College of William and Mary, Charter

WILLIAM AND MARY, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King and Queen, defenders of the faith, &c. To all to whom these our present letters shall come, greeting.

Forasmuch as our well-beloved and faithful subjects, constituting the General Assembly of our Colony of Virginia, have had it in their minds, and have proposed to themselves, to the end that the Church of Virginia may be furnished with a seminary of ministers of the gospel, and that the youth may be piously educated in good letters and manners, and that the Christian faith may be propagated amongst the Western Indians, to the glory of Almighty God; to make, found and establish a certain place of universal study, or perpetual College of Divinity, Philosophy, Languages, and other good Arts and Sciences, consisting of one President, six Masters or Professors, and an hundred scholars more or less, according to the ability of the said college, and the statutes of the same; to be made, increased, diminished, or changed there, by certain trustees nominated and elected by the General Assembly aforesaid, to wit, our faithful and well-beloved Francis Nicholson, our Lieutenant Governor in our Colonies of Virginia and Maryland; Wm. Cole, Ralph Worm[e]ley, William Byrd and John Lear, Esquires; James Blair, John Farnifold, Stephen Fouace and Samuel Gray, clerks; Thomas Milner, Christopher Robinson, Charles Scarborough, John Smith, Benjamin Harrison, Miles Cary, Henry Hartwell, William Randolph and Matthew Page, gentlemen, or the major part of them, or of the longer livers of them, on the south side of a certain river, commonly called York river, or elsewhere, where the General Assembly itself shall think more convenient, within our Colony of Virginia, to be supported and maintained, in all time coming.

1. And forasmuch as our well-beloved and trusty the General Assembly of our Colony of Virginia aforesaid, has humbly supplicated us, by our well-beloved in Christ, James Blair, Clerk, their agent duly constituted, that we would be pleased, not only to grant our royal license to the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, Ralph Wormeley, William Byrd and John Lear, Esquires; James Blair, John Farnifold, Stephen Fouace and Samuel Gray, Clerks; Thomas Milner, Christopher Robinson, Charles Scarborough, John Smith, Benjamin Harrison, Miles Cary, Henry Hartwell, William Randolph and Matthew Page, Gentlemen, or the major part of them, or of the longer livers of them, to make, found, erect and establish the said college, but also to extend our royal bounty and munificence towards the erection and foundation of the said college, in such way and manner as to us shall seem most expedient: We, taking the premises seriously into our consideration, and earnestly desiring, that as far as in us lies, true philosophy, and other good and liberal arts and sciences may be promoted, and that the orthodox Christian faith may be propagated: And being desirous, that forever hereafter, there should be one such college, or place of universal study, and some certain and undoubted way within the said college, for the rule and government of the same, and of the masters or professors, and scholars, and all others inhabiting and residing therein, and that the said college should sub- sist and remain in all time coming of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, HAVE GRANTED and given leave, and by these presents do grant and give leave, for us, our heirs and successors, as much as in us lies, to the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, Ralph Wormeley, William Byrd and John Lear, Esquires; James Blair, John Farnifold, Stephen Fouace and Samuel Gray, Clerks; Thomas Milner, Christopher Robinson, Charles Scarborough, John Smith, Benjamin Harrison, Miles Cary, Henry Hartwell, William Randolph and Matthew Page, Gentlemen; That they or the major part of them, or of the longest livers of them, for promoting the studies of true philosophy, languages, and other good arts and sciences, and for propagating the pure gospel of Christ, our only Mediator, to the praise and honor of Almighty God, may have power to erect, found and establish a certain place of universal study, or perpetual College, for Divinity, Philosophy, Languages and other good Arts and Sciences, consisting of one President, six masters or professors, and an hundred scholars, more or less, graduates and non graduates, as above said, according to the statutes and orders of the said College, to be made, appointed and established upon the place by the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., or the major part of them, upon the south side of York river, on the land late of Colonel———Townsend, deceased, now in the possession of John Smith, near the port appointed or laid out for York county, by the said General Assembly, within our said colony of Virginia; or if by reason of unwholesomeness, or any other cause, the said place shall not be approved of, wheresoever else the General Assembly of our Colony of Virginia, or the major part of them shall think fit, within the bounds of the aforesaid colony, to continue for all times coming.
2. II. And further, of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, WE HAVE GRANTED, and given leave, and by these presents do grant, and give leave, for us, our heirs and successors, to the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., that they, or the major part of them, or the longer livers of them, may be enabled to take, hold and enjoy, and that they may be persons apt and capable in law, for taking, holding and enjoying all Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Services, Rectories, Portions, Annuities, Pensions and Advowsons of Churches, with all other Inheritances, Franchises and Possessions whatsoever as well spiritual as temporal, to the value of two thousand pounds a year; and all other goods and chattels, monies and personal estate whatsoever, of the gift of any person whatsoever, that is willing to bestow them for this use; or any other gifts, grants, assignments, legacies or appointments, of the same, or of any of them, or of any other goods whatsoever: But with this express intention, and upon the special trust we put in them that they the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., or the major part of them, or of the longer livers of them, shall take and hold the premises, and shall dispose of the same, and of the rents, revenues or profits thereof, or of any of them only for defraying the charges that shall be laid out in erecting and fitting the edifices of the said intended college, and furnishing them with books, and other utensils, and all other charges pertaining to the said college, as they or the major part of them, shall think most expedient, until the said college shall be actually erected, founded and established, and upon this trust and intention, that so soon as the said college shall, according to our royal intent be erected and founded, the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., or the longer livers or liver of them, and their or his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, shall by good and sufficient deeds and assurances in law give, grant and transfer to the said President and masters, or professors, or their successors, the said Lands, Manors, Tenements, Rents, Services, Rectories, Portions, Annuities, Pensions and Advowsons of Churches, with all other inheritances, franchises, possessions, goods, chattels and personal estate aforesaid, or as much thereof as has not been laid out and bestowed upon the building the said college, or to the other uses above mentioned.
3. And seeing the said General Assembly of our Colony of Virginia, has named, elected or appointed, the said James Blair, Clerk, as a fit person to be President of the said college; we of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, do approve, confirm and ratify the said nomination and election, and do by these presents make, create and establish the said James Blair first President of the said college, during his natural life.
4. And further, we grant our special license to the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., and their successors, or the major part of them, that they have power to elect and nominate other apt, fit and able persons, into the places of the masters or professors of the said college; and that, after the death, resignation or deprivation of the said President, or Professors, or any of them, the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., and their successors, or the major part of them, shall have power to put in, and substitute, a fit person, or persons, from time to time, into his or their place, or places, according to the orders and statutes of the said college, to be made, enacted and established, for the good and wholesome government of the said college, and of all that bear office, or reside therein, by the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., or their successors, or the major part of them.
5. And further, we will, and for us, our heirs and successors, by these presents, do GRANT, that when the said College shall be so erected, made, founded and established, it shall be called and denominated, for ever, the College of William and Mary, in Virginia, and that the President and masters, or professors, of the said college, shall be a body politic and incorporate, in deed and name; and that by the name of the President, and masters, or professors, of the College of William and Mary, in Virginia, they shall have perpetual succession; and that the said President, and masters, or professors, shall forever be called and denominated the President, and Masters, or Professors, of the College of William and Mary, in Virginia: And that the said President, and masters, or professors, and their successors, by the name of the President, and masters, or professors, of the College of William and Mary, in Virginia, shall be persons able, capable, apt and perpetual in law, to take and hold lordships, manors, lands, rents, reversions, rectories, portions, pensions, annuities, inheritances, possessions and services, as well spiritual as temporal, whatsoever, and all manner of goods and chattels, both of our gift, and our heirs and successors, and of the gift of the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, Ralph Wormeley, Wm. Byrd and John Lear, Esquires; James Blair, John Farnifold, Stephen Fouace and Samuel Gray, Clerks; Thomas Milner, Christopher Robinson, Charles Scarborough, John Smith, Benjamin Harrison, Miles Cary, Henry Hartwell, William Randolph and Matthew Page, Gentlemen; or of the gift of any other person whatsoever, to the value of two thousand pounds, of lawful money of England, yearly and no more, to be had and held by them and their successors for ever.
6. And also, that the said President, and masters or professors, by and under the name of the President, and masters, or professors of the College of William and Mary, in Virginia, shall have power to plead, and be impleaded, to sue, and to be sued, to defend, and be defended, to answer, and be answered, in all and every cause, complaint, and action, real, personal and mixed, of what kind and nature so ever they be, in whatsoever courts and places of Judicature belonging to us, our heirs and successors or to any person whatsoever, before all sorts of justices and judges, ecclesiastical and temporal, in whatsoever kingdoms, countries, colonies, dominions or plantations, belonging to us, or our heirs, and to do, act, and receive, these and all other things, in the same manner, as our other liege people, persons able and capable in law, within our said Colony of Virginia or our kingdom of England, do, or may act, in the said courts and places of Judicature, and before the said justices and judges.
7. As also, that the said President, and masters or professors, and their successors shall have one common seal, which they make use of in any whatsoever cause and business belonging to them and their successors; and that the President, and masters or professors of the said College, and their successors, shall have leave to break, change and renew, their said seal, from time to time, at their pleasure, as they shall see most expedient.
8. And further of our more especial grace, we have given and granted, and for us, our heirs, and successors, we give and grant our special license, as far as in us lies to the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, Ralph Wormeley, William Byrd and John Lear, Esquires; James Blair, John Farnifold, Stephen Fouace, Samuel Gray, Clerks; Thomas Milner, Christopher Robinson, Charles Scarborough, John Smith, Benjamin Harrison, Miles Cary, Henry Hartwell, William Randolph and Matthew Page, gentlemen, that they, or any other person or persons, whatsoever, after the said college is so founded, erected, made, created and established, may have power to give, and grant, assign and bequeath, all manors, lands, tenements, rents, services, rectories, portions, annuities, pensions and advowsons of Churches, and all manner of inheritance, franchises and pos- sessions whatsoever, as well spiritual as temporal, to the value of two thousand pounds a year, over and above all burthen and reprisals, to the President, and masters, or professors, of the said College, for the time being, and their successors, to be had, held and enjoyed, by the said President, and masters, or professors, and their successors, forever: And that they the said President and masters, or professors aforesaid, may take and hold, to themselves, and their successors, forever, as is aforesaid, manors, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services, rectories, portions, pensions, annuities, and all, and all manner of inheritances, and possessions whatsoever, as well spiritual as temporal, to the aforesaid value of two thousand pounds a year, over and above all burthens, reprisals and reparations: It not being our will, that the said President, and masters or professors of the said College, for the time being, or their successors, shall be troubled, disquieted, molested, or aggrieved by reason, or occasion of the premises, or any of them, by us, our heirs, and successors, or by any of our justices, escheators, sheriffs, or other bailiffs, or ministers, whatsoever, belonging to us, our heirs and successors.
9. And further, we will, and by these presents, do declare, nominate, ordain and appoint, the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, Ralph Wormeley, William Byrd and John Lear, Esquires; James Blair, John Farnifold, Stephen Fouace and Samuel Gray, Clerks; Thomas Milner, Christopher Robinson, Charles Scarborough, John Smith, Benjamin Harrison, Miles Cary, Henry Hartwell, William Randolph and Matthew Page, gentlemen; and their successors, to be the true, sole and undoubted visitors and governors of the said college forever: And we give and grant to them, or the major part of them, by these our letters patents, a continual succession, to be continued in the way and manner hereafter specified; as also full and absolute liberty, power and authority, of making, enacting, framing and establishing such and so many rules, laws, statutes, orders and injunctions, for the good and wholesome government of the said college, as to them the said Francis Nicholson, William Cole, &c., and their successors, shall from time to time, according to their various occasions and circumstances, seem most fit and expedient: All which rules, laws, statutes and injunctions so to be made, as aforesaid, we will have to be observed, under the penalty therein contained: Provided notwithstanding that the said rules, laws, statutes, orders and injunctions, be no way contrary to our prerogative royal, nor to the laws and statutes of our kingdom of England or our colony of Virginia, aforesaid, or to the canons and constitutions of the church of England, by law established.

And further, we will and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, do grant and confirm to the said visitors, and governors of the said college, and their successors, that they and their successors, shall, forever, be eighteen men, or any other number not exceeding the number of twenty, in the whole, to be elected and constituted in the way and manner hereinafter specified; and that they shall have one discreet and fit person, that shall be elected, and nominated, out of their number, in the manner hereafter mentioned, that shall be, and shall be called Rector of the said college: And we have appointed and confirmed and by these presents, do appoint and confirm the said James Blair, to be the present rector of the said college, to be continued in the said office for one year next ensuing the foundation of the said college, and thereafter till some other of the visitors and governors of the said college shall be duly elected, preferred and sworn into the said office; and that from time to time, and in all time coming, after the said year is expired, or after the death of the rector within the year, the visitors and governors of the said college, or the greater part of them, or of their successors, shall have power to elect and nominate another discreet and fit person, from amongst themselves to be rector of the said college; and that he who is elected, preferred and nominated, as above said, into the place of rector of the said college, shall have power to have, exercise and enjoy the said office of rector of the said college, for one whole year, then next ensuing and thereafter, until some other rector of the said college shall be duly elected, preferred and sworn into the said office: