What shall be reputed an

English Ship.

AND for that it hath been found by Experience that divers Strangers Ships and Veffels, under the Colour of having English Mafters, have paffed for, and been reputed English Ships and Veffels, and fo have avoided the Payment of their Duties and Impofitions, in that Proportion, which by the Laws and Conftitutions of the faid Corporation, they ought to have Paid, to the great Abuse of the said Corporation; for the preventing of the like Abuses in time to come, and that there may be no Miftake for the future, either in Impofition of Duties, or of Fines, or Penalties, it is hereby declared, That only fuch Ship or Vessel shall be reputed and taken to be an English Ship, or Veffel, which hath an English Mafter, and Three Parts of Four of the whole Number of Officers and Mariners English, and every other Ship or Veffel fhall be And what a reputed and taken for a Foreign or StranStranger. ger Ship or Veffel, and according to that Order and Eftimation, all and every Ship and Veffel fhall by the faid Corporation, from henceforth be rated, fined, and affeffed.

AND

London,

AND to the intent that the faid Corporation may be the better enabled to regulate and govern themselves, and to prevent Disorders, and redress Inconveniencies, which otherwise may arife within the faid Corporation: We do The Mafter hereby farther give and grant, for Us, in the Comour Heirs, and Succeffors, unto the faid milion of the Mafter, Wardens, and Affiftants, and their Peace for Succeffors for ever, that the Master of Kent, Midthe faid Corporation, for the Time being, dlefex, and and his Deputy, fhall be Commiffioners of Us, our Heirs, and Succeffors, for the keeping Peace, for and within the City of London, and the Liberties thereof, as well as for and within the Counties of Kent, Middlefex, and Surry at all Times hereafter.

Surry.

their Order)

this Patent.

AND We do hereby further Grant, Power (by for Us, our Heirs, and Succeffors, to themselves or the faid Master, Wardens, and Affiftants, of levying all and their Succeffors for ever, that any Fines, &c. Officer or Servant of the faid Corporation, granted by or any other Perfon whatsoever, to whom the faid Mafter, Wardens, and Affiftants, and their Succeffors, fhall give Warrant and Authority under their Common Seal for that purpose, shall, and may demand,

F 2

levy,

In confideration of the

verty of Sea

Mortmain to 500l. per Annum.

levy, and receive, all Impofitions, Fines, Forfeitures, and Payments, impofed, or to be imposed by the faid Mafter, Wardens, and Affiftants, and their Succeffors, or payable or demandable by, and from any Perfon or Perfons, by Virtue of thefe Prefents, at all Times hereafter for

ever.

AND for as much as the Poverty of Mariners and Seamen, belonging to growing Po- the faid Corporation, is now much men,they have more increased than hath been in forpower of pur- mer Time, and not able to be relieved chafing in from the Revenues of the Lands and Poffeffions of the faid Corporation, which now they have, or were enabled to have purchased, being fo fmall in yearly Value: Therefore to the end that the faid Mafter, Wardens, and Affiftants, and their Succeffors, may be from henceforth the better enabled from Time to Time to bear and sustain their Charges and Expences, drawn and occafioned by reafon of their Corporation, We of our especial Grace, certain Knowledge, and meer Motion, have given and granted, and by these Prefents for Us, our Heirs and Succeffors, do give and grant unto the faid Master, Wardens, and Affiftants, of the Guild, Fra

ternity,

count.

ternity, or Brotherhood, of the most glorious and undivided Trinity, and of St. Clement in the Parish of Deptford-Strond, in the County of Kent, and their Succeffors, full, free, efpecial, and lawful Licence, Power and Authority, not only to retain, poffefs, and enjoy, to their own proper Ufe and Behoof, (without any Without AcAccount to be rendered, made, or given to Us, our Heirs, or Succeffors, in that behalf) all and fingular fuch Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, Goods, and Chattels, as they have heretofore obtained, purchased or had, and do at prefent. poffefs and enjoy, by force and virtue of any other Letters Patents, or Grant had and made to them, by the Name of any former Corporation, by or from the faid late Kings and Queens, and according to the Purport and true Meaning thereof, or otherwise howfoever; but also to have, receive, and purchafe, further to them, and their Succeffors, for ever, of Us, our Heirs and Succeffors, or of any other Perfon or Perfons, whatfoever Manors, Meffuages, Lands, Tenements, Rectories, Tythes, Rents, Reverfions, and Services, or any of them, or any Part or Parcel of them, or any of them, and any other Poffeffions, and Hereditaments whatfoF 3

ever,

With pover

ever, without License or Writ of ad quod dampnum; fo always as the faid Manors, Meffuages, Lands, Tenements, Tithes, Rectories, Rents, Reverfions, Services, Poffeffions, and Hereditaments, or fuch Parts and Parcels of them, or any of them, by the faid Mafter, Wardens, and Affiftants, and their Succeffors so to be purchased, obtained, or had fo as aforefaid, do not exceed the clear yearly Value of Five Hundred Pounds by the Year, above all Charges, Deductions, and Reprizes; the Statute of not putting Lands, and Tenements into Mortmain, or any other Statute, Act, Ordinance, Provision, or Restraint thereof heretofore had, made, ordained, and provided, or any other Cause, Thing, or Matter, whatfoever to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding,

AND We do further by these Preto others to be fents, for Us, our Heirs, and Succeffors, them in Mort- give and grant to all and every our Submain, to that ject and Subjects whatsoever, full Pow

benefactors to

value.

er, Licence, and Authority, that they, and every of them, may at their Wills, and Pleasures, give, grant, bargain, fet alien, convey, and affure, unto the faid Mafter, Wardens, and Affiftants, and their

Succef