Given at our Court at Whitehall the Eleventh day of March 1673/4 in the Six and twentieth year of Our Reign.
London, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1673/4.
_1 p. folio. Copies in Antiq., Bodl., B. M., Camb., Crawf., Dalk., Guild., P. R. O., Q. C., and T. C. D. Entered on Patent Rolls._
[1] See _Acts of Privy Council, Colonial_, 1613-1680, p. 576.
[Prohibiting African Trade to Plantations.]
Whereas it is found by Experience, That Traffique with Infidels and Barbarous Nations not in Amity with Us, and who are not holden by any League or Treaty, cannot be carried on without the Establishment of Forts and Factories in places convenient, the maintenance whereof requires so great and constant Expence, that it cannot be otherwise defrayed, then by Managing the whole Trade by a Joynt Stock; We in Our Royal Wisdom taking the same into Our serious Consideration, and more especially having found by experience, That the whole Trade of the Coast of Guiny, Buiny and Angola, and other parts and places of Africa, so much importing our Service, and the Enriching of this Our Kingdom, was very much abated, and attempted to be Ingrossed by Foreigners, and in eminent danger to be utterly lost, and taken from Us, and Our loving Subjects, not onely by Foreign Force, but by the Violence and Inconstancy of the Heathen Natives: For the Recovery and Preservation whereof, We were Graciously pleased to encourage and invite Our loving Subjects to Raise a Joynt Stock to be used and imployed therein: And in consideration thereof, and for the better Securing of such as should come in and be concerned in the said Joynt Stock and Trade, We did by Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England, bearing date the Seven and twentieth day of September, in the Four and twentieth year of Our Reign,[1] Grant unto several of Our loving Subjects, the whole entire and onely Trade into and from Africa, from the Port of Sally in South Barbary inclusive, to the Cape de Bona Esperanza inclusive, with all the Islands near adjoyning to those Coasts, and comprehended within the Limits aforesaid, and did Incorporate them by the name of The Royal African Company of England; And the said Company having raised a very great Stock sufficient to Manage the Trade thereof, have since, at their great Expence and Charge, Fortified and Setled divers Garisons, Forts and Factories, by which means they have so Secured the said Trade, that the same doth now begin to flourish, and if not disturbed, is likely to be further improved to the great benefit of this Our Kingdom; Nevertheless, We are Informed by the humble Petition of the said Company, That divers of Our Subjects in several of Our Plantations in America, who are not Members of the said Company, nor any ways concerned in their Stock, do endeavour to reap the Benefit and Fruit thereof; and to that end have already sent several Ships into those parts to Trade, and are providing more, the which if it should be permitted, and not strictly and presently prevented, will disable the said Company from supporting the great Charge of maintaining the said Forts, Garisons and Factories, and consequently, unavoidably occasion the loss of the whole Trade of those Countreys: Wherefore for remedy thereof We have thought fit, with Advice of Our Privy Council,[2] to Publish and Declare Our Royal Will and Pleasure to be, And We do hereby strictly Prohibit and Forbid all and every of Our Subjects whatsoever, Except the said Royal Company and their Successours, at any time or times hereafter, to send or Navigate any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, or Exercise any Trade from any of Our Plantations, Dominions, or Countreys in America, to any of the Parts or Coasts of Africa, from Sally to Cape de Bona Esperanza, or any of the Islands near thereunto, as aforesaid, or from thence to carry any Negro Servants, Gold, Elephants Teeth, or any other Goods or Merchandizes of the Product or Manufacture of the said Places, to any of Our American Dominions or Plantations, upon pain of Our high Displeasure, and the forfeiture and loss of the said Negros, Gold, Elephants Teeth, and all other Goods and Merchandizes, and the Ships or Vessels which shall bring or carry the same.