal faithfully and honestly in all things belonging to the trust committed to me as President of this Royal Society, during my employment in that capacity. So help me God!

We have also assigned, constituted, and made, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors do make, our beloved and trusty Robert Moray, Knight, one of our Privy Council in our Realm of Scotland; Robert Boyle, Esquire ; William Brereton, Esquire, eldest son of the Baron de Brereton; Kenelm Digby, Knight, Chancellor to our very dear mother, Queen Maria; Paul Neile, Knight, one of the Gentlemen of our Privy Chamber; Henry Slingesby, Esquire, another of the Gentlemen of our aforesaid Privy Chamber; William Petty, Knight; John Wallis, Doctor in Divinity; Timothy Clarke, Doctor in Medicine and one of our Physicians; John Wilkins, Doctor in Divinity; George Ent, Doctor in Medicine; William Aerskine, one of our Cup-bearers; Jonathan Goddard, Doctor in Medicine and Professor of Gresham College; Christopher Wren, Doctor in Medicine, Saville