WHereas there was an Act made the last Session of Parliament, Intituled, An Act to Enforce the Act for the Increase and Incouragement of Seamen; To the end therefore that all Seamen and other Persons concerned in the said Act may be Informed of the Matters therein Contained, We have thought fit, by the Advice of His Majesties Privy Council to Issue this Proclamation, hereby giving Notice, that in the said Act, it is (amongst other things) Enacted, That such Registred Seamen, who by Age, Wounds, or other Accidents, shall be Disabled for future Service at Sea, and the Widows and Children of such Seamen, as by Virtue of an Act made at a Session of Parliament held in the Seventh and Eighth Years of His Majesties Reign, Entituled, An Act for the Increase and Incouragement of Seamen, may Claim the Relief of Greenwich hospital, shall, for the avoiding of all Partiality and Fa­vour, from time to time, in Succession one after another, be Admitted into the said Hospital in Order and due Course, according to their Number on the Register Book. Also for the Ease of Seamen desirous to be Registred, they shall be obliged to bring or cause to be brought to the Register Officer▪ Certificates of the Place of their Abode, or Removal from their Habitation, under the Hands of only One or more Iustices of the Peace of the Place or County where they Dwell. And that for the better Levying and Collecting the Duties of Six Pence per Mensem, Granted by the said last Recited Act, for the Revenues and Support of the Hospital Charities, and Bounties therein mentioned, the Officers appointed for the Registring Seamen, or their Deputies, may by Warrant under their Hands, Summon to Appear before them all Masters of any Ships, and Vessels which are not in His Majesties Service, and Examine them upon Oath concerning their Seamens Wages, and time of Service; And if such Masters shall Refuse to Appear on the said Summons, or shall Appear and Refuse to give the said Accounts upon Oath, of their Seamens Wages, and time of Service, then such Offender shall for every such Offence Forfeit Ten Pounds, for the Vse of the said Hospital, to the Recovered with Charges of Suit in any of His Majesties Courts of Re­cord, as is mentioned in the said Act, excepting Quakers or Reputed Quakers, who are thereby Required to give in the said Accounts on their Solemn Affirmation and Declaration, in such manner as by an Act made at a Session of Parliament held in the Seventh and Eighth Years of His Majesties Reign, Entituled, An Act that the Solemn Affirmation and Declaration of the People called Quakers shall be Accepted instead of an Oath in the usual Form, is directed, and on their Refusal so to do, to be liable to the aforesaid Penalties. And that such Registred Seamen as shall Lend or Dispose of their Certificates to any other Persons to Protect them from being Imprest into His Majesties Service, shall be struck out of the Register, and be Obliged to Serve His Majesty at Sea for the space of Six Months without any Pay or Wages, as in Case of Registred Men not Appearing on Summons to Serve in His Majesties Service, according to the said last Recited Act; And such Men as shall Procure, Keép, or Vse the said Certificates for the said Purpose, shall forfeit Twenty Pounds, or Serve His Majesty in Sea Service Six Months, without any Pay or Wages. And also that the Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Bailiffs, or Deputy Bailiffs of any of the Towns within the Iurisdiction of the Cinque Ports, where no Iustice of the Peace shall be Resi­ding or Inhabiting within Three Miles of such Port or Place, may Certifie the Abode of Persons to be Registred, instead of the said Iustice of the Peace.

Given at the Court at Whitehall the Twenty seventh Day of May, 1697. In the Ninth Year of His Majesties Reign.

God save the King.