Whereas it is found by Experience, That Traffique with Infidels and
Barbarous Nations not in Amity with Us, and who are not holden by
any League or Treaty, cannot be carried on without the Establishment
of Forts and Factories in places convenient, the maintenance whereof
requires so great and constant Expence, that it cannot be otherwise
defrayed, then by Managing the whole Trade by a Joynt Stock; We in Our
Royal Wisdom taking the same into Our serious Consideration, and more
especially having found by experience, That the whole Trade of the
Coast of Guiny, Buiny and Angola, and other parts and places of Africa,
so much importing our Service, and the Enriching of this Our Kingdom,
was very much abated, and attempted to be Ingrossed by Foreigners,
and in eminent danger to be utterly lost, and taken from Us, and Our
loving Subjects, not onely by Foreign Force, but by the Violence and
Inconstancy of the Heathen Natives: For the Recovery and Preservation
whereof, We were Graciously pleased to encourage and invite Our loving
Subjects to Raise a Joynt Stock to be used and imployed therein: And in
consideration thereof, and for the better Securing of such as should
come in and be concerned in the said Joynt Stock and Trade, We did by
Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England, bearing date the
Seven and twentieth day of September, in the Four and twentieth year
of Our Reign,[1] Grant unto several of Our loving Subjects, the whole
entire and onely Trade into and from Africa, from the Port of Sally
in South Barbary inclusive, to the Cape de Bona Esperanza inclusive,
with all the Islands near adjoyning to those Coasts, and comprehended
within the Limits aforesaid, and did Incorporate them by the name of
The Royal African Company of England; And the said Company having
raised a very great Stock sufficient to Manage the Trade thereof, have
since, at their great Expence and Charge, Fortified and Setled divers
Garisons, Forts and Factories, by which means they have so Secured
the said Trade, that the same doth now begin to flourish, and if not
disturbed, is likely to be further improved to the great benefit of
this Our Kingdom; Nevertheless, We are Informed by the humble Petition
of the said Company, That divers of Our Subjects in several of Our
Plantations in America, who are not Members of the said Company, nor
any ways concerned in their Stock, do endeavour to reap the Benefit and
Fruit thereof; and to that end have already sent several Ships into
those parts to Trade, and are providing more, the which if it should be
permitted, and not strictly and presently prevented, will disable the
said Company from supporting the great Charge of maintaining the said
Forts, Garisons and Factories, and consequently, unavoidably occasion
the loss of the whole Trade of those Countreys: Wherefore for remedy
thereof We have thought fit, with Advice of Our Privy Council,[2] to
Publish and Declare Our Royal Will and Pleasure to be, And We do hereby
strictly Prohibit and Forbid all and every of Our Subjects whatsoever,
Except the said Royal Company and their Successours, at any time or
times hereafter, to send or Navigate any Ship or Ships, Vessel or
Vessels, or Exercise any Trade from any of Our Plantations, Dominions,
or Countreys in America, to any of the Parts or Coasts of Africa, from
Sally to Cape de Bona Esperanza, or any of the Islands near thereunto,
as aforesaid, or from thence to carry any Negro Servants, Gold,
Elephants Teeth, or any other Goods or Merchandizes of the Product or
Manufacture of the said Places, to any of Our American Dominions or
Plantations, upon pain of Our high Displeasure, and the forfeiture and
loss of the said Negros, Gold, Elephants Teeth, and all other Goods
and Merchandizes, and the Ships or Vessels which shall bring or carry
the same. And We do hereby also strictly Require and Command all Our
Governours, Deputy-Governours, Admirals, Vice-Admirals, Generals,
Judges of Our Courts of Admiralty, Commanders of Our Forts and Castles,
Captains of Our Royal Ships, Justices of the Peace, Provost-Marshals,
Marshals, Comptrollers, Collectors of Our Customs, Wayters, Searchers,
and all other Our Officers and Ministers Civil and Military, by Sea
or Land, in every of Our said American Dominions or Plantations, to
take effectual care, That no person or persons whatsoever within their
respective Limits or Jurisdictions (except the said Company and their
Successours) do send or Navigate any Ships or Vessels, or Exercise any
Trade from any of Our said Dominions or Plantations, to any part of
the said Coast of Africa, within the Limits aforesaid, or from thence
to Import any Negro Servants, Gold, Elephants Teeth, or other Goods
of the Product of any of those Parts, into any of Our said Dominions
or Plantations in America; And if any person or persons shall presume
to act or do in any wise contrary to this Our Royal Proclamation, to
the end Our Will and Pleasure herein may be the better observed, We do
further Will, Require, and strictly Command all Our said Governours,
Deputy-Governours, Admirals, Vice-Admirals, Generals, Judges of Our
Court of Admiralty, Commanders of Our Forts and Castles, Captains of
Our Royal Ships, Justices of the Peace, Provost-Marshals, Marshals,
Comptrollers, Collectors of Our Customs, Wayters, Searchers, and all
other Our Officers and Ministers Civil and Military, by Sea or Land,
in every of Our said American Dominions and Plantations, That as often
as need shall require, they be Aiding and Assisting to the said Royal
African Company, their Successors, Factors, Deputies or Assigns, to
Attach, Arrest, Take and Seize all such Ship or Ships, Vessel or
Vessels, Negro Servants, Gold, Elephants Teeth, or Goods, Wares and
Merchandizes, wheresoever they shall be found, for Our Use, according
to Our Royal Charter Granted to the said Company, upon pain of Our high
Displeasure, and as they will answer the contrary at their Perils.
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Thirtieth day of November, in
the Six and twentieth year of Our Reign.