IE MAINTIENDRAI
WILLIAM HENRY, By the Grace of God, Prince of Orange, &c.
WHereas upon Our Calling together the Forces, We have appointed such Officers to Command them, in whom We may Repose entire Trust and Confidence, as well for their Readiness and Inclination for Our Service, as for their Care and Diligence in keeping the said Forces in good Order and Discipline: And having out of the tender Regard and favourable Consideration which We shall always express for the good Service and dutiful Behaviour of the Forces, taken Care for their Maintenance and Encouragement, and given Orders for the satisfying and making good to every. Officer and Soldier their full Pay and Arrears due to them until the First day of this Instant January, and for the making constant and punctual Payment of the Subsistence-Money, and Clearings of the Army in the usual Method without any the least diminution of the former Pay; We have thought fit hereby to declare the same, that no Officer or Soldier may be misled, or diverted from Our Service by any groundless Reports, or malicious Insinuations, strictly Charging and Requiring all Officers to repair forthwith to their respective Commands, and all Soldiers to their respective Quarters and Places of Rendezvous, upon pain of Our highest Displeasure, and being punished for their default as the Nature of their Offences shall deserve. And if it shall so happen, that notwithstanding these Our Gracious Intentions and Offer of Pardon for their past Absence or Desertion, any Soldiers shall obstinately continue to absent themselves from their Duties, We do hereby Direct and Require all Officers Civil and Military to Seize and Apprehend, and to be Aiding and Assisting in the Seizing and Apprehending of all Soldiers that have deserted, or shall desert the Service, in order to the bringing them to Condign Punishment, to be inflicted upon them with the utmost Severity.
Given at St. James's, this 19 th Day of January 1688/9.
IT is His Highnesses Pleasure, That this Order be forthwith Printed and Published, and that the Colonels or Commanders in Chief, do cause the same to be Read at the Head of their Respective Regiments, Troops, or Companies; As also that all Officers concerned in the Arrears or Clearings, mentioned in the said Order, do bring or send in their Master-Rolls, relating thereunto, closed by the Commissary, to the Office of the Pay:Master General of the Forces, within Ten Days after the date of the said Order at furthest: And that for the future, all Rolls be returned clos'd to the Office of the Commissary General of the Masters, within Seven Days after the Respective Musters, under the Penalty to each Captain failing therein, of Forfeiting the Pay due unto him upon such Rolls as shall not be so closed, the said Forfeiture to be appropriated to the Ʋse of the Royal Hospital.
Printed for J. Starkey, and A. and W. Churchil MDCLXXXVIII.