Whereas We have received Information, That several Persons, Subjects
of Great Britain, have, since the Twenty fourth Day of June, in the
Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and fifteen, committed
divers Piracies and Robberies upon the High Seas in the West-Indies, or
adjoyning to Our Plantations, which hath, and may Occasion great Damage
to the Merchants of Great Britain, and others, Trading into those
Parts; And though We have appointed such a Force as We Judge sufficient
for Suppressing the said Piracies: Yet the more effectually to put an
End to the same, We have thought fit, by and with the Advice of our
Privy-Council, to Issue this Our Royal Proclamation; And We do hereby
Promise and Declare, That in case any of the said Pirates shall, on or
before the Fifth Day of September, in the Year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and eighteen,[1] Surrender him or themselves to One of
Our Principal Secretaries of State in Great Britain or Ireland, or to
any Governor or Deputy-Governor of any of Our Plantations or Dominions
beyond the Seas, every such Pirate and Pirates, so Surrendring him
or themselves, as aforesaid, shall have Our Gracious Pardon of and
for such his or their Piracy or Piracies, by him or them Committed
before the Fifth Day of January next ensuing. And We do hereby strictly
Charge and Command all Our Admirals, Captains, and other Officers at
Sea, and all Our Governors and Commanders of any Forts, Castles, or
other Places in Our Plantations, and all other Our Officers Civil and
Military, to Seize and Take such of the Pirates who shall refuse or
neglect to Surrender themselves accordingly. And We do hereby further
Declare, That in case any Person or Persons, on or after the Sixth Day
of September, One thousand seven hundred and eighteen, shall Discover
or Seize, or cause or procure to be Discovered or Seized, any One
or more of the said Pirates, so neglecting or refusing to Surrender
themselves, as aforesaid, so as they may be brought to Justice, and
Convicted of the said Offence, such Person or Persons, so making such
Discovery or Seizure, or causing or procuring such Discovery or Seizure
to be made, shall have and receive as a Reward for the same, viz. For
every Commander of any Pirate-Ship or Vessel the Sum of One hundred
Pounds; For every Lieutenant, Master, Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner,
the Sum of Forty Pounds; For every Inferior Officer the Sum of Thirty
Pounds; And for every Private Man the Sum of Twenty Pounds. And if any
Person or Persons, belonging to, and being Part of the Crew of any
such Pirate-Ship or Vessel, shall, on or after the said Sixth Day of
September, One thousand seven hundred and eighteen, Seize and Deliver,
or cause to be Seized or Delivered, any Commander or Commanders of such
Pirate-Ship or Vessel, so as that he or they be brought to Justice, and
convicted of the said Offence, such Person or Persons, as a Reward for
the same, shall receive for every such Commander the Sum of Two hundred
Pounds; which said Sums the Lord Treasurer, or the Commissioners of Our
Treasury for the time being, are hereby required and directed to Pay
accordingly.
Given at Our Court at Hampton-Court, the Fifth Day of September,
1717. In the Fourth Year of Our Reign.