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ferior, from time to time, for the putting of the fame orders, laws, ftatutes, ordinances, inftructions and directions, in dué execution against us, our heirs and fucceffors, a fufficient warrant and discharge. And further, our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and fucceffors, establish There shall and ordain, That yearly, once in the year for ever hereafter, be an annu- namely, the aforefaid Wednesday in May, and at the town of al election on Newport, or elsewhere if urgent occafion do require, the governor, &c. vernor, deputy governor, and affiftants of the faid company, by the ge- and other officers of the faid company, or fuch of them as the by in the general affembly fhall think fit, fhall be in the faid general month of Court or affembly, to be held from that day or time, newly chofen for the year enfuing, by greater part of the faid company for the time being, as fhall be then and there prefent. Accidental And if it fhall happen that the prefent governor, deputy gover vacancies by nor, and affiftants, by these prefents appointed, or any fuch as moval may fhall hereafter be newly chofen into their rooms, or any of be filled up them, or any other the officers of the said company, fhall die, by the gene- or be removed from his or their feveral offices or places, before ral affembly the faid general day of election, (whom we do hereby declare

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Power to re- for any misdemeanor or default, to be removable by the governor, affiftants and company, or fuch greater part of them, in any other any of the faid public courts to be affembled, as aforefaid) officer, for that then, and in every fuch case, it fhall and may be lawful any mifde- to and for the faid governor, deputy governor, affiftants and company aforefaid, or fuch greater part of them so to be affembled, as is aforefaid, in any of their affemblies, to proceed to a new election of one or more of their company, in the room or place, rooms or places, of fuch officer or officers fo dying or removed, according to their directions. And im mediately upon and after fuch election or elections made of fuch governor, deputy governor, affiftant or affiftants, or any other officer of the faid company, in manner and form aforefaid, the authority, office and power, before given to the former governor, deputy governor, and other officer and officers fo removed, in whofe ftead and place new fhall be chofen, fhall, as to him and them, and every of them respectively, ceafe and determine: provided always, and our will and pleaThe gov. fure is, That as well fuch as are by these presents appointed deputy gov to be the prefent governor, deputy governor, and affiftants of take folemn the faid company, as thofe which fhall fucceed them, and all engage- other officers to be appointed and chofen as aforesaid, fhall, before the undertaking the execution of the faid offices and of their places respectively, give their folemn engagement by oath or refpective otherwife, for the due and faithful performance of their duties

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in their feveral offices and places, before fuch perfon or perfons as are by thefe prefents hereafter appointed to take and receive the same; (that is to fay) the faid Benedict Arnold, who is herein before nominated and appointed the present governor of the faid company, shall give the aforesaid engagement before William Brenton, or any two of the faid affiftants of the faid company, unto whom we do, by these prefents, give full power aud authority to require and receive the fame; and the said William Brenton, who is hereby before nominated and appointed the prefent deputy governor of the faid company, fhall give the aforefaid engagement before the faid Benedict Arnold, or any two of the affiftants of the faid company, untó whom we do, by these presents, give full power and authority to require and receive the fame; and the faid William Boulfton, John Porter, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, John Smith, John Greene, John Coggeshall, James Barker, William Field, and Joseph Clarke, who are herein before nominated and appointed the present affiftants of the company, fhall give the faid engagement to their offices and places refpectively belonging, before the faid Benedict Arnold and William Brenton, or one of them, to whom respectively we do hereby give full power and authority to require, adminifter or receive the fame. And further, Manner in our will and pleasure is, that all and every other future governor, or deputy governor, to be elected and chofen by nors d virtue of these prefents, fhall give the faid engagement before ther officers two or more of the said affiftants of the faid company for the of the comtime being, unto whom we do, by thefe prefents, give full any that power and authority to require, adminifter or receive the engagefame; and the said affiftants, and every of them, and all and ments. every other officer or officers, to be hereafter elected and chofen by virtue of these prefents, from time to time, fhall give the like engagements to their offices and places refpectively belonging, before the governor, or deputy governor, for the time being; unto which faid governor, or deputy governor, we do by these prefents give full power and authority to require, adminifter, or receive the fame accordingly. And we do likewife, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, The govergive and grant unto the faid governor and company, and their nor, &c. fucceffors, by these prefents, that for the more peaceable and the colony orderly government of the faid plantations, it fhall and may according be lawful for the governor, deputy governor, affiftants, and that have all other officers and minifters, of the faid company, in the already been administration of justice, and exercife of government, in the in ufe there faid plantations, to ufe, exercife, and put in execution, fuch (not being methods, to the laws

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of Eng.) un- methods, rules, orders, and directions, not being contrary and til they are changed in repugnant to the laws and ftatutes of this our realm, as has been fome gen. heretofore given, ufed, and accustomed in fuch cafes refpectively, affembly. to be put in practice, until, at the next, or fome other general affembly, efpecial provifion fhall be made and ordained in the Power of cafes aforefaid. And we do further, for us, our heirs and fucarming the ceffors, give and grant unto the faid governor and company, and leading their fucceffors, by these prefents, that it fhall and may be lawful them out to to and for the faid governor, or in his abfence the deputy goany enemies vernor, and major part of the faid affiftants for the time being, at that fhall any time, when the faid general affembly is not fitting, to nomiinvade the nate, appoint and conftitute fuch and fo many commanders, governors, and military officers, as to them fhall feem requifite, for the leading, conducting, and training up the inhabitants of the faid plantations in martial affairs, and for the defence and fafeguard of the faid plantations; and that it fhall and may be lawful to and for all and every fuch commander, governor, and military officer, that fhall be fo as aforefaid, or by the governor, or in his abfence the deputy governor, and fix of the affiftants, and major part of the freemen of the faid company, prefent at any general affemblies, nominated, appointed and conftituted, according to the tenor of his and their refpective commiffions and directions, to aflemble, exercife in arms, marfhal, array, and put in warlike pofture, the inhabitants of the faid colony, for their efpecial defence and fafety; and to lead and conduct the faid inhabitants, and to encounter, repulfe, and refift by force of arms, as well by fea as by land, and alfo to kill, flay and deftroy, by all fitting ways, enterprizes and means whatfoever, all and every fuch perfon or perfons, as fhall at any time hereafter attempt or enterprize the deftruction, invafion, detriment or annoyance of the faid inhabitants or plantations; and to use and exercife the law martial, in fuch cafes only as occafion fhall neceffarily require; and to take and furprize, by all ways and means whatfoever, all and every such perfon and perfons, with their fhip or fhips, armour, ammunition, or other goods of fuch perfons as fhall in hoftile manner invade or attempt the defeating of the faid plantation, or the hurt of the faid company and inhabitants; and upon just juft caufes to invade them causes to invade and deftroy the natives, Indians, or other But they enemies of the faid colony. Nevertheless, our will and pleamay not in- fure is, and we do hereby declare, to the reft of our colonies vade the na- in New-England, that it fhall not be lawful for this our faid inhabiting colony of Rhode-Ifland and Providence plantations in Ameother colo- rica, in New-England, to invade the natives inhabiting withnieswithout in the bounds and limits of their faid colonies, without the

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knowledge and confent of the faid other colonies. And it is And the ohereby declared, that it fhall not be lawful to or for the rest of the colonies to invade or moleft the native Indians, or any other under the inhabitants inhabiting within the bounds or limits hereafter fame restricmentioned, (they having fubjected themselves unto us, and tion withrespect to the being by us taken into our special protection) without Indians that the knowledge and confent of the governor and company inhabit of our colony of Rhode-Ifland and Providence plantation. Rhode-In. Aifo our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby declare unto Provision in all Chriftian Kings, Princes and States, that if any perfon, cafe any of which fhall hereafter be of the faid company or plantation, tants of this or any other by appointment of the faid governor and com- colony of pany, for the time being, fhall at any time or times hereafter Rhode-Ifl rob or fpoil, by fea or land, or do any hurt, or unlawful fall rob or injure the hoftility, to any of the fubjects of us, our heirs and fuc- fubjects of ceffors, or any of the subjects of any Prince or State, being any ftate in then in league with us, our heirs and fucceffors; upon comamity with plaint of fuch injury done to any fuch Prince or State, or their fubjects, we, our heirs and fucceffors, will make open proclamation, within any parts of our realm of England, fit for that purpose, that the perfon or perfons committing any fuch robbery or fpoil, fhall, within the time limited by fuch proclamation, make full reftitution or fatisfaction of all fuch injuries done or committed, fo as the faid Prince, or others fo complaining, may be fully fatisfied and contented; and if the faid perfon or perfons, who fhall commit any fuch robbery or spoil, fhall not make fatisfaction accordingly within fuch time fo to be limited, that then we, our heirs and fucceffors, will put fuch perfon or perfons out of our allegiance and protection; and that then it fhall and may be lawful and free for all Princes or others, to profecute with hoftility. fuch offenders, and every of them, their and every of their procurers, aiders, abettors and counfellors, in that behalf. Provided alfo, and our exprefs will and pleasure is, and we do Refervation by thefe prefents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordain and to the king's appoint, that these prefents fhall not in any manner hinder other fubjects of the any of our loving fubjects whatfoever, from ufing and exer-liberty of cifing the trade of fishing upon the coaft of New-England in fishing and America, but that they, and every or any of them, fhall have drying their full and free power and liberty to continue and ufe the trade this colony. of fishing upon the faid coaft, in any of the feas thereunto adjoining, or any arms of the fea, or falt-water, rivers and creeks, where they have been accustomed to fifh, and to build and fet upon the wafte land belonging to the faid colony and plantations, fuch wharfs, ftages, and work-houfes as fhall

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fhall be neceffary for the falting, drying and keeping of their fifh, to be taken or gotten upon that coaft. And further, for the encouragement of the inhabitants of our faid colony of Providence plantation, to fet upon the business of taking whales, it fhall be lawful for them, or any of them, having ftruck a whale, dubertus, or other great fish, it or them to purfue unto that coaft, and into any bay, river, cove, creek or fhore, belonging thereto, and it or them, upon the faid coaft, or in the faid bay, river, cove, creek or fhore, belonging thereto, to kill and order for the best advantage without moleftation, they making no wilful wafte or fpoil; any thing in thefe prefents contained, or any other matter or thing to

Vineyards. the contrary notwithstanding. And further alfo, we are gracioufly pleafed, and do hereby declare, that if any of the inhabitants of our faid colony do fet upon the planting of vineyards, (the foil and climate both feeming naturally to concur to the production of wines) or be induftrious in the difcovery of fishing-banks, in or about the faid colony, we will, from time to time, give and allow all due and fitting encouragement therein, as to others in cafes of like nature. Liberty to And further of our more ample grace, certain knowledge, and to this co- mere motion, we have given and granted, and by these prelony any of fents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, do give and grant, the king's unto the faid governor and company of the English colony of who hall Rhode-Ifland and Providence plantation in the Narragansett be willing bay in New-England, in America, and to every inhabitant there, and to every perfon and perfons trading thither, and to every such person or perfons as are or fhall be free of the faid colony, full power and authority, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, to take, fhip, transport, and carry away, out of any of our realms and dominions, for and towards the plantation and defence of the faid colony, fuch and fo many of our loving fubjects and ftrangers, as fhall or will willingly accompany them in and to their faid colony and plantation, except fuch perfon or perfons as are or fhall be therein restrained by us, our heirs and fucceffors, or any law or ftatute of this realm; and alfo to fhip and transport all and all manner of goods, chattels, merchandize, and other things goods and whatsoever, that are or fhall be useful or neceffary for the faid plantations, and defence thereof, and ufually transported, and not prohibited by any law or ftatute of this our realm; yielding and paying unto us, our heirs and fucceffors, fuch the duties, cuftoms and fubfidies, as are or ought to be paid General de- or payable for the fame. And further, our will and pleasure nization of is, and we do, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordain, de

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