THe Lords of His Majesties Privy Council being informed, that the Plague of Pestilence is now broken out in the Town of Ostend, and other Towns and Places of the Spanish Neatherlands; And that by reason of the Wars with Holland, there is now more occasion of Trade with the saids Towns then heretofore, so that the conti [...]nce thereof, without any restraint, may indanger this Kingdom, [...] by importing Forreign Ware and Commodities, may bring in the [...]fection; from which it hath pleased GOD in His infinite mercy heretofore to preserve this Kingdom. Therefore, they, by these presents, discharge all Merchants, Traffickers, and other persons whatsoever, who shall bring any Wares or Commodities from Ostend, or any other Port or Place of the Spanish Neatherlands into this Kingdom, to unload any of the Ships or Vessels wherein there Goods are imported, untill first they acquaint the Sheriffs, Iustices of Peace, Magistrates of Burghs, or others His Majesties Officers of the Shires or Burghs where they shall happen first to come, where they did loaden their Goods, and that they receive orders for their fourty dayes tryal, and in what places they shall handle their Wares and Commodi­ties during that time, under the pain of confiscation of their Ships and Goods, and punish­ment of their Persons, according to the quality and merit of their offence, in manner con­tained in a former Act of Council, dated the twelfth day of July last. And commands and charges all Sheriffs, Iustices of Peace, Magistrates of Burghs, and others His Majesties Officers within their respective bounds, upon all occasions that shall require the same, to meet and conveen, and give order for such Guards, Watches, Houses, Overseers and Places as they shall think most convenient, for putting this Act in execution, and for doing every other thing that shall be necessary for that effect: With certification, if they fallȝie, they shall be punished in their persons and goods, to the error of others, and that the Custo­mers and others where Entries are made, take notice hereof, and acquaint all Magistrates concerned to put this Act in execution, as they will be answerable upon their highest peril: And ordains these presents to stand in force till the first day of December next to come, and longer during the Councils pleasure, and untill they discharge the same. And ordains these presents to be printed, and published at the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh, Peer and Shore of Lieth, and other Mercat-crosses of all Sea-ports where there is any Commerce, by Macers or Messengers at Armes, that none pretend ignorance.