An Acte to enable all his Majesties loving Subject of Englande and Wales to trade freely into the Dominions of Spaine Portugale and France (1605)
| Artifact Summary | |
|---|---|
| Artifact type | Statute |
| Creator/author | Parliament of England |
| Date | 1605 |
| Period | Stuart |
| City and country of origin | |
| Abstract | |
Entry
[Statutes of the Realm, Vol. IV, Part II, Anno 3o [& 4] JACOBI, I. A.D.1605. [& 1606.], CHAPTER VI.]
THEREAS divers Merchant have of late obtained from the King most excellent Majestye under the Greate Seale of England a large Charter of Incorporation for them and theire Companie to trade into the Dominions of Spaine and Portugall, and are also moste earnest suitors to obtaine the like from his saide Majestie for Fraunce, wherebye none but themselves and such as they shall thincke fitt as being meere Merchant shall take benefitt of the saide Charter, disabling therebie all others his Majesties loving Subject of this Realme of England and Wales, who during all the tyme of her late Majesties Warres were in divers respectes greatly charged for the Defence of theire Prince and Country, and therefore ought indifferently to enjoy all the benefittf of this most happy Peace, and also debarring them from that free enlargement of comon Traffique into those Dominions which others his Majesties Subject of his Realmes of Scotland and Ireland doe enjoy, to the manifest impoverishing of all Owners of Ships Masters Marriners Fishermen Clothiers Tuckers Spinsters and many thousand of all sortes of Handicraftesmen besides the decrease of his Majesties Customes Subsidies and other Impositions, and the ruine and decay of Navigacón, together with the abating of the prices of our Woolles Cloth Corne and such like Comodities arising and growing within this his saide Majesties Realme of England, and the inhancing of all French and Spanish Comodities, by reason of the insufficiencie of the Merchant they being fewe in nomber, and not of Abilitie to keepe the great number of our Ships and Seafaring men aworke, and to vent the great store of Comodities which this his Majesties Dominion of England doth yeelde, And by meanes that all Owners and Marriners with divers others (if these Incorporacons should continewe) shalbe cut of from theire ordinarie meanes of maintenance and serving their Estates; And finally by reason that all French and Spanishe Comodities shall be in a few mens handes, in respect whereof, as also for many other manifold inconveniences growing thereby much hurt and pudice must nerdes redound to all his Majesties loving Subject of this his Highnes Realme of England, if reformacon for the pvencon of so great an evill be not had in due tyme: Fon Remedie whereof, Be it enacted by the King( moste Excellent Majestie, the Lordes Spuall and Temporall and Comons in this sent Parliament assembled, and by the Authoritie of the same, That it shall and may be lawfull to and for all his Majesties Subject of this his (his') Highnes Realme of England and Wales from henceforth at all tymes to have free libertye to trade into and from the Dominions of Spaine Portugall and France in such sort and in as free manner as was at any tyme accustomed sithence the beginning of this his Highnes most happy Reigne in this his Realme of England, and at any tyme before the saide Charter of Incorporación was graunted, paying to the Kinge most excellent Majestie his Hcires and Successors all such Customes and other Duties as by the Lawes and Statute of this Realme ought to be paide and done for the same, The saide Charter of Incorporacin or any other Charter Grante Acte or any thinge else heretofore made or done or hereafter to be done to the contrarie in any wise notwithstanding
PROVIDED alwaies, That this Acte or any thing therein contained shall not be of force to enable or give libertye to any pson or psons to goe over Seas without Licence, who by the Lawes and Statute of this Realme, or by any Statute hereafter to be made, shalbe restrained from going beyond the Seas without Licence; Any thing to the contrarie notwithstanding
