Charter of 1650, 1650 May 31

Original charter dated May 31, 1650. The charter is engrossed on sheepskin and signed by Thomas Dudley.

Some Acct. of Sev'l things relating to the College contain'd in ye Charter Laws &c with references to the originals (manuscript partial copy), [1721 October]

Two octavo-sized leaves with four half-page columns containing a handwritten copy, made by President Leverett, of an October 17, 1721 a paper composed by Nicholas Sever and William Welsteed to Judge Samuel Sewall.

Draft of President Leverett's Harvard College charter, [ca. 1723]

Two folio-sized leaves and two octavo-sized leaves containing a handwritten draft of a Harvard Charter in President Leverett's hand. Following a salutation to King George, the text begins, "Whereas there hath been for more than seventy years past in the Town of Cambridge..."

Copy of the Harvard College Charter of 1650 annotated by John Leverett, undated

One leaf containing a two-page handwritten copy of the Harvard College Charter of 1650 with thirteen numbered annotations in President Leverett's hand. The annotations summarize the duties and powers assigned to the President in the Charter.

Harvard College Charter of 1650 (eighteenth-century manuscript copy), undated

Two folio-sized leaves containing a four-page copy of the Harvard College Charter of 1650.

No. 2 Extract from the Charter of 1650, [1799]

Two octavo-sized leaves containing a one-page handwritten copy of the section of the Charter of 1650 providing tax exemptions to Harvard College officers. The transcription is signed as a "True copy" by President Willard.

An Acct of Several things relating to ye Coll: contained in ye Charter Laws &c: w'th references to the Originals (manuscript copy), 1721 October 17

Two folio-sized leaves containing a three-page handwritten report sent by Nicholas Sever and William Welsteed to Judge Samuel Sewall outlining the historical precedence for the Tutors' claims. The body of the text begins, "What we assert in ye first place..."

Remarks on ye Coll: Charter, Laws, & form of Installm't of Fellows (manuscript copy), [1721]

Two folio-sized leaves containing a two-page handwritten copy of a paper in Nicholas Sever's hand outlining his interpretation of Harvard records related to membership in the Harvard Corporation. This item is a different version of another copy in this collection (UAI 20.718 Box 1, Folder 4) The document begins, "When ye College was Incorporated it seems yt: all its Affairs were intirely (sic) put into ye hands of ye Corporation..."

Remarks on ye Coll: Charter, Laws, etc. (manuscript copy), [1721]

One folio-sized leaf containing a two-page handwritten copy of a paper in Nicholas Sever's hand outlining his interpretation of Harvard records related to membership in the Harvard Corporation. This item is a different version of another copy in this collection (UAI 20.718 Box 1, Folder 3) The document begins, "When ye College was Incorporated it seems yt: all its Affairs were intirely (sic) put into ye hands of ye Corporation..."

Sloop Cyrus account for Charter to West Indies, 1793 July 27

One folded folio-sized leaf containing handwritten financial entries compiled by William Winthrop from February 1793 to July 1793. The entry notes that the sloop made a "voyage to the West Indies" between February and May 1793.

The royal charter of King Charles the Second to William Penn, esquire, proprietor of the province of Pennsylvania, 1701

A copy of the charter giving William Penn land in the colonies. Also contains Penn's "Frame of the Government of Pennsylvania in America", the laws he established, and the charter of the city of Philadelphia.

The Report of the Committee appointed to Consid'n of the Memorial of the Overseers of Harvard College, 1722 June 29

Two folio-sized leaves containing a handwritten copy of a June 29, 1722 report created by a Committee of the General Court responding to the June 13, 1722 memorial of the Board of Overseers. The report lists three points declaring that the Charter of 1650 intended the Tutors to be members of the Corporation "provided they exceed not five in number," that none of the Fellows be Overseers, and that the Charter of 1650 did not grant the Corporation the power to set salaries without the consent of the Overseers. The copy notes that the report was read and accepted on June 29, and signed by Governor Samuel Shute on July 2, 1722, with the stipulation that none of the current non-resident Fellows be removed from the Corporation.

Petition of Sever and Welsteed to the General Court (manuscript copy), [1723 June-August]

Two folio-sized leaves containing a two-page handwritten copy of the June 21, 1723 petition of Sever and Welsteed requesting the question of non-resident Fellows in the Corporation be readdressed by the General Court, and a one-page handwritten copy of the answer to the petition passed by the General Court on August 7, 1723. The text of the petition begins "Sheweth that we have formerly represented to the Overseers of the College the Difficulty we were under in the business of it by reason of our not being vested with the power of its Charter..." The petition is incorrectly dated as "June 24th 1722" instead of 1723.

Extract from legislation passed 1799 February 7

One fragment of a leaf containing a handwritten extract from unidentified legislation stipulating that a section of the bill "should not be so construed as to exempt" the real estate of the College or its officers from payment of local taxes beyond that exempted in the Charter of 1650 and the state Constitution. The text includes the note, "passed 7 Feb'y --99" and presumably refers to the bill referenced in President Willard's letter to Samuel Phillips that "passed the House, and is now before the Senate." The section did not become part of the tax law.

No. 12 Copy of Statement of Committee of Cambridge, [1799]

One folio-sized leaf containing a handwritten copy of a transcribed extract from the Charter of 1650 regarding property tax exemption, and followed with accounting figures related to rents and valuations of College properties. The verso has a handwritten paragraph on the unconstitutionality of the taxation practices towards the College.