Customs Act 1662

XV. Recital of I Eliz. c. II. § 2.

Recital that notwithstanding the said act there were Ports to which no Commissions were sent, &c. and that by Alteration of Rivers, &c. Places then appointed had become useless, &c. Further Ports, &c. may be assigned by Commission out of the Exchequer, except Hull. Officers to reside in such assigned Ports, &c. for passing, &c. Ships and Goods.; By virtue of such Commissions Limits, &c. of Ports, &c. may be appointed. Goods, &c. not to be laden on board, &c. for Exportation; (Exception of Fish, &c.) nor landed, &c. on Importation; Exception of Fish, &c. but upon Places so assigned; without special Sufferance, &c. on Forfeiture of Goods.

And whereas in and by an act of Parliament in the First Yeare of Queen Elizabeth of famous Memory directing when and where Merchandize shall be landed and Customes paid it is amongst divers other things enacted and ordained That no Goods Wares or Merchandize shall be shipped or loaden aboard any Shipp or Vessel or landed or discharged out of or from any Shipp or Vessel but in or upon some such open Place Key or Wharf Places Keys or Wharfs (except the Port of Hull) as Her Highnes Her Heires and Successors should therefore assign and appoint by vertue of Her Highnes Commission or Commissions within the Port of London and in all Ports Creeks Havens or Roads as in and by the said act doth and may at large appeare And whereas notwithstanding the aforesaid act there are some Ports Creeks and Places where Customers collectors & Comptrollers and Searchers and theire Servants had then time out of mind been resident to which no such Commissions were sent nor Places Keys nor Wharfs appointed as by the said act was directed And whereas alsoe since that time by reason of the alteration of Rivers Streames Channels and Sands some places then appointed are become unfit and uselesse and others much more convenient and commodious as well for Traffique & Co[m]merce as for landing and discharging lading and shipping of Goods Wares and Merchandize It is enacted and ordained and be it enacted and ordained by the Authority aforesaid That the Kings Majesty may from time to time by His Highnes Co[m]mission or Commissions out of His Court of Exchequer assign and appoint all such further Places Ports Members and Creeks (except the Town of Hull) as shall be lawfull for the landing and discharging lading or shipping of any Goods Wares or Merchandize within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Port or Town of Berwick upon Tweed and to what X1 and Head Ports respectively such Places Members or Creeks shall belong and appertain And where any such Member Creek or Place shall be so (as aforesaid) appointed by vertue of the said Co[m]mission or Commissions the Customer Collector Comptroller and Searcher of the Head-Port shall by themselves or their sufficient Deputy or Deputies Servant or Servants reside and inhabit for the entring clearing and passing shipping and discharging of Ships Goods and Merchandize And by vertue of the aforesaid Commission or Commissions may likewise set downe and appoint the Extents Bounds and Limits of every Port Haven or Creek within His Majesties Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales and Town and Port of Berwick whereby the Extents Limits and Priviledges of every Port Haven and Creek may be ascertained and known And it shall not be lawfull for any person or persons whatsoever to lade [X2 or put] or cause to be laden or put off or from any key Wharff or other place on the land into any Shipp Vessel Lighter Boat or Bottom any Goods Wares or Merchandize whatsoever (Fish taken by His Majesties subjects Sea coal Stone and Bestials only excepted) to be transported into any place of the parts beyond the Seas or carried by land into the Realm of Scotland or to take up discharge or lay on land or cause or procure to be taken up discharged and laid on land out of any Boat Lighter Shipp Vessel or Bottom (being not in Leake or Wreck) any Goods Wares or Merchandize whatsoever (Fish taken by His Majesties subjects Bestials and Salt only excepted) to be brought from any of the parts beyond the Seas or by land from the Realm of Scotland by way of Merchandize but only upon such open Place Key or Wharff Places Keys or Wharfs as His Majesty shall from time to time assign and appoint by vertue of such Commission and Commissions as aforesaid in His Majesties Port of London and the Members and Liberties thereof in any other Port Place Member or Creek within His Majesties Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales and Town and Port of Berwick without special sufferance and leave first had from the Commissioners and Officers of His Majesties Customes upon the penalty of the forfeiture of all such Goods Wares and Merchandize

Editorial Information

X1 the Roll is illegible here.

X2 interlined on the Roll.