EARLY HISTORY OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



by them to return most humble thanks to His Majesty 

 for the Reference he was pleased to grant of their Petition ; 

 and to this favour and honour hee was pleased to offer of 

 him selfe to bee enter'd one of the Society." 



In the Epistle Dedicatory to the King, at the beginning 

 of his History of the Royal Society (1667), Spratt says of 

 the founding and patronage of the Society by Charles n. : 

 " An enterprise equal to the most renouned actions of the 

 best Princes. For, to increase the powers of mankind, and 

 to free them from the bondage of errors, is a greater glory 

 than to enlarge empire, or to put chains on the necks of 

 conquered nations." 



The Charter of Incorporation passed the Great Seal 

 on the I5th July 1662, which is therefore the date, by the 

 elevation of the club " meeting weekly to consult and 

 debate concerning the promoting of experimental learning " 

 into the Royal Society, of its formal foundation. On the 

 2gth of August the first President, Lord Brouncker, the 

 Council and the Fellows went to Whitehall to return their 

 thanks to His Majesty. 



On the 22nd of April of the following year, a second 

 Charter granting further privileges passed the Great Seal. 

 In 1669 a third Charter was given, but this does little more 

 than make a grant to the Society of lands in Chelsea 

 (Chelsea College), but continuing the powers given by the 

 second Charter with some slight changes. It is the second 

 Charter which practically ensures the Society its privileges, 

 and by which the Society has since been governed. The 



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