624 A. D. 1685. 



AH thefe confiderations being laid before King James, and it being 

 apprehended, that, unlefs fome effedtual care was fpeedily taken, the 

 whole Englifh intereft in India would be utterly loft, a {hip of war was 

 immediately difpatched to India, with orders to feize all interlopers, and 

 therewith a proclamation from the king for all his fubjects in India to 

 repair to the company's forts and fadories, and to fubmit to their jurif- 

 didion. The company alfo fent out feveral warlike fliips for the fame 

 purpofe. Laftly, for corroborating the whole, on the 12th of April 

 1686 the king granted them a new charter, (being their fixth fince the 

 reftoration) wherein he recites at large the five preceding charters, and 

 fubjoins, ' that whereas feveral perfons, in contempt of thofe charters, 

 have of late years prefumed, without licence from the company, to 

 fend out fliips and to trade within their limits, to the company's great 

 damage and the deftrudion of that trade : he, well weighing how 

 highly it imports the honour and welfare of the realm to redrefs fuch 

 diforders, and to improve that trade to the utmoft ; and being fully 

 fatisfied that the fame cannot be maintained and carried on to na- 

 tional advantage but by one general joint ftock, and that a loofe and 

 general trade will be the ruin of the whole ; being alfo fatisfied that 

 the trade lias been managed by the company to the honour and pro- 

 fit of this nation, and being defirous to encourage the company in 

 their difiiicult and hazardous trade and adventures to thofe remote 

 parts, he ratifies all the preceding charters in their favour forever, 

 and in their fulleft extent, notwithftanding any nonufer, mifufer, or 

 abufer ; and farther, grants to the company, and their refpedlive 

 prefidents, agents, chiefs, and councils, in India, or to any three of 

 them, (whereof fuch prefident, agent, or chief, to be one) power to 

 adminifter to all perfons employed by the company the oath taken 

 by every freeman of the company, and fuch other lawful oaths as 

 their court of diredors Ihall appoint. The ufe of the martial law Ihall 

 extend to the ifland of St. Helena, and to the company's fort of Prya- 

 man on the weft coaft of Sumatra, as well as to their other hmits. 

 And farther, underftanding that many of the native princes and go- 

 vernors of India, &c. taking opportunity from the divifions, diftrac- 

 tions, or rebelHons, amongft the Englifti, occafioned by the late licen- 

 tious trading of interlopers, have of late violated many of the com- 

 pany's privileges, furprifed their fervants, fliips, and goods, befieged 

 their fadories, invaded their liberties, and have many other ways, 

 without juft caufe, abufed their chiefs and fadors, to the nation's dif- 

 honour : for all which the company intends to demand fatisfadion in 

 a peaceable way ; and, if not obtained that way, to ufe force of arms, 

 wherein they will have occafion to ufe their fhips in a warlike man- 

 ner ; therefor the king hereby grants full power to the company 

 to appoint admirals, vice-admirals, rear-admirals, captains, &c. from 



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