Whereas in the first Session of our Parliament holden at Westminster
the nineteenth day of March in the yeere of our raigne of England,
France and Ireland the first, and of Scotland the seven and thirtieth;
It was amongst other things Enacted, That no woman nor any childe
under the age of one and twenty yeeres (Except Saylers or Shipboyes
or Apprentice, or Factor of some Merchant in trade of Merchandize)
should bee permitted to passe over the Seas, except the same should be
by licence of us, our Heires or Successors, or some sixe or more of
our privy Councell, thereunto first had under their handes, upon paine
that the Officers of the Port that should willingly or negligently
suffer any such to passe, or should not enter the names of such
Passengers licenced, should forfeit his Office, and all his goods and
Chattels, And upon paine that the owner of any Ship or Vessell, that
should wittingly or willingly cary any such over the Seas, without
licence as is aforesaid, should forfeit his Ship or Vessell, and all
the Tackle, And every Master or Mariner, of or in any such Ship or
Vessell, offending as is aforesaid, should forfeit all their goods, and
suffer imprisonment by the space of twelve moneths without Baile, or
Maineprise, As by the saide Acte of Parliament amongst other things may
more at large appeare:[1]
And whereas many such our Subjects, That is to say, Women and persons
under the age of twenty and one yeeres, have from time to time just
and necessary causes and occasions to goe and passe over the Seas, In
which cases for every such women and persons under the age of twenty
and one yeeres to obteine such licence, either from our selves, or
from sixe of our said Privy Counsel according to the said Law, is
very inconvenient, and almost impossible; Wee have therefore thought
convenient, for the ease as well of our selfe and our said Counsell,
as of such of our Subjects as are of the condition mentioned in the
saide Acte of Parliament, to graunt our Commission to persons of trust
in certaine Ports of our Realme, lying most apt and convenient for
passage, That is to say, London, the Cinque Ports, Harwich, Yarmouth,
Hull, and Waymouth, to licence such women and persons under the age
of twenty and one yeeres, as shall have just cause to passe out of
our Realme, upon due examination had of them, to passe without perill
to themselves, or the Officers of our said Ports, Notwithstanding the
said Statute or anything therein conteined, And we have thought it fit
to give publique knowledge hereof to al our Subjects, and to all our
Officers whom it may concerne, to the ende they may know what shall bee
lawfull for them to doe in those cases.
Given at the Castle of Farneham the xxiii. day of August, in the fourth
yeere of our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.