A. D. 1662. 



507 



the progrefs that nation has fince made in commerce, thus fo eminent- 

 ly encouraged by fo difceming and potent a prince *. 



The king in council this year ifTued his proclamation, intimating, 



* that notwithflanding the navigation act pafTed two years ago, feveral 

 ' letters or warrants had, through mifinformation, been obtained from 



* him, by which the Lubeckers fhips, merchants, and mariners, were li- 



* cenced to come into England, &c. freed from the penalties of the a6t, 



* upon pretence of a former cuftom. But the council having confider- 

 ' ed the ill confequences of trenching on that adl, and the damages 

 ' which fuch a toleration would bring upon the Englifh owners of fliip- 



* ping, and their merchants and mariners, it was ordered by his ma- 



* jefty in council, that all fuch letters, licences, or warrants, fhould be 



* recalled and declared void.' 



The following improvements were made upon the a£l of navigation. 



I) No foreign-built fliips fliall enjoy the privileges of Englifli or Irifli 

 built {hips, even although navigated as that a&. direds ; and although 

 the owners likewife be Englifhmen, prize fhips only excepted. 



II) Whoever fliall export or import goods to or from any port of this 

 kingdom (capable of a fhip of 200 tons burden) to or from any port 

 of the Mediterranean beyond the port of Malaga, in any fliip that hath 

 not two decks, and carries lefs than 16 cannon, fhall pay to the king 

 one per cent on their ladings, befide all other duties. 



III) And in order to encourage the building of good and defenlible 

 fliips, it was farther enafted, that for feven years to come, whoever 

 fliould build fhips with three decks, or with two decks, a half deck and 

 a forecaftle, with five feet between each deck, mounted with at leafl 30 

 cannon, fhould, for the tirfl two voyages, receive one tenth of all the 

 cufloms paid on their cargoes exported or imported. [14 Car. 11, 



C. II.] 



The two laft claufes were defigned by way of precaution againfl the 

 Barbary rovers. 



Other good flatutes were made this year, fuch as thofe prohibiting 

 the exportation of wool and fullers-earth, yarn, and undrefled hides, 

 and the importation of foreign bone-lace and other French frippery 

 wares, which drew incredible fums of money from us, and turned the 

 balance of the trade with France very much againfl us. 



The Englifh American plantations were by this time fo much culti- 

 vated and improved, that the demand for fervants and labourers was 

 greatly increafed ; and as their mother country could by no means af- 

 ford numbers fufficient for their fupply, and they were not then fo 



* The new council, or board of commcfce, eftabliHied in the year 1701, is fubordinate to this 

 roval council. ^. 



3 S 2 



