1 CHARTER OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. GEORGE THE THIRD, 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 several of Our loving Subjects are desirous of forming object of the a Society for the Cultivation of the Science of Natural History Society. in all its Branches, and more especially of the Natural History of Great Britain and Ireland,,and, having subscribed considerable Sums of Money for that Purpose, have humbly besought Us to grant unto them, and such other Persons as shall be approved and elected, as hereinafter is mentioned, Our Royal Charter of Incorporation for the Purposes aforesaid; KNOW ye, that We, being desirous to promote every Kind of Improvement in the Arts and Sciences, have, of Our especial Grace, certain Knowledge, and mere Motion, given and granted, and IncorporaWe do hereby give and grant, that Our right trusty and right well beloved Cousin and Counsellor George Earl of Dartmouth, Our tion. Corporate trusty and well beloved James Edward Smith Doctor of Physick, Thomas Marsham Esquire, Alexander MacLeay Esquire, Jonas Dryander Esquire, The Reverend Samuel Goodenough Doctor of Laws, Aylmer Bourke Lambert Esquire, Richard Anthony Salisbury Esquire, William George Maton Doctor of Physick, Thomas Furly Forster Esquire, Charles Hatchett Esquire, William Lewis Esquire, The Reverend Thomas Rackett Clerk, John Symmons Esquire, and Thomas Young Doctor of Physick, and such others as shall, from Time to Time, be appointed and elected, in the Manner hereinafter directed, and their Successors, be and shall for ever hereafter continue and be, by virtue of these Presents, one Body Politic and Corporate, by the Name of “THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON;" and them and their Successors for the Purposes aforesaid, WE do hereby constitute and declare to be one Body Politic and Corporate, and by the same Name to have perpetual Succession, and for ever hereafter to be Persons able and capable in the Law, and have Power to Power to pur- purchase, receive and possess any Goods and Chattels whatsoever, and (notwithstanding the Statutes of Mortmain) to purchase, hold, and enjoy, to them and their Successors, any Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments whatsoever, not exceeding, at the Time or Times of purchasing such Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, Land of the respectively, the yearly Value, at a Rack Rent, of One thousand Pounds in the whole, without incurring the Penalties or Forfeitures of the Statutes of Mortmain, or any of them; And, by To sue and the Name aforesaid, to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in all Courts and Places whatsoever of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, in all Actions, Suits, Causes, and Things whatsoever, and to act and do in all Things relating to the said Corporation in as ample Manner and Form as any other our liege Subjects, being Persons chase, &c. yearly Value of 10001. be sued. able Seal. Fellows inde named. more of them before the able and capable in the Law, or any other Body Politic or Corporate, in Our said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, may or can act or do; And also to have and to use a Common Common Seal, and the same to change and alter, from Time to Time, as they shall think fit. And We do hereby declare, and grant, that Number of there shall be an indefinite Number of Fellows of the said finite. Society; and that they the said George Earl of Dartmouth, First Fellows James Edward Smith, Thomas Marsham, Alexander MacLeay, Jonas Dryander, Samuel Goodenough, Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Richard Anthony Salisbury, William George Maton, Thomas Furly Forster, Charles Hatchett, William Lewis, Thomas Rackett, John Symmons, and Thomas Young, shall be the first Fellows of the said Society; and that any Five, or more of them, all having been Any Five or first duly summoned to attend the Meetings of the said Fellows, shall, on or shall and may, on or before the Twenty-fourth Day of May, next 24th of May, 1802, appoint ensuing the Date of these Presents, under their respective Hands' other Memwriting, appoint such other Persons to be Fellows, Honorary Members, Foreign Members, and Associates, of the said Society, as they may respectively think fit. And We do further declare and grant, that, for the better Rule and Govern- consist of 15 ment of the said Society, and for the better Direction, Management, and Execution of the Business and Concerns thereof, there shall be henceforth for ever, a Council, President, Treasurer, and Secretary, of the said Society, to be elected in Manner hereinafter mentioned; and that such Council shall consist of Fifteen Members, to be elected from among the Fellows, as hereinafter directed, whereof any Five shall be a Quorum: And 5 of whom to We do hereby nominate and appoint the said George Earl of Dart- First Council mouth, James Edward Smith, Thomas Marsham, Alexander MacLeay, Jonas Dryander, Samuel Goodenough, Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Richard Anthony Salisbury, William George Maton, Thomas Furly bers. A Council to Fellows: be a Quorum named. |