A Treaty between Henry the IVth, King of France, and James the Ift, King of England, for the Security and Freedom of Commerce between their Subjects. At Paris the 24th of February, and ratify'd by Henry the IVth, the 26th of May, 1606.

H

ENRY, by the Grace of God, King of France and Navarre; To all who fhall fee thefe Prefents, Greeting. Whereas we have appointed and deputed our beloved and faithful Counsellors in our Council of State, the Sieurs de Maisse and de Boiffize, to treat, confer and refolve with Sir Thomas Parry, Knight, fometime Ambaffador at our Court, on the part of our moft dear and moft beloved good Brother, Cousin and antient Ally, the King of Great Britain, about continuing and encreafing more and more the good Friendship and Correfpondence that is betwixt us, and to procure the Good and Advantage of our Kingdoms, namely in what concerns Traffick and Commerce between our common Subjects. And fo let it be, that according to the Powers and Commiffions that have been refpectively given by us and our faid good Brother and Coufin, which fhall be inferted at the end of thefe Prefents, our faid Commiffioners on both fides have concluded and fettled, according to our good Pleafure, the Treaty and Articles, whereof the Tenor follows.

In the name of the Omnipotent God, be it known to all and every one, That Henry IV. by the Grace of God, the moft Chriftian King of France and Navarre, and James, by the fame Grace of God, King of Great Britain and Ireland, being defirous to continue and increafe the good Friendship and Understanding which is between their Majefties, and to procure the Good and Benefit of their Kingdoms, namely, in what concerns Vol. II.

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Traffick

Traffick and Commerce between their Subjects, that fo they may with all Freedom and Safety traffick with one another; and to remedy all the Difficulties that occur at this prefent, or may arife for the future, in the Traffick and Commerce which is carry'd on between their Kingdoms, have appointed and deputed, viz. the most Chriftian King, us Andrew Hurault, Sieur of Maille and Bellebat; and John de Thumery, Sieur of Boisize, Counsellors to his moft Chriftian Majefty in his Council of State and Privy Council, his Commiflioners and Procurators, with fufficient Power and Authority for that Effect, fign'd with his own Hand, and feal'd with his Great Seal. And the faid Lord the King of Great Britain, has alfo appointed and deputed us Thomas Parry, Knight, and Ambaffador from his Majefty of Great Britain to his molt Chriftian Majefty, his Procurator and Commiffioner, fufficiently authoris'd and warranted by Office and Power; as will appear by the Tenour of our faid Powers and Commiffions refpectively given and granted to us by the faid moft Chriftian King, and the King of Great Britain, which fhall be inferted word for word at the end of thefe Prefents. We have therefore agreed and treated, in the name of the faid Kings, the following Stipulations, Pactions and Articles, according to the Good Will and Pleafure of their Majefties.

I. It was agreed and concluded, That the preceding Treaties fhall not in any wife be thought to be departed from by any Article contain'd in this prefent Treaty; but that they fhall remain in their former Force and Virtue, but only in fo far as any thing is derogated from them by this prefent Treaty.

II. It was alfo agreed and concluded, in order to confirm and augment more and more the good Understanding and Friendship that is between his moft Chriftian Majefty and his Majefty of Great Britain, That Orders fhall be iffu'd thro all the Provinces, Towns, Ports and Harbours of the said Kingdom, to treat the Subjects of the one and the other Prince kindly and favourably, and allow them to traffick fafely and freely with one another, without molefting them, or permitting them to be groundlefly vex'd or molested, for any Cause, or up. on any Occafion whatsoever, contrary to the Laws and Conftitutions of the Places where they fhall be; and the

Officers

Officers on both fides fhall be enjoin'd to a ftrict Exe-cution of what is aforemention'd, upon pain of answering, in their own private Name, for the Expences, Damages and Interefts of the Parties, against whom they fhall be found to have done otherwife.

III. It has likewife been agreed and concluded, That all Duties and Imposts, which are at prefent rais'd upon the Subjects, Merchandizes and Commodities of the one or the other Kingdom, to the Profit of their faid Majefties, by their Farmers and Commiffioners, fhall continue to be rais'd, as they are at prefent, and that provifionally, until they can be taken off or moderated, which fhall be as fpeedily as the Affairs of the one and the other Prince will allow. And that every Perfon on the one and the other part may certainly know what Duties and Imposts they are oblig'd to pay, there fhall be drawn up a Paper, containing the Rates of Duties and Tolls in both Kingdoms, which fhall be plac'd and fix'd in the publick Places, as well of the City of Roan, and other Towns of France, as of the City of London, and other Towns in England; to which Recourfe may be had as often as fhall be neceffary.

IV. As to the Taxes and Impofts which are rais'd for the Benefit of certain particular Towns of both Kingdoms, it has been propos'd, That the Mayors and Echevins of the Cities of Roan, Caen, Bourdeaux and others, fhall immediately prefent to his Majefty's Council the Letters, in virtue whereof they raife and continue the faid Duties, in order to have them annul'd and abolish'd, if the Letters, in virtue of which they have been rais'd, be irregular or illegal, ftrictly prohibiting them, in the mean time, on pain of Death, and of reftoring fourfold, to raife more than the faid Letters appoint, or to exceed the Conditions of the faid Letters: And the like fhall be done by the Mayors and Aldermen of the City of London, and other Towns of the faid Kingdom of Great Britain.

V. It has likewife been agreed, That the French Merchants trading in England, fhall not be oblig'd to give a ny other Caution or Security for the Sale or Purchase of their Merchandizes, but their Caution by Qath; nor fuffer any Delays or Difcharges, or be at any Charge or Expence upon that account.

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VI. More.

VI. Moreover it has been agreed and concluded, That French Ships may freely go to the very Key of the City of London, and other Ports and Harbours of Great Britain, and that they may there lade and fraight with the fame Liberty and Freedom that the English Ships_enjoy in France; fo that it fhall not be lawful to give them any Hinderance or Impediment on either fide, either before or after the Lading, nor conftrain them to unlade their Veffels into others. And in all other things the Freedom and Equality of Trade and Commerce fhall be kept and obferv'd the best that can be.

VII. And because it is impoffible to provide against particular Complaints, even concerning the Quality of the Merchandizes and Commodities which are tranfported from the one Kingdom to the other, and prevent the Miftakes and Abuses there committed; it has been agreed, That for the better and readier prevention thereof, his moft Chriftian Majefty fhall name two noted French Merchants in the City of Roan, Men of Subftance and Experience, who, together with two English Merchants of like Quality, who fhall be nam'd by the Ambaffador of Great Britain refiding at his 'moft Chriftian Majefty's Court, fhall receive the Complaints of the faid English Merchants, and remove all Differences that may happen on account of the faid Traffick and Commerce, in the faid City of Roan, and Harbours of the faid Province. As alfo his Majefty of Great Britain fhall name two noted Merchants in the City of London, who, in like manner, together with two French Merchants, nam'd by the French Ambaffador refiding at the Court of his Majefty of Great Britain, fhall do the like, and readily provide against and fatisfy all Complaints that may happen on account of the forefaid Traffick and Commerce. And when they cannot agree, the forefaid four Merchants fhall agree upon a fifth French Merchant if it be at Roan, and upon an English Merchant if it be at London, fo that the Judgment pafs'd by the Plurality of Voices fhall be follow'd, and put in execution; and for that effect neceffary Powers and Commif fions fhall be granted them on both fides. And in cafe there fhould happen any remarkable Difficulty, fit to be laid before the one or the other Prince, the faid Merchants thus deputed on both fides fhall refpectively ac

quaint the Council of the one and the other Prince therewith, to have it difcufs'd without any Delay.

VIII. The like Eftablishment fhall be made and obferv'd in the Cities of Bourdeaux and Caen, as alfo in the Cities and Towns of the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, in order to provide (thro the means of those who fhall be nam'd and deputed) against the Complaints and Difficulties that may happen about the Regulation of the faid Traffick and Commerce, in the fame Form as above.

IX. And for the greater Eafe of the faid Merchants of both fides, it has been propos'd, That the faid Merchants, as well French as English, who fhall henceforth be call'd Confervators of Commerce, fhall be nam'd and deputed from year to year, and fhall make Oath before the Prior and Confuls, as well of the City of Roan, and other Cities of the Kingdom of France, where they fhall be establifh'd, as in the City of London, and other Places, where it fhall be needful, to acquit themselves well and faithfully of the faid Charge; and fhall be oblig'd, during the said time, to perform their Office, according as occafion fhall require, without exacting any thing of the Subjects of either Kingdom, except only for the written Acts and Deeds which the Parties fhall be willing to have, for which a reasonable Fee fhall be paid.

X. That all extraordinary Salaries, and other Profits and fmall Perquifites which the Officers of Places take and demand of the Merchants of the one or other Kingdom, the Guards and Counterguards, Laders and Unladers, Packers, Porters, and in general all others fhall be regulated and moderated by the faid Confervators, and a reasonable Tax fhall be laid on by them for the fame, which fhall be fent to the Council of the one and the other Prince, there to be revis'd and fettled, and afterwards publifh'd and fix'd on the Crofs-ways and publick Places, that fo every one concern'd on both fides may certainly know what he ought to pay.

XI. The Confervators fhall alfo inform themselves particularly of the Franchises and Privileges that any Cities or Burghers of the fame pretend to in either Kingdom, of the Conveniency and Inconveniency of the fame; and fhall give an account thereof to both Princes, in order to have them regulated and modify'd, according to the antient

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