tend their Charity to the Ufes and Purposes aforefaid. IV. Know ye therefore, That we have, for the Confiderations aforefaid, and for the better and more orderly carrying on the faid charitable Purples of Our fpecial Grace, certain Knowledge,d mere Motion, Willed, Ordained, Conftituted and Appointed, and by thefe Prefents, for Us, Our Heirs and Succeffors, do Will, Ordain, Confiitute, Declare and Grant, That the moft Reverend the Lords Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of London and Ely, the Lord Almoner and Dean of Wal fter fo the Time being, and feveral hers of the Lords the Bishops, the No ty and Gentry, to be erected in manner as hereafter directed, be, and fhall for ever hereafter be and by virtue of thefe Prefents, fhall be one Body Politick and Corporate, in Deed and in Name, by the Name The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. V. And that by the fame Name they fhall have perpetual Succeffion. VI. And that they fhall be able and capable in Law to purchafe 2000l. per Annum Inheritance, and Eftates for Lives. or Years, Goods and Chattels of any Value; and to Grant or Demife, the faid Eftates for thirty one Years in Poffeffion only, and not in Reverfion, at the full Rent, D Rent, in cafe no Fine be taken; and in cafe a Fine be taken, a Moiety at least of the full Value fhall be referved. VII. And that by the Name aforefaid, they fhall, and may be able to Plead, and be Impleaded, and to act and do all other Matters, in as ample Manner and Form as any other Subjects of this Realm, or any other Body Corporate within this Realm of England, can or may do. VIII. And that the faid Society for ever hereafter, fhall have a common Seal; and that it may be lawful for them to alter the faid Seal as they hall think beft. IX. And for the better Execution of the Purposes aforefaid, We do grant to the faid Society, that they fhall Yearly meet on the third Friday in February, between Eight and Twelve in the Morning, at a convenient Place appointed by the Society, to choofe a Prefident, one or more Vice-prefidents, one or more Treafurers, two or more Auditors, one Secretary, and other Officers for the Year enfuing, who fhall take an Oath for the due Execution of the Office they are chofen into. X. And Our farther Will and Pleasure is, That the firft Prefident of the faid Society, fhall be Thomas, by Divine Providence, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, who in Thirty Days after the paffing of this this Charter, fhall iffue Summons to the Members of the Society, to Meet and Elect Vice-prefidents, Treafurers, Auditors, Secretary, and other Officers, to continue till the third Friday in February 1701. XI. And that if any Officer die, or be removed, the Prefident, or one of the Vice-prefidents, may fummon the Members of the Society to meet and choose another in his Place. XII. And We do further Grant, That the faid Society fhall meet to tranfact Business on the third Friday in every Month, or oftner if need be; and at fuch monthly Meeting may elect fuch Perfons to be Members of the Corporation as they fhall fee fit. XIII. But Our Will and Pleasure is, That no Act of the Society fhall be valid, unlefs the Prefident, or fome Vice-prefident, and feven other Members be prefent, and the Majority of them confenting thereto. XIV. And Our further Will and Pleafure is, That the faid Society may at the First and Second Meeting of the Society, or at any Meeting on the third Friday in the Months of November, February, May, and Auguft Yearly for ever, and at no other Meetings of the Society, make By-Laws, and execute Leafes. XV. And that the faid Society at any Meeting may depute fit Perfons to take D 2 Sub . Subfcriptions, and collect Money, contributed for the Purposes aforefaid. XVI. And may remove fuch deputed Perfons, and caufe publick Notification of this Charter, and the Powers thereby granted, in fuch Manner as they shall think moft conducible to the Furtherance of the faid Charity. XVII. And Our further Will and Pleafure is, That the faid Society fhall Yearly give Account to the Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper, and two Chief Juftices, or any two of them, of all Monies received and laid out by them, &c. Witness Our Self at Westminster, the Sixteenth Day of June, in the Thirteenth Year of Our Reign. Per Breve de Privato Sigillo COCKS A LIST of the Members of the Society for the Propagation of the Note. The Members firft Incorporated by the Charter, are diftinguifhed from fuch as have been fince elected, by an Asterisk *. 53 A. OST Reverend Hugh, Lord Arch- Right Revd. John, Lord Bishop of St. Dr. Achenbach, Chaplain and Ecclefiaftick Abel Alleyne Efq; Roger Altham D. D. Archdeacon of Mid dlefex. Monfieur Ancillon, Chaplain to the King of Pruffia. Francis Annesley Efq; Edward Arrowsmith, M. A. Francis Aftry, D. D. Treafurer of St. Ifracl Anthony Aufrere, M. A. Fofeph Ayloffe Efq; Major John Ayscough. * Right D 3 |