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THIRD
VIRGINIA CHARTER
March
12, 1611-12
In
1606, King James of England granted the first charter
to the Virginia Company, which settled 120 people in
Jamestown. The second charter was granted in 1609, and
this third charter was granted in 1611-12, giving more
independence to the company. The portion of the 1606
Charter addressing religious liberty is excerpted below.
RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group
James, by the grace of God [King of England, Scotland, France
and Ireland, Defender of the Faith;] to all to whom [these
pres-ents shall come,] greeting. Whereas at the humble suite
of divers and sundry our lovinge subjects, aswell adventurers
as planters of the First Colonie in Virginia, and for the
propagacion of Christian religion and reclayminge of people
barbarous to civilitie and humanitie, we have by our lettres-patent
bearing date at Westminster, the three-and-twentieth daie
of May in the seaventh yeare of our raigne of England, Frannce
and Ireland, and the twoe and fortieth of Scotland, given
and grannted unto them, that they and all suche and soe
manie of our loving subjects as shold from time to time,
for ever after be joyned with them as planters or adventurers
in the said plantacion, and their succes-sors, for ever,
shold be one body politique incorporated by the name of
The Treasorer and Planters of the Cittie of London for the
First Colonie in Virginia;
*
* * *
In witnes whereof [we have caused these our letters to be
made patents.] Wittnes our selfe att Westminster, the twelveth
daie of March [1612] [in the ninth year of our reign of
England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the five and
fortieth.]
Per breve de privato sigillo, etc.
Source:
The Federal and State Constitutions, Colonial Charters,
and Other Organic Laws of the United States 1902-08 (Ben
Berley Poore ed., 2d ed. 1878).
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