The Letters patents or priviledges granted by her Majestic
to certaine Noble men and Marchants of London, for
a trade to Barbarie, in the yeere 1585.
ELIZABETH by the grace of God Queene of England,
France, and Ireland
, defender of the faith, &c. to the
Treasurer & Barons of our Eschequer, and to al Maiors,
shirifs, constables, customers, collectors of our customes
and subsidies, controllers, searchers, and keepers of our
havens and creekes, ports and passages, within this our
realme of England and the dominions of the same, and
to al our officers, ministers and subjects, and to all other
whosoever to whom it shall or may appertaine, and to
every of them greeting. Whereas it is made evidently
and apparantly knowen unto us, that of late yeeres our
right trustie and right welbeloved councellors, Ambrose
Erle of Warwike, and Robert Erle of Leicester, and also
our loving and naturall subjects, Thomas Starkie of our
citie of London Alderman, Jerard Gore the elder, and all
his sonnes, Thomas Gore the elder, Arthur Atie gentleman, Alexander Avenon, Richard Staper, William Jennings, Arthur Dawbeney, William Sherington, Thomas
Bramlie, Anthony Garrard, Robert How, Henry Colthirst,
Edward Holmden, John Swinnerton, Robert Walkaden,
Simon Lawrence, Nicholas Stile, Oliver Stile, William
Bond, Henrie Farrington, John Tedcastle, Walter
Williams, William Brune, John Suzan, John Newton,
Thomas Owen, Roger Afield, Robert Washborne, Reinold
Guy, Thomas Hitchcocke, George Lydiat, John Cartwright, Henry Paiton, John Boldroe, Robert Bowyer,
Anthonie Dassell,
Augustine Lane, Robert Lion, and
Thomas Dod, all of London, Marchants now trading into
the
Countrey of Barbary, in the parts of Africa
, under the
government of Muly Hammet Sheriffe, Emperor of
Marocco, and king of Fesse and Sus, have sustained
great and grievous losses, and are like to sustaine greater
if it should not be prevented: In tender consideration
whereof, and for that divers Marchandize of the same
Countries are very necessary and convenient for the use
and defence of this our
Realme of England, and for
divers other causes us specially moving, minding the
reliefe and benefite of our said subjects, and the quiet
trafique and good government to be had, and used
among them in their said trade, of our speciall grace,
certaine knowledge, and meere motion have given and
granted, and by these presents for us, our heires and
successors, doe give and grant unto the saide Earles of
Warwike and Leicester
, Thomas Starkie, Jerard Gore
the elder, Arthur Atie gentleman, Alexander Avenon,
Richard Staper, William Jennings, Arthur Dawbenie,
William Sherington, Thomas Bramlie, Anthonie Gerrard,
Robert Howe, Henry Colthirst, Edward Holmden, John
Swinnerton, Robert Walkaden, Simon Lawrence, Nicholas
Stile, Oliver Stile, William Bond, Henry Farrington,
John Tedcastle, Walter Williams, William Brune, John
Suzan, John Newton, Thomas Owen, Roger Afild, Robert
Washborne, Rainold Guie, Thomas Hitchcocke, George
Lidiate, John Cartwright, Henry Payton, John Baldroe,
Robert Bowyer, Anthony Dassell,
Augustine Lane, Robert
Lion, and Thomas Dod, that they and every of them by
themselves or by their factors or servants, and none
others, shall and may, for, and during the space of 12.
yeeres, have and enjoy the whole freedome and libertie
in the saide trafique or trade, unto or from the said
countrey of Barbary, or to or from any part thereof, for
the buying and selling of all maner of wares and marchandizes whatsoever, that now or accustomably heretofore have bene brought or transported, from, or to the
cities, townes, places, ports, roades, havens, harbors or
said country of Barbary, or from or to any of the
creeks of the said country of Barbary, any law, statute,
graunt, matter, customes or privileges, to the contrary in
any wise notwithstanding.
And for the better establishing, ordering and governing
of the said Erles of Warwike and Leicester
, Thomas
Starkie, &c. abovesaid, their factors, servants and
assignes in the trade aforesaid, we for us our heires and
successors, doe by these presents give and graunt full
licence to the saide Thomas Starkie, Jerard Gore the
elder, and the rest aforesaide, and to every of them from
time to time, during the said terme of twelve yeres, at
their pleasures to assemble and meete together in any
place or places convenient within our citie of London, or
elsewhere, to consult of, and for the said trade, and with
the consent of the said Erle of Leicester, to make and
establish good and necessary orders and ordinances, for,
and touching the same, and al such orders and ordinances
so made, to put in ure and execute, and them or any
of them with the consent of the said Erle of Leicester,
to alter, change and make voyde, and if need be, to
make new, as at any time during the saide terme, they
or the most part of them then living and trading, shall
finde convenient.
Provided alwayes, that the ordinances or any of them
bee not contrary or repugnant to the lawes, statutes or
customes of this our
Realme of England. And to the
intent that they onely to whom the said libertie of
trafique is graunted by these our Letters patents, and
none other our Subjects whatsoever, without their special
consent and licence before had, should during the said
terme have trade or trafique for any maner of Marchandizes, to, or from the said
countrey of Barbary, or to,
or from any Citie, towne, place, port, harbor or creeke
within the said
countrey of Barbary, to, or out of our
said Realmes and dominions, wee doe by these presents
straightly charge, commaund, and prohibite all and every
our Subjects whatsoever, other then only the said Erles
of Warwike and Leicester
, Thomas Starkie, and the rest
abovesaid, and every of them by themselves, or by their
Factors or servants during the saide terme, to trade or
trafique, for or with any marchandize, to, or from the
saide
Countrey of Barbary, or to, or from any the
dominions of the same, as they tender our favour, and
will avoyde our high displeasure, and upon paine of
imprisonment of his and their bodies, at our will and
pleasure, and of forfeiting all the marchandizes, or the
full value thereof, wherewith they or any of them during
the saide terme, shall trade or trafique to or from the
said
countrey of Barbary, or to, or from the dominions
of the same, contrary to this our privilege and prohibition, unlesse it be by and with the expresse licence,
consent, and agreement of the saide Erles of Warwike
and Leicester
, Thomas Starkie, Jerard Gore the elder,
and all his sonnes, Thomas Gore the elder, Arthur Atie
gentleman, Alexander Avenon, Richard Straper, William
Jennings, Arthur Dawbnie, William Sherington, Thomas
Bramlie, Anthonie Gerrard, Robert Howe, Henry Colthirst, Edward Holmden, John Swinnerton, Robert
Walkaden, Simon Lawrence, Nicholas Stile, Oliver Stile,
William Bond, Henry Farington, John Tedcastle, Walter
Williams, William Brune, John Suzan, John Newton,
Thomas Owen, Roger Afield, Robert Washborne, Rainold Guy, Thomas Hitchcock, George Lidiate, &c. or
by, and with the expresse licence and consent of the
more part of them then living and trading, first had and
obtained, so alwayes, that the sayd Earle of Leicester be
one, if hee bee living.
And we further for us our heires and successors of
our speciall grace, meere motion and certaine knowledge,
do graunt to the said Erles of Warwike and Leicester
,
Thomas Starkie, and the rest abovesaid, and to every of
them, that nothing shall be done, to be of force or validitie touching the said trade or trafique, or the exercise
thereof, without or against the consent of the saide Erles,
Thomas Starkie, (and the others before named) during
the time of these our Letters patents for 12. yeeres as
aforesaid.
And for that the said Erles, Thomas Starkie, &c. and
every of them aforesaid should not be prevented or interrupted in this their said trade, we do by these presents
for us, our heires and successours, straightly prohibite
and forbid all maner of person or persons, as well
strangers of what nation or countrey soever, as our owne
Subjects, other then onely the said Erles, Thomas
Starkie, &c. and every of them as aforesaid, that they
nor any of them from hencefoorth during the said terme
of 12. yeeres, do or shall bring, or cause to be brought
into this our
Realme of England, or to any the dominions
thereof, any maner of marchandizes whatsoever growing,
or being made within the said
Countrey of Barbary, or
within any the dominions thereof, unlesse it be by and
with the licence, consent and agreement of the said Erles,
Thomas Starkie, &c. or with the consent and licence of
the more part of them then living, first had and obtained,
so alwayes yt the sayd Erle of Leicester (if hee be living)
be one, under the paine that every one that shall offend
or doe against this our present prohibition here last above
mentioned in these presents, shall forfeite and lose all
and singular the said marchandizes to be landed in any
our realmes and dominions, contrary to the tenor and
true meaning of this our prohibition in that behalfe
provided: the one moitie of all and every which said
forfaitures whatsoever mentioned or specified in these our
present Letters patents, shalbe to us our heires & successors: And the other moity of al and every the said
forfaitures, we doe by these presents of our certaine
knowledge and meere motion, clearely and wholy for us,
our heires and successors, give and graunt unto the said
Erles, Thomas Starkie, &c. And these our Letters
patents, upon the onely sight thereof, without any further
warrant, shal bee sufficient authoritie to our Treasurer
of England for the time being, to our Barons of the
Exchequer, and to all other our officers that shall have
to deale in this behalfe, to make full allowance unto the
said Erles, Thomas Starkie, &c. their deputies or assignes
of the one moitie of all and singular the goods, marchandizes and things whatsoever mentioned in these our
present Letters patents, to be forfaited at any time or
times during the said terme of twelve yeres : which said
allowance we doe straightly charge and commaund from
time to time to be made to the sayd Eries, Thomas
Starkie, &c. and to every of them accordingly, without
any maner of delay or deniall of any of our officers
whatsoever, as they tender our favour and the furtherance
of our good pleasure. And wee doe straightly charge
and commaund, and by these presents prohibite all and
singular Customers and Collectors of our customes &
subsidies, and comptrollers of the same, of, and within
our Citie and port of London, and all other portes,
creekes, & places within this our
Realme of England, and
every of them, that they ne any of them take or perceive,
or cause, or suffer to be taken, received, or perceived for
us & in our name, or to our use, or to ye uses of our
heires or successors of any person or persons, any sum or
summes of money, or other things whatsoever during the
said terme of 12. yeres, for, and in the name & liew or
place of any custome, subsidy & other thing or duties
to us, our heires or successors due or to be due for the
customes & subsidies of any marchandizes whatsoever
growing, being made or comming out of the said
countrey of Barbary, or out of the dominions thereof, nor
make, cause, nor suffer to be made any entrie into our
or their books of customs & subsidies, nor make any
agreement for the subsidies and customs, of, and for
any the said marchants, saving onely with, & in the
name of the said Erles, Thomas Starkie, &c. or the
most part of them, as they and every of them will
answere at their uttermost perils to the contrary. And
for the better and more sure observation of this our
graunt, wee will, and grant for us our heires & successors by these presents, that the Treasurer & barons
of our Exchequer for the time being, by force of this
our graunt or enrolment thereof in the said court, at
al & every time & times during the said terme of 12.
yeres, at & upon request made unto them by the said
Erles, Thomas Starkie, &c. or by the atturneis, factors,
deputies or assignes of them, or the most part of them
then living and trading, shall and may make & direct
under the seale of the said Exchequer, one or moe
sufficient writ or writs, close or patents, unto every or
any of our said customers, collectors or controllers of
our heires and successors in all and every, or to any port
or ports, creeke, haven, or other places within this our
realme of England, as the said Erles, Thomas Starkie, &c.
or any the atturneis, factors, deputies or assignes of them
or the most part of them then living and trading, shall at
any time require, commaunding and straightly charging
them and every of them, that they nor any of them at any
time or times during the said terme of 12. yeeres, make
any entrie of any wares or marchandizes whatsoever,
growing, being made or comming out or from the said
countrey of Barbary, or the dominions thereof, nor receive
or take any custome, subsidie or other entrie, or make
any agreement for the same, other then with or in the
name of the said Erles, Thomas Starkie, &c. the factor
or factors, deputies or assignes of them or the most part
of them then living and trading, according to this our
graunt, and the true meaning thereof, and according to
our saide will and pleasure before in these presents
declared. In witnesse whereof we have caused these
our Letters to be made patents. Witnesse our selfe at
Westminster
the 5. day of July in the 27. yeere of our reigne.
