money Ryals and other Treasure are safely to be kept in some conuenient place of the Companies house for their ordinary meeting in London and not elsewhere XLII They shall not pay a Warrant in full payment for any Wares whereunto the Bill of parcels is not fastened and also subscribed by two Committees at the least who bought the goods and the party who solde them for the vse of the Company XLIII They shall keepe faire Bookes of Accompts of their proceedings in the Affaires of the Company And they shall prepare them to be Audited once euery Quarter at the least And at the times of the said Audits they shall also present a view of all the money and Ryals which ought to be in Cash if it be required by the Court. Committees generall XLIIII THE Committees generall being to bee Twenty foure in number shall be yearely chosen according to the Tenor of his Maiesties Letters Patents XLV They shall diligently keepe their Courts ordinary and extraordinary whensoeuer occasion of busines shall require being Summon'd by the Gouernour of this Company or his Deputy XLVI They shall performe the Orders of Courts for setting out of Ships selling of goods buying of Prouisions Victuals Stores and Marchandize wherein especiall care is to be had that no one man alone is to be intrusted with the making of those prouisions but Two at least appointed vnto it by the Court and if any one Committee be absent the other shall not conclude any bargaine for the Company before hee haue acquainted the Court of Committees and from thence receiue his Order XLVII They shall deliuer vp to the Treasurer Billes of parcels vnder written by those persons of whom they shall buy any Marchandize or prouisions for the Company And in the said Billes the quantity quality price and all other circumstances concerning the Bargaines made shall be plainely set downe to vouch their proceedings XLVIII They shall not Assigne or intrust the buying of any of the said Marchandize Prouisions Victuals or Stores vnto the Husband or to any others but they shall personally performe the charge appointed them by the Court with their best endeauour and skill But they may vse the Assistance of the Husband or any other the Companies Officers vpon all necessary occasions XLIX And to preuent confusion disturbance or discontents it shall not be lawfull for any Committee to intrude inter-meddle or deale in the thinges which are ordered by Court vnto the charge of other Committees more then by aduise and counsell for the good of the Company in which if any finde themselues neglected they shall make complaint thereof to the Court. L. They shall haue power and Authority at their pleasure to examine and review any of the Accompts which shall haue bin Audited and allowed by the seuerall Auditors and if they finde any errors or wrongs done to the Company they are presently to make it knowne vnto the Court. LI. Euery Committee shall take an Oath as hee is chosen or being absent at the next Court he commeth to and shall faithfully performe all the thinges which are contained in the said Oath Election of Officers LII ALL the Offices of this Company vpon yearely Salary within the Realme of England shall be voyd once euery yeere on the Foure and Twenty day of Iune or within Three dayes next following LIII The Gouernour of his Deputy and Thirteene Committees at the least who shall be present in their ordinary place of meeting on the Foure and Twenty day of Iune yearely or within three dayes next following shall proceed to an Election of new Officers and establishing of their Wages by the order of the Ballating box or by erection of hands as vnto the greater number of them present shall seeme most conuenient LIIII There shall bee a faire admittance of all men but first and especially of the free Brethren of this Company who shall concurre at the time appointed to the Election and preferment of any Office in the said Company LV. Euery Officer as hee is chosen shall take his Oath openly in Court or if he be absent then at the next Court which hee shall come vnto being called and shall giue Bonds with such sufficient Suerties for their true performance as the said Court shall require LVI Any of the said Officers vpon perfect knowledge of their insufficiency or other misdemeanors shall loose their places within the terme of the yeare at the discretion of the Gouernour or his Deputy and Thirteene Committees at the least who shall make choyse of others as vnto them shall seeme needfull and the like in occasion of any Officers Death Secretary LVII THE Secretaries Office is to attend the Gouernour Deputy and Committees in all their Courts ordinary and extraordinary and also in the generall Courts to take note of their proceedings which hee shall faithfully and truely ingrosse into a faire Booke for that purpose LVIII At the beginning of euery Court hee shall reade his collections of the Court next before and he shall faithfully obserue that nothing of importance be registred at the breaking vp of any Court when the Committees are departed or doe not remaine in the number of 13. at the least LIX Hee shall in due time remember and put the Courts in minde of such perticular Affaires as are ordered to be handled once euery Quarter or at other certaine times appointed LX. Hee shall be bound by Oath not to discouer any of the Secrets of this Company neither yet to drawe vp any part of the said Courts by the perswasions or directions of any perticular men whosoeuer but onely by the Authority of the Court according to the very truth of their resolutions and Orders LXI Hee shall vpon Reference of any busines from the Court to perticuler Committees or others giue a true Note thereof vnto the Remembrancer that he may acquaint the parties with the Order of the Company LXII He shall keepe a Booke and therein by Alphabet set downe the names of euery perticular member of this Company and also another Booke in which hee shall note downe the Names of them who shall hereafter be made free Brethren of this Company with the Conditions and the like for Commaunders Factors and others who shall be entertained by the Court of Committees LXIII Hee shall performe the Messages and write the Letters of the Company to such noble Personages and others which shall bee giuen him in charge by the Gouernour Deputy and Committees and the Coppies of the said Letters he shall register in a faire Booke for that purpose Remembrancer LXIIII. THE Remembrancer shall take such information and Notes from the Secretary as shall concerne the Reference of Affaires from the Court to a selected Committee whom hee shall acquaint with the Busines the time and place appointed for the same LXV Hee shall attend the Gouernour Deputy or Committees at their generall meetings in the Yard where he shall take true Notes of their proceedings and bring the
vsually paide by them who are made free Brethren of the Companie shall be continued CCLXXX There shal be no increase of wages giuen to any man who in the course of the Voyage whereunto hee is hyred shall happen to succeed or to be preferred to a higher Office then that place wherein hee was first Shipped But if any such persons so aduanced shall bee found to haue well deserued for the benefit of the Company the Court of Committees may gratifie and reward them as they shall thinke fit Gratifications CCLXXXI THE Guifts and Liberality of this Company vnto worthy and well deseruing Persons shall bee at the discretions and disposing of the Gouernour or his Deputy with the greater number of Committees Prouided alwayes that no Guift or Gratification to one man shall amount to a greater value then the summe of One hundreth pounds For if there shall bee occasion to giue a larger Reward to any perticular man Then in that case they shall acquaint the generall Court therewith and from thence receiue resolution and direction CCLXXXII All Gratifications which either haue been giuen heretofore or shal be giuen hereafter to any of the Companies Officers in the Realme of England ouer and aboue their yearely Sallarie shall not remaine constant vnto them in the nature of wages but such gratifications shall passe the Iudgement of the Court of Committees once euery yeare at the time of their Election CCLXXXIII The said Gouernour Deputy and Committees shall not allow or take vnto themselues any summe or summes of money for and in consideration of their cares and labours in the Affaires of this Company but the Rewards of their Deserts shall be referred once euery yeare to the pleasure of the generall Court wherein new Directors shall be chosen or to the next generall Court following CCLXXXIIII All Guifts of whatseuer kinde or to whomsoeuer giuen either openly in Court or priuately by the Order of Court shall be deliuered in the name of the Company by some Committees appointed thereunto by the Court who shall render a perticular Accompt of such priuate distributions at all times when the said Court shall require the same Trade CCLXXXV THE Trade for the East Jndies shall be vnlawfull to all men otherwise then in the generall or Ioynt Stocke which shall be mannaged by the Gouernour Deputy and Committees for and in the behalfe of all the Aduenturers And whosoeuer shall bee found directly or indirectly to performe any other priuate Trade to or from the said Jndies or within any of the seuerall Factories or from Port to Port there hee shall Forfeit all the monyes Wares Interests and other profits whatsoeuer or the value which shal be found to belong proceed or arise by any such priuate Trade And the said Forfeitures shall bee recouered according to the Tenor of his Maiesties Letters Pattents granted vnto the Companie CCLXXXVI There shall bee a Tolleration onely for the incouragement of all the Commaunders Factors and Marryners who shall returne home in the Companies Ships and seruice to bring with them for their owne proper Accompts so much Raw Silk Beniamin Gumlacke Muske Sugar Candy Drugges Carpets Quilts Hard-wax Preserues Wormeseeds Silke Stuffes Beazar-stones or any other Wares whatsoeuer Jndico Callicoes Dyamonds and all sortes of Spices onely excepted as they can bestow or packe into one Chest for each man of Foure foot long 1. Foot a halfe broad and 1. foot and a halfe deepe for which they shall not pay Fraight or any other duty vnto this Company Beadle CCLXXXVII THE said Beadle shall dayly giue his Attendance at the Companies House to know the pleasure of the Gouernour or his Deputy for the Summoning of Courts ordinary and extraordinary and other meetings of the Committees and shall diligently attend the Courts to performe such other Duties as concerne his place CCLXXXVIII He shall vse all possible Diligence in the warning of the Generall Courts and especially the Court for Election of the Gouernour Deputy Treasurers and Committees leauing Tickets at each mans House and setting vp Billes in the Exchange three dayes at the least before the said Courts Porter of the Companies House in London CCLXXXIX THE said Porter shall haue a Roome in the Companies House neare the street Doore for his aboad in the day time and a Chamber for his Lodging in the Night CCXC. He shall attend dayly to open and shut the Street Doore and the backe Gate vpon all occasions needfull and hee shall diligently obserue such persons who enter and depart the Companies House especially those who may seeme to be suspitious or are found to bee troublesome by outragious speaking Swearing Gaming Quarrelling Fighting or other disorders and shall cause them forthwith to auoyde the House Also to apprehend such as shall haue stollen or doe attempt to pilfer or performe any other thing in the said House contrary to his Maiesties Lawes CCXCI. He shall euery Night before Supper call John Blount one of the Companies Officers who is Lodged in their said House to walke the Round with him into all the open Roomes and places where they shall carefully view and after locke vp the doores and deliuer the Keyes vnto the Companies Secretary CCXCII The street Doore shal be shut and chayned euery Euening presently after departure of the Officers and if any chance to knocke later within Night answer shal be made them without vnchayning the Doore vntill the party and his Arrand be knowne vnto the rest of the Officers lodged in the Companies house CCXCIII The Street doore and backe Gates shall shut each of them with Two lockes of seuerall openings to the intent that euery Euening one Key of each doore may remaine with the Porter and the other Keyes to be deliuered to John Blount aforesaid who shal be present to see the said Doore shut and opened daily and shal also haue care and assist the Porter to preuent all disorders in the Companies house CCXCIIII The Porter shall haue the custody and care of the Companies Fewell and Candles that they be not wasted by others and shall make the Fires in the seuerall Offices at the times appointed and shall daily sweepe the great Hall and Parlour the Street doore and all the Yardes light Candles to the Offices and in the Lanthornes about the House and to doe all other thinges fitting his place CCXCV. All the Officers and their Seruants who doe lodge in the said House shall haue egresse and regresse into the same Viz from Sixe a clocke in the Morning vntill Ten a clocke at Night and not before or after those times except onely vpon some speciall occasion by Licence or by the generall consent of the said Officers CCXCVI. The said Porter shall once euery weeke sweepe the Treasury and all the other Offices in the Companies said House Accomptants generall CCXCVII. THE Booke-keepers shall obserue such Order and Method in the Mannaging of the Accompts for the Affaires of the Company as is at large set downe
deliuered the time the parties name his suerties tares trets price and euery other circumstance to make the parcell plaine and perfect and in the Margent to note downe the number of each Warrant CCLXII They shall keepe a true accompt of all manner of charges which they shall disburse to Porters Carmen or the like in the Warehouses and of the Caske or Canuas which they shall receiue to packe or imbale the Companies Goods and they shall likewise render a true accompt of all the Skinnes Wrappers Cotten Wools or other things which shall be sold to the most aduantage of this Company Committees of Ware-houses CCLXIII THE said Committees shall be sixe in number and they shall see all the Merchandize whatsoeuer for this Company safely and orderly lodged in the VVarehouses taking a true accompt of euery Ships lading concerning the quality and quantity of the VVares seuerally and so shall they compare all things by the Accompts from the Jndies to see that the Company be not wronged in their waight number measure false packing or other defects whereof they shall presently acquaint the Court of Committees that such course may be taken for remedy as vnto them shall seeme needfull CCLXIIII They shall ouersee the said Warehouses and commaund that all things there be well and orderly placed so that no part of the Wares may receiue any hurt or be wasted and they shall cause three Locks of seuerall openings to be made to the outward dores of euery Warehouse that so the keyes of two of them may be in the power of two seuerall Committees and the third shall be reserued in the charge of the said Clarke CCLXV. They shall vnder-write the Warrants to the said Clarkes together with the Gouernour or his Deputy for the deliuery of Wares vpon Stocke vnto the Aduenturers or vpon Bils according to the bargaines which shall be made by the Candels or otherwise in which they shall haue a speciall care that nothing be trusted but vpon good security CCLXVI. They shall Audit vp the Warehouse bookes concerning the particular charges disbursed by the Clarkes and take accompt of the Wrappers Skins Cotton Wools and the like to be sold for the vse of the Company Sales of Merchandize CCLXVII THE Custome which hath beene vsed heretofore in selling the Wares of this Company at a generall Court and the Remnants of small value in the Warehouses by the light of a Candle shall be continued onely in some cases excepted where the Gouernour Deputy and Committees shall conceiue it needfull to take some other course for the good of the Company CCLXVIII All aduentures of Stocks which shall hereafter be sold by the light of a Candle in open Court shall be published and put to sale in the names of the Aduenturers of such Stock And it shall not be lawfull for any man either by himselfe or by any others for him to offer price for the said Aduentures onely they haue power in the beginning of euery sale to set downe their lowest rates and then to take their fortune of that which shall follow by the offers of other men Solicitor for Payment of Debts CCLXIX THE said Solicitor shall attend the Warehouses to take notice of all the Wares which shall be intrusted to any man by this Company and shall make the Bils of Debt and procure them to be signed and sealed by the principall Debtors and their Suerties which Bils so signed and sealed he shall deliuer vp to the custody of the Treasurers for this Company CCLXX. Hee shall likewise solicite all the Companies Debtors to bring in their money to the Treasurers at the due time and if hee finde any man negligent or carelesse to discharge his debt hee shall acquaint the Court of Committees thereof that they may take some speedy course for satisfaction Solicitor in the Law CCLXXI. IN all occasions of controuersies actions and suites of Law the said Solicitor shall follow the cause by his owne experience and according to directions of his learned Counsell assigned him by the Court concerning which and all other his proceedings in the affaires of this Company Hee shall from time to time acquaint the Court of Committees and attend their resolutions CCLXXII He shall assist to make contracts couenants and other Writings wherein the Company shall haue any occasion to make vse of his knowledge and endeuours in matters of that kinde Wages CCLXXIII THE Wages or Allowance vnto the Presidents Generals Captaines Commanders Factors and all other Officers in this Companies Seruice wheresoeuer shall be agreed and established by the Gouernour or his Deputy with the greater number of the Committees CCLXXIIII There shall be allowance of two Moneths wages imprested aforehand vnto all such persons as shall serue this Company in their Shipping to the East Jndies and for some speciall reasons there shall be allowance of three Months wages imprested aforehand vnto all the Ship Carpenters imployed in the said Voyages CCLXXV There shall be allowance also of two Months wages vpon Accompt of euery yeares Seruice vnto the Wiues of all such persons as shall be imployed in the Companies Shipping to the East Jndies CCLXXVI All the Factors for the Company in the East Indies shall haue one third part of their wages allowed them there yearely if they require it for maintenance of Apparell and the like after the rate of Fiue shillings sterling for euery Ryall of Eight But the other two third partes shall be paide heere in England vnto their Assignes And the said Factors shall not be entertained into the Companies seruice for lesse then Seauen yeares except onely in some speciall occasions of principall men it is left vnto the discretion of the Gouernour Deputy and Committees to agree with them as they shall see cause CCLXXVII The wages which herafter shall be paide vnto any of the Commanders Factors or Marryners that returne home in the Companies Ships from the Jndies or to the Executors and Assignes of them who happen to dye in the Voyage shall be made vp iustly by the chiefe Accomptant assisted by any one of the Auditors in the presence and with the approbation of one or more of the Committees appointed for entertaining of Maryners and thus by warrant from them all signed the Clarke of the wages shall pay euery perticular man his due reseruing the said Warrants for his discharge in the Audit of his Accompts CCLXXVIII The Companies Officers heere in England vpon yearely Sallary shall haue their wages paide them Quarterly by iust proportions CCLXXIX The said Officers from henceforth shall not take directly nor indirectly any Fee payment or Guift of the Brethren of this Company concerning Warrants Bonds Billes Transportations of Aduentures or any other seruice which ought to be by them performed in their seuerall places but their labours of this kinde shall wholly depend vpon the yearely Sallarie or other rewards which shall be agreed or allowed them by the Court of Committees onely the Secretaries Fees which are