Whereas the Seamen of this Kingdom have been for several Years past subjected to grievous Impositions and great Injustice by certain Persons who undertake to procure Seamen to enter on board Merchant Ships who have no Interest in the said Ships: And whereas it is required that further Persons: Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the First Day of September next the Lords of the Committee of Her Majesty’s Privy Council for Trade and Foreign Plantations shall be and they are empowered to license such Persons as they may deem to be requisite and fit, and who may be desirous to take out such Licences, to hire, engage, supply, or provide Seamen to be entered on board Merchant Ships; and every such Licence shall be granted for such Periods, upon such Terms, and upon such Security being given, and shall be revocable upon such Conditions, as the Lords of the said Committee may at any Time or Times appoint.

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