George R. Whereas it is Our Royal Intention to give all due Encouragement to all such Seamen, who shall voluntarily enter themselves in Our Service; We have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to publish this Our Royal Proclamation: And We do hereby promise and declare, That all such Able Seamen, not above the Age of Fifty, nor under the Age of Eighteen Years, fit for Our Service, who shall, on or before the Thirtieth Day of April next, voluntarily enter themselves to serve in Our Royal Navy, either with the Captains or Lieutenants of Our Ships, or the Chief Officers on Board such Tenders as shall be employed for raising Men for the Service of Our Navy, shall receive, as Our Royal Bounty, the Sum of Three Pounds each Man, and all such Ordinary Seamen, fit for Our Service, who shall so enter themselves as aforesaid, shall receive the Sum of Two Pounds each Man, as Our Royal Bounty, in Lieu of all other Bounties mentioned in Our Proclamation dated the Third of January, and Our Order in Council of the Twenty-eighth Day of February last; such respective Sums to be paid them by the respective Clerks of the Cheque residing at the ports or Places where the Ships, into which they shall be entered, shall be, im1J1.ediately after the Third Muster of such Seamen: And We do declare, that the Qualifications of the Seamen so entering themselves as aforesaid, shall be certified by the Captain, Master, and Boatswain of the Ship or Vessel where they shall enter. And for Prevention of any Abuses by any Persons leaving the Vessels to which they shall belong, and entering themselves on Board any other Ships or Vessels, in order to obtain the said Bounty-Money; We do hereby declare and Command, that such Seamen belonging to any of our Ships or Vessels, as shall absent themselves from any of the said Ships or Vessels to which they shall belong, and shall enter themselves on Board any other of our said Ships or Vessels, in order to obtain the said Bounty, shall not only lose the Wages due to them in the Ships or Vessels they shall leave, but also be severly punished according to their Demerits.
Given at Our Court at SL James's, the Twenty-second Day of March,
One thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, in the Sixteenth Year of Our Reign.
God save the King.
