WILLIAM By the Grace of GOD, King of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith; To [...] Macers of Our Privy Council, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, Conjunctly and severally, specially Constitute Greeting; Forasmuch, as the Importing of Victual, of any sort, whe­ther, Wheat, Bear, Barley, Oats, Meal, Malt, Pease, Beans, or Rye, from the Kingdom of Ireland, into this Kingdom, is Prohibite by diverse Laws, and Acts of Parliament; And highly prejudicial to the Native Product of Scotland; And gives occasion to the Unwarrantable Exporting of much Money furth of this Our Realm; wherethrough, the poorer sort of People are altogether Destitut of the Necessary Means of Buying, and Providing themselves in the Dayly Mercats of this Kingdom. For the better obviating the Inconveniencies that may follow thereupon; We, with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, Do, hereby Prohibite, and Discharge all Per­sons whatsoever, to Import, or Bring into this Kingdom, or any of the Ports, Harbours, Towns, or Places thereof, from the Kingdom of Ireland, any sort or Quantity of the Victual above-mentioned, From, and after the First Day of September nixt to come, under the Pain of Confiscation of the said Victual; The one half thereof to the Person, or Persons who shall make Discovery of, and Sease upon thesame; and the other half thereof, with the Ships, Barks, or Boats, wherein the samen shall be Imported, to Our Thesaury for Our use; And other Punishments to be Inflicted upon them, conform to the Acts of Par­liamens made thereanent: And Ordains all Our Collectors, Surveyors, and Waiters within this Kingdom, at the respective Ports, Harbours, and Places where they Serve, to see this Act punctually Observed, as they will be An­swerable at their highest Peril, with Certification to such as shall be sound Ne­gligent therein, they shall Incurr the Loss of their respective Offices. 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 to the Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the several Shires within this Kingdom; And thereat, make Publication of Our Pleasure in the Premisses, that none may pretend Ignorance: And Ordains these Presents to be Prin­ted.

GOD Save the King.