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tuled. 



EORGE THE Fourth, by the Grace of God^ of the United Kingdom of 

 Great Britain and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith. 



To all to whom these presents shall come greeting-. Whereas the Reverend 

 William Buckland, B.D. Arthur Aikin, Esquire, John Bostock, M.D. George Bellas 

 Greenough, Esquire, Henry Warburton, Esquire, and several others of our loving 

 subjects, being desirous of forming a Society for investigating the Mineral structure 

 Purpose for of the Earth, and having for promoting such investigation expended considerable 

 ciely is insd- sums of moncy in the purchase and collection of Books, Maps, Specimens, and 

 other objects, and in the publication of various works, the said William Buckland, 

 Arthur Aikin, John Bostock, George Bellas Greenough, and Henry Warburton, 

 have humbly besought us to grant unto them and unto such other persons as shall 

 be appointed and elected Fellows of the Society as hereinafter is mentioned. Our 

 Royal Charter of Incorporation, for the better carrying on the purposes aforesaid. 

 Now therefore Know ye that we, being desirous to encourage so laudable an 

 undertaking, have of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, willed, 

 ordained, constituted, declared, given and granted, and by these presents. Do for us, 

 our Heirs and Successors, will, ordain, constitute, declare, give, and grant. 



That our loving subjects the said Reverend William Buckland, Arthur Aikin, 

 John Bostock, George Bellas Greenough, and Henry Warburton, and such other 

 persons as shall from time to time be appointed and elected Fellows of the said 

 Society in manner hereinafter directed, and their respective successors, shall for ever 

 hereafter be by virtue of these presents one body Politic and Corporate, by the 

 soT/eV' "'" name of " THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OP LONDON." And we do will, 

 constitute, and declare them and their successors to be one body Politic and Cor- 

 porate, for the purposes aforesaid, and by the name aforesaid to have perpetual 

 succession, and to have a Common Seal, with full power and authority to alter, 

 vary, break and renew the same at their discretion, and by the same name to sue 

 and be sued, to implead and be impleaded, and answer and be answered unto, in 

 every Court, or place of us our Heirs and Successors. 



And we do will, constitute, and grant, that the persons hereby incorporated, 

 and their successors, shall be for ever able and capable in the Law, to purchase, 

 receive, hold, possess, and enjoy, to them and their successors, any goods and 

 chatties whatsoever, and (notwithstanding the statutes of Mortmain) to take, pur- 

 chase, hold, and enjoy, to them and their successors, any lands, tenements, here- 

 ditaments, whatsoever, not exceeding, at the time or times of purchasing or ac- 

 quiring such lands, tenements, or hereditaments respectively, the yearly value of 

 Two thousand pounds in the whole, computing the same at rack rent which miglit 

 have been had or gotten for the same respectively at the time of the purchase or 

 acquisition of the same : And shall have full power and authority to sell, alien, 

 charge, or otherwise dispose of, any real or personal property so to be by them 

 acquired as aforesaid, and to act and do in all things relating to the said Corporation, 

 in as ample manner and form as any other our liege subjects being persons able and 

 canable in the Law, or any other Body Politic or Corporate in our said United 

 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, may or can act or do. 



Name of the 



