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authority, upon the good government of the fame, to the end that the affairs and bufineffes which from time to time shall happen and arise concerning the faid lands and the plantation of the fame, may be the better managed and ordered. We Incorporahave further hereby of our especiall grace, certain knowledge Grantees of and meere motion, given, granted and confirmed, and for the faid us, our heires and fucceffours, do give, grant and confirme Land. unto our faid truftie and well-beloved fubjects, Sir Henry Rosewell, Sir John Younge, Sir Richard Saltonftall, Thomas Southcott, John Humfrey, John Endecott, Symon Whetcomb, Ifaac Johnson, Samuel Alderfey, John Ven, Matthew Craddock, George Harwood, Increase Nowell, Richard Perry, Richard Bellingham, Nathaniel! Wright, Samuel Vaffall, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goffe, Thomas Adams, John Browne, Samuel Browne, Thomas Hutchins, William Vaffall, William Pinchon and George Foxcroft, and for us, our heires and fucceffours, wee will and ordaine, That the faid Sir Henry Rosewell, Sir John Younge, Sir Richard Saltonftall, Thomas Southcott, John Humfrey, John Endecott, Symon Whetcombe, Ifaac Johnson, Samuel Alderfey, John Ven, Matthew Craddock, George Harwood, Increase Nowell, Richard Perry, Richard Bellingham, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vaffall, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goffe, Thomas Adams, John Browne, Samuel Browne, Thomas Hutchins, William Vaffall, William Pinchon, and George Foxcroft, and all fuch others as fhall hereafter be admitted and made free of the companie and fociety hereafter mentioned, fhall from time to time and at all times forever hereafter be by virtue of these presents one body corporate politique in fact and name, by the name of the Governor and companie Name of the of the Maffachusetts Bay in New England: And them by Corporation the name of the Governor and Companie of the Massachufetts Bay in New England, one body politique and corporate in deed, fact and name, wee doe for us our heirs and fucceffors make, ordaine, conftitute and confirme by these presents, and that by that name they fhall have perpetuall fucceffion, Perpetual and that by the fame name they and their fucceffors fhall and Succeffion. may be capable and inabled, as well to impleade and to be Capacity to impleaded, and to prosecute, demand and answer, and be an- plead and be swered unto, in all and fingular fuites, caufes, quarrels, and impleaded. actions, of what kind and nature foever. And alfo to have, Capacity to take, poffeffe, acquire and purchase any lands, tenements, Lands or purchase or hereditaments, or any goods or chattells, the fame to Goods; and leafe, grant, demife, alien, bargain, fell and difpofe of, as to grant or other our leige people of this our realme of England, or any

other

fell them.

Common
Seal.

The Go

vernment of the faid

Affiftants.

other corporation or body politique of the fame may lawfully doe. And further, that the faid Governor and Companie and their fucceffors may have forever one common feale to be used in all causes and occafions of the faid Companie, and the fame feale may alter, change, break and new make from time to time at their pleasures. And our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordaine and Corporation grant, that from henceforth for ever there fhall be one GoA Governor vernor, one deputy Governor, and eighteen Affiftants of the and eighteen fame Companie, to be from time to time conftituted, elected and chofen out of the freemen of the faid Companie for the time beinge, in fuch manner and forme as hereafter in these Their Power prefents is expreffed. Which faid officers fhall apply themand Duty. felves to take care for the best difpofing and ordering of the generall bufinefs and affaires of for and concerning the faid lands and premiffes hereby mentioned to be granted, and the plantation thereof, and the government of the people there. And for the better execution of our royall pleasure and grant in this behalfe, we do by these prefents, for us our Nomination heirs and fucceffors, nominate, ordaine, make, and conftitute of the firft our well beloved the faid Matthew Craddock, to be the first Governour and prefent Governor of the faid, Companie, and the faid

and Affi

ftants.

femble the

Thomas Goffe to be deputy Governor of the faid Companie, and the faid Sir Richard Saltonftall, Ifaac Johnson, Samuel Alderfey, John Ven, John Humfrey, John Endecott, Symon Whetcombe, Increafe Nowell, Richard Perry, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vaffall, Theophilus Eaton, Tho mas Adams, Thomas Hutchins, John Browne, George Foxcroft, William Vaffall, and William Pinchon to be the prefent Affiftants of the faid Companie to continue in the faid feveral offices refpectively for fuch time and in fuch manner as in and by these presents is hereafter declared and Power to af- appointed. And further we will, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, do ordaine and grant that the faid Com- Governor of the faid Companie for the time being, or in his abfence, by occafion of fickness or otherwife, the deputy Governor for the time being fhall have authority from time to time, upon all occafions, to give order for the assembling of the faid Companie, and calling them together to confult and advife of the bufinefs and affaires of the faid. Monthly Companie. And that the faid Governor, deputy Governor Courts, or and Afliftants of the faid Companie for the time being, shall of the Go- or may once every month, or oftner at their pleasures, afvernor and femble and hould and keep a court or affembly of themAfliftants. felves for the better ordering and directing of their affairs.

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Affemblies,

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And that any seven or more perfons of the Affiftants, together with the Governor or deputy Governor fo affembled, fhall be faid, taken, held, and reputed to be, and fhall be a full and fufficient court or affembly of the faid Companie, for the handling, ordering and dispatching of all fuch bufineffes and occurrents, as fhall from time to time happen, touching

Courts of the faid

elect Free

or concerning the faid Companie or plantation. And that Four general there fhall or may be held and kept by the Governor or deputy Governor of the faid Companie, and feven or more of Company in the faid Affiftants for the time being, upon every last Wed- a Year: nefday in Hillary, Eafter, Trinity and Michaelmas Termest refpectively for ever, one great, generall and folemn affembly, which four general Affemblies fhall be ftyled and called, the foure greate and generall courts of the faid Company: In all or any of which faid greate and generall courts fo affembled, We do, for us, our heires and fucceffours, give and grant to the faid Governour and Companie and theire fucceffours, that the Governour, or in his abfence the deputy Governour, of the faid Companie for the time being, and fuch of the Affiftants and freemen of the faid Companie as fhall be present or the greater number of them so affembled, whereof the Governour or deputy Governour and fix of the Affiftants, at the least to be seven, fhall have full power and Power to authority to choofe, nominate and appoint fuch and fo many men of the others as they fhall thinke fitt, and that fhall be willing to faid Comaccept the fame, to be free of the faid Company and Body, pany; and them into the fame to admit: And to elect and conftitute and to elect fuch officers as they fhall thinke fitt and requifite for the or- officers of dering, managing and difpatching of the affaires of the faid the fame; Governor and Companie and theire fucceflours: And to and to make make laws and ordinances for the good and welfare of the faid laws and or Companie, and for government and ordering of the faid lands dinances for and plantation, and the people inhabiteing and to inhabite the fame, as to them from time to time fhall be thought meęte. So as fuch lawes and ordinances be not contrary or repugnant to the laws and ftatutes of this our realme of England. And our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby The Gover for us, our heires and fucceffours eftablish and ordaine, That nor and de yearely once in the yeare forever hereafter, namely the laft Wednesday in Eafter terme yearely, the Governour, deputy fiftants, shall Governour and Affiftants of the faid Companie, and all other be chosen officers of the faid Companie fhall be in the generall court, at Eafter. or affemblie, to be held for that day or time, newly chofen for the yeare infueing by fuch greater part of the faid Companie for the time being, then and there prefent, as is aforefaid.

H

And

the fame.

nor, and Af

every year

vacancies in

pany to re

viour.

Manner of And if it fhall happen the prefent Governour, deputy Gofupplying vernour and Affiftants by thefe prefents appointed, or fuch the offices as fhall hereafter be newly chofen into their rooms, or any of the faid of them, or any other of the officers to be appointed for the faid Company. Companie, to dye, or to be removed from his or their severall occafioned by deaths or offices or places before the faid generall day of election (whom ⚫ removals. we do hereby declare for any misdemeanor or defect to be rePowergiven moveable by the Governor, deputy Governor, Affiftants and to the Com- Companie, or fuch greater part of them in any of the publick move their courts to be affembled as is aforefaid) that then and in every officers for fuch case it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Governour, misbeha- deputy Governour, Affiftants, and Companie aforefaid, or fuch greater part of them fo to be affembled as is aforefaid, in any of their affemblies to proceed to a new election of one or more others of their Companie in the room or place, rooms or places, of fuch officer or officers fo dyeing or removed, according to their difcretions. And immediately upon and after fuch election and elections made of fuch Governour, deputy Governour, Affiftant or Affiftants or any other officer of the faid Companie in manner and forme aforefaid, the authority, office, and power before given to the former Governour, deputy Governour, or other officer and officers foremoved, in whose stead and place new fhall be fo chofen, fhall as to him and them and every The officers of them cease and determine. Provided alfo, and our will and of the Com- pleasure is that as well fuch as are by these prefents appointed to be the prefent Governour, deputy Governour and Affistants of the faid Companie, as thofe that fhall fucceed thein, and all other officers to be appointed and chosen as aforefaid,fhall, before they undertake the execution of their faid offices and places refpectively, take their corporall oathes for their due and faithfull performance of their duties in their several offices and places, before fuch perfon or perfons as are by these presents hereunder appointed to take and receive the fame, that is to fay, the faid Matthew Craddock, who is hereby nominated and appointed the prefent Governour of the faid Companie, fhall take the faid oathes before one or more of the Mafters of our court of chancery for the time being, unto which Mafter or Masters of the Chancery we do by thefe prefents give full power and authority to take and adminifter the faid oath to the faid Governour accordingly. And after the faid Governour fhall be fo fworne, then the faid Deputy Governour and Affiftants before by these presents nominated and appointed, thall take the faid feveral oathes, to their offices and places refpectively belonging, before the faid Matthew Craddock the prefent Governour fo fworne as aforefaid. And every fuch perfon as fhall at the time of the annuall election, or otherwife, upon death or removall,

pany fhall

take an oath of office.

be

Unto

New Eng

neceffary

be appointed to be the new Governour of the faid Companie, fhall take the oathes to that place belonging before the Deputy Governour or two of the Affiftants of the faid Companie at the leaft for the time being. And the new elected DeputyGovernour and Affiftants, and all other officers to be hereafter chofen as aforefaid from time to time, shall take the oathes to their places refpectively belonging, before the Governour of the faid Companie for the time being. which faid Governour, Deputy-Governour, and Affiftants, we do by thefe prefents give full power and authority to give and adminifter the faid oathes refpectively, according to the true meaning herein before declared, without any commiffion or further warrant to be had and obtained of us, our heirs and fucceffors in that behalfe. And we do further Power to of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and meere motion, carry over to for us, our heires, and fucceffours, give and grant to the said land fuch Governour and Companie and their fucceffours for ever by perfons as these presents, that it fhall be lawfull and free for them and are willing to go thitheir affignes at all and every time and times hereafter, out ther, toge of any of our realmes and dominions whatsoever, to take, ther with leade, carry, and transport for, in, and into their voyages, cattle, and and for and towards the faid plantation in New England, all other things fuch and fo many of our loving fubjects or any other strangers for their that will become our loving fubjects and live under our fubfiftence. allegiance, as fhall willingly accompany them in the fame voyages and plantation, and alfo fhipping, armour, weapons, ordinance, ammunition, powder, fhott, corne, victuals, and all manner of clothing, implements, furniture, beasts, cattle, horfes, mares, merchandizes, and all other things neceffary for the faid plantation, and for their ufe and defence, and for trade with the people there, and in paffing and returning to and fro, any law or ftatute to the contrary hereof in any wife notwithstanding, and without paying or yeelding any Exemption cuftome or fubfidie, either inward or outward, to us, our from the heires or fucceffours, for the fame, by the space of feven cuftoms or yeares from the day of the date of thefe prefents. Provided fubfidies in that none of the faid perfons be fuch as fhall be hereafter by England for special name restrained by us, our heires or fucceffours. An extraorAnd for their further incouragement, of our efpecial grace dinary inand favour, we do by thefe prefents for us, our heires, and ftance of fucceffours, yeeld and grant to the faid Governor and Com- difpenfing panie and theire fucceffours and every of them, their factors and affignes, that they and every of them fhall be free and Exemption quitt from all taxes, fubfidies and cuftomes in New-England from taxes for the like space of feven years, and from all taxes and im

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pofitions

payment of

feven years.

power.

and cuftoms in New Eng

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