The following docket, now attached to the King's Bill of this charter in the London Record Office, is printed in the _Massachusetts Historical Society Proceedings_ for 1869-1870, pages 172-173. The italics are used in this reproduction to call attention to important matters.
May it please your most Excellent Majestie.
Whereas your Majesties most deare and royall father did, by his letteres Patents in the 18th yeare of his raigne, incorporate divers noblemen and others by the name of the Councell for the planting of New England in America and did thereby grant unto them all that part of America which lyeth betweene 40 degrees of Northerly latitude and 48 inclusive,--with divers priviledges and immunities. ... Which said Councell have sithence by theire Charter in March last [1628] granted a part of that Continent to Sir Henrie Rosewell and others, their heires and associates, for ever, with all jurisdiccions, rightes, priviledges, and commodities of the same.
_This Bill_ conteineth your Majesties confirmacion and Grant to the said Sir Henry Rosewell and his partners and their Associates and to their heires and assignes for ever of the said part of New England in America, with the like tenure in socage and reservacion of the fifth part of gould and silver oare,--Incorporating them also by the name of the Governor and Company of the Mattachusetts Bay in New England in America,--with such clauses for the electing of Governors and Officers _here_ in England for the said Company, and powers to make lawes and Ordinances for setling the Governement and Magistracie of the plantacion _there_, and with such exempcions from Customes and Imposicions and some [such?] other privilledges as were originallie granted to the Councell aforesaid and are _usuallie allowed to Corporacions in England_.
And is done by direccion from the Lord Keeper upon your Majesties pleasure therein signified to his Lordship by Sir Ralph Freeman.
55. Excursus: For a Comparative Study of Charters
_Notes upon the Charter for the Company of Westminster for the Plantation of the Island of Providence_
This very important charter has never been printed. An abstract in the _Colonial State Papers_ seemed so significant that the editor of this volume secured a complete transcript of the charter from the manuscript in the British Record Office. On that transcript, the notes below are based.