Restoration rules for ships and colonial cargoes

After the Restoration, the 1660 Act restored and tightened shipping rules that had technically lapsed with the interregnum. Vessels had to belong to English or colonial interests, carry crews that were three-quarters English, and post bonds for compliance. Captains recovered their bonds on arrival, although whether this meant the intended destination or the original port depended on the voyage and remains uncertain here. Enumerated commodities such as sugar, tobacco, cotton, indigo, ginger, and dyewoods could travel only to England or English colonies. The associated Customs Acts show how the apparently simple label English carried administrative and political consequences. England, Ireland, and the plantations counted, while Scotland remained excluded at this stage.