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 by ſeveral Acts of Parliament, the keeping of Victual to a dearth, is ſtrictly prohibited; and particularly, it is Statute by the Acts James the Second, Parliament Sixth, Caput Twenty two and Twenty three, that for the eſchewing of Dearth, Sheriffs, Baillies, and other Officers, both to Burgh and to Land, inquire what perſons buys Victual, and holds it to a Dearth, and that the ſaids Sheriffs and Officers make ſuch known, that in caſe they hold more than will ſuſtain them and their Meinȝie to new Corn, they may be puniſhed and demeaned as Ockerers and Uſurers, and the Victual eſcheated to Us, and that the ſame be preſented to Mercats, and ſold as the price goes: And by the Act James the Second, Parliament Ninth, Caput Thirty eighth and Thirty ninth, It is ordained that no manner of Victual be holden in Girnels by any man to a dearth, but allennarly what is needful for their own Perſons, and ſuſtentation of their Houſholds; and that the ſaids Perſons preſent all that they have more to the Mercar, under the pain of Eſcheat thereof: And Searchers are appointed in Edinburgh and Leith to make the ſaids Acts effectual. As likewiſe, the Crime of Fore-ſtalling is forbidden by ſeveral Acts and Statutes, and particularly by the Act James the Sixth, Parliament Twelfth, Caput One hundred and fourty eight, It is declared, that who buys any Merchandiſe or Victual coming to Fair or Mercat, or makes any Contract or Promiſe for the buying of the ſame before the ſaid Merchandice or Victual ſhall be in the Fair or Mercat-place ready to be Sold, or ſhall make any motion by Word, Writ, or Meſſage, for raiſing of the Prices, or dearer ſelling of the ſaid Merchandice and Victual, or who ſhall diſſwade any from coming and bringing the foreſaid Merchandice and Victual to Fair or Mercat, ſhall be eſteemed and judged a Fore-ſtaller: And it is ordained that all ſuch Fore-ſtallers may be purſued before the Juſtices or Magiſtrats of Burghs, and that without a ſpecial Libel, but only upon Fore ſtalling in general, and the perſons convict to be Fined for the firſt fault in Fourty Pounds, for the ſecond in One hundred Merks, and for the third to incur the tinſell of Moveables. And ſeing that through the not due obſervance, and the execution of the foreſaids Acts, the calamity of the Countrey by the preſent ſcarcity and dearth is greatly increaſed: Therefore We advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, have thought fit to revive the ſame, and ordain them to be put to ſtrict execution; and for that effect to impower and require all Sheriffs of Shires, Stewarts of Stewartries, Lords and Baillies of Regalities and their Deputs, and Magiſtrats of Burghs, as likewiſe all Commiſſioners of Supply, and Juſtices of Peace, to cauſe inquiry and ſearch to be made who holds up, or Girnels Victual, or keeps Stacks contrary to the foreſaids Laws, and to command and charge the keepers up of the ſaid Victual in Girnels, Stacks, or otherways, contrary to the ſaids Statutes, either to Threſh out, bring and expoſe the ſame for Sale in open and ordinary Mercats, or otherwiſe to open their Girnels, and other Houſes where the Victual is kept, and there ſell the ſame, as the ſaids Sheriffs, Stewarts of Stewartries, Lords and Baillies of Regalities and their Deputs, and Magiſtrats of Burghs, or any two of the ſaids Commiſſioners ſhal find the ordinary price to rule for the time in the Countrey, not below the laſt Candleſmaſs Fiers; with certification if they failȝie therein, they ſhall be proceeded againſt, and the pains of the foreſaid Acts of Parliament execute upon them with all rigor: And in the mean time the Victual Girnelled, and unlawfully kept up as ſaid is, Arreſted and Sequeſtrat by the foreſaids Sheriffs and others, as Eſcheat. And further, We with Advice foreſaid, Command and Charge all Magiſtrats of Burghs, and other Officers of the Law, to take care that all Mercats and Fairs be duly regulat conform to the Laws, without extortion, and to cauſe put the foreſaids Acts of Parliament againſt Fore-ſtallers to due and vigorous execution, certifying the ſaids Sheriffs, Magiſtrats and others, who ſhall fail in their duty in the premiſſes, that upon information given to the Lords of Our Privy Council, they ſhall be therefore ſeverely puniſhed as the Lords of Our Privy Council ſhall ſee cauſe. And further, for the better relief of the Country under the preſent great ſcarcity, whereby the prices of Victual are ariſen above the rates mentioned in the Act of Parliament for prohibiting the Import of Forraign Victual: We with Advice foreſaid, do hereby grant licenſe and full liberty to all perſons to Import Victual, and Corns of all ſorts, from any Forraign Kingdom or Countrey, and that free of Cuſtom, Exciſe, or other Impoſition; And for that effect recommends it to the Commiſſioners of Our Theſaury, to diſcharge the exacting thereof for the ſaid Victual to be Imported as ſaid is, after the day and date hereof: And that notwithſtanding of any Act of Parliament, or Book of Rates impoſing the ſame, declaring that this licenſe and liberty is to endure till the firſt day of October next to come. 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 remanent Mercat-Croſſes of the Head-Burghs of the ſeveral Shires and Stewartries within this Kingdom, and thereat in Our Name and Authority, make Publication of the Premiſſes, that none pretend ignorance: And ordains theſe preſents to be Printed.