HMcouncil75.html

Minutes of His Majesty's Council

Minutes of HM Council: 22 February 1696

At a council table holden at the Sessions House in St Georges on Monday the 22nd day of Ffebruary in the yeare of our Lord 1696. Present:

His Excellency John Goddard Esq Governor Capt Gilbert Nelson Capt Richard Peniston Samuell Spofferth Esqr
Coll. William Peniston Capt Wm Outerbridge Capt John Tucker  

Ordered to bee published that ffor the better security and safety of these Islands and to the end the same may not bee too much exposed and weakned by great numbers of the inhabitants departing from the staying out of the same att this present dangerous conjuncture Bee it made known It is by this Board ordered that from and after the date hereof untill the 29th day of September now next ensuing Mo master or masters of any vessell or vessells belonging to these Islands being of the length of fforty foote by the keele or upwards shall or may directly or indirectly transport or carry away or permitt to bee transported or carried away from these Islands in the said vessells any more sailers then four white men and three Negroes or Slaves who shall bee the whole sailing gang. And that no master or masters of any such vessell or vessells being under the length of forty foote by the keele shall within the same time transport or carry away or permit to bee transported in such vessel or vessells aforesaid any more sailers than three white men and three negroes except in either the cases aforesaid his Excellency the Governor for good causes shall otherwise allow. And that all and every such Master and Masters as aforesaid att the returne of their respective vessells to these Islands shall in the same vessell bring back and land att these Islands particular gang of white and black so respectively carried out as above said (The Dangers of the Seas Enemies Mortallity and other Inevitable casualties alwaies excepted) And itt is also further ordered that if any such Master and Masters respectively as aforesaid who shall transport or permitt to bee transported in any vessell or vessells any more White or Black Persons than is ordered and allowed as above or shall not at their next returne to these Islands respectively bring back and land att or in these Islands the same sayling gang which they respectively carried out (except before excepted) That then in either of the said cases such Master and Masters respectively shall forfeite and pay unto the Treasurer or receiver of the Publick moneys of these Islands for every head White or Black so carried out or not brought back as above expressed according to the Tenor and true meaning of this order (for the publick use of these Islands) the sum of tenne pounds currant money of these Islands on demand and that every such Master as aforesaid shall before his clearing in the Secretaries office of these Islands out to sea enter into bond with one sufficient security to the King in one hundred pounds with condition to performe and abide by the order above in every article and cause the same according to the forme in the Secretaries office for that purpose provided and Lastly it is ordered for the more certiane way of knoweing the length of the keels of the vessels of each Master shall at the same time of entering into the bond make his and their Coporall oaths before the Secretary or his Deputy of his knowledge or information of the length of the keele of his vessell.