Page:A Collection of Charters and Statutes relating to the East India Company.pdf/16

viii ments shall not extend to £160,000 per Annum, then the said weekly Monies or Payments (so far as the same wilt extend) shall be Part of the yearly Fund (Or and towards the answering and paying of the several and respective Annuities or yearly Payments in the said Act expressed.

And it is thereby further enacted, That it should and might be-lawful for us, by Commission under the Great Seal of England, to authorize and appoint any Number of Persons to,take and receive all such voluntary Subscriptions, as should be made on or before the said Twenty-ninth Day of September 1698, by of for any Person or Persons, Natives or Foreigners, Bodies Politick or Corporate (the Governor and Company of the Bank of England only excepted) of any Sum of Money whatsoever (not less than One Hundred pounds) for and towards the raising and paying into the Receipt of Our Excheqner the Sum of Two Miilions of Pounds Sterling.

And it is therein further enacted, That, during the Time thereby limited for taking the said Sub­scriptions; it should and might be lawful to and for all and every Person and Persons, Natives and Foreigners, Bodies Politick and Corporate,, by and for themselves, or any of them, or in Trust for any Other Person or Persons, Bodies Politic or Corporate, or any of them, (except as aforesaid) freely to subscribe any Sum of Money (not less than One Hundred Pounds) for or towards the said Sum of Two Millions; and that all the Monies, so to be subscribed, should be answered and paid by the respective Subscribers thereof to such as should be appointed to receive the same to our Use, at such Days or Times, and by such proportions, and subject to such Allowances and Defalcations,, and in such Manner and Form as in the said Act are expressed.

And it is therby further enacted, ordained, and declared, That every Person and Body politick, who should Subscribe as afosesaid, and be named, or contained in such Book or Books as are therein mentioned, his, her, or their Heirs, Executors, Administrators, Successors, and Assigns respectively, should have, receive, and enjoy for ever of the Fund by the said Act settled and provided, One Annuity, or certain yearly Sum for the whole Sum by him, her, or them subscribed, according to the Rate or Proportion of Eight Pounds per Centum per Anuum, in the Manner thereby prescribed.

And it is thereby further enacted, That it should and might he lawful for us, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of England to incorporate all and every Person and Persons, Natives and Foreigners* Bodies Politick and Corporate, who should subscribe, or for whom such Subscription should be made, and Upon whose Subscriptions the First Tenth part should be paid, as in the said Act is expressed; and all and every person and Persons, Bodies Politick and Corporate, who (as Executors, Administrators, Successors, or Assigns, or by any other lawful Title derived or to be derived from, by, or under the said Original Subscribers at any Time or Times thereafter) should have or be intitled to any Part, ShatE, or Interest of or in the said yearly Fund, so long as they're­spectively should have any such Part, Share, or Interest therein, to be one Body Politick and Cor­porate by the Name of The General Society intitled to the Advantages given by an Act of Parlia­ment for advanincing a Sum not exceeding Two Millions for the Service of the Crown of England, with such Succession, Capacity, and Powers, as in the said Act is mentioned; and in such Charter or Letters Patent, such further Rules Powers, and Clauses for carrying on Trade, and pursuing the Ends and Intent of the said Act were to be inserted as should be lawfully and reasonably desired in that Behalf,

And it is thereby further enacted. That in case the said whole Sum of Two Millions, or One Moiety, or any greater Part of the said Sum of Two Millions should be subscribed as aforesaid on or before the said Twenty-ninth Day of September 1698, that then and from thenceforth all and every the Person and Persons, Natives and Foreigners, Bodies Politick and Corporate, by or for whom such Subscriptiond should be made, and all and every Person and Persons, Bodies Politick and COrporate, (who as Executors, Administrators, Successors, or Assigns, or by any other lawful Title derived Or to be derived from, by, or under the said original Subscribers) at any Time or Times thereafter, should have Or be intituled to any Part, Share, or Interest of and in the said yearly Fund, and of and in a proportionable Part of the principal Stock of the said General Society, so long as they respectively shall continue to have any Part, Share, or Interest therein; and all and every Person and Persons, who for any Time should be licensed by such Person or Persons, Bodies Politick or Corporate, to trade in the Stead of them, should and lawfully might for ever thereafter by themselves severally, or by such Factors, Agents, or Servants, as they severally should think fit to intrust, freely traffic and use the Trade of Merchandize into and from the East Indies, and Parts of Limits in the Said Act mentioned, in such Manner, and by such Proportions, and subject to such Restrictions as in the said Act are expressed.

And it is further thereby enacted* That if the said whole Sum of Two Millions, or One Moiety, or any greater part thereof, should he subscribed on or before, the said Twenty-ninth Day of September, 1698, and all or any Corporations, or Other Person or Persons, having particular Shares or Interests in the said principal Stock of the said General Society, or in proportionable Annuities or Yearly Payments issuing out of the said*yearly Fund* should be willing and desirous to unite