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 ani-
mated 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, hereinafter 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 certain 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 BALTI-
MORE, his Heirs, and Assigns, all that Part of the Penin-
sula. 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 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

* Charles the First, of England,