In the 17th century, the deputies to the Lord Lieutenant were often the recipients of letters from the Privy Council in London, asking them to intercept "runnagates" or deserters who were at large on the Island.

Runnagates, runaways or deserters were terms variously used to describe mariners who failed to return to their ship or to turn up, once having accepted an "Imprest"; that is, an advance payment with an obligation to serve on a ship for a particular voyage.

In 1593, Sir Richard Hawkins, son of John Hawkins, set off from Plymouth on a voyage to the South Seas. While preparing in Plymouth, Hawkins experienced a good deal of problems in assembling his crew and in a report he wrote of this voyage, he describes how many men accepted advances of money but with no intention to sail and also mentions the difficulties in rounding them up when it was time to depart.

"And so began to gather my companie aboord, which occupied my good friends, and the Iustices of the Towne two dayes, and forced vs to search all Lodgings, Tavernes, and Ale-houses. (For some would ever be taking their leaue and never depart:) some drinke themselues so drunke, that except they were carried aboord, they of themselues were not able to goe one steppe: others knowing the necessitie of the time, fayned themselues sicke; others, to be indebted to their Hostes, and forced to ransome them; one his Chest; another, his Sword; another, his Shirts; another, his Carde and Instruments for Sea: And others, to benefit themselues of the Imprest [Advance of pay] given them, absented themselues; making a lewd liuing in deceiving all, whose money they could lay hold of: which is a scandall too rife amongst our Sea-men; by it they committing three great offences: 1. Robbery of the goods of another person; 2. Breach of their faith and promise; 3. and hinderance (with losse of time) vnto the Voyage; all being a common iniury to the owners, victuallers, and company; which many times hath beene an vtter overthrow. and vndoing to all in generall. An abuse in our Common-wealth necessarily to be reformed; And, as a person that hath both seene, and felt by experience these inconveniencies, I wish it to be remedied; For, I can but wonder, that the late Lord high Admirall of England; the late Earle of Cumberland; and the Lord Thomas Howard, now Earle of Suffolke, being of so greta authoritie, having to their costs and losse so often made experience of the inconveniencies of these lewd proceedings, haue notvnited their Goodnesses and Wisedomes, to redresse this dis-loyall and base absurditie of the Vulgar. Master Thomas Candish in his last Voyage [in 1592], in the sound of Plimmouth being readie to set Sayle, complained vnto me, that persons which had absented themselues in Imprests, had cost him aboue a thousand and fiue hundred pounds: These Varlets within a few dayes after his departure, I saw walking the streetes of Plimouth, whom the Iustice had before sought for with great diligence, and without punishment. And therefore it is no wonder that others presume to doe the like. Impunitas peccandi illecebra. The like complaint made masterGeorge Raymond; and in what sort they dealt with me, is notorious, and was such, that if I had not beene provident, to haue had a third part more of men, then I had need of, I had beene forced to goe to the Sea vnmanned; or to giue over my Voyage. And many of my company, at Sea vaunted, how they had cosoned the Earle of Cumberland, master Candish, master Raymond, and others, some of fiue poundes, some of ten, some of more, and some of lesse. And truely, I thinke, my Voyage prospered the worse, for theirs and other lewd persons company, which were in my Ship: which, I thinke, might be redressed by some extraordinary, severe, and present Iustice to be executed on the offenders by the Iustice in that place, where they should be found. And for finding them, it were good that all Captaines, and Masters of Shippes, at their departure out of the Port, should give vnto the head Iustice, the names and signes of all their runnawayes, and they presently to dispatch to the nigher Ports the advise agreeable, where meeting with them, without further delay or processe, to vse Martiall Law vpon them. Without doubt, seeing the Law once put in execution, they and all others would be terrified from such villanies. It might be remedied also by vtter taking away of all Imprests, which is a thing lately crept into our Common-wealth, and in my opinion of much more hurt then good vnto all; and although my opinion seeme harsh, it being a deed of charitie to helpe the needy, (which I wish ever to be exercised, and by no meanes will contradict) yet for that such as goe to the Sea (for the most part) consume that money lewdly before they depart, (as common experience teacheth vs:) and when they come from Sea, many times come more beggerly home, then when they went forth, having received and spent their portion, before they imbarked themselues; and having neither rent nor maintenance more then their travell, to sustaine themselues, are forced to theeue, to cosen, or to runne away in debt. Besides, many times it is an occasion to some to lye vpon a Voyage a long time; whereas, if they had not that Imprest, they might perhaps haue gayned more in another imployment, and haue beene at home againe, to serue that which that which they waite for. For these, and many more weightie reasons, I am still bold, to maintaine my former Assertions. Those onely vsed in his Majesties Shippes I comprehend not in this my opinion: neither the Imprests made to married men, which would be given to their Wiues monethly in their absence, for their reliefe. For that is well knowne, that all which goe to the Sea now a-dayes, are provided of foode, and house-roome, and all things necessary, during the time of their Voyage; and in all long Voyages, of apparell also: so that nothing is to be spent during the Voyage. That money which is wont to be cast away in Imprestes, might be imployed in apparell, and necessaries at the sea, and given to those that haue need, at the price it was bought, to be deducted out of their shares or wages at their returne, which is reasonable and charitable. This corse taken, if any would runne away, in Gods name fare him well. Some haue a more colourable kinde of cunning to abuse men, and to sustaine themselues. Such will goe to Sea with all men, and goe never from the shore. For as long as boord-wages last, they are of the Company, but those taking end, or the ship in readinesse, they haue one excuse or other, and thinke themselues no longer bound, but whilst they receiue money, and then plucke their heads out of the coller. An abuse also worthie to be reformed".
Source:THE OBSERVATIONS OF SIR RICHARD HAWKINS KNIGHT, IN HIS VOYAGE INTO THE SOUTH SEA. Anno Domini 1593.Printed by I. D. for Iohn Iaggard. 1622 [Edited by J.A. Williamson. The Argonaut Press, London.1933]