115 



A LICENSE for purchasing in MORTMAIN to the yearly 

 value of One Thousand Pounds, granted to the Pre- 

 sident, Council, and Fellows of the ROYAL Sonny 

 of London, by King GEORGE the FIRST, in the year 

 MDCCXXV. 1 



* GEORGE by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and 

 Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc., to all to whom these 

 presents shall come, greeting. WHEREAS our trusty and well-beloved 

 the President, Council, and Fellows, of the Royal Society of our City 

 of London for improving natural knowledge, have by their Petition 

 humbly represented unto us, that our late Royal Predecessor, King 

 Charles the Second, by Letters Patents, 2 bearing date the Two-and- 

 twentieth day of April, in the Fifteenth year of his reign, did ordain 

 constitute and appoint the said Royal Society of London for improving 

 natural knowledge, and did thereby grant them Licence to purchase 

 in Mortmain ; that since the grant of the said Letters Patents, 

 several well-disposed Persons have devised and granted to the 

 Petitioners, and their successors, divers lands and hereditaments, and 

 given several sums of money to them, for the use of the said corpora- 

 tion ; that the Petitioners being desirous to invest the same money in 

 the most durable manner, for the improvement of the said corporation, 

 have most humbly prayed us to grant to them our Royal Licence to 

 hold and enjoy the lands and hereditaments, which have been devised 

 and granted to them ; to purchase hold and enjoy to them, and their 

 successors for ever, for the use and benefit of the said corporation, 

 such manors, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, as they shall think 

 fit to purchase, or shall receive by will, or any deed of conveyance, not 

 exceeding the yearly value of One thousand pounds : We are graciously 

 pleased to grant their request. KNOW YE therefore, that we, of our 

 especial grace certain knowledge and meer motion, HAVE given and 

 granted, and by these presents for us our heirs and successors DO give 

 and grant, unto the President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal 

 Society of our city of London for improving natural knowledge afore- 

 said, and their successors, our especial Licence, full power, and lawful 

 find absolute authority, to hold and enjoy the lands and hereditaments, 

 which have been already devised or granted to the said corporation, 

 as aforesaid ; and also to purchase acquire take hold and receive in 



1 Reprinted from Weld's ' History of the Royal Society'. 



2 So in the Original. 



I 2 



