特许状(charter)
由一国最高统治者颁发给个人、团体、城市或其他地方组织的一种文件，内容是赐予某种特权或职务。最有名的特许状就是「大宪章」，它是英王约翰和贵族之间的一种协定，载明国王必须赐予英国百姓某些自由。在中古欧洲，君主通常颁发特许状给市镇、城市、同业公会、商人团体、大学、宗教团体等。这些特许状保证那些团体享有某些特权或免除某些义务，有时还规定它们的内部事务应如何运作。後来君主颁发特许状给海外贸易公司（如东印度公司）可以在特定的区域独占某些生意或管理当地的政务。几乎北美洲所有的英国殖民地都有特许状，容许他们拥有土地并可管理殖民地居民，但留下某些权利给英国国王。现代的特许状有两类︰团体的和城市的。团体特许状是由政府发给一群人，准许他们成立法人团体。城市特许状是政府通过的一项法律，准许某一地区的人民组成一个城市。这种特许状是把国家的一部分权力转移给实行地方自治的人民。
English version：
charter
Document granting certain specified rights, powers, privileges, or functions from the sovereign power of a state to a person, corporation, city, or other unit of local organization. In the Magna Carta, King John granted certain liberties to the English people. Elsewhere in medieval Europe, monarchs issued charters to towns, guilds, universities, and other institutions, granting the institution certain privileges and sometimes specifying how they should conduct their internal affairs. Later, charters were granted to overseas trading companies (e.g., the British East India Co.), granting them monopolies in certain areas. Britain's colonies in North America were established by charter. Modern charters may be corporate or municipal. A corporate charter, issued by a governmental body, grants individuals the power to form a corporation, or limited-liability company. A municipal charter is a law that creates a new political subdivision and allows the people within it to organize themselves into a municipal corporation, in effect delegating to the people the powers of local self-government.
