at all times hereafter, to appoint, alter, and change fuch days, times and places of meeting, and General Assembly, as they fhall think fit; and to chufe, nominate, and appoint such and so many perfons as they fhall think fit, and fhall be willing to accept the fame, to be free of the faid company and body politic, and them into the fame to admit; and to ele& and conftitute fuch offices and officers, and to grant fuch needful commissions as they fhall think fit and requifite, for ordering, managing, and dif patching of the affairs of the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors; and from time to time, to make, ordain, conftitute, or repeal, fuch laws, ftatutes, orders and ordinances, forms and ceremonies of government and magistracy, as to them fhall feem meet, for the good and welfare of the faid 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 fhall inhabit, or be within the fame; fo as fuch laws, ordinances, and conftitutions fo made, be not contrary and repugnant unto, but as near as 'may be, agreeable to the laws of this our realm of England, confidering the nature and conftitution of the place and people there; and alfo to appoint, order, and direct, erect and fettle fuch places and courts of jurifdiction, for hearing and determining of all actions, cafes, matters, and things, happening within the faid colony and plantation, and which fhall be in difpute, and depending there, as they fhall think fit; and alfo to distinguish and fet forth the feveral names and titles, duties, powers and limits, of each court, office and officer, fuperior and inferior; and alfo to contrive and appoint fuch forms of oaths and atteftațions, not repugnant, but as near as may be agreeable, as afore. faid, to the laws and ftatutes of this our realm, as are convenient and requifite, with refpect to the due administration of justice, and due execution and discharge of all offices and places of truft, by the perfons that shall be therein concerned; and alío to regulate and order the way and manner of all elections to offices and places of truft, and to prescribe, limit and diftinguish the number and bounds of all places, towns and cities, within the limits and bounds herein after mentioned, and not herein particuly named, who have, or fhall have the power of clecting and fending of freemen to the faid General Affembly; and alio to order, direct, and authorife the impofing of lawful and reafonable fines, mulets, imprifonments, and executing other punithments, pecuniary and corporal, upon offenders and delinquents, according to the coufe of other corporations within this

our kingdom of England: and again, to alter, revoke, annul or purdon, under their common feal, or other wife, uch fines, males, aprifonments, fentences, judgments and condemnatons, as fill be thought fit; and to direct, rule order, and dipole all other mitters and things, and particularly that which relates to the making of purchales of the native Indians, as to them fhall feem meet; whereby our faid people and inhabitants in the faid plantations may be fo religiously, peaceably, and civilly governed, as that by their good life and orderly converfation they may win and invite the native Indians of the country to the knowledge and obedience of the only true God and Saviour of mankind; willing, commanding, and requiring, and by thefe prefents. for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordaining and appointing, that all fuch laws, ftatutes, orders, and erdinances, inftructions, impofitions, and directions, as shall be fo made by the governor, deputy, affiftants, and freemen, or Auch number of them as aforefaid, and published in writing under their common feal, fhall be carefully and duly obferved, kept, performed, and put in exccution, according to the true intent and meaning of the fame. And there our letters patent, or the duplicate or exemplification thereof, fhall be to all and every fuch officers, fuperior or inferior, from time to time, for the putting of the fame orders, laws, ftatutes, ordinances, inanctions, and directions, in due execution against us, our hens and fuccefors, a fuficient warrant and difcharge. And further, our will and pleature is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and fucceffors, eftablish and ordain, that yearly, once in the year for ever hereafter, namely, the aforefaid Wednesday in May, and at the town of Newport or elsewhere, if urgent occalion do require, the governor, deputy-governor, and affif. tants of the faid company and other officers of the faid company, or fuch of them as the General Affembly fhall think fit, fhall be in the frid Gener Court or Affembly, to be held from that day or time, newly cholen for the year enfuing, by the greater part of the lard company for the time being, as thall be then and there prelet. And if it fall happen that the prefent gomer, deputy governor, and aflitants, by thele prefents inrell, or any fuca as f hereafter be newly choten ɔ thell rooms, or any of them, or any other the officers of ile Did company, hill die, or be removed from his or their

ulices or places bakre the faid general day of election
we do hereby declare for any meme.nor or default to
le by the governor, affittants, and company,
art of them, in any of the luid public courts to

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be affembled as aforefaid) that then, and in every fach cafe, it fhall and may be lawful to and for the laid governor, deputygovernor, affiftants, and company aforefaid, or fuch greater part of them fo to be affembled, as is aforefaid, in any of their affemblies, to proceed to a new election of one or more of their company, in the room or place, rooms or places, of fuch officer or officers fo dying or removed, according to their directions. And immediately upon and after fuch election or elections made of fuch governor, deputy-governor, affilant or affiftants, or any other officer of the faid company, in manner and form aforefaid, the authority, office, and power before given to the former governor, deputy-governor, and other officer and officers fo removed, in whofe ftead and place new fhall be chofen, fhall, as to him and them, and every of them refpectively, ceafe and determine: Provided always, and our will and pleasure is, That as well fuch as are by thefe prefents appointed to be the prefent governor, deputy-governor, and alfiftants of the faid company, as those which fhall fucceed them, and all other officers to be appointed and chofen as aforefaid, fhall, before the undertaking the execution of the faid offices and places refpectively, give their folemn engagement, by oath or otherwife, for the due and faithful performance of their duties in, their feveral offices and places, before fuch perfon or perfons as are by these prefents hereafter appointed to take and receive the fame; that is to fay, the faid Benedi&t Arnold, who is herein before nominated and appointed the prefent governor of the faid company, fhall give the aforefaid engagement before William Brenton, or any. two of the faid affiftants of the faid Company, unto whom we do, by these presents, give full power and authority to require and receive the fame; and the faid William Brenton, who is hereby before-nominated and appointed the prefent deputy-governor of the faid company, fhall give the aforefaid engagement before the faid Benedict Arnold, or any two of the affiftants of the faid company, unto whom we do, by thele prefents, give full power and authority to require and receive the fame; and the faid William Boulton, John Porter, Reger Williams, Thomas Olney, John Smith, John Greene, John Cogefhall, James Barker, William Field, and Jofeph Clarke, who are herein before nominated and appointed the prefent affiftants of the company fhall give the faid engagement to their offices and places refpectively belonging, before the faid Benedi& Arnold and William Brenton, or one of them, to whom refpectively we do hereby give full power and authority to require, admini

ter, or receive the fame. And farther, our will and pleasure is, that all and every other future governor, or deputy-governor, to be elected and cholen by virtue of the le preients, thall give the laid engagement before two or more of the faid affiftants of the faid company for the time being, unto whom we do, by there prefent, give full power and authority to require, admimiter, or receive the fame; and the faid affiftants, and every of them, and all and every other officer or officers, to be hereafter elected and cholen by virtue of these presents, from time to time, fhall give the like engagements to their offices and places refpectively belonging, before the governor, or deputy-governor for the time being; unto which faid governor or deputy-gover nor we do, by thefe prefents, give full power and authority to require, adminifter, or receive the fame accordingly. And we do likewife for us, our heirs, and fucceffors, give and grant unto the faid governor and company, and their fuccellors, by thefe prefents, that for the more peaceable and orderly government of the faid plantations, it fhall and may be lawful for the governor, deputy-governor, affiftants, and all other officers and minifters of the faid company, in the adminiftration of juftice and exercife of government in the faid plantations, to ule, exercife, and put in execution, fuch methods, rules, orders, and directions, not being contrary and repugnant to the laws and fitutes of this our realm, as have been heretofore given, uted and accustomed in fuch cafes refpeftively, to be put in practice, until at the next or fome other general affembly, elpical provifion fhall be made in the cafes aforefaid. And we do father, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, give and grant unto the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors, by thele prefents, that it thall and may be lawful to and for the faid governor, or, in his abience, the deputy-governor and major part of the faid affifiants for the time being, at any time when the faid general Alfembly is not fitting, to nominate, appoint, and conftitute fuch and fo mary commanders, governors, and military officers, as to them fhall feem requifite, for the leading, conducting, and training up the inhabitants of the faid plantations in martial affairs, and for the defence and fafeguard of the faid plantations; and that it fhall and may be lawful to and for all and every fuch commander, governor, and military officer, that fhall be fo as aforefard, or by the governor, or in his abfence the deputy-governor and fix of the affiftants, and major part of the freemen of the faid company prolent at any general affemblies, nominated,

appointed, and conftituted, according to the tenor of his and their respective commiffions and directions, to affemble, exercise in arms, marfhal, array, and put in warlike pofture, the inhabitants of the faid colony, for their efpecial defence and fafety; and to lead and conduct the said inhabitants, and to encounter, repulfe, and refift by force of arms, as well by fea as by land, to kill, flay, and deftroy, by all fitting ways, enterprises, and means whatfoever, all and every fuch perfon or perfons as fhall at any time hereafter attempt or enterprise the deftruction, invafion, detriment, or annoyance of the faid inhabitants or plantations; and to use and exercise the law martial in fuch cafes only as occafion fhall neceffarily require; and to take and surprise, by all ways and means whatsoever, all and every fuch perfon or perfons, with their fhip or fhips, armour, ammunition, or other goods of fuch perfons as fhall in hoftile manner invade or attempt the defeating of the faid plantation, or the hurt of the faid company and inhabitants; and upon juft caules to invade and deftroy the natives, Indians, or other enemies of the faid colony. Nevertheless, our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby declare to the rest of our colonies in New-England, that it fhall not be lawful for this our faid colony of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, in New-England, in America, to invade the natives inhabiting within the bounds and limits of their faid colonies, without the knowledge and confent of the faid other colonies. And it is hereby declared, that it fhall not be lawful to or for the rest of the colonies to invade or moleft the native Indians, or any other inhabitants, inhabiting within the bounds or limits hereafter mentioned (they having fubjected themfelves unto us, and being by us taken into our special protection) without the knowledge and confent of the governor and com pany of our colony of Rhode-Ifland and Providence Plantation. Allo our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby declare unto all Chriftian Kings, Princes, and States, that if any perfon, which fhall hereafter be of the faid company or plantation, or any other by appointment of the faid governor and company for the time being, fhall at any time or times hereafter rob or spoil, by fea or land, or do any hurt, or unlawful hoftility, to any of the subjects of us, our heirs and fucceffors, or to any of the fubjects of any Prince or State, being then in league with us, our heirs and fucceffors; upon complaint of fuch injury done to any fuch Prince or State, or their subjects, we, our heirs and fucceffors, will make open proclamation, within any parts of our realms of England fit for that purpose, that the per

Vol. II.

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