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Jan.?
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407. Proposals for re-settlement of the Royal [African] Company.
Present stock, 122,000l., to be valued at 10 per cent., and so reduced
to 12,200l. Creditors to receive two-thirds of their debts in old stock
and the remainder in ready money ; 84,000l. new stock to be raised,
in subscribing which present adventurers and creditors who shall
subscribe two-thirds of their debts into the old stock shall have the
preference ; every 100l. adventurer to have a vote in the management.
Government in England to be by committee of five, or at
most seven persons, to be chosen by plurality of votes in general
court ; two of the five, or three of the seven, to retire annually, and
others substituted ; the committee to meet three days a week and
stay three hours at each meeting, and to receive 20s. apiece for each
meeting ; no member to be absent except he have first petitioned
the general court to lay down his place ; the committee to have
power to suspend any of the Company's officers hereafter mentioned,
unless upon their appeal the general court restore them ; the said
officers to give security for faithful discharge of duties, viz., a
treasurer and chief accountant at 150l. each per ann. salary, second
accountant at 100l., warehousekeeper at 60l., surveyor of ships at
30l., and messenger at 20l. Resolutions of the committee to be by
majority of votes, and binding on the Company unless contradictory
to some order of the general court. Any member of committee
defrauding the Company or receiving any gift or bribe to forfeit his
whole stock, and any officer so guilty to be forthwith discharged
and made incapable of being ever restored. Posts in Africa to be
Cape Corso, Anashan, Commenda, Aga, and Acra ; castle of Cape
Corso to be head factory and residence of the agent for the whole of
Africa ; also of two merchants, a gold-taker, a warehouse-keeper,
a chief accountant and second accountant, and three younger factors ;
garrison to be 50 English soldiers and 30 negro slaves, a captain, and
four sergeants or corporals. Anashan to have chief and second
factor, a sergeant, 10 English soldiers, and eight negroes. Commenda,
Aga, and Acra to have each a house, two factors, two soldiers, and
two negroes. For the Caribbee islands the Company to allow the
factors 2 per cent. for sales and returns in goods, and 1 per cent. for
returns in bills of exchange ; the factors to make good to the Company
all their debts, and the Company to be at no further charge.
For the supply of the plantations with negro servants ; the Company
to grant license to all his Majesty's subjects to fetch negroes on
payment of 3l. per ton on the tonnage of their ships, but binding
them not to touch at certain points ; also to make offer to governors
to furnish them annually with as many negroes as they will contract
for at 17l. per head at Barbadoes, 18l. at Antigua, and 19l. in
Jamaica, with a reduction of 1l. per head at each place to any one
contracting for a whole ship-load and paying one-fourth of the price
in advance with security for the remainder ; the Company not to be
bound to supply negroes to any planter indebted to them for a former
supply. If the Company's creditors will not accept of one-third in
money and two-thirds in old stock, the whole effects to be made
over to them and a new patent taken out. Endeavours to be used
to obtain an Act of Parliament for confirmation of the Company's
charter. [Dom., Chas. II., Vol. LXVII., No. 162, Cal., p. 36.]
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[Jan. 10.]
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408. Warrant to prepare a bill for the King's signature, containing
a grant to the Royal African Company. Whereas all the regions
know by the names of Guinny, Binny, Angola, and South Barbary,
and all the parts of Africa to them belonging, and the sole trade thereof,
are the undoubted right of us, our heirs and successors ; and whereas
his Majesty has by Letters Patent, bearing date 18th December 1660,
granted all said regions, that is to say, from Cape Blanco to Cape de
Bona Esperanza, to James Duke of York and Albany and others
for the term of (1,000) years, for the sole use of the Company of Royal
Adventurers in Africa, by said Letters Patent incorporated ; his
Majesty, in consideration of the surrender of said Letters Patent, and
tendering the advancement of said Royal Company, by these presents
grants to (our Royal Consort Queen Katherine, Mary the Queen our
mother, our dearest brother James Duke of York, our dearest sister
Henrietta Maria, Duchess of Orleans, Prince Rupert, George Duke of
Buckingham, Mary Duchess of Richmond, Edward Earl of Manchester,
Phillip Earl of Pembroke, Henry Earl of St. Albans, John Earl of
Bath, Edward Earl of Sandwich, Charles Earl of Carlisle, Earl of
Lauderdale, George Lord Berkley, William Lord Craven, Lord
Lucas, Charles Lord Gerrard, William Lord Croft, John Lord
Berkeley, Thomas Grey, Esq., Sir George Carteret, Kt., Sir Charles
Sidley, Kt., Sir Ellis Leighton, Kt., Edward Gregory, Gent., Sir
Edward Turner, Kt., Sir Anthony de Merces, William Legg, Esq.,
Richard Nicholl, Esq., Sir William Davison, Kt., William Cutler,
Sir James Modyford, Kt., Thomas Cullen, Gent., George Cock, Gent.,
Charles Porter, Gent., Sir John Colleton, Kt., John Duckworth,
Gent., Sir John Robinson, Kt., Sir Nicholas Crispe, Kt., Sir Richard
Ford, Kt., Sir William Ryder, Kt., John Bence, Sir George Smith, Kt.,
Sir John Shaw, Kt., Sir Martin Noell, Kt., Abraham Bigg, Gent.,
Thomas Povey, Esq., Edward Backwell, Esq., Matthew Wren, Gent.,
Tobias Ruscat, Gent., Martin Noell, Jun., Gent., Henry Johnson,
Gent., James Congett, Gent., John Ashburnham, Gent., Edward
Noell, Esq., James Noell Gent., Francis Meynell, Gent., John Cooper,
Gent., Sir Andrew Riccard, William Herbert, Esq., Sir John Jacob,
Sir John Harrison, Sir John Wolstenholme, Sir William Wake, Silas,
Titus, and Peter Proby) (these names, as well as the date and term
of years are omitted in this draft, but are in the Patent), and their
successors, all the regions and dominions, extending from the Port
of Sallee in South Barbary, and extending to Cape de Bona Esperanza,
during the term of (1,000) years ; rendering to his Majesty and his
successors two elephants, whensoever he or any of them shall land
in said regions. Nevertheless this grant is for the sole benefit of
the Company of Royal Adventurers into Africa by these presents
incorporated. For the furtherance of the trade, and encouragement
in the discovery of the golden mines, and settling of plantations,
the society shall be one body corporate, and use a common seal,
engraven with, on the one side an elephant supported by two
blackamores, and on the other the image of our Royal person. With
power to the Company to meet on or before 25th March next, and to
choose a governor, sub-governor, deputy governor, and 24 or 36
assistants, who shall have the management of all the affairs of said
Company, and continue in office for the space of one year, but shall
be removable for any misdemeanor by the major part of the
generality. Every governor, sub-governor, deputy governor, and
assistant to take his oath for the faithful discharge of his trust,
unless the governor be of the Royal family. With power to hold
courts, make laws not repugnant to the laws of this realm, and inflict
punishment by imprisonment or fine ; to set to sea ships with
ordnance and ammunition, and to have all mines of gold and silver,
and the sole privilege of trade into and from said parts of Africa,
on payment of customs and other duties on goods. All his Majesty's
subjects of what degree soever are hereby forbidden to visit or
traffic in the places aforesaid, or to import any red-wood, elephants'
teeth, negro slaves, hides, wax, gums, grains, or other commodities of
that country, unless with license of said Company, under pain of
imprisonment and loss of ships and goods. Also, all factors, masters,
and mariners of the Company are forbidden to trade, and power is
given to the Company to seize ships, slaves, goods, and merchandize
so trading contrary to these presents ; the moiety to be to the use
of the Company, and the other moiety to the use of his Majesty, his
heirs and successors. With power to the Company to have the
government of all plantations by them settled in those parts of
Africa, and authority to appoint governors, raise forces, and execute
martial law ; the sovereign right to his Majesty and successors
being always reserved. His Majesty, his heirs and successors to
have two-thirds of all gold mines found in places aforesaid, paying
two-thirds of all charges incident to working and transportation of
same, the Company to have the other third and to pay the other
third of charges. Draft with corrections and omissions which have
been supplied from the Patent Roll, 14 Chas. II., part 27, which
is dated 10 Jan. 1663. 16 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XVII., No. 2.]
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