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and from the head of the faid river the eaftern bounds are to be determined by a meridian line, to be drawn from the head of the faid river unto the faid three and fortieth degree; the faid lands to extend westward five degrees in longitude, to be computed from the said eastern bounds; and the faid lands to be bounded on the north by the beginning of the three and fortieth degree of northern latitude, and on the fouth by a circle drawn at twelve miles diftance from Newcastle northwards and weftwards, unto the beginning of the fortieth degree of northern latitude; and then by a ftrait line westwards to the limits of longitude above-mentioned. We do also give and grant unto the faid William Penn, his heirs and affigns, the free and undisturbed ufe, and continuance in, and paffage into, and out of, all and fingular ports, harbours, bays, waters, rivers, ifles, and inlets belonging unto, or leading to and from the country or iflands aforefaid, and all the foil, lands, fields, woods, underwoods, mountains, hills, fens, ifles, lakes, rivers, waters, rivulets, bays, and inlets, fituate and being within or belonging unto the limits and bounds aforefaid; together with the fifhing of all forts of fifh, whales, fturgeons, and all royal and other fifhes in the fea, bays, inlets, waters, or rivers, within the premifes, and the fifh therein taken; and also all veins, mines, quarries, as well discovered as not difcovered, of gold, filver, gems, and precious ftones, and all other whatsoever, be it ftones, metals, or of any other thing or matter whatfoever, found or to be found within the country, ifles or limits aforefaid; and him the faid William Penn, his heirs and affigns, we do by this our royal Charter, for us, our heirs, and fucceffors, make, create, and constitute the true and abfolute proprietaries of the faid country afore- Saving of faid, and of all other the premifes; faving always to us, our the allegiheirs and fucceffors, the faith and allegiance of the faid William Penn, his heirs and affigns, and of all other proprieta- heirs, and ries, tenants, and inhabitants, that are, and shall be within affigns, and of the fovethe territories and precincts aforefaid; and faving also unto reignty of us, our heirs and fucceffors, the fovereignty of the aforefaid the country. country. To have, hold, poffefs, and enjoy the faid tract of land, country, ifles, inlets, and other the premises, unto the Habendum. faid William Penn, his heirs and affigns, to the only proper ufe and behoof of the faid William Penn, his heirs and affigns

ance of the

grantee, his

for ever. To be holden of us, our heirs and fucceffors, Kings Tenendum. of England, as of our Caftle of Windfor, in our county of Berks, in free and common foccage, by fealty only, for all fervices, and not in capite, or by Knights fervice; yielding and paying therefore to us, our heirs and fucceffors, two O beaver

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beaver-fkins, to be delivered at our faid caftle of Windfor, on Refervation the first day of January on every year; and alfo the fifth part of a fifth of all gold and filver ore, which fhall from time to time hapgold and fil- pen to be found within the limits aforefaid, clear of all charges. And of our further grace, certain knowledge, and mere. Erection of motion, we have thought fit to erect, and we do hereby erect the country the aforefaid country and ifland into a province and feignory, vince by the and do call it Penfylvania, and fo from henceforth we will have it called. And forafmuch as we have hereby made and Penfylvania ordained the aforefaid William Penn, his heirs and affigns, the true and abfolute proprietaries of all the lands and dominions aforefaid: Know ye therefore, that we repofing special truft and confidence in the fidelity, wifdom, juftice, and pro-vident circumfpection of the faid William Penn, for us, our Grant tow. heirs and fucceffors, do grant free, full, and abfolute power, Pennand his by virtue of thefe prefents, to him and his heirs, and to his heirs, of the and their deputies and lieutenants, for the good and happy government of the faid country, to ordain, make, enact, and under his and their feals to publish any laws whatsoever, for the raising of money for the public ufe of the faid province, other pur- and for any other end appertaining either to the public ftate, pofes; peace, or fafety of the faid country, or unto the private utility by the ad- of particular perfons, according to their beft difcretions, by and with the advice, affent, and approbation, of the freemen with the af- of the faid country, or the greater part of them, or of their freemen or delegates or deputies, whom for the enacting of the faid laws, their depu- when and as often as need fhall require, we will, that the said William Penn, and his heirs, fhall affemble in fuch fort and and of the form, as to him and them fhall feem beft, and the faid laws duly to execute unto and upon all people within the faid faid laws. country and limits thereof. And we do likewife give and power toap-grant unto the faid William Penn, and his heirs, and to his point judges and their deputies and lieutenants, full power and authority and officers to appoint and establish any juftices, magiftrates, and officers neceffary for the probate whatsoever, for what caufes foever, for the probates of wills, of wills, and and for the granting of administrations, within the precincts granting of aforefaid, and with what power foever, and in fuch form as adminiftra to the faid William Penn, or his heirs, fhall feem moft conand of the venient; alfo to remit, release, pardon, and abolish, whether power to before judgment or after, all crimes and offences whatsoever, pardon cri- committed within the faid country, againft the faid laws, ing treafon treafon and wilful and malicious murder only excepted; and and murder, in thofe cafes to grant reprieves until our pleasure may be and in thefe known therein; and to do all and every other thing or things, prieves; which unto the complete establishment of juftice unto courts

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and tribunals, forms of judicature, and manner of proceedings, and of all do belong, although in these presents exprefs mention be not fary judicial made thereof; and by judges, by them delegated, to award powers. process, hold pleas, and determine, in all the faid courts and tribunals, all actions, fuits, and caufes whatsoever, as well criminal as civil, perfonal, real, and mixt. Which laws, fo, The laws as aforefaid, to be published, our will and pleasure is, and fo made as awe injoin, require, and command, fhall be moft abfolute and. binding available in law; and that all the liege people and fubjects of us, upon all the our heirs and fucceffors, do obferve and keep the fame invio- inhabitants Jably, in those parts, fo far as they concern them, under the province; pain therein expreffed, or to be expreffed; provided neverthelefs, that the faid laws be confonant to reason, and be not provided repugnant or contrary, but, as near as conveniently may be, confonant, agreeable to the laws, ftatutes, and rights of this our kingdom and not reof England; and faving and referving to us, our heirs and pugnant to fucceffors, the receiving, hearing, and determining of the the laws of appeal and appeals of all or any perfon or perfons of, in, or belonging to the territories aforefaid, or touching any judg- Refervation of an appeal ment to be there made or given. And forafmuch as in the government of fo great a country, fudden accidents do often happen, whereunto it will be neceflary to apply a remedy, before the freeholders of the faid province, or their delegates or deputies, can be affembled to the making of laws; neither will it be convenient, that inftantly, upon every such emergent occafion, fo great a multitude fhould be called together; therefore, for the better government of the faid country, we will and ordain, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, do grant unto the faid William Penn, and his heirs, by themselves, or by their magiftrates and officers, in that behalf duly to be ordained, as aforefaid, to make and conftitute fit and wholefome ordinances, from time to time, within the faid country, to be kept and obferved, as well for the preservation of the peace, as for the better government of the people there inhabiting, and publicly to notify the fame, to all perfons whom the fame doth or may any way concern which ordinances, our will and pleasure is, fhall be observed inviolably within the faid province, under pains therein to be expreffed; fo as the faid ordinances be confonant to reason, and be not repugnant nor contrary, but, fo as may be agreeable to the laws of our kingdom of England; and fo as the faid ordinances be not extended in any fort, to bind, charge, or take away the right or intereft of any perfon or perfons, for or in their life, members, freehold, goods or chattels. And our further will and pleasure is, That the laws for regulating

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and

and governing of property, within the faid province, as well for the descent and enjoyment of lands, as likewife for the enjoyment and fucceffion of goods and chattels, and likewife as to felonies, fhall be and continue the fame as they shall be for the time being, by the general courfe of the law in our kingdom of England, until the faid laws fhall be altered by the faid William Penn, his heirs or affigns, and by the freemen of the faid province, their delegates or deputies, or the greater part of them. And to the end the faid William Penn, or his heirs, or other the planters, owners, or inhabitants of the faid province may not, at any time hereafter, by misconftruction of the powers aforefaid, through inadvertency or defign, depart from that faith, and due allegiance which, by the laws of this our kingdom of England, they and all our fubjects in our dominions and territories always owe unto us, our heirs and fucceffors, by colour of any extent or largeness of powers hereby given, or pretended to be given, or by force or colour of any laws hereafter to be made in the faid province, by virtue of any fuch powers; our further will and pleasure is, that a tranfcript or duplicate of all laws which fhall be fo as aforefaid made and published within the faid province, fhall, within five years after the making thereof, be tranfmitted and delivered to the privy council, for the time being, of us, our heirs and fucceffors: And if any of the faid laws, within fix months after that they fhall be fo tranfmitted and delivered, be declared by us, our heirs and fucceffors, in our or their privy council, inconfiftent with the fovereignty or lawful prerogative of us, our heirs or fucceffors, or contrary to the faith or allegiance due by the legal government of this realm, from the faid William Penn, or his heirs, or of the planters and inhabitants of the faid province; and that thereupon any of the faid laws fhall be adjuged and declared to be void by us, our heirs and fucceffors, under our or their privy feal; that then and from thenceforth fuch laws, concerning which fuch judgment and declaration fhall be made, fhall become void; otherwise the faid laws fo transmitted shall remain and ftand in full force, according to the true intent, and meaning thereof. Furthermore, that this new colony may the more happily encrease by the multitude of people reforting thither, therefore we, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, do give and grant, by these presents, power, licence, and liberty, unto all the liege people and fubjects, both prefent and future, of us, our heirs and fucceffors, (excepting those who fhall be especially forbidden) to transport themselves and families unto the said country, with such convenient ship

ping,

ping, as, by the laws of this our kingdom of England, they ought to use, and with fitting provifions, paying only the cuftoms thereof due, and there to fettle themselves, dwell and inhabit, and plant for the public and their own private advantage. And furthermore, that our fubjects may be the rather encouraged to undertake this expedition with ready and chearful minds, know ye, That we, of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, do give and grant, by virtue of these presents, as well unto the faid William Penn, and his heirs, as to all others, who fhall, from time to time, repair unto the faid country, with a purpose to inhabit there, or to trade with the natives of the faid country, full licence to Jade and freight in any ports whatsoever, of us, our heirs and fucceffors, according to the laws made, or to be made, within our kingdom of England, and into the faid country, by them, their fervants, or affigns, to tranfport all and fingular their goods, wares, and merchandize, as likewife all forts of grain whatsoever, and all other things whatsoever neceffary for food or cloathing, not prohibited by the laws and ftatutes of our kingdoms and dominions to be carried out of the faid kingdoms, without any lett or moleftation of us, our heirs and fucceffors, or of any the heir of us, our heirs and fucceffors; faving always to us, our heirs, and fucceffors, the legal impofitions, cuftoms, and other duties and payments for the faid wares, and merchandize, by any law or ftatute due, or to be due, to us, our heirs or fucceffors And we do further for us, our heirs and fucceffors, give and grant unto the faid William Penn, his heirs and affigns, free and abfolute power to divide the faid country and islands into towns, hundreds, and counties, and to erect and incorporate towns into boroughs, and boroughs into cities, and make and conftitute fairs and markets therein, with all other convenient privileges and immunities, according to the merit of the inhabitants, and the fitnefs of the places, and to do all and every other thing and things touching the premises, which to him or them fhall feem meet and requifite, albeit they be such as of their own nature might otherwise require a more efpecial commandment and warrant than in these prefents is expreffed. We will also, Grant of a and by these prefents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, we do licence to give and grant licence by this our charter, unto the faid tants of this William Penn, his heirs and affigns, and to all the inhabitants province, to and dwellers, in the province aforefaid, both present and to importgoods come, to import and unlade, by themselves, or their fervants, into Engfactors or affigns, all merchandize or goods whatfoever, as land,but inshall arife of the fruits and commodities of the faid province, to no other either country:

the inhabi

from thence

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