Charter of Incorporation of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland
Dated 11 August, 1824
George the Fourth by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King Defender of the Faith To all whom these presents shall come Greeting
Whereas our Right Trusty and Wellbeloved 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 Wellbeloved 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 regulations or byelaws as shall be hereafter formed or enacted shall by virtue of the 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 to be impleaded and answer and be answered unto in every Court of 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 and goods and chattels whatsoever and also be able and capable in the law (notwithstanding the statues 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 of 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 purpose 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 of corporate in our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland not being under and disability might do in their respective concerns
And we do hereby grant our especial license 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 and messuages lands tenements or hereditaments not exceeding such values 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 to concerns of the said body politic and corporate and that the general meetings of the Council shall have the entire direction and management of the samein the manner subject to the regulation hereinafter mentioned. But our will and pleasure is that at all general meetings of the Council the majority of the members present having the right to vote thereat respectively shall decide upon the matters propounded at such meetings the person presiding therein having in case of equality of numbers as second or casting vote
And we do hereby also will grant and declare That the Council shall consist of a President and not more that 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 same 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 of oftener for the purposes hereinafter mentioned (that is to say) That the general meeting shall choose the President and other members of the Council That the general meeting shall make and establish such byelaws as the shall deem to be useful and necessary for the regulation of the said body politic and corporate for the election of admission of members for the management of the estates goods and business of the said body politic and corporate and for the fixing 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 byelaws from time to time shall or may alter vary or revoke and shall or may make such new and other byelaws as they shall think most useful and expedient so that the same be not repugnant to these presents or to the laws or statues 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 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 other affairs and concerns thereof and shall or may but not inconsistently with or contrary with the provisions of this our Charter or any existing byelaw or the laws or statutes of the our Realm do all such acts and deeds as shall appear to them necessary or essential to be dome for the purpose of carrying into effect the objects and views of the same 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 dispositions 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 byelaw 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 byelaw 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.
