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By the King,
A PROCLAMATION
To Prohibit His Majesties Subjects to Trade within the Limits Assigned to the Royal
African Company of England, Except those of the Company
8 April 1685
James R.
Whereas Our Dearly Beloved Brother the late King of ever Blessed Memory, for the Supporting
and Managing of a Trade very beneficial to this Our Kingdom, and Our Foreign Plantations
upon the Coasts of Guiny, Buiny, Angola, and other parts and places in Africa, from the post of
Sally in South-Barbary inclusive?, to the Cape De Bona Esperanze inclusive?, by his Letter Patents un-
der the Great Seal of England, bearing Date the Twenty Seventh Day of September, in the four and
twentieth uear of his reign, did Incorporate divers? of his Loving Subjects, by the name of
the Royal African Company of England ; and did thereby Grant unto the Said COmpany the whole,
intire, and onely Trade into, and from Africa aforesaid, and the Lands? and Places near adjoyn-
ing to the Coast of Africa, and comprehended Within the Limits aforesaid, with prohibition to all
other his Majesties Subjects to Trade there : And that in pursuance? to such Grant, the said Company have Raised
a very Great Stock sufficient to Manage the Trade thereof; and have since been at great Charges and Expence in
Fortifying and Settling Divers? Garrisons, forts and factories for the better Securing of the said Trade, whereby
the fame began to flourish, to the great Commodity of this Kingdom, and Our Foreign Plantations, until of late
disturbed by several ill Disposed Persons, who preferring their private profit before the Publick Good, have contrary to
the said Royal Grant, and the Express? Proclamation of the King Our Dearly Beloved Brother, bearing Date the
Thirteenth Day of November, in the Six and twentieth year of his reign, in a Clandestine and Disorderly manner,
Traded into those parts, to the apparent danger of the Decay and Destruation? of the said Trade, and in manifest
Contempt and Violation of the undoubted Prerogative? of the Crown, whose Right it is by the known Laws of these
Our Realms, to Limit and Regulate such foreign Trades into those Remote Parts of the World; We taking the
same/fame? into our Princely Consideration, Do not onely give leave and Direct, That the Persons who have so Con-
temptuously Violated the said Companies Charter, and the said Proclamation, be {rosecuted in Our Name at
Law, in order to their Consign? Punishment according to their Demerits: But for the Prevention of the like evil
Practices for the future, We have thought fit, with Advice of Our Privy Council, to Publish and Declare Our Royal
Will and Pleasure to be, And We do hereby strictly prohibit XXXXXX all and every of Our Subjects whatsoever, ex-
cept the said Royal Company and their Successors, and such as will? be Employed or Licensed by them, at any time or
times hereafter to Send or Navigate any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, or excercise any Trade to oz? from any of the
Parts of Coasts of Africa from Sally, to Cape De Bona Esperanza, or any of the Islands near adjoyning thereunto as afore-
said, or from thence to carry any Negro Servants, Golds, Elephants Teeth, or any other Goods and Merchandizes of the
Product or Manufacture of the said Places upon Pain of Our high Displeasure, and the Forfeiture and Loss of the
said Negroes, Gold, Elephants Teeth, and all other Goods and Merchandizes, and the Ships and Vessels which shall
be taken or? found Trading in any Place or Places upon the Coast of Africa aforesaidm within the Limits aforesaid:
And we Do hereby also strictly Require and Commands 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,
Waiters, Searchers, and all other Our Officers and Ministers Civil and Military, by Sea or Land, in every of Our
respective Limits or Jurisdictions, ( except the said Company and their Successors, and such as shall be Employed or
Licensed by them) DoSend or Navigate any Ships or Vessels, or exercise any Trade from any of Our said Domi-
nions or Plantations, to any Part of the said Coast of Africa, within the Limits aforesaid; Or from thence to Im=
port 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 Ob-
served, We do further Will and Require and strictly command all Our said Governours, Deputy Governours, Ad-
mirals, 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, Waiters, 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, Taje,
and Seize all such Ship or Shups, 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 Com-
pany, upon Pain of Our High Displeasure, and as they will Answer to the Contrary at their perils: And We Do here-
by Require and Command all and every of Our Subjects who are or reside in Africa aforesaid, within the Limits a-
foresaid, or who are upon the Sea in their Voyage thither, Except such who are Employed or Licensed by the said Com-
pany, That they Do within four Months next ensuing the Date hereof, Depart thence, and Return into this King-
dom, upon Pain and Peril that may fall thereon.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the First Day of April, 1685. In the First Year of Our Reign.

GOD SAVE THE KING