by the said Company, shall yearly trade, do not exceed the yearly Sum and Property; for which the said Company may lawfully trade yearly, by Virtue of the said Act of Parliament, and these Presents.
The Company to have the Government of all their forts, &c, and to appoint Governors and other Oficers:And we do, of Our more especial Grace, certain Knowledge and mere Motion, for Us Our Heirs and Successors, give and grant unto the said English Company trading to the East Indies, that the said Company, for the time being, shall and may have the ordering, Role, and Government of all such Forts, Factories, and Plantations, as shall be, at any Time hereafter, settled by or under the said English Company, within the East Indies, and Parts before mentioned, and shall and may name and appoint Governors, and officers, from Time to Time, in and for the said. Forts, Factories, and Plantations, and them to remove and displace at their Will and Pleasure;And may raise Force to defend the said Forts, &c. and that such Governors, and Officers, shall and may, according to the Directions of the same Company,raise, train, and muster, such Military Forces as shall or may be necessary for the Defence of the said Forts, Places, and Plantations respectively; The sovereign Right reserved. the sovereign Right, Power, and Dominion, over all the said Forts, Places, and Plantations, to Us Our Heirs and Successors, being always reserved.
Court of Judicature established where the company shall direct:And We have thought fit to erect and establish, and We do, by these Presents, erect, and establish, One or more Court or Courts of Judicature, to be held at such Place or Places, Fort or Forts, Plantations or Factories, upen the said Coasts, as the said Company, hereby established, shall, from Time to Time, direct and appoint; What Persons the Court is to consist of: every such Court to consist of One Person learned in the Civil Laws, and Two Merchants, with such Officers of the said Courts as shall be thought necessary, to be nominated and appointed, from Time to Time, by the said Company, in a General Court of the Members, or by the major part of them then present, and capable of voting, as aforesaid; Their Commission and Power and the said Person learned in the Civil Laws; and Two Merchants, or the major Part of them, whereof the said Person learned in the Civil Law to be One, shall have Commission, and Power, to hear and determine all Cases of Forfeitures, and Seizures, of any Ship or Ships, Goods, and Merchandizes, trading and coming upon any the said. Coasts or Limits, contrary to the Intent of the said Act, and of these Presents; and also all Causes, mercantile or maritime, bargaining, buyings, selling, and bartering of Ware whatsoever; and all Policies and Acts of Insurance, all Bills, Bonds, and Promises for Payment of Money, mercantile or trading Contracts, Charter-Parties, or trading Contracts, for Freightment of Vessels, and Wages of Mariners, and all other mercantile and maritime Cases whatsoever, concerning any Person or Persons residing, coming, or being within the East Indies, or other the Limits aforesaid; and all Cases of Trespass, Injuries and Wrongs, done and committed upon the High Sea, or in any the Regions, Countries, or Places, within the Limits aforesaid, concerning any Person, or Persons, residing, being or coming, in the Parts of Asia, Africa, and America, within the Parts and Limits aforesaid;To be executed by such Rules a# shall be directed under the Great Seal or Privy Seal, and for Want of such Direction, as the Judges said Court shall think meet.all which Cases shall be adjusted, and determined by the said Court or Courts, upon due Examination and Proof, according to the Rules of Equity and good Conscience, and according to the Laws and Customs of Merchants, by such as Methods, and Rules of proceeding, as We, Our Heirs and Successors, shall, from Time to Time, direct and appoint, under Our Great Seal, or Privy Seal, and for Want of such Direction, and until such Directions shall be made, by such Ways, and Means, as by the Judges of the said respective Court, or Courts, shall in their best Judgment and Discretion, be thought meet and just, whether it be by a summary Way or otherwise, according to the Exigency of the several Cases, which shall be brought in Judgment before them; and all Judgments, Determinations and Decrees, made in the same Courts, are to be put in writing, and signed by the same Persons that were present at, and gave or made the same, and shall contain a short State of the Matter of fact, as it appeared to them, and their Sentence and Adjudications thereupon.
The company to enjoy all Priviliges in London, that any company of Merchants did, or do, or may enjoy.And further We do, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, give, and grant, to the said English Company trading to the East Indies, hereby established, that they shall enjoy, to all intents and Purposes, all Privileges in the City of London, as fully any Company of Merchants, established by Letters Patents, granted heretofore by Us, or any of Our Predecessors, at present do or may enjoy, or formerly did and might enjoy the same.
All Admirals, &c. be assisting.And further, We do hereby, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, charge, and command, all and singular Admirats, Vice-Admirals, Generals, Commanders, Commissioners of Our Customs, Mayors, Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, Comptrolters, Waiters, Searchers, and other Officers, and Ministers, of Us, Our Heirs and Successors whatsoever, to be, from Time to Time, in all Things, aiding, helping, and assisting, unto the same Company, and their Successors, or any employed by them, upon Request made, as they tender Our Displeasure.
This Charter to be construed in the most beneficial Sense for the companyAnd We do, for Us Our Heirs and Saccessors, grant and declare that these Our Letters Patents, or the Enrolment thereof, shall be in and by all Things valid and effectual in the Law, according to the true Intent and Meaning of the same, and shall be taken, construed, and adjudged in the most favourable and beneficial. Sense, for the best Advantage of the said. Company, as well in Our Courtsof
