THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 369 



politic and corporate, for the purpose of conducting and managing the affairs and 

 interests of the said church, in such manner and form, and with such rights, priv- 

 ileges and immunities as were heretofore granted to the inhabitants of the town 

 of Flushing, in Queen's County, in Communion of the Church of England, or with 

 such other rights, privileges and immunities as should be thought reasouable and 

 proper ; now we being willing to encourage the pious intentions of our said loving 

 subjects, and to grant this their reasonable request, know ye, that of our especial 

 grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have ordained, given, granted and 

 declared, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors, do ordain, give, 

 grant and declare, that they the said petitioners, and the rest of the inhabitants 

 of the said Borough Town of Westchester, iu Communion of the Church of Eng- 

 land, as by law established, and their successors, the Rector and inhabitants of the 

 said Borough Town of "Westchester, in Communion of the Church of England as 

 by law established, hereafter shall be a body corporate and politic, in deed, fact 

 and name, by the name, style and title of the Rector and inhabitants of the 

 Borougli Town of Westchester, in Communion of the Church of England, as by 

 law established, and them and their successors by the same name. We do by 

 these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, really and fully make, erect and 

 constitute one body politic and corporate, in deed, fact and name forever, and we 

 give, grant and ordain, that they and their successors, the Rector and inhabitants 

 of the Borough Town of Westchester, in Communion of the Church of England, 

 as by law established, by the same name shall and may have perpetual success- 

 ions, and shall and may be capable in law to sue and be sued, implead and be 

 impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and bo defended in all courts 

 and elsewhere, in all manner of actions, writs, complaints, pleas, causes, matters 

 and demands whatsoever, as fully and amply as any other our liege subjects of 

 our said province of New York may or can suo or be sued, implead or be im- 

 pleaded, defend, or be defended, by any lawful way or means whatsoever ; and 

 that they and their successors b} r the same name shall be for ever hereafter capa- 

 ble and able in the law to purchase, take, hold, receive and enjoy any messuages, 

 tenements, personal and real estate whatsoever in fee simple for the term of life 

 or lives, or in any other manner howsoever for the use of the said church ; and 

 also any goods, chattels or personal estate whatsoever, provided always that the 

 clear yearly value of the said real estate (exclusive of the said church and the 

 ground whereon the same is built, and the cemetery belonging to the same,) doth 

 not at any time exceed the sum of five hundred pounds current money of our 

 said province, and that they and their successors by the same name shall have 

 full power and authority to give, grant, sell, leave and dispose of the same real 

 estate for life or lives, or year or for ever, under certain yearly rents, and all 

 goods and chattels and personal estate whatsoever, at their will and pleasure, and 

 that it shall and may be lawful for them and their succssors to have and use a 

 common seal ; and our will and pleasure further is, and we do hereby for us, our 

 heirs and successors, ordain and appoint, that there shall be for ever hereafter 

 belonging to the said church, one Rector of the Church of England, as by law es- 

 tablished, duly qualified for the care of souls, two church- wardens and eight ves- 

 trymen who shall conduct and manage the affairs and business of the said church, 

 and confer in manner as hereafter is established and appointed ; and for the more 

 immediate carrying into execution our royal will and pleasure herein, we do 



