By the King and Queen, A PROCLAMATION, By and with the Advice of Their Majesties Privy Council, For preventing of False Musters and Injuries which may be done, either to the Soldiery or Subjects.
WHereas We have received Information, That notwithstanding the great Care that hath been taken by Vs from time to time since Our Accession to the Crown, to furnish Money constantly for the Subsistance of Our Forces, (and so far as the Necessity of Our Affairs would admit) for the Clearing of their Pay; yet some of the Officers of Our Army, respecting more their own Profit then Our Service, or the Ease or Safety of Our Subjects, have presumed by False Musters to Defraud Vs, and by detaining part of the Moneys which should have been paid unto the Soldiery, have given Occasion of Disorders amongst them, and to Abuses and Injuries which have been put upon Our Subjects where the Soldiers have been Quartered; We having Resolved to use Effectual Means to have all Our Troops and Companies compleat, and that the Soldiers who Serve Vs shall be justly and duty Paid from time to time without any Injury to be done them by their Officers, and to prevent all Oppressions in the Counties which might be committed by the Soldiery, by Non-payment of their Quarters, or otherwise, have thought fit, by the Advice of Our Privy Council, to Give Commission under Our Great Seal to several of the Nobility and Gentry, and thereby Authorizing and Empowering them, or any three of them, to make diligent Examination and Enquiry in all Places where any of Our Troops or Companies have been, are, or shall be Quartered, whether the same Troops or Companies respectively, have been, or shall be compleat in their Numbers, and what Deficiencies are, or may be in them, or any of them, and whether the Subsistance Money and Clearings have been, or shall be duly paid as they ought, and what Injuries or Abuses have been, or shall be Committed in the Countreys in the Soldiers Quarters, or otherwise, and to Redress the same, and from time to time to make such Representations unto Vs, as Our Service, and the Good of Our Subjects shall Require in these Cases, or any of them; And therefore We have thought fit to make Publick these Presents, to the end any of Our Subjects or Soldiers who shall receive any Wrong or Injury in the Premisses, may know where and how to seek Redress.
Given at Our Court at Hampton-Court the Thirteenth day of May, 1689. In the First Year of Our Reign.
God Save King WILLIAM and Queen MARY.
LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill, and Thomas Newcomb, Printers to the King and Queen's most Excellent Majesties. 1689.