March 1644
[7 March, 1643/4.]
The Fellowship shall be a Corporation.; Choice of all Ministers and Officers.; Power to levy moneys.; None shall trade but Free Brothers.
For the better encouragement and supportation of the
Fellowship of Merchants of England trading in the Levant seas,
which, besides the building and maintaining of divers great ships,
both for Defence and Burthen, the venting of Kersies, Says,
Perpetuanies, and several other commodities, hath been found
very serviceable and profitable to this State, by advancing
Navigation, and transporting into Forreign parts for several years
together, above Twenty thousand Broad-Clothes per Annum,
besides other commodities dyed and dressed in their full
Manufacture: And for the better Government and Regulating of
Trade, especially that of Clothing, whereby the poor People are
set on work, and the whole Kingdome receives benefit, The Lords
and Commons in Parliament do Ordain, That the said Fellowship
of Merchants of England trading into the Levant Seas, shall
continue and be a Corporation; That they shall have the
free choice and removal of all Ministers and Officers, which are to
be by them maintained either at home or abroad, whether they
be dignified or called by the title or name of Ambassadors,
Governours, Deputies, Consuls, or otherwise; And shall have
power to levy Moneys on the Members of their Corporation, and
Strangers, upon all goods that shall be shipped in English
Bottomes, as also upon all the Goods of English shipped in
Strangers Bottomes, which go into or come from the Levant Seas,
for and towards the necessary charge and maintainance, and
support of their Ministers, Officers, and Government. And that
the said Fellowship shall have further power to levy such sum
and sums of Money on the Members of that Corporation, and their
Goods, as shall be advanced for the use and benefit of the State,
by the Approbation of both Houses of Parliament: And that no
person shall bring from, or send Goods or Ships into those parts
limited by their Incorporation, but such as are Free Brothers, or
otherwise Licenced by the aforesaid Corporation, on forfeiture of
the whole, or other lesser Penaltie to be imposed by the said
Corporation, on their said Goods or Ships so sent or traded in
unduly.
Fines for a lmi-sion into the Fellowship.; Power to Fine such as disobey their Orders.; Power to Distrain.; Imprisonment in default of Distress.; To give Oath.; Rights or Charters saved.
Provided, That the said Fellowship shall not exclude any
person from his Freedome and Admission into the said
Fellowship, who shall desire it by way of Redemption, if such
person be a meer Merchant, and otherwise capable thereof, and
shall pay Fifty pounds for the same, if he be above the age of
Twenty seven years; or Twenty five pounds if he be under that
age, or so much less as their Fellowship shall think fitting. And
that the said Fellowship shall have power to impose a fine upon
any person or persons wilfully contemning or disobeying their
Order or Orders in matter of Government, so as the Fine do not
exceed the sum of Twenty pounds for any one offence; and in
default of payment of such Fine, the said Fellowship shall have
power to distrain the Goods of such person or persons so fined;
And if no sufficient Distress can be found, then the said
Fellowship shall have power to imprison the said person or
persons for their said contempt, until such person or persons shall
pay such Fine or Fines, or otherwise conform themselves to the
Acts and Government of the said Fellowship: And the said
Fellowship shall have power to give such an Oath or Oathes to
the Officers and Members of their Corporation, as shall be
approved of by both Houses of Parliament: Provided, That all
Rights or Charters granted under the Broad Seal of England, or
otherwise, shall be hereby saved.
This to continue till an Act be passed
And the said Lords and Commons do further Ordain, That with
all convenient expedition a Bill shall be prepared, in order to an
Act of Parliament to be passed in this present Parliament, for
the further setling, and full confirmation of the Priviledges of the
said Fellowship herein before mentioned, with such other clauses
and provisions, as shall be found expedient by both Houses of
Parliament. This Ordinance to remain in full force, until a Bill
or Act shall be prepared and passed, according to the intent and
true meaning of this Ordinance.