CHARTER OF MARYLAND

TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN ORIGINAL

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, oaur well beloved and right trusty Subject,
CAECILIUS 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 ani-
mated with a laudable and pious Zeal for extending the
Christian Religion, and also the Territories of our Empire,
bath humbly besought leave of US, that he may transport
by his own Industry and Expense a numerous Colony of
the English Nation, to a certain region, herein after de-
scribed, in a Country hitherto uncultivated, in the parts of
America and partly occupied by Savages, having no Knowl
edge of the Divine Being, and that all that Region, with
some Privileges, and Jurisdiction, 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
Baron 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 aforesaid CAECILIUS, 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 Chesapeake on the West, divided
from the Residue thereof by a Right Line drawn from the
Promontory, or Head Line, called Watkins' 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 Dela-
ware on the North, which lieth under the Fortieth Degree of
North Latitude from the Aequinoctial, where New...England

*Charles the First, of England.