Trade with Africa Act 1697

VII. Any Subjects as well as the Company may trade to Africa between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount, paying £10 per Cent. for Goods exported; And £10 per Cent. on all Goods, &c. imported into England or America, from Africa, &c. Exception; Master and Traders, &c. to make the like Entry and Oath, give Bond and pay the Duty as aforesaid, &c.; Goods laded between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount (Negroes excepted) and imported, to pay the said Duties; and Master, &c. before making Entry, to deliver a Manifest and take the following Oath

And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the Four and twentieth Day of June One thousand six hundred ninety and eight it shall and may be lawfull to and for any of the Subjects of his Majesties Realms of England as well as the said Company to trade from England or any of his Majesties Plantations or Colonies in America to the Coast of Africa between Blancho and Cape Mount answering and paying a Duty of Ten pounds per Centum ad valorem for the Goods and Merchandize to be exported from England or any of his Majesties Plantations or Colonies in America to and for the Coast of Africa between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount and in proportion for a greater or lesser Value and answering and paying a further Sum and Duty of Ten pounds per Centum ad valorem Redwood only excepted which is only to pay Five pounds per Centum ad valorem at the Place of Importation upon all Goods and Merchandize (Negroes excepted) imported [X1 in] England or any of his Majesties Plantations or Colonies in America from the Coast of Africa between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount aforesaid And every Master and Trader sailing and trading or intending to sail and trade from England or from any of his Majesties Plantations or Colonies aforesaid between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount aforesaid shall make the like Entry Oath and give the like Bonds as is before directed for Masters and Traders touching the Trade between Cape Mount and Cape Good Hope and upon such Entry and Oath made as aforesaid shall pay the Duty aforesaid in like manner as is directed for the Duty to be paid by Traders trading between Cape Mount and Cape Good Hope aforesaid And the Collector or Chief Officer of his Majesties Chief Custom-houses in England or any of his Majesties Plantations from whence such Ship or Vessel shall be dispatched are and is hereby impowred and required to take such Entrys and Bonds and administer such Oaths and receive such Duties and on Demand made by the said Company and on their Behalf to pay the same to the said Company or their Order for the Uses as before directed and every other Matter and Thing to do mutatis mutandis as is and are herein and hereby directed and appointed touching Masters Owners and Traders trading or intending to trade between Cape Mount and Cape Good Hope and that all Goods and Merchandize (Negroes excepted) that shall be laded or put on board any Ship or Vessel on the Coast of Africa between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount and shall be imported into England or into any of his Majesties Plantations or Colonies aforesaid shall answer and pay the Duties aforesaid and that the Master or Chief Officer of every such Ship or Vessel that shall lade or receive any Goods or Merchandize (Negroes excepted) on board of his or their Ship or Vessel between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount shall upon makeing Entry at any his Majesties Custom-houses aforesaid of the said Ship or Vessel or before any Goods or Merchandize be landed or taken out of the said Ship or Vessel (Negroes excepted) shall deliver in a Manifest or Particular of his Cargo and take the following Oath viz.[en]

I A.B. do swear That the Manifest or Particular now by me given in and signed to the best of my Knowledge and Belief doth contain signifie and express all the Goods Wares and Merchandizes (Negroes excepted) which were laden or put on board the said Ship called the during her Stay and continuing on the Coast of Africa between Cape Blancho and Cape Mount whereof I A. B. am Master.

Editorial Information

X1 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: into O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]