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; FORASMUCHAS, it is generally Complained, that there be many Idle, Louſe and Vagabound Perſons, who ſingly by themſelves, and in Companies, go throw the Countrey, And both to Burgh and Landward, Rob or Steal from People their Goods, do Violence to their Perſons, and extort from them Meat, Drink and Lodging without payment, and commit ſeveral other Abuſes, contrair to the Laws and Acts of Parliament: THEREFORE, We have thought fit to Enjoyn and Command Likeas, We hereby, with the Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, ſtrictly Enjoyn, Command and Charge all Sheriffs, Lords of Regality, Baillies of Bailliaries, Stewarts of Stewartries, and their Deputs, Magiſtrats of Burghs, Juſtices of the Peace, and other Judges and Officers of the Law, to put the following Laws and Acts of Parliament in due and vigorous Execution; Viz. The ſeventh Act Parliament firſt, James the firſt, whereby it is Statute, that no Companies paſs in the Countrey, and ly on Our Leidges, or Thig or Sojourn on them under the Pain of Aſſything of the Party Compleaning; The Act James ſecond, Parliament ſixth, Caput twenty one, whereby it is ordained, that for the away-putting of Sorners, Overlyers and Maſterfull Beggars, Inquiſition be made by all Judges againſt them, and they be put in Our Ward or Our Irons for their Treſpaſſes, as long as they have any Goods of their own to live upon, that their Ears be nailed to the Tron or other Tree, and that the ſame be cut off, and they Baniſhed the Countrey; And if thereafter they be found, that they be hanged, Act James ſecond, Parliament eleventh, Caput fourty five, whereby it is ſtatute, that wherever Sorners are overtaken, they be delivered to Our Sheriffs, and that furthwith Our Juſtices do Law upon them, as upon Thieves and Robbers, Act Parliament 12. Caput 53. ibidem, whereby it is ſtatute, that no Man reive another of any manner of Goods which they are in Poſſeſſion off, Act James the third, Parliament tenth, Caput ſeventy eight ratifying the ſaids Acts; And Act James the ſixt Parliament twelfth, Caput on hundred and fourty ſeventh, whereby it is ſtatute, that all Men certifie concerning Vagabounds and ſuſpect Perſons, that they may be apprehended under the Pains due to theſe Vagabounds; And generally, all other Laws and Acts made againſt Robbing, Thieving, Sorning, and other Abuſes of that ſort, and for preſerving the Peace and good Order of the Kingdom and for the better preſerving of the Peace and Safety of Our Liedges; We with Advice foreſaid, and in purſuance of the foreſaids Laws, do farder Command and Charge all Sheriffs, Magiſtrats, and other Officers above named, that they cauſe ſpecial notice to be taken of all idle and vagabound Perſons, either in Burgh or Landward, and that they take up their Names, and take ſuch Security of them for their good Behaviour, as they ſhall judge needful: As alſo, We with Advice foreſaid do hereby impower the Juſtices of Peace, and Heretors within each Paroch, to appoint one or more within the Bounds thereof, as they ſhall ſee needful, to be Watches both by Night and Day, for preventing the foreſaids Abuſes, by giving timeous Warning, and conveening the Neighbourhead to reſiſt the foreſaid Robbers, Thieves, Sorners, or others committing the ſaids Abuſes, and Seize and Apprehend them, and to defend Leil-Mens Perſons and Goods, and bring to Juſtice and condign Puniſhment the foreſaids Perſons guilty, for which theſe ſhall be ſufficient Warrant. 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 haill Head-Burghs of the ſeveral Shires and Stewartries within this Kingdom, and there in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Intimation hereof that none pretend Ignorance, and Ordains theſe preſents to be Printed.