VIRGINIA CHARTER,

KING JAMES I.'s Letters Patent to Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers and others,

for two feveral Colonies and Plantations, to be made in Virginia, and other parts and territories of America. Dated April 10, 1606.

I.

AMES, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. Whereas our loving and well-difpofed fubjects, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Somers, Knights, Richard Hackluit, Clerk, Prebendary of Weftminster, and Edward-Maria Wingfield, Thomas Hanham, and Releigh Gilbert, Efqrs. William Parker, and George Popham, Gentlemen, and divers others of our loving fubje&ts, have been humble fuitors unto us, that we would vouchfafe unto them our licence to make habitations, plantations, and to deduce a colony of fundry of our people into that part of America commonly called Virginia, and other parts and territories in America, either appertaining unto us, or which are not now actually possessed by any Chritian prince or people, fituate, lying, and being all along the fea coafts, between four-and-thirty degrees of northerly latitude from the equinoctial

line, and five and forty degrees of the fame latitude, and in the main land between the fame four and thirty and five and forty degrees and the islands thereunto adjacent, or within one hundred miles of the coaft thereof.

II. And at that end, and for the more speedy accomplishment of their faid intended plantation and habitation there, are defirous to divide themselves into two feveral colonies and companies: the one confifting of certain knights, gentlemen, merchants, and other adventurers, of our city of London and elfewhere, which are, and from time to time shall be, joined unto them, which do defire to begin their habitation and plantation in fome fit and convenient place, between four-and-thirty and one-and-forty degrees of the faid latitude, along the coafts of Virginia and coafts of America aforefaid; and the other confifting of fundry knights, gentlemen, merchants, and the other adventurers, of our cities of Bristol and Exeter, and of our town of Plymouth, and of other places which do join themselves unto that colony, which do defire to begin their plantation and habițation in fome fit and convenient place, between eightand-thirty degrees and five-and-forty degrees of the faid latitude, all along the faid coaft of Virginia and of America, as that coaft lieth.

III. We, greatly recommending, and graciously accepting of, their defires for the furtherance of fo noble a work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the glory of his divine Majefty, in propogating of chriftian religion to fuch people, as yet live in darknefs and miferable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the infidels and favages living

in thofe parts, to human civility, and to a fettled and quiet government: Do, by these our letters patents, gracioufly accept of, and agree to, their humble and well intended defires.

IV. And do therefore grant to the London company liberty to fettle any where on the coaft of North America, between latitude four-and-thirty degrees and latitude one-and-forty degrees, and of the fea coaft near their place of fettlement to the diftance of fifty miles from it each way, and to the depth of one hundred miles into the main land.

V. And we do alfo grant to the Plymouth company liberty to fettle any where on the coaft of North America, between latitude eight-and-thirty degrees and latitude five-and-forty degrees, and of the fea coaft near their place of fettlement to the distance of fifty miles from it each way and to the depth of one hundred miles into the main land.

VI. Provided that the fettlements that shall be laft made fhall be no more than one hundred miles diftant from the first.

VII. And we alfo ordain, that each of these colonies fhall be governed by a council of thirteen perfons appointed by the King.

VIII. And there fhall also be a fuperior council of thirty perfons refiding in England, appointed by the King.

IX. And moreover, we do grant liberty to work all mines of gold and filver in the faid colonies paying to the King a fifth part of the gold and filver, and a fifteenth of the copper.

X. And a power is hereby given to estabish coins for thefe colonies.

XI. And we do likewife give full power

and au

thority

thority to carry out the King's fubjects to fettle the

faid colonies.

XII. Moreover, we grant power and licenfe to refift and expel all intruders into the faid colonies.

XIII. We give and grant power to raise two, and a half per cent. upon all goods imported thither by the King's fubjects, and five per cent upon thofe imported by ftrangers.

XIV. And we do further give and grant liberty to carry goods into the faid colonies, from the King's other dominions, free from custom for seven years.

XV. Alfo we grant a general denization of all fuch perfons as fhall be born in thefe colonies.

XVI. Moreover, we declare, that all perfons who, under pretence of trading to thefe colonies, fhall fend goods into foreign countries, fhall forfeit their fhips and goods.

XVII. Provifion in cafe of any of the inhabitants of those colonies fhall rob or injure any other of the King's fubjects, or the subjects of any prince or state in amity with England.

XVIII. And finally, we promife to grant the lands that shall be occupied by the first colony, to fuch perfons as fhall be appointed for that purpoíe by the council of that colony.

XIX. And do in like manner, grant the like promife with respect to the lands that fhall be occupied by the fecond colony.

LUKI N.

Per breve de privato Sigills.

END OF VOLUME FIRST.