AT EDINBURGH the twentie fifth day of July, the year of God, one thousand sixe hundreth fourtie and four years. The Estates of Parliament presently conveened, by vertue of the last Act of the last Parliament, holden by his Majesty and the three Estates, in Anno 1641. Considering the great Preparations made by Strangers, and some unnaturall Countrey-men, to invade this Kingdom, and destroy the Religion, Laws, and Liberties thereof: And that an Army under the command of Prince Rupert, are marching in an hostile way towards the Borders of this Kingdom for that effect, Do finde it absolutely necessary, that for our owne preservation and safety of this Countrey, the famine should be put in a posture of defence, as may raise the Countrey most speedily, and bring them soonest forth to resist the present in­vasion. Therefore it is statute and ordained, that all the sensible persons betwixt sixtie and sixteene, of whatsoever quality, within the Sheriffdoms of Berwick, Roxburgh, Selkirk, Pee­bles, Drumfreis, and Stuartries of Anandale and Kirkcudbright, Constabularie of Hadintoun, Bailiarie of Lawderdale, Edinburgh principall, Linlithgow, Stirling, Clackmannan, Lanerik, Aire, Renfrew, Wigtoun, Fyfe, Perth, and Forfar, Be presently contrived in Companies and Regiments of Horse and Foot, and that they be sufficiently provided with Arms and Ammunition, and thirty dayes provision, and be ready to defend the Coun­trey, oppose any Invasion, and pursue the Invaders; And that they be aiding and assisting to eithers, and be ready to march where the Invasion shall happen to be, or to such places of Rendezvous as upon certain intelligence and correspondence amongst these who hath command; shall be thought most fitting, for opposing and pursuing the Enemy. And if any of the Heritors be aged or known to be infirm, That they send out able men, with their best Horse and Arms. And statutes and ordains the whole For­ces Horse and Foot aforesaid, to be ready to march upon advertisement, by putting forth of Beakons upon the accustomed pla­ces or such other advertisement as shall be given in (excepting such [...] the Marquesse[?] of Argyle shall [...] publick[?] service in the West, out of the Shires of Air, Stirling, Perth, and Renfrew.) And to the effect the Forces in the Shires may be the better provided with Arms, and more speedily and exactly brought forth, The Estates foresaids ordains, that all such as were formerly appointed to be Colonels, or Root-masters of the Shires, by the Convention of Estates and their Committees, still remain and continue in that charge in these Shires where they are nominate. And ordains the samine Divisions and Conjun­ctions of Shires likewise to stand. And in like manner ordains the whole Noblemen and Committees of Warre of the severall Shires and Divisions, to meet all in their own severall Committees, in their ordinary place of meeting, betwixt and the sixth day of August next to come inclusivè at the farthest, and there to determine upon the saids Regiments Both Horse and Foot, and ac­cording to the number of the famine Horse and Foot within ilk severall Shire and Division, to choose and appoint moe Colonels, Root-masters, and all other Officers necessary for leading and commanding of their Forces, aswell Horse as Foot, and to provide as many Arms & Ammunition as wil arm all the able men in the Shire; & that either by giving present Money for them, or Bands for the price thereof to a certaine day, and they to have Letters of relief against the Heritors for repayment of the famine. With power to the Committees foresaids, and the Heritors, to distribute the Arms in the severall Shires and Divisions to these persons that wants. And ordains all sensible persons whatsoever, betwixt sixtie and sixteen, to come forth upon the advertisement fore­said, under the pains following, viz, Ilk Noble-man, Gentle-man, Heritor, and Burgesse, (except Edinburgh and Stirling, who are ordained to put all the fensible men within their Towns in Arms and Posture of defence) under the pain of a years Rent, and ilk Yeoman, under the pain of confiscation of their whole Moveables, to be applyed to the use of the Publick, and to be farther punished, as contemners of the orders and authority of Parliament, and infringers of their Covenant. And ordains this present Act to be presently published at the Market-Crosse of Edinburgh, by an Herauld, by sound of Trumpet.