in Law, a written instrument, or evidence of things acted between one person and another. The word charter comes from the Latin charta, anciently used for a public and authentic act, a donation contract, or the like, from the Greek γραφή, thick paper, or pasteboard, on which public acts were wont to be written. Britton divides charters into those of the king and those of private persons.

1. Charters of the king, are those by which the king passes any grant to any person or body politic, as a charter of exemption, of privilege, &c.; charter of pardon, by which a man is forgiven a felony, or other offence committed against the king's crown and dignity; charter of the forest, in which the laws of the forest are comprised, such as the charter of Canutes, &c. 2. Charters of private persons, are deeds and instruments for the conveyance of lands and hereditaments; and the purchaser of lands shall have all the charters, deeds, and evidences, as incident to the same, and for the maintenance of his title.