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OF

THE CHARTER

OF

KING JAMES THE FIRST

ΤΟ

THE TOWN OF COLERAINE.

JAMES, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, Reasons for grantand Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c., To all to whom ing this these present Letters shall come, greeting: Whereas there can Charter. be nothing more worthy of a King to perform, than to establish the true religion of Christ among men hitherto depraved and almost lost in superstition, to improve and cultivate by art and industry countries and lands uncultivated and almost desert; and not only to stock them with honest citizens and inhabitants, but also to strengthen them with good institutions and ordinances, whereby they might be more safely defended, not only from the corruption of their morals, but from their intestine and domestic plots and conspiracies, and also from foreign violence: and whereas the province of Ulster in our realm of Ireland, for many years past, hath grossly erred from the true religion of Christ and divine grace, and hath abounded with superstition, insomuch that for a long time it hath not only been harassed, torn, and wasted by private and domestic broils, but also by foreign arms: We therefore, deeply and heartily commiserating the wretched state of the said province, have esteemed it to be a work worthy of a Christian prince, and of our royal office, to stir up and recal the same province from superstition, rebellion, calamity and poverty, which heretofore have horribly raged therein, to religion, obedience, strength, and prosperity: And whereas our beloved and faithful subjects, the mayor and commonalty and citizens of our city of London, burning with a flagrant zeal to promote such our pious intention in this behalf, have undertaken a considerable part of the said plantation in Ulster, aud are making progress therein :

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Jurisdic

tent.

Coleraine We therefore, of our special grace, certain knowledge, and constituted mere motion, do will, constitute, declare and grant, that the a free town. town of Coleraine, in the aforesaid province of Ulster in our aforesaid realm of Ireland, may and shall be a free town of itself, and that all and singular houses, edifices, lands, tenements, waters and watercourses, ground and soil, situate lying and being within the town of Coleraine aforesaid, in the aforesaid province of Ulster, and within and throughout the space and circuit of tion and ex-three thousand Irish paces (three Irish miles) to be measured and limited from the middle of the said town of Coleraine, from all and every part of the same proceeding, from henceforth may and shall be part and parcel of the aforesaid town of Coleraine, and within the jurisdiction and liberty of the same town of Coleraine; and that the said town of Coleraine, and the circuit, precincts, limits, and jurisdiction of the same town, from henceforth for ever shall and may extend and spread themselves within, in and throughout the space and circuit of three thousand Irish paces, to be measured and limited from the middle of the said town, and from every part of the said town of Coleraine proceeding as aforesaid, for ever.

rated.

stile.

And we do will, grant, appoint, ordain and create, that all inhabitants of the aforesaid town of Coleraine, and all inhabitants within the jurisdiction and liberty of the same town of Coleraine, and those who hereafter shall be inhabitants of the town aforesaid, or inhabitants withinthe jurisdiction and liberty of the same town of Coleraine Coleraine, and their successors from henceforth for ever, shall and incorpomay be, byforce of these presents, a new body corporate and politic in deed, fact and name, by the name of The mayor and alderName and men and burgesses of the town of Coleraine, within the province of Ulster, in the kingdom of Ireland, and them by the name of the mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the town of Coleraine, within the province of Ulster, in the kingdom of Ireland, a new body-corporate and politic, in deed, fact and name, really and fully, for us, our heirs and successors, do erect, make, ordain, constitute, create, and declare by these presents, and that by the same name they shall have perpetual succession; and that they and their successors for ever, by the name of the mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the town of Coleraine, within the province of Ulster, in the realm of Ireland, may and shall be perpetually in future times, persons able and capable in law to have, purchase, receive, and possess lands, tenements, goods, chattels, rents, revenues, possessions, liberties, privileges, rights, jurisdictions, franchises and hereditaments whatsoever, and of what kind, nature or species soever they may be, to themselves and their successors, in fee and perpetuity, or otherwise howsoever; and also to give, grant, demise and assign lands, tenements, hereditaments, goods and chattels, and to do and execute all and singular other acts and things to be made and executed, by the name aforesaid; and that they and their successors for ever, by the name of the mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the town of Coleraine, within the province of

Made capable to purchase and hold

lands, &c.

Ulster, in the realm of Ireland, shall and may be able to plead, to plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be de- and be imfended, in any courts, pleas and places whatsoever, and before pleaded, any judges, justices, and other persons and officers soever, of &c. us our heirs and successors, in all plaints, suits, pleas, causes, matters and demands whatsoever, and of what kind, nature or species soever the same may be, and in like manner and form as other liege subjects of our kingdoms of England or Ireland, being persons able and in law capable, shall and may plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be defended, and shall and may be able to have, purchase, receive, possess, give, grant and demise.

to have a

And that the aforesaid mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the town aforesaid, and their successors, from henceforth for ever common shall have a common seal, to serve for all the affairs and business seal; whatsoever of them and their successors; and that it may and shall be lawful for the same mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the town aforesaid, and their successors, the same seal at their pleasure from time to time to break, change, and make anew, as to them shall seem fit.

And further we will, and by these presents, for us our heirs and to have a successors, do grant and ordain, that from henceforth for ever here- mayor, after there may and shall be within the town of Coleraine aforesaid, one of the more honest and discreet freemen of the town aforesaid, or of the more honest and discreet inhabitants within the liberty of the same, in form below in these presents mentioned from time to time to be elected, who shall be and shall be called the mayor of the town aforesaid; and that in like manner there shall and may be twelve within the same town, twelve of the more honest and discreet aldermen, freemen, or other inhabitants of the said town, or liberty of the same, according to the ordinance in these presents below specified from time to time to be elected, who shall be and shall be called aldermen of the town aforesaid, and shall be of the common council of the same town; and that the aforesaid aldermen shall be from time to time assisting and aiding to the mayor of the said town of Coleraine for the time being, in all causes and matters touching or concerning the said town.

And that there shall and may be for ever, within the town chamberaforesaid, one of the more discreet inhabitants of the same town, lain, or liberty of the same, from time to time in like manner to be elected, who shall be and shall be called the chamberlain of the said town of Coleraine.

And that in like manner for ever there shall and may be twenty-four within the town of Coleraine aforesaid, and liberty of the same, burgesses. twenty-four of the more honest and discreet inhabitants' within the liberty of the same, in form below in these presents mentioned, from time to time to be elected, who shall be and shall be called burgesses of the town aforesaid; which said burgesses shall be from time to time in like manner assisting and aiding to the mayor and aldermen of the same town, in all things and matters touching or concerning the said town, and liberty of

the same, and they shall be of the common council of the same

town.

Empower- And further we will, and by these presents, for us our heirs ed to make and successors, do grant to the aforesaid mayor, aldermen and by-laws; burgesses of the town aforesaid, and their successors, that the

mayor and common council of the aforesaid town of Coleraine for the time being, and their successors, or the major part of them, (whereof we will the mayor for the time being to be one,) upon public summons by the mayor of the town aforesaid for the time being, or by his precept therefore to be made, being assembled together for this purpose, may and shall have full power, faculty and authority, to frame, constitute, ordain and make, from time to time for ever, all reasonable and fit laws, statutes, constitutions, decrees and ordinances whatsoever, in writing, as shall appear to them to be good, wholesome, honest, useful, necessary and requisite, according to their sound discretions, for the good rule and government of the town aforesaid, and of all and singular the officers, ministers, artificers, inhabitants, resiants, and dwellers whomsoever of the town aforesaid, and the liberty of the same, for the time being; and also for the rule and government of markets and fairs within the town aforesaid, and the liberties and bounds of the same, and of the people coming and resorting to the said markets and fairs, or any of them, and for declaring in what manner and order the same mayor, aldermen and burgesses, and all and singular the officers, ministers, artificers, and residents of the town aforesaid, and the liberty of the same, and their factors, servants, and ministers, in their offices, functions, ministries, arts and businesses, within the town aforesaid, and the liberty of the same, for the time being, shall hold, carry, and use themselves for the public good, common profit, and good government of the town aforesaid, and the liberty of the same, and the victualling of the same, and also for the well ordering the matters, causes, and affairs of the town aforesaid, touching or concerning the inhabitants of the same, or the arts, handicrafts or mysteries, in the same to inflict town and liberty of the same, in any manner soever; and that penalties. the mayor and common council of the town aforesaid for the time being, or the major part of them, (whereof we will the mayor for the time being to be one,) as often soever as they shall frame, make, ordain and establish such laws, statutes, regulations, ordinances and constitutions, in form aforesaid, so also they shall and may make, ordain, limit, provide and inflict such and the same pains, punishments and penalties, by imprisonment of the body or by fines and amerciaments, or by either of them, against and upon all delinquents offending against such laws, regulations, ordinances and constitutions, or any of them or any part thereof, as to the same mayor and common council of the town aforesaid for the time being, or the major part of them, (whereof we will the mayor of the town aforesaid for the time being to be one,) shall seem necessary, fit, convenient, reasonable, and requisite, for the better observance of

poration.

to the gene

ral laws of

the same laws, ordinances and constitutions, and the same Fines to be fines and amerciaments shall and may levy and have, for the for the use use and behoof of the mayor and aldermen and burgesses of the of the cortown aforesaid and their successors, without hinderance of us our heirs or successors, or of any of the officers or ministers of us our heirs or successors, and without any account to be rendered therefore to us our heirs or successors; all and singular which laws, ordinances, regulations and constitutions so as aforesaid made, or to be made, we will to be observed, under the penalties therein contained. So nevertheless that the afore- By-laws said laws, statutes, ordinances, regulations, constitutions, pains, not to be punishments, penalties, imprisonments, fines, and amercia. repugnant ments, be reasonable, and not repugnant or contrary to the laws and statutes of our aforesaid realm of Ireland and so that Ireland; such laws, ordinances, regulations and constitutions, shall be certified in our kingdom of England, by the mayor and com- to be cermon council of the town aforesaid for the time being, under the tified to, common seal of the same town, to the Society of the governor med, by the and assistants of London of the new plantation in Ulster within Irish Sothe realm of Ireland, within six months next after the making of ciety of such laws, ordinances, regulations and constitutions, to the in- London. tent that the said Society of the governor and assistants of London of the new plantation in Ulster aforesaid, or their successors, or the major part of them, shall, under seal of the said Society, ratify, approve and confirm such laws, ordinances, regulations and constitutions so as aforesaid made, or any of them, within six months next after the delivery of such certificate to the governor of the said Society for the time being, or to his deputy in our realm of England, or else within the same time under the common seal of the same Society, shall adjudge and declare such laws, ordinances, regulations or constitutions so as aforesaid made or to be made, or any of them, to be difficult, unprofitable or unfit to be observed in the said town of Coleraine, and the liberty of the same.

and confir

after ap

And we will, that immediately after the aforesaid laws, sta- By-laws to tutes, regulations, ordinances and constitutions, or any of them, be in force shall be approved and confirmed under the common seal of the proval by said Society, the same laws, ordinances, statutes, regulations and the Irish constitutions, so approved, shall from thenceforth be good, for- Society. cible, and effectual, and the same shall be afterwards inviolably observed for ever, under the pains contained in the same.

considered

We will also, that immediately after declaration under the com- By-laws to mon seal of the said Society, that such laws, ordinances, regula- be void if tions, or constitutions, so made, or to be made, or any of them, by the Irish are difficult, useless, or unfit to be observed in the said town and Society to liberty of the same, the same laws, ordinances, regulations, and be inconveconstitutions so declared under seal of the said Society, to be nient. difficult, useless, or unfit, shall be held and reputed, and shall be afterwards repealed, and wholly void, and of no force or effect, to all intents and purposes as if the same laws, statutes, ordinances and constitutions had never been ordained or made.

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