WHereas Wee, for the continuance and maintayning of the Nauigation 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 Admirall 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 ſeruice 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 hereafter 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 againſt 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 perſons 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 thenceforth 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 ſeuerity 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 hindered, 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 notice 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 withall, that the ſaid Maſters, Owners, & other perſons forbeare to pay to the ſaid offenders any wages. And further, Wee doe ſtraitly charge and command all Our Lieutenants, Deputie-Lieutenants, 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 diligence and indeauour, to apprehend, and cauſe to be apprehended, aſwell all ſuch Mariners & Seafaring 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 otherwiſe 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 Aſſiſtants, to publiſh the Names of all ſuch as ſhall be preſted by them in Our Ports where they are taken, 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 certificate 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 louing 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 hereafter 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.