Some reasons humbly offered to the Honourable House of Commons, to hear the petitioner John Dennis, when the report of the Q's and R's shall be read.

SOME REASONS Humbly Offered to the Honourable Houſe of Commons, To Hear the Petitioner John Dennis, when the Report of the Q's and R's ſhall be Read.

I. THE Report was made or at leaſt compoſed without hearing the Petitioner's Complaints.

II. The Petitioner hopes to prove the Report is not ſo much in the Seamen's Favour as the Merits of their Caſe would bear.

III. Three Hardſhips only, as the Cauſe of the Seamen's Miſeries are cautiouſly confeſſed, (viz. Turning them over, Lending them, and Want of Pay) but many more and weighty ones are omitted.

IV. The Petitioner doubts not but to make it appear that the Diſcipline of the Navy has greatly differed from the ſaid Report.

V. The Petitioner's Complaint was not againſt Q's and R's only, or principally, but the Intent of his Petition was, That this Honourable Houſe would be pleaſed to conſider whether it is not neceſſary to eſtabliſh (by good and wholeſome Laws) the Diſcipline of the Navy, that the Strength, Wealth and Honour of the Nation may be preſerved thereby.

VI. The Petitioner believes it may be worthy the Conſideration of this Honourable Houſe, whether the Q's as deſcribed in the Report are not great Hardſhips: It being acknowledged, That all Men ſet on Shore ſick before the 23d of March 1690, were thereby diſcharged from the Service, and Tickets were principally intended for that purpoſe (Vide Article 16. of the Lord High Admirals Inſtructions to Captains) but by this new Order, when they are ſet Sick on Shore, unleſs they return to the Ships from whence they came, or to ſome other of His Majeſty's Ships, immediately after they are diſcharged from ſick Quarters, they are and (as the Report expreſſes it) have been eſteemed as Deſerters, and as ſuch by the Act of Parliament mentioned in the ſaid Report, are liable to be puniſhed with Death, which Act has ſeveral times been put in Execution againſt Deſerters during the late War.

VII. The Report of the Petitioners having bought the Money of ſeveral that are Queried and Run, and his encouraging the Women to attend this Honourable Houſe, are equally groundleſs; he never having bought, or is now intereſted one Penny in the one, nor did ever aſſociate himſelf with, or encourage the others: But on the contrary hath adviſed them to be moderate, and aſſured them that their Clamorous Proceedings would prejudice their Cauſe.

J. D.

The ADDRESS preſented to the Lords of the Admiralty in Feb. 1698/9.

Sect. I. My Lords,

BEing employ'd by divers Seamen, their Wives, Widows, and others to receive their Wages, meeting with many unexpected Objections to the Payment of the ſame, am oblig'd to addreſs your Lordſhips, as well for thoſe I ſerve, as others under the like Circumſtances; whoſe Caſes in ſome Particulars ſhall humbly lay before your Lordſhips, and pray Relief therein.

I. Objection. Is Querying thoſe that are ſet Sick on Shoar.

As for ſuch Queries, however His Majeſty's Service, and the Nations Safety might require it in time of War (to keep Mariners to their Duty;) an honourable Peace being now concluded, altho' by the ſtrict Rules of the Navy, ſuch Wages may be deny'd; yet there are ſeveral Motives and Reaſons for the taking off thoſe Queries.

1. The Indigency, Poverty and Miſery of thoſe diſtreſſed Seamen, and their Families, were there no other Reaſon, ſeems no ſmall Motive to it; eſpecially conſidering 'tis the Labourer's Hire, and his Families Bread.

2. There were no ſuch Queries until the Year 1690, before which time every Man put on Shore ſick, was thereby diſcharged from the Service, and his Wages duly paid.

3. The great Sickneſs which at, and ſince that time happen'd in the Fleet, was, and is the Foundation of thoſe Queries; the which indeed, conſidering alſo the great Mortality that has likewiſe attended His Majeſty's Service, ſhould rather be Motives for the removing of them.

4. Many of the Perſons that have been put on Shore ſick, being ignorant of thoſe new Rules of the Navy, believed themſelves diſcharged as formerly.

5. Many of them have been ſet on Shore ſick ſeveral times, and return'd to ſuch Ships, as ordered, but continuing weak and indiſpoſed, have at laſt repaired to their own Homes for Recovery.

6. Others having been long Voyages and ſick on Board for many Months (ſeeing the Major part of their Aſſociates buried;) to ſuch, after they were ſet ſick on Shore, the thoughts of returning on Board have been dreadful, and deemed the only means to haſten their ends; which accordingly happen'd to many that did return.

7. It could not be expected that thoſe that have contracted Indiſpoſitions and Diſtempers, by unwholſon Proviſion, or malignant Air, ſhould (after a Months Refreſhment in ſick Quarters, or labouring 6 or 12 Months under their Maladies in an Hoſpita) be fit to return, or capable of doing His Majeſty Service; but the contrary is evident by the Multitude that died ſoon after their return on Board, and others that were again ſet ſick on Shore.

Laſtly, Such having faithfully ſerv'd His Majeſty to the imparing of their Healths, and hazard of their Lives; it ſeems not only juſt, but alſo for His Majeſty's Intereſt, and the Credit of his Service to grant them the Wages ſo hardly earn'd.

I hope what has been ſaid, with ſuch other Motives, as in Wiſdom, Juſtice and Charity, Your Lordſhips find in your own Breaſts, may prevail for the taking off all Queries.

But whatever Your Lordſhips ſhall pleaſe to direct as to the Queries in general, the Circumſtances of ome are ſuch, that a ſpeedy and general Order ſeems abſolutely neceſſary to remove the ſame.

1. All thoſe that have been ſet on Shore ſick ſince the Peace concluded. 2. Such as after Recovery entred on Board any of His Majeſty's Ships. 3. Such as died in ſick Quarters, Hoſpitals, or Hoſpital-Ships. 4. Such as have been wounded or hurt, and received Penſions, or Smart-Money for the ſame. 5. Such as continued Six Months or upwards in ſick Quarters or Hoſpitals, or have been diſcharged thence incurable. 6. Such as the Captains have diſcharged by Ticket, Sick, Lame, Blind, Infirm, or otherwiſe unfit for His Majeſty's Service, they alone being proper Judges of the ſame.

It may be objected, That Application being made with good Proof of the laſt mentioned Circumſtance, ſuch Queries may be remov'd.

May it pleaſe your Lordſhips to conſider,

The great Inconveniencies that attend ſuch particular Orders, which creates Tumult and Clamour at both Offices, gives advantage to many that ſolicit to exact great part of the Wages for their Aſſiſtance, puts the Poor to great Fatigue and Expence in Attendance, but principally the loſs of the opportunity of the Ships Payment; which may and have caus'd many to ſtay 2 or 3 Years for their Money, or ſell it for half the value.

And indeed many of thoſe Queries might be prevented in making up the Pay-Books of each Ships, and of every Perſon under the Circumſtances aforeſaid, notice might be taken on the ſaid Books; the ſick Accounts being in the ſame Office.

I ſhall ſay no more touching Queries, only that every DS ſhould be ſo accounted, ſeems contrary to the firſt intent of the ſame; which as I humbly conceive, were for Commanders to put on ſuch as did not return, and not on thoſe whom they ſee cauſe to diſcharge.

Sect. II. Another Objection is, Perſons being made Run, ſome of whoſe Circumſtances may alſo claim your Lordſhips Conſideration.

1. Such as never deſign'd to deſert the Service, but being return'd from long Voyages, and the Ships to which they belong being either in Port or Dock, have adventur'd to ſtray from them, either to ſee their Friends in parts adjacent, or provide themſelves Apparel, but meeting with other Ships Companies have been Impreſt, and ſerved in ſuch Ships till diſcharg'd: Such therefore not deſerting the Service, ſhould not be puniſhed as Deſerters, but their R's taken off, and their Wages paid.

2. Thoſe that have ſerved in His Majeſty's Ships, and have been turn'd over from one Ship to another, and after having ſerv'd ſome time in the later, their Tickets for the former have been delivered them, which Tickets by the Parties being ſet Sick or Shoar, or leaving that, or ſome other ſuc •• ling Ship, perhaps a Third or Fourth, and two or three Years after ſuch Tickets deliver'd, thoſe Tickets have been Q'd or Run, and the Wages ••• reby forfeited; with many other Circumſtances of the like nature too tedious to inſert.

As Motives to take off the ſame I ſhall humbly offer,

Such as have Tickets delivered them, ſeems in the Eye of Juſtice to have a good Title to their Wage.

Thoſe Tickets are and have been eſteem'd as the King's Bonds or Bills of Exchange, and formerly paid at ſight.

Many well affected People for promoting His Majeſty's Service and Intereſt, and in Charity to their dſtreſſed Neighbours, have ſupplied them Value of their Tickets,

The Querying ſuch Tickets has unſpeakably reduc'd the Credit of the Navy, with reſpect to Wages; inſomuch that Tickets formerly ſold at 2 s. 〈◊〉 Pound loſs, have of late beed ſold at 7 s. and ſome at 10 or 12 s.

The Miſeries and diſtreſſed Condition of Seamens Families, whoſe Husbands and Relations are ſerving His Majeſty and the Nation, at Sea, being to periſh for want of Credit during their abſence; and thoſe who formerly reliev'd them, ſuffering great loſs and damage by thoſe Q's and R's, • olly diſcourag'd from continuing the ſame: The Poor therefore muſt inevitably periſh, unleſs relieved by the Alms of the Pariſh, whoſe burthens 〈◊〉 are almoſt intolerable, the charge of the Poor being now three times more than before the War, and the major part of thoſe that receive are the 〈1 page duplicate〉〈◊〉 , Widows, and Families of ſuch as have ſerv'd His Majeſty during the late War: Much more might be ſaid for the taking off thoſe R's, yet ſhall ••• dd, that it is not inconſiſtent with Juſtice, but very agreeable to the Laws of God, Charity, Mercy, and Pity, and would not a little contribute 〈◊〉 Majeſty's Intereſt, the Glory of the Nation, a more chearful Contribution to Taxes, the Honour of your Lordſhips, the Relief of the Poor, •• evention of thoſe clamorous Tumults that attend this Honourable Board.

• hat has been ſaid may not prevail for the taking off thoſe R's for time paſt, my humble Requeſt is, That the like may be prevented for the future, 〈◊〉 ſeems eaſy, juſt and reaſonable, for thoſe Tickets may be kept by the Commanders, or in the Office, until the Party have ſuch a Right as not to 〈◊〉 the ſame, by ſerving ſuch reaſonable time as your Lordſhips ſhall direct, and thoſe Tickets when delivered to the Parties, or any other by their 〈◊〉 , to be good and valid to ſuch Perſons as have a Title to the ſame, which would reduce thoſe exorbitant Loſſes, and give good credit to Tick ••• formerly; and whatever other Puniſhment ſhall be judged meet to be inflicted on the Deſerter, beſides forfeiture of Wages due in the Ship he 〈◊〉 ; the ſame may be corporal and not forfeitue of former Pay, by this the Tranſgreſſours will receive their Reward; by the other their Fami •• • iſt periſh unleſs relieved, and thoſe that ſupply them on the Credit of ſuch Tickets be great Sufferers; and indeed the delivering of ſuch Tick ••• •• ilſt they are liable to be forfeited, do but impower the Party to impoſe on, and defraud the Innocent,

••• rpoſed ſomething touching the Pay, but fearing I have already tranſgreſs'd by Prolixity; for which with whatever elſe may render me obmoxi •• 〈◊〉 your Lordſhips Cenſure, I humbly beg your Pardon: the deſign hereof being for the relief of the Poor, and free from all thought of Reflec ••• ſhall therefore only add, that the People were never better ſerved, His Majeſty's Affairs diſpatch'd, and Frauds prevented, than by the Clerks •••• ing the Pay, when they had liberty to receive Wages. And ſubſcribe, with all Dutiful Reſpects,

Your Lordſhips moſt Humble and Obedient Servant, John Dennis.