WHereas His Majesty having by His Royal Letter, of the date at Kensingtoun, the fourth day of January instant, Manifested His tender Care, and great Concern for the Peace and Security of this Kingdom, and satisfying the Minds of His People, in that He had given Instructions to His Commissioner, for Redressing their Grievances, and Publishing the same by His Authority; And in sending to this Nation Forces, with Ammunition and Arms, and maintaining the saids Forces: But also being further Resolved to ease this Kingdom of Charge as much as possible, Has Declared, That four Regiments of Foot more shall be Payed, and Intertained upon His Own proper Charge, from and after the first of January current, and has Recommend­ed to the Care and Prudence of the Lords of His Privy Council, to fall upon Methods for providing Subsistence for such Regiments of Foot, and what Horse and Dragoons shall be found necessar to be continued upon the Scotish Establishment; And hath Authorised the saids Lords to call for the particular Accompts of what is due by the Soldiers of the several Regiments, under the Command of Major Ge­neral M^ckay, The Earl of Levin, Sir James-Lesly, Colonel George Ramsay, Colonel Lawder, Colonel Bavridge, and Sir Thom [...]s Livingstons, as well as any other of the Forces, Horse, Foot, or Dragoons, gone from this Kingdom to Ireland, in the several Shires, and Ordained them to Transmit the same to the Secretary of State. And His Majesty Having Recommended to the saids Lords, to find out a way for Raising a competent number of Scots Sea-men for His Service, being Resolved that Scots Men (if Prisoners) shall be equally Relieved with the English, and that Scots Trading Ships shall have Protection on Board, for preventing their Mens being Pressed: Therefore the saids Lords of Privy Council, in Their Majesties Name and Authority, Do hereby Require and Command, the Commissioners of Asses­ment, or Excise, or either of them within the respective Shires, where any of the Forces above-specified have been Quartered, upon sight hereof, To cause make Intimation, by Bearing Drums, and publick Proclamation at the Mercat-Crosses of the whole Burghs-Royal, and of the Regalities, Stewartries, and Bailliaries within the saids respective Shires, to all the Lands-Lords, and such others as have surnished the Soldiers with Meat, Drink, and Forradge, That they in the Terms of the former Proclamation of Council, may compear before any two of the saids Commissioners of Assessment, or Excise, and verifie by Writ, or their own Oaths, what is resting to them by any of the saids Forces, under Com­mand, or gone out of the Kingdom, in manner abovementioned, & report the same to the Council, betwixt and the twenty day of February next; with Certification to the saids Lands-lords and others, to whom the saids Forces are adebted, that if the saids Accompts be not reported to the Council, betwixt and the said day, that thereafter they shall be understood as satisfied; As also, The saids Lords Do, in their Majesties Name and Authority foresaid, Require and Command, all the Magistrats of the several Maritine Burghs Royal, and other Sea-Towns, To cause Beat Drums, and make Intimation upon a Mercat-day, for Levying Sea-men for serving in His Majesties Fleet, within their own Jurisdiction, and the next adjacent Sea-Towns, exprest in their several Letters, sent to them for that effect; And they do hereby grant Warrant to the saids Magistrats, to promise and pay fourty shillings Sterling of Levy or Advance Money, and six pence a day to each Sea-man that shall List themselves in their Majesties Service, until they shall be shipped aboard the Fleet, at which time they are to en­ter on English pay; And they hereby give Assurance of Allowance and Re-payment for what they shall so advance, out of the Excise, payable by the respective Burghs, and how far the same falls short, out of the Excise of the Shires, payable at the Term of Whitsunday next; And they do promise to such who shall affectionatly shew their forwardness on that occasion, that they shall have particular protections on Board, each one of their Ships, given them to be free from any Pressure here, or by any of His Majesties. Men of War, or in any of His Ports. And they Do, in Name and Authority foresaid, Require the saids Magistrats of Maritine Burghs Royal, and other Sea-Towns, to give in a Report to the Council what Sea-men they have so taken on, in the Terms foresaid, with an exact List of the whole other Sea-men, and Fisher-men within their bounds, and other Sea-Towns exprest in their Letters, betwixt and the days following, viz. All on this side of Tay, and this side of the Mouth of Clyde, betwixt and the first day of February next, and all to Aberdene inclusivè, and be-west the Mouth of Clyde, betwixt and the tenth day of the said Moneth; and all the rest of the Kingdom, betwixt and the twentieth day thereof, that the Council may Consider how far the number of Sea-men to be Levied to Their Majesties Fleet falls short, that so they may take the next effectual Course, to compleat a Competent number of Sea-men for Their Majesties Service, and have them in readiness before the Fleet shall go to Sea. And the saids Lords Declares, That they will take special care, that just and due Consideration be had of such Towns, wherein the Sea-men shall voluntarly List themselves, when they fall upon the other Method above-mentioned, for ef­fectuating the said Levy. And Ordains thir Presents to be Printed, and Published at the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and whole other Mercat-Crosses of the Burghs Royal, and of Regalities, Stewartries, and Bailliaries within this Kingdom, by Macers of Privy Coun­cil, Messengers at Arms, Sheriffs in that part, that none may pretend ignorance.

God save King William and Queen Mary.