a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1555. 



said English marchants shall be ridde and dispatched : 

 And if any action shall be moved by or against any of 

 the said Marchants being absent out of our saide empire 

 and dominions, then such Marchants may substitute an 

 Atturney in all and singular his causes to be followed 

 as need shall require, and as shall seeme to him 

 expedient. 



7 Item, wee graunt and promise to the saide Mar- 

 chants, and to their successours, that if the same Mar- 

 chants or any of them shall bee wounded, or (which 

 God forbid) slaine in any part or place of our Empire 

 or dominions, then good information thereof given, 

 Wee and our Justices and other officers shall execute 

 due correction and punishment without delay, according 

 to the exigence of the case : so that it shall bee an 

 example to all other not to commit the like. And if 

 it shall chaunce the factors, servants, or ministers of 

 the saide Marchants or any of them to trespasse or 

 offende, whereby they or any of them shall incurre the 

 danger of death or punishment, the goods, wares, mar- 

 chandizes, and things of their Masters shall not there- 

 foore bee forfaited, confiscated, spoiled ne seised by any 

 meanes by us, our heires or successours, or by any our 

 officers, ministers or subjects, but shall remaine to their 

 use, franke, free, and discharged from all punishment 

 and losse. 



8 Item, we graunt that if any of the English nation 

 be arrested for any debt, he shal not be laid in prison, 

 so farre as he can put in sufficient suretie and pawne : 

 neither shall any sergeant, or officer leade them or any 

 of them to prison, before he shall have knowen whether 

 the chiefe Factor or factors, or their deputies shalbe 

 sureties, or bring in pawne for such arrested : then the 

 officers shal release the partie, and shall set him or them 

 at libertie. 



9 Moreover, wee give, graunt and promise to the 

 saide Marchants, that if any of their ships or other 

 vessels shall bee spoyled, robbed, or damnified in sayling, 



302 



