Anno Regni Caroli Regis Angliæ, Scotiæ, Franciæ, & Hiberniæ, Decimo Septimo.: At the Parliament begun at Westminster the third day of November, Anno Dom. 1640. in the 16. yeer of the reign of ... Lord Charles ...

ANNO XVII. Caroli Regis.

¶ An Act for the better Rai∣sing and Levying of Mariners, Sailers, and others, for the present guarding of the Seas, and necessary defence of the Realm, and other His Maje∣sties Dominions.

WHereas there was an Act this present Parliament, intituled, An Act for the bet∣ter raising and levying of Mariners, Sailers, and others, for the present guarding of the Seas, and necessary defence of the Realm: which Act is now expired: And where∣as also a Fleet is now in preparing to be set forth with all expedition for the guarding of the narrow Seas, and necessary de∣fence of this Realm, and other His Majesties Do∣minions in this time of imminent danger, which cannot accordingly be performed, unlesse the same be

furnished with fit and sufficient men for that Ser∣vice;

Be it therefore enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament, That the Lord Admirall that now is, shall and may, at any time or times, between the tenth day of December 1641. and the first of November next coming, by himself, his Vice-Admi∣rall, Commissioner, or Commissioners, or other Of∣ficer or Officers, or any of them, together with one or more Iustices of the peace, next the place where any Presse shall be made, shall Raise, Levie, and Impresse such, and so many Mariners, Sailers, Watermen, Chirurgions, Gunners, and Ship-Carpenters, as shall be requisite and necessary for this present Expedition, or for any such further de∣fence of the Realm, or any other of His Majesties Dominions; Which said Mariners, Sailers, & other such persons so to be Levied and Impressed, as aforesaid, and every of them, shall have paid and delivered unto him upon such his Impressing, by the person that shal so Impresse him, for Conduct-money for every mile from the place where he shal be so Im∣pressed, to the Ship or place to which he shall be ap∣pointed to make his repair, the sum of one peny, and the like sum of one peny for every mile from the place of his discharge unto the place of his abode, and shall be allowed for his Service the best Wages and entertainment which have or hath been allowed by His Majestie, to any such person or persons re∣spectively, at any time within three yeers last past. And if any Mariner, Sailer, Waterman, Chirur∣geon, Gunner, or Ship-Carpenter, shall wilfully refuse to be Impressed, in, or for the said Service, or shall voluntarily hide and absent himself at the time

of such Presse, to avoid the said Service, That then every such person so offending shall suffer Impri∣sonment by the space of three moneths without bail or mainprise.

Provided alwayes, that this Act shall not extend to the Pressing of any Master, or Masters-mate, Gunner, Carpenter, or Boatswain of any Ship or Vessell that is or shall be in imployment, or of above one of ten Mariners of any Ships that shall be in∣ward or outward bound, nor to any person that shall be under the age of eighteen, or above the age of fifty, nor to any person that was rated in the last Subsidies, or shall be rated in any Subsidies hereaf∣ter to be granted before the time of his being Im∣pressed.

Provided alwayes, and be it enacted, That no Money, or other reward, shall be taken, or any cor∣rupt practise used by any the persons authorized by this Act, in or for the Pressing, Changing, Sparing, or Discharging of any person or persons to be Im∣pressed by force of this Act, under pain of forfeiture of twenty pounds by the person so offending for every such offence, the one half to His Majestie, His Heirs and Successours, the other half to him that will sue for the same, to be recovered by Action of debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information in any of His Majesties Courts of Record, or before the Iustices of Assise, Oyer and Terminer, Goal-Delivery, or the Iustices of the Peace of the County, City, or Town-Corporate where such offence shall be com∣mitted, at their generall quarter Sessions, wherein no Wager of Law, Essoign, Protection, or Injuncti∣on shall be admitted or allowed.