charter

charter document granting certain rights, powers, or functions. It may be issued by the sovereign body of a state to a local governing body, university, or other corporation or by the constituted authority of a society or order to a local unit. The term was widely applied to various royal grants of rights in the Middle Ages and in early modern times. The most famous political charter is the Magna Carta of England. Chartered companies held broad powers of trade and government by royal charter. In colonial America, chartered colonies were in theory, and to an extent in fact, less subject to royal interference than were royal colonies.

charter, the contract for the employment of a merchant ship or yacht. Charters are of two main types: a time charter, in which the owners of the ship provide the crew and all other requirements for operating it; and bare hull, bare pole, or bare boat charter. Hence charter party, the written deed or contract for the hiring for freight of the whole or part of a merchant vessel, for specific voyages or on a time basis.

charter document conveying a privilege or right. XIII. — OF. chartre :- L. chartula, dim. of charta CHART.