time be attendant upon the said Commissioners and do carefully and diligently observe execute and perform all such Orders Warrants and Directions as the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid shall make give or direct touching the premises and in pursuance of this Act And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House at Land or any one or more of the Generals at Sea are hereby Authorized and Impowered at such time or times as they shall judge expedient for the Service of the Commonwealth and Government of the Navy and Army at Sea to call a Councel or Councels of War of Captains or other Officers as to them shall seem meet and to appoint a Iudge Advocate to attend the said Councels of War and to do and perform the Duties of that Place who is hereby Authorized to Administer an Oath to any person or persons for the examination of any matter which shall be depending before the said Councels of War And the said Councels of War are hereby Authorized to cause any persons belonging to the said Navy and Army at Sea to be Summoned and to appear before them and there to proceed to the Trial of any Offenders against the Articles Orders or Ordinances of War for the Sea by Examinations of Witnesses upon Oath and to give Iudgement and to cause Execution to be done upon such Offenders according to the Orders Articles and Ordinances of War established by Parliament And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid are hereby Authorized and Impowered to do execute and perform all and every such further and other Authorities Powers and Instructions as shall from time to time be given unto them by the Parliament And be it further Enacted That the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House be and are hereby Authorized and required to Inspect the Office of the Ordnance and to Contract or give order for such Contracts to be made from time to time for all such Provisions of Stores and Ammunition as shall be requisite for supply of the Fleets Armies and Garisons of this Commonwealth and to give Warrant from time to time to the Treasurer of the Navy for the payment of all such Moneys as are already due or shall hereafter become due and owing for any such Stores or Ammunition so contracted or to be contracted for as aforesaid And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House have hereby Power to make use of the Seal of the Anchor for their Warrants Commissions Orders and other Transactions and to make choice of and appoint such Clerks and other Officers under them as they shall think meet with sitting and competent Salaries to each of them And to direct Payment to be made by the Treasurer of the Navy of all such Moneys as shall from time to time grow due for any Naval Provisions to be delivered into the Publique Stores As also of the Salaries and Wages which now are or hereafter shall grow due to the Commanders Officers and Seamen serving in the Fleet and to any the Officers and Ministers relating to the Admiralty and Navy and Yards and to the Office of the Ordnance as it shall from time to time become due and payable to them or either of them respectively And likewise of all incident Charges that shall be requisite for carrying on the Service by this Act intrusted with them And the said Commissioners or any four of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House are hereby Authorized and required to put in execution the Votes and Resolutions of Parliament Passed the Two and twentieth day of December One thousand six hundred fifty and two concerning encouragement to be given to Mariners and Seamen in the Service of the Common-wealth and all the particulars therein and to give such Orders from time to time as shall be requisite for effecting thereof And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House are hereby Authorized and required to Inspect Manage and Order the preservation of the Timber and Wood in the Forest of Dean and the Works and Concernments there on behalf of the Commonwealth And to give order for the Felling Cutting down and making use of such and so many Timber Trees or Timber as they shall think fit and necessary for the Service of the Navy either in the Forest of Dean or in the New Forest and to order the use and disposal of such Timber Trees or other Timber as are reserved and excepted upon sale of the late Kings or other Lands for the Navies use And the said Commissioners are to direct and order the managing and working of the Iron-works lately Erected in the Forest of Dean for the casting of round shot Iron Ordnance and making of Iron for the use of the Navy in the best maner as may conduce to the Publique Service And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House are hereby further Authorized and Impowered to issue their Warrants from time to time to the Commissiioners for Prize Goods for the time being to deliver to the Commissioners for the Navy or to whom else the said Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy shall appoint such Prize Ships or Vessels with their Tackle Furniture Ordnance Ammunition or other Provisions after they shall be adjudged Prize as the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid shall judge fit and necessary for the use and service of the Navy And the said Commissioners are further Authorised and required to use their utmost endeavors to preserve the Naval and other publique Stores within their Inspection and Management from all Wastes Spoils and Imbezelments and to that end they are hereby impowered to cause enquiry or search to be made as they shall judge needful in any Ships Hoyes Vessels Houses Shops Cellars or other Place or Places whatsoever and to Sieze or cause to be Siezed and Secured all such Stores as are or shall belong to the State And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid are Authorised to summon send for and cause to be brought before them such Person and Persons as shall be suspected or found to have imbezelled any of the Naval Stores and to cause such Person or Persons to be committed to Prison to be proceeded against according to Law or to make such speedy and due Satisfaction for such Injury or Prejudice as the
AN ACT For Constituting COMMISSIONERS For Ordering and Managing the Affairs OF THE Admiralty and Navy ORdered by the Parliament That this Act be forthwith Printed and Published Passed May 31. 1659. THO. St NICHOLAS Clerk of the Parliament London Printed by JOHN FIELD Printer to the Parliament And are to be sold at the seven Stars in Fleetstreet over against Dunstans Church 1659. AN ACT For Constituting COMMISSIONERS For Ordering and Managing the Affairs OF THE ADMIRALTY NAVY FOr the better ordering and managing of the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy of this Commonwealth and by the Authority of the same Be it Enacted by this present Parliament That Sir Henry Vane Knight George Thompson John Carew Richard Salwey Esqs Colonel Wauton William Say John Langley Thomas Boon Esqs Colonel Morley Colonel Salmon Colonel Kelsey and Colonel Clerk or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House shall be and are hereby constituted and appointed Commissioners for the Ordering Managing Directing and carrying on of the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy of this Commonwealth and shall have and hereby have committed unto them the full Care of and Inspection into and directive Power of all the things that concern or are necessary to the providing and furnishing the Ships belonging to the Commonwealth for Service and supplying them from time to time And the said Commissioners or any two or more of them are hereby Authorized and Impowered to Administer an Oath to any Persons for the examination of any matter in relation to the business of the Navy And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid are Authorised to make such Orders and issue such Warrants for the Repairing and Preserving the Ships and Vessels of the Commonwealth and for the Furnishing them with Stores and Ammunition and for the Arming Vietualling Manning Setting them forth with all things belonging to them and every of them as they shall judge fit for the service of the Commonwealth according to such Orders and Directions as they from time to time shall receive from the Parliament or Councel of State and for the Sale and Disposal of old and unserviceable Ships and Vessels belonging to this Commonwealth the Proceed thereof to be paid into the Treasury of the Navy for the use of the Navy And also for the new Building Preparing Fitting Furnishing Arming Victualling Manning and Setting forth such Ships and Fleets as they shall receive directions for either from the Parliament or from the Councel of State appointed by Authority of Parliament And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid are hereby Authorised and required from time to time as the Service of the Commonwealth shall require and as they shall receive Orders from the Parliament or Councel of State to prepare a List of the Names of such Captains and Masters and other Officers of any Ship Frigot or Vessel belonging to this Commonwealth as they shall judge fit and able for that Service and also what Salaries and Wages they shall conceive just and fit to be given by the Parliament unto all Captains and Masters and other Officers of any Ship Frigot or Vessel belonging to this Commonwealth and also to such Mariners Workmen and to all Officers and Persons who are or shall be employed in the Service of the Navy the said Lists of the Names of Captains and Masters and other Officers of any Ship Frigot or Vessel belonging to this Commonwealth and of Salaries and Wages to be presented by the said Commissioners in writing unto the Parliament for their Approbation And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid are hereby Authorised and Empowered from time to time to Remove Displace and Discharge from their Offices and Imployments belonging to the Navy or to any Ship or Vessel of this Commonwealth any Officers under the Degree of Captains of Ships and any Mariners Workmen or other Persons employed or to be employed in the Service of the Navy or of any Ship or Vessel of this Commonwealth and to place such other able and fit Persons in the said Services and Employments in the Rooms and Places of the Persons who shall be so discharged or removed as by the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid shall be judged and thought fit for the Advantage and Service of the Commonwealth Provided that nothing in this Act shall impeach or alter the Power given unto the Generals at Sea for the Removing or Displacing of any Officer or Mariner at Sea and Placing others in their Rooms in case of Exigency Provided also that nothing in this Act shall any way impeach or alter the Power and Authority given by the Parliament unto the Iudges of the Admiralty in all Marine Causes and Causes within the Iurisdiction of the Admiralty which shall or may happen And the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House as aforesaid are hereby Authorised and Required by themselves or any other such fit Persons whom they shall for that purpose make Choice of and Appoint with all convenient Speed to take or cause to be taken a true and perfect Survey and Accompt of all the Ships Frigots Pinnaces and Vessels of or belonging to the Navy and of all the Ammunition Tackle Furniture Cordage Timber and Stores belonging to them or any of them or in the Docks Yards Store-houses or other Places belonging to the Commonwealth of all sorts and also of all Courses now held in the Managing Ordering or Governing of the Navy and to deliver the same so made and taken in writing unto the Parliament or such as they shall appoint to receive the same and therein likewise to propound such ways and means for the establishing of such Orders and Instructions for regulating the same as shall be found agreeable to the Service of the Commonwealth and may increase the Power and Forces thereof by Sea and to remove such Corruptions and Abuses as may prejudice the same and especially may reduce the Mariners and Sea-men and Sea-Services to good order and obedience that thereupon such speedy and effectual course may be taken by the Parliament or Councel of State for the supplying of all defects and reforming of all abuses as shall be necessary and behoofful to make and continue the Navy serviceable and powerful by the blessing of God for the safety and honor of this Commonwealth And all Officers and Ministers of or belonging to the Navy and Ships and every of them from time to time and all others whom it may concern are hereby enjoyned and required That they and every of them from time to
Commonwealth shall receive thereby And where the said Commissioners shall finde any Person or Persons to have abused or falsified their Trusts by Stealing Imbezelling Buying or Receiving any of the States Stores or Countenancing or Abetting the same they or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House have hereby power to commit such Person or Persons unto Prison during such time as they shall think fit not exceeding the space of four Moneths And whereas there may happen to be a failer of Moneys in the Prize Office which by the Votes of Parliament of the 22th of December 1652. are Assigned for Relief of Sick and Wounded Sea-men and other occasions mentioned in the said Votes It is hereby further Enacted That the said Commissioners for the Admiralty or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House be hereby Impowered and Authorised to give Order to the Commissioners for the Navy to issue their Warrants to the Treasurer of the Navy for payment of such Moneys for supply of the said occasions as the said Commissioners for the Admiralty shall think fit the said Moneys to be re-imbursed into the Treasury of the Navy out of the Tenths of Prizes as they shall arise And in like maner the said Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House are hereby Impowered from time to time to give Warrants to the Commissioners or Treasurer for Prize Goods for the issuing and payment of such Moneys as they shall judge necessary for Maintenance and Charges of Prisoners that now are remaining in Custody or which hereafter shall happen to be taken in Hostility against this Commonwealth during the time of such their Imprisonment And in case of failer of Moneys in the Prize-Office the said Commissioners for the Admiralty are to give Warrant to the Commissioners for the Navy to make out Bills for payment of such Moneys out of the Treasury of the Navy the same to be re-imbursed into the said Treasury of the Navy as Moneys shall arise and to be paid into the Prize-Office And it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That for the better encouragement and security of Trade and Commerce the said Commissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House shall from time to time order and appoint such Ships Frigots and Vessels of or belonging to the Navy as they shall think fit for the Convoying of the Ships and other Vessels of Trade of this Commonwealth And in case the Captains or other Officers of any such Ships Frigots or Vessels of or belonging to the Navy shall neglect to obey such Orders as they shall from time to time receive in this behalf or shall delay the execution thereof or directly or indirectly take or receive any reward or gratuity for the performance of their Duty therein the said Commmissioners or any four or more of them whereof one of them to be a Member of this House shall be and are hereby Authorized upon proof thereof to displace and remove every such Captain or other Officer so offending as aforesaid Provided that this Act shall continue and stand in force until the First day of December One thousand six hundred fifty and nine ORdered by the Parliament That this Act be forthwith Printed and Published Passed May 31. 1659. THO. St NICHOLAS Clerk of the Parliament