1844.] Political Events in the Car natic, from 1564 to 1687. 609 



APPENDIX No. 9. 



Proclamation against the Slave Trade. 



At a Consultation, present William Gyfford, Esq., Agent and Gover- 

 nor, fyc. fyc. 



An order in English, Portuguese, Gentue and Malabar, for pre- 

 venting the transportation of this country people by sea, and making 

 them slaves in other countries, this day was read and passed, and order- 

 ed to' be hung up in four public places of this town ; the contents are as 

 follows : 



Whereas formerly there hath been an ill custom in this place of 

 shipping off this country-people and making them slaves in other 

 strange countries ; we therefore, the present Governor and Council of 

 Fort St. George, have taken the same into our serious consideration, 

 and do hereby order that for the future, no such thing be done by any 

 person whatsoever resident in this place ; and we do hereby also strictly 

 command all our officers by the water-side, whether they be English, 

 Portuguese, or Gentues, to do their utmost endeavours to prevent the 

 same, or else suffer such punishment either in body or goods as we 

 shall think fit to inflict upon them ; and if any person shall hereafter 

 presume clandestinely to do anything contrary to this our order, by 

 shipping such slaves of this country, and it be proved against him, he 

 shall pay for every slave so shipped off or sent away, fifty pagodas, to be 

 recovered of him in the Choultrey of Madrasspatam, one-third for the 

 use of the Honorable India Company, one-third to the poor, and one- 

 third to the informer. Dated in Fort St. George the 9th day of Novem- 

 ber, one thousand six hundred and eighty-two. 



(Signed) William Gyffmkd. 



Fort St. George, 1682, 

 Monday, \Zth November, 1682. 



