BY THE Prince of ORANGE, 
A DECLARATION.  
WHEREAS We have been given to understand, That several untrue and groundless Reports, have been of late industriously spread among the Seamen of the Fleet, touching the incertainty of their Receiving the Wages due to them for their Service therein, to the occasioning great Discontents and Disorders within the said Fleet; We out of the just Regard, which We do and shall always bear, to the Satisfaction and Encouragement of the Seamen of this Kingdom, have thought fit hereby to declare, That as well the Arrears already due, as the growing Wages of all and every Officer and Seaman, serving Us in the said Fleet, shall be fully made good to them, according to the known Methods of the Navy; so soon as the Ships whereon they have or shall respectively Earn the same, shall be brought in and laid up.  
And whereas among other the ill Effects of the Reports beforementioned, One is, That several Seamen have been thereby misled to the Absenting themselves from their Ships, without Leave, and thereby Subjecting themselves to the Penalties, by the Laws of the Sea; provided on that behalf: We do hereby further Declare, That all such Absenters, who shall Return to their Duties, on Board their Respective Ships, within the space of Fifteen Days after the date hereof, shall be by Us Pardoned their said Offence, and Exempted from the Punishment by Law due for the same; And be moreover entitled to the full Benefit of this Our Declaration, in Reference to their Wages; But so as that whoever of them shall be found either Refusing or Neglecting to lay hold of this Our Gracious Offer, by a timely Return to their Duties, as before, shall be diligently sought after, and (being Apprehended) strictly proceeded against for the same, as Deserters, according to Law.  
Given at St. James', this Sixteenth Day of January 1688/9. W. H. Prince of Orange.   

In the Savoy: Printed by Edward Jones. MDCLXXXVIII.