Page:A Collection of Charters and Statutes relating to the East India Company.pdf/22

xiv General Society aforesaid, and in Books to be kept by them for that Purpose, until a Company, with Power to trade upon a Joint Stock should be erected: and after the erecting of such Company (which is hereby made and established) then the like Entries and Affirmations are thereby appointed to be made before Two or more of the Directors of Managers of the said Company, and in Books to be kept by them for that Purpose: And in and by the said Act of Parliament it was also enacted, that if any person or Persons, who are by the said. Act-required to make such Entries and Affirmations as the said Acts direct, shall neglect so to do, or if any Goods, foreign Coins, or other Merchandizes so entered, shall be of greater Value than shall be specified in such Entry or Entries; that then and in every such case, the Goods, foreign Coins, or other Merchandizes, which shall be shipped or put on board any Ship or other Vessel designed for the East Indies, or any other the Parts within the Limits aforesaid, or into any Lighter, Boat, or other Vessel, to be put upon any such Ship for which no such Entry or Affirmation shall be made, or which shall be omitted therein, and the Effects and Proceed of the same (wheresover they shall be found) shall and may be seized, and the double Value thereof shall and may be sued for and recovered against the respective Offenders, and to be divided and distributed in such Manner and, Form as We by Our Charter, or Charters should appoint: Our Will and Pleasure therefore is, and We do hereby, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, will, declare, grant, direct, and appoint, that the said English Company trading to the East Indies, and their Successors, shall from Time to Time keep or cause to be kept, within Our City or Port of London, an Office and Books, wherein all the Entries and Affirmations required by the said Act to be made by particular Persons or Traders as aforesaid, may be made, and entered; and that Two or more of the Directors or Managers of the said Company hereby established, to do from Time to Time, and at all seasonable Times, give such Attendance as shall be necessary at the said Office, as well for this administering of such Oaths and Declarations as by the said Act are to be ministered by them, as for the taking of such Affirmations and admitting such Entries as are to be made by such particular Traders or Persons as aforesaid: And We do by these Presents appoint and direct, and Our Will is, that One Fourth Part of the said Forfeitures and Penalties last mentioned shall go and be distributed to such Persons as seize in Form or sue for the same; and Three Fourth Parts of the said Forfeitures and Penalties, which shall be had or recovered at any Time or Times after the making of this Our present Charter, shall go and be divided or distributed to the said Company hereby constituted, for the Benefit of the several Members thereof, according and in proportion to their Shares in the Joint Stock of the same; the same Forfeitures and Penalties to be recovered in any Court of Record of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, by Action of Debt Bill, Plant, or Information, wherein, no more than One Imparlance shall be allowed.

Provided always, and We do hereby order and direct, that the said. English Company trading to the East Indies, and their Successors, shall give Security as the said Act directs, for bringing their Goods to some Part of England or Wales, there to be unladen and put on shore (excepting in such Cases as in the said Act are mentioned to be excepted.

And We do also require and command, that all Goods and Merchandizes of the East Indies, which shall be imported into England or Wales by the said Company, pursuant to the said Act and of these Presents, shall be sold openly and publicly, by, Inch of Candle, as the said Act appoints, under the Penalties therein contained, upon 'Pain of incurring; Our high Displeasure.

And We do hereby further, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, direct,, order, and appoint The said English Company trading to the East Indies, and their Successors, that during the Continuance of the said Company, that no Lot of any Goods or Merchandizes of the said Company shall us put up or sold, which shall exceed the value of One thousand Pounds (Jewels excepted), and for the better increase of Trade, and encouraging the Exportation of Goods and Merchandizes of the Growth, Product, or Manufacture of this Kingdom, it is Our further Will and Pleasure; And it is hereby provided, and we do hereby, for Us, our Heirs and Successors, order and appoint, and The said English Company trading to the East Indies, doth hereby covenant, promise, and grant, to and with Us, Our Heirs and Successors, that The said English Company trading to the East Indies, and their Successors, Yearly and every Year, from the Feast of Saints Michael the Archangel, 1698, during the Continuance of their Trade to the said East Indies, by, Virtue of the said Act of Parliament or of these Presents, shall export and carry, or cause to be exported and carried to the East Indies, Goods of the Growth, Product, or Manufacture of this, Our Kingdom of England, amounting in Value at least to the Tenth Part of the whole Sum for which the said English Company trading to the East Indies, shall, by Virtue of the said Acts, and of these Presents, actually trade thither; which Tenth Part is the same which the said Company ought to export, in such Goods as aforesaid, for their Proportion, pursuant to a Clause contained in the Charter of the General Society, called the General Society entitled to the Advantages given by Act of Parliament, for advancing a Sum, not exceeding. Two Millions for the ser-