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, our 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 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 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 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 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
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 Delaware on the North, which lieth under the
Fortieth Degree of North Latitude from the Aequinoctial,
where New-England is terminated; And all the Tract of that

* Charles the First, of England.