Piracy Act 1698 (repealed 5.11.1993)

XI When Officers and Seamen killed or wounded in defending Ship which shall be brought to Port, Judge of the Admiralty, &c. may levy £2 per Cent. upon the Owners, &c. for Benefit of such Officers and Seamen, or their Widows and Children, as herein mentioned. E+W

And forasmuch as it will alsoe conduce to the suppressing of Robberies on the Sea if due Encouragement be given and Rewards allowed to such Commanders Masters and other Officers Seamen and Mariners as shall either bravely defend their owne Shipps or take seize and destroy Pirates Sea-Rovers and Enemies when any English Shipp shall have been defended against any Pirates Enemies or Sea-Rovers by Fight and brought to her designed Port in which Fight any of the Officers or Seamen shall have been killed or wounded it shall and may be lawfull to and for the Judge of His Majesties High Court of Admiralty or his Surrogate in the Port of London or the Mayor Bailiffe or Chief Officer in the severall Out-ports of this Kingdome upon the Petition of the Master or Seamen of such Shipp soe defended as aforesaid to call unto him Four or more good and substantiall Merchants and such as are no Adventurers or Owners of the Shipp or Goods soe defended and have no Manner of Interest therein and by Advice with them to raise and levy upon the respective Adventurers and Owners of the Shipp and Goods soe defended by Processe out of the said Court such Summe or Summs of Money as himselfe and the said Merchants by Plurality of Voices shall determine and judge reasonable not exceeding Two Pounds per Cent of the Freight and of the Shipp and Goods soe defended according to the first Costs of the Goods which Summe or Summs of Money soe raised shall be distributed among the Captaine Master Officers and Seamen of the said Shipp or Widows and Children of the slaine according to the Direction of the Judge of the said Court or his Surrogate in the Port of London or the Mayor Bayliffe or Chiefe Officer in the severall Out-Ports of this Kingdom with the Approbation of the Merchants aforesaid who shall proportion the same according to their best Judgement unto the Shipps Company as aforesaid haveing speciall Regard unto the Widows and Children of such as shall have beene slaine in that Service and such as have beene wounded or maimed.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Jurisdiction of High Court of Admiralty now exercisable by High Court: Administration of Justice Act 1956 (c. 46), s. 1(1)