674/Maryland Manual

and hold the same to them and their Assigns, or their Heirs, of
the aforesaid Baron of BALTIMORE, his Heirs and Assigns, of
what Estate of Inheritance soever, in Fee-simple or Fee-tail, or
otherwise, as to them and the now Baron of BALTIMORE, his
Heirs and Assigns, shall seem expedient; the Statute made in the
Parliament of Lord EDWARD, son of King HENRY, late King
of England, our Progenitor, commonly called the "STATUTE
QUIA EMPTORES TERRARUM," heretofore published in our
Kingdom of England, or any other Statute, Act, Ordinance,
Usage, Law, or Custom, or any other Thing, Cause or Matter, to
the contrary thereof, heretofore had, done, published, ordained or
provided to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.

XIX. WE also, by these Presents, do give and grant Licence to
the same Baron of BALTIMORE, and to his Heirs, to erect any
Parcels of Land with the PROVINCE aforesaid, into Manors, and
in every of those Manors, to have and to hold a Court-Baron, and
all Things which to a Court-Baron do belong; and to have and to
keep View of Frank-Pledge, for the Conservation of the Peace and
Better Government of those Parts, by themselves and their
Stewards, or by the Lords, for the Time being to be deputed of
other of those Manors when they shall be constituted, and in the
same to exercise all Things to the View of Frank-Pledge
belonging.

XX. AND FURTHER WE will, and do, by these Presents, for US,
our Heirs and Successors, covenant and grant to, and with the
aforesaid now Baron of BALTIMORE, his Heirs and Assigns,
that WE, our Heirs, and Successors, at no Time hereafter, will
impose, or make or cause to be imposed, any Impositions,
Customs, or other Taxations, Quotas or Contributions whatsoev-
er, in or upon the Residents or Inhabitants of the PROVINCE
aforesaid for their Goods, Lands, or Tenements within the same
PROVINCE, or upon any tenements, lands, goods or chattels
within the PROVINCE aforesaid, or in upon any Goods or
Merchandizes within the PROVINCE aforesaid, or within the Ports
or Harbours of the said PROVINCE, to be laden or unladen: And
WE Will and do, for US, our Heirs' and Successors, enjoin and
command that this our Declaration shall, from Time to Time, be
received and allowed in all our Courts and Praetorian Judicato-
ries, and before all the Judges whatsoever of US, our Heirs and
Successors, for a Sufficient and lawful Discharge, Payment, and
Acquittance thereof, charging all and singular the Officers and
Ministers of US, our Heirs and Successors, and enjoining them,
under our heavy Displeasure, that they do not at any Time
presume to attempt any Thing to the contrary of the Premisses, or
that may in any wise contravene the same, but that they, at all
Times, as is fitting, do aid and assist the aforesaid now Baron of
BALTIMORE, and his Heirs, and the aforesaid Inhabitants and
Merchants of the PROVINCE of MARYLAND aforesaid, and

their Servants and Ministers, Factors and Assigns, in the fullest
Use and Enjoyment of this our CHARTER.

XXI. AND FURTHERMORE WE WILL, and by these Presents,
for US, our Heirs and Successors, do grant unto the aforesaid
now Baron of BALTIMORE, his Heirs and Assigns, and to the
Freeholders and Inhabitants of the said PROVINCE, both present
and to come, and to every one of them, that the said PROVINCE,
and the Freeholders or Inhabitants of the said Colony or
Country, shall not henceforth be held or reputed a member or
Part of the Land of Virginia, or of any other Colony already
transported, or hereafter to be transported, or be dependent on
the same, or subordinate in any kind of Government, from which
WE do separate both the said PROVINCE, and Inhabitants
thereof, and by these presents do WILL to be distinct, and that
they may be immediately subject to our Crown of England, and
dependent on the same for ever.

XXII. AND if, peradventure, hereafter it may happen, that any
Doubts or Questions should arise concerning the true Sense and
Meaning of any Word, Clause, or Sentence, contained in this our
present CHARTER, WE will, charge and command, THAT
Interpretation to be applied, always, and in all Things, and in all
our Courts and Judicatories whatsoever, to obtain which shall be
judged to be the more beneficial, profitable, and favourable to the
aforesaid now Baron of BALTIMORE, his Heirs and Assigns:
PROVIDED always, that no Interpretation thereof be made,
whereby GOD'S holy and true Christian Religion, or the
Allegiance due to US, our Heirs and Successors, may in any wise
suffer by Change, Prejudice, or Diminution; although express
Mention be not made in these Presents of the true yearly Value or
Certainty of the Premisses, or any Part thereof, or of other Gifts
and Grants made by US, our Heirs and Predecessors, unto the
said now Lord BALTIMORE, or any Statute, Act, Ordinance,
Provision, Proclamation or Restraint, heretofore had, made,
published, ordained or provided, or any other Thing, Cause, or
Matter Whatsoever, to the contrary thereof in any wise notwith-
standing.

XXIII. Now WITNESS whereof WE have caused these our
Letters to be made Patent. WITNESS OURSELF at Westminis-
ter, the Twentieth Day of June, in the Eighth Year of our Reign.
(June 20, 1632).
Bibliographic Note: This translation of the Maryland Charter
is taken from the Reverend Thomas Bacon, The Laws of
Maryland (Annapolis, 1765). Bacon was unaware of the
earliest printed translation of the Charter, which was
published in London in 1635 as part of a promotional
pamphlet entitled A Relation of Maryland. A facsimile
edition of the 1635 Charter is available from the Maryland
State Archives, P.O. Box 828, Annapolis, MD 21404.