WHereas, by the Lawes of this Realme, euery Mariner receiuing Presse-money to serue the King in any of his Ships, and after refusing to serue, or absenting himselfe at the time and place appointed vnto him for his seruice, doth incurre the danger and penalty of felonie and is to be puni­shed, and to forfeit as a felon: And whereas his Maiestie, out of his royall bountie, hath lately encreased the wages and entertainment of Mariners to be imployed in his seruice, from foureteene shillings to twetny shillings the moneth, by a Medium, which he will constantly continue for their en­couragement, which is as much as ordinarily they receiue in Merchants wages, besides the large allowance of victuals, which they haue in his Maiesties Shippes and seruice, and their dayly hopes of other profits and aduantages, and their safety from being taken Prisoners, which in Merchants Shippes in these times of Hostilitie, they are dayly subiect vnto: Neuerthelesse his Maiestie doth finde, that ma­ny of the Mariners pressed for his seruice, and hauing receiued presse and conduct money, doe dayly runne away, and absent themselues from his seruice, whereby his Shippes are vnfurnished, and his seruice disappointed, to his Maiesties dishonour, and the dishonour and danger of the State, in these times of peril, when the forreigne enemyis ready prepared to inuade & infest his Maiesties Realmes and Dominions. His Maiestie therefore in his Princely wisedome and prouidence, foreseeing the ex­treame perill which may ensue, by the wilfull and base neglect of people of this qualitie, Hath thought fit, by the aduice of his Counsell of warre, to admonish all persons whom it may concerne, That they be carefull at their vttermost perils, that they offend not in any such sort or kinde hereaf­ter; And doth hereby straitly charge and command all persons, who shall hereafter bee pressed for his seruice, as Mariners, or otherwise in any of his Shippes or other vessels, and shall receiue presse mony to that purpose, that they duely repaire and come to the places, and at the times appointed vnto them, and there continue in the seruice vnto which they are seuerally and respectiuely assigned, vpon paine of death, and all other such paines, penalties, and forfeitures, as by the Law can be inflicted or impo­sed vpon them. And his Maiestie doth hereby straitly charge and command all his Iudges, Iusti­ces, Mayors, Sheriffes, and all other his officers and Ministers of Iustice whatsoeuer in their seue­rall places, and all Captaines, Maisters, and other officers of, or in any of his Shippes, or other Shippes or vessells in his Maiesties paye, That they carefully and diligently obserue and execute his Maiesties Lawes and royall pleasure hereby signified and declared, vpon paine of his Maiesties high displeasure, and such other punishments, as by the Lawes of this Realme, or by hiS Maiesties Prerogatiue Royall can be inflicted vpon them.

Giuen at his Maiesties Court at White-hall, the eighteenth day of Iune, in the second yeere of his Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.