parish or parishes, wherein fuch boys baptifm fhall be regiftred, without fee or reward, and may be writ upon paper or parchment without any stamp or mark; and where no fuch entry of fuch boys being baptized can be found, two or more of fuch juftices of the peace, and fuch mayors, aldermen, bailiffs, or other chief officers fhall, as fully as they can, inform themfelves of fuch boy's age, and from fuch information shall infert the fame in the faid indentures; and the age of fuch boy fo inserted and mentioned in the faid indentures (in relation to the continuance of his fervice) fhall be taken to be his true age, without any further proof thereof.

II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, ChurchwardThat the churchwardens and overfeers of the poor for the time ens to pay

being, of the feveral and respective parishes, from whence any down sos. for boys neceffary fuch boy fhall be bound apprentice to the faid fervice, as afore- cloathing, &c. faid, fhall pay down to fuch mafter, to whom the boy is bound, and be allowat the time of his binding, the fum of fifty fhillings, to pro- ed the same in vide neceffary cloathing and bedding for fea fervice, for fuch their accounts. boy; and the charges by this act appointed fhall be allowed to the faid churchwardens and overfeers on their accounts.

Overfeers of

III. And whereas in many large parishes within this realm, there are feveral townships or villages, and overfeers of the poor are chofen and appointed within and for each fuch township or village respectively; be it therefore enacted, That the overfeers of the poor of every the poor of fuch township or village fhall and may, from time to time, any township within every fuch township or village, do, perform, and execute or village may all and every the acts, powers, and authorities hereby enacted act as churchor directed to be done, performed, or executed by the church- wardens. wardens or overfeers of the poor of a parish; any thing herein contained to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding.

IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, No fuch apThat no fuch apprentice or apprentices fhall be compelled, or prentice to be impreffed, or permitted or fuffered to lift or enter him or them- impreffed, &c. until 18 years felves into her Majefty's fervice at fea, or enter into the fea fer- old. vice of her Majefty's heirs or fucceffors, till fuch apprentice or apprentices refpectively arrive to the age of eighteen years.

collector at

V. And be it further enacted, That the churchwardens and Apprentices overfeers of the parish, out of which any fuch boy fhall be indentures to bound an apprentice, fhall fend the faid indentures to the col- be sent to the lector of her Majefty's customs, refiding at or belonging to any the port port or ports within this kingdom of England, dominion of whereunto his Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweed, whereunto fuch master bemafters or owners of fhips or veffels, to whom fuch apprentice longs. or apprentices shall be bound, do or may belong; who fhall, Collector to in a fair book or books to be by him kept for that purpose, enter the fame fairly enter, from time to time, all and every indenture and in- gratis, &c. dentures, whereby fuch apprentice and apprentices fhall be bound, and which shall be so fent unto him, and shall make an indorsement upon the faid indentures of the registry thereof, fubfcribed by the faid collector, without taking any fee or other reward for the fame; and every fuch collector neglecting or re

Penalty on collector ne

glecting.

fufing to enter fuch indentures, and indorse the fame, or making falfe entries, fhall forfeit the fum of five pounds for the use of the poor of the parish, from whence fuch boy was bound apprentice and all and every fuch collector or collectors, or his or their lawful deputy or deputies, of the faid several and respective ports, fhall from time to time tranfmit certificates in writing, under his or their hands, to the lord high admiral of England, or to the commissioners of the admiralty for the time being, containing the names and ages of every fuch apprentice refpectively, and to what ship he belongs; and upon receipt of Lord admiral fuch certificates, protections fhall, from time to time, be made to grant pro- and given for fuch apprentices, till they attain their several and fuch apprenti- refpective ages of eighteen years, without any fee or reward to ces, gratis. be taken for the fame; which certificates, fo as aforesaid to be given, are not required to be writ upon ftampt paper or parch

tections for

ment.

VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That all and every the perfon and perfons, to whom any poor parish boy hath been, or hereafter fhall be, put apprentice, according to the statute made in the forty third year of the 43 Eliz. c. 2. reign of Queen Elizabeth, may, with the confent and approbation of two or more juftices of the peace of the fame county, and dwelling in or near the fame parish where fuch poor boy was bound apprentice, or by and with the consent and approbation of any mayor, alderman, bailiff, or other chief officer or magiftrate of any city, borough, or town corporate, where fuch poor boy was bound apprentice, at the request of the mafter or mistrefs, then living, of fuch apprentices, or his or Parith boys their executors, adminiftrators, or affigns, by indenture, afbound apfign and turn over fuch poor boy apprentice to any master or prentices, may owner of any fuch fhip or veffel, ufing the fea fervice, as to the fea fer- aforefaid, for and during the then remaining time of his apprenticeship; which affignment and affignments of fuch apprentices, fo as aforesaid, fhall be, and are hereby declared to be Indentures of good and effectual in the law: all which indentures of affignaffignment to ment are hereby directed to be regiftred, and certificates therebe registred. Altered by of given and tranfmitted by fuch collector, at the said several 4Annæ, c. 19. ports where fuch parish apprentices fhall be fo affigned over, and bound to the fea service, in manner and form aforefaid; and upon receipt of fuch certificates, protections fhall, from time to time, be made and given for fuch apprentices (fo to be affigned over, as aforefaid) till they fhall attain their several and respective ages of eighteen years, without fee or reward for the fame, in like manner as aforefaid.

be turned over

vice.

1. 16.

All fuch ap

VII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, prentices until That all and fingular fuch poor boys as are herein before-men18 years old tioned, or intended by this act to be bound and put out, and exempted from the 6d. fuch as fhall be affigned over to the fea fervice, as aforefaid, per month to during their feveral and refpective apprenticeships, till fuch Greenwich time as they fhall attain their several and respective ages of hofpital. eighteen years, fhall be, and are hereby declared to be exempt

ed,

1703.]

Anno fecundo & tertio ANNÆ. c. 6.

C. 21.

27

ed, freed, and discharged of and from payment of fix pence See 2 Geo. Zhe per month towards the better fupporting of Greenwich Hofpital, c. 7. f. 36. the act of parliament made in the feventh and eighth years of 7 & 8 W. 3. the reign of the late King William the Third (of glorious memory) intituled, An act for the increase and encouragement of feamen, or any claufe in the fame contained to the contrary hereof in any wife notwithstanding.

VIII. And for the better providing fuch apprentices with Mafters of mafters for the faid fervice; be it further enacted by the au- hips, &c. obliged to take fuch apthority aforefaid, That all and every of her Majesty's fubjects, prentices. being mafters or owners of any fhip or fhips, veffel or veffels, used in the fea fervice, as aforefaid, of the burthen of thirty tun to the burthen of fifty tun, be obliged to take one fuch By 4 Annæ c. 19. fect. 16. no mafter shall apprentice, and one more for the next fifty tun, and one more for each and every hundred tun, fuch fhip or veffel fhall ex- be bound to take ceed the burthen of one hundred tun: and fuch mafter or own- a boy under 13 er of any fhip or veffel, refusing to take fuch apprentice or ap-years of age, prentices, as aforefaid, fhall forfeit the fum of ten pounds for the use of the poor of the parish from whence fuch boy was bound apprentice.

&c.

their names,

IX. And be it further enacted, That every mafter or owner and to give an of such ship or fhips, veffel or veffels, fo obliged to take fuch account of apprentice or apprentices, after his arrival into any port or ports aforefaid, and before he clears out of fuch port, fhall give an account in writing, under his hand, to the collector of such port to which he belongs, containing the names and numbers of fuch apprentices as are then remaining in his fervice.

X. And for the better conveying and conducting all and every fuch apprentice and apprentices, fo to be bound, as aforefaid, to his or their respective master and mafters; be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That all and every fuch appren- How appren tice and apprentices fhall, from time to time, be feverally and tices thall be refpectively fent, conducted, and conveyed to the feveral and conveyed to refpective ports, to which his or their master shall respectively the ports to belong, by the churchwardens and overfeers of the poor, or their agents, of the parish from whence fuch apprentice is bound, and the charges thereof to be in the fame manner, as it is provided by an act of parliament made in the eleventh and twelfth years of the reign of his faid late majesty King William the Third, 11 & 12W. 3. intituled, An act for the more effectual punishment of vagrants, and c. 18. fending them whither by law they ought to be fent.

which their masters be

long.

be transmitted

XI. And it is hereby directed, That the counterpart of all The counterand every fuch indentures, to be executed by the feveral and parts of their respective masters of all fuch apprentices, fhall be fealed and indentures to executed in the prefence of, and attefted by, the collector at to the churchthe port aforefaid, (where fuch apprentices fhall be bound or wardens, &c. affigned over) and the constable or other officer, who shall bring or convey fuch apprentices to the faid feveral and respective mafters; which conftables or officers laft mentioned shall tranfmit and convey the counterparts of fuch indentures to the churchwardens and overfeers of the feveral parishes from whence

fuch

Juftices to de

tices.

fuch apprentices fhall be bound, by the fame ways and means as fuch apprentice or apprentices were conveyed to the said several and refpective ports.

XII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, termine com- That two or more justices of the peace of the respective counties, plaints between masters and dwelling in or near any of the ports aforefaid, and all mayors, and appren aldermen, bailiffs, and other chief officers and magiftrates of any city, borough, or town corporate, in or near adjoining to fuch port or ports, to which fuch fhip or veffel shall at any time arrive, shall have full power and authority, and are hereby authorized and impowered to inquire into, and examine, hear, and determine all complaints of hard or ill usage from the feveral and respective masters, to fuch their apprentice or apprentices, fo to be bound or affigned over, as aforefaid, and also of all fuch as already have, or who fhall at any time hereafter voluntarily put themselves apprentice to the sea fervice, as aforefaid, and to make fuch orders therein, as now they are enabled by law to do in other cafes between masters and apprentices.

Collector to keep a regifter, &c.

XIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That every fuch collector in every port or ports aforefaid, fhall, in their several and respective stations, keep an exact register, containing as well the number and burthen of all fuch ships and veffels, together with the masters or owners names, as also the names of fuch apprentices in each fhip and veffel belonging to their respective ports, and from what parishes and places and tranfmit a fuch apprentices were refpectively fent; and that such collectors copy thereof fhall tranfmit true copies of fuch regifter, figned by them, to the quarter feffions, or to fuch cities, boroughs, towns corporate, parishes, or places, when and fo often as they shall be reasonably required fo to do; for which copy or copies, fo to be tranfmitted as aforefaid, no fee or reward fhall be taken: and that every such collector refufing or wilfully neglecting to tranfmit fuch copies, as aforefaid, fhall for every fuch refufal or neglect forfeit five pounds for the ufe of the poor of the parish, from whence fuch boy was bound apprentice.

to the quarter feflions, &c. gratis.

Penalty.

Officer to infert on the cocquet, the

XIV. And be it further enacted, That every custom-house officer or officers, at each and every of the ports aforefaid, shall number of infert, and are hereby required from time to time, to infert men and boys at the bottom of their cocquets, the number of men and boys on board, &c. on board the refpective fhips or veffels, at their going out of every fuch port, therein particularly defcribing the apprentices by their respective names, ages, and the dates of their several indentures, for which no fee or reward fhall be taken.

XV. And for the encouragement of all fuch as have, or fhall voluntarily bind themselves apprentices to the fea fervice; Perfons volun- be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That all and tarily binding every fuch perfon and perfons, who have or shall so voluntarily, apprentices and of his or their own accord, bind or put him or themselves to fea fervice, apprentice to any fuch mafters or owners of any fhip or veffel, not to be im- as aforefaid, shall not be compelled or impreft into her Majesty's

themselves

fea

3

fea fervice, or the sea service of her Majesty's heirs or fuc- preffed for ceffors, for and during the term of three years, to be accounted years. from the dates of the refpective indentures of fuch voluntary 4 Annæ, c. 19. Explained by apprentice or apprentices; all which indentures are hereby di- fect. 17. rected to be registred, and certificates thereof given and tranf- Indentures to mitted by fuch collector at the faid feveral ports, where fuch ap- be registred, prentices already have become fo bound, or that hereafter fhall and protections given for fo bind themselves, in manner and form as aforefaid; upon re- the faid 3 ceipt of which faid feveral certificates, protections fhall, from years. time to time, be made and given, for the faid first three years of their feveral respective apprenticeships, without either fee or reward for the fame.

fervice.

XVI. And forafmuch as divers diffolute and idle perfons, rogues, All lewd and vagabonds and furdy beggars, notwithstanding the many good and diforderly wholefome laws to the contrary, do continue to wander up and down, deemed vamen and boys, pilfering and begging through all parts of this kingdom, to the great gabonds or disturbance of the peace and tranquility of the realm; for the more iturdy begeffectually fuppreffing fuch disorderly perfons, and to the end gars, by 39 that they may be made ferviceable and beneficial to their Eliz. c. 4. to be taken up country; be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That and conveyed all lewd and diforderly men fervants, and every fuch perfon into the and perfons, both men and boys, that are deemed and adjudged Queen's fea rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars (not being felons) by an act of parliament made in the nine and thirtieth year of the reign of the faid late Queen Elizabeth, for punishing of rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars, fhall be and are hereby directed to be taken up, fent, conducted, and conveyed into her Majesty's service at fea, or the service at fea of her Majesty's heirs or fucceffors, by fuch ways, methods, and means, and in fuch manner and form, as is directed for vagrants by the said before-mentioned act of parliament, made in the faid eleventh and twelfth years of the reign of the faid late King William the Third, For the more effectual punishment of vagrants, and sending them whither by law they ought to be fent.

11 & 12 W. 3.

C. 18.

masters to

XVII. And whereas owners and masters of merchant hips are at great charge in educating and bringing up the parish children, till they come to the age of eighteen years, and other voluntary apprentices three years, at which time they are capable to ferve in her Majesty's fhips of war; be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, When When fuch fuch apprentices fhall be impreffed, or voluntarily enter them- apprentices felves into her Majefty's fervice, the faid owners or mafters of hali be imfuch apprentices, their executors, adminiftrators, or affigns, preffed, fhall be intituled to able feamens wages for fuch of their ap- have able feaprentices, as shall upon due examination be found qualified for mens wages the fame, notwithstanding their indentures of apprenticeship. for them. XVIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, Penalties and That all the penalties and forfeitures directed by this act, fhall, how to be leby warrant under the hands and feals of any two or more ju- vied. ftices of the peace, of the fame county, city, borough or town corporate, be levied by diftrefs and fale of the goods and chattles of the offender, which fale fhall be good in the law against fuch offender.

6

XIX. And

forfeitures,