We being fully and by legal proofs assured of the late horrid and bloody murther committed upon Saturnday last, being the third of May instant, by Tenor eleven Fanatick assasinats, upon the Person of the most reverend Father in God, James late Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews, Primat of all Scotland, which barbarous and inhumane assasination, and parracide will (we doubt not) spread horrour and amazement in all the hearts of such as believe that there is a God, or a Christian Religion; A cruelty exceeding the barbarity of Pagans, and Heathens, amongst whom the Officers and Mi­nisters of Religion are reputed to be sacred, & are by the respect born to the deity, which they adore, secured against allsuch bloody and execrable attempts, A cruelty exceeding the belief of all true Protestants, whose Churches have justly stigmatized with the marks of impiety, all such as defile with blood those hands which they ought to hold up toHeaven; And a cruelty equal to any with which we can reproach the Enemies of this true and Reformed Church: By which also not only the principles of humane Society, but our Authority and Government (the said Arch-Bishop, being one of our Privy Council) is highly violated, and example and incouragement given for murthering all such as serve us faithfully according to the prescript of our Laws and Royal Commands, daily instances whereof we are to expect, whilst Field-Conventicles, those rendevouzes of Rebellion, and forges of all bloody and Jesuitical principles, are so frequented and followed: to the scandal of all Government, and the contempt of our Laws; And which murther is as far as is possible, rendered yet more detestable, by the untasked boldness of such, as durst openly with bare faces, in the midst of our Kingdom, at mid-day assemble themselves together, to Kill in our High-way the Primate of our Kingdom, and one of our Privy Council, by so many stroakes and shots as left his body, as if [...] but one wound, and many of which being given after they knew he was dead, were remarkable proofs they were acted by [...] of hellish and insatiable cruelty: We have therefore, with advice of onr Privy Council thought fit hereby to command & charge [...] Sheriffs, Stewarts, Baylies of Regalities and Bayliaries and their Deputes, Magistrates of Burghes, and Officers of Our standing Forces, to search, seek, take and apprehend the persons guilty of the said horrid Murther, or any suspect by them, and to imprison them until they be brought to Justice, and all Our good and faithful Subjects to concur in the taking and securing as far as is in their power these Assassinates; And in respect there is a company of vagrant and sculking Russians, who to the great contempt of all Go­vernment do ride thorow this Our Kingdom, killing Our Souldiers, deforcing such as put Our Laws in execution, and com­mitting such horrible Murthers, who might be easily discovered if all such amongst whom they converse did according to their duty endeavour to apprehend them, or give notice where they haunt or resort: We have therefore thought fit con­form to the 144. Act, Par: 12, K. Ja. 6. To command and charge all Our Subjects That whensoever any unknown men or va­gabounds shall repair amongst them, that they with all possible speed certifie any of Our Privy Council, Officers of Our Forces, or any having Trust under Us Thereof; with certification to them, that if they omit the same, they shall be punished with all ri­gor conform to the said Act. And since several of the saids Assassinates are known to have been Tennents in the Shire of Fife, whose faces will be known to such of the Witnesses as were present; We hereby require and command all the Heretors and Masters of the said Shire of Fife and Kinross to bring their Tennents, Cottars and Servants, and others dwelling on their Lands, to the respective Towns at the Dyets after mentioned, viz. those within the Presbytrie of St. Andrews, to the Town of St. Andrews, upon the thirteenth day of May instant; those within the Presbytrie of Couper, to the Town of Couper upon the sixteenth day of the said Moneth; those within the Presbytrie of Kirkady, to the Town of Kirkady upon the twenty day of the said Moneth, and those within the Presbytrie of Dumfermline, to the Town of Dumfermline upon the twenty third day of the said Moneth, at ten a Clock in the forenoon, upon each one of the saids Dayes, there to continue and abide till they be examined by the Sheriff-Deputs of the said Shire, who are hereby Commissionate to that effect, and to be seen by the saids Witnesses, With certification to such of the saids Tennents, Cottars, Servants, and others foresaid as shall be absent, they shall be reputed as ac­cessory to the said Crime; And the Masters if they produce them not, or if hereafter they harbour any that shall not com­pear, they shall be reputed favourers of the said Assassination. And whereas there are some persons under Caption or Inter­communing in the said Shire for several causes, and lest persons who are innocent of that horrid Crime, may be thereby de­barred from appearing, and vindicating themselves; We have thought fit hereby to sist and supersede all execution upon any Letters of Caption or Intercommuning, or any other warrant for securing of any persons for any cause for the space of fourty eight hours before and after the saids dyets of appearance, that they may safely come and go without any trouble or im­pediment whatsoever. And to the end the said cruel Murther may be the more easily discovered, We do hereby offer and give full assurance of Our Indemnity to any one of the saids Assassinats who shall discover his complices and such as hounded them out, and of present payment of the sum of ten thousand merks to any who shall inform who were the saids Assassinats, if upon his information, they or either of them can be apprehended, that they may be brought to condign punishment. And ordains these Presents to be Printed, and Published at the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and at the Mercat Crosses of all the Roy­al Burghs in the Shires of Fife and Kinross, and to be read at the Paroch Kirks of the said Shires, and Jurisdictions with­in the same upon Sunday next, being the eleventh of this instant, immediatly after the ordinary time of Divine Service in the forenoon that the same may come to the knowledge of all Persons concerned. Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the fourth day of May, 1679. and of Our Reign the thretty [...] year.

GOD save the King.