Forasmuch as the Lords of Our Privy Council being informed, that several disloyal and mali­cious Persons, frequenting Our good Town of Edinburgh, have instigated the Students of the Col­ledge therein, to enter in Bonds and Combinations, and Convocate in Tumults (knowing that how spacious so­ever the pretexts be, yet these tend to Sediton, as Sedition doth to open Rebellion) There was Order taken that the Peace of that Place should secured: And it being made appear, by the Declarations and Confessions of the Masters, and severals of the Students, that the Students did enter into Bonds and Combinations, to which, among other things, contrary to the Laws of this Kingdom, they did oblidge themselves to adhere to one another, if they were called in question therefore, and in confidence of that Seditious Combination, they did upon the Twenty-Fifth of December last, assemble in a Tumultuary way, and assault and affront several Persons, and to streng­then thier Combination, did associat themselves with Prentices, and introduce a new way of Tumultuating, by putting up blew Ribbans, as Signs and Cognisances, not only to difference them from others, but likewise for Convocating themselves, in pursuance of those Seditious and Tumultuous Designs, (a practice and preparative not to be indured in any well Governed Kingdom) For which, being (justly) reproved, they did some few days thereafter, run up and down the Streets in Tumults, disquieting the Nobility and Gentry of both Sexs, and threat­ning the Provost of that of Our City, with the burning of his house of Priest-field, and other injuries; and accord­ingly, within some few days thereafter, the House of Priest-field was (to the horror and astonishment of sober Men) burnt down, by throwing in Fire-balls, and other Combustible Matter, as appears by most convin­cing proofs, lying in the Records of Privy Council, which are also notour enough to convince, even those, who from the same disloyal Principles, that prompted them to attempt those Boys, continue with a villanous confidence, sutiable to their malicious porjects, to ascribe the said burning to accidental Causes: Upon all which, the Lords of Our Privy Council, convinced by these proofs, and considering how disloyal and mutinous Persons did, in the last Age, bring on all their dreadful Rebellion, from such beginnings, and that some who studiously imitate their proceedings, have of late, in this Our Kingdom, us'd their utmost endeavours, to incline all Societies to such Disor­ders (though without success) Have by an Act of the date hereof, Ordered the Gates of the Schools of that Col­ledge to be shut up, till they should be fully informed of the Root, and progress of these Disorders, and satisfied by the submission and punishment of the Offenders. We therefore, with advice of Our Privy Council, to prevent any further Seditious Tumults and Disorders from these Students; do Command them, and each of them, to retire Fifteen Miles at least from that our City of Edinburgh, within Twenty-Four hours after the Publication here­of, and not to come within the limits foresaid, without express leave from our Privy Council, and that under the pain of being punished as Sidecious Persons, and contemners of our Authority, discharging here by their Parents, Tu­tors, and all others within the bounds foresaid, to resset or intertain them after the time foresaid, without finding Caution to the Clerks of Council, for their good Behaviour. Our Will is herefore, and We Charge you straitly and Command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Marcat Cross of Edinburgh, and thereat by open Proclamation, make Publication of the Premisses, that none pretend ignorance. The which to do, We commit to you, conjunctly and severally, Our full Power, by these Our Letters, delivering them by you duely Execute and indorsat again to the Bearer.

GOD save the KING.