' * * V&S A THE CHARTER OF THE Hibernian Society , IN DUBLIN* FOR Maintaining, educating, apprenticing, and placing in the Army, the Orphans and Children of SOLDIERS in Ireland, for ever. Dated the 6th of February, in the 48th Year of the Reign of GEORGE THE THIRD. Dublin : PRINTED BT G. PERRIN AND SON, printers to tbe ©octets (9, UPPER ORMOND-^UAY.) 1808 . 4 i : r -Jil/ m ■ ‘ . w> " j - ■ f , 3 3 '■ * :-V . | J4-5.XKL 4 *• '1 ■ \ : ; r Charter ■, £&. G EORGE the Third, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and foforth. TO all unto whom thefe Prefents lliall come, Greeting: "WHEREAS, by our Letters Patent, enrolled in our High Court of Chancery of Ireland, the fourteenth Day of July, in the ninth Year of our Reign, "WE did grant, ordain, conftitute and appoint George Vifcount Townfend our Lieutenant General and General Governor of our Kingdom of Ireland, and our Chief Go- vernor cr Governdrsof our laid Kingdom for the Time being, and the feveral other Of- ficers and Perfons in the faid Letters Patent particularly mentioned and their Succeffors for 4 for ever, to be ONE BODY POLITIC- AND CORPORATE in Deed and in Name by the Name of the HIBERNIAN SOCIET Y in Dublin, for maintaining, edu- cating and apprenticing the Orphans and Children of Soldiers in Ireland for ever, and by the fame Name to have per- petual Succeffion. AND WHEREAS it has been reprefented unto Us, that the Ends and Purpofes for which the faid Letters Patent were granted, may be more effe&ually pro- moted, and our Military Service in that Part of our faid United Kingdom called Ire- land, more efientially and permanently be- nefited if WE fhould be p leafed to grant new Letters Patent with further and other Qualifications to the Ef!e6t. herein after men- tioned to the faid Hibernian Society, and the faid Corporation having befought us to grant unto them new Letters Patent to the Effect and with the Powers and Qualifications hereinafter mentioned;, WE are gracioufiy pleafed to condefcend thereto, KNOW YE therefore, that WE of our fpecial Grace, cer- tain Knowledge and mere Motion by and with the Advice and Confent of our Right Trufty and Right entirely beloved Coufin and Counfellor Charles Duke of Richmond, our our Lieutenant General and General Gover- nor of that part of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, called Ireland, HAVE made, ordained, authorifed, confti- tuted and appointed, and by thefe Prefents for us our Heirs and Succeffors, WE DO make, ordain, authorize, conftitute and ap- point our Right Trufty and Right entirely beloved Coulin and Counfellor Charles Duke of Richmond, our Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, and other our Chief Governor or Governors of Ireland for the time being, our mold dearly beloved Son George Prince of Wales, our mold dearly beloved Son Field Marfhal Frederick Duke of York and Albany, Commanderin Chief ©fall our Forces in our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The mold Reverend Fa- ther in God our Right Trufty and Right well beloved Counfellor William Lord Archbilhop of Armagh, Primate of all Ireland. The mold Reverend Father in God, our Right Trufty and Right entirely beloved Counfellor Charles Lord Archbifnop of Dublin Primate of Ireland ; and the Archbifhops of Armagh and Dublin refpe&ively for the time being. Our Right Trufty and well beloved Counfellor Thomas- Lord 6 Lord Manners our Chancellor of Ireland , and the Chancellor of Ireland for the time being. The Right Reverend Father in God our Right Trufty and well beloved Coun- fellor Charles Eifhop of Kildare ; and the Bifhop of Kildaie for the time being. Our Right. Trufty and well beloved Counfellor William Downes, Chief Juft ice of our Court of King’s Bench in Ireland. Our Right Trufty and well beloved Counfellor John Baron Norbury Chief Juilice of our Court of Common Pleas in Ireland. Our Right Trufty and well beloved Counfellor Standifti O’Grady Chief Baron of our Court of Ex- chequer in Ireland ; and the Chief Juftices of our faid Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas ; and the Chief Baron of out faid Exchequer refpectively for the time be- ing. Our Right Trufty and well beloved the Lord Mayor of our City of Dublin. The Chief Secretary of our Lieutenant General or other Chief Governor or Governors of Ireland. Our Attorney and Solicitor General in Ireland. Our firft Serjeant at Law. The Commander of our Forces, or in his abfence the General commanding the Troops in Ireland. The Adjutant General. The Quarter Matter Generali The Dean of St. Patrick’s* 7 Dublin. The Reverend Archdeacon of Dub- lin. The Under Secretary for the Civil De- partment The Under Secictary of the War Department. The Secretary to the Com- mander of the Forces. The Judge Advocate General. The Officer at the Head of the Barrack Department. The Director General of Military Hofpilals. The Commiffary General. The Deputy Adjutant General. The Deputy Quarter Mafter General. The Gene- ral Officers on the Stall' of Ireland. The De^ puty Infpedtor General of Recruits. The Field Officers of the refpedtive Regiments doing Duty in the Garrifon of the City of Dublin. The Recorder of the City of Dub- lin, all for the time being. Our Right Trufty and well beloved Coulin and Counfeilor Charles Marquis of Drogheda. Our Right Trufty and entirely beloved Coufin and Counfeilor George Marquis of Buckingham. Our Right Trufty and well beloved Coulin and Counfeilor John Marquis of Sligo. Our Right Trufty and Right well beloved Coulin Richard Earl of Shannon. Our Right Trufty and well beloved Coulin Thomas Vifcount Cremorne. Our Right Trufty and well be- loved John Lord De Blackquiere. The Right Rev. Father in God, our Right Trufty and well 8 well beloved Counfellor William Lord Bifhop of Derry. Our Right Trufty and well beloved Counfellor Thomas Lord Bol- ton,. The Right Honorable David Latouche, Sir Charles Burton, Baronet. General Charles Valiancy, Dean Blundell Singleton Harpur, Clerk. Major Edward Cane. Major George Valiancy, Reverend Doctor H. L. Walfh. Major George Nicolls. Major General Fau- eett. George Steuart, Efquire. Charles Wil- liam Quin, Efquire. Major General Pratt. Archdeacon Burrowes. Captain Jofeph At- kinfon. Reverend Thomas Craddock. Col. Wright Major Faviere, Luke White, Efq. Colonel J. D. Arabin. General Peter Craig. The Honorable Thomas Packenham. The Right Honorable William Elliot, George Ball, Efq. Patrick Duignan, Efq. L. L. D. Reverend John Lyiler. Brigadier General Brownrigg. John Grant, Clerk. Major Sin*. Major Sandys. Major General Dunn. Major Dunn, Thomas Jones, Efquire. Right Honorable Charles Abbott. Major Swan. Alexander Marsden, Efquire Major Stewart. Reverend Do£lor O’Connor. Jameg, Henthorn. Efq. Edw*ard Haughton, Efq. Doctor William Brook. William Farran, Efq. Colonel 0 Colonel Charles Handheld. Colonel Ben- jamin Fifher. William O’Connor, Clerk, Major General Manly. Major Alexander Taylor. William Johnfon, Efquire. Ro- bert Slade* Efquire. Our Right Trully and well beloved Hely Lord Hutehinfon. Ro- bert King, Clerk. Colonel Gore, Rev. Mr. Littlehales. Major Ormlby. Captain Ri- chardfom Captain Woodward. Colonel Talbot. Colonel Clinton Brigadier-Gene- ral Freeman, Colonel Anftruther. George Renny, Efq M. D. Major Shortall. Captain Gorges i-jr John Carden, Bart Alderman King. The Honourable Baron Smith. The Bifhop of Limerick. _ John Egan, Efquire. Samuel Burrowes, Enquire. Admiral Bowen. Jofeph Jamefon, Efq. Edward C. Browne. G. D. Yates, Efq. M. D. Alexander Jackfon, Efq. M. D. and fuch others only as fhall from Lime to Time be added to the Number of the faid Perfons by us, or by the fpecial Appointment of the Lord Lieutenant, or mher Chief Governor or Governors of Ire- land for the Time being, any Thing in our former Letters Patert to the contrary there- of in any wife notwithftanding to* be one Body Politick and Corporate in Deed and 10 in Name, by the Name of The Hibernian Society in Dublin for maintaining, EDUCATING, AND APPRENTICING OR PLACING, IN OUR REGULAR ARMY AS Private Soldiers in fuch Corps as from Time to Time, we fhall pleafe to appoint, the Orphans and Children of Sol- diers in Ireland for ever, and by the fame Name to fue and to be fued, plead and to be pleaded, anfwer and be anfwered, unto defend and be defended in all the Courts and Places whatfoever, of us our Heirs and Succeffors in all Suits, Plaints, and Demands whatfoever, in the fame Manner and Form, and as amply as anv of our Subjects Bodies Politic or Corporate in Ireland may or can do. And further, we do heteby declare and grant that they and their Succeffors may have and ufe fuch Common Seal as they fhall think proper; and that it may be law. ful for them and their Succeffors to change, break, alter, and make new the fame, as they fhall think fit. And further, We do hereby declare and grant, that it may be lawful for them and their Succeffors by that: Name to purchafe, have, take, receive, and enjoy to them and their Succeflors in Fee and in Perpetuity, any Manors, Lands, 1 ene- ments, 11 ments, Rents, Annuities, Penfions, Tythes, and other Hereditaments in Ireland, not exceeding in the whole the clear yearly value of two thoufand Pounds, and to take and receive any Sum or Sums of Money, or any Manner or Portion of Goods or Chattels that fhall to them be given, granted, de- vifed, or bequeathed by any Perfon or Per- fons, Bodies Politick or Corporate, capable of making a Gift or Devife thereof, and therewith and thereout, to erect, maintain, and fupport in all Places in Ireland where they fhall judge the fame to be moft necef- fary and convenient, fuch and fo many Hos- pitals as they fhall think proper. And we do hereby direct, That the faid Body Corpo- rate fhall haveaGENERAL Meeting of the Members thereof quarterly at fuch Place or Places as they fhall think proper, the firft Monday in May, Auguft, November, and February, yearly in all Times coming, and oftener, when and where the faid Body Cor- porate fhall think meet ; and any Seven of the Members of the laid Body, who fliall convene or affemble at the faid Times and Places to be a Quorum of the faid General Meeting, and be able and capable to do and ,b 3 tranfadl Iran faff all Matters and Things relating to the Affairs of the laid Corporation. And further, We do hereby direct that the Fir if General Meeting of the laid Body Corpo- rate, fhall be on the Fir ft of the faid Quar- terly Days that fhall be thirty Days after the Date of thefe our Letters Patent. And our further Will and Pleafure is, and we do hereby declare and grant, that our l ieu- tenant General, and General-Governor of Ireland for t' e Time being, fhall be always the President, and the Commander of the Forces; or, in his Ab fence , the General Offi- cer commanding the Troops in Ireland, fhall be always the Vice-Prefid ent of our laid Society, any Thing in our former Letters Patent to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithstanding. And we do hereby em- power, ruihorife, and require the faid Body Corporate when they fhall be aflem- bled to ekSl by Plurality of Voices, fuch other Officers as they fhall find needful, to continue till the Fir ft Monday in November next thereafter, and until others fhall be choien to lucceed them. And we do hereby empower, authorise, and require the faid Prefident and Vice-Prefident : or, in the ab- fence fence of the laid Prelident or Vice-Prefident, any two Members of the faid Corpoi aie Bndy, to adminifter an Oath or Oaths to the faid Officers which they fhall be thereby re- quired to take For the due and faithful exe- cution of their refpective Offices. And we do hereby further empower, authofiie, and require the faid Corporation upon the -Firft Monday in November, in all Times coming, or in cafe of any Emergency, preventing their Meeting on that Day, then, at the next Quarterly Meeting thereafter, to make a new Election of Perlbns to ferve in the inid Offices, or to continue the former Offi- cers, as they fhall think jnoft convenient. And we do hereby empower, authorife, and require the faid Body Corporate at their firft General Meeting, to nominate and appoint Fifteen of the faid Body to be a Commit- tee, to meet in Dublin the Firft Tuefday in every Month, or oftener, as Need fhall require, in fuch Place or Places as fhall be agreed on by the faid Corporation, which Committee are to be authorifed and em- powered to catry into Execution fuch Or- ders, Rules, and Directions, as fhall from Tinfe to Time be made by the faid Corpo„ ration. 14 ration, and which Committee fhali con- tinue till the Firft Monday in November next following the fix It General Meeting, at which Time, and afterwards on every Firfi: Monday . in November, yearly, the faid Corporation fhali nominate Fifteen of their Members to be a Committee for One Year , for the Purpofes aforefaid. And our further Will and Pleafure is, And we do hereby empower, authorize, and require the faid Corporation at their General Meetings, to nominate and appoint Leffer Committees, in all Places where any Hofpitals fhalJ here- after be erected for the Purpofes exprefled in the faid Letters Patent ; which Lefler Committees fhali be appointed at fuch Times and Places, and continue for fuch Time or Times as the faid Corporation fhali think proper. And we hereby further empower, authorize, and require the faid Corporation, at their General Meetings, to nominate and appoint fit Perfons in any Place of our Dominions, or elfewhere, to receive Sub- fcriptions, Money, or other Things, con- tributed towards the faid Jnftitution. And we hereby empower and authorize the faid /Committee of Fifteen in the City of Dublin, and 15 and the Leffer Committees, in all Places where Holpitals for the Purpofes aforefaid fhall hereafter be ere&ed, to nominate and appoint Chaplains for their refpe&ive Hos- pitals ; and alfo fit and able Perfons to be School Mailers of the faid Hofpitals, during the Will of the faid Corporation, to teach the Orphans, and other unfortunate Children of Soldiers in the laid Hofpitals, to read, efpecially the Holy Scriptures, and to inftruft them in the Principles of the Proteftant Religion eftablifhed in Ireland, and in Arithmetic, and fuch other Parts of Educa- tion as to the faid Society fhall feem meet ; fuch Chaplains and School Mailers, never- thelefs, to be licenfed by the Ordinaries in Ireland, in their refpedlive Diocefes, and to be approved by the faid Corporate Body, otherwife fuch Nomination or Appointment by the faid Committee, to be void. And our further Will and Pleafure is, and we do hereby direff, that the Treafurer, and other Officers, fhall be accountable to the Committee of Fifteen, at all Times when required by the faid Committee ; and the faid Committee are hereby required to re- port annually, at fuch Times as the faid Corporation * Corporation fhall think proper, to the faid Corporate Body, the State of the Funds o f the faid Corporation, the Receipts and Bifburfements of the Year, in Order that they may be examined, and entered in a Book to be kept for that Purpofe : the laid Book, and all other the Books and Papers of the faid Corporation, to be at all Times open and free for the perufal of the federal Members thereof. And our farther Will is, and we do hereby empower, authorize, and require the laid Corporation at their Quar- terly Meetings, in all Times coming, and at no other Meetings, to make Inch Rules and Ordinances, and from Time to Time to alter the fame, as they fhall judge mod conve- nient and needful for the good Government of the faid Corporation, and Management of the Affairs thereof, and the effectual Pro. motion of the good Ends intended thereby, and to give fuch InftruCtions, Directions, Encouragements, and Salaries to thole they employ, as they fhall judge needful and reafonable, provided that the laid Rules, Ordinances, InftruCtions, and Directions, be not repugnant to the Laws and Statutes in force in Ireland, fuch Rules, Ordinances, lu- ll met ions, ilru&ions and Dire&ions not to require an y Confirmation or Approval by any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, any Thing in our former Letters Patent to the contrary thereof in any wile notwithftanding. And our further Will and Pleafure is, And we do hereby empower and authorize the faid Corporate Body and their Succelfors, End the Major Part of them, in a General Af- fembly, to remove and difplace any of the Officers of the faid Corporation for any rea- fonable Caufe, the Prelident and Vice-Pre- lident only excepted, and to cle£t others in the Place or Places of the Perfon or Perfons fo removed. And that as often as it lhall happen that any of the Officers of the faid Corporation for the Time being, fhall die, or be removed for reafonable caufe as afo re- paid, or that any Vacancy fhall occur of an Officer or Officers of the fa d Corporation, it fhall and maybe lawful for the Members of the faid Corporation, and they fhall be required within forty Days (ten Days No- tice being given) to choofe and ele£t into his or their Place or Places, feme other Perfon or Perfons of the faid Corporation, in the Manner herein before m ntioned, to c . continue 18 continue in his or their Office or Offices, 3 til the firil Monday of November next following his or their Ele6tion or Ele&ions, and until feme other Perfon or Perfons fhall be ele&ed into his or their Office or Offices. And our further Will and Plealure is, and we do hereby direft, that in cafe the Pre- ffident and Vice-Prelident lhall be abfent from any General Meeting, that the faid Corporation, or any Seven or more of them, lhall have Power to appoint one of the Members then prefent to prefide for fuch Time ; and fuch Prefident, Vice-Prefident, ox Chairman ffiiall have a calling Voice, ^ in cafe of any Equality of Votes; and faid Prefident, Vice-Prelident, or Chairman, at any of the faid General Meetings fhall have Power to adminifter an Oath to any Perfon or Perfons for difeovering the Truth of any Matter or Thing offered or propofed to the faid Corporation. And our further Will and Pleafure is, And we do hereby dire6t that no Leafe orLeafes of' any Lands or Tenements belonging to the faid Corporation lhall be made or executed, but at fome General Quarterly Meeting, with the Approbation ol the Members then prefent, or the Ma- jority 19 jority of them,, fuch Major-part being at leaft Seven in Number : And that every Leafe fo to be made fhali be of Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments in Pofieffion, and not in Reverfion, and for a Term not exceeding three Lives, or thirty-one Years, whereon fhali be referved the bell yearly Rent that can be had for the faid Lands or Tenements at the time of making fuch Leafes refpeftively, without any Fine, or other Income to be taken or had for the fame : And that it fhali not be lawful for the faid Body Corporate to diminifh their Capital Stock arifjng from the Annual Rent er Income of any Manors, Lands, Tene- ments, Annuities, Penfions, Tythes, or other Hereditaments whereof they fhali at any *} ime be feized or pofFeffed ; but that they fhali confine their Expenses yearly to fuch Annual Rent or Income, and to fuch Sum of Money, Goods and Chattels, as fhali rom Year to Year be fubflribecl or given to them, or ti\e Intereft cr Profits thereof. And that no Child or Children fhali be received into any Hofpital now erefled, or hereafter to be ere&ed, unl.efs a Certificate fhali fit ft be obtained from fime Commifiioned Officer, c 3 or 20 or other credible Ferfon or Pcrfons, that fuch Child or Children is or are, to the beft of his Belief the Child or Children of Non- commiffioned Officers or Soldiers of the Line in adtual Service, or of Soldiers de- ceafed,' or reduced, or removed to foreign Service ; but that upon fuch Certificate, iuch Child or Children may be received and admitted, any Thing in our former Letters Patent to the contrary thereof in any wife not with ft arid ing. And our further Will is, and we do hereby direct that in the Selec- tion of Children, for Admiflion, preference in general fhall be given : Pi rst, d o Orphans. vECokdly, To thofe whole Fathers have been killed, or have died on Foreign Ser- vice. Thirdly, To thofe who have loft their Mothers, and whole Fathers are a blent on l uty abroad. Fourthly, To thofe whole Fathers are ordered on Foreign Service, or whole Pa- rents have other Children to maintain. And that the Parents or Friends applying “for the Admiffion of Children fhall be re- quired to iign their Content ‘to fuch Chil- dren 21 dren remaining in the laid Hibernian So- ciety as long as the faid Governors thereof may think fit, and to their being difpofed of when of proper Age, at the Difcretion of the Governors, as Apprentices or Servants ; or, if Boys, to their being placed with their own free Confent, in our regular Army, as Private Soldiers in fuch Corpse it may be our Royal Pleafure to appoint. And Lastly, Our Will and Pleafure is, And we do hereby declare, and ordain, that thefe our Letters Patent, and. every Claufe, Sentence, and Article therein contained, or the Inrollment thereof, fhall be in all Things firm, good, valid, fufficient, and effectual in the Law, unto the faid Corpo- ration, according to the Purport and Tenor thereof, without any further Grant, Licenfe, or Toleration from Us, our Heirs or Suc- ceifors, to be had, provided, or obtained.. Provided always, That thefe our Letters Patent be Inrolled in the Rolls of our High Court of Chancery, in that part of our faid United “Kingdom tailed Ireland, within the Space of fix Months from the date hereof, otherWife thefe our Letters Patent, to be null, void, and of none effect, any Thing 22 Thing herein contained to the contrary in any wife notwithftanding. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, We have caufed thefe our Let- ters to be made Patent, witnefs our afore- laid Lieutenant General and General Go- vernor of Ireland at Dublin, the Sixth Day of February, in the Forty-eighth Year of our Reign. WESTMEATH. Inrolled in the Office of the Rolls of His Majefty’s High Court of Chancery in Ire- land, the Eighth Day of February, in the Forty-eigth Year of the Reign of King George the Third, and examined by RICHARD HETHERINGTON, Deputy Keeper of the Rolls > Entered by ' THOMAS BOUCHIERE, Deputy Clerk of the Ha; aper . (3 true Copp.) LESLIE LAWTON, Secretary. F I N ! S. / t ’*3$' f