Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696 / 7-98. 465

     the Several Inhabitants thereof that they do not give Enter- Lib. X.

     tainment to any such deserting Saylors but that they use their

     utmost endeavour to discover and have them apprehended &

     secured in order to be Conveyed to the Several & respective

     Ships and Vessels to which they belong

      And for the better Encouraging of all Persons whatso- p. 90

     ever to endeavour the discovering & securing such de

     serting Saylors as aforesaid I do at the desire of the afore

     said Captains & Commanders hereby assure such persons of

     the reward of Fifty Shillings Sterl for each Deserted Saylor

     So by him or them apprehended & Secured as aforesaid

     which said Sum the aforesaid Commanders are willing upon

     receiving such Saylor or Saylors to pay and allow to the party

     or Partys who Secured them

      And forasmuch as the said several Captains & Commanders

     have in their address to me lately represented that such their

     deserting Saylors do generally resort to the Province of Pen-

     sylvania where they are much encouraged & winked at not

     only by being preferred to be Masters of Small Crafts there

     & receiving great & excessive wages therefore, but also by

     reason of the Privateers resorting thither and the Iniense

     hopes and expectation they entertain of the great gain by

     that sort of Employmt

      And for the easier & more Effectual discovery of all such

     deserting Saylors & to the end such persons may be Secluded

     from any pretended Excuses Shams & Impositions on any the

     Good People of this Province I do hereby publish & give

     Notice to the several Masters & Commanders of all Ships

     Vessels and small Crafts trading & using within this Province

     that whensoever they do discharge any of their Saylors, that

     they give them a Certificate under their respective hands &

     seals of such discharge that they also take care that when

     they send their Sloops abroad to fetch Tobacco or send any

     their Saylors from their Several Ships upon any special occas

     ion that they likewise take care to give their Saylors the like p. 91

     Certificates under their hands & seals of there being so sent

     & Employed upon penalty to such Saylors leaving their Ships

     and Vessels & not having procured such Certificate of being

     taken as deserting & runaway Saylors & so used and handled

     & to the end that all Saylors so legally discharged from any

     Ship or Vessel within this Province may freely pass & go to &

     fro upon their Lawful Occasions & travelling to any of the

     Neighbouriug Colonys &ca as they shall have occasion or

     think fit without any Let trouble or hinderance I do hereby

     publish and Give Notice that upon their Application to me

     and producing such Certificate of their discharge as aforesaid

     I will give them a pass which they shall receive Gratis

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