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Great Britain’s charters bore the likenesses of monarchs on the first
page in the upper left corner, embellished with pre-printed borders on
each page symbolizing the shields of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland,
and France (an archaic reference to England’s wars with France centuries
earlier). The text of the king’s message to Penn required four pages. On March 4, 1681, the Lord Chancellor, custodian of the Great Seal of England, authorized its placement upon Penn's Charter. Hence, this date (and not February 25, the date of the king's approval), is considered the official date of the grant. A braided cord, probably of silk, was threaded through three small holes
cut through the lower center The seal was prepared with a green pigment, indicating that it was a charter. (Red seals were usually used for other official documents.) The fragile wax seal was placed in a skippet, a small round metal box, to protect it. The document was then folded in thirds, lengthwise and widthwise, and the cord and seal wound around it. So prepared, it was presented to William Penn.
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