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the fame fhall be repealed, by the general affembly of our faid The gene- province, for the time being. Provided alfo, That it fhall ral court and may be lawful for the faid governor and general affemhas power bly, to make or pafs any grant of lands lying within the grants of bounds of the colonies formerly called the colonies of the Jand inMaf- Maffachusetts Bay, and New-Plymouth, and province of fachufiets, Maine, in fuch manner as heretofore they might have done, or the pro- by virtue of any former charter or letters patents; which vince of grants of lands, within the bounds aforefaid, we do hereby Main. will and ordain, to be and continue, for ever, of full force and effect, without our further approbation or confent; and Grants of fo as nevertheless, and it is our royal will and pleasure, that land be- no grant or grants of any lands lying or extending from the tween Saga- river of Sagadahock, to the gulph of St. Lawrence and Canada St. Law rivers, and to the main fea northward and eastward, to be made rence, to or paft by the governor and general affembly of our faid prohave the vince, be of any force, validity or effect, until we, our heirs royal ap- and fucceffors, fhall have fignified our or their approbation of probation. the fame. And we do, by thefe prefents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, grant, establish, and ordain, That the governor nor to com- of our faid province or territory, for the time being, fhall mand the have full power, by himself, or by any chief commander, or other officer or officers, to be appointed by him, from time to time, to train, inftruct, exercife, and govern the militia there; and for the fpecial defence and fafety of our faid province or territory, to affemble in martial array, and put in warlike pofture, the inhabitants of our faid province or territory, and to lead and conduct them, and with them to encounter, expulfe, repel, refift, and purfue by force of arms, as well by fea as by land, within or without the li mits of our faid province or territory; and alfo, to kill, flay, deftroy, and conquer, by all fitting ways, enterprizes, and Law mar- means whatfoever, all and every fuch perfon and perfons as fhall, at any time hereafter, attempt or enterprize the deftruction, invafion, detriment, or annoyance of our faid province or territory; and ufe to and exercife the law martial in time of actual war,' invafion, or rebellion, as occafion fhall neceflarily require; and alfo, from time to time, to erect forts, and to fortifie any place or places within our faid province or territory, and the fame to furnish with all neceflary ammunition, provifion, and ftores of war, for offence or defence, and to commit, from time to time, to cuftody and government of the fame, to fuch perfon or perfons as to him fhall feem meet, and the faid forts and fortifications to

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demolish at his pleafure; and to take and furprize, by all ways and means whatsoever, all and every fuch person or perfons, with their fhips, arms, ammunition, and other goods, as fhall in a hoftile manner invade, or attempt the invading, conquering, or annoying of our faid province or territory. Provided always, and we do, by these presents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, grant, establish, and or- No perfons dain, That the faid governor fhall not, at any time here- to be tranfafter, by virtue of any power hereby granted, or hereafter to ported out be granted to him, tranfport any of the inhabitants of our vince withfaid province or territory, or oblige them to march out of out their the limits of the fame, without their free and voluntary con- own confent, or the confent of the great and general court or af fembly of our faid province or territory; nor grant com- The lawmiffions for exercifing the law martial upon any the inhabi- martial not tants of our faid province or territory, without the advice to be exeand confent of the council, or affiftants of the fanie. Pro- cuted vided in like manner, and we do, by thefe prefents, for us, tant withour heirs and fucceffors, conftitute and ordain, That when, out the con and as often as the governor of our faid province, for the fent of the time being, fhall happen to die, or to be difplaced by us, our heirs or fucceffors, or be abfent from his government, In the abthat then, and in any of the faid cafes, the lieutenant or defence of the puty governor of our faid province, for the time being, fhall the deputy have full power and authority to do and execute all and governor to every fuch acts, matters, and things, which our governor have the of our faid province, for the time being, might or could, er. by virtue of thefe our letters patents, lawfully do or execute, if he were perfonally prefent, until the return of the governor fo abfent, or arrival or conftitution of fuch other governor as fhall or may be appointed by us, our heirs or fucceffors, in his ftead: and that when, and as often as the governor, and lieutenant, or deputy governor of our faid province or territory, for the time being, fhall happen to In the abdie, or be difplaced by us, our heirs or fucceffors, or be fence of abfent from our faid province, and that there fhall be vernor and no perfon within the faid province commiffioned by us, deputy goour heirs or fucceffors, to be governor within the fame, vernor, the then, and in every of the faid cafes, the council, or affif- major part tants of our faid province, fhall have full power and au- cil to have thority, and we do hereby give and grant unto the faid their pow council, or affiftants of our faid province, for the time being, or the major part of them, full power and authority to do and execute all and every fuch acts, matters, and things, which the faid governor, or lieutenant or deputy governor

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of our faid province or territory, for the time being, might or could lawfully do or exercife, if they, or either of them, were perfonally prefent, until the return of the governor, or lieutenant or deputy governor fo absent, or arrival, or conftitution of fuch other governor, or lieutenant or deputy governor, as shall or may be appointed by us, our heirs or fucceffors, from time to time. Provided always, and it is here by declared, That nothing herein contained shall extend or be taken to erect, or grant, or allow the exercife of any admiral Admiralty court, jurifdiction, power, or authority, but that the jurifdiction fame fhall be, and is hereby referved to us and our fucceffors, and fhall, from time to time, be erected, granted, and exercised, by virtue of commiffions to be iffued under the great feal of England, or under the feal of the high admiral, or the commiffioners for executing the office of high admiral of England. And further, our exprefs will and pleasure is, and we do, by these presents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordain and appoint, That these our letters patents The trade fhall not, in of fishing any manner, enure, or be taken to abridge, not to be bar, or hinder any of our loving fubjects whatfoever, to use abridg'd. and exercise the trade of fishing upon the coasts of NewEngland, but that they, and every of them, shall have full and free power and liberty to continue and use the said trade of fifhing upon the faid coafts, in any of the feas thereunto adjoining, or any arms of the faid feas, or falt-water rivers, where they have been wont to fish; and to build and fet upon the lands within our faid province or colony, lying wafte, and not then poffeffed by particular proprietors, fuch wharfs, ftages, and work-houses, as fhall be neceffary for the falting, drying, keeping, and packing of their fifh, to be taken or gotten upon that coaft; and to cut down and take fuch trees, and other materials there growing, or being upon any parts or places lying wafte, and not then in poffeffion of particular proprietors, as fhall be needful for that purpose, and for all other neceflary easements, helps, and advantages concerning the faid trade of fifhing there, in fuch manner and form as they have been heretofore at any time accustomed to do, without making any wilful wafte or spoil, Trees fit for any thing in these prefents contained to the contrary notmafts, not withstanding. And lastly, for the better providing and furon any foil nifhing of mafts for our royal navy, we do hereby referve to granted to us, our heirs and fucceffors, all trees of the diameter of particular perfons, to twenty-four inches and upwards, at twelve inches from the be preferv- ground, growing upon any foil or tract of land within our

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faid province or territory, not heretofore granted to any private perfons; and we do reftrain and forbid all perfons whatsoever, from felling, cutting, or deftroying any fuch trees, without the royal licence of us, our heirs and fucceffors, firft had and obtained, upon penalty of forfeiting one hundred pounds fterling unto us our heirs, and fucceffors, for every fuch tree fo felled, cut, or deftroyed, without fuch licence had or obtained in that behalf; any thing in thefe prefents contained to the contrary, in any wife notwithstanding.

In witness whereof, we have caufed these our letters to be made patents. Witness ourselves at Westminster, the feventh day of October, in the third year of our reign.

By writ of Privy Seal,

PIGO T.

Charter

Incorporation of the

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Charter granted to the Colony of Connecticut, by King
Charles II. in the Fourteenth Year of his Reign.

Undecima pars Patentium Anno Regni Regis CAROLI Secundi
Quartodecimo.

CH

HARLES the Second, by the grace of God, &c. to all to whom these prefents fhall come, greeting. Whereas by the feveral navigations, difcoveries, and fuccefsful plantations of divers of our loving fubjects of this our realm of England, feveral lands, iflands, places, colonies and plantations, have been ordained and fettled in that part of the continent of America called New-England, and thereby the trade and commerce there hath been of late years much increased; and whereas we have been informed by the humble petition of our trufty and well-beloved John Wintrop, John Mafon, Samuel Willis, Henry Clarke, Matthew Allen, John Tappen, Nathan Gould, Richard Treate, Richard Lord, Henry Woolcot, John Talcott, Daniel Clerke, John Ogden, Thomas Wells, Obadiah Brewen, John Clerke, Anthony Hawkins, John Deming, and Matthew Camfield, being perfons principally interefted in our colony or plantation of Connecticut in New-England, that the fame colony, or the greatest part thereof, was purchased and obtained for great and valuable confiderations, and fome other part thereof gained by conqueft, and with much difficulty, and at the only endeavours, expence and charge of them and their affociates, and thofe under whom they claim, fubdued and imimproved, and thereby become a confiderable inlargement and addition of our dominions and intereft there now know ye, that in confideration thereof, and in regard the faid colony is remote from other the English plantations in the places aforesaid, and to the end the affairs and business, which shall from time to time happen or arife concerning the fame, may be duly ordered and managed, we have thought fit, at the humble petition of the perfons aforefaid, and are graciously pleased to create and make them a body politick and corporate, with the powers and privileges herein aftermentioned; and accordingly our will and pleasure is, and our

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