William Field, James Barker, Richard Tew, Thomas Harfis, and William Dyre, and the rest of the purchasers and free inhabitants of our island called Rhode Island, and the rest of the colony of Providence Plantations, in the Narraganset Bay, in New England, in America-That they, pursuing with peace and loyal minds their sober, serious, and religious intentions, of godly edifying themselves and one another in the holy Christian faith and worship, as they were persuaded, together with the gaining over and conversion of the poor ignorant Indian natives, in those parts of America, to the sincere profession and obedience of the same faith and worship, did not only, by the consent and good encouragement of our royal progenitors, transport themselves out of this kingdom of England, into America; but also, since their arrival there, after their first settlement amongst other of our subjects in those parts, for the avoiding of discord, and these many evils which were likely to ensue upon those our subjects, not being able to bear, in those remote parts, their different apprehensions in religious concernments: and in pursuance of the aforesaid ends, did once again leave their desirable stations and habitations, and, with excessive labour and travail, hazard, and charge, did transplant themselves into the midst of the Indian natives, who as we are informed, are the most potent princes and people of all that country: where, by the good providence of God, (from whom the plantations have taken their name,) upon their labour and industry, they have not only been preserved to admiration, but have increased and prospered, and are seized and possessed, by purchase and consent of said natives, to their full content, of such lands, islands, rivers, harbours, and roads, as are very convenient both for plantations and also for building of ships, supplying of pipestaves, and other merchandise, which lie very commodious, in many respects, for commerce, and to accommodate our southern plantations, and may much advance the trade of this our realm, and greatly enlarge the territories thereof; they having, by near neighbourhood to, and friendly society with, the great body of Naraganset Indians, given them encouragement, of their own accord, to subject themselves, their people and land, unto us; whereby, as is hoped there may, in time, by the blessing of God upon their endeavours be laid a sure foundation of happiness to all America:

And whereas, in their humble address, they have freely declared that it is much on their hearts (if they be perm

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ted) to hold forth a lively experiment that the most flourishing civil state may stand, and best be maintained, and that among our English subjects with a full liberty in religious concernments; and that true piety, rightly grounded upon gospel principles, will give the best and greatest security to sovereignty, and will lay in the hearts of men the strongest obligations to true loyalty;

Now know ye, that we, being willing to encourage the hopeful undertaking of our said loyal and loving subjects, and to secure them in the free exercise and enjoyment of all the civil and religious rights appertaining to them, as our loving subjects: and to preserve unto them that liberty in the true Christian faith and worship of God which they have sought, with so much travail, and with peaceable minds and loyal subjection to our royal progenitors and ourselves, to enjoy: and because some of the people and inhabitants of the same colony cannot, in their private opinion, conform to the public exercise of religion, according to the liturgy, form, and ceremonies of the church of England, to take or subscribe the oaths and articles made and established in that behalf; and for that the same, by reason of the remote distances of those places, will, as we hope, be no breach of the unity and uniformity established in this nation, have therefore thought fit, and do hereby publish, grant, ordain, and declare, that our royal will and pleasure is,

That no person within the said colony, at any time hereafter, shall be anywise molested, punished, disquieted, er called in question, for any differences in opinion in matters of religion, who do not actually disturb the civil peace of our said colony; but that all and every person and persons may from time to time, and at all times hereafter, freely and fully have and enjoy his own and their judgments and con sciences, in matters of religious concernments, throughout the tract of land hereafter mentioned, they behaving themselves peaceably and quietly, and not using this liberty to licentiousness and profaneness, nor to the civil injury or outward disturbance of others; any law, statute, or clause therein contained, or to be contained, usage, or custom of this realm, to the contrary hereof, in any wise notwithstanding.

And that they may be in the better capacity to defend themselves, in their just rights and liberties, against all the enemies of the Christian faith, and others, in all respects, we have further thought fit, and at the humble petition of persons aforesaid, are graciously pleased to declare,

That they shall have and enjoy the benefit of our late act of indemnity and free pardon, as the rest of our subjects in our other dominions and territories have; and to create or make them a body politic or corporate, with the powers and privileges hereinafter mentioned. And accordingly, our will and pleasure is, and of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, we have ordained, constituted and declared: and, by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, do ordain, constitute, and declare, that they, the said William Brenton, William Codington, Nicholas Easton, Benedict Arnold, William Boulston, John Porter, Samuel Gorton, John Smith, Joan Weeks, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney,Gregory Dexter, John Cogeshall,Joseph Clarke, Randall Houlden, John Greene, John Roome, William Dyre, Samuel Wildbore, Richard Tew, William Field, Thomas Harris, James Barker, Rainsborrow, Williams, and John Nickson, and all such others as are now, or hereafter shall be, admitted free of the company and society of our colony of Providence Plantations, in the Narraganset Bay, in New England, shall be, from time to time, and for ever hereafter, a body corporate and politic, in fact and name, by the name of The governor and company of the English colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America; and that by the same name they and their successors shall and may have perpetual succession, and shall and may be persons able and capable in the law to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, to answer and to be answered unto, to defend and to be defended, in all and singular suits, causes, quarrels, matters, actions, and things, of what kind and nature soever; and also to have, take, possess, acquire, and purchase lands, tenements, or hereditaments, or any goods or chattels, and the same to lease, grant, demise, alien, bargain, sell and dispose of, at their own will and pleasure, as other our liege people of this our realm of England, or any corporation or body politic within the same; may lawfully do.

And further, that they, the said governor and company, and their successors, shall and may, for ever hereafter, have a common seal to serve and use for all matters, causes, things and affairs whatsoever, of them and their successors: and the same seal to alter, change, break and make new, from time to time, at their will and pleasure, as they shall think fit.

And further, we will and ordain, and, by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, declare and appoint, that, for the better ordering and managing of the affairs and business of the said company and their successors, there shall be one governor, one deputy governor, and ten assistants, to be from time to time constituted, elected and chosen, out of the freemen of the said company, for the time being, in such manner and form as is hereafter in these presents expressed; which said officers shall apply themselves to take care for the best disposing and ordering of the general business and affairs of, and concerning the lands and hereditaments hereinafter mentioned to be granted, and the plantation thereof, and the government of the people there.

And, for the better execution of our royal pleasure herein we do, for us, our heirs, and successors, assign, name, constitute, and appoint the aforesaid Benedict Arnold to be the first and present governor of the said company; and the said William Brenton to be the deputy governor; and the said William Boulston, John Porter, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, John Smith, John Greene, John Cogeshall, James Barker, William Field, and Joseph Clarke, to be the ten present assistants of the said company, to continue in the said several offices respectively, until the first Wednesday which shall be in the month of May now next coming.

And further, we will and by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, do ordain and grant, that the governor of the said company, for the time being, or, in his absence, by occasion of sickness or otherwise by his leave or permission, the deputy governor for the time being shall and may, from time to time, upon all occasions, give orders for the assembling of the said company, and calling them together to consult and advise of the business and affairs of the said company; and that for ever hereafter twice in every year, that is to say, on every first Wednesday in the Month of May, and on every last Wednesday in October, or oftener, in case it shall be requisite, the assistants, and such of the freemen of the said company, not exceeding six persons for Newport, four persons for each of the respective towns of Providence, Portsmouth, and Warwick, and two persons for each other place, town, or city, who shall be, from time to time, thereunto elected or deputed, by the major part of the freemen of the respective towns or places, for ich they shall be so elected or deputed, shall have a gen

eral meeting or assembly, then and there to consult, advise, and determine, in and about the affairs and business of the said company and plantations.

And further, we do, of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and more motion, give and grant unto the said governor and company of the English colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America, and their successors, that the governor, in his absence, or by his permission, the deputy governor of the said company, for the time being, the assistants and such of the freemen of the said company, as shall be so aforesaid elected or deputed, or so many of them as shall be present at such meeting or assembly, as aforesaid, shall be called the general assembly; and that they, or the greatest part of them then present (whereof the governor, or deputy governor, and six of the assistants at least, to be seven) shall have, and have hereby given and granted unto them, full power and authority, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, to appoint, alter, and change such days, times, and places of meeting and general assembly, as they shall think fit; and to choose, nominate, and appoint such and so many persons as they shall think fit, and shall be willing to accept the same, to be free of the said company and body politic, and them into the same to admit; and to elect and constitute such offices and officers, and to grant such needful commissions as they shall think fit and requisite, for ordering, managing, and despatching of the affairs of the said governor and company, and their successors: and from time to time to make, ordain, constitute, and repeal, such laws, statutes, orders, and ordinances, forms, and ceremonies of government and magistracy, as to them shall seem meet, for the good and welfare of the said company, and for the government and ordering of the lands and hereditaments herein after mentioned to be granted, and of the people that do or at any time hereafter shall, inhabit or be within the same; so as such laws, ordinances, and constitutions, so made, be not contrary and repugnant unto, but (as near as may be) agreeable to the laws of this our realm of England, considering the nature and constitution of the place and people there; and also to appoint, order, and direct, er ect and settle such places and courts of jurisdiction, for hearing and determining of all actions, cases, matters, and things, happening within the said colony and plantation, which shall be in dispute, and depen ting there, as they shall think fit