the impofing of lawful and reasonable fines, mulets, imprisonments, and executing other punishments, pecuniary and corporal, upon offenders and delinquents, according to the, course of other corporations within this our kingdom of England: and again, to alter, revoke, annul or pardon, under their common feal, or otherwife, fuch fines, mul&s, imprisonments, fentences, judgments and condemnations, as fhall be thought fit; and to direct, rule, order and dispose of all other matters and things, and particularly that which relates to the making of purchases of the native Indians, as to them fhall feem meet; whereby our faid people and inhabitants in the faid Plantations may be fo religioufly, peaceably, and civilly governed, as that by their good life and orderly converfation they may win and invite the native Indians of the country to the knowledge and obedience of the only true God and Saviour of mankind; willing, commanding, and requiring, and by these presents, for us, our heirs, and fucceffors, ordaining and appointing, that all fuch laws, ftatutes, orders, and ordinances, inftructions, impofitions, and. directions, as shall be so made by the Governor, Deputy, Affiftants, and freemen, or fuch number

of

of them as aforefaid, and published in writing under their common feal, fhall be carefully and duly obferved, kept, performed, and put in execution, according to the true intent and meaning of the fame. And these our letters patent, or the duplicate or exemplification thereof, fhall be to all and every fuch officers, fuperior or inferior, from time to time, for the putting of the fame orders, laws, ftatutes, ordinances, inftructions, and directions, in due execution against us, our heirs, and fucceffors, a fufficient warrant and discharge. And further, our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs, and fucceffors, establish and ordain, that yearly, once in the year for ever hereafter, namely, the aforefaid Wednesday in May, and at the town of Newport or elsewhere, if urgent occafion do require, the Governor, DeputyGovernor, and Affiftants of the faid Company, and other officers of the faid Company, or fuch of them as the General Affembly hall think fit, fhall be in the faid General Court or Affembly, to be held from that day or time, newly chofen for the year enfuing, by the greater part of the faid Company for the time being as fhall be then and there prefent. And if it fhall happen that the prefent Governor, Deputy

I

Deputy-Governor, and Affiftants, by these prefents appointed, or any such as shall hereafter be newly chofen into their rooms, or any of them, or any other the officers of the faid Company, fhall die, or be removed from his or their feveral offices or places, before the said general day of election (whom we do hereby declare for any misdemeanour or default to be removeable by the Governor, Affiftants, and Company, or fuch greater part of them, in any of the faid public courts to be affembled as aforefaid), that then, and in every such case, it fhall and may be lawful to and for the faid Governor, Deputy-Governor, Affiftants, and Company aforefaid, or fuch greater part of them fo to be affembled, as is aforesaid, in any of their affemblies, to proceed to a new election of one or more of their Company, in the room or place, rooms or places, of fuch officer or officers fo dying or removed, according to their directions. And immediately upon and after fuch election or elections made of fuch Governor, DeputyGovernor, Affiftant or Affiftants, or any other officer of the faid Company, in manner and form aforesaid, the authority, office, and power before given to the former Governor, Deputy Governor,

Governor, and other officer and officers fo removed, in whofe ftead and place new shall be chofen, fhall, as to him and them, and every of them refpectively, ceafe and determine: Provided always, and our will and pleasure is, That as well fuch as are by these presents appointed to be the prefent Governor, DeputyGovernor, and Affiftants of the faid Company, as those which shall fucceed them, and all other officers to be appointed and chofen as aforefaid, fhall, before the undertaking the execution of the faid offices and places refpectively, give their folemn engagement by oath or otherwise, for the due and faithful performance of their duties in their several offices and places, before such perfon or perfons as are by these presents hereafter appointed to take and receive the fame that is to fay, the faid Benedict Arnold, who is herein before nominated and appointed the present Governor of the faid Company, shall give the aforefaid engagement before William Brenton, or any two of the faid Affiftants of the faid Company, unto whom we do, by these prefents, give full power and authority to require and receive the fame; and the faid William Brenton, who is hereby before nominated and appointed the prefent Deputy-Gover

nor of the faid Company, fhall give the aforefaid engagement before the faid Benedict Arnold, or any two of the Affiftants of the faid Company, unto whom we do, by these presents, give full power and authority to require and receive the fame; and the faid William Boulfton, John Porter, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, John Smith, John Greene, John Cogéfhall, James Barker, William Field, and Jofeph Clarke, who are herein before nominated and appointed the prefent Affiftants of the Company, fhall give the faid engagement to their offices and places refpectively belonging, before the faid Benedict Arnold and William Brenton, or one of them, to whom refpectively we do hereby give full power and authority to require, adminifter, or receive the fame. And further, our will and pleasure is, that all and every other future Governor, or Deputy-Governor, to be elected and chofen by virtue of these presents, fhall give the faid engagement before two or more of the faid Affiftants of the faid Company for the time being, unto whom we do, by thefe prefents, give full power and authority to require, administer, or receive the fame; and the faid Affiftants, and every of them, and all every other officer or officers, to be here

and

after