THE TOWN OF NEW ROCHELLE. 653 



the petitioners had enjoyed the same with the said tract of one hundred acres of 

 land, as a glebe thereto to that day. 



That on the twelfth day of June, in the year of the Lord one thousand seven 

 hundred and nine, all the then inhabitants of the said township who were mem- 

 bers of the said French Church, excepting two, unanimously agreed and 

 consented to conform themselves in the religious worship of their said church 

 to the liturgy and rites of the Church of England as established by law, and 

 by a solemn act or agreement did submit to, and put themselves under the 

 protection of the same ; that fourteen years before, and ever since such con- 

 formity, their respective ministers and pastors have been invested with holy 

 orders by episcopal ordination, and had received their principal support from 

 the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts; and that divine 

 service, since the conformity, had constantly been performed in their said 

 church, agreeable to the rites and liturgy of the Church of England as by law 

 established — two Sundays out of three in the French tongue, and every third Sun- 

 day in English — for the instruction of such of the inhabitants as frequented the 

 said church and were ignorant of the French language ; and the petitioners did 

 further set forth, thnt their said church was then greatly decayed and out of re- 

 pair and their minister or pastor but indifferently provided for ; and that, al- 

 though they were sincerely disposed to make a suitable provision for both, yet 

 they could not accomplish this good design, unless, by being incorporated, they 

 should become enabled to receive, apply, and improve the donations and con- 

 tributions that might be collected among themselves, and given for these purposes 

 by other pious and charitable people. The petitioners, therefore, most humbly 

 prayed our royal charter, confirming to them the said church and the lands and 

 other rights thereunto appertaining, and also creating and constituting them and 

 the rest of the members of the said church a body politic and corporate for the 

 managing and conducting the affairs and interests of the said church, with such 

 powers, privileges and immunities as should appear fit and reasonable : which 

 petition having been then and there read and considered of, our said Council did 

 afterwards, on the same day, humbly advise our said lieutenant governor and 

 commander-in-chief to grant the prayer thereof. Wherefore, we being graciously 

 disposed to encourage and promote the pious intentions of our said subjects, and 

 to grant this their reasonable request, Know Ye, that we of our especial grace, 

 certain knowledge, and mere motion, have made, ordained, constituted, granted 

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

 ordain, constitute, grant and declare, that the said petitioners and the rest of the 

 members in communion with the said French church at New Rochelle aforesaid, 

 being the most ancient French church now there, and known by the name of 

 Trinity church, be, and their successors, the minister and members in communion 

 with the said French church at New Rochelle aforesaid for that time, shall be, 

 from time to time, and at, all times forever hereafter, a body politic and corporate 

 in deed, fact and name, by the name and style of the Minister and Members of 

 Trinity church at New Rochelle, in the County of Westchester, and them and 

 their successors, the minister and members in communion with the said church 

 at New Rochelle aforesaid, for the time being by the name of the Minister and 

 Members of Trinity church at New Rochelle, in the County of Westchester, one 

 body politic and corporate in deed, fact and name, really and fuhy, we do for 



