1 6 ST. HELENA 



come greeting, whereas at the suit of our well beloved subjects the 

 Governour and Company of Merchants of London, trading into 

 the East Indies, and for the honour and profit of this our 

 realme, and in the encouragement of trade in those remote parts, 

 We have, by our Ruyall Charter, or letters patent bearing date at 

 Westminster, the third day of Aprill, in the 13th yeare of our reigne, 

 granted unto the said Governour and Company of Merchants ol 

 London trading into the East Indies, and their successors ; thai 

 they, and their successors and their factors, servants and assigns, 

 in the trade of merchandise for them, and on their behalfe,'^and 

 not otherwise, shall for ever have, use and enjoy the whole, and 

 entire and only trade, and trafiquc, and the whole entire and onh 

 liberty, use, and privilege of trading, and trafficjuing and using the 

 feate and trade of mcrcliandise to and from the said East Indies, 

 and toe and from all the islands, ports, havens, cities, towns and 

 places within their said Charter, that is to say, to and from the 

 East Indies, in the countries of Asia, Africa and America, or any 

 of them beyond the Cape of Bona-Esperanza to the strciglUs of 

 Magellan, where any trade or traffique of merchandise may be used 

 or had ; and that it should and may be lawful to and for the same 

 Governour and Company and their successors from time to time, 

 and at all times, henceforth to erect and build such castles, fortifica- 

 tions, forts, garrisons and to erect such collonies, and make such 

 plantations at St. Helena as also elsewhere within the limits and 

 bounds of trade granted unto the said Governour and Company 

 as aforesaid, as they in their discretion shall think fit and requeeit 

 and for the supplying of such as should be requested to keep or be 

 in the same, to send out of this Kingdom to the said Castles, forti- 

 fications, forts, garrisons, collonies or plantations all kinde of cloth- 

 ing, prov'ision or victuals, ammunition and supplyments necessary 

 for such purpose without paying of any custom, subsidy (or other) 

 duty for the same ; as also to govern them in such 



To send Provi- legal and reasonable manner as the Governour 

 sions thither and Company shall think fitt ; and to inflict 



without paying punishment for misdemeanours, or impose such 

 any Duty. fines upon for breach of their orders as in our said 

 Charter are expressed. And whereas also h\ 

 our said Royal Charter or letters patent, W^e have ordained thai 

 there shall be a Government and twenty foure Committees of the 

 said Company, to be elected and appointed in such forme as therein 

 is expressed, who shall from time to time have the directions of the 

 voyage of and for the said Company, and the provision of the 

 shipping and merchandise thereunto belonging, and also the saile 

 of all merchandise goods and other things returned in all or any of 

 the voyages of ships of or for the said Company, and the manageing 

 and handling of all other businesses, affairs and things belonging to 

 the said Company, and likewise that it shall and may be lawfull to 

 and for the said Governour and Company for the time being, or the 

 major part of them present at any publique meeting, commonly 

 called the Generall Court, holder for the said Company, the said 



