Greenwich Hospital, etc. Act 1695

XIII. Protection from Impress may be given to Landmen desirous to apply themselves to the Sea Service, as herein mentioned.

Such Landmen to bring Two Persons to vouch for them. False vouching, Penalty £20.; Personating Seamen or counterfeiting License, Penalty £20, and Punishment.; Seamen so offending, Punishment.

Bee itt alsoe enacted That Licences shall att any tyme bee given by Order of His Majesty or the Lord High Admirall or Commissioners of the Admiralty for the tyme being to any Landmen desirous to apply themselves to the Sea Service to serve in Merchants Shipps or other tradeing Vessells which shall bee to them a Protection against being impressed for the space of Twoe yeares following the date of such License Provided that such Landmen bring to the Register Twoe credible Persons Inhabitants or knowne in the Place where they soe enter themselves who shall assert theire knowledge of such Landmen for Two yeares past and in what Profession or Businesse they have knowne them imployed And that if any Person shall vouch any one for a Landman whoe shall afterwards bee proved to bee a Seaman hee shall forfeite the Summe of Twenty Pounds to bee levyed in Manner and to the Uses aforementioned And that any Seaman personating or takeing anothers Name, or any Seaman or other Person whatever counterfeiting any License shall forfeite Twenty Pounds to the said Uses and bee lyable to such further Punishment as by Law may bee inflicted for such a Fraud or Misdemeanour And any Seaman soe offending as above shall bee incapable of the Benefit of this Act.