5x8 A. D. 1664. 



when Colbert transferred it to a much larger number of merchants, whofe 

 privileges alfo being thought too extenfive for their capital ftock, a new 

 Guinea company was thereupon erected, to whom moft of their privi- 

 leges were alligned ; and yet the old Senegal company continued to be 

 a thriving fociety. A lingle member thereof, however, in the year 

 1694, by their after ill management, bought out their privileges, and 

 erected a new company, who, by misfortunes, were obliged to make 

 over their privileges to fome rich merchants at Rouen, who, with va- 

 rious fuccefs, carried on the Senegal trade till the year 1718, when it 

 was united to the Eafl-India company. The Guinea company, on the 

 acceflion of King Philip V to the throne of Spain, had a grant of the 

 afliento negro trade ; which trade was, by the treaty of Utrecht, con- 

 veyed to the South-fea company: and thus the main commerce. of 

 France was united to what they called their India company, compre- 

 hending not only the Eaft-India, the American, the Guinea, b-u alfo 

 the Senegal trade, by the wild fchemes of the duke regent and Mr. 

 Law. 



An act of parliament was pafFed this year for preventing the com- 

 manders of merchant fliips from delivering fuch lliips to Turkilh and other 

 pirates without fighting ; whereby, according to its preamble, not only 

 merchants were much prejudiced and dilcouraged, but the honour of 

 the Englilh navigation was likewife much diminiflied : to which fuch 

 commanders were much encouraged by a practice of thofe pirates, who, 

 after they have taken out the goods, as an encouragement to mailers of 

 fhips to yield, do not only reftore the (hip with fuch goods as are claim- 

 ed by malters or feamen, but do many times pay the mafter all or fome 

 part of the freight. It was therefor now enaded, that where any mer- 

 chandize (hall be laden on board any EngUili fliip of the burden of 200 

 tons or upwards, mounted with 16 guns or more, if the mafter fhall 

 yield the faid goods to any Turkifh or other pirate without fighting, he 

 fliall thenceforth be incapable of commanding any fhip ; and the fliip 

 fo delivered back to him, and alfo the goods, ftiall be forfeited, to make 

 good the lofs fuftained by the owners of the goods detained by fuch 

 pirates, pro rata ; and the owners to have their action againft fuch mafter 

 for the remainder. And if an Englifti ftiip, though it be under the faid 

 tonnage and guns, be yielded to any fuch pirate not having at leall 

 double his number of guns, without fighting, the mafter ftiall be liable 

 to all the penalties aforefaid. Alfo, every mariner, refufing to fight fuch 

 pirates when required by the mafter of the ftiip, ftiall forfeit ail his 

 v;ages and his effects in fuch ftiip, and (hall be imprifoned for fix months, 

 and kept during that time to hard labour. Moreover, mariners, laying 

 violent hands on their mafter to hinder him from fighting fuch pirates, 

 ftiali iuffer death as felons. Mafters or mariners, wounded in defence of 

 their ftiip from pirates, ftuill, on their return home with their fliip, re- 



