The Society incorporated. WHEREAS it hath been represented to us that it is expedient that the constitution of the Society should be so modified, as that the Members thereof should not possess any individual right of property in its capital or possessions, rents or income, but that the whole capital and possessions and the rents and income thereof, should be applicable to the general purposes of the Society in promoting professional improvement, and facilitating the acquisition of legal knowledge: AND WHEREAS by a deed or writing under the Common Seal of "The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors, and others not being Barristers, practising in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom," bearing date the 22d day of February, in the Eighth Year of our Reign, and enrolled of Record in our High Court of Chancery on the 24th day of February, in the said Eighth Year of our Reign, the Society have surrendered into our hands the Charter of Incorporation, so granted to them by our Royal predecessor King William the Fourth, on the 22d day of December, in the Second Year of his Reign: AND WHEREAS our trusty and well beloved Edward Foss, and Michael Clayton, two of the Members of the Society, have by their petition humbly besought us to grant to them and to the several other persons who were Members of the Society at the time when their Charter of Incorporation was surrendered into our hands, and to such other persons as shall be appointed and elected Members of the Society as hereinafter mentioned, our Royal Charter of Incorporation for the better carrying into effect the professional purposes for which the Society was originally constituted: I. NOW THEREFORE KNOW YE, that we being graciously pleased to grant to the said petitioners their said request, of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have willed, granted, constituted, declared, and appointed, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, do will, grant, constitute, declare, and appoint, that they the said Edward Foss and Michael Clayton, and the several other persons who were members of the Society at the time when their Charter of Incorporation was surrendered into our hands, and all such other persons being Attorneys, Solicitors, or Proctors, practising within our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or Writers to the Signet, or Writers in poration. our Courts of Justice in that part of our United Kingdom called Scotland, or being persons who shall have practised as Attorneys, Solicitors, or Proctors, within our United Kingdom, or as Writers to the Signet, or Writers in our Courts of Justice in Scotland, and shall have voluntarily retired from such practice (not being Barristers) as shall from time to time be elected Members of the Society in the manner hereinafter directed, and their respective successors, shall for ever hereafter be, and be called, one body politic and corporate, in deed and in law by the name and style of "The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors, and others not being Barristers, practising in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom," and them by the name and style of "The Name of the CorSociety of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors, and others not being Barristers, practising in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom," We do, for us, our heirs and successors, make, erect, ordain and constitute, establish, confirm, and declare, to be one body politic and corporate, in deed and in law for ever. And we do, for us, our heirs and successors, grant and declare, that by the name of "The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors and others not being Barristers, practising in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom," they and their successors shall and may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, Society may sue answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in whatsoever courts and places, and before any Judges, Justices, or Officers of us, our heirs and successors, in all and singular actions, pleas, suits, plaints, matters, and demands, of what kind or quality soever they shall be, in the same manner and form, and as fully and amply, as any of our subjects of this our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland may or can do. II. And that they, "The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, May use a ComProctors, and others not being Barristers, practising in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom," shall and may have and use a Common Seal for the affairs and business of the Society; and that it shall and may be lawful for the Society, and their successors, the same Common Seal from time to time at their will and pleasure to break, change, alter, or make new, as to them shall seem expedient. and be sued. mon Seal. To have perpetual succession. May purchase land, &c. to a limited extent; and sell the same. Bodies Politic and Corporate empowered to give land to the Society. III. And we do, for us, our heirs and successors, grant and declare, that by the same name of "The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors, and others not being Barristers, practising in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom," they shall have perpetual succession, and at all times hereafter shall be able and capable in law, notwithstanding the statutes of mortmain, to purchase, acquire, have, take, hold, receive, and enjoy, to them and their successors, in perpetuity, or for any terms of lives or years, or other estate, any messuages, lands, tenements, rents, possessions, and hereditaments, of what nature or kind soever, the yearly value of which shall not exceed in the whole, at any one time, the sum of five 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 also all manner of goods, chattels and things whatsoever of what nature or value soever, which they may think requisite for the purposes of the said Society. IV. And also, from time to time to sell, grant, demise, exchange, and dispose of or mortgage any of the same messuages, lands, tenements, rents, possessions, and hereditaments, wherein they shall have any estate or interest, or which they shall so acquire as aforesaid: but that no sale, mortgage, incumbrance, or other disposition of any messuages, lands, tenements, or hereditaments belonging to the Society shall be made except with the approbation and concurrence of a General Meeting. V. And we do hereby, for us, our heirs and successors, give and grant special licence, power, faculty, and authority, to any person or persons, bodies politic and corporate, their heirs and successors, respectively, to give, grant, sell, alien, assign, dispose or devise in mortmain, in perpetuity or otherwise, to or to the use and benefit of, or in trust for, "The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors, and others not being Barristers, practising in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom," and their successors, any messuages, lands, tenements, rents, and hereditaments, not exceeding (with the lands so purchased or previously acquired, and then held by the said Society) such yearly value as aforesaid. And also any sum or sums of money, goods, chattels, stocks in the public funds, securities for money, and other personal estate, to be laid out and disposed of in the purchase of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, not exceeding the like yearly value, for the purposes of the Society. VI. And we do further will and declare that, in case any Member of the Society shall, in consequence of the order of any Court of competent Judicature, be rendered incapable by reason of malpractice, or other professional misconduct, of practising in our Courts of Justice or any of them, such person shall forthwith cease to be a member of the Society. VII. And we do hereby grant and declare, that the number of Members of the Society shall be indefinite, and that the other persons who were Members of the Society at the time when their Charter of Incorporation was surrendered into our hands, shall be the first Members of the Society. VIII. And we do further grant and declare that, for the better rule and government of the Society, and for the better direction and management of the concerns thereof, there shall be a Council of the Society, to be elected from among such of the Members of the said Society as shall be Attorneys, Solicitors, or Proctors practising in England, and a President and a Vice-President of the Society to be elected from the Council, and that such Council, including the President and Vice-President, shall consist of not more than thirty, nor less than twenty Members. IX. And we do further declare and appoint that the said Michael Clayton shall be the first President of the Society, and Edward Rowland Pickering shall be the first VicePresident of the Society, and that the said Michael Clayton and Edward Rowland Pickering, together with Samuel Amory, Benjamin Austen, Robert Riddell Bayley, Thomas Clarke, William Loxham Farrer, John Irving Glennie, John Swarbreck Gregory, Richard Harrison, Bryan Holme, Edward Lawford, William Lowe, Robert Wheatley Lumley, Thomas Metcalfe, John Innes Pocock, Charles Ranken, Charles Shadwell, John Teesdale, William Tooke, Richard White, Robert Whitmore, Edward Archer Wilde, and Thomas Wing, shall be Members of the first Council until the first General Meeting of the Society for the Election of the President, Vice-President, and the Council, shall be held in pursuance of these presents. X. And we further will and declare, that the Council of Powers of the General Meetings may make bye. laws, the Society shall have power from time to time at their Meetings, to be held at the times and places to be directed by the Bye-laws of the Society, to appoint and elect in the manner to be directed by such Bye-laws, such persons as they shall think fit, being Attorneys, Solicitors, or Proctors practising within our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or Writers to the Signet, or Writers in our Courts of Justice in that part of our United Kingdom called Scotland, or being persons who shall have practised as Attorneys, Solicitors, or Proctors, within our United Kingdom, or as Writers to the Signet, or as Writers in our Courts of Justice in Scotland, and shall have voluntarily retired from such practice (not being Barristers) to be Members of the Society. XI. And we further will, that subject and without prejudice to the powers hereinafter vested in the General Meetings of the Society, the Council shall have the sole and entire management of the Society and of the income and property thereof, for the uses, purposes, and benefit of the Society, and shall have the sole and exclusive right of nominating and appointing a Secretary, Librarian, and such other Officers, Clerks, Attendants, and Servants as they may deem necessary or useful to the Society, and of removing them if they shall think fit, and shall prescribe their respective duties: And that it shall and may be lawful for the Council, or any five or more of them, to assemble and meet together when and as often as they shall think fit until the passing of the Bye-laws of the Society, and from and after the passing of such Bye-laws at such times and places as shall be directed by the said Bye-laws, and from time to time to do all such acts as shall appear to them, or the majority of the Council then present, necessary or fitting to be done, in order to carry into full operation and effect the object and purposes of the Society, so always that the same be not inconsistent with, or repugnant to, the provisions of this our Charter, or any existing Bye-law, Ordinance, or Regulation made, ordered, or agreed upon, at any General Meeting of the Members of the Society, or the Laws and Statutes of this our Realm. XII. And we do hereby further grant and declare, that at any General Meeting it shall and may be lawful for the Members of the Society, or such of them as shall be then present, |