Translation:VOC charter

The States General of the United Netherlands,

To all those who will be shown this present, salute. Let it be know: As the prosperity of the united Netherlands consists principally of the navigation, trade and commerce, which have been carried on from these countries from time immemorial, and which from time to time have been praiseworthily increased, not only with the neighbouring kingdoms and provinces, but also with those further away from these countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and that in addition and the same in the last ten years, some principal merchants of the aforementioned countries, lovers of navigation, trade and commerce on foreign countries, in company within the City of Amsterdam, established with great expense, effort and perils, have taken in hand the very praiseworthy navigation, trade and commerce on the East Indies:

Having been found to be of good and great value, several other merchants, both in Zeeland, on the Maas, as well as in the Northern Quarter and West Friesland, recently founded similar companies, and took up the aforementioned navigation, trade and commerce: which was considered by Us, and considering how much it was in the interest of the simplified Countries, and the good inhabitants of the same, that this act, navigation and commerce, under a good general order, police, correspondence, and community, should be invested, maintained and increased, we decided to register this to the Directors of the aforementioned Company, and to propose to them, that this be honourable, useful and profitable, not only for the united Lands, but also for all those who had taken a hand in this praiseworthy action and were participating in it, that the said Company be united, and the aforementioned action be held, driven and increased under a fixed and certain unity, order, and police, for all the inhabitants of the united Lands who wished to participate:

which was understood by the Delegates of the Company, and therefore, after various communications, deliberations, inductions and reports, having been brought to a consensus, we have, after lengthy deliberations, held a meeting to promote the welfare of the united Lands, jointly for the benefit of all the inhabitants of the same, we hereby aggregate and confirm the aforesaid unification, hereby aggregate and confirm, by sovereign authority, also with full knowledge, under the terms, privileges and advantages, as hereby declared. As in the first.