By the King a proclamation for better furnishing the nauy, and shipping of the realme, with able and skilfull mariners.

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HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

DIEV ET MON DROIT.

❧ By the King. ¶ A Proclamation for better furnishing the Nauy, and Shipping of the Realme, with able and skilfull Mariners.

WHereas Wee, for the continuance and maintayning of the Naui∣gation of this Realme, and to the intent that skilfull Mariners, and Seafaring men, might bee alwayes in readinesse to furnish, aswell Our owne Royall Nauie, as the Shipping of Our Subiects, by Our Proclamation dated the sixt day of August, in the twentieth yeere of Our Reigne, did straitly inhibite and forbid, That no Mariner, or Seafaring man, Shipwright, or Shipcarpenter whatsoeuer, being Our Subiect, should without expresse licence of Vs, or of Our Admi∣rall of England, enter, or attempt, or goe about to enter into the seruice of any forreine Prince, or State, or bee imployed out of this Realme, in any seruice whatsoeuer, vnlesse it were in the ser∣uice of Vs, or of some of Our liege Subiects:

And whereas by a later Proclamation, dated the seuen and twentieth day of February, then following, Wee did signifie Our pleasure, That Our said former Proclamation should be hereaf∣ter carefully obserued, and put in exact execution; willing, That all men should take knowledge, and that Wee should esteeme the offenders therein, as Fugitiues, and Runagates, forgetting their naturall allegiance and duety to Vs and Our Lawes, and accordingly should proceed a∣gainst them with all seuerity:

And did furthermore thereby straitly charge and command, That no Mariner, or Seafaring man, should absent, hide, or withdraw himselfe from Our seruice, or Prests, and that all such per∣sons hauing Our Prest money giuen or tendred vnto them, should dutifully and reuerently receiue the same, and repaire aboard Our Ships, at the times to them limited and assigned, and thence∣forth continue in Our seruice, as to the duety of good Subiects appertaineth, and not withdraw themselues, or depart therefrom, without speciall licence, vpon paine to incurre the vttermost seue∣rity of Our Lawes to be inflicted vpon them, as malefactors in a very high degree, to the hazard of Our Royall Nauie and seruice.

Now, forasmuch as wee haue receiued Information, That, notwithstanding the strictnesse of Our said Proclamations, there hath followed no redresse of these enormious crimes, & contempts,

Wee being resolued to meete with all impediments, wherby such Our weighty seruice is hinde∣red, and offenders hardened and imboldened in their obstinacie, and wilfull contempts, doe hereby straitly inhibite and forbid, That no Owner or Master of any Ship, or vessell, nor any other, setting forth any vessels of Trade, Fishing, or otherwise, doe presume to hire or entertaine any Mariner, or Seafaring man, knowing him to haue offended against the said Proclamations, or either of them, by seruing forreine Prince or State without licence, or by disobeying Our Prests, or abandoning Our seruice: And if such Owner, Master, or other person, not knowing of the said offences, shall hire or entertaine any such offender or offenders, that foorthwith vpon no∣tice of any the said offences, they deliuer such offenders ouer vnto the next Iustice of Peace, Maior, Baylife, Constable, or other officer, to bee imprisoned vntill the said offenders shall giue sufficient Bond and Caution for their forth comming & appearance, in such Court, or place of Iustice, vnto which it may appertaine, to be proceeded against, & punished, according to their demerits; and with∣all, that the said Masters, Owners, & other persons forbeare to pay to the said offenders any wa∣ges. And further, Wee doe straitly charge and command all Our Lieutenants, Deputie-Lieute∣nants, Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Bayliffes, Constables, Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers and officers, aswell of our Admiralty, as of Our Ports, and also all and euery person and persons, to whom any Commission, Deputation, or Letters of Assistance shall be directed, for the presting of Mariners, and Seafaring men for Our seruice, that they shall from time to time vse all possible di∣ligence and indeauour, to apprehend, and cause to be apprehended, aswell all such Mariners & Sea∣faring men, offending, as aforesaid, as also all such Owners, Masters, and others, as contrary to this Our Royall commandement, shall entertaine or hire them, or pay them any wages, or other∣wise helpe them to escape the hands of Iustice; and such as they shall apprehend, they shall with Certificate of their names and offences, binde ouer to appeare before the Commissioners of Our Name, in London, to be by them committed, & deliuered ouer to the ordinary course of Our Iustice, either in our Court of Starrechamber, or of Our Admiralty, or otherwise, as the quality of the offence shall require. And Wee likewise charge and command all Prest-masters, and their Assi∣stants, to publish the Names of all such as shall be prested by them in Our Ports where they are ta∣ken, as also to deliuer a note of their names to the officers of Our Ports, & others who are fittest to discouer them: And Wee haue also giuen order to the Commissioners of Our Nauy, to make certifi∣cate into all parts of this Realme, where they shall thinke it conuenient or vsefull, of the names of such as shall offend in any of the premisses. And considering that the seruice now in hand, for the setting foorth of Our Fleete, is of great consequence, both for the safety of Our Kingdomes, and for the honour of Our Imperiall Crowne and Dignity, That all the eyes and hearts of Our lo∣uing Subiects, are cast vpon it, and expect the supplying thereof to be made with extraordinary care; Wee haue thought fit to recommend the same in this extraordinary manner, intending here∣after to make such further prouision against all such offenders, as are not hereby made sensible of their dueties, and ranged to obedience, as the necessity and importance of Our seruice at this time, and other times shall require.

Giuen at Our Court at Theobalds the twentieth day of March, in the two and twentieth yeere of Our Raigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.