(Originally published by J. M. Pardessus in Collection de lois maritimes antérieures
au XVIIIe siècle. Charles Verlinden amended the text based on the manuscript preserved
at the Biblioteca Civica Berio at Genoa.)
"That no slaves be carried on a ship ... We decree and order, that no
master of any galley from the Byzantine Empire or from Syria, equipped
with three oars per bench, of no matter what station he may be, should
dare or presume in any part of the world to carry on that galley any
male or female slave, for reason of bringing or transporting them from
the island of Chios and beyond, under the penalty of 25 Genoese pounds
for each male or female brought or carried in violation of the said regulation.
And if any notary, person aboard or officer of the said galley should place
aboard her, or cause to be placed aboard her, any male or female slave
without the consent of the master, he shall incur the penalty of 25 Genoese
pounds.
"However, the said master, notwithstanding the above regulations, may take
and carry for each merchant coming with him, one slave only, whom the
merchant may bring for a servant.
"In ships sailing with slaves through various parts of the world, no
Genoese master nor anyone who is judged as a Genoese nor anyone who
enjoys a stipend from the Genoese in any part of the world, of no matter
what condition or station he may be, should dare or presume in a way
which can be said or imagined in any part of the world to load, place or
take with him in the said vessel or carry male or female slaves beyond
the number given below, under the penalty of 10 Genoese pounds for
each male or female slave loaded, placed or carried beyond the said
number, in order to transport them or take them from the island of
Tenedos in the region of the Byzantine Empire beyond, in any part of
the world, and this notwithstanding any chapter, statute or ordinance
established or made to the contrary. The number beyond which it is
forbidden to transport is given below.
"... that the master of a vessel of one deck ... may legally ... transport,
place, load and bring male or female slaves, or both together, to the
number of 30 and no more.
"The master of a vessel of two decks may legally ... bring male and
female slaves to the number of 45 and no more.
"The master of a vessel of three decks may legally ... bring male and female
slaves to the number of 60 and no more.
"However, the said masters ... may legally take in their said vessels, for
each merchant sailing with them without a wage, one masculine slave, who
should not be counted in the said number, it being understood that they
should not incur any penalty for this."
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