OF MARYLAND

CHARLES, by the Grace of GOD, of England, Scotland, France, and
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. TO ALL to whom these
Presents shall come, GREETING.

    II. WHEREAS our well beloved and tight trusty Subject CÆCILIUS
CALVERT, Baron of BALTIMORE, in our Kingdom of Ireland,
Son and Heir of GEORGE CALVERT, knight, late Baron of BALTIMORE,
in our said Kingdom of Ireland, treading in the Steps of his
Father, being animated with a laudable, and pious Zeal for extending the
Christian Religion, and also the Territories of our Empire, hath humbly besought
Leave of Us, that he may transport, by his own Industry and
Expence, a numerous Colony of the English Nation, to a certain Region,
herein after described, in a Country hitherto uncultivated, in the Parts of
America, and partly occupied by Savages, having no Knowledge of the Divine
Being, and that all that Region with some certain Privileges, and Jurisdictions,
appertaining unto the wholesome Government, and State of his Colony
and Region aforesaid, may our Royal Highness be given, granted, and
confirmed unto him, and his Heirs.

    III. KNOW YE therefore, that WE encouraging with our Royal Favour,
the pious and noble Purpose of the aforesaid Barons of BALTIMORE,
of our special Grace, certain Knowledge, and mere Motion, have GIVEN,
GRANTED, and CONFIRMED, and by this our present CHARTER, for US,
our Heirs, and Successors, do GIVE, GRANT, and CONFIRM, unto the
aforesaid CÆCILIUS, now Baron of BALTIMORE, his Heirs, and
Assigns, all that Part of the Peninsula, or Chersonese, lying in the Parts of
America, between the Ocean on the East, and the Bay of CHESOPEAKE on the
West, divided from the Residue thereof by a Right Line drawn from the
Promontory, or Head-Land, called Watkin's Point, situate upon the Bay
aforesaid, near the River of Wighco, on the West, unto the Main Ocean on
the East; and between that Boundary on the South, unto that Part of the
Bay of Delaware on the North, which lieth under the Fortieth Degree of
North Latitude from the Æquinoctial, where New-England is terminated:
And all the tract of that Land within the Metes underwritten (that is to say)
passing from the said Bay, called Delaware Bay, in a right Line, by the Degree
aforesaid, unto the true Meridian of the first Fountain of the River of the
Patowmack, thence verging towards the South, unto the further Bank of the
said River, and following the same on the West and South, unto a certain Place
called Cinquack, situate near the Mouth of the said River, where it disembogues
into the aforesaid Bay of Chessopeake, and thence by the shortest
Line unto the aforesaid Promontory or Place, called Watkin's Point; so that
the whole Tract of Land, divided by the Line aforesaid; between the Main
Ocean, and Watkin's Point, unto the Promontory called Cape-Charles, and
every the Appendages thereof, may entirely remain excepted for ever to US,
our Heirs, and Successors.

    IV. ALSO WE do GRANT, and likewise CONFIRM unto the said Baron of
BALTIMORE, his Heirs, and Assigns, all Islands and Islets within the
Limits aforesaid, all and singular the Islands, and Islets, from the Eastern
Shore of the aforesaid Region, towards the East, which have been, or shall be
formed in the Sea, situate within Ten marine Leagues from the said Shore;