East India Company Act 1697

XXXVIII. His Majesty may appoint Commissioners for taking Subscriptions till 29th Sept. 1698, from any Persons (except the Bank of England) for £2,000,000.

Commissioners to provide Books for the said Subscriptions; to lie open every Day (except Sundays) until 29th Sept. 1698, unless the £2,000,000 be sooner completed; His Majesty may appoint a Cashier to receive the Money subscribed.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawful to and for His Majesty by Commission under the Great Seal of England to authorize and appoint any Number of Persons to take and receive all such voluntary Subscriptions as shall be made on or before the [X1 s^d.] Nine and twentieth Day of September One thousand six hundred ninety eight by or for any Person or Persons Natives or Foreigners Bodies Politick or Corporate (The Governor and Company of the Bank of England only excepted) of any Sum of Money whatsoever not less than One hundred Pounds for and towards the raising and paying into the said Receipt of Exchequer the said Sum of Two Millions which Commissioners are hereby ordered and directed as soon as conveniently they can to provide and prepare one or more convenient House or Houses within the Cities of London and Westminster or one of them to be the Public Office or Place Offices or Places to which all or any Persons shall or may resort for the making of the said Subscriptions and to give such Publick Notice thereof as they the said Commissioners or any Five or more of them shall think will most conduce to the promoting the said Subscriptions And the said Commissioners for taking Subscriptions are hereby directed as soon as conveniently may be to provide or cause to be provided one or more Book or Books made of Velum or Parchment for the said Subscriptions to be made thereupon which Book or Books shall from thenceforth lie open every Day in the Week (Sunday only excepted) at the said Publick Office or Offices aforesaid daily and from the Hour of Eight to the Hour of Twelve in the Morning and from the Hour of Two to the Hour of Six in the Afternoon of each Day untill the said Nine and twentieth Day of September One thousand six hundred ninety eight unless the Subscriptions for the whole Sum of Two Millions shall be sooner compleated And that it shall and may be lawful to and for His Majesty by His Commission aforesaid to direct the Commissioners how and in what manner they shall proceed to execute the same in all Matters and Things relating to this Service. And by the same Commission or by Letters of Privy Seal or by any Instrument under His Majesties Royal Sign Manual to appoint from time to time the said Commissioners or any Number of them by themselves or their Cashier or Cashiers (the said Cashier or Cashiers being first approved by His Majesty under His Royal Sign Manual and giving Security to His Majesty for the due Performance of his or their Trust or Trusts) to receive for His Majesties Use the several Payments of the Moneys which shall be so subscribed to be paid by any Person or Persons Bodies Politick or Corporate. X2

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.

X2 as aforesaid.