Navigation Act 1660

II. Aliens exercising the Occupation of Merchants or Factors in Plantations. Penalty.

Governors of Plantations to take Oath to perform the aforementioned Clauses.; Neglecting so to do, removed.

And be it Enacted that noe Alien or person not borne within the Allegiance of Our Soveraigne Lord the King his Heires and Successors or Naturalized or made a free Denizen shall from and after the First day of February which shall be in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty one exercise the Trade or Occupation of a Merchant or Factor in any the said places upon paine of the forfeiture and losse of all his Goods and Chattels, or which are in his possession, one third to his Majesty his Heires and Successors, one third to the Governour of the Plantation where such person shall soe offend, and the other third to him or them that shall informe or sue for the same in any of his Majestyes Courts in the Plantation where such offence shall be committed, And all Governours of the said Lands Islands Plantations or Territories and every of them are hereby strictly required and commanded and all who hereafter shall be made Governours of any such Islands Plantations or Territories by his Majesty his Heires or Successors shall before their entrance into their Government take a solemne Oath to doe their utmost that every the aforementioned clauses and all the matters and things therin contained be punctually and bona fide observed according to the true intent and meaning therof. And upon complaint and proofe made before his Majesty his Heires or Successors, or such as shall be by him or them therunto authorized and appointed that any the said Governours have beene willingly and wittingly negligent in doeing their Duty accordingly, that the said Governour soe offending shall be removed from his Government.