Prize Ships Act 1667

Foreign-built Ships belonging to Englishmen, &c. taken in the late Wars, or that may be taken, and condemned by the Admiralties, may enjoy the Benefit of English-built Ships.

Whereas by several Acts of Parliament heretofore and of late past it appeares how great encouragementhath been given unto Trade and care taken that the Manufacture of Shipping be preserved and increased hath been given unto Trade and care taken that the Manufacture of Shipping be preserved and increased throughout your Majesties whole Kingdoms Dominions and Territories both conducing soe much to the Wealth Increase of Mariners and Strength of your Dominions By reason of some of which Acts at this time and after this late Warr when your Majesties Subjects in your severall Ports have lost some of theire owne English built Shipps and taken many Dutch Dane and French they cannot make use in Trade of those Vessells taken as Prizes in the late War though lawfully condemned in your Admiralties of England and Ireland or in the Admiralties of your Forreign Plantations and in the possession of your said Subjects Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majestie by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same That all Forreigne built Ships which really and bona fide do or shall onely belong to his Majesties Subjects of the Kingdome of England or Ireland Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed and which have during the late Warr in the places where now the Peace hath concluded it or shall be taken in the places yet in Hostility as Prizes within the severall times prescribed in the several places mentioned in the late Articles of Peace with the French King and the King of Denmarke and the States General of the United Netherlands and have or shall be adjudged Prizes within the respective Admiralties of his Majesties Kingdomes of England or Ireland or in any of the Admiralties in his Majesties Territories or Plantations abroad shall bee deemed adjudged and taken to bee and shall from time to time enjoye the benefitt of free Ships belonging to the Kingdomes of England and Ireland Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed respectively and shall export and import Goods Wares and Merchandize as freely and to all intents and purposes as Forreign built Ships [X1 that] did belong to the Kingdom of England before the First day of April One thousand six hundred sixty and one might then have done and not in any other manner Any Law Statute or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.