Page:A Collection of Charters and Statutes relating to the East India Company.pdf/19

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Charter of King William III.
xi

or Interest therein, to be one Body Politick and Corporate, by the Name of The English Company trading to the East Indies, and them by the Name of The English Company trading to the East Indies, one Body Politick and Corporate, in Deed and in Name, really and fully for ever, for Us, our Heirs and Successors: To have perpetual Succession and a common Seal,We do make, declare, and establish by these Presents, and by the same Name they and their Successors shall have perpetual Succession, and shall and may have and use a common Seal for the Use of Business and Affairs of the said Company and their Successors, With Power to break, alter, and make new their Seal from Time to Time, as to them Shall seem expedient; and by the same Name they and their Successors from Time to Time, and at all Times for ever hereafter, shall be able and shall be a Body Politick and Corporate, capable in Law And may purchase. to have, take, purchase, receive, hold, keep, possess, enjoy and retain, to and to the Use of them and their Successors, any Manors, Messuages, Lands, Rents, Tenements, Liberties, Privileges, Franchises, Hereditaments, and Possessions whatsoever, and of what Kind, Nature, or Quality soever; and moreover to purchase and acquire all Goods and Chattels whatsoever, wherein they are not restrained by the said Act; and also to sell, grant, demise, alien or dispose of the same, Manors, Messuages, Lands, Rents, Tenements, Privileges, Franchises, Hereditaments, Possessions, Goods, and Chattels, or any of them, and by the same Name they and their Successors shall and may sue Power sue and be sued. and implead, and be sued and impleaded, answer and defend, and be answered and defended in Courts of Record, or any other Place whatsoever, and before whatsoever Judges, Justices, Officers, and Ministers, of as, our Heirs, and Successors, and in all and singular Pleas, Actions, Suits, Causes, and Demands whatsoever; of what Kind, Nature, or Sort soever, and in as large, ample, and beneficial Manner and Form, as any other Body Politick and Corporate, or any other Liege People of England, or other our Dominions, being Persons able and capable in Law, may or can have, take, purchase, receive, hold, keep, possess, enjoy, sell, grant, demise, alien, dispose, sue, implead, defend, or answer, or be sued, impleaded, defended, or answered in any Manner of wise; and shall and may do and execute all and singular other Matters and Things by the Name aforesaid, that to them shall or may appertain, to do by Virtue of the said Act or otherwise, Subject of Redemption of all Restrictions in the Act and this Charter.subject nevertheless to the Proviso and Condition of Redemption in the said Act mentioned, and to all and every other Restrictions, Limitations, Clauses, Provisoes, Conditions, in the said Act contained, and to such other Restrictions, Covenants, Agreements, Matters, and Things, as are hereafter in these Presents expressed.

And we do hereby for us, our Heirs and Successors, declare, direct, limit, and appoint, that all the several Annuities or yearly Payments of the several Persons or Corporations by these Presents united and incorporated, or mentioned to be incorporated into one Company as aforesaid, which are or shall be due and payable out of the Fund by the said Act settled and provided after the Rate of Eight Pounds per Centum per Annum, and all the Interests or Shares which the said several Persons and Corporations, hereby incorporated into one Company, in respect of such Annuities, or of the Money subscribed for the same, have or ought to have of or in the principal Stock or Fund of The General Society before-mentioned, shall be, and be deemed; accepted, and taken to be joined, united, and knit together; Sum Total of the Principal Money subscribed, to be esteemed the Capital Stock. and that the Sum Total of ail the principal Money subscribed by the said several Persons hereby incorporated, in Respect whereof the said, Annuities are payable, shall be and be called, accepted, esteemed, reputed, and taken, the common Capital and principal Stock of the said Company hereby constituted; and all and every Person and Persons, Corporation and Corporations, his, her, and their Executors, Administrators, Successors, and Assigns, according and in Proportion to his, her, or their Interest, Right, and Property in the said Annuities or yearly Payments hereby united or joined, or intended to be united or joined as aforesaid, shall have and be deemed to have an Interest or Share in the Stock of the said Company hereby established; All persons interested in such Stock to be Members.and that all Persons and Corporations that are or shall be intitled to any Part, Share, or Interest in such Stock of the said Company, either as original Subscribers, or by Assignments, or as Executors, Administrators or otherwise, shall-be and be esteemed Members of the said Company, and shall be admitted into the same without any Fee or Charge whatsoever,

Any Member of the General Society may be on request be admitted by a General Court into the Joint Stock.And our Royal Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby further direct, appoint and ordain, and for Us, our Heirs and Successors, do by these Presents grant to the said English Company trading to the East Indies, and their Successors, that in Case any Person or Persons, who now is or are, or at any Time hereafter shall be a Member or Members, of the said General Society, and not of the Company hereby created and established, shall be willing, and shall desire to unite and join his and their Share and Proportion of the capital Stock or Fund of the said General Society to and with the said English Company trading to the East Indies, and to trade by a joint Stock with the said Company,and as a Member or Members thereof, that then the said Company or the major Part, of them from Time to Time, at a General Court of the said Company, shall and may, if they shall think fit and expedient, and not otherwise, admit into the said Company such Member or Members of the said General Society as shall desire to be admitted of the said Company, and from and after such Adtmittance into the said Company, the Person and Persons so admitted shall, to all Intents and Pur-poses,