WHereas the most Excellent, High and Mighty Prince, King Iames, of most noble and blessed memorie, Our most deare and royall Father, out of his princely and prouident care of the safety and honour of His Kingdomes and people, and for the continuance and maintaining of the Nauigation of this Realme, and to the intent that skilfull Mari­ners, and Sea-faring men might be alwaies in readinesse, to furnish, as well His owne Royall Nauie, as the shipping of His louing subiects, did by Proclamation, dated the sixth day of August, in the twentieth yeere of His Raigne, straitly inhibite and forbid, That no Mariner, or Sea faring man, Ship-wright, or Ship-carpenter whatsoeuer, beeing His subiect, should, without expresse licence of Himselfe, or His Admirall of England, enter or at­tempt, or goe about to enter into the seruice of any forraine Prince, or State, or be employed out of this Realme, in any seruice whatsoeuer, vnlesse it were in the seruice of the said late King, Our most deare Father, or of some of His liege subiects: And did afterwards by a later Proclamation, dated the seuen and twentieth day of February then following, further straitly charge and com­mand. That no Mariner, or Sea faring man should absent, hide, or withdraw himselfe from His late Maiesties seruice or prests, and that all such persons hauing prest-money giuen, or tendered vnto them, should duetifully, and reuerently receiue the same, and repaire aboard the ships ap­pointed, and continue in that seruice, as to the duty of good subiects appertained, and not with­draw themselues, or depart there-from, without speciall licence: And did lately by another Pro­clamation, bearing date the twentieth day of this instant moneth of March, likewise straitly in­hibite and forbid. That no Owner or Master of any ship or vessell, nor any other, setting foorth any vessels of Trade, fishing, or otherwise, should hire, or entertaine any Mariner, or Sea-faring man, knowing him to haue offended against either of the said Proclamations: and if such Owner, or other person not knowing of the said offences, should hire or entertaine any such offender or of­fenders, did will and command, That foorthwith, vpon notice of any the sayd offences, they should deliuer such offenders ouer vnto the next Iustice of Peace, Maior, Bailiffe, Constable, or other Officer, to be imprisoned, vntill the sayd offenders should giue sufficient bond and caution, for their foorth-comming and appearance, in such Court, or place of Iustice, vnto which it might ap­pertaine, to haue them proceeded against and punished, according to their demerits, and withall, that the sayd Masters, Owners, and other persons, should forbeare to pay to the sayd offenders any wages.

[Page]And did further thereby straitly charge and command all Lieutenants, Deputy-Lieutenants, Iu­stices of Peace, Maiors, Bayliffes, Constables, Customers, Comptrollers, searchers, and officers, as­well of the Admiralty, as of the Ports, and also all and euery person and persons, to whom any Commission, Deputation, or Letters of Assistance should be directed, for the presting of Mariners, and Seafaring men for publique seruice, that they should from time to time vse all possible diligence, and indeauour, to apprehend, and cause to bee apprehended, aswell all such Mariners and Sea­faring men, offending, as aforesaid, as also all such Owners, Masters, and others, as should entertaine or hire them, or pay them any wages, or otherwise helpe them to escape the hands of Iustice; and such as they should apprehend, they should, with Certificate of their names and offences, binde ouer to appeare before the Commissioners of His Maiesties Nauie, in London, to be by them committed, and deliuered ouer to the ordinary course of Iustice, either in the Court of Starre-chamber, or of the Admiralty, or otherwise, as the quality of the offence should require, with speciall charge and com­mandement to all Prest masters, and their Assistants, that they should publish the names of all such, as should bee prested by them in the Ports where they should be taken, as also deliuer a note of their names to the officers of the Ports, and others who were fittest to discouer them, if they should faile in the performance of their duties, As in and by the said seuerall Proclamations more at large ap­peareth.

Now we, hauing taken the premisses into Our Princely consideration, and aduised seriously there­of with Our Priuy Councell, finding how necessary it is, both for the safety and honour of this Our Kingdome and State, That all the seuerall Proclamations before mentioned should bee put in due execution, for preuenting and suppressing the manifold abuses, contempts, and neglects heretofore committed in seruices of so weighty consequence▪ Doe hereby straitly charge and command, that all the said Proclamations, and euery branch and article therein conteined, bee continued at all times hereafter, and be from time to time hereafter carefully obserued, and put in exact execution, as fully, and effectually, as the same should, or might haue bene in the life time of Our said deare Father, vpon the paines and penalties specified in the said Proclamations, and such further punishments, as by Our Lawes or Prerogatiue Royall may be inflicted vpon the offenders:

Letting all Our louing Subiects hereby know, That, as Our said most deare and Royal Father, in the publishing of the last of the said Proclamations, had a gracious eye vnto the special seruice then intended, and to be now shortly performed; So we rest assured, that none of Our said Subiects in the aduancement thereof (so much concerning the safety of Our Kingdomes and Our Imperiall Crowne and Dignity) wilbe wanting to doe their vttermost in making Us such a supply, as may giue testimony of their extraordinary care, faithfulnes, and dutifull affection towards Us, who had much rather haue cause to expresse Our gracious acceptance thereof at their hands, then be enforced to any other course, which the necessity and importance of Our seruice will otherwise require.

Giuen at Our Court at Saint Iames, the one and thirtieth day of March, in the first yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.