Mr Willes Attorney General
Sir,
Having laid your letter of yesterday's date before my Lords Commissrs for Trade and Plantations I am commanded to send you the charter granted by King Charles the 2nd to the Proprietors of Carolina their Lordships not knowing of any other authority vested in the said Proprietors to establish laws or constitutions than that contained in the said charter.
I am likewise to acquaint you that there were originally eight Proprietors of Carolina seven of whom have surrendered their rights to the Crown.
And in answer to your third Query “Where the power of making laws for that Province is now vested” I am commanded to send you an Extract of the Commission given to the Governor of North Carolina
under the Great Seal of this Kingdom which is to the same effect as those given to the Governors of all other Plantations under the immediate protection of the Crown.
P. S. I am to desire you will please to return the inclosed printed charter when you transmit your Report