of which refpective elections and prefentments, the governor or his deputy fhall nominate and commif. fionate the proper number for each office the third day after the faid prefentments; or elfe the first named in fuch prefentment for each office, fhall stand and ferve for that office the year enfuing. XVIII. But forafmuch as the prefent condition of the province requires fome immediate fettlement, and admitts not of fo quick a revolution of officers; and to the end the faid province may, with all convenient speed, be well ordered and fettled, I William Penn do therefore think fit to nominate and appoint fuch perfons for judges, treasurers, mafters of the rolls, fheriffs, juftices of the peace, and coroners, as are moft fitly qualified for thofe employments; to whom I fhall make and grant commiflions for the faid officers, refpectively, to hold to them to whom the fame fhall be granted, for fo long time as every fuch perfon fhall well behave himself in the office or place to him refpectively, granted, and no longer. And upon the deceafe or difplacing of any of the faid officers, the fucceeding officer or officers fhall be chosen as aforefaid. XIX. That the general affembly fhall continue fo long as may be needful to impeach criminals fit to be there impeached, to pafs bills into laws, that they fhall think fit to pass into laws, and till fuch time as the governor and provincial council fhall declare that they have nothing further to propofe unto them for their affent and approbation; and that declaration fhall be a difmifs to the general affembly for that time; which general affembly shall be notwithstanding capable of affembling together upon the fummons of the provin❤ cial council, at any time during that year, if the faid provincial council fhall fee occafion for their fo affembling, XX. Tha XX. That all the elections of members or reprefentatives of the people to ferve in provincial council and general affembly, and all questions to be determined by both or either of them, that relate to paffing of bills into laws, to the choice of officers to impeachments made by the general affembly, and judgment of criminals upon fuch impeachments by the provincial council, and to all other cafes by them refpectively judged of importance, fhall be refolved and determined by the ballot; and unless on sudden and indifpenfible occafions, on business in provincial council, or its refpective committees, fhall be finally determined the fame day that it is moved. XXI. That at all times, when, and so often as it fhall happen that the governor fhall or may be an infant under the age of one and twenty years, and no guardians or commiffioners are appointed in writing by the father of the faid infant, or that such guardians or commiffioners fhall be deceased; that during fuch minority, the provincial council fhall from time to time, as they fhall fee meet, conftitute and appoint guardians or commiffioners, not exceeding three; one of which three shall prefide as deputy and chief guardian, during fuch minority, and fhall have, and execute, with the confent of the other two, all the power of a governor, in all the public affairs and concerns of the faid province. XXII. That as often as any day of the month mentioned in any article of this charter, fhall fall upon the first day of the week, commonly called the Lord's day, the bufinefs appointed for that day fhall be deferred till the next day, unless in case of emergency. XXIII. That no act, law, or ordinance whatsoever, fhall at any time hereafter be made or done by the governor of this province, his heirs or affigns, or by the freemen freemen in the provincial council, or the general affembly, to alter, change or diminish the form or effect of this charter, or any part or clause thereof, without the confent of the governor, his heirs or affigns, and fix parts of feven of the faid freemen in provincial council and general affembly. XXIV. And lastly, that I the faid William Penn, for myself, my heirs and affigns, have falemnly declared, granted, and confirmed, and do hereby folemnly declare, grant, and confirm, That neither I, my heirs nor affigns, fhall procure or do any thing or things, whereby the liberties in this charter contained and expreffed fhall be infringed or broken; and if any thing be procured by any person or perfons con. trary to these premiffes, it shall be held of no force of effect. In witnefs, whereof, I the faid William Penn have unto this prefent charter of liberties fet my hand and broad feal, this five and twentieth day of the second month, vulgarly called April, in the year of our Lord one thousand fix hundred and eighty-two. WILLIAM PENN. The following Laws were agreed upon in England, &c. I. That the charter of liberties, declared, granted, and confirmed the five and twentieth day of the fecond month called April, 1682, before divers witnesses, by William Penn, governor and chief proprietor of Penfylvania, to all the freemen and planters of the faid province; is hereby declared and approved, and fhall be for ever held for fundamental in the government thereof, according to the limitations mentioned in the faid charter. II. That every inhabitant in the faid province, that is or shall be a purchaser of one hundred acres of land, or upwards, his heirs and affigns, and every perfor who who fhall have paid his paffage, and taken up one hundred acres of land at one penny an acre, and have cultivated ten acres thereof; and every perfon that hath been a fervant or bondsman, and is free by his fervice, that fhall have taken up his fifty acres of land, and cultivated twenty thereof; and every inhabitant, artificer, or other refident in the faid province: And pays fcot and lot to the government, fhall be deemed and accounted a freeman of the faid province: And every fuch perfon fhall and may be capable of electing, or being elected reprefentatives of the people in provincial council or general affembly in the faid pro vince. - III. That all elections of members, or reprefentatives of the people and freemen of the province of Penfylvania, to ferve in provincial council or general affembly to be held within the faid province, fhall be free and voluntary: And that the elector, that shall receive any reward or gift, in meat, drink, monies, or otherwife, fhall forefeit his right to elect; and fuch perfon as fhall directly or indirectly, give, promife, or bestow any fuch reward as aforefaid, to be elected, fhall forefeit his election, and be thereby incapable to ferve as aforefaid; and the provincial council and general affembly fhall be the fole judges of the regula rity or irregularity of the elections of their own refpective members. IV. That no money or goods fhall be raised upon or paid by any of the people of this province by way of public tax, custom, or contribution, but by a law for that purpose made; and whofoever shall levy, collect, or pay any money or goods contrary thereunto, fhall be held a public enemy to the province, and a betrayer of the liberties of the people there of V. That V. That all courts fhall be open, and justice shall neither be fold, denied, nor delayed. VI. That in all courts, all perfons of all perfuafions may freely appear in their own way, and according to their own manner, and there perfonally plead their own cause themselves; or if unable, by their friend: And the first procefs fhall be the exhibition of the complaint in court, fourteen days before the trial; and that the party complained against may be fitted for the fame, he or she fhall be fummoned, no lefs than ten days before, and a copy of the complaint delivered him or her, at his or her dwelling-house. But before the complaint of any person be received, he shall folemnly declare in court, that he believes in his concience his caufe is just. VII. That all pleadings, proceffes, and records in court fhall be fhort, and in English, and in an ordinanary and plain character, that they may be underflood, and juftice fpeedily administered. VIII. That all trials fhall be by twelve men, and as near as may be, peers or equals, and of the neigh bourhood, and men without just exception; in cafes of life there fhall be first twenty-four returned by the fheriffs for a grand inqueft, of whom twelve at least fhall find the complaint to be true; and then the twelve men, or peers, to be likewife returned by the sheriff, fhall have the final judgment. But reasonable challenges fhall always be admitted against the twelve men, or any of them. IX. That all fees in all cafes fhall be moderate, and fettled by the provincial council and general affembly, and be hung up in a table in every respective court; and whofoever shall be convicted of taking more, fhall pay two-fold, and be difmiffed his employinent, one moiety of which fhall go to RHON THE HD wronged. *OXFORD* X. That |