Forasmuch, as severals of the Inhabitants of the Western and Southern Shires, of this Our ancient Kingdom, not­withstanding of the great Peace, Tranquillity and Plenty, wherewith GOD hath blessed them, under Our Royal Government, the Justice, and Equity of Our Ad­ministrations, and of Our great care of preserving the Protestant Religion, in its Truth and Purity; Have at several times; and on several occasions, not only moved Sedition, and run into many irregular, and illegal Tumults, but likewise, having casten off all Fe [...]r of GOD, all Duty to Us, all Affection to their native Countrey, and all Regard to the Laws, Divine and Humane, did, at divers times, rise in open Rebellion, and to that height of Boldness and Impiety, that they have, by Open Force, Attackt Our Armies, Disclaimed Our Royal Authority, Excommuni­cate Our Sacred Person, and did as far as in them [...] throw these happy Nations into the Miseries of War and Ruine; by so much the more dreadful then former Rebellions, that these who carryed on the recent Seditions, have far out­done all others, in demonstrating, the Villanies of their Principles, by their Practices; and have at length come to these hights of Wickedness, the Blasphemy, Treason, Assassination, Murders and Robberies are own'd by them, as the highest Principles of their Religion, and the best practice of their Morals; And albeit GOD in his great Mercy hath blessed Our Government with such Success, that both by the force of Our Arms, and the regular Procedors of Our Judges, their Attempts have been on all occasions Defeat, and many of their persons brought to condign punishment: Yet so far hath their Execrable Principles transported them, that neither these Judgements of GOD, the severity of Our Laws, the steddiness of Our Justice, nor the many reiterated Acts of Our unparalelled Clemency, prevailed so far as to bring them to Duty: But on the contrary, as they were obdure [...], to their utter destruction, severals of them do continue to own publickly their Hellish Principles, and upon all opportunities, to practise their Abominable Murders and Assas­sinations upon our good Subjects: And finding likewise, to Our great regrate, that People guilty of such Principles, and Practices, are not only not pursued by the Inhabitant of the Shires where they appear, but to the astonishment of all good men, are Concealed, Harboured, Intertained and Comforted, contrary to what Law and Duty required of all Our Subjects; and which being so dangerous to Religion, Government, the publick Peace, the Lives and For­tunes of Our People, that it is not consistent with Our Justice or Honour, not to use the utmost Remedies against so in­veterat and pernicious Mischiefs. And We having resolved to imploy Our Royal Power to these ends, by these Me­thods and Procedurs, which hath been formerly used by Our Royal Predecessors, on all such occasions, Do there­fore by this Our Royal Proclamation, Command and Charge all the Officers of Our Militia, both Horse and Foot, be­north the River of Forth to put themselves, and all under their Command, in present readiness, with fifteen days pro­vision, well Armed, and sitted for Our Service, to march whither We, or those Commissionated by Us, shall direct them, on six days Warning. And that all Commissioners of Excise supply, and Militia give all speedy and possible Concurrance, for promoting this Our Service, as they will be answerable at their highest peril. And ordains these Pre­sents to be Published at the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and all Other Mercat Crosses of the Shires of this Kingdom, and to be Read by the several Ministers from their respective Pulpits, immediatly after Divine Service in all their Churches upon a Sabbath day, that all persons concerned may have notice thereof; The which to do, We commit to you, con­junctly and severally, Our full Power, by this Our Letters, delivering them by you, duly execute, and indorsed again to the Bearer.

GOD save the KING.