Copy of the Charter of the Borough of Corfe Castle, in the Isle of Purbeck, co. Dorset, 31 Car. II.

Charles the Second, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. We have seen a charter, or letters patents, of the lady Elizabeth, late Queen of England, in these words: Elizabeth, by the grace of God, of England, France, and Ireland Queen, defender of the faith, to all to whom these present letters shall come, greeting. We have seen an inrollment of some letters patent of ours to one Christopher Hatton, esq. made in the eighteenth year of our reign, and inrolled amongst the records of our Court of Chancery, in these words: the Queen, to all whom, &c. greeting. Seeing that our well beloved and faithful servant Christopher Hatton, esq. captain of our guard, lately had by our gift and grant to him and his heirs, amongst other things, the castle of Corfe, otherwise called Corfe Castle, in the county of Dorset, with all its liberties, privileges, preheminences, commodities, regalities, and appurtenances, and also the lordship or manor of Corfe, with all its rights, members, liberties, and appurtenances, in the Isle of Purbeck, in our said county of Dorset, which castle, indeed, is an ancient castle, and most fitly situate for a bulwark and defence of the said island against our foreign enemys, and the keeper or constable of the said castle, and also the mayor and barons of the borough of Corfe, in our said county of Dorset, for the time being, and the inhabitants of the said borough and island aforesaid, time out of the memory of man, have severally had and enjoyed for themselves certain and divers rights, franchises, liberties, quittances, and privileges, and divers other customs, liberties, freedoms, and exemptions, as well by prescription as upon the account and pretence of charters, grants, and confirmations, by our progenitors, Kings of England, to the same severally anciently made and granted, and because the charters, grants, and liberties aforesaid now for many years past have not been allowed and confirmed by us, nor by other our progenitors Kings of England, as well the said constable as the aforesaid mayor and barons and inhabitants of the island aforesaid now of late have been many times interrupted in using and enjoying the same liberties, as we are credibly informed, upon which the same Christopher Hatton, and the mayor and burgesses of the said borough, and the inhabitants of the island aforesaid, have humbly besought us, that, graciously and liberally, we would exhibit and extend to them in this part our munificence and royal grace. We therefore, at their request aforesaid, and from the relation of divers credible persons undertaking the aforesaid libertys, priviledges, and franchises, to be for the common profit of the said burrough and island aforesaid, as also very necessary for the governance and defence of the same against the common enemy, and also in consideration of the good, true, and faithfull service to us heretofore many ways done and bestowed by the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, are willing, from our special grace and certain knowledge and mere motion, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, and his heirs, that the same Christopher Hatton, and his heirs, being lords of the castle, lordship, and manner aforesaid, may have, and may have power and authority, fully to have, hold, use, and enjoy, for ever, within the castle, lordship, and manner aforesaid, and also within the borough of Corfe, and within the aforesaid Isle of Purbeck, and the precincts and libertys of the same island, so many, so great, such, the same, of like sort, and such like legal customs, libertys, priviledges, franchises, immunities, exemptions, quittances, and jurisdictions, how many, how great, of what sort, and with any constable or keeper of our aforesaid castle, by whatsoever name heretofore hath had, held, used, or enjoyed, or ought, by reason or pretence of any charter or letters patents, by us, or any of our progenitors. Kings of this kingdom of England, by any means heretofore made, confirmed, or granted, or by any other legall manner, right, custom, use, prescription, or title, whatsoever, heretofore used, had, and accustomed; and we will, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we ordain and grant that the aforesaid Island of Purbeck, and the circuit, precinct, and jurisdiction, and so of the rest, be and extend themselves, and protend, as well in length and breadth as in circuit and precinct, to such, and such like, and like sort, bounds, goales, limits, to what sort, and which as the aforesaid Isle of Purbeck, and its circuit, precinct, and jurisdiction, time out of memory of man, or at any time before the date of these presents, have been accustomed to extend and protend themselves; and it may and shall be lawful for the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, and his heirs, and also for his bailiffs, and other officers and ministers whatsoever, and also for the tenants and residents within the aforesaid island for the time being, to make perambulation or perambulations from thence, for the overseeing, knowing, and bounding their liberties and franchises about, within, and without the aforesaid island, and the liberties, circuits, and precincts of the same, in whatsoever place, lands, tenements, or lordships they shall be, within the same island, or county of Dorset, without the lett of us, our heirs or successors, or any other whatsoever, as it is fitt, goals, bounds, limits, paths, stones, walls, hedges, bridges, waters, ditches, houses, fences, crosses, or other ways, by whatsoever manner they are bounded, as they have been afore used, and those bounds and goals to renew, or place anew, and this as often as it shall please them, or shall seem necessary to them to be done, and this without any writt or any other warrant from thenceforth to be obtained or pursued from us, our heirs or successors, in this part by any way whatsoever.

And furthermore, of our more ample grace, we grant, and by these presents, of our certain knowledge and mere motion, for us, our heirs and successors, as much as in us lyes, we grant unto the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, and his heirs, for ever, that the same castle, lordship, and mannor, of Corfe aforesaid, in the Isle of Purbeck, and also all and singular the places within the precincts and liberties of the same castle, lordship, and manor, and isle aforesaid, as well by land as by water, be exempted, separated, priviledged, and absolutely, for ever, from any power, jurisdiction, and office of admirall or admirals of our kingdom of England, our heirs or successors, and their commissioners, officers, deputys, lieutenants, and ministers whatsoever, for the time being, and that no admiral of England, of us, our heirs or successors, or his lieutenant, commissioner, officer, or deputy, for the time being, nor any admirals, or lieutenants, commissioners, ministers, officers, or deputys of the same admiral or admirals of us, our heirs or successors, for the time being, the castle, lordship, mannor, or isle aforesaid, nor the precincts of any of the same, by land or by water, shall enter to enquire, exercise, do, or execute, any thing that doth or may belong to the office of admiralty within the castle, lordship, mannor, or isle aforesaid, or any of the precincts of the same, by any means whatsoever ; but that the said castle, lordship, mannor, and island, and all and singular the places within the precincts and liberties of the same, as well by land as by water, be altogether, and for ever, without the power, jurisdiction, and authority of the said admirall or admirals, and his and their lieutenants, officers, deputies, and ministers whatsoever, and that none of our admiral or admirals of England, or of our heirs or successors, nor their lieutenants, deputies, ministers, nor officers aforesaid, nor either or any of them, send in, within the said castle, lordship, mannor, or island aforesaid, or any of the precincts or liberties of the same, by land or by water, concerning any thing that doth or may belong, in any way, in this part to this office of admiralty, or to the office of the same, nor any person or persons within the castle, lordship, mannor, or island aforesaid, or any place or places within any precincts of the same, from any cause whatsoever, belonging to the office and jurisdiction of admirall of England, shall cite, summon, distrain, attach, or take, in their persons, or in their goods, nor any thing that doth or may belong to this office, there to do, exercise, or execute, nor there judicially, nor on pretence or colour of this their office, shall he or they there sitt by any means; and that no bayliff or other minister of the same Christopher Hatton, or their heirs, or any other or others whatsoever, within the same castle, lordship, mannor, and isle aforesaid, or the precincts or liberties of the same, or any resident or being of any of them, be drawn into any plea, complaint, inquisition, or by any other means be disturbed, or compelled by any means whatsoever, within the same castle, lordship, mannor, and isle aforesaid, or any of the precincts of the same, or any other, there to answer to any admirall or admirals of us, our heirs or successors, or his or their lieutenants, commissioner, minister, or deputy, for the time being, at the suit of us, our heirs and successors, nor to any other whatsoever, or by any other means whatsoever, concerning things done upon the sea, or other where, neither concerning any contracts, conventions, transgressions, contempts, mainprisons, or other offences, things, or matters whatsoever, committed or emerging, either upon land or by water, by any means, and pertaining to the jurisdiction of the admiral of England; and that neither the aforesaid bailiffs or ministers of the aforesaid Christopher, or his heirs, nor any other within the castle, lordship, mannor, or isle aforesaid, or any of the precincts of the same, residing or being, permit any admiral or admirals, nor his nor their lieutenants, deputy, commissioner, or minister, or any of them, there to exercise jurisdiction or office of this sort, neither may they obey them or their precepts, or commands thereto, be executed, hut they may lawfully and freely resist them, and disobey them in any thing, if they shall go against this our grant, without impetition, molestation, or grievance, forfeiture, or punishment, losing any thing to us, or our heirs, or to this sort, of our admirall or admirals, or our said heirs or successors, for the time being, to be made, paid, satisfied, or any ways to be levied. And moreover, of our more ample special grace, and from our certain knowledge and mere motion, we have granted, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, to his heirs and assigns for ever, that the same Christopher, and his heirs, having and possessing the said castle and lordship, be admiralls within the castle, lordship, mannor, and island, and the precincts and liberties of the same, and that they may do, exercise, and execute, before themselves, their bailiffs, or deputys, all and singular within the castle, lordship, mannor, and isle aforesaid, and the precincts and liberties of the same, which do or may belong to the office of admiralty, and for whatsoever debts, contracts, conventions, transgressions, deceptions, and other things and offences whatsoever, upon the sea or other where done or committed, and which, for such like things or contracts, by any means may and ought to be handled, enquired into, heard, corrected, informed, or determined, within the said castle, lordship, mannor, and island, or the precincts or libertys of the same, and that the bailiff or deputys of the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, and his heirs for the time being, may have for ever the cognizance of all and singular actions, suits, complaints and demands, concerning any manner of debts, contracts, conventions, transgressions, deceptions, and offences of this sort, before the same bayliffs or deputys to be heard and determined, and if there be any commission, or commissions, or letters patent, to the contrary of this our grant, granted, made, or liberated, the same commission, commissions, or letters patent, and all the pretence of the same commission, or letters patent, made, found, or executed, and also all and singular by the admiral or admirals of us, or of our heirs and successors, by their officers, deputies, or ministers, whatsoever, to the contrary of this our present grant, made, found, or executed, by the force and virtue of these presents, be void and of none effect, and be accounted for nothing, and so reputed in all things, so that no admiral of England of us, our heirs or successors for the time being, or his lieutenant, commissioned officer, procurator, or deputy, or the lieutenants, officers, commissioners, procurators, or deputys whatsoever, of this sort of admiral for the time being, the aforesaid castle, lordship, mannor, or island, or the precincts or liberties of the same, or other places, by land or by water, to do or execute any thing there, which doth or shall belong to the office of admiralty aay ways, shall enter, or themselves thenceforth within the same castle, lordship, mannor, or island, or the liberties or precincts of any of the same, any way shall put themselves; giving also firmly in command,bythe tenor of these presents, to this sort of admiral or admirals of us, our heirs and successors, for the time being, and to their lieutenants, commissioners, officers, procurators, and ministers, and to every one of them, under a grievous forfeiture, that they, and every of them, obey and yield obedience to all and singular the premises on the sole exhibition or shewing of these letters, without any writt, or any other process or mandate, in this part to them to be directed and pursued or obtained for the future, and not to be gone against in anything. And further, we grant, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, his heirs and assigns, and that the same Christopher, his heirs and assigns, lords of the said castle, lordship, and mannor of Corfe, and the serjeants and ministers of them for the time being, as touching the rest, be for ever free and quitt, throughout all our land and power, from all toll, custom, passage, lastage, pontage, and imposition whatsoever, of and from all things which shall or may be brought or carried into the aforesaid island for the provision and defence of the aforesaid castle. And moreover, for the greater defence and safety of the aforesaid island, and the inhabitants of the same, we give, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the aforesaid Christopher, during his life, the keeping and governance of the castle or fortress of Bronkesey, in the said county of Dorset. And further, of our more ample grace, we will, and from our certain knowledge and meer motion, we grant unto the aforesaid Christopher Hatton and his heirs, for ever, that the same Christopher Hatton, or his heirs, or his or their deputy or deputys, may have power and authority to take mustrations, called musters, of all the inhabitants within the burrough and island aforesaid, and all and singular our liege inhabitants of the said Island of Purbeck, of whatsoever state or condition they shall be, and whom it shall seem good to them to call out, to gather together and help, and them, and every one of them, according to their state, well and sufficiently to make to be armed and guarded, for the safe keeping, tuition, and defence of the same island, to be held and kept, so often and whensoever we, our heirs and successors, shall make or assign our liege subjects of our county of Dorset aforesaid, to be mustered or armed, and no otherwise, and that no commissioner of us, our heirs or successors, to any mustration, called musters, in our aforesaid county of Dorset, hereafter to be assigned, or assigned to be taken, put themselves in, in anything within the island aforesaid, or the precincts of the same, neither may they enter, within the island aforesaid, the precincts and bounds of the same, to do or execute any their office concerning such like musters or mustrations by any means, and that from this time no person or persons be armed, or any instruments of war be carried out of the island aforesaid, but that they, all and singular, do remain, and be used only for the safeguard and defence of the same within the island aforesaid. And furthermore, know ye, that we, as well in consideration of the good service that the aforesaid mayor and barons and other inhabitants of the burrough of Corfe aforesaid, and their successors, have heretofore done in the defence of the said castle at Corfe and island aforesaid; and that at present, by the tenure of their lands, they are obliged to at their own proper costs and charges, as often as it shall be necessary, of our more ample grace, and of our certain knowledge and mere motion, we will, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the aforesaid mayor, and the barons, and the inhabitants of the said burrough of Corfe, and their successors, that they may, as touching the rest, for ever have, hold, use, and enjoy, and may have power and authority fully to have, hold, use, and enjoy all such like, and like sort of legal customs, liberties, priviledges, franchises, immunities, exemptions, quittances, and jurisdictions, of what sort, how great, and with the mayor and barons, and inhabitants of the burrough aforesaid, or either or any of them, by whatsoever name or names, or by whatsoever incorporation, or pretence of any incorporation, before this, lawfully have had, held, used, or enjoyed, or ought to have had, held, used, or enjoyed, by reason or pretence of any charters or letters patents, by us, or by any of our progenitors Kings of this our kingdom of England, by any means heretofore made, confirmed, or granted, or by any other legal manner, right, custom, use, prescription, or title heretofore used, had, and accustomed, and that the mayor and barons of Corfe aforesaid, and the inhabitants of the parish of Corfe aforesaid, and their successors, mayors, barons, and inhabitants there, for the time being, from this time, may have and exercise all and all manner of liberties, franchises, priviledges, quittances, customs, immunities, and exemptions, as the inhabitants in any of our Cinque Ports now lawfully have, or ought to have, any statute, act, ordinance, or provision, or any other thing, cause, or matter whatsoever, in anything notwithstanding. And furthermore, we, being willing to bestow our more plentiful grace on the inhabitants of the burrough and isle of Purbeck, and their successors, inhabiting there, have taken them, and every one of them, and also their lands and tenements, and their possessions, and their goods and chattels, and of every one of them, inhabiting and being within the isle aforesaid, into the special protection of us, our heirs and successors, willing and granting that of their blades and hay, their horses, beasts, heifers, sheep, swine; lambs, poultry, and other victuals, or goods, chattels, or things, of them inhabiting the isle aforesaid, or any of them, for the time being, growing, renewing, nourished, or being within the same island, to the use of us, our heirs or successors, or of any other whatsoever, or by any other bailiffs or ministers of us, our heirs or successors whatsoever, or of any other whatsoever, nothing at all to be taken, led away, or any way carried away out of the island aforesaid, or the precincts of the same; and that no bailiff, minister, or purveyor of victualls, of our hospitall, or any other minister of us, our heirs or successors, may any ways put himself in within the island aforesaid, to take or carry anything. We have granted also to the same mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the island aforesaid, and the precincts of the same, that they may not be put, or any of them by any means be put, in any assize, juries, attaintures, or inquest whatsoever, by any of our justices, or other ministers of us, our heirs or successors, upon the account of lands, tenements, transgressions, or other businesses, or foreign contracts whatsoever, except only in those assizes, juries, attaintures, and inquests which concern the lands and tenements within the aforesaid island, and the transgressions, contracts, and other businesses arising within the aforesaid island, if they have not lands, tenements, or revenues, out of the island aforesaid, for which of right they ought to be put or impannelled. And further we will, and by these presents we grant, for us, our heirs and successors, that the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, and his heirs, and the aforesaid mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the burrough and island aforesaid, and their successors, severally, may have and hold all and singular the donations, concessions, liberties, quittances, franchises, immunities aforesaid, above to them by these presents severally granted, and that they, all and singular, and every one of them, may fully use and enjoy, without the impeachment, impediment, perturbation, molestation, or grievance, of us, our heirs or successors, or of our justices, escheators, or sheriffs, or of any other bailiffs or ministers, of us, our heirs or successors whatsoever. And we will, and for us, our heirs and successors, we grant, that upon the exhibition or showing of these letters patent, or the inrollment, or exemplification, or duplicate of the same, as well before us, in our court of chancery, of our heirs and successors, as before the justices of both our benches of our heirs and successors, and before the treasurer and barons of our exchequer, our heirs and successors, and also before the justices and commissioners of us, our heirs and successors, as well in all and singular the courts of us, our heirs and successors, and places of record, as in whatsoever courts and places throughout our whole kingdom of England, for any thing or things in our same letters patent contained or specified, the same letters patent, and all the constitutions and several grants bestowed on the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, and his heirs, and on the aforesaid mayor, barons, and inhabitants, and their successors, be presently and immediately allowed, and that the same treasurer, and barons, justices, commissioners, and others whatsoever, to whom the said allowance doth belong, of and in the same, all and singular the premises, from time to time, shall make, or cause to be made; and that the same Christopher Hatton and his heirs, and the aforesaid mayor and barons, and the inhabitants of the burrough and island aforesaid, and their successors, be exonerated, and quietly withdraw, and every one of them be exonerated, and quietly withdraw, from all and all manner of burdens and demands towards them, against the donations and concessions, confirmations, libertys, franchises, priviledges, and immunities aforesaid, in courts and places of this sort, exacted by the same courts and places, from time to time, towards us, our heirs and successors, any variety, uncertainty, contrariety, repugnancy, negligence, omissions of the writt ad quod dammim, undue or less true recitall of names or words, or any other cause, thing, or matter whatsoever notwithstanding. We will also, and by these presents we grant, unto the aforesaid Christopher Hatton, that he have these our letters* patent, under our great seal of England, made and sealed in due manner, without fine or fee, great or small, to us, in our hanaper office, or other where, to our use, thenceforth to be made or paid, because express mention, &c. In witness of which things, &c. I. R. at Westminster, the seventeenth day of July, by right from the privy seal, &c. We also have thought fit to exemplify, by these presents, the tenor of the inrollment of our letters patent aforesaid, at the request of the mayor, barons, and inhabitants of Corfe aforesaid. In witness of which we have caused these our letters patent to be made. Witness ourself, at Gorhambury, the sixteenth day of July, in the nineteenth year of our reign. Know ye also, that we, the immunities, liberties, priviledges, and all the rest and singular the premisses in the letters patent aforesaid, recited, accounting, ratified, and grateful, and them, at the humble petition of the present mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the burrough of Corfe aforesaid, of our special grace, and certain knowledge and mere motion, have ratified and confirmed, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, do ratify and confirm. And know ye further, that we, of our more plentifull special grace, and certain knowledge, and mere motion, will, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the aforesaid mayor, barrens, and inhabitants of the burrough of Corfe aforesaid, and their successors, that they and their successors, as to the rest, be for ever quit, and they shall be of and from all toll, custom, pannage, pontage, keyage, murage, stallage, pissage, piccage, terrage, lastage, passage, carriage, rivage, aponsage, scot, and gild, hidage, scutage, and from all racks, and from all ven-dition, achat, and rechat, through all our land, and power, with soca and saca, to land them, and that they be lastage, free love, copefree, and wite free, and that they have den and strond at Great Yarmouth, and that they be quit of all their things, and all their merchandize, as our freemen, and that of their proper wines, with which they negotiate, they be quit of our recta prisa (viz.) of one hogshead of wine ante nialum, and another post malum. We have granted also, and for us, our heirs and successors, we confirm to the same mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the burrough aforesaid, and their successors for ever, that if anv custom in the burrough aforesaid, hitherto obtained and used, be in any part hard and defective, or any do arise anew in the same burrough, and where there is no remedy provided, that do need ordination or amending, that the same mayor and barons, with the assent of the community of the said borrough, or of the greater part of the same community, may appoint a fit remedy, agreeable to good faith and reason, for the common profit of the mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the aforesaid borrough, and ordinances and constitutions, in English called bylaws, for the common utility aforesaid, to make and frame, with punishment and penaltys fit to be inflicted for the breaking and violating of the same ordinances and constitutions, and for the same punishments and penaltys, districtions, from time to time, to make, and the goods and chattels of the breakers and violators of the ordinances and constitutions aforesaid, as is aforesaid, being distrained, to keep until the payments of the punishments and penalties by the aforesaid breakers and violators of the constitutions and ordinances aforesaid, so that these ordinances be profitable to us and our people, and agreeable to good faith and reason, and not contrary, but according to, the laws of England. Also we will, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the said mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the burrough aforesaid, and their successors for ever, that they may record their liberties and free customs before us, our justices, aud other ministers whatsoever. And further, for the better ruling and governing of the said burrough, of our special grace and certain knowledge, and mere motion, we have given and granted, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we give and grant to the same mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the burrough aforesaid, and their successors for ever, that, concerning the rest for ever, the mayor of Corfe aforesaid, for the time being, and his deputy, in case of sickness, infirmity, or absence of the mayor, from time to time, and the last preceding mayor of Corfe aforesaid be, and shall be, keepers of the peace and justices of us, our heirs and successors, within the said bur-rough of Corfe aforesaid, and by these presents, we create, constitute, make, and ordain them, the mayor and his deputy as aforesaid, and the aforesaid last preceding mayor from time to time, keepers of the peace, and justices of us, our heirs and successors, for the keeping of the peace within the said borough, and for all the ordinances and statutes for the good of the peace of us, our heirs and successors, and for the keeping of the same, and the quiet ruling and governing of the people of us, our heirs or successors, already put forth, or for the future to be put forth within the said borough of Corfe aforesaid, according to one form and effect of the same to be kept, and to cause to be kept; and to chastise and punish there all the offenders against the form of those ordinances and statutes as according to the form of these ordinances and statutes shall be to be done. We will also, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the said mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the borough of Corfe aforesaid, and their successors, that the said mayor, or the deputy of the said mayor, and the last foregoing mayor of Corfe aforesaid, and any one of the justices for the keeping of the peace of us, our heirs and successors, in our said county of Dorset, who shall be willing to intermeddle in this business, or two of them, of which the said mayor, or his deputy as is aforesaid, we will be always one, may have power and authority touching the rest for ever, to hold within the aforesaid borough a convention of justices for us, our heirs and successors, for the keeping of the peace of us, our heirs and successors, commonly called privy sessions or petty sessions, according to all the ordinances and statutes, for the good of the peace of us, our heirs and successors, for the keeping of the same, and for the quiet ruling and governing of our people, of our heirs and successors, already put forth, or for the future to be put forth, within the said borough of Corfe aforesaid, and according to one form and effect of the same, to be kept, and to cause to be kept, and that as often as whensoever business touching and concerning the execution in form aforesaid by our aforesaid justice for the peace of us, our heirs and successors, constituted by this our present charter in the borough aforesaid from time to time shall be done and ended, the inhabitants of the borough aforesaid may not be summoned by our justices of our said county of Dorset to any other convention, commonly called privy sessions or petty sessions to be held without the borough aforesaid. Nevertheless we will, and we do declare our royal intention to be, that every mayor, and the deputy of the same, and the last foregoing mayor aforesaid from. time to time, before he or they be admitted to the execution, of the said office of justice of the peace as aforesaid, may and shall take such a corporal! oath upon the holy gospells of God faithfully to execute that office in all things and through all things as the justices of us, our heirs and successors, for the keeping of our peace in our said county of Dorset, and in other our countys within our kingdom of England, are wont to take, do take, and from time to time are and shall be obliged to take, without any other warrant, writt, or commission from us, our heirs or successors, to be procured or obtained; and that every mayor of the same borough, and the deputy of the same, and the last foregoing mayor, may and shall take the same oath from time to time before the barons of the said borough which now are or hereafter shall be, or before two or more of them, and that the said barons of the borough aforesaid, or two or more of them, from time to time, as touching the rest, for ever by these presents, may have full power and authority of administering such an oath as aforesaid from time to time without any other or further warrant, writt, or commission from us, our heirs or successors, in that part to be procured or obtained. And we will, and by these presents for our heirs and successors we grant to the mayor, barons, and inhabitants of Corfe aforesaid and their successors, that, if it happen any mayor of the said borough of Corfe aforesaid for the time being at any time or times to be sick or weak for the future, or from any other just and reasonable cause shall be detained or rendered unable that he cannot attend the office of the mayor, or the necessary businesses of the same borough, or if he shall think it necessary for him upon any reasonable cause to go out of the said borough, and not there to stay or inhabit, that then and so often as it shall and may be lawful for the said mayor of the borough aforesaid for the time being, from time to time during the whole term in which the aforesaid mayor shall continue in his office of mayor, to make and constitute one of the barons of the said borough to be the deputy of the same mayor so as aforesaid being sick or weak, or so upon a reasonable cause detained or rendered unable, or without the borough aforesaid staying or inhabiting as abovesaid; which deputy, indeed thus into the office of deputy mayor to be made and constituted, is and shall be the deputy of the same mayor from time to time and justices of us, our heirs and successors, for the keeping of the peace in the borough aforesaid as is abovesaid, so often as the aforesaid mayor shall happen to be sick or weak, or be detained upon any reasonable cause, or be rendered unable, or be absent as aforesaid during the whole time in which the aforesaid mayor shall continue in the office of mayor, unless the aforesaid mayor hath made or constituted any other of the aforesaid barons his deputy; and that every such deputy of the aforesaid mayor so as aforesaid to be made and to be constituted all and singular the things which do belong or ought to belong to the office of the mayor, and to the office of a justice for the keeping of the peace of us, our heirs and successors, within the borough aforesaid to be done and to be executed from time to time so often as the aforesaid mayor thus happens to be sick or weak, or so to be detained or be rendered unable, or be absent during such time in which the deputy of the aforesaid mayor shall be and continue, may do and execute by virtue of these our letters patent, so fully, freely, and entirely, and in so ample a manner and form, as if the mayor aforesaid if he were present might do and execute the same, having first taken the corporall oath upon the holy gospels of God for such deputy well and faithfully to execute all and singular the things which do belong tu the office of deputy mayor, and to the office of a justice of us, our heirs and successors, for the keeping of the peace of our borough aforesaid, before one or more of the barons of the borough aforesaid, and so often as the case thus happens. And moreover we will, and bythese presents,for us, our heirs and successors, we grant to the same mayor and barons of the said borough of Corfe, and their successors for ever, that any two or more of the barons of the borough aforesaid may have full power and authority of giving and administering such corporal oath or such corporal oaths upon the holy gospells of God as is above-said to every deputy mayor and justice of the peace in such case as is aforesaid, to be made without any writt, commission, or further warrant in that part from us, our heirs or successors, to be procured or obtained. And moreover we will, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successsors, we grant to the said mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the said borough of Corfe aforesaid, and their successors for ever, that the bailiffs of the sheriff of our said county of Dorset touching the rest for ever may not put themselves into, take, and arrest any person or persons by virtue or color of any writt or precept, or of any writts or precepts, of us, our heirs or successors, without the licence of the mayor or deputy mayor of the same borough for the time being first had and obtained, notwithstanding so that there always be inhabiting within the said borough a bailiff or bailiffs of the said mayor and barons who can and will execute such writts and precepts of us, our heirs and successors, all and singular the premisses aforesaid above by these presents granted and confirmed, or mentioned to be granted and confirmed, to the aforesaid mayor, barons, and inhabitants of the said borough of Corfe, and their successors for ever, to be had and enjoyed. And further we will that Edward Dackomb, esquire, the present mayor of the said borough, Edward Osborne, commonly called Lord Latimer, son and heir apparent to our well-beloved and very faithfull couzin and counseller Thomas Earl of Danby, our Treasurer of England, John Banks of Kingston Hall in our county of Dorset, esquire, Anthony Eursman, William Frampton, Philip Bailey, Nathaniel Smith senior, and James Summers of Corfe aforesaid, gentlemen, be, and they shall be, the present modern and respective mayors and barons of the borough of Corfe aforesaid, and may have, enjoy, and use the rights, priviledges, grants, in any manner belonging to the mayor and barrens of the said borough. Provided always, and it is our royal intention, that these our letters patent, or anything contained in the same, shall not be in anything prejudicial to the heirs or assigns of Ralph Banks, late of Kingston Hall aforesaid, knight, deceased, late lord of the manor, borough, and lordship of Corfe aforesaid, as to any jurisdiction, authority, liberties, rights, or priviledges, within the borough of Corfe or Isle of Purbeck aforesaid, heretofore by the said Ralph Banks, or by any other heretofore being lord of the said borough, manner, and lordship of Corfe aforesaid, lawfully used and exercised, or any ways belonging to the said borough, manor, and lordship. And further we will, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, we declare and firmly command to be enjoyned, that all and every mayor, deputy mayor, and barons of the said borough now by these presents nominated, constituted, or for time to come to be called and constituted, before they be admitted to the execution or exercise of the office or offices of the place or places to whom or to which they shall so respectively be called, appointed, or constituted, or any way they put themselves in, or either of them respectively put himself in, they shall take, and every one of them shall take, both the corporal oath, commonly called the oath of obedience, and the corporall oath commonly called the oath of supremacy, upon the holy gospells of God, before such person or such persons of what sort, and who at present are appointed and designed, or for the future shall be appointed by the laws and statutes of this our kingdom of England, to give and administer such oaths. In witness whereof we have caused these our letters patent to be made. Witness myself at Westminster the twelfth day of February in the thirty-first year of our reign, by writt from the privy seal.

For a fine in our haniper office 6/. 13s. 4d.

PIGOT.

Source: Pigot & Co.'s Directory of Dorset, 1830. Transcribed by Nigel Batty-Smith ©2003