120 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



following charter from Governor Colden, erecting them into one body 

 corporate and politic, and confirming them in possession of the above 

 mentioned church, " the ground whereon the same was built, and the 

 cemetery belonging to the same." 



ROYAL CHARTER OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH, 



"George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, 

 King, Defender of the Faith, &c, to all to whom these presents shall come, 

 greeting: Whereas, our loving subjects, Beverly Robinson, Charles Moore, 

 Jeremiah Drake, Caleb Ward, John Johnson , Joshua Nelson, Thomas Daven- 

 port and Henry Purdy, on behalf of themselves and sundry inhabitants on the 

 upper part of the manor of Cortlandt, and the lower part of Philipse's patent, 

 in communion of*the Church of England as by law established, by their humble 

 petition, presented on the 21st day of March now last past, to our trusty and well 

 beloved Cadwallader Colden, Esq., our Lieutenant-Governor and Commander- 

 in-chief of our Province of New York and the territories depending thereon in 

 America, in Council, did set forth that the petitioners have at a great expense 

 and trouble erected a convenient house for a place of divine worship near Peek- 

 skill, to be according to the Church of England as by law established, and being 

 very desirious of promoting the same, and settling a minister among them, did 

 humbly conceive that if our said Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-chief 

 would be pleased to take the matter into consideration, and to grant them a 

 charter with such priviliges, immunities and conditions as our said Lieutenant- 

 Governor and Commander-in-chief should see fit, and that the said Beverly Rob- 

 inson and Charles Moore may be appointed church-wardens, and the said Jere- 

 miah Drake, Caleb Ward, John Johnson, Joshua Nelson, Thomas Davenport and 

 Henry Purdy, vestrymen, in the charter, by the name of the church-wardens and 

 vestrymen of St. Peter's church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill. No 

 one 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 de- 

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

 grant and declare, that the said petitioners and such other person and persons, 

 and their successors for ever, as now are or shall hereafter from time to time 

 be, as well of the Church of England as by law established, as members of the 

 congregation of the said church in the herein above recited petition, called St. 

 Peter's church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, and also contributors 

 to the support and maintenance of a minister of the Church of England as by 

 law established, to officiate in the said church for the time being, shall, with the 

 rector of the said Church of St. Peter's for the time being, forever hereafter be 

 one body corporate and politic, in deed, fact and name, by the name, style and 

 title of the rector and members of St. Peter's church, in the manor of Cortlandt, 

 near Peekskill. 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, 

 create and constitute one body politic and corporate in deed, fact and name, for 

 ever, and will give, grant and ordain that they and their successors, the rector 

 and members of St. Peter's church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peek- 



