Albeit by the blessing of Almighty God, upon Our Royal endeavours, the many attempts of His and Our Enemies (made most impiously under pretence of Religion and Zeal, against the Laws of God, of Nature, of Nations, and of this Our Kingdom, designing the overthrow of Religion, Government, Liberty and Pro­perty, have been frequently disappointed and defeated, and their malice turned upon their own heads, and that the many Acts, both of Mercy and Justice, exerc'd by Us, conform to the Laws of God and the Kingdom; and the great prudence, vigilance, moderation and justice, of Our dearest and only Brother, during his abode in, and Government under Us, of this Our Ancient Kingdom, have had such happy success, as to bring Our good Subjects to further abhorrence of Fanaticks and their Impieties, and most of these who were misled by the lying Spirit of some of their pretended Ministers, are shrunk from these ways, whereof they are justly ashamed, so that Our People are brought nearer to that dutiful and peaceable deportment which becomes Christians and Subjects: yet some are so indefatigable in malice, as to continue and stir up others to disturb that peace and tranquillity, which Our People may enjoy under Our Reign: in so much as of late, some Traitors, Runnagats, and Fugitives, have convocat towards the number of Eighty, with forbidden Weapons, and in unlawful manner, near to Tala lin, in the Shire of Peebles, and the people in that Countrey, have been so defective in the duties of loyal Subjects, or good Countrey-men, as to neglect giving timous notice of such Meetings or Actings, either to Our Council, the Sheriff of the Shire, or the Commanders of Our Forces, who were nearest to them; and this neglect of theirs being not only a breach of duty in them, but of very bad example, and dangerous consequence, if practised by others on such emergments; We therefore, by Our Royal Authority, and also in conformity to the whole course of Our Laws, particularly to the 144. Act of the 12. Parliament; King James the 6 and 7. Act, Parl. 1. King James 1. Do here­by strictly Require and Command, all the Subjects and Inhabitants within this Our Kingdom, whether in Burgh or Land, upon knowledge or information, that any number of men do convocat unlawfully in Arms, or appear in company in any place, or where any one or two of such, as are declared Traitors or Fugitives from Our Laws, or treasonable accounts, shall repair, that they shall with all diligence give inti­mation thereof to Our Chancellor, and such others of Our Secret Council, as shall be at Edinburgh: as also, without delay, that they give in­formation to any Commander of Our Forces, who shall be nearest to the place where the said unlawful convocation, or such Traitors and Fugitives are, and to the Sheriff of the Shire, Steward of the Stewardry, Bailie of the Regality, or Magistrats of Burghs, where the said Meeting or Persons appear, or are informed to be, and that within the space of one hour at most, for every three miles distance they are at the time from Edinburgh, or from the nearest Commander of the Forces, Sheriffs, and other Magistrats foresaid. And further, We do here­by Require and Command Our said Sheriffs, Bailies and Magistrats, upon any such information given to them, that they call together compe­tent numbers of Our good Subjects, and with these, do exact diligence, at the utmost of their power, to search, seek, and apprehend these who are so met, and to present them to Justice, and to follow them untill they be apprehended, or expelled out of their Jurisdiction, and on their flight, they are immediatly to acquaint the Magistrats of the next Shire, whether they are fled; who are hereby required to do the like diligence, and so from Shire to Shire, until they be apprehended, or expelled forth of this Realm: And in case any hurt or skaith fall out in the pursuit, or in apprehending of these so unlawfully convocat, the actors thereof are to be free, and unpunished in any manner of way; With certification, that these whoever fails in their said respective duties, whether it be the Magistrats, in not pursuance, or Our other Subjects, in not giving timous information within the space foresaid, or in not rising with, and assisting the Magistrats in their forementioned duties, they shall be held and repute as disaffected to Our Government and Service, and as art and part, and connivers with them in their said un­lawful designs and convocations, and undergo the punishment due to these who were of the said unlawful Convocation, by the Laws of this Our Kingdom. And We hereby of new, intimate to all Our Subjects, that whoever shall intercommune with, reset, supply, shelter, or give any comfort to any declared Traitors or Fugitives; or who shall conceal, reset, or shelter any who do convocat in manner fore­said, that such resetters or assisters, shall be proceeded against, as if they were guilty of the Crimes whereof these Traitors and Fugitives are guilty, according to the just rigor of Our Laws. Our Will is herefore, and We Charge you strictly and Command, that incontinent, these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and hail the Mercat-crosses of the Head-Burghs, and hail Paroch Kirks of this Kingdom, and other places needful, and there, in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make publication of Our Royal Will and Pleasure in the Premises, that none may pretend ignorance, but give chearful and punctual obedience thereto: The which to do, We commit to you conjunctly and severally, Our full Power, by these Our Letters, delivering them by you duly execute, and indorsed again to the Bearer.