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CHARTER
OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS
1663
Roger
Williams and other immigrants settled Rhode Island in
1636 after suffering religious persecution in Massachusetts.
Williams intended to establish "a livelie experiment,"
a democracy "with a full libertie in religious concernements."
In 1651, England claimed the right to appoint a governor
for Rhode Island and Providence Plantations with an
elected provincial council. However, Charles II granted
this charter, excerpted as it pertains to religion,
for Rhode Island and Providence in 1663.
RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group
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Whereas
we have been informed by the humble petition of our trustie
and well beloved subject, John Clarke . . . and the rest
of the purchasers and ffree inhabitants of our island, called
Rhode-Island, and the rest of the colonie of Providence
Plantations, in the Narragansett Bay, in New-England, in
America, that, they, pursueing, with peaceable and loyall
mindes, their sober, serious and religious intentions, of
godlie edifieing themselves, and one another, in the holie
christian ffaith and worshipp as they were perswaded; together
with the gaineing over and conversione of the poore ignorant
Indian natives, in those partes of America, to the sincere
professione and obedienc of the same ffaith and worship,
did, not onlie by the consent and good encouragement of
our royall progenitors, transport themselves out of this
kingdome of England into America, but alsoe, since their
arrivall there, after their first settlement amongst other
our subjects in those parts, ffor the avoideing of discorde,
and those manie evills, which were likely to ensue upon
some of those oure subjects not beinge able to beare, in
these remote parties, theire different apprehensiones in
religious concernements, and in pursueance of the afforesayd
ends, did once againe leave theire desireable stationes
and habitationes, and with excessive labour and travell,
hazard and charge, did transplant themselves into the middest
of the Indian natives, who, as wee are infformed, are the
most potent princes and people of all that country; where,
by the good Providence of God, from whome the Plantationes
have taken their name, upon theire labour and industrie,
they have not onlie byn preserved to admiration, but have
increased and prospered, and are seized and possessed, by
purchase and consent of the said natives, to their ffull
content, of such lands, islands, rivers, harbours and roades,
as are verie convnient, both for plantationes and alsoe
for buildinge of shipps, suplye of pypestaves, and other
merchandize.
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And
whereas, in theire humble addresse, they have freely declared,
that it is much on their hearts (if they may be permitted),
to hold forth a livelie experiment, that a most flourishing
civill state may stand and best bee maintained, and that
among our English subjects, with a full libertie in religious
concernements; and that true pietye rightly grounded upon
gospell principles, will give the best and greatest security
to sovereignetye, and will lay in the hearts of men the
strongest obligations to true loyaltye: Now know yee, that
wee beinge willinge to encourage the hopefull undertakeinge
of oure sayd loyall and loveinge subjects, and to secure
them in the free exercise and enjoyment of all theire civill
and religious rights, appertaining to them, as our loveing
subjects; and to preserve unto them that libertye, in the
true Christian ffaith and worshipp of God, which they have
sought with soe much travaill, and with peaceable myndes,
and loyall subjectione to our royall progenitors and ourselves,
to enjoye, and because some of the people and inhabitants
of the same colonie cannot, in theire private opinions,
conforme to the publique exercise of religion, according
to the litturgy, formes and ceremonyes of the Church of
England, or take or subscribe the oaths and articles made
and established in that behalfe; and for that the same,
by reason of the remote distances of those places, will
(as wee hope) bee noe breach of the unitie and unifformitie
established in this nation: Have therefore thought ffit,
and doe hereby publish, graunt, ordeyne and declare, That
our royall will and pleasure is, that noe person within
the sayd colonye, at any tyme hereafter, shall bee any wise
molested, punished, disquieted, or called in question, for
any differences in opinione in matters of religion, and
doe not actually disturb the civill peace of our sayd colony;
but that all and everye person and persons may, from tyme
to tyme, and at all tymes hereafter, freelye and fullye
have and enjoye his and theire owne judgments and consciences,
in matters of religious concernments, throughout the tract
of lande hereafter mentioned; they behaving themselves peaceablie
and quietlie, and not useing this libertie to lycentiousnesse
and profanenesse, nor to the civill injurye or outward disturbeance
of others; any lawe, statute, or clause, therein contayned,
or to bee contayned, usage or custome of this realme, to
the contrary hereof, in any wise, notwithstanding. And that
they may bee in the better capacity to defend themselves,
in theire just rights and libertyes against all the enemies
of the Christian ffaith, and others, in all respects, wee
have further thought fit, and at the humble petition of
the persons afosesayd are gratiously pleased to declare,
That they shall have and enjoye the benefitt of our late
act of indempnity and ffree pardon, as the rest of our subjects
in other our dominions and territoryes have; and to create
and make them a bodye politique or corporate, with the powers
and priviledges hereinafter mentioned.
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and
to direct, rule, order and dispose of, all other matters
and things, and particularly that which relates to the makinge
or purchases of the native Indians, as to them shall seeme
meete; whereby oure sayd people and inhabitants, in the
sayd Plantitiones, may be soe religiously, peaceably and
civilly governed, as that, by theire good life and orderlie
conversatione, they may win and invite the native Indians
of the countrie to the knowledge and obedience of the onlie
true God, and Saviour of mankinde;
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Source:
the federal and state constitutions, colonial charters,
and other organic laws of the united states 1595-1603 (Ben:
Perley Poore, 1878).
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