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“ABSTRACT of the Charter of King Charles the Second, incorporating the Irish Society.

“10th April, 1662, (14th Charles II.)-Reciting charter of James the First, dated the 29th March, in the twelfth year of his reign, (1613) whereby the county and city of Londonderry were first constituted, and the limits thereof, with those of the town of Coleraine, fixed, and the Irish Society incorporated by the name of, The Society of the Governor and Assistants of London, of the New Plantation in Ulster, in the kingdom of Ireland.

"And reciting, that the said Society of London, by virtue of a licence from James the First, dated 30th September, in the thirteenth year of his reign, (1615) had granted to the twelve chief Companies of the City of London, (who had taken upon themselves the greatest part of the burthen of the said Plantation) divers great quantities of land, and had retained in their own hands such parts which were not properly divisable for the discharging of the burthen of the general works of the said Plantation.

"And reciting, that the said charter of James the First had been annulled in the Court of Chancery, by reason of which the said Society of London, and other the aforesaid Companies of the City of London, and their assigns and under-tenants, had been wholly deprived, and the Corporation of Londonderry together with the Society of London had been totally annihilated.

"And reciting, that King Charles the First, in the year 1641, had declared his will for restoring the aforesaid Society of London, and other Societies aforesaid; but wars and disturbances then suddenly breaking out in Ireland, his intention had no effect.

"King Charles the Second therefore confirms, and declares, that

"The city or town of Derry, and the lands and premises

thereafter granted, should thenceforth be united and consolidated as a distinct and entire county, by the name of the County of Londonderry.

"That the City of Derry should be called the City of Londonderry; and the lands and premises within the same, and within the space of three thousand Irish paces, (Englished, three Irish miles) to be measured from the middle of the city, (from every part of the same) should be within the jurisdiction and liberties of the said city.

"That the houses, lands, and premises within the town of Coleraine, and the circuit of three thousand Irish paces, or three Irish miles, from the middle of the town, should be part and parcel of the town of Coleraine, and within the jurisdiction and liberties of the same.

"That the citizens and inhabitants of the city of Londonderry, and their successors, should be incorporated by the name of, The Mayor, and Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of Londonderry, with full powers to possess lands, plead and be impleaded, &c.—and have one Mayor, twelve Aldermen, two Sheriffs, one Chamberlain, and twenty-four capital Burgesses; and the whole forming the Common 'Council of the said city.

"That the Common Council of Londonderry be empowered to make laws in writing, for the government of the city, so as such laws be certified to the Society of London, within four months after the making of them, and approved and confirmed by the said Society within six months after the delivery of such certificate.

"That for the better order, direction, and government of all, and all manner of matters, for, or concerning, the city and citizens of Londonderry, and the Plantations to be made in the said city and county of Londonderry, and all other businesses pertaining to the same, there should thenceforth, for ever, be twenty-six honest and discreet Citizens of the City of London, to be chosen in form following, who should

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be called, The Society of the Governor and Assistants of London, of the New Plantation in Ulster, in the kingdom of Ireland. Which said Society should be, and consist of, one Governor, one Deputy of the same Governor, and twentyfour Assistants; of whom the Governor, and five Assistants, should be Aldermen of the City of London; and also that the Recorder of the City of London, for the time being, should be one of the said Assistants.

"That the Society should be incorporated by the name aforesaid, with full powers to hold lands, plead and be impleaded, have a common seal, &c.

"That the said Society should be elected for ever thereafter, yearly, by the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the City of London, at the first Common Council to be held next after the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, (2a of February) at which time the Deputy Governor, and twelve of the said persons who should have been Assistants in the year precedent, shall be removed from their office; and another Deputy, and twelve other Assistants, shall be supplied for the help of the Governor not removed, for one year next to come, and so in the ensuing year, in rotation; so that twelve of the same Assistants shall be continued in their place during the term of two years.

"That as often as it shall happen that any one or more of the said Society should die, depart, or be removed from his or their office or offices, (all, or any of whom, not well demeaning or behaving themselves, to be removable at the pleasure of the Common Council of the City of London, of whom the Mayor for the time being to be one) then as many citizens should be elected by the Common Council at the next Court after the death or removal of such person or persons, into the place or places of him or them respectively, thus happening to be vacant by death or removal, or departure aforesaid, as will be sufficient to supply such vacancies.

"That after the election of the Assistants as aforesaid, the

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person or persons so elected, after his or their corporal oath, taken before the Mayor of the City of London, well and faithfully to execute the said office, should and might exercise the same during all the remaining time limited to his or their predecessor or predecessors.

"That the said Society, or any nine of them, (whereof the Governor, or Deputy Governor, should be one) should have full power to convene, assemble, and hold a Court in the Guildhall of the City of London, or some other place within the City of London, as often as it should seem expedient to them; and in the said Court or assembly to do, hear, treat, and determine all, and all manner of matters and things whatsoever, of or for, or concerning the Plantation and government aforesaid, as to them shall seem best and expedient. And to direct, constitute, and ordain, as of the part of the Mayor, and Commonalty, and Citizens of London, all and singular matters which should seem most conducible and expedient for and concerning the plantation, supply, establishment, continuation, and government of the aforesaid city of Londonderry, and all other lands and tenements thereafter mentioned to be granted; and also to send orders and directions from the kingdom of England into the said kingdom of Ireland, by letters or otherwise, for the ordering, direction, and disposition of all, and all manner of things and matters whatsoever, of or concerning the same Plantation, disposition, or government of matters there; and also of the receiving and ordering, disposing and disbursement, of all such sums of money then already collected or received, or thereafter to be collected or received; and generally for any other thing, cause, or matter whatsoever, which, by the true intent of the now reciting Charter, may or ought by them to be done, for the better government and regulation of the city and county of Londonderry aforesaid.

"And in the said Court, to be held in form aforesaid, from time to time, they might and should have power and

authority to nominate and constitute such and so many other officers and ministers of the said Society, for the expediting the business aforesaid, as to them should seem best and most expedient.

"And that the Governor of the said Society, or his Deputy, for the time being, should appoint or constitute days and times to assemble the said Society; and should make or cause to be made summons thereof to the said Society, from time to time.

"Then follow provisions for the Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and Common Council of the city and county of Londonderry, their mode of election, appointment of Chamberlain, Recorder, and other officers.

"Grants to the said Society of the Governor and Assistants of London, and their successors.

"The city and county of Londonderry, the town of Coleraine, and divers other large proportions of lands, and other premises therein specified; together with all woods and underwoods; the barony of Loughinshellen; the castle of Culmore; the water and soil of the river Bann, from the sea to Lough Neagh, and the fishery for salmon and eels therein; the water and soil, and fishery of Lough Foyle, from the sea unto the town of Liffer; the right of patronage of the churches; the ferryage over Lough Foyle and the Bann; a fee farm rent out of certain lands, formerly belonging to or in the occupation of Sir Thomas Phillips; all the messuages, mills, commons, lordships, glebes, wastes, woods, tythes, fishings, warrens, mines, quarries, heriots, fines, courts-leet, view of frank pledge, fairs, markets, tolls, customs, advantages, and other hereditaments whatsoever; with certain exceptions.

“To hold the same county, territory, lands, &c. unto and to the use of the said Society of London, and their successors for ever.

"To hold the said city of Londonderry, the four thousand acres of land to the said City, next adjoining upon the Derry

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