$^6 A. D. 1670. 



land be from henceforward reckoned and reputed as one of our plan- 

 tations or colonies in America, and to be called Rupert's land ; the 

 company to be deemed the true and abfolute lords and proprietors of 

 the fame territories * ; faving always the faith, allegiance, and fove- 

 reign dominion, to us, our heirs, and fucceflbrs, to be holden as of our 

 manor of Eaft Greenwich, in free and common foccage : yielding 

 and paying yearly to us, our heirs, and tiicceflbrs, for the fame, two 

 elks, and two black beavers, whenfoever and as often as we, our heirs, 

 and fucceffors, (hall happen to enter into the faid countries, &c. here- 

 by granted. The company may make bye laws, &c. for the good go- 

 vernment of their forts, plantations, and fadors, and may impofe 

 fines, &c. on offenders, not repugnant to the laws of the kingdom, 

 without accounting to the crown for the fame. This company may 

 not only enjoy the whole trade, &c. within the limits aforeflud, but 

 likewife the fole traffic to and from all havens, bays, creeks, rivers, 

 lakes, and feas, into which they iliall find entrance or palTage by water 

 or land, out of the territories, limits, and places, aforefaid, and to and 

 with all the natives and people within the territories aforefaid, and 

 with all other nations inhabiting any the coafls adjacent to the faid' 

 territories and limits aforefaid which are not already pofleffed as afore- 

 faid by any chriftian potentate, or whereof the fole liberty or privi- 

 lege of trade and traffic is not granted to any other of our fubjeds f . 

 None other than this company and their agents and afligns, fhall di- 

 rectly vifit, haunt, or frequent, traffic, or adventure, by way of mer- 

 chandize, into the faid limits, unlefs by licence of this company, on 

 pain of forfeiting fhips and merchandize, half to the crown and half 

 to the company. Every pcrfon having Lioo ftock, is entitled to one 

 vote in general courts of eledions. The company may (end Ihips of 

 war, ammunition, &c. and may ered forts in their territories as welf 

 as towns ; may make peace and war with any prince or people not 

 chriftian: alfo may make reprifais on any others interrupting or 

 wronging them ; may feize on and fend home all fuch Englilh or 

 other fubjeds failing into Hiidfon's bay without their licence ; and 

 their governors, &:c. may fine or othtrwife puniih offenders, and may 

 adminifter an oath for the difcovery of offenders, &c. Laftly, all ad- 

 mirals, &c. are to be aiding to the company in the execution of the 

 above powers and privileges.' 

 This charter is a very ample one : and if our laws and free conftitu- 

 tion, and particularly that mofl exxellent ftatute made in the fecond 

 fefiion of the firft year of King William and Queen Mary, entitled An 

 ad declaring the rights and liberties of the fubjed, and fettling the fuc- 



* This is alfo the llile of the Carolina charters, y^. 



•f This is a faviicg claufe in behalf of the Eall-India company'd charter, in cafe tliis company fliould 

 find the fuppoftd paiTage from thence into the South fea. ^. 



