TRANSLATION OF

THE CHARTER OF KING CHARLES II.

ΤΟ

THE HONOURABLE THE IRISH SOCIETY, AND

THE CITIZENS OF LONDONDERRY.

tent of

Charter re

cited.

CHARLES THE SECOND, by the grace of God, of England, Letters paScotland, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Charles the To all to whom these our present letters shall come greeting. (We Second. have inspected the inrolment of certain of our letters patent bearing date at Westminster the 10th day of April in the fourteenth year of our reign, inrolled before us in our court of Chancery, and in the rolls of the same court remaining of record in these words: Charles the Second, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, King James's France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom these our present letters shall come greeting.) Whereas our illustrious grandfather James late king of England (of blessed memory), by his letters patent under his great seal of England, bearing date at Westminster the nine-and-twentieth day of March in the eleventh year of his reign over England, France, and Ireland, and over Scotland the six-and-fortieth, for the considerations therein expressed, of his especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, for him, his heirs and successors, did ordain, constitute, and declare, that the city or town of Derry in the province of Ulster in our realm of Ireland, and all and singular castles, lordships, manors, towns, villages, hamlets, lands, tenements, and hereditaments in the aforesaid letters patent mentioned, should be united and consolidated, and for ever thereafter be one entire and distinct county of itself, and be called by the name of the County of Londonderry, and that all lands situate within three miles compass of the town of Coleraine should be within the liberties of the said town of Coleraine, and the said city or town of Derry did incorporate by the name of the mayor and commonalty and citizens of the city of Londonderry, and also by the same letters patent did ordain and constitute a certain number of citizens of our city of London to be one body corporate and politic, who should be called by the name of the society of the Governor and Assistants London of the new plantation in Ulster within the realm of Ireland, and did give and grant unto the said society and their successors the

Grants by

recited.

city, fort, and town of Derry, and the whole island of Derry, town of Coleraine, and divers other towns, villages, hamlets, baronies, lordships, manors, territories, castles, messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments, royalties, franchises, privileges and immunities, in such manner and form, and with such exceptions, and for and under such several rents, services, tenures, reservations, covenants, conditions, and other articles, clauses, and agreements as in the said letters patent are mentioned and comprised, as by the same letters patent more fully appeareth :

And whereas the said society of the Governor and Assistants the Society of London of the new plantation in Ulster within the realm of Ireland, by virtue of a certain license from our said illustrious grandfather under the great seal of England, bearing date at Westminster the thirtieth day of September in the thirteenth year of his reign over England, France, and Ireland, and over Scotland the nine-and-fortieth, did grant unto the twelve chief companies of our city of London (which had taken upon themselves the greatest part of the burthen of the said plantation) divers great quantities, parcels, and proportions of the said lands, tenements, and hereditaments, according to their several disbursements, and did retain in his own hands such part of the same tenements and hereditaments as were not properly devisable for defraying of the charge of the general operation of the said plantation:

Repeal of the said

charter recited.

King Charles the First's promise of restitution recited.

Reasons of the present

grant.

And whereas the said letters patent were afterwards annulled, abolished, and cancelled in the court of Chancery, by reason whereof the said society of the new plantation, and the said companies of our city of London, and their respective assigns and undertenants of all and singular the lands, tenements, and hereditaments, royalties, privileges, franchises, and immunities, in the said letters patent mentioned, were wholly deprived, and the said corporation of Londonderry, together with the said society of the new plantation, became wholly annulled and invalidated :

And whereas afterwards our dearest father Charles King of England (of blessed memory), in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and forty-one, of his royal goodness to the mayor and commonalty and citizens of our city of London, declared his royal will for restoring to the said society of the new plantation, and the said other companies, all and singular the lands, royalties, and privileges in the said letters patent mentioned, and gave his royal command and directions for the effectual execution thereof; but (the wars and troubles in our said kingdom of Ireland breaking out soon after) his royal intention did not take effect:

And for that it doth manifestly appear to us that the said society of the new plantation, and other companies of our city of London, have expended very great sums of money in building and planting of the said county of Londonderry and Coleraine : To the intent, therefore, that the said society of the new plantation, or some other such society by these our letters patent to be

created and made, and the said companies of our city of London, and their respective assigns and undertenants, may, according to their former several rights and interests therein, be restored to all and singular the county, cities, towns, castles, territories, lands, tenements, royalties, franchises, privileges, and immunities whatsoever, with their and every of their appurtenances, so vested in them by force and virtue of the said letters patent, and the said several grants by the said society of the new plantation, and other companies respectively, thentofore made, as fully and beneficially to all intents and purposes as they might have had and enjoyed the same if no repeal of the said letters patent had ever been had or made: And to the intent that there may be a new society made of the new plantation in Ulster aforesaid, consisting of the like number of honest and discreet citizens of our city of London as the other and former society heretofore consisted of; and that a new incorporation of the said city or town of Derry be constituted; and for the further and better settling and planting of the said county, towns, and places with trade and inhabitants :

other grant

to be the

Derry.

WE of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, The city of for us, our heirs and successors, Do will, constitute, ordain, con- Derry and firm, and declare, that the city or town of Derry, in the province ed premises of Ulster in our realm of Ireland, and also all and singular County of castles, lordships, manors, towns, villages, hamlets, lands, tene- Londonments, waters, streams, ports, sea-ports, and other territories and hereditaments whatsoever hereunder in or by these presents given or granted, and all and singular other castles, lordships, manors, towns, villages, lands, tenements, waters, and watercourses, streams, ports, and other territories situate, lying, or being within the precinct, compass, or circuit of the said castles, lordships, manors, towns, villages, and other the premises in or by these presents given and granted, be and hereafter shall be united, consolidated, and henceforth for ever one entire county of itself, distinct and separate from all our counties whatsoever within our realm of Ireland, to all intents and purposes, and in as ample manner and form as any other county whatsoever within our kingdoms of England or Ireland; and for ever hereafter shall be named and called the County of Londonderry, and them all into one entire free and distinct county of itself we do erect, constitute, ordain, confirm, and create by these presents.

be called

And further of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere The city to motion, for us, our heirs and successors, We will, ordain, consti- Londondertute, confirm, and declare, that the said city or town of Derry for ry. ever hereafter be, and shall be named and called the city of Londonderry, and that all and singular houses, edifices, lands, tene- Extent of ments, waters, and water-courses, and the ground and soil situate, thereof. lying, and being within the said city of Derry, and within and by the space and circuit of three Irish miles to be measured and limited from the middle of the said city of Derry, on each and every side of the said city, from henceforth for ever be and shall

the liberties

Extent of

of Cole

raine.

be within the jurisdiction and liberties of the said city. And that the said city of Londonderry and the circuits, precincts, limits, bounds, compass, liberties, franchises, and jurisdiction of the same shall for ever hereafter extend and spread itself, and may extend and spread itself within and through the space and circuit of three Irish miles, to be measured and limited from all and every part of the said city as aforesaid, from henceforth for ever, and that the mayor and commonalty and citizens of the said city of Londonderry and their successors beneath in these presents mentioned and named may execute and exercise all rights and jurisdictions hereinafter mentioned within the aforesaid circuit, precinct, limits, bounds, and compass aforesaid.

And further we will, ordain, constitute, confirm, and declare, the liberties that all and singular houses, edifices, lands, tenements, waters and water-courses, ground and soil, situate, lying, and being within the town of Coleraine in the said province of Ulster, and within and by the space and circuit of three Irish miles to be measured and limited from the middle of the said town of Coleraine, on each, all, and every side of the same from henceforth for ever be and shall be part and parcel of the said town of Coleraine, and within the jurisdiction and liberties of the same town of Coleraine. And that the said town of Coleraine and the circuit, precincts, limits, bounds, compass, liberties, franchises, and jurisdiction of the same town, from henceforth for ever shall extend and spread, and may extend and spread, within and by the space and circuit of three Irish miles to be measured and limited on each and every side of the said town of Coleraine as aforesaid, henceforth for ever.

Inhabitants of Londonderry incorporated.

And made capable to purchase, grant, demise, &c.

And we will, grant, establish, ordain, appoint, confirm, and create, that all citizens and inhabitants of the city of Londonderry aforesaid, and they who hereafter shall be citizens inhabitants of the said city, and their successors for ever hereafter, be and shall be by force of these presents a new body corporate and politic, in deed, fact, and name, by the name of the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the city of Londonderry; and them by the name of the mayor and commonalty and citizens of the city of Londonderry a new body corporate and politic in deed, fact, and name, really and fully, for us, our heirs and successors, we do erect, make, ordain, constitute, create, confirm, and declare by these presents. And that by the said name they shall have perpetual succession; and that they and their successors for ever, by the name of the mayor and commonalty and citizens of the city of Londonderry, be and shall be in all future times persons able and in law capable to have, purchase, receive, and possess lands, tenements, goods, chattels, rents, revenues, possessions, liberties, privileges, rights, jurisdictions, franchises, and hereditaments of what sort, kind, nature, or quality soever, to them and their successors in fee and perpetuity, or in any other manner howsoever; and also to give, grant, demise, and assign such lands, tenements, and other hereditaments, goods, and

chattels, and to do and execute all and singular other acts and things by the name aforesaid. And that they and their successors for ever, by the name of the mayor and commonalty and citizens of the city of Londonderry, may plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be defended, in any courts, pleas, and places, and before any judges, justices, and other persons and officers of us, our heirs and successors, in all plaints, suits, pleas, causes, matters, and demands, of what kind, nature, or quality soever, in the same and like manner and form as our other lieges of our kingdoms of England or Ireland (being persons able and in law capable) may plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be defended, and may have, receive, possess, give, grant, and demise. And that the said mayor and common- To have a alty and citizens of the said city of Londonderry, and their successors, may for ever hereafter have a common seal for transacting all business whatsoever of them and their successors, and that it may be lawful to the same mayor and commonalty and citizens of the city aforesaid, and their successors, at their pleasure, from time to time, to break, change, and new make the said seal as to them shall seem best.

common

seal.

mayor;

And further we will, and by these presents for us our heirs to have a and successors do grant and ordain, that for ever hereafter there be and shall be within the city of Londonderry aforesaid one of the more honest and discreet citizens of the said city, or of the more honest and discreet inhabitants within the liberty of the same, in form hereafter in these presents mentioned from time to time to be elected, who shall be and be called the mayor of the said city.

And that in like manner for ever there be and shall be within twelve aldermen, the same city twelve of the more honest and discreet citizens of the said city of Londonderry, or other inhabitants of the said city or liberty of the same, according to the ordinance hereunder in these presents specified from time to time to be elected, who shall be and shall be called the aldermen of the said city, and shall be of the common council of the same city, and that the said aldermen shall from time to time be assisting and aiding to the mayor of the said city of Londonderry for the time being, in all matters and business touching or concerning the same city.

And that in like manner for ever there be and shall be within two sheriff's, the said city of Londonderry two of the more honest and discreet citizens of the same city, or of the more honest and discreet inhabitants within the liberty of the same, in form hereunder in these presents mentioned from time to time to be elected, who shall be and be called the sheriffs of the said city of Londonderry and of the said county of Londonderry.

And that there be and shall be for ever within the said city one one chamof the more discreet citizens of the said city, or of the inhabitants berlain, within the liberty of the same city, from time to time in like manner to be elected, who shall be and shall be called the chamberlain of the said city.