Whereas by the Offences at Sea Act 1536 it is enacted that Treasons Felonies Robberies Murthers and Confederacies committed on the Sea shall be enquired of tryed and determined according to the common Course of the Laws of this Land used for such Offences upon the Land within this Realme whereupon the Triall of those Offenders before theAdmirall or his Lieutenant or hisCommissary hath beene altogether disused And whereas that since the making of the said Act and especially of late Yeares it hath beene found by experience That Persons committing Piracies Robberies and Felonies on the Seas in or neare the East and West Indies and in Places very remote cannot be brought to condign Punishment without great Trouble and Charges in sending them into England to be tryd within the Realme as the said Statute directs insomuch that many idle and profligate Persons have beene thereby encouraged to turne Pirates and betake themselves to that sort of wicked Life trusting that they shall not or at least cannot easily be questioned for such their Piracies and Robberies by reason of the great Trouble and Expence that will necessarily fall upon such as shall attempt to apprehend and prosecute them for the same And whereas the Numbers of them are of late very much increased and their Insolencies soe great that unlesse some speedy Remedy be provided to suppresse them by a strict and more easie way for putting the ancient Laws in that behalfe in Execution the Trade and Navigation into remote Parts will very much suffer thereby