|
And further, That the said Governour and Companye,
and their Successors, maie have forever one comon Seale,
to be used in all Causes and Occasions of the said Company,
and the same Seale may alter, chaunge, breake, and
newe make, from tyme to tyme, at their pleasures. And
our Will and Pleasure is, and Wee doe hereby for Us, our
Heires and Successors, ordeyne and graunte, That from
henceforth for ever, there shalbe one Governor, one
Deputy Governor, and eighteene Assistants of the same
Company, to be from tyme to tyme constituted, elected
and chosen out of the Freemen of the saide Company, for
the twyme being, in such Manner and Forme as hereafter
in theis Presents is expressed, which said Officers shall
applie themselves to take Care for the best disposeing and
ordering of the generall buysines and Affaires of, for, and
concerning the said Landes and Premisses hereby mentioned,
to be graunted, and the Plantation thereof, and
the Government of the People there. And for the better
Execution of our Royall Pleasure and Graunte in this Behalf,
Wee doe, by theis presents, for Us, our Heires and
Successors, nominate, ordeyne, make, and constitute; our
welbeloved the saide Mathewe Cradocke, to be the first
and present Governor of the said Company, and the saide
Thomas Goffe, to be Deputy Governor of the saide Company,
and the saide Sir Richard Saltonstall, Isaack Johnson,
Samuell Aldersey, John Ven, John Humfrey, John
Endecott, Simon Whetcombe, Increase Noell, Richard
Pery, Nathaniell Wright, Samuell Vassall, Theophilus
Eaton, Thomas Adams, Thomas Hutchins, John Browne,
George Foxcrofte, William Vassall, and William Pinchion,
to be the present Assistants of the saide Company, to continue
in the saide several Offices respectivelie for such
tyme, and in such manner, as in and by theis Presents is
hereafter declared and appointed.
And further, Wee will, and by theis Presents, for Us,
our Heires and Successors, doe ordeyne and graunte, That
the Governor of the saide Company for the tyme being, or
in his Absence by Occasion of Sicknes or otherwise, the
Deputie Governor for the tyme being, shall have Authoritie
from tyme to tyme upon all Occasions, to give order
for the assembling of the saide Company, and calling them
together to consult and advise of the Bussinesses and
Affaires of the saide Company, and that the said Governor,
Deputie Governor, and Assistants of the saide Company,
for the tyme being, shall or maie once every Moneth,
or oftener at their Pleasures, assemble and houlde and
keepe a Courte or Assemblie of themselves, for the better
ordering and directing of their Affaires, and that any
seaven or more persons of the Assistants, togither with the
Governor, or Deputie Governor soe assembled, shalbe
saide, taken, held, and reputed to be, and shalbe a full and
sufficient Courte or Assemblie of the said Company, for
the handling, ordering, and dispatching of all such Buysinesses
and Occurrents as shall from tyme to tyme happen,
touching or concerning the. said Company or Plantation;
and that there shall or maie be held and kept by the Governor,
or Deputie Governor of the said Company, and
seaven or more of the said Assistants for the tyme being,
upon every last Wednesday in Hillary, Easter, Trinity, and
Michas Termes respectivelie forever, one greate generall
and solemne assemblie, which foure generall assemblies
shalbe stiled and called the foure greate and generall Courts
of the saide Company.
In all and every, or any of which saide
greate and
generall Courts soe assembled, Wee doe for Us, our Heires
and Successors, give and graunte to the said Governor and
Company, and their Successors, That the Governor, or in
his absence, the Deputie Governor of the saide Company
for the tyme being, and such of the Assistants and Freeman
of the saide Company as shalbe present, or the greater
nomber of them so assembled, whereof the Governor or
Deputie Governor and six of the Assistants at the least
to be seaven, shall have full Power and authoritie to choose,
nominate, and appointe, such and soe many others as they
shall thinke fitt, and that shall be willing to accept the
same, to be free of the said Company and Body, and
them into the same to admitt; and to elect and constitute
such officers as they shall thinke fill and requisite, for
the ordering, mannaging, and dispatching of the Affaires
of the saide Governor and Company, and their Successors;
And to make Lawes and Ordinances for the Good and
Welfare of the saide Company, and for the Government
and ordering of the saide Landes and Plantation, and the
People inhabiting and to inhabite the same, as to them
from tyme to tyme shalbe thought meete, soe as such
Lawes and Ordinances be not contrarie or repugnant to
the Lawes and Statuts of this our Realme of England.
And, our Will and Pleasure is, and Wee doe hereby
for Us, our Heires and Successors, establish and ordeyne,
That yearely once in the yeare, for ever hereafter, namely,
the last Wednesday in Easter Tearme, yearely, the Governor,
Deputy-Governor, and Assistants of the saide Company
and all other officers of the saide Company shalbe
in the Generall Court or Assembly to be held for that Day
or Tyme, newly chosen for the Yeare ensueing by such
greater parte of the said Company, for the Tyme being,
then and there present, as is aforesaide. And, if it shall
happen the present governor, Deputy Governor, and assistants,
by theis presents appointed, or such as shall hereafter
be newly chosen into their Roomes, or any of them,
or any other of the officers to be appointed for the said
Company, to dye, or to be removed from his or their
severall Offices or Places before the saide generall Day of
Election (whome Wee doe hereby declare for any Misdemeanor
or Defect to be removeable by the Governor,
Deputie Governor, Assistants, and Company, or such
greater Parte of them in any of the publique Courts to be
assembled as is aforesaid) That then, and in every such
Case, it shall and maie be lawfull, to and for the Governor,
Deputie Governor, Assistants, and Company aforesaide,
or such greater Parte of them soe to be assembled
as is aforesaide, in any of their Assemblies, to proceade
to a new Election of one or more others of their Company
in the Roome or Place, Roomes or Places of such
Officer or Officers soe dyeing or removed according to
their Discretions, And, immediately upon and after such
Election and Elections made of such Governor, Deputie
Governor, Assistant or Assistants, or any other officer of
the saide Company, in Manner and Forme aforesaid, the
Authoritie, Office, and Power, before given to the former
Governor, Deputie Governor, or other Officer and Officers
soe removed, in whose Steade and Place newe shalbe soe
chosen, shall as to him and them, and everie of them,
cease and determine
Provided alsoe, and our Will and Pleasure is, That
aswell such as are by theis Presents appointed to be the
present Governor, Deputie Governor, and Assistants of
the said Company, as those that shall succeed them, and
all other Officers to be appointed and chosen as aforesaid,
shall, before they undertake the Execution of their saide
Offices and Places respectivelie, take their Corporal Oathes
for the due and faithfull Performance of their Duties in
their severall Offices and Places, before such Person or
Persons as are by theis Presents hereunder appointed to
take and receive the same. . . .
And, further our Will and Pleasure is, and Wee doe
hereby for Us, our Heires and Successors, ordeyne and
declare, and graunte to the saide Governor and Company
and their Successors, That all and every the Subjects of
Us, our Heires or Successors, which shall goe to and inhabite
within the saide Landes and Premisses hereby mentioned
to be graunted, and every of their Children which
shall happen to be borne there, or on the Seas in goeing
thither, or retorning from thence, shall have and enjoy
all liberties and Immunities of free and naturall Subjects
within any of the Domynions of Us, our Heires or Successors,
to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes whatsoever,
as if they and everie of them were borne within
the Realme of England. And that the Governor and Deputie
Governor of the said Company for the Tyme being, or
either of them, and any two or more of such of the saide
Assistants as shalbe thereunto appointed by the saide Governor
and Company at any of their Courts or Assemblies
to be held as aforesaide, shall and maie at all Tymes, and
from tyme to tyme hereafter, have full Power and Authoritie
to minister and give the Oathe and Oathes of
Supremacie and Allegiance, or either of them, to all and
everie Person and Persons, which shall at any Tyme or
Tymes hereafter goe or passe to the Landes and Premisses
hereby mentioned to be graunted to inhabite in the same.
And, Wee doe of our further Grace, certen Knowledg
and meere Motion, give and graunte to the saide Governor
and Company, and their Successors, That it shall and maie
be lawfull, to and for the Governor or Deputie Governor,
and such of the Assistants and Freemen of the said Company
for the Tyme being as shalbe assembled in any of
their generall Courts aforesaide, or in any other Courtes
to be specially sumoned and assembled for that Purpose,
or the greater Parte of them (whereof the Governor or
Deputie Governor, and six of the Assistants to be alwaies
seaven) from tyme to tyme, to make, ordeine, and establishe
all Manner of wholesome and reasonable Orders,
Lawes, Statutes, and Ordinances, Directions, and Instructions,
not contrairie to the Lawes of this our Realme of
England, aswell for setling of the Formes and Ceremonies
of Government and Magistracy, fitt and necessary for the
said Plantation, and the Inhabitants there, and for nameing
and setting of all sorts of Officers, both superior and inferior,
which they shall finde needefull for that Governement
and Plantation, and the distinguishing and setting
forth of the severall duties, Powers, and Lymytts of every
such Office and Place, and the Formes of such Oathes
warrantable by the Lawes and Statutes of this our Realme
of England, as shalbe respectivelie ministred unto them
for the Execution of the said severall Offices and Places;
as also, for the disposing and ordering of the Elections of
such of the said Officers as shalbe annuall, and of such
others as shalbe to succeede in Case of Death or Removeall,
and ministring the said Oathes to the newe elected Officers,
and for Impositions of lawfull Fynes, Mulcts, Imprisonment,
or other lawfull Correction, according to the Course
of other Corporations in this our Realme of England, and
for the directing, ruling, and disposeing of all other Matters
and Thinges, whereby our said People, Inhabitants there,
may be soe religiously, peaceablie, and civilly governed,
as their good Life and orderlie Conversation, maie wynn
and incite the Natives of Country, to the Knowledg and
Obedience of the onlie true God and Savior of Mankinde,
and the Christian Fayth, which in our Royall Intention,
and the Adventurers free Profession, is the principall Ende
of this Plantation.
Willing, commaunding, and requiring, and by theis
Presents for Us, our Heires, and Successors, ordeyning
and appointing, that all such Orders, Lawes, Statuts and
Ordinances, Instructions and Directions, as shalbe soe
made by the Governor, or Deputie Governor of the
said Company, and such of the Assistants and Freemen
as aforesaide, and published in Writing, under their common
Seale, shalbe carefullie and dulie observed, kept, performed,
and putt in Execution, according to the true Intent
and Meaning of the same; and theis our Letters-
patents, or the Duplicate or exemplification thereof, shalbe
to all and everie such Officers, superior and inferior, from
Tyme to Tyme, for the putting of the same Orders, Lawes,
Statutes, and Ordinances, Instructions, and Directions, in
due Execution against Us, our Heires and Successors, a
sufficient Warrant and Discharge.
And Wee doe further, for Us, our Heires and Successors,
give and graunt to the said Governor and Company,
and their Successors by theis Presents, that all and
everie such Chiefe Comaunders, Captaines, Governors, and
other Officers and Ministers, as by the said Orders, Lawes,
Statuts, Ordinances, Instructions, or Directions of the said
Governor and Company for the Tyme being, shalbe from
Tyme to Tyme hereafter imploied either in the Government
of the saide Inhabitants and Plantation, or in the
Waye by Sea thither, or from thence, according to the Natures
and Lymitts of their Offices and Places respectively,
shall from Tyme to Tyme hereafter for ever, within the
Precincts and Partes of Newe England hereby mentioned
to be graunted and confirmed, or in the Waie by Sea
thither, or from thence, have full and Absolute Power and
Authoritie to correct, punishe, pardon, governe, and rule
all such the Subjects of Us, our Heires and Successors,
as shall from Tyme to Tyme adventure themselves in any
Voyadge thither or from thence, or that shall at any Tyme
hereafter, inhabite within the Precincts and Partes of Newe
England aforasaid, according to the Orders, Lawes, Ordinances,
Instructions, and Directions aforesaid, not being
repugnant to the Lawes and Statutes of our Realme of
England as aforesaid. . . .
|
