Page:The Federal and state constitutions v5.djvu/229

Rh by them chosen out of themselves, viz: two out of every tribe, division, or parish, in such manner as shall be agreed on, to make their own laws, by and with the advise and consent of the Governor and council, so as they be not repugnant to the laws of England, but, as near as may be, agreeing with them in all civil affairs, with submission to a superintendency of a general council, to be chosen out of every government of the province, in manner as shall be agreed on for the common defence of the whole; which laws shall, within one year after publication, be presented to us to receive our ratification, and to be in force until said ratification be desired and by us certified; but if once ratified, to continue until repealed by the same power, or by time expired.

5. We will grant, in as ample manner as the undertakers shall desire, freedom and liberty of conscience in all religious or spiritual things, and to be kept inviolably with them, we having power in our charter so to do.

6. We will grant the full benefit of these immunities to the undertakers and settlers which, by the charter, is granted to us (for our services to his majesty) in relation to freedom of customs, of tools of all sorts useful there, to be exported from England for the planters’ use; and of certain growths of the plantations, as wine, oil, raisins of all sorts, olivers, capers, wax, currants, almonds, and silks, to be imported into any of his majesty’s dominions for seven years for each commodity, after four tons of every respective species is imported as aforesaid in one bottom.

7. We will grant to every present undertaker for his own head, one hundred acres of land, to him and his heires forever, to be held in free and common soccage; and for every man-servant that he shall bring or sent thither, that is fit to bear arms, armed with a good firelock musket, performed bore, twelve bullets to the pound, and with twenty pounds of powder and twenty pounds of bullets, fifty acres of land; and for every woman-servant thirty acres; and to every man-servant that shall come within that time, ten acres after the expiration of his time; and to every woman-servant six acres after the expiration of her time.

Note that we intend not hereby to be obliged to give the proportions of lands above mentioned to masters and servants, longer than in the first five years, to commence at the beginning of the first settlement.

8. We will enjoin the Governor and council to take care that there be always one man armed and provided as aforesaid in the colony, for every fifty acres which we shall grant, and that there be a supply to make up the number in case of death or quitting the colony by the owners of said lands within twelve months after giving notice of the defect.

In consideration of the premises, we do expect by way of acknowledgment, and towards the charge we have been and shall be at, one halp-penny for every acre that shall be granted as aforesaid, within the time before limited and expressed; and that the court-houses and houses for public meetings be erected by the public moneys of the colony on the lands taken up by us; but to be and continue to the country’s use forever, they paying some small acknowledgement.

Given under our hands this twenty-fifth day of August, Anno Domini, 1663.