THE Committee of Estates taking into consideration that di­vers persons in the Kingdom, especially in the Shires of the VVest, Tennents to disaffected Heretors & Masters, have given no small Testimony of their affection to the Cove­nant by their late hearty concurrence in Arms, and seasonable assistance for the Interests of Religion, King and Kingdoms, who for their dislike of and opposition to the late unlawfull Engagement against England, have suffered great losses, And therefore deserves all favour and ease that may be shewen them in publick burdens, And the Committee be­ing sensible of their affections to the cause, and sufferings for the same, and for their further Incouragement to remain constant therein. Doth therefore Ordain, that all quarterings and publick burdens imposed up­on Malignant Heretors and Masters since the first of September last, for their Malignancie, and accession to the late unlawfull Engagement, or for their guiltinesse of the faults conteined in the Acts of the 22. of Sept. and fourth of October last, shall lie upon the said Masters and Heretors alla nerly, and be charged upon their Estates, And the said well-af­fected Tenents to be free thereof: And where the quarterings and pub­lick burdens have lyen upon, and been exacted from the Tennents, The Committee Ordains them to have compensation and allowance of their sufferings by retention of so much of their yearly dueties in their own hand as will satisfie them, And if the said Heretors and Masters shall refuse to allow them any retention, That upon complaint, the Committees of the severall respective Shires where they dwell, And in case of their refusall or neglect, the Committee of Estates shall Ordain them to have retention, in manner and for the causes aforesaid, And the Masters through whose default the Tenents are necessitate to com­plain, shall be lyable in payment, of the like sumes which they should al­low to the Tenents to be imployed by the Committees of the severall Shires where they dwell for the use of the publick, by and attor the re­tention to be allowed to the said Tenents. And Ordains thir presents to be published at the Mercat Crosse of Edinburgh, and other places need­full, and to be Printed.