By-Laws proposed by the Governor, Deputy-Governour, and Committee of Nine, Pursuant to an Order of the General Court for the better Managing and Regulating the Companies Affairs. And Approved of in a General Court of the East-India Company, Holden the 17 th'. of January, 1694/5. I. THAT as often as the Governor or Deputy-Governour of this Company, shall happen to Die, within the Year after he is Elected and Sworn into his Office, There shall be called a General Court of Adventurers, qualified as by the Charters are directed, Who shall within fourteen days, or sooner, after the Death of such Governor or Deputy, Elect one other Person into the place of the Deceased, to Execute the said Office, during the Residue of the Year. II. That whenever the Court of Committees, shall find the Companies Affairs to be in a Condition, to afford a Dividend to the Adventurers, The State and Condition of the Company, be particularly represented to a General Court, To the end that their Direction and Consent may be given, both as to the Quantum of such Dividend, and the time for making the same, without which No Dividend shall be made. III. That the Accountant General do so keep the Companies Books, That he may Attest the same upon Oath, if required: Wherein he is from time to time, to enter the true Value of the Joint-stock of this Company, And the better to enable him to keep up the said Accounts, that they may not be behind hand, The respective Warehouse-keepers and other the Companies Officers, entrusted with any of the Companies Goods or Moneys, be hereby enjoined, within one Month after every Sale, to produce unto the said Accountant their respective Accounts, to be by him entered into the Books in due form. And that once in three Years, a true Valuation or Balance be drawn out by him, and approved of by the Court of Committees, And that the same be entered fairly into a Book, to be kept for that purpose, to lie open from time to time, for the Perusal of all Persons concerned. And that the first Balance be drawn and presented accordingly, some time between this and the Tenth of December, 1695. IV. That all Alienations and Assignments of any Part of the General Joint-stock of this Company, to any Person whatsoever, shall be entered and registered in a Book or Books, to be provided for that purpose by the Company, which shall lie open for the View of all Persons concerned. V. That whereas Their Majesties by Their late Instrument, Dated the 28th. of September last, have therein, among other things, vested the Sole power of choosing all Sub-Committees, in the General Court of the Company, It is hereby ordered, That within Ten days at the furthest, after the Publication of the Election of a New Governor, Deputy-Governour, and Twenty Four Committees, the said Governor or his Deputy, do call a General Court, for the Electing of all Sub-Committees out of the Twenty Four Committees aforesaid, for the Year Ensuing, Pursuant to Their Majesty's said Instrument. Provided, That this Bylaw shall not extend, to debar the General Court at any time, from Choosing a Committee, out of the Generality, to examine into the State of the Companies Affairs, as they shall think fit to direct. VI That in the first or second Meeting of the Court of Committees, after every Annual Election, The said Court shall Elect and Choose, all the Companies Officers and Servants here in England, that are under an Yearly Salary, by the Balloting Box, and not otherwise. VII. That all the Companies Precedents, Agents, Factors and other their Servants, who shall at any time hereafter be sent to India in their Service, shall be Elected by the Court of Committees, by the Balloting Box, and not otherwise. VIII. That none of the Companies Servants in India, of what degree soever they be, shall be advanced, removed or displaced, but by the Court of Committees, and the Decision declared by the Ballotting Box, and not otherwise. Provided that nothing in this Bylaw, shall be understood, to abridge the Liberty for the Companies Precedents and Councils, or Agents and Councils in India, to suspend, or remove to any other Subordinate Factories, any Factors, Writers, or other the Companies Servants or Officers, until the Companies pleasure be further known therein. IX. That no Orders or Instructions from England, shall at any time hereafter be obeyed, as the Order of the Company, by any of their Agents, Factors and Servants in India, excepting only such, as are signed by the Governor or his Deputy, and Twelve or more of the Committees for the time being. X. And for the more easy and safe Dispatch, of the Business of this Corporation, to the Honour and Benefit thereof, It is hereby further Ordered and Appointed, That there shall be frequent Courts of Committees held, And that before the said Court so Assembled, There shall be laid by the Committee of the Treasury for the time being, once every Month, a True Account of the present State of the Companies Cash, together with a particular in Writing, in a Book to be kept for that purpose, What Moneys have been taken up at Interest, for the Use of the Company, the Precedent Month, and of whom, and upon what Terms; As also what Interest Money hath been paid off by the Company, within that time, and to whom so paid off. XI. And for the preventing of Fraud and Deceit, as much as may be, in all the Transactions of the Company, It is hereby further resolved and ordered, That in all Cases whatsoever, Where the Governor, Deputy-Governour, Committee-Man, or any other Officer of this Company, shall have any dealing or business with this Corporation, upon their own Account, separately, or jointly in Conjunction with any other, for or in respect of Buying for, or Selling to this Company, any Bullion or other Goods whatsoever, or in the making any other Bargain or Contract whatsoever, by, to, or with this Corporation, That then in such Case, Such Governor, Deputy-Governour, Committee-Man, or Officer, so having any Business with this Corporation as aforesaid, shall at the time of his or their Negotiating the same, or being present at such Negotiation, declare and publish to the Court of Committees, or any Sub Committee, with whom such matter is Negotiated as aforesaid, Whether he is directly or indirectly concerned in, the Goods proposed to be Sold, or other Matters then Negotiating. And it is also hereby ordered, That no Governor, Deputy-Governour or Member of the Court of Committees, shall Vote, or Make Allowance for any dammaged Goods, which he or they be directly or indirectly concerned in: And if any such Governor, Deputy-Governour, Committee-man or other Officer whatsoever, shall at any time wittingly and willingly offend, contrary to these said Rules and Ordinances, Such Person or Persons so offending, and being declared Guilty thereof by a General Court, shall immediately become, and be deemed and reputed to be, uncapable for Seven Years time next after, of holding, or enjoying, or being chosen again into, the Office of Governor, Deputy-Governour, Committee-man, or any other Office of, or belonging to the said Company. Provided that nothing in this Bylaw, shall be understood, to oblige any Governor, Deputy-Governour or other Member of the Court of Committees to declare, whether they are concerned in Goods bought by themselves, or others for them, at any Public Sale by the Companies Candle. XII. And it is hereby further Resolved and Ordained, That in all Cases, where any Question or Debate shall at any time arise, or be made, in the General Court or Court of Committees, touching or concerning any Irregularity, or Misdemeanour committed by any Person or Persons, Members of this Corporation, That then such Person or Persons, touching or concerning whom such Question or Debate is, or shall be had, or made, for any Irregularity or Misdemeanour as aforesaid, shall have and give no Vote relating thereunto, but shall, first having been heard whatsoever he, or they can allege in their own defence, withdraw and be absent, during such Debate concerning him, or themselves, in any matter or thing, wherein he or they be concerned as aforesaid; Provided always, That this Law shall not extend, or be construed, to hinder more than three Persons at one time, from being present, or Voting at any General Court, or Court of Committees, during such Debate as aforesaid. XIII. And it is hereby further Ordered and Resolved, That if any Governor or Deputy, or any one or more of the Court of Committees, or Sub-Committees of this Company, shall wittingly or willingly, at any time hereafter, act contrary to any the Rules prescribed in the several Charters, granted to this Company, Or to such By-Laws as are, or shall be made by the General Court, Or shall Sign any Warrant, for the giving or paying away any Money, not relating to the Trade and Affairs of the Company, without leave first had of the General Court, And that the Company are damnifyed thereby; That then, and in each of the said Cases, Every such Person being Governor, Deputy-Governour, or of the Court of Committees, or Sub-Committees, and all other the Members of the said Corporation, who shall order, consent, agree to, or wittingly approve of the same, and be Convicted thereof by a General Court of the said Company, within three Years time after the Fact done, and declared Guilty by their Vote, Each and every such Person, shall for every such Offence, forfeit to the Use of the said Company the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds, to be answered and paid, to the Governor and Company of Merchants of London, Trading into the East-Indies. XIV. That if any of the Companies Officers, shall without Order from the Court of Committees, or Sub-Committees of the said Company, respectively, at any time hereafter, make out any Warrant for payment of Money; Or if the Cashier General shall pay any Sum of Money, without a Warrant, first Signed by the Governor or Deputy, and four of the Committees for the time being; Or if any of them shall wittingly and willingly, do any other Act, or thing, in the Execution of their several Offices, whereby the Company shall receive any Damage, Every such offending Officer shall, for each Offence, Forfeit and Pay to the said Governor and Company, the Sum of Fifty Pounds, and be also turned out of his Place: Provided That this Bylaw shall not debar the Accountant General from making out Warrants, nor the Cashier General from Paying any Sum or Sums of Money, due upon Bills at Interest, or Bills of Exchange drawn upon the Company, and accepted by the Governor or Deputy, or for Moneys due for Interest on Bills. We have seen and Perused these By-Laws, and do approve thereof, and as much as in us lies, do hereby Ratify and Confirm the same. Given under our Hands and Seals, this Eighth day of April, in the Seventh Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord William, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. Annoque Domini, 1695. J. Summer. C. S. J. Holt. Geo. Treby.