82 RECORD OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



ordinato sive proviso, aut aliqua alia re causa vel materia quacunque, 

 in aliquo non obstante. 



In cujus rei testimonium has Literas nostras fieri fecimus Patentes. 

 TESTE Me ipso, apud Westmonasterium, vicesimo secundo die Aprilis, 

 anno regni nostri decimo quinto. 1 



Per breve de Private Sigillo. 



HOWARD. 



Translation of Second Charter, A.D. 1663. 



Charles the Second, by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, 

 France, and Ireland, Defender of the P'aith, &c., to all to whom these 

 our Letters Patent shall come, greeting. 



We have long and fully resolved with Ourself to extend not only 

 the boundaries of the Empire, but also the very arts and sciences. 

 Therefore we look with favour upon all forms of learning, but with 

 particular grace we encourage philosophical studies, especially those 

 which by actual experiments attempt either to shape out a new philo- 

 sophy or to perfect the old. In order, therefore, that such studies, 

 which have not hitherto been sufficiently brilliant in any part of the 

 world, may shine conspicuously amongst our people, and that at length 

 the whole world of letters may always recognize us not only as the 

 Defender of the Faith, but also as the universal lover and patron of 

 every kind of truth : 



Know ye that we, of our special grace and of our certain knowledge 



and mere motion, have ordained, established, and granted, and by 



incorporation and these presents for us, our heirs, and successors do ordain, establish, 



Corporate Name. ftn( j g^^, that henceforth for ever there shall be a Society consisting 



of a President, Council, and Fellows, who shall be called and named 



The President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society of London 



for promoting Natural Knowledge (of which same Society we by 



The King himself these presents declare Ourself Founder and Patron) ; And by these 



Founder and Patron. p resen j. s f or us ^ our ne i rs> an( J successors we do make, ordain, create, 



and constitute the same Society, by the name of The President, 

 Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society of London for promoting 

 Natural Knowledge, one body corporate and politic, in fact, deed, 

 and name, really and fully, and that by the same name they may 

 have perpetual succession ; And that they and their successors 

 (whose studies are to be applied to further promoting by the 



1 This Charter is on four skins of vellum ; and, like the first, contains some 

 very fine ornamented capital letters. The Arms of the Society, coloured, appear 

 on the first skin. 



