January 1816: Order-in-Council of February 1660
From the Gazette de Guernesey, January 6, 1816, respecting 'strangers' abusing their position by selling goods retail rather than wholesale and thus undermining the local economy. The 1660 letter from the Privy Council is in its original English: the Gazette provided a translation into French for the benefit of the malefactors, perhaps!
To the Editors of the Gazette.
Sirs,
The notorious infraction of the Ordonnances of the Royal Court of 6th November 1802, and of 9th July 1814, by strangers who are not subjects of His Majesty, obliges me to provide you with a copy of the Order-in-Council of 1660, dated 29th February 1660, for publication in your newspaper. This will show the said strangers that they are not permitted to sell by retail any Merchandise or Wares whatsoever. The Royal Court may have somewhat relaxed the rules for them in allowing them to retail comestibles but they have so publicly abused the favour that now, without listing the merchandise that they are selling, they are even retailing Matchsticks by the packet.
ORDER IN COUNCIL
To the Chief Pleas, held 4th May, 1661, before Amias Andros, Ecuyer, Bailiff, in the presence of Messrs Jean Brehaut, Pierre Careye, James Le Marchant, Charles Andros, James De Havilland, William De Beauvoir, Jean De Saumarez, Jean De Quetteville, Daniel De Beauvoir, Elizée De Saumarez, and Jean Blondel, Jurats:
A certain Letter has been shown to the Court, from his Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, the contents of which follow, which the Court has ordered to be noted:
AFTER our hearty commendations, the Petitions of divers Merchants, Shop-keepers and Inhabitants of the Island of Guernsey, being read at this Board, complaining that, of late, several Strangers (Roman Catholick & others) out of the Kingdom of France, have planted and seated themselves in the said Island, and there inhabit, keep open shops and publicly sell by retail most sort of Merchandizes, wares, and vendible commodities, upon due consideration whereof, conceiving it very prejudicial to His Majesty’s service, and tending to the disheartening and discouraging of His Majesty’s Subjects, the natives there, in the way of the Trade (when they discern not Strangers who bear no BURTHEN in TAXES or like public payments,) enjoy equal privileges with themselves. WE have therefore thought fit, and accordingly do hereby, will and require you to prohibit, forbid and restrain all FOREIGNERS and STRANGERS, (as well French as others, not being His Majesty’s native subjects) by themselves or by any other person or persons whatsoever, directly or indirectly, privately or publicly, to utter or sell by retail any goods, wares, or merchandizes of whatever nature or quality soever, within the said Island (but only by WHOLESALE), from a certain time to be limited, and under such penalty as you, with the advice of the Bailiff and Jurats, and His Majesty’s Council learned of the said Island shall think fit, and thereof seasonably to give public notice to all such retailers, that they may be left inexcusable if they shall not conform unto this command, and that you give account to this Board of your proceedings, as occasion shall require, and so we bid you a very hearty Farewell. From the Court at Whitehall, this 29th day of February, 1660.
Your Very Loving Friends, E. HYDE, ABBERMALE, DORCHESTER, NORTHUMBERLAND, LINDSEY, VALENTIA, OVIND, J. CARTERET, A. ANHOLEY COOPER, E N W MORRIS. (Superscript) RICHARD BROWN.
To our very loving Friend, Sir Hugh Pollard, K. & Baronet, Governor of the Island of Guernsey, or his Deputy there.
Extracted from the Registers, W.-SOLBE-SHEPPARD, King’s Deputy-Greffier.
See the Gazette de Guernesey of 16 July 1814 for the protest that occasioned this reminder.