Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society/Volume 1/The Charter of the Society
CHARTER
OF
INCORPORATION
OF THE
ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY
OF
GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
George the Fourth, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith: To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting.
Whereas our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councillor, Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, and others of our loving subjects, have under our Royal Patronage formed themselves into a Society for the investigation of subjects, connected with, and for the encouragement of Science, Literature, and the Arts, in relation to Asia, called "The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland;" and we have been besought to grant to them, and to those who shall hereafter become members of the same Society, our Royal Charter of Incorporation, for the purposes aforesaid: Now know ye that we being desirous of encouraging a design so laudable and salutary, have of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, willed, granted, and declared; and we do by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, will, grant, and declare, that our said Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councillor, Charles Watkin Williams Wynn, and such others of our loving subjects, as have formed themselves into, and are now members of the said Society, and all such other persons as shall hereafter become members of the said Society, according to such regulalations or bye-laws, as shall be hereafter formed or enacted, shall, by virtue of these presents, be the members of, and form one body politic and corporate, by the name of "The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland;" by which name they shall have perpetual succession, and a common seal, with full power and authority to alter, vary, break, and renew the same, at their discretion; and by the same name to sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, and answer and be answered unto, in every court of us, our heirs, and successors; and be for ever able and capable in the law, to purchase, receive, possess, and enjoy, to them and their successors, any goods and chattels whatsoever: and also be able and capable in the law (notwithstanding the statutes of mortmain) to take, purchase, possess, hold, and enjoy, to them and their successors, a Hall or College, and any messuages, lands, tenements, or hereditaments whatsoever, the yearly value of which, including the site of the said Hall or College, shall not exceed in the whole the sum of one thousand pounds, computing the same respectively at the rack rent which might have been had or gotten for the same respectively, at the time of the purchase or acquisition thereof; and to act in all the concerns of the said body politic and corporate for the purposes aforesaid, as fully and effectually to all intents, effects, constructions, and purposes whatsoever, as any other of our liege subjects, or any other body politic and corporate, in our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, not being under any disability, might do in their respective concerns. And we do hereby grant our especial licence and authority unto all and every person and persons, bodies politic and corporate (otherwise competent), to grant, sell, alien, and convey in mortmain unto, and to the use of the said Society, and their successors, any messuages, lands, tenements, or hereditaments, not exceeding such value as aforesaid. And our will and pleasure is, that our first Commissioner, for the time being, for the Affairs of India, shall be a Vice-Patron of the said body politic and corporate. And we further will, grant, and declare, that there shall be a general meeting of the members of the said body politic and corporate, to be held, from time to time, as hereinafter is mentioned; and that there shall always be a council to direct and manage the concerns of the said body politic and corporate, and that the general meetings and the council shall have the entire direction and management of the same, in the manner, and subject to the regulations, hereinafter mentioned. But our will and pleasure is, that at all general meetings, and meetings of the council, the majority of the members present, and having a right to vote thereat respectively, shall decide upon the matters propounded at such meetings, the person presiding therein having, in case of an equality of numbers, a second or casting vote. And we do hereby also will, grant, and declare, that the council shall consist of a President, and not more than twenty-four nor less than five other members, to be elected out of the members of the said body politic and corporate; and that the first members of the council, exclusive of the President, shall be elected within six calendar months after the date of this our Charter, and that the said Charles Watkin Williams Wynn shall be the first President of the said body politic and corporate. And we do hereby further will, grant, and declare, that it shall be lawful for the members of the said body politic and corporate, hereby established, to hold general meetings once in the year, or oftener, for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, (that is to say): That the general meetings shall choose the President and other members of the council; that the general meetings shall make and establish such bye-laws, as they shall deem to be useful and necessary for the regulation of the said body politic and corporate, for the election and admission of members, for the management of the estates, goods, and business of the said body politic and corporate, and for fixing and determining the manner of electing the President and other members of the council; as also, of electing and appointing such officers, attendants, and servants, as shall be deemed necessary, or useful, for the said body politic and corporate; and such bye-laws, from time to time shall, or may, alter, vary, or revoke, and shall or may make such new and other bye-laws, as they shall think most useful and expedient, so that the same be not repugnant to these presents, or to the laws and statutes of this our Realm; and shall or may also enter into any resolution, and make any regulation respecting any of the affairs and concerns of the said body politic and corporate, that shall be thought necessary and proper. And we further will, grant, and declare, that the council shall have the sole management of the income and funds of the said body politic and corporate, and also the entire management and superintendence of all the other affairs and concerns thereof; and shall, or may, but not inconsistently with, or contrary to the provisions of this our Charter, or any existing bye-law, or the laws and statutes of this our Realm, do all such acts and deeds as shall appear to them necessary or essential to be done, for the purpose of carrying into effect the objects and views of the said body politic and corporate. And we further will, grant, and declare, that the whole property of the said body politic and corporate, shall be vested, and we do hereby vest the same, solely and absolutely in the members thereof, and that they shall have full power and authority to sell, alienate, charge, or otherwise dispose of the same, as they shall think proper; but that no sale, mortgage, incumbrance, or other disposition of any messuages, lands, tenements, or hereditaments, belonging to the said body politic and corporate, shall be made, except with the approbation and concurrence of a general meeting. And we lastly declare it to be our Royal will and pleasure, that no resolution, or bye-law, shall on any account or pretence whatsoever be made by the said body politic and corporate, in opposition to the general scope, true intent, and meaning of this our Charter, or the laws or statutes of our Realm; and that if any such rule or bye-law shall be made, the same shall be absolutely null and void, to all intents, effects, constructions, and purposes whatsoever. In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patent. Witness ourself at our Palace at Westminster, this eleventh day of August, in the fifth year of our reign.
- By Writ of Privy Seal.SCOTT.