Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/266

 2;32

IliSTOKY OF INDIA.

[liOOK i

A.D. 1600.

Mode of ma- nagement

ture and set forth one or more voyages, with convenient number of ships anrl pirmaces, by way of trafHc and merchandize to the East Indies, in the countries and parts of Asia and Africa, and to as many of tiie islands, ports and cities, towns and places, thereabouts, as where trade and traffick may by all likelihood be discovered, establi.shed, or had ; divers of which countries, and many of the

islands, cities, and ports thereof, have long since been discovered by others of our subjects, albeit not frequented in trade of merchandize."

In accordance with this petition, her majesty, 'greatly tendering the honour of our nation, the wealth of our people, and the encouragement of them, and others of our loving sub- jects in their good enterprises, for the increase of oiu- na'io:ation, and the advancement of la%vful traffic, to the benefit of oiir commonwealth," constitutes the petitioners a "body corporate and politick, in deed and in name, by the name of The Gover- nor and Company of the Merchants of London, trading into the East Indies," empowering them and their successors, in that name and capacity, to possess or dispose of land, tenements, and hereditaments, to have a common seal, to sue and be sued; and, in general "to do and execute all and singular other things by the same name," as fully and freely as "any other our liege people."

The charter then goes on to prescribe the mode of management of the affairs of the company, fixing it in a governor, and twenty-four other members called committees, who are to have "the direction of the voyages of or for the said company, and the provision of the shipping and merchandizes thereto belonging, and also the sale of all merchandizes retm-ned in the voyages ; ' and, in general, " the managing and handling of all other things belonging to the said company." Thomas Smith, alderman of the city of London, is nominated as the " first and present governor," and twenty-four other members as the " first and present committees" of the company; but as these nominations were to continue in force only for a year from the date of the charter, the mode (^f electing their successors in office is next pointed out. For this purpose the company, or a majority of those "present at any public assembly, com- monly called the court, holden for the said company," the governor always being one, are empowered to elect a deputy to act in the governor's absence ;

George, Earl of Cumberland. — Lodge's Portraits.