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time, by the blessing of God upon their endeavours, be laid a sure foundation of happiness to all Amercia :

And whereas, in their humble address, they have freely declared, that it is much on their hearts (if they be permitted) to hold forth a lively experiment, that a most flourishing civil state may stand, and best be maintained, and that among our English subjects, with a full liberty in religious concernments; and that true piety, rightly grounded upon Gospel principles, will give the best and greatest security to Sovereignty, and will lay in the hearts of men the strongest obligations to true Loyalty :

Now, know ye, that we-(being willing to encour age the hopeful undertaking of our said loyal and loving subjects, and to secure them in the free exercise and enjoyment of all their civil and religious rights appertaining to them, and to preserve unto them that liberty, in the true Christian faith, and worship of God, which they have sought (with so much travel, and with peaceable minds and loyal subjection to our royal progenitors and ourselves) to enjoy; and because some of the people and inhabitants of the same colony cannot, in their private opinion, conform to the public exercise of religion, according to the liturgy, form, and ceremonies of the Church of England, or take or subscribe the oaths and articles, made and established in that behalf; and for that the same, by reason of the remote distances of those places, will, as we hope, be no breach of the unity and uniformity established in this nation)-have therefore thought fit, and do hereby publish, grant ordain, and declare, that our royal will and pleasure is

That no person within the said colony, at any time hereafter, shall be any wise molested, punished, disquieted, or called in question, for any differences in opinion in matters of religion, who do not actually disturb the civil peace of our said colony; but that all and every person and persons may, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, freely and fully have and enjoy his and their own judgements and consciences in matters of religious concernments, throughout the tract of land here

hereafter mentioned-they behaving themselves peaceably and quietly, and not using this liberty to licentiousness and profaneness, nor to the civil injury or outward disturbance of others; any law, statute, or clause therein contained, or to be contained, usage or custom of this realm, to the contrary hereof, in any wise notwithstanding.

And that they may be in a better capacity to defend themselves, in their just rights and liberties, against all the enemies of the Christian faith, and others, in all respects-we have further thought fit, and at the humble petition of the persons aforesaid, are graciously pleased to declare,—

That they shall have and enjoy the benefit of our late act of indemnity, and free pardon, as the rest of our subjects in other our dominions, and territories have; and to create and make them a body politic or corporate with the powers orprivileges herein after mentioned. And, accordingly, our will and pleasure is, and of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, we have ordained, constituted and declared, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, do ordain, constitute and declare, that they the said William Brenton, WilliamCodington, Nicholas Easton, Benedict Arnold, William Boulston, John Porter, Samuel Gorton, John Smith, John Weeks, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, Gregory Dexter, John Cogeshall, Joseph Clarke, Randall Houlden, John Greene, John Roome, William Dyre, Samuel Wildbore, Richard Tew, William Field, Thomas Harris, James Barker,

Rainsborrow, Williams, and John Nickson, and all such others as are now, or hereafter shall be admitted free of the company and society of our colony of Providence plantations in the Narraganset Bay, in NewEngland, shall be, from time to time, and forever hereafter, a body corporate and politic, in fact and name, by the name of The Governor andCompany of the English colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New-England in America; and that by the same name, they and their successors shall and may have perpetual succession, and shall and may

be

be persons able and capable in the law to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, to answer and to be answered unto, to defend and to be defended, in all and singular suits, causes, quarrels, matters, actions and things, of what kind or nature soever; and also to have, take, possess, acquire, and purchase lands, tenements, or hereditaments, or any goods or chattles, and the same to lease, grant, demise, alien, bargain, sell, and dispose of at their own will and pleasure, as other our liege people of this our realm of England, or any corporation or body politic within the same may law. fully do:

And further, that they the said Governor and Company, and their successors, shall and may, forever hereafter, have a common seal, to serve and use for all matters, causes, things and affairs whatsoever, of them and their succes ors; and the same seal to alter, change, break, and make new, from time to time, at their will and pleasure, as they shall think fit.

And further, we will and ordain, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, declare and appoint, that, for the better ordering and managing of the affairs and business of the said Company and their successors, there shall be one Governor, one Deputy-Governor, and ten Assistants to be from time to time constituted, elected and chosen, out of the freemen of the said Company, for the time being, in such manner and form as is hereafter in these presents expressed; which said officers shall apply themselves to take care, for the best disposing and ordering of the general business and affairs of, and concerning the lands and hereditaments herein after mentioned to be granted, and the plantation thereof, and the Government of the people there.

And for the better execution of our royal pleasure herein, we do, for us, our heirs and successors, assign, name, constitute and appoint, the aforesaid Benedict Arnold, to be the first and present Governor of the said Company; and the said William Brenton, to be the Deputy Governor; and the said William Boulston, John Porter, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, John Smith, John Green, John Gogeshall, James Barker, William

Field

Field, and Joseph Clarke, to be the ten present Assistants of the said Company, to continue in the said several offices respectively, until the first Wednesday which shall be in the month of May now next coming.

And further, we will, and by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, do ordain, and grant, that the Governor of the said Company, for the time being, or in his absence by occasion of sickness, or otherwise, by his leave or permission, the Deputy Governor for the time being, shall and may, from time to time, upon all occasions, give orders for the assembling of the said Company, and calling them together, to consult and advise of the business and affairs of the said Company, and that forever hereafter, twice in every year, that is to say, on every first Wednesday in the month of May, and on every last Wednesday in October, or oftener in case it shall be requisite, the assistants, and such of the freemen of the said Company, not exceeding six persons for Newport, four persons for each of the respective towns of Providence, Portsmouth, and Warwick, and two persons for each other place, town, or city, who shall be from time to time thereunto elected or deputed by the major part of the freemen of the respective towns or places, for which they shall be so elected or deputed, shall have a General meeting or Assembly, then and there to consult, advise and determine, in and about the affairs and business of the said Company and plantations.

And further, we do, of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, give and grant unto the said Governor and Company of the English Colony of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, in New-England, in America, and their successors, That the Governor, or in his absence, or by his permission, the Deputy Governor of the said company, for the time being, the assitants, and such of the freemen of the said company, as shall be so aforesaid elected or deputed, or so many of them as shall be present at such meeting or assembly, as aforesaid, shall be called the General Assembly; and that they, or the greatest part of them then present (whereof the Governor, or Deputy Go

vernor, and six of the Assitants at least, to be seven) shall have, and have hereby given and granted unto them, full power and authority, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, to appoint, alter, and change such days, times and places of meeting, and General Assembly, as they shall think fit; and to chuse, nominate, and appoint such and so many persons as they shall think it, and shall be willing to accept the same, to be free of the said company and body politic, and them into the same to admit; and to elect, and constitute such offices and officers, and to grant such needful commissions, as they shall think fit and requisite, for ordering, managing, and dispatching of the affairs of the said Governor and Company, and their successors: and from time to time, to make, ordain, constitute, and repeal, such laws, statutes, orders and ordinances, forms and ceremonies of government and magistracy, as to them shall seem meet, for the good and welfare of the said Company, and for the government and ordering of the land and hereditaments herein after mentioned to be granted, and of the people that do, or at any time hereafter shall inhabit, or be within the same; so as such laws, ordinances, and constitutions, so made, be not contrary and repugnant unto, but, (as near as may be) agreeable to the laws of this our realm of England, considering the nature and constitution of the place and people there; and also, to appoint, order, and direct, erect and settle such places and Courts of Jurisdiction, for hearing and determining of all actions, cases, matters and things, happening within the said colony and plantation, which shall be in dispute, and depending there, as they shall think fit; and also to distinguish and set forth the several names and titles, duties, powers, and limits, of each court, once, and oicer, superior or inferior; and also, to contrive and appoint such forms of oaths and attestations, not repugnant, but (as near as may be) agreeable, as aforesaid, to the laws and statutes of this our realm, as are convenient and requisite, with respect to the due administration of justice, and due execution and discharge of all offices and places of trust, by the persons that shall be therein con

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