Forasmuch, as Our Convention of Estates, holden at Edinburgh, the fourth of August, one thousand six hundred and sixty five years, taking to their consideration, the great blessings this Our ancient Kingdom doth enjoy, under Our Royal Government, being thereby delivered from all the miseries and bondage that doth accompany the Iron Rod of an insolent Usurpation, and possessed of all the liberties and priviledges of a free People, living under Our Royal Scepter, and that by a full and free exercise of their Religion, with all sutable encouragements thereunto, by an equal and due administration of Justice, and peaceable and secure enjoyment of their Laws, Rights and Properties: Find themselves obliged in con­science, honour and gratitude, to embrace every occasion, whereby they may witness to the World their just resentments thereof, and their readiness to contribute their Lives, for the maintaining and advancing of Our Royal Authority, Power and Greatness; under the Protection whereof, the Peace, Freedom and Interest of this Our Kingdom, and Subjects thereof, can only be secured. And un­derstanding, that We are now engaged in a War, with the Inhabitants of the United Provinces, for the maintenance of Our Honour, and the Peace and Trade of Our Kingdom; and that thereby a new opportunity is offered to them, to make good their Professions of their zeal and affection to Our service: Therefore, the saids Estates of Our Kingdom, in a due sense of Our Honour and Interest, and of their own duty, Do, with humble, loy [...] and cheerful Hearts[?], for themselves and in Name of the whole Kingdom, whom they do re­present, make humble and free tender to Us of a Taxation, which is to be imposed, collected and payed at the five terms following, viz. For the Barrons and Freeholders parts of the same Taxation, fourty shillings money yearly to be uplifted off every pound Land of old extent, within this Our Kingdom, pertaining to Dukes, Marquesses, Earles, Viscounts, Lords, Barrons, Freeholders and Fewers of Our Proper-lands, holden by them immediatly of Us; Excepting the Shires of Lanerk, Air, Renfrew, Dumbartoun, Bute, Argyle, Wigtoun, Dumfrise, and Peebles, with the Stewartries and Baileries lying within the same, who by reason of their high Retours, are to be taxt only to two Merks upon ilk Pound-land of old extent, in manner mentioned in Our said Act of Convention, and to be payed by them at each one of the five Termes following, viz. At Whitsunday next to come, 1666. years, as for the first Term. At Whitsunday, 1667. as for the second. At Whitsunday, 1668. as for the third. At Whitsunday, 1669. as for the fourth. And at Whitsunday, 1670. as for the fifth and last Term. And for In-bringing of the ⟨fyft⟩ Termes payment of Our Burghs part of the same Taxation, Our other Letters are directed, charging the Provosts and Bailyes of ilk Burgh, to make payment of the Taxt and Stent thereof, To ⟨our [...] and [...] Cusigne and Counsellor [...] of — Hamilton [...]⟩ Our Collector General, appointed by Us for receiving the same, his Deputes and Officers in his Name, having his Power to receive the same, at the said Feast and Term of Whitsunday, 1660; under the pain of Rebellion, and putting of them to Our Horn, &c. For whose relief,

OUR WILL IS, And we charge you straitly and commands, that incontient, these Our Letters seen, ye pass, and in Our Name and Authority, command and charge, the Provost, Bailyes and Council of Our said Burgh of [...] to conveen and elect certain persons, to stent their Neighbour; and the said election being made, That ye charge the persons elected, to accept the charge upon them; In setting down of the said Stent upon the Burgesses and Inhabitants of Our said Burgh, and so to make and set down an Stent Roll thereupon, as effeires, within twenty four hours after they be char­ged by you thereto, under the pain of Rebellion, and putting of them to Our Horn; And if they, failȝie, to denounce and escheat, &c. And sicklike, the said Stent Roll being made and set down as said is, That ye, in Our said Name and Authority, command and charge the Burgesses, Indwellers and Inhabitants within Our said Burgh, to make payment of their part of the said Stent to you Our said Provost and Bailyes, conform to the Taxt Roll to be given out thereupon, within three dayes next after they be charged by you thereto, under the pain of Rebellion, and putting of them to Our Horn. And if they failȝie, the saids three dayes being by­past, that ye incontinent thereafter denounce the disobeyers Our Rebels, and put them to Our Horn, and escheat and in-bring all their moveable Goods to Our use, for their contemption. And if need be, that ye Our said Provost and Bailyes poynd and dist­reinȝie therefore, as ye shall think most fit, according to Justice.