At a general court for Their Majesties colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New-England, sitting at Boston, upon adjournment, December. 22th. 1691. Forasmuch as these coasts have been and still are infested with divers piratical sea rovers and other enemies; whereby sundry depredations, robberies and damages have been done to and committed upon many of the king and Queens Majesties liege subjects, their vessels, goods and estates to the great impoverishing and hurt of the same ...

woodcut of Massachusetts Bay colonial seal circa 1691 ✚ SIGILLVM : GVB : ET : SOCIET : DE : MATTACHVSETS : BAY : IN : NOVA : ANGLIA AT A GENERAL COURT For Their MAJESTIES Colony of the Massachusetts BAY in NEW-ENGLAND , Sitting at BOSTON , upon Adjournment , December . 22th . 1691.

FOrasmuch as these Coasts have been and still are infested with divers Piratical Sea Rovers and other Enemies ; whereby Sundry Depredations , Robberies and Damages have been done to and Committed upon many of the KING and QUEENS Majesties Liege Subjects , their Vessels , Goods and Estates to the great Impoverishing and hurt of the same .

For the Guarding and Defending of the Seas and Coasts against all Persons intending , or that shall intend the Disturbance of The●r Majesties Subjects and the inter course of Trade : And for ●he better Defraying of the Necessary Expences thereof , which cannot otherwise be Eff●cted .

This Court doth Enact , and be it Enacted by the Authority thereof , That to the Intent aforesaid , the several Duties and impositions hereafter m●ntioned , on all Goods and Commodities coming in and going out of This their Majesties Colony , and on all Ships and other Deck Vessels , coming in and going out of said Colony , be duly Collected and Paid from the Fifteenth day of J●●uary nex● , to the Tenth Day of May next ensueing , which will be in the Year of our LORD One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety and Two.

That is to say ,

On Goods and Commodities coming into this Colony .

Inward For every Pipe of Wine , five Shillings and so Proportionably for smaller Caske . For every Hogshead of Rhum , five Shillings and so Proportionably for smaller Caske . For every Hogshead of Sugar , twelve Pence . For every Hogshead of Molasses , six Pence . For every Hogshead of Tobacco , six Pence . For every Ton of Logwood , twelve Pence . For every Barrel of T●aine Oyle , three Pence . For every Barrel of Pork , three Pence . For every Barrel of Beife , one Penny half Penny. For every Hundred Bushells of Pease , or Wheat , two Shillings . & so Proportionably for l●sser Q●●●t●●i●s . For every Hundred Bushells of Indian Corn , Rye , or Barley , one Shilling & so Proportionably for l sser Q●●●t●●i●s . For every Hogshead of Salt , two Pence . & so Proportionably for l●sser Q●●●t●●i●s . And for all other Commodities , Goods , Wares , Silver , B●llion and Money , the sum of Ten Shillings for every Hundred Pounds V●lue . For every Ship or Deck Vessell coming in , the sum of six Pence Per Ton.

On Goods and Commodities going out of this Colony :

Outward . For every Hundred Quintals of Merchantable Fish , the sum of six Shillings & eight Pence For every Hogshead of Fish , three Pence , For every Barrel of Mackarel , one Penny. For every Thousand feet of Deal board● , Planke , or Joyce , three Pence . For every Thousand of Pipe , Hogshead or Barrel Staves , three Pence . For every Thousand of Hoopes , four Pence . For every Thousand of Shingles , one Penny. For every Barrel of Strong Beer or Sider , one Penny. For every Hundred Pounds Value in Peltry , the sum of Ten Shillings . For every Ship or other Deck Vessell , going out , the sum of six Pence Per. Ton.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid , That if any Goods or Merchandise whatsoever , whereof the Duties and Impositions aforesaid , are or shall be Due , be brought into any Port , Place or Creek of this Colony , and Unladen out of any Ship , or other Vessel ; Or if any be put on Board any Ship or other Vessel for Tran●portation ; the said Duties and Impositions due for the same , not being paid in Mony , or lawfully Tendered to the Collector or Collectors thereof , according to the true meaning of this Act , from and after the Fifteenth day of January aforesaid : That then all such Goods and Merchandises shall be forfeited , one M●●ety ●n the value thereof , unto Their Majesties , for the use aforesaid ; and the other Moiety to him or them that shall Seize or inform and Sue for the same .

And if an● Master or Commander of any Ship , or other Deck Vessel Arriving here , from other Parts , do break Bu●k , or Unlade any part of his Lading before the pa●ment of six-pence in Money Per Ton for his Ship or Vessel ; Or if any Master or Commander of any Ship or other Deck Vesse● , do take in any Lading , before the paymen● of six p●n●e 〈◊〉 Mony Per Ton for his Ship or Vessel , such Master or Commander so Offend●●● contrary to this Act , shall pay fi●e shillings Per Ton for what his Ship or Vessel shall measure ; to be Recovered of such Master or Commander , One half for Their Majesties ; to the use aforesaid , and the other half to the Receiver of the Duties aforesaid , or to him that shall Inform and Sue for the same .

And for the more effectual Collecting and Receiving of the Duties and Impositions before mentioned , And that the Mony arising upon said Duties and Impositions may be Appropriated to and Employed for the Intents and Uses before mentioned , and no other whatsoever ; This Court doth Nominate and Impower Mr. Eliakim Hutchinson , Mr. John Foster , Mr. Nathanael Oliver , Mr. John Ayre , and Mr. Andrew Belcher : ( or such others as the Governour and Council shall Appoint ) to be a Committee o● Commissioners to manage the same ; who are also impowred to appoint Co●●ectors and Receivers under them to Collect and Receive all the Moneys which shall a●ise and become due upon any Goods , Wares , Merchandise and Tonage of Vessels by vertue of this Act , and to dispose of the same for the said Uses from time to time , according to the O●ders they shall receive from the Governour and Council .

THIS Court being Sensible , That altho' several French Protestants , who fled from Persecution , coming lately over Sea into this Country , were orderly Entertained and Succoured here Yet since that , many others of a contrary Religion and Interest have been brought hither ; and some have obtruded themselves ; whereof freq●ent Compla nts have been made .

And it being a time of War between the two Crowns of England and France , and the Publick Safety Endangered by Suffering such a mixt Company among us , especially in and about the Sea Ports and Frontier Towns.

For Prevention thereof ,

It is Ordered , That from and after the last day of January next Ensuing , none of the French Nation be permitted to take up their Res dence , or be in any of the Sea-Port , or Frontier Towns within this Government , but such as shall be Licensed by the Governour and Council .

Nor shall any of said Nation open Shop , or Exercise any Manual Trade in any of said Towns , without the Approbation of the Select Men of such Town first orderly obtained . On pain of Imprisonment , by Warrant from any Magistrate or Commissioner ; there to remain until Released by Order of the Governour and Council .

And the Select-Men and Constab●es in said Towns are appointed to have Inspection of the due Observance of this Order .