A. D. 1747. Anno vlcefimo Georgii II. C. 38, 43 ' Ship or VefTel, who dial] be maimed in Fight againft any Enemy of his Majefty, his Heirs and Succef- • fors, are to be adn-.itted into and provided for in the faid Hofpital, in like Alanner as any other Seamen ' wounded or difabled in the Service of his Majefty, his Heirs or Succeflbrs: And whereas the (aid Hofpital ' is not capable to receive, nor the Income thereof fufficient to provide for the Seamen in the Service of ' the Royal Navy, who are wounded, maimed or worn out by Age, or otherwife intitled to the Benefits ' thereof, fo that the Ssamen in the Merchants Service maimed and difabled in Fight, have feldom or never ' been admitted into the faid Hoi'pital, though intitled thereto and proper Objedls of Charity: And where- ' as there is no ProviPon at all made by either of the faid A£1:s for fuch Seamen in the Merchants Service as ' are maimed or difabled by accidental Misfortunes, or for thofe worn out by Age, or for the Widows or
- Children of fuch as fhall be killed, fiain or drowned in the faid Service : And whereas the Seamen in the
' Aderchants Service are willing to allow fix Pence pn- Month out of their Wages, to be applied for the Re- ' lief and Support of fuch as fhall be maimed or difabled, or worn out by Age, and of the Widows and ' Children of thofe who ihall be killed, flain or drov/ned in the faid Service : And forafmuch as the Sea- ' men in the Merchants Service have, during the Courfe of this War, manifefled their Courage and Refo- ' lution, and deferve all due Encouragement ; and the eflabliflaing the faid Charity will tend to the Honour ' and good of the Publick ; but the fame cannot be efFecSed without the Aid and Authority of Parliament;' May it therefore pleafe your m.ofi: Excellent Majefty, that it may be enafted; and be it enafted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this prefent Parliament aflembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That Alexander Governors Hume, John Briji 01V, John Bance, Harry G on gh, Albert Nijhett, Nathaniel New?nein junior, Jofeph GulJlon,tAixiv.. Charles Pole, Efquires ; Sir Peter Thompfon Knight, Robert Nettleton. Robert Thornton, John Smith, Abra- ham Hume, Henry Norris fenior, Peter Du Cane, Jofias IFordfworth, Jofeph Fawthrop, Charles Savage, Wil- liam Hunt, Merrick Burrell, James Lock, Henry March, Henry Muilman, Theodore Jacob/on, James Theo- bald, Brian Ben/on, Roger Drake, John Gore, Jvalter Vane, Thomas Godfrey, John Wenham, Nathaniel Pace, JVilliani Willy, Efquires ; Jofiah Chitty, Henry Norris j unior, Jofeph Adams, Thomas Allen, Samuel Baker, Mathews Beachcroft, Humphry Bell, William Black, Charles Boehm, Edmund Boehm, Jofeph Chittv, Jacob _ ■Chitty, Abel Fonncreau, Zachariah Philip Fonnereau, Abraham Franco, Jacob Franco, John Furly fenior, John Godlee, Godhard Hagen, E%ekicl Hall, John Hanbtiry, Tilman Henckelf, Edivard Hunt, Joel Watfon, Gerard Venneck, Jofnua Venneck, Godfrey Thornton, John JVeyland, Robert Dingley, Peter Thomas, Thomas Hyam, Eliakim Palmer, Chauncey Tovjnfend, Peter Muilman, John Payne junior, John Thornton, William JVilber- Jorce, Henry Sperlittg, James Brcgden, Gilbert Malcher, Thomas Swaync, Bcejlon Long, Stephen Theodore Janf- Jen, Thomas Boehm, Benjamin Bond, William Bowden, Thomas Forjier, IVilliam Hayter, ■ Clarmont, Edivin Martin, John Porter, John Sparrow, Thomas Spencer, James Sperling, John Thomlinfon, Gent Umvin, Amyand, John Van Rixtel, Alexander Shcafc, Liebert Dorrien, Henry Shiffner, George Prefcott junior, Andreiu Pringle, Robert Macky, Nicholas Magens, James Henckcll, James Buchanan, James JVhitchurch, Harman Beerens, Thomas Chitty, Griffin Ranfom, Benjamin Mee, George New- land, Richard King, Thomas Tryan, John Simpfon, Samuel Stork, Thomas Chace, Samuel Clark, John God- dard. Merchants ; Mafter Thomas Bennet, Mafter Adam Spencer and Mafter John Canham, and their Suc- ceflbrs, to be eleffed and named in Manner herein after diredted and appointed, fhall be, and are hereby declared and adjudged to be one Body Corporate and Politick, in Deed and in Name, by the Name of The Governors In- Preftdent and Governors for the Relief and Support of fick, 7naimed and difabled Seamen, and of the Widows and cornoraied. Children of fuch as fhall be killed, f.uin or drowned in the Merchants Service: And that by the Tame Name of The Name of Cor- Pref dent and Governors they ihall have perpetual SuccelTion, and a Common Seal, with Power to change, poration. alter, break and make new the fame, when and as often as they fliall judge expedient ; and by the fame Name may fue and be fued, implead and be impleaded, anfwer and be anfwered unto in all or any Court •or Courts of Record, and Places of Judicature within this Kingdom; and that they and their SuccefTors, by the Name aforefaid, fhall be able and capable in Law to have, hold, receive, enjoy, poffefs and retain in Truft for the Ends and Purpofes of this Aft, all fuch Sum and Sums of Money as are granted, and fliall be raifed, collei5!::d and received by virtue of this Afl, or faall be contributed, devifed or bequeathed by any • wtll-difpofed Perfons to and for the faid Ends and Purpofes ; and that they and their SuccefTors, by the Name aforefaid, fhall and m,ay, at any Time hereafter, without Licence, in A^ortmain, purchafe, take or . . receive any Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments, or any Eftate or Interefls arifmg or derived out of the ^'^1'!^'^'^,^% fame, fo that fuch Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments be only for the Scite of, or to be converted into an ir,>r In Hcfp'i't'al' Hofpital, with Offices and Appurtenances necefTary thereunto for the faid Ends and Purpofes. II. And be it further enaifted by the Authority aforefaid. That the faid Prefident and Governors, and Provifion fo be their Succeflbrs, to be elected and named in the ATanner herein after diretbed and appointed, fhall and may, made for ihe Re- and they are hereby authorized and impowered to provide in fuch Hofpital for the Reception of fuch Sea- "^^ptio" ofdif- men as fhall be rendered incapable of prefent or future Service, by Sicknefs, Wounds or other accidental "'^'^ Seamen ; Misfortunes, and thofe who fhall become decrepit or worn out by Age; or fhall provide for fuch Seamen, by allowing them certain Penfions, or otherwife, as to the faid Prefident and Governors, and their Succef- nrdTorPenfions- fors fhall feem meet, and moft for the Advantage of the intended Charity ; and alfo to relieve the Widows , u •. w- and Children of fuch Seamen as fliail be killed, flain or drowned in the faid Service; provided fuch Chil- jo^sand Clrj. dren are not of the .Age of fourteen Years ; or if of that Age or upwards, not capable of getting a Livcli- dren, hood, by reafon of Lair.cnefs, Blindnefs or other Infirmities, and are proper Objects of Charity; and to make reafonable Allowances to thofe who fhall lofe an Eye or Limb, or be otherwife hurt or maimed in fighting, defending or working the Ships in which they refpeiSively lerve, or in loading or unloading the Cargoes thereof, or otherwife hovvifoever, in doing their Duty in the faid Service, in Proportion to the Da- mage or Hurt they fhall refpefiively receive, fo far forth as the Income and Revenues which are, fiiall or may be veiled in the faid Prvfident and Governors, and their Succeflbrs, will extend fur the Purpofes afore- G 2 l^iid,
