❧ By the King. ¶ A Proclamation for the better furnishing of the navy, and increase of Shipping.  
WHereas the small allowance of Pay to the sailors serving in the Kings ships, is observed to be a chief occasion why the said ships haue not been, nor could bee so speedily and so well Manned as is requisite, both for His majesties service, and the good of the State, especially in these times, when they are to be employed for the repressing and pursuing of foreign enemies, infesting the Coasts, and endamaging His majesties Subiects, as also in regard of other important services, Which being propounded by the Lord admiral to the rest of the Lords of His majesties privy counsel at the Board, and it being moved by his Lordship, that with their approbation His majesty might bee moved, that the Medium of allowance for every sailor might be twenty shillings a month, whereas now it is but fourteen shillings, By which means there will accrue to every ordinary man fourteen shillings a month, besides an allowance out of it, of four pence to a Preacher, two pence to a Barber, and six pence a month to the Chest, whereas the ordinary men haue now but Nine shillings four pence a month, and no allowance at all given to a Preacher, Out of the surplusage of which proportion now moved to be increased, all Officers wages would be likewise respectively raised, and allowance also might be given for a lieutenant and a corporal. Which motion so made by the Lord admiral, the rest of the Lords having taken into their serious consideration, and well weighed both the proportion and the reasons whereupon it was grounded, did think it very fit that His majesty should be moved therein, to the end His majesty might bee pleased to Command that the same might be accordingly put in execution.  
And His majesty, being thereupon moved by the Lords of His privy counsel, out of His gracious disposition to encourage the poor sailors cheerfully, and faithfully to serve Him, Hath been well pleased to enlarge the entertainment, and Allowance heretofore given to the sailors; And doth hereby publish and declare, and doth also promise and undertake, That from henceforth every sailor, which shall be employed in any of His majesties Ships, shall haue such allowance made, and duly paid unto him, as was propounded by the Lord admiral, as aforesaid. And His majesty, by the like advice of His privy counsel, doth straitly charge and command, That no Merchants, or Owners of Ships, shall draw away any sailors, by enhaunsing of their pay, lest thereby His majesties service, and the service of the public, do suffer prejudice: nevertheless, His majesty is very well contented, That they who trade into very remote Countreyes, as into Muscouia, and more particularly, they of the East India Company,( who cannot always furnish their ships with men at ordinary Rates, for Voyages of that length and danger) may haue liberty to use means for the accommodating of themselves in that behalf, in the best manner they can.  
And lastly, whereas in the time of the reign of the late queen Elizabeth of famous memory, for the better encouraging of the Ship-masters, and Merchants, to build Ships, there was an Order made, for the allowance of five Shillings a tun to every Ship above the burden of one hundred tons, which should afterwards be built: Which Order was vpon the same reason revived by His late majesty of ever blessed memory, King james; His majesty being desirous to give all encouragement, for the increasing of the number and strength of the ships of this kingdom, by the like advice of His privy counsel, Is well pleased, and doth hereby publish and declare, and doth promise and undertake, That His majesty, for and unto every Ship, which shall from henceforth bee built, of the burden of two hundred tons or upwards, shall and will give, and duly pay an allowance of five Shillings for every tun.  
given at His majesties Court at White-Hall, the four and twentieth day of april, in the second year of His reign.  
God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and John Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent majesty. M.DC.XXVI.