George the Fourth, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, –to all to whom these presents shall come greeting. Whereas our right trusty and right entirely beloved councillor, Edward Venables, Archbishop of York, Primate of England and Metropolitan; our Lord Almoner; our right trusty and right entirely beloved cousin and councillor, Arthur Duke of Wellington; our right trusty and well beloved councillors, John Fane, commonly called Lord Burghersh, and Sir John Leach, Knight, Vice-Chancellor of England, and others of our loving subjects, have, under our royal patronage, formed themselves into a Society or Institution to promote the cultivation of the science of music, and to afford facilities for attaining perfection in it, by assisting with general instruction all persons desirous of acquiring a knowledge thereof; and having subscribed and collected considerable sums of money for that purpose, have humbly besought us to grant unto them and unto such other persons who are now, or who shall hereafter become, members of the said Society, our royal charter of incorporation for the purposes aforesaid, Now know ye that we, being desirous to promote such object, have, of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, given and granted;