Page:The Life of George Washington, Volume 1.djvu/570

 ■ — 40 — of such courts in all civil cases, to appeal under the usual limitations and restrictions, to us in our privy council. We have also thought fit with the advice of our privy council as aforesaid, to give unto the governors and councils of our said three new colonies upon the continent, full power and authority to settle and agree with the inhabitants of our said new colonies, or with any other persons who shall resort thereto, for such lands, tenements and hereditaments, as now or hereafter shall be in our power to dispose of, and them to grant to any such person or persons, upon such terms, and under such moderate quitrents, services, and acknowledg- ments, as have been appointed and settled in our other colo- nies, and under such other conditions as shall appear to us to be necessary and expedient for the advantage of the grantees, and the improvement and settlement of our said colonies. And whereas we are desirous, upon all occasions, to testify our royal sense and approbation of the conduct and bravery of the officers and soldiers of our armies, and to reward the same, we do hereby command and empower our governors of the said three new colonies, and all other our governors of our said provinces on the continent of North America, to grant without fee or reward, to such reduced officers as have served in North America during the late war, and to such private soldiers as have been, or shall be disbanded in Ame- rica, and are actually residing there, and shall personally apply for the same, the following quantities of lands, subject at the expiration of ten years, to the same quitrents as other lands are subject to in the province within which they are granted, as also subject to the same conditions of cultivation and im- provement, viz. To every person having the rank of a field officer, five thousand acres ; to every captain, three thousand acres ; to every subaltern or staff officer, two thousand acres ; to every non-commissioned officer, two hundred acres ; to every private man fifty acres. We do likewise authorize and require the governors and commanders in chief of all our said colonies upon the conti- nent of North America, to grant the like quantities of land,