East India Company Act 1697

LIV. Every Member of the General Society, before permitted to trade, to take Oath before Two or more of the Trustees, to be faithful to the Society, and not to trade for more than allowed.

Persons trading by Licence, to enter their Licence, in the Books of the Society, and take Oath to the like Effect.; No Member of any Company trading to the East Indies, during his Continuance in the said Company, to trade otherwise than in the Joint Stock thereof; Every Member to take Oath to be faithful, and not to trade to the Indies (during his Continuance in the Company) upon Private Account; No Person to be intrusted to trade upon the Joint Stock, or for a Company, before he hath taken Oath, as herein mentioned, to be faithful to such Company, &c.

And it is hereby further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Persons and Persons who as a Member or Members of the said General Society shall have Power to trade by or for himself or themselves and not in a Company in such Measure or Proportion as aforesaid before he or they shall be allowed to exercise or make use of such Power shall take a corporal Oath before Two or more of the Trustees for the said General Society (who have hereby Power to administer the same) that such Members shall be faithful to the said General Society and (according to the best of his or her Skil & Understanding give his or her Advice Councell and Assistance for the Support and good Government of the said Society and that he or she will not at any Time or Times ship lade send direct or cause to be sent from England or any other Countrey to the East Indies or other the Parts within the Limits aforesaid any Goods Coines or other Merchandizes of greater Value than such as he or she may lawfully send thither by this Act And that all and every Person and Persons who shall be licensed to trade as aforesaid before he or they shall be allowed to use or enjoy the Benefit of any such Licence shall cause the same to be entred or registred at large in the Books of the said General Society and shall also take a corporal Oath before Two or more of the Trustees of the said General Society That such Person trading by such Licence shall be faithful to the said General Society and will not at any Time or Times ship lade send direct or cause to be sent to the East Indies or other the Places within the Limits aforesaid any Goods Coins or other Merchandizes of greater Value than what he or she may lawfully send thither by virtue of this Act That no Person or Persons who shall be incorporated or be a Member or Members of any Company or Corporation having or that shall have Power to trade to the East Indies and other the Parts within the Limits aforesaid by a joynt Stock in pursuance of this Act during such Time as he or they respectively shall continue a Member or Members of such Company or Corporation shall trade otherwise than in the joint Stock of such Corporation of which he or they are Members respectively And every such Member or Members before he or they shall be allowed to receive any Benefit in or by such Corporation or to do or intermeddle in any of the Affairs of the same shall take a corporal Oath before Two or more of the Trustees or other Persons who shall have the Directions of the Affairs of any such Company or Corporation (who have hereby Power to administer the same) that he or she shall be faithful to such Company or Corporation and according to the best of his or her Skill and Understanding) give his or her Advice Councel and Assistance for the Support and good Government of the said Company or Corporation And that he or she during his or her Continuance in such Company or Corporation will not at any time or times ship lade send direct or cause to be sent from England or any other Countrey to the East Indies or other Parts within the Limits aforesaid for his or their private Accounts any Goods Coins or other Merchandizes contrary to this Act And that no Person or Persons that shall have the Order Rule Direction or Management of the Voyages or other Affairs of the said Company or Corporation or that shall be intrusted or imployed to trade upon the joynt Stock or for a Company as aforesaid shall be allowed to ship or cause to be shipped laded or put on board or to send or cause to be sent from the East Indies or other Parts within the Limits aforesaid any Goods Foreign Coin or other Merchandizes whatsoever from England or any other Countrey until he or they shall have respectively taken a corporal Oath before Two or more of the Trustees or other Directors of such Company or before the Barons of the Exchequer for the time being or some of them that he or they respectively will be faithful to such Company or Corporation and (according to the best of his or her Skill and Understanding) give his or her Advice Councill and Assistance for the Support and good Government of the same and that he or she during his or her Continuance in such Company or Corporation will not at any time or times ship lade send direct or cause to be sent from England or any other Countrey for the East Indies or other the Parts within the Limits aforesaid any Goods Coins or other Merchandizes but such as he or she may lawfully send thither for the Account of such Company according to this Act.