SEBASTIAN CABOT'S ORDINANCES ad. 



1553* 



chants and the assistants, or foure of them, whereof the 

 captaine generall, the Pilot Major, and cape marchant 

 to be three, and every of the pettie marchants to shewe 

 his reckoning to the cape marchant, when they, or any 

 of them shall be required : and no commutation or 

 trucke to be made by any of the petie marchants, 

 without the assent abovesaid : and all wares, and com- 

 modities trucked, bought or given to the companie, by 

 way of marchandise, trucke, or any other respect, to be 

 booked by the marchants, and to be wel ordred, packed, 

 and conserved in one masse entirely, and not to be 

 broken or altered, until the shippes shall returne to 

 the right discharges, and inventorie of al goods, wares, 

 and marchandises so trucked, bought, or otherwise 

 dispended, to be presented to the Governor, Consuls, & in g 

 and Assistants in London, in good order, to the intent hda ' a7 s . 

 the Kings Majestie may be truly answered of that which 

 to his grace by his grant of corporation is limited, accord- 

 ing to our most bound dueties, and the whole companie 

 also to have that which by right unto them appertaineth, 

 and no embezelment shall be used, but the truth of 

 the whole voyage to bee opened, to the common wealth 

 and benefite of the whole companie, and mysterie, as 

 appertaineth, without guile, fraude, or male engine. 



21 Item, no particular person, to hinder or prejudicate 

 the common stocke of the company, in sale or prefer- 

 ment of his own proper wares, and things, and no 

 particular emergent or purchase to be employed to any 

 severall profite, untill the common stocke of the companie 

 shall be furnished, and no person to hinder the common 

 benefite in such purchases or contingents, as shal fortune 

 to any one of them, by his owne proper policie, industrie, 

 or chance, nor no contention to rise in that behalfe, by 

 any occasion of jewel, stone, pearles, precious mettals, 

 or other things of the region, where it shall chance 

 the same to rise, or to be found, bought, trucked, 

 permuted, or given : but every person to be bounden 

 in such case, and upon such occasion, by order, and 



201 



