CHARTER 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 right trusty subject,
CECILIUS, CALVERT, Baron of BALTIMORE, in our kingdom
of Ireland, sou and heir of GEORGE CALVERT, knight, late
baron of BALTIMORE, in our said kingdom of Ireland, tread-
ing 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
expense, a numerous colony of the English nation, to a cer-
tain 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 juris-
dictions, appertaining unto the wholesome government, and
state of his colony and region aforesaid, may by 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 knowl-
edge, and mere motion, have GIVEN, GRANTED, and CON-
FIRMED, and by this our present CHARTER, for us, our heirs,
and successors, do GIVE, GRANT, and CONFIRM, unto the afore-
said CECILIUS, now baron (it 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 Chesapeake 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 hay afore-
said, near the river 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

*Charles the first, of England.