No. I.

"The Charter of Charles the Second, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King, defender of the faith, &c., unto William Penn, Proprietary and Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania," [1681.]

"Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c., to all, to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

"Whereas our trusty and well-beloved subject William Penn, Esquire, son and heir of Sir William Penn deceased, (out of a commendable desire to enlarge our British empire, and promote such useful commodities, as may be of benefit to us and our dominions, as also to reduce the savage Natives, by just and gentle manners, to the love of civil society, and christian religion) hath humbly besought leave of US, to transport an ample colony unto a certain country, hereinafter described, in the parts of America not yet cultivated and planted; and hath likewise so humbly besought our royal Majesty to give, grant and confirm all the said country, with certain privileges and jurisdictions, requisite for the good government and safety of the said country and colony, to him, and his heirs forever.

SECTION I.

"Know ye, therefore, that we, (favoring the petition and good purpose of the said William Penn, and having regard to the memory and merits of his late father, in divers services, and particularly to his conduct, courage and discretion, under our dearest brother James Duke of York, in that signal battle and victory, fought and obtained, against the Dutch fleet, commanded by the Heer Van Opdam, in the year 1665: In consideration thereof, of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion) have given and granted, and, by this our present Charter, for us, our heirs and successors, do give and grant unto the said William Penn, his heirs and assigns, all that tract, or part, of land, in America, with the islands therein contained, as the same is bounded, on the east, by Delaware river, from twelve miles distance northwards of New Castle town, unto the three and fortieth degree of northern latitude, if the said river doth extend so far northward, but if the said river shall not extend so far northward, then, by the said river, so far as it doth extend; and from the head of the said river, the eastern bounds are to be determined by a meridian line, to be drawn from the head of the said river, unto the said

forty-third degree. The said land to extend westward five degrees in longitude, to be computed from the said eastern bounds; and the said lands to be bounded on the north by the beginning of the three and fortieth degree of northern latitude, and, on the south, by a circle, drawn at twelve miles distance from New Castle, northward and westward, unto the beginning of the fortieth degree of northern latitude; and then by a straight line westward to the limits of longitude above mentioned.

SECTION II.

"We do also give and grant unto the said William Penn, his heirs and assigns, the free, and undisturbed use, and continuance in, and passage unto, and out of all and singular ports, harbours, bays, waters, rivers, isles and inlets, belonging unto, or leading to, and from, the country, or islands aforesaid, and all the soils, lands, fields, woods, underwoods, mountains, hills, fenns, isles, lakes, rivers, waters, rivulets, bays and inlets, situated, or being within, or belonging to, the limits, or bounds, aforesaid, together with the fishing of all sorts of fish, whales, sturgeon, and all royal, and other fishes, in the seas, bays, inlets, waters, or rivers, within the premises, and all the fish taken therein; and also all veins, mines, minerals and quarries, as well discovered as not discovered, of gold, silver, gemms, and precious stones, and all other whatsoever, be it stones, metals, or of any other thing or matter whatsoever, found, or to be found, within the country, isles, or limits, aforesaid.

SECTION III.

"And him, the said William Penn, his heirs and assigns, we do by this our royal charter, for us, our heirs and successors, make, create and constitute the true and absolute proprietary of the country aforesaid, and of all other the premises; saving always to us, our heirs and successors, the faith and allegiance of the said William Penn, his heirs and assigns, and of all other proprietaries, tenants and inhabitants, that are, or shall be, within the territories and precincts aforesaid; and saving also unto us, our heirs and successors, the sovereignty of the aforesaid country; to have, hold, possess and enjoy the said tract of land, country, isles, inlets, and other the premises, unto the said William Penn, his heirs and assigns, forever, to be holden of us, our heirs and successors, kings of England, as of our castle of Windsor, in the county of Berks, in free and common soccage, by fealty only, for all services and not in capite, or by knight service: yielding and paying therefore to us, our heirs and successors, two Beaver skins, to be delivered at our castle of Windsor, on the first day of January, in every year; and also the fifth part of all gold, and silver oar, which shall, from time to time, happen to be found within the limits. aforesaid, clear of all charges. And of our further grace, certain knowledge, mere motion, We have thought fit to erect, and we do hereby erect,

the aforesaid country and islands into a province and seigniory, and do call it Pensilvania, and so from henceforth will have it called.

SECTION IV.

And, for as much as, we have hereby made and ordained the aforesaid William Penn, his heirs and assigns, the true and absolute proprietaries of all the lands and dominions aforesaid, Know ye, therefore, that we (reposing special trust and confidence in the fidelity, wisdom, justice and provident circumspection of the said William Penn) for us, our heirs. and successors, do grant free, full and absolute power, by virtue of these presents, to him and his heirs, to his, and their deputies and lieutenants, for the good and happy government of the said country, to ordain, make and enact, and, under his and their seals, to publish any laws whatsoever, for the raising of money for public uses of the said province, or for any other end, appertaining either unto the public state, peace, or safety of the said country, or unto the private utility of particular persons, according unto their best discretion, and with the advice, assent and approbation of the freemen of the said country, or the greater part of them, or of their delegates, or deputies, whom, for the enacting of the said laws, when, and as often as need shall require, we will that the said William Penn, and his heirs shall assemble, in such sort and form, as to him and them shall seem best, and the same laws duly to execute, unto and upon all people, within the said country and limits thereof.

SECTION V.

"And we do likewise give and grant unto the said William Penn, and to his heirs, and their deputies and lieutenants, full power and authority to appoint and establish any Judges and Justices, Magistrates, and other officers whatsoever, (for the probates of wills, and for the granting of ad- ministration within the precincts aforesaid) and with what power soever, and in such form, as to the said William Penn, or his heirs shall seem most convenient: also to remit, release, pardon and abolish (whether before judgment or after) all crimes and offences whatsoever, committed within the said country, against the laws, (treason and wilful and malicious murder only excepted, and in those cases, to grant reprieves, until our pleasure may be known therein) and to do all and every other thing and things, which unto the complete establishment of justice, unto courts and tribunals, forms of judicature, and manner of proceedings do belong, although, in these presents, express mention be not made thereof; and by judges, by them delegated, to award process, hold pleas, and determine, in all the said courts and tribunals, all actions, suits and causes whatsoever, as well criminal as civil, personal, real and mixt; which laws, so as aforesaid, to be published, our pleasure is, and so we enjoin, require and command, shall be most absolute and available in law; and

that all the liege people and subjects of us, our heirs and successors, do observe and keep the same inviolably in those parts, so far as they concern them, under the pain therein expressed, or to be expressed. Provided nevertheless, That the same laws be consonant to reason, and not repugnant, or contrary, but, (as near as conveniently may be) agreeable to the laws and statutes, and rights of this our kingdom of England; and saving and reserving to us, our heirs and successors, the receiving, hearing and determining of the appeal and appeals of all, or any person, or persons, of, in, or belonging to the territories aforesaid, or touching any judgment to be there made, or given.

SECTION VI.

"And, for as much as, in the government of so great a country, sudden accidents do often happen, whereunto it will be necessary to apply remedy, before the freeholders of the said province, or their delegates, or deputies, can be assembled, to the making of laws; neither will it be convenient, that instantly upon every such occasion, so great a multitude should be called together: Therefore (for the better government of the said country) we will and ordain, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, do grant unto the the said William Penn and his heirs, by themselves, or by their Magistrates and officers, in that behalf, duly to be ordained, as aforesaid, to make and constitute fit and wholesome ordinances, from time to time, within the said country to be kept and observed, as well for the preservation of the peace, as for the better government of the people there inhabiting; and publicly to notify the same to all persons, whom the same doth or may any ways concern. Which ordinances our will and pleasure is shall be observed inviolably within the said province, under the pains therein to be expressed, so as the said ordinances be consonant to reason, and be not repugnant nor contrary, but (so far as conveniently may be) agreeable with the laws of our kingdom of England, and so as the said ordinances be not extended, in any sort, to bind, change, or take away the right, or interest of any person, or persons, for, or in, their life, members, freehold, goods, or chattels. And our farther will and pleasure is, That the laws for regulating and governing of property within the said province, as well as for the descent and enjoyment of lands, as likewise for the enjoyment and succession of goods and chattels, and likewise as to the felonies, shall be and continue the same, as they shall be for the time being by the general course of the law in our kingdom of England, until the said laws shall be altered by the said William Penn, his heirs or assigns, and by the freemen of the said province, their delegates, or deputies, or the greater part of them.

SECTION VII.

"And to the end that the said William Penn, or his heirs, or other the