[For the Apprehension of Pirates.]

BY THE KING.

A PROCLAMATION.

William R.

Whereas We have received Information, That notwithstanding the great Care that hitherto hath been taken to Prevent Piracies, divers Pirates do continue to Infest the Seas wherein Our Subjects Trade, to the great Damage of the Merchants, and Discouragement of Navigation;[1] We therefore (with the Advice of Our Privy Council) have thought fit to Issue this Our Royal Proclamation;[2] And We do hereby Promise and Declare, That if any Person or Persons belonging to the Company or Ships Crew of any Pirate Ship or Vessel, shall at any time, after the Date hereof, Seize, or cause to be Seized, the Person Commanding such Ship or Vessel, and any one or more Persons belonging to such Ship or Vessel, together with the said Ship or Vessel, and Goods, and Deliver them into the Custody of the Chief Magistrate of any of our Ports in Our Kingdoms of England or Ireland; Or in America, into the Custody of Our Governors, or Commanders in Chief of Our Islands, Colonies, or Plantations of Barbados, the Leeward Islands, Jamaica, Bermudos, Virginia, Maryland, New yorke or the Massachusetts Bay in New England, or of the Commander in Chief of Our Ships of War at Newfound Land, for the time being; Or in Africa, into the Custody of the Chief or Chiefs of the Royal African Company at Cape Corfe Castle, on the Gold Coast, at James Fort in the River of Gambia, or at Whiddah in the South-part of Guinea, for the time being; And shall give Evidence against the Persons so Seized and Secured, so as they may be Convicted of Piracy, the Person or Persons so Seizing, or causing to be Seized, such Pirate or Pirates, and Securing such Ship or Vessel, and Goods, as aforesaid, shall not only have Our most Gracious Pardon for the Piracies before that time Committed by him or them, but also, upon the Conviction of such Pirate or Pirates, receive as a Reward for his or their good Service, one moiety of Our Thirds of such Ship or Vessel, and Goods, where no more than those Thirds shall be by Us claimed; But if the whole Ship and Goods shall belong to Us, for want of a timely and legal Demand thereof by the first Proprietor, then such Person or Persons shall Receive, as a Reward, the Sum of Twenty five Pound for every Hundred Pounds Value of such Ship or Vessel, and Goods; to be paid unto them by such Chief Magistrate, Governor, Commander, or other Persons aforesaid, in the Places where such Seizure and Conviction shall be made; who are hereby Required to Pay the same, upon the Parties producing a Certificate of such Seizure and Conviction made, and Ship or Vessel, and Goods Secured, under the Hands and Seals of the Persons, or the Major Part of them, before whom such Pirates have been Convicted (which Persons are hereby Required to give such Certificate, gratis, on Demand) and upon Producing of which Certificate, We do hereby Require our Judge or Judges of Admiralty in England, or elsewhere, and all other Persons impowered by Commission to Hear and Determine Piracies in Europe, Africa and America, to Stay any further Proceedings against such Person or Persons, who shall produce such Certificate, until he or they can obtain Our most Gracious Pardon. And We do hereby further Declare, That if any Person or Persons, belonging to any Pirate Ship or Vessel, shall Seize and Apprehend the Commanding Officer of any Pirate Ship or Vessel, or any of the Crew belonging to such Ship or Vessel, and shall give Evidence against him or them, as before Directed, so that the said Pirate or Pirates be Convicted, and shall have a Certificate thereof, as aforesaid, though such Person or Persons do not Take or Seize the Ship and Goods, yet such Person or Persons shall have Our most Gracious Pardon for any Piracies before that time by him or them Committed, and shall also have and receive, upon the Conviction of such Commanding Officer, or any of the said Crew of such Pirate Ship, the respective Rewards hereafter mentioned; viz. One Hundred Pounds for the Commanding Officer of such Pirate Ship or Vessel, and Twenty Pounds for every Inferiour Person thereunto belonging, that shall be so Seized and Apprehended, as aforesaid; which Sum or Sums shall be paid to him or them by the Governors or other Persons before mentioned. And for the greater Encouragement of those Persons belonging to any Pirate Ship or Vessel, who shall Seize and Apprehend any Commanding Officer, or any of the Crew belonging to such Ship or Vessel, and shall give Evidence against them, in order to their Conviction, and cause the said Ship or Vessel, and Goods to be Secured, as aforesaid, We do hereby Direct and Require the Commanders of all and every Our Ships of War, That upon any Person or Persons producing to them an Authentick Certificate of his or their having made such Seizure, and of the Conviction of such Commander or others of the said Ships Crew, so Seized by him or them, as aforesaid, or of his or their having Secured the Ship or Vessel, and Goods, as aforesaid, under the Hands and Seals of the Persons, or the Major part of them, before whom such Conviction shall have been made (which Certificate the said Persons are in like manner hereby Required to give, gratis, on Demand) and Desiring to be Entertained in Our Service, to Enter them on Board their Ships, for Victuals and Wages, and to Discharge them again when they shall Desire it. And whereas We are inclined to Believe, That many ignorant Persons have been drawn into this wicked Course of Life, and that they would willingly imbrace all Opportunities of freeing themselves therefrom provided they could be Secure of Pardon, We do hereby Promise and Declare, That if any Person or Persons, Serving on Board any Pirate Ship or Vessel, shall at any time, within Twelve Months after the Date hereof, leave the same, and repair to any of Our Chief Magistrates, Governors, Commanders, or other Persons aforesaid, and before them make Affidavit of the Piracies Committed by the Ship or Vessel whereto they did belong, the Person or Persons, so Leaving such Ship, and making Affidavit, shall have Our Gracious Pardon for the Piracies Committed by him or them before the Twenty fourth Day of June, Seventeen hundred and one, and upon a Certificate of his or their Surrender, and being so Intituled to this Our Gracious Pardon, under the Hands and Seals of any of Our Chief Magistrates, Governors, Commanders, or other Persons aforementioned (which Certificate the said Chief Magistrates, Governors, Commanders, and other Persons are hereby Required to give, gratis, on Demand) the Person or Persons, so leaving such Ship, and making Affidavit, shall in like manner be Intituled to the Advantage of being Entertained on Board any of Our Ships, for Victuals and Wages, as aforesaid. And We do hereby further Publish and Declare, That all such Persons who shall neglect to lay hold of these Our Gracious Offers of Mercy, or who by Complying herewith shall be Pardoned for the Piracies by them Committed to the time of such Pardon, and after such Pardon relapse into the like Evil Practices, shall immediately upon their being Seized (for which all possible Care and Diligence shall be taken) be brought to Tryal, and be Proceeded against with the utmost Severity of Law; We having in pursuance of a late Act of Parliament for that purpose, sent Commissions under Our Great Seal into the East and West Indies, for the speedy Tryal, Condemnation and Execution of all Pirates and Robbers upon the High Seas. Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall extend to the Pardoning of any Person or Persons that shall go out of Europe, or that shall Commit Piracy upon the Seas in Europe, from and after the Date of these Presents, nor to the Pardoning of such as shall Commit Piracy in any Place whatsoever, after notice of this Our Gracious Offer of Pardon, or of Henry Every,[3] alias, Bridgeman.

Given at Our Court at Kensington, the Sixth Day of March, 1700/1. In the Thirteenth Year of Our Reign.

God Save the King.

London, Printed by Charles Bill, and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceas'd, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1700/1.

1 p. folio. Copies in Antiq., B. M., P. C., and P. R. O. Entered on Patent Rolls; entered in Privy Council Register, III William, vol. 6, p. 162. Printed in "London Gazette," March 17, 1701.

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