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{{Artifact
|Title=The Beginnings of the East India Company
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|Date=1599-1601
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[H. Stevens, The Dawn of British Trade to the East Indies as recorded in the Court Minutes of the East India Company 1599-1603 (1886), pp. 4-9, 109-111.]

An assembly of the persons heervnder named holden the xxiiijth of September 1599. [Fifty-seven names.] Whereas the severall persons abovenamed together with divers others whose names ar Regestred in the begynnynge of this booke, by the suffraunce of almightie god after Royall assent of our Soveraigne Lady the Queenes most excellent Maiestie first therunto had and obteyned, do entend for the honor of our native Cuntrey and for thadvauncement of trade of merchaundize within this Realme of England vppon ther severall adventures accordinge to the severall proportions of the sommes of money by them severally sett downe and inregestred vnder ther owne handes, To set forthe a vyage this present yere to the Est Indies and other the Ilandes and Cuntries theraboutes, and ther to make trade by the sale of suche commodities as vppon further deliberation shalbe resolved to be provided for these partes or otherwyse by buying or barteringe of suche goodes wares jewelles or 6* merchaundize as those Ilandes or Cuntries may yeld or afforthe ; And for the better ordering and disposinge of the said viage intended and for thencoragement of all suche as have already determined to adventure in the same or shall before the viage set forthe determine to adventure therein, They have thought it meete to direct them selfes by certen Rules and orders to be holden and observed, aswell in the preparinge of suche shippinge as shalbe thought fitt for this enterprice, as of all other provision of wares merchandize bullion and suche other thinges as are to be provided and adventured in the same. And therfore at this assemblie it is agreed ordeyned and resolved as followeth. First that noe ship shalbe receavid to be brought in by any adventuror in this viage to be imployed in the same as his stock or portion of adventure at any rate whatsoever. Also that all shippinge to be imploied in this viage shalbe bought and provided by suche as shalbe therto appointed for ready money onlie.

That noe commoditie shalbe accepted in the said viage to be brought in as any mans portion of adventure, but that all goodes wares and other thinges shalbe bought and prepared by suche as shalbe thervnto appointed as Comitties and directors of the said viage, for the buyinge and providinge of shippinge and merchaundize.

And this assemblie do electe nominate and appoint these fifteene persons heervnder named Comitties or directors of this viage, to manage order and direct the affaires belonginge to the same, aswell concerning sewte to be made to her maiestie for sole priviledge to be graunted to these adventurors for soe manie yeres as can be obteyned and for such ymmunyties and freedomes of Custome and other tollerations and favors as may be gotten, as also for the providing for shippinge wares and merchaundize to be adventured in the said viage, Ratefyinge and allowing whatsoever the said Comitties or directors of the said viage or the greater number of them shall do or agree vppon in the premisses, provided nevertheles that no factor or other officer to be imployid in the viage shalbe admitted or appointed therto but by a generall Assemblie of the adventurours and ther elected by the consent of the greater number of them [elected] assembled.

..

And the said Assemblie have chosen for ther Threasorers for the receavinge and payinge of the moneys imploied in the same Mr. John Highlord and mr Wm Romney vnto whose handes the contributions of everie severall adventuror in the viage is to be brought in at two severall paymentes, videlicet the first payment by the [blank] of November and the seconde payment by the [blank] of December. It is resolued at this assemblie that from henceforth no ad- venturor in this viage shalbe received to adventure in the same for a lesse somme then 200 li.

And it is generallie agreed that ther shalbe brought in to the some present pettie charges that shall be expended in the affaires of the said viage, xij d. vppon everie Cli sett downe and to be handes of the Threasorers withall expedition, for the defrayinge of sett downe vppon every mans portion of adventure, to be collected by him that warneth the adventurors to ther assemblies or other- wyse to be brought in by them selves to the Threasorers. At an assemblie of the Comitties or the directors of the viage the xxvth of September 1599. [Twelve names.] Thes Committies to whom the direction of the affaires of the viage is comitted beinge assembled together doe devide the present busines of the said viage, to be followed and solicited by some of them at the Courte for the obteyninge of a priviledge and other liberties and freedomes therto belonginge, and by some of them in surveyinge and seekinge out of suche shippinge as is thought meet for the viage, to which severall imployments the said persons by mutuall assent have agreed to vse ther travell, videlicet :

to solicite the lords of the Councell [8 names] to seek for shippes [7 names] And it is resolued that a petition shalbe exhibited to the Lords of her maiesties most honorable privy Counsell in the name of the adventurour[s] showing ther honors that divers merchauntes, induced by the successe of the viage performed by the Duche nation and beinge informed that the duchemen prepare for a newe viage and to that ende have bought divers ships heere

• in England, were stirred vp with noe lesse affection to advaunce the trade of ther native Cuntrey then the duche merchauntes were to benefite ther comon wealthe, and vppon that affection have resolved to make a viage to the est Indias, yf her maiestie wilbe pleased to add to ther entention the better to performe the enter- prise these severall petitions or Requestes followinge, videlicet : To graunt to the adventures a priviledge in succession and to incorporate them in a Companie, for that the trade of the Indias beinge so farre remote from hence cannot be traded but in a Joint and a vnyted stock.

That the shippinge of the adventurors beinge prepared for ther viages be not staied vppon anie pretence of [anie] service, for that the stay of one moneth loseth the opportunetie of a whole yeres viage.

That it may be lawfull for the adventurours anie Statute notwithstandinge to sende out forrein Coyne, and yf ther shalbe a want of forrein Coyne to furnishe this present viage that ther may be quyned in her maiesties mynt so muche forrein quyne as shall supply the want, out of such bullyon or plate as shalbe brought in by the adventurors or by ther meanes. That freedome of Custome be humblie requirid for all suche goodes as are carried out in 6 viages, the rather for that many experimentes are to be made before the Cuntrey shalbe fitted with marchaundize vendible ther, and for that also the Duche merchauntes for ther better encoragement are freed for divers yeres bothe of Custome outward and inwarde. A generall Court holdene the 9 of Januarie 1600 [1601] in the presence of [seventeen names] And the greater part of the generalyty. This Court was informed that the comon adventure sett downe for the voyage falleth out too short by the somme of fowre or five thousand poundes, of that which shall be necessarie to be sett forth, considering the great preparation of the Ductche which are ready to goe to the same places of the East Indies to which our voyage is directed, and that also some of the adventurers which have sett downe ther contributions have brought in noe part thereof and other some do defaulte of that which they sett downe, alledging that [they will not adventure so much as they sett downe at the first, by which meanes the adventure will fall short of that which is necessarie to be [still further] adventured to make a good voyage by the some of eight or nyne thowsand poundes in the whole, vppone which information this Court fallinge into the deliberation howe in best sort they may supply this present want, It was agreed therfore by this generall Court for the advancement of this voyage and for the avoyding of the preiudice that may happen by the want of a convenient proportion of adventure [for this present voyage enterprise], and that by the generall assent of this assemblie and establyshed as a Lawe Warraunted by the said lettres Pattentes, that for the present dispatche away of the shippes and the full augmentation of the Stocke and adventure to be sett forthe, ther shalbe enlarged by every contributor accordinge to the proportion of his adventure ijs. vppon the pounde, with this Cawtion notwithstanding that yf the full adventure can be otherwyse supplied by any voluntary enlargement of mens voluntary encrease of ther adventures and by the vrging of those that are behinde with all or part of the adventures to bring them in according to that which they have sett downe, that then all the overplus which shalbe brought in by the enlargement of ijs. the pound, shalbe proportionally restored backe againe to the Contributors and be vsed the meane tyme as money lent. And it is also ordered that a present information and Complaint shalbe made to the Lords of the Councell of suche as have disapointed the preparation of the voyage, that they may be called before ther Lordshippes to receave suche order as to ther honors shalbe thought meet. And to thende that this order and decree agreed vppon may be executed with all spede, the said rate of ijs. the li. shalbe brought in by everie adventuror according to his proportion by the 15. of this moneth, vppon payne of forfeyture of Double the valewe to be Levied vppon them accordinge to the aucthoritie of the [said] graunt of priviledges before mencioned, provided all waies and it is agreed that yf any man shalbe willinge voluntaryly to encrease his adventure already sett downe above the rate of ijs. the li., that then he shall not be within the Compas of this acte of enlargement of ijs. the li. by way of Lone.

At this Court accordinge to the warraunt geaven to the Companie for the election of the deputie to the Governor of the same, they have proceaded to the election of the said deputie and by generall consent have nominated and chosen Mr William Rumney to execute the same office.

And for the better expedition of the setting forthe of the shippes on ther voyage, and for the redresse of the wronge which suche as have not brought in ther moneis have offered to the voyage, order is geaven that mr governor and Comitties shall apoint suche as they thinke meete to goe to the Court to exhibite ther information and Complaint to the Lordes.
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