The Harvard College Charter of 1650

The Harvard College Charter of 1650

Whereas through the good hand of God many well deuoted persons haue beene and dayly are mooued and stirred vp to giue and bestowe sundry guiftes legacies lands and Revennewes for the aduancement of all good literature artes and Sciences in Haruard Colledge in Cambridge in the County of Middlesex and to the maintenance of the Præsident and Fellowes and for all accommodacons of Buildings and all other necessary prouisions that may conduce to the education of the English & Indian Youth of this Country in knowledge: and godlines. It is therefore ordered and enacted by this Court and the aucthority thereof That for the furthering of so good a worke and for the purposes aforesaid from henceforth that the said Colledge in Cambridge in Middlesex in New England shalbe a Corporation Consisting of seauen persons (to wit) a President Fiue Fellowes and a Treasurer or Burser and that Henry Dunster shall be the first President Samuell Mather Samuell Danford maisters of Arte Jonathan Michell Comfort Starre and Samuell Eaton Batchelers of Arte shall be the fiue Fellowes and Thomas Danford to be present Treasurer, all of them being Inhabitants in the Bay, and shall be the first seuen persons of which the said Corporation shall consist And that the said seuen persons or the greater Number of them procuring the presence of the Ouerseers of of [sic] the Colledge and by their counsell and consent shall haue power and are heereby authorised at any tyme or tymes to elect a new President Fellowes or Treasurer so oft and from tyme to tyme as any of the said person or persons shall dye or be remoued, which said President and Fellowes for the tyme being shall for euer heereafter in name and fact be one body politique and Corporate in Lawe to all intents and purposes, and shall haue perpetuall succession And shall be called by the name of President and Fellowes of Haruard Colledge And shall from tyme to tyme be eligible as afforesaid And by that name they and their Successors shall and may purchase and acquire to themselues or take and receaue vppon Free guift and donation any Lands Tenements or Hereditaments within this Jurisdiccion of the Massatusetts not exceeding the value of Fiue hundred pounds per annum and any goods and sommes of money whatsoeuer to the vse and behoofe of the said President Fellowes and Schollers of the said Colledge and also may sue and plead or be sued and impleaded by the name aforesaid in all Courtes and places of Iudicature within the Iurisdiccion aforesaid and that the said President with any three of the Fellowes shall haue power and are heereby Aucthorized when they shall thinck fitt to make and appoint a Common Seale for the vse of the said Corporation. And the President & Fellowes or the maior part of them from tyme to tyme may meete and choose such Officers & Servants for the Colledge and make such allowance to them and them also to remoue and after death or remoueall to choose such others and to make from tyme to tyme such orders & Bylawes for the better ordering & carying on the worke of the Colledge as they shall thinck fitt. Prouided the said orders be allowed by the Ouerseers. And also that the President and Fellowes or maior parte of them with the Treasurer shall haue power to make conclusiue bargaines for Landes & Tenements to be purchased by the said Corporation for valuable consideracion. And for the better ordering of the Gouerment of the said Colledge and Corporation Be it Enacted by the Aucthoritie aforesaid That the President and three more of the Fellowes shall and may from tyme to tyme vppon due warninge or notice giuen by the President to the rest holde a meeting for the debating and concluding of affaires concerning the proffitts and Reuennues of any Landes and disposing of their Goods. Prouided that all the said disposings be according to the will of the donors. And for direction in all emergent occasions execution of all orders and Bylawes and for the procuring of a Generall meeting of all the Ouerseers & societie in great & difficult cases, and in cases of nonagreement, In all which cases aforesaid the conclusion shall be made by the maior parte ye said President hauing a casting voice the Overseers consenting therevnto. And that all the aforesaid transaccions shall tend to & for the vse and behoofe of the President Fellowes Schollers & Officers of the said Colledge, and for all accommodacions of buildings bookes and all other necessary prouisions & furnitures as may be for the aduancement & education of youth in all manner of good literature Artes and Sciences. And further be it ordered by this Court and the Aucthority thereof That all the Landes Tenements or Hereditaments howses or Revennues within this Iurisdiccion to the aforesaid President or Colledge appertayning, not exceeding the value of fiue hundred pounds per annum shall from henceforth be freed from all ciuill impositions taxes & rates all goods to the said corporation or to any Schollers thereof appertayning shall be exempt from all manner of tolle Customes & excise whatsoeuer. And that the said President Fellowes & Schollers together with the servants & other necessarie Officers to the said President or Colledge appertayning not exceeding tenne, viz three to the President and seuen to the Colledge belonging shall be exempted from all personall ciuill offices militarie exercises or seruices watchings and wardings and such of their estates not exceeding one hundred poundes a man shall be free from all Country taxes or rates whatsoeuer and none others. In Witnes whereof The Court hath caused the Seale of the Colonie to be heerevnto affixed. Dated the One & thirtieth day of the Third moneth called May. Anno 1650.

Tho: Dudley

Govr