WHereas Wee for the continuance, and mainteining of the Nauiga­tion of this Realme, and to the intent that skilfull Mariners and Sea­faring men might be 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 last past, did straitly inhibite and for­bid, that no Mariner or Sea-faring man, Ship-wright, or Ship-carpen­ter whatsoeuer, being Our Subiect, should without expresse licence of Vs, or of Our Admirall of England, enter, or attempt, or goe about to enter into the seruice of any forraine Prince or State, or bee imployed out of this Realme in any seruice, (vnlesse it were in the seruice of Vs, or of some of Our Liege Subiects;) Neuerthelesse, Wee haue receiued Information, that notwithstanding the strictnesse of that Our Commande­ment, great numbers of Mariners and Sea-faring men, contrary to their duety and allegeance, and against the Lawes of this Realme, haue presumed without such licence to goe abroad, and serue other Princes and States in forraine parts, to the great preiudice of Traffique and disho­nour of Our owne seruice, And that very great and vnsufferable abuses are committed by such Mariners and Sea-faring men, as doe purposely withdraw, or wilfully refuse to performe those vrgent and important seruices, wherein We haue occasion to make vse of them: We haue thought good to signifie Our pleasure, that Our said former Proclamation be hereafter carefully obserued and put in exact execution, Willing that all men should take knowledge, and that We shall esteeme the offenders therin, as Fugitiues and Runnagates, forgetting their naturall allegeance and dutie to Vs and Our Lawes, and accordingly shall proceede against them with all seueritie. And fur­thermore Wee doe straitly charge and command, that no Mariner or Sea-faring man, absent, hide, or withdraw himselfe from Our seruice or Prests, and that all such persons, hauing Our Prest-money giuen or tendred vnto them, doe duetifully and reuerently receiue the same, and re­paire aboard Our Shippes at the times to them limited and assigned, and thencefoorth continue in Our seruice, as to the duetie of good Subiects appertaineth, and doe not withdraw themselues [Page] or depart therefrom without especiall licence, vpon paine to incurre the vttermost seueritie of Our Lawes, which Wee resolue shall be extended to them as Malefactors in very high degree, to the hazard of Our Royall Nauie and seruice. And Wee doe further charge and straitly Com­mand, that no person or persons that shall be trusted or imployed for the presting of any Mariners, or other persons to be imployed in Our seruice at Sea, doe at any time for fauour, reward, or other sinister respect, forbeare to prest the ablest and fittest men for such Our seruice, or hauing prest them, doe discharge them againe, or change them for persons lesse able and sufficient; And that no Lieutenants, Masters, Pursors, Gunners, Boteswaines, or other inferiour officers in any of Our Shippes, nor any other, but such onely, as by the due orders of Our Nauie are allowed so to doe, doe at any time hereafter presume to discharge any Mariners, or other person prested to serue in any Our Shippes, it being Our full resolution, that Our Nauie being by Our Princely prouidence and care restored to as good and seruiceable estate, as any former time hath knowen it, the Officers, Mariners and other persons appointed to serue therein shall bee so regulated and kept in order in their seuerall seruices and imployments, as may best agree to Our Honour, and the publique safetie of this Our Realme. And therefore if any person or persons whatsoeuer, after this Our admonition and warning, shal presume to offend in any thing before remembred, they shal not onely incurre Our Indignation and high displeasure, but shall be subiect to the seuerest punish­ment that Our Lawes or Royall Prerogatiue may inflict vpon them.

Giuen at Our Court at New-Market the seuen and twentieth day of February, in the twentieth yere of Our Raigne of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.