Page:A Collection of Charters and Statutes relating to the East India Company.pdf/13

 Fifth Charter, dated 9th August 1683

OR the more effectually preventing and punishing Interlopers residing at or trading to the East Indies without Licence, the King, by this Charter, impowers the Company, their Factors, &c. to seize all Ships and Goods brought from or carried to any Place within the Limits of the Company's exclusive Trade, granting to the Company one Moiety of the Forfitures, and reserving the other Moiety to the Crown.

Also that the Governor and Company shall have the Rule and Government of all Forts, Factories, and Plantations, already or thereafter to be settled by the Company within the Limits, aforesaid, with the Power of making and declaring Peace and War with the Heathen Nations, and the Appointment of Governors, &c. which Governors, &c. may muster Forces and execute Martial Law it) India; the King nevertheless reserving the Sovereign Right over the said Forts, &c. and Power of making Peace and War when he shall think fit to interpose His Royal Authority. Also a Power to the Company to erect Courts of Judicature in any of the Settlements, and to appoint Judges thereof, who are to determine according to Equity and good Conscience, and the Laws and Customs of Merchants, &c.And lastly, the King grants that the Company shall enjoy all Privileges in the City of London, in as large a Manner as may be enjoyed by any Company of Merchants erected by Charter.

Sixth Charter, dated 12th April, 1686.

HE Interlopers in India having become very numerous and created great Disturbances there, and by setting themselves up as the true Company, incited the Mogul's People to make War on the Company in Bengal to their great Detriment, and the hazard of being deprived of their Privileges of Trade granted them by the Country Powers, a Ship of War was dispatched to India, with the King's Proclamation,  injoining all his Subjects in India to repair to the Company's Forts and Factories, and to submit to their Jurisdiction, with Orders to sezie all, Interlopers and for enlarging and corroborating the Company's Authorities, the King granted them this new Charter,  whereby he ratifies all the preceding Charters for ever in their fullest Extent, notwith­standing any Nonuser, Misuser, or Abuser: And further Grants to the Company, and their respective Presidents, Agents, Chiefs, and Councils in India, or to any Three of them, (whereof Such President, Agent, or Chief, to be One)  Power to administer to all Persons employed by the Company, the Oath taken by the Freemen of the Company, and such other lawful Oaths as the Court of Directors should prescribe;  Also a Power to exercise Martial Law at Saint Helena, and the Company's Fort of Pryarnan on the West Coast of Sumatra, as well as in all their other Limits. And the King's Majesty having been given to understand that many of the native Princes and Governors of India, &c. taking opportunity of the Divisions, Distractions, or Rebellions amongst the.English, occasioned by the late licentious trading of Interlopers, have of late violated many of the Company's Privileges, surprised their Servants, Ships and Goods, besieged their Factories, invaded their Liberties, Mid by many other Ways, without just Cause, abused their Chiefs and Factors, to the Dishonour of the English Nation; for all which the Company intends to demand Satisfaction in a peaceable Way; and if not obtained that Way, to Use Force of Arms, wherein they will have Occasion to use their Ships in a warlike Manner. Wherefore the King grants full Power to the Company to appoint Admirals, Vice Admirals, Rear, Admirals, Captains, &c. from Time to Time, who may raise and muster Seamen and Soldiers, on board their Ships, as shall be directed by the Company, or by their Captain General and in India, to whom Authority is granted for sezing all English Interlopers, and compelling them to submit, and for taking their Ships and Goods. Also to make War on such Indian Princes as may hurt the Company; with Power, in Time of open Hostility with any Indian Nation, to their exercise, on the other side the Cape of Good Hope, Martial Law, as well on board their Ships as on Land. Reserving however Liberty to the King at Pleasure to revoke this Grant of Martial Law in their Ships. The