Customs Act 1662

III. Officers of Customs authorized to go on board Ships Outward and Inward bound and bring away Goods, (except Jewels).

Goods to remain in Storehouse till Duties paid, unless time allowed.; Officers may remain on board.; Master, &c. suffering Packages on board to be opened; and Goods embezzled; Penalty £100.

And be it hereby alsoe enacted That the said person or persons which are or shall be appointed for managing the Customes and Officers of His Majesties Customes and theire Deputies are hereby authorized and enabled to goe and enter aboard any Ship or Vessel as wel Ships of War as Merchant Ships and from thence to bring on shoar all Goods prohibited or uncustomed except Jewels if they be Outwards bound and if they be Ships or Vessels Inwards bound from thence to bring on shoare into His Majesties Store house as aforesaid all small Parcels of Fine Goods or other Goods which shall be found in Cabbins Chests Truncks or other small Package or in any private or secret place in or out of the Hold of the Ship or Vessell which may occasion a just suspition that they were intended to be fraudelently conveyed away And all other sorts of Goods whatsoever for which the Dutyes of Tonnage and Poundage were not payed or compounded for within twenty dayes after the first Entry of the Ship to be put and remaine in the Store house aforesaid until His Majesties Duties. thereupon be justly satisfied unlesse the said person or persons which are or shall be appointed by His Majesties for managing the Customs and Officers of the Customes shall see just cause to allow a longer time and that the said person or persons which are or shall be so appointed to manage the Customs and the Officers of the Customs and theire Deputies may freely stay and remain aboard untill all the Goods are delivered and discharged out of the said Ships or Vessells And if any Master Purser or Boat swain or other taking charge in any Ship or Vessel or any other person whatsoever shall suffer any Trusse Bale Pack Fardel Cask or other Package to be opened aboard the [X1 said] Ship or Vessel and the Goods therein to be imbezelled carried away or put into any other Form or Package after the Ship comes into the Port of her discharge in every such case the said Master Purser Boat swain or others shall forfeit the sum of One hundred pounds

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.