WHEREAS our loving Subjects,Preamble. PETER MIDDLETON, JOHN JONES, and SAMUEL BARD, of our City of New-York, Physicians, by their humble petition presented unto our trusty and well-beloved CADWALLADER COLDEN, Esq our Lieutenant Governor, and then our Commander in Chief of our Province of New-York, and the Territories depending thereon in America, and read in our Council for our said Province, on the ninth Day of March, which was in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy, did, among other Things in Substance, set forth,Petition of Doctors Middle­ton, Jones, and Bard, for a Char­ter for an Hospi­tal, recited. That there had been a Subscription set on Foot by them, for the Purpose of erecting a public Hospital in our said City of New-York, and that sundry public spirited Persons, influenced by Principles of Benevolence, had liberally subscribed towards the same; that from the manifest Utility of such an Infirmary, the Petitioners hoped for further Contributions, and that some very considerable Donations had been then already promised, in Case the Success of the Institution should be render'd probable; but that the said Monies could not be conveniently collected, or the Design prosecuted with Vigour, unless a Corporation should be formed for that Purpose; and therefore the Petitioners humbly prayed our Letters Patent, forming a Corporation for the Purposes aforesaid:Which in Con­sideration of its beneficial Tend­ency is NOW WE taking into our Royal Consi­deration the beneficial Tendency of such an Institution within our said City, calculated for relieving the Diseases of the Indigent, and preserving the Lives of many useful Members of the Community,granted. are graciously pleased to grant the said humble Request of our said loving [Page 4] Subjects; KNOW YE THEREFORE, That we, of our special Grace, certain Knowledge and meer Motion, HAVE Willed, Given, Granted, Ordained, Constituted and appointed, and by these Presents, for us, our Heirs and Successors, DO Will, Give, Grant, Ordain, Constitute and Appoint,Members of the Corporation named. That the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen and Assistants of our City of New-York, in America, now and for the Time being; the Rector of Trinity Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the President of King's College in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Senior Minister of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Minister of the ancient Lutheran Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Minister of the French Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Senior Minister of the Presbyterian Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Minister of the Moravian Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Minister of the German Reform'd Calvinist Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Minister of the New Lutheran Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Minister of the Anabaptist Congregation in our said City, now and for the Time being; the Minister of the Scotch: Presbyterian Church in our said City, now and for the Time being; and Sir William Johnson, Baronet, John Fothergill, of our City of London, in our Kingdom of Great-Britain, Physician; Daniel Hors­manden, John Watts, Oliver De Lancey, Charles Ward Apthorp, Roger Morris, William Smith, Hugh Wallace, Henry White, Ro­bert R. Livingston, Andrew Elliott, Archibald Kennedy, Abraham Mortier, Philip Livingston, William Axtell, James Duane, John Morin Scott, Leonard Lispenard, Simon Johnson, Thomas Smith, William Bayard, Walter Rutherford, Alexander Colden, John Van Cortland, Augustus Van Cortland, William Livingston, Abraham Mesier, Richard Morris, John Bogert, and John Moore, all of our said City of New-York, Esquires; Abraham Lott, Esquire, Trea­surer of our said Province; Peter Van Brugh Livingston, David Clarkson, Walter Franklin, Gerard William Beekman, William M'Adam, George Bowne, Nathaniel Marston, Lawrence Kortright, George Folliott, David Provoost, Cornelius Clopper, John Myer, David Van Horne, Thomas White, Charles M'Evers, Isaac Low, John Beekman, Richard Sharpe, Thomas Pearsall, Joshua Delaplane, Samuel Bowne, Isaac Sears, Samuel Broome, John Thurman, Jacob Watson, Lewis Pintard, Gerardus Duyckinck, James Beekman, Peter Goelet, William Ludlow, Nicholas Stuyvesant, John Harris [Page 5] Cruger, John Wetherhead, Theophilact Bache, Samuel Verplank, John Crook, Grove Bend, John Alsop, Casper Wistar, Isaac Roose­velt, Evert Bancker, Gerrardus De Peyster, Henry Rutgers the younger, Henry Haydock, Gabriel H. Ludlow, Isaac Corsa, Thomas Buchannan, Andrew Barclay, John Livingston, Augustus Van Horne, Joseph Hallet, Peter Kettletas, Jacob Le Roy, and Abraham Duryee, all of our said City of New-York, Merchants; William Brownejohn, of our said City of New-York, Druggist: John Leake, of our said City of New-York, Mariner; George Harrison, of our said City of New-York, Brewer; Walter Du Bois, and Nicholas Jones, both of our said City of New-York, Gentlemen; and Francis Bassett, of our said City of New-York, Pewterer; and such other Persons as shall be elected and admitted hereafter Members of the Corporation hereby erected,and incorpora­ted. be, and for ever hereafter shall be, by Virtue of these Presents, One Body Corporate and Politic, in Deed, Fact and Name,Name of the Hospital. by the Name, Stile and Title of THE SOCIETY OF THE HOSPITAL IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, IN AMERICA, And them and their Successors by the same Name, WE DO by these Presents, really and fully make, erect, create, constitute and declare One Body Politic and Corporate, in Deed, Fact and Name, for ever: AND will give, grant and ordain that they and their Succes­sors, The Society of the Hospital in the City of NEW-YORK in AMERICA, by the same Name,To have per­petual Succes­sion. shall and may have perpetual Succession; and shall and may, by the same Name, be Persons capable in the Law to sue and be sued,Capable to sue and be sued. implead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended in all Courts, and elsewhere, in all Manner of Actions, Suits, Complaints, Pleas, Causes, Matters, and Demands whatsoever, as fully and amply as any other our liege Subjects of our said Province of New-York, may or can sue or be sued, implead or be impleaded, defend or be defended by any lawful Ways or Means whatsoever. AND, that they and their Successors, by the same Name, shall for ever hereafter be Persons capable and able in the Law to purchase, take, hold, receive and enjoy to them and their Successors,May hold Estates, any Messuages, Tenements, Houses and real Estate whatsoever, and all other Here­ditaments of whatsoever Nature, Kind and Quality they be, in Fee Simple, for Term of Life or Lives, or in any other Manner howso­ever. AND, also any Goods, Chattels and personal Estate whatso­ever. Provided always, provided the clear yearly in­come does not exceed £ 5000 Sterling. the clear yearly Value of the said real Estate doth not at any Time exceed the Sum of Five Thousand Pounds Ster­ling, lawful Money of our Kingdom of Great-Britain, above all Out­goings [Page 6] and Reprises. AND, that they and their Successors, by the same Name, shall have full Power and Authority to give, grant, sell, lease,The Corpora­tion may lease and sell Estates, demise and dispose of the same real Estate and Hereditaments whatsoever, for Life or Lives, or Years, or for ever. AND also all Goods, Chattels, and personal Estate whatsoever, at their Will and Pleasure, as they shall judge to be most beneficial and advantageous to the good and charitable Ends and Purposes above mentioned. AND, that it shall and may be lawful for them and their Successors, for ever hereafter,and have a Seal. to have a common Seal to serve for the Causes and Business of them and their Successors, and the same Seal to change, alter, break and make new, from Time to Time, at their Will and Pleasure.When Ground is obtained, they may build an Hospital, AND our Royal Will and Pleasure is, That when our said Corporation hereby erected, shall have acquired by the Aid of the Legislature of our said Province of New-York, by the generous Donations of the Benevolent, or otherwise, a proper and convenient Piece of Ground in and near our said City of New-York, and Funds sufficient, without injuring the said Charity, to admit of the erecting an Hospital for the Reception and Relief of sick and diseased Persons, that the said Society do erect within our said City of New-York, an Hospital for the said Purposes; which we will shall for ever hereafter be called by the Name of,which shall be called the New-York Hospital. THE NEW-YORK HOSPITAL. AND that it shall and may be lawful for our said Corporation, from Time to Time, and at all Times hereafter, to erect for their Use and Con­venience, any other House, Houses or Buildings whatever. AND, for the better carrying into Execution the Purposes aforesaid,For the more orderly Govern­ment of the So­ciety, there shall always be Twen­ty six Governors. our royal Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our Heirs and Successors, give and grant, to The Society of the Hospital in the City of NEW-YORK in AMERICA, and their Successors for ever, that there shall be forever hereafter belonging to our said Corporation, Twenty-six Governors of the said Hospital and Corporation, of whom there shall be taken and had one President,A President and Vice-Presi­dent. and one Vice-President, and who shall conduct and manage the Affairs and Business of the said Hospital and Corporation, in Manner as hereafter is declared and appointed. AND also, that there shall be forever hereafter, one or more Treasurer or Treasurers,A Treasurer and Secretary. and one Secretary, belonging to our said Corporation. AND for the more immediate carrying into Exe­cution our Royal Will and Pleasure herein, we do hereby assign, con­stitute and appoint the aforesaid John Watts, Oliver De Lancey, Charles Ward Apthorp,First Governors of the Corpora­tion named. Roger Morris, William Smith, Hugh Wallace, Henry White, Robert R. Livingston, Whitehead Hicks, Mayor of our said City of New-York, Andrew Elliot, Archibald Kennedy, Peter Van [Page 7] Brugh Livingston, David Clarkson, Abraham Mortier, Abraham Lott, Walter Franklin, Leonard Lispenard, Gerardus William Beekman, Philip Livingston, William M'Adam, George Bowne, William Axtell, Doctor John Fothergill, Nathaniel Marston, Law­rence Kortright, and George Folliot, to be the present Governors of the said Hospital and Corporation; the aforesaid John Watts,President, Vice-President, Trea­surer and Secre­tary named, wh­ere to remain in Office to to be the present President; and the aforesaid Andrew Elliott, to be the present Vice-President; the aforesaid Peter Van Brugh Livingston, to be the present Treasurer; and the aforesaid John Moore, to be the present Secretary of our Corporation hereby erected. Which said Governors, President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary, shall hold,the 3d Tuesday in May, 1772. possess and enjoy their said respective Offices until the third Tuesday in May now next ensuing. AND, for the keeping up the Succession in the said Offices, our royal Will and Pleasure is,And for keep­ing up a Succes­sion, the Society is to meet for the Election of new Officers, and we do hereby for us, our Heirs and Successors, establish, direct, and require of and give and grant to the said Society of the Hospital in the City of NEW-YORK in AMERICA, and their Successors, for ever, that on the said third Tuesday in May now next ensuing,the 3d Tuesday in May annually, and yearly, and every Year for ever thereafter on the third Tuesday in May in every Year, they and their Successors, shall meet at the said Hospital, or at some other convenient Place in our said City of New-York, to be fixed and ascertained by some of the Bye Laws or Regulations of our said Corporation,to elect by Ballot or otherwise, and there, by the Majority of such of them as shall be directed and established by any the Bye Laws or Regulations of our said Corporation, elect and choose Twenty-six of their Mem­bers,and out of the Governors cho­sen, to elect a President and Vice-President, for the ensuing Year. to be Governors of our said Corporation and Hospital for the ensuing Year: And also out of the said Governors so elected and chosen, shall elect and choose as aforesaid, one President and one Vice-President, of our said Corporation, for the ensuing Year. AND also, shall then and there,And out of the Governors or Members choose a Treasurer. elect and choose, as aforesaid, one or more of the said Governors or Members at large, of our said Corporation, to be Treasurer or Treasurers of our said Corporation for the ensuing Year,And out of the Members, a Se­cretary. and another of the said Members to be Secretary for the ensu­ing Year. Which said Governors, and other the Officers aforesaid, of our said Corporation,The new cho­sen Governors and Officers, to enter immedi­ately on their Duty, and re­main in Office one Year, or till others be chosen in their Stead. so elected, shall immediately enter upon their respective Offices, and hold, exercise and enjoy the same respectively, from the Time of such Elections for and during the space of one Year, and until other fit Persons shall be elected and chosen in their respective Places, according to the Laws and Regulations aforesaid. AND, in Case any of the said Persons by these Presents nominated and ap­pointed [Page 8] to the respective Offices aforesaid,In Case of the Death, Remo­val, Refusal, or Neglect of Offi­cers, others to be chosen in their Stead, within thirty Days after such Contingen­ty. or who shall hereafter be elected and chosen thereto, respectively, shall die, or on any Account be removed from such Offices, respectively, before the Time of their respective appointed Services shall be expired, or refuse or neglect to act in and execute the Office for which he or they shall be so elected and chosen, or is or are herein nominated and appointed; then our royal Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby direct, ordain and require our said Corporation, to meet at the Place for the Time being ap­pointed, for the said annual Elections, and choose other or others of the Members of our said Corporation, in the Place and Stead of him or them so dying, removed, refusing or neglecting to act, within Thirty Days next after such Contingency: AND in this Case, for the more due and orderly conducting such Elections, and to prevent any undue Proceedings therein,To prevent un­due Practices in such Elections, the President or Vice-President, with five of the Governors, we do hereby give full Power and Authority to, and ordain and require, that upon every Vacancy in the Office of President, the Vice-President, and any Five of the Go­vernors of our said Corporation and Hospital, for the Time being: and upon every Vacancy in the Office of Vice-President, Governor, and in any other the Offices aforesaid, the President, and any Five of the said Governors for the Time being, shall appoint the Time for such Election and Elections, and cause public Notice thereof to be given, by publishing the same in one or more of the Public News-Papers printed in this Colony,to give seven Days Notice in the News-Pa­pers, of the Day and Place ap­pointed for hold­ing the Election, at least Seven Days before the Day appointed for such Election; or in Case it shall so happen that at any Time or Times hereafter, there be no such News-Papers printed in this Colony, then by affixing up Notices in Writing, at the least Seven Days before the Day appointed for such Election; at two or more of the most public Places in our said City of New-York; HEREBY giving and granting that such Person and Persons as shall be so chosen from Time to Time,and the Persons then chosen, to hold their Offi­cers from the Time of Elec­tion by the Majority of such of the Members of our said Corporation as shall, in such Case, meet in Manner hereby directed, by Ballot, or in such other Manner and Form as shall be directed by any the Bye Laws or Regulations of our said Corporation, shall have, hold, exercise and enjoy such the Office or Offices to which he or they shall be so elected and chosen,until the third Tuesday in May then next follow­ing. from the Time of such Elec­tion until the Third Tuesday in May thence next ensuing, and until other or others be legally chosen in his or their Place or Stead, as fully and amply as the Person or Persons in whose Place he or they shall be chosen,Which Method of Election for filling up Va­cancies to be al­ways practised. could or might have done by Virtue of these Presents. AND we do hereby will and direct, that this Method shall for ever hereafter be used for the filling up all Vacancies in the said Offices, [Page 9] between the annual Elections above directed: Provided nevertheless, But no Person shall at such E­lections, or the annual Elec­tions, be chosen President, or Vice-President, unless he be a Governor. That as well in the Elections last mentioned, as in the annual Elections above mentioned, no Person shall be elected to the Office of Presi­dent, or Vice-President, unless he then be a Governor of our said Corporation and Hospital.—AND our Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our Heirs and Successors, direct, ordain and require,The President, Vice-President, Governors, Treasurer and Secretary, to be elected, shall, be­fore they enter on their respec­tive Others take an Oath or Af­firmation, for the faithful Ex­ecution thereof. that every President, Vice-President, Governor, Treasurer and Secretary of our said Corporation, to be elected by Virtue of these Presents, shall, before they act in their respective Offices, take an Oath, (or if any of them shall be of the People called Quakers, or Unitas Fratrum, an Affirmation) to be to them administered by the President, or Vice-President of our said Corporation for the Time being, or of the preceding Year, (who are hereby severally authorised to administer the same) for the faithful and due Execution of their respective Offices, during their Continuance in the same, respectively. AND further, our royal Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our Heirs and Successors, ordain and appoint, and give and grant to The Society of the Hospital in the City of NEW-YORK in AMERICA, that the President of the said Corporation for the Time being,The President, or in his Ab­sence, the Vice-President and in Case of a Vacancy in the said Office of President, or in Case of his Sickness or Absence, the Vice-President of our said Corporation shall, and may, from Time to Time, as Occasion may require, summon and call together, at such Days and Places within our said City of New-York, as they shall respectively think proper,may summon the Governors to meet, the Governors of the said Corporation and Hospital for the Time being, giving them at the least One Day's Notice thereof; and we do hereby require them to meet accordingly, and give, grant, and ordain,giving at least one Day's No­tice. that any Seven or more of the said Governors of our said Corporation, being so con­vened together,Seven of the Governors, of where the Pre­sident or Vice-President, to be always [...], shall make a Quorum, of whom the President of our said Corporation for the Time being, or in Case of a Vacancy in the said Office, or the Sickness or Absence of the said President, the Vice-President for the Time being, shall always be one, shall for ever hereafter be a legal Meeting of the said Corporation; and they, or the major Part of them so met,have Power to adjourn, shall have full Power and Authority to adjourn from Day to Day, or for any other Time, as the Business of our said Cor­poration may require;and transact the [...] of the Corporation, and to do, execute, transact, manage and perform, in the Name of our said Corporation, all and every Act and Acts, Thing and Things whatsoever, which our said Corporation are or shall, by Virtue of these our Letters Patent, be authorised to do, act, transact, manage and perform, in as full and ample Manner as if all and every the Governors and Members of the said Corporation were [Page 10] present, [...] the [...] Gover­nors and other Officers, and consenting thereto: SAVING AND EXCEPT ALWAYS the Electing of Governors, and other the Officers above mentioned of our said Corporation: And also, SAVING AND EXCEPT the giving, granting,and except greating [...] Year selling, or otherwise aliening any of the Estate, real or per­sonal, of our said Corporation; and the leasing, demising or disposing of any the Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments, real or mixed Estate of our said Corporation, for any longer Term or Time than one Year: our royal Will and Pleasure being, [...] that none of the Estate real, personal or mixed, of our said Corporation, be sold, or in any wise aliened, but by and with the Concurrence and Approbation of the Majority of the whole Number of the Governors of our said Corpo­ration for the Time being, first obtained at some legal Meeting of our said Corporation. AND, that none of the real or mixed Estate of our said Corporation be leased, demised, or in any wise disposed of, for any longer Term than one Year, without the like Concurrence and Approbation of the Majority of the whole Number of the Go­vernors of our said Corporation for the Time being, first obtained as aforesaid. AND FURTHER, we do hereby for us, our Heirs and Successors, ordain and appoint, and give and grant to The Society of the Hospital in the City of NEW-YORK in AMERICA, that at any, and every such legal Meeting of any Seven or more of the Governors of our said Corporation, [...] of whom the President of our said Corporation for the Time being, or in Case of a Vacancy in the said Office, or the Sickness or Absence of the said President, the Vice-President for the Time being, shall always be one, it shall and may be lawful for them, in Writing, under the common Seal of our said Corporation, to make, [...] the Seal of the C [...] ­tion, make Bye Laws, for the good Govern­ment thereof; of its Members, Officers, and Servants and of the Patients to be admitted. frame, constitute, establish and ordain, from Time to Time, and at all Times hereafter, such Laws, Constitutions, Ordinances, Regula­tions and Statutes for the better government of the Officers, Members, and Servants of the said Corporation, and of the Patients from Time to Time admitted into the said Hospital; for fixing and ascertaining the Places of Meeting of our said Corporation, on the Days and Times of the Elections above mentioned: and for regulating the Mode and Manner of making such,The Places and Made of Elec­tions. and all other the Elections in our said Cor­poration;The Manage­ment and Dispo­sition of the [...] and Cha­rities, and all [...] Business, [...] of the Corporation, and the [...] again repeal and amend. the Management and Disposition of the Funds and Charities, and all other the Business and Affairs whatever of our said Corporation, as they, or the major Part of them, so legally met, shall judge best for the general Good of the said Corporation, and profitable for the more effectual promoting the charitable and beneficial Designs of the said Corporation: And the same, or any of them, to alter, amend or repeal from Time to Time, as they, or the major Part of them [Page 11] so met as aforesaid, shall judge most conducive to the Benefit of the said Charity; PROVIDED such Laws, Constitutions, Regulations,Such Bye Laws not to be repug­nant to the Laws of England or this Colony. Ordinances, and Statutes, be not repugnant to the Laws of that Part of our Kingdom of Great-Britain called England nor of this our Province of New-York. AND WE DO FURTHER WILL AND GRANT,The Governors to appoint the Number of Phy­sicians and Sur­geons to attend the Patients, That the said Governors of the said Corporation for the Time being, or any Seven or more of them, so legally met and con­vened as aforesaid, of whom the President, or Vice-President, for the Time being, shall always be one, as aforesaid, shall have the full and sole Power and Authority for ever hereafter, by the Majority of their Voices from Time to Time, to elect, nominate and appoint such and so many Physicians and Surgeons, as they shall judge necessary to attend the said Hospital, and the sick and diseased Patients from Time to Time admitted to the Benefits of the said Charity; and to appoint the Physicians and Surgeons so elected, their respective Powers, Au­thorities, Business, Trusts and Attendances; and also to appoint an Apothecary,also an Apothe­cary, a Steward and Matron, a Steward, and Matron, of and for the said Hospital; and from Time to Time to appoint them, the said Apothecary, Steward, and Matron, and each of them, their respective Powers, Authorities, Business, Trusts, and Attendances; and to displace and discharge the Apothecary,and again dis­place and ap­point others in their Stead. Steward, and Matron, from the Service of the said Hospital, and to nominate and appoint other or others in their Places and Stead. AND WE DO FURTHER, of our especial Grace, certain Knowledge, and meer Motion, for us, our Heirs and Successors, grant and ordain, that when, and as often as any President, Vice-President,The President, Vice-President, Governor, Trea­surer, Secretary, Physician or Surgeon, incapa­ble of serving orf misdemeaning himself, Governor, Treasurer, Secretary, Physician, or Sur­geon of the said Corporation, shall become unfit or incapable to exe­cute their said Offices, respectively, or shall misdemean themselves in their said Offices, respectively, contrary to any the Bye Laws or Regulations of our said Corporation, or refuse or neglect the Execu­tion thereof, and thereupon a Complaint or Charge in Writing, shall be exhibited, against him or them, by any Member of our said Corpo­ration, at any legal Meeting of the Governors of our said Corporation and Hospital, as aforesaid, that it shall and may be lawful for the President, or Vice-President and Governors, or the major Part of them [...], or at any other legal Meeting of our said Corporation from Time to Time,may upon Com­plaint, Exami­nation, and due Proof, be sus­pended, and upon Examination and due Proof, to sus­pend or discharge such President, Vice-President, Governor, Trea­surer, Secretary, Physician, or Surgeon, from their Offices respect­ively, altho' the yearly or other Time for their respective Services, shall not be expired; any Thing before in these Presents contained to [Page 12] the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding;—Provided always, That no President, Vice-President, Governor, Physician, or Surgeon, shall be suspended or discharged at any Meeting, without the Con­currence and Approbation of the Majority of the whole Number of the Governors of the said Corporation,by a Majority of Governors. nor without having a Copy of the Complaint or Charge against him, at least Six Days before such Examination; and an Opportunity to be fully heard in his Defence. AND for the keeping up and preserving for ever here­after, a Succession of Members for the said Corporation, our Will and Pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our Heirs and Successors, ordain, give, and grant, to The Society of the Hospital in the City of NEW-YORK in AMERICA,The Governors in legal Meeting [...] and their Successors, for ever, that it shall and may be lawful at all Time and Times hereafter, for ever, for any Seven or more of the Governors of our said Corporation, for the Time being, of whom we Will the President, or in Case of his Absence, Sickness, or a Vacancy in the said Office of President, the Vice-President of the said Corporation, shall always be one, being convened and met together as aforesaid, so as to be a legal Meeting of our said Corporation, as above mentioned, to elect and choose by the Majority of their Voices, and in such Manner and Form, and upon such Terms and Conditions, [...] Majority of Voices, choose [...] Members, as shall be directed, ordained and establish'd for that Purpose, by any the said Bye Laws, Statutes, Constitutions or Ordinances of the said Corporation, and admit under the common Seal of our said Corporation,and under their Seal admit as many as they shall deem bene­ficial to the Society. such, and so many Persons, to be Members of the said Corporation, as they shall think beneficial to the laudable Designs of the said Corporation. Which Persons, and every of them so from Time to Time elected, chosen, and admitted, shall, by Virtue thereof, and of these Presents, be vested with all the Powers, Authorities and Privileges, which any Member of the said Corporation is hereby invested with.The Governors to render Ac­counts to the General Assem­bly, of all their Proceedings, when thereunto required AND our Will and Plea­sure further is, that the said Governors of the said Corporation and Hospital, shall yearly and every Year, give an Account in Writing, of the several Sums of Money by them received and expended by Virtue of these Presents, or any Authority hereby given; and of the Management, Application and Disposition of the Revenues and Charities aforesaid, to the General Assembly of our said Province, for the Time being, or to such Person or Persons as the said General Assembly shall, from Time to Time, appoint to receive and audit the same Accounts, when they the Governors of our said Hospital shall be thereunto required by the said General Assembly of our said Province. AND FURTHER, we do by these Presents, for us, our [Page 13] Heirs and Successors, give and grant, unto the said Society of the Hospital in the City of New-York in AMERICA, and their Successors for ever,The Charter to be construed in favour of the Society, that this our present CHARTER, shall be deemed, ad­judged and construed in all Cases, most favourably, and for the best Benefit and Advantage of our said Corporation, and for the pro­moting the good Ends and Designs of this charitable Institution; And that this our present Grant,and being enter­ed on Record, shall be effectual in the Law. being enter'd on Record, as is herein after expressed, shall be for ever hereafter, good and effectual in the Law, according to our royal Intent and Meaning herein before declared; and without any other Licence, Grant or Confirmation from us, our Heirs or Successors, hereafter by the said Corporation to be had or obtained, notwithstanding any Mis-recitals, Non-recitals, not-naming, or mis-naming, or any of the aforesaid Offices, Franchises, Privileges, Immunities, or other the Premises, or any of them; and altho' no Writ of ad quad Damnum, or other Writs, Inquisitions, or Precepts hath been upon this Occasion had, made, issued or prosecuted; any Statute, Act, Ordinance, or Provision, or other Matter or Thing to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. IN TESTIMONY whereof, we have caused these our Letters to be made Patent, and the Great Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed, and the some to be enter'd of Record, in our Secretary's Office for our said Province of New-York, in one of the Books of Patents there remaining. WITNESS our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin, JOHN, EARL of DUNMORE, our Captain General and Governor in Chief, in and over our said Province of New-York, and the Territories depend­ing thereon in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the same at our Fort in our City of New-York, by and with the Advice and Con­sent of our Council for our said Province of New-York, the Thirteenth Day of June, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-one, and of our Reign the Eleventh.