Forsomuch as by an Act of Our late Parliament, En­tituled, Act asserting Our Prerogative in the ordering and disposal of Trade with For­raigners; It is declared, that the laying on of Restraints and Impositions upon forraign imported Commodities, doth belong to Us and Our Sur­cessors, as an undoubted Priviledge and Prerogative of Our Crown; And that by vertue thereof We may so order and dispose upon foraign Trade, as We shall judge most fit for the good of that Our Kingdom. And whereas many humble addresses have been made to Us by the Convention of Our Estates, in August, 1665. And by the Lords of Our Privy Council, for restraining of Irish Cattle, Corn, and some other Commodities, from coming in to this Kingdom, as being most prejudicial there­to, by reason that Our Subjects are more then sufficiently provided within themselves; And incase of Trade with forraign Kingdoms and States (which is now for the most part stopped) are able to spare and export considerable quantities of all these Commodities, and We being most willing to grati­fie the Subjects of that Our ancient Kingdom: Therefore, and in testimony of Our just resentment of their loyalty and affection to Our service, We, with advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, have discharged; and by these presents discharges the importation of all Irish Cattle (except Horses) as also, Irish Salt Beef, and Corns of whatsoever Grain, or Meal made thereof, to any Town, Port, or Harbour, or any other place of that Our ancient Kingdom, in any Ship or Vessel whatso­ever, after the first day of March next to come. As also, discharges all persons whatsoever to receive or Pasture any of the saids Cattle upon their Lands or Pasturage, or to sell and dispone thereupon, or to reset or receive any quantities of the Victual so prohibited, or to conceal the same within their Houses or Cellers: And do hereby authorize and command all Magistrates of Our Burghs Royal, Sheriffs, or Iustices of Peace in all Shires where the Goods or Vessels shall arrive, to prohibit the unloading thereof: And incase of contravention, to seize, or cause seize upon the samine, to be confiscat, the one half thereof for Our use, and the other half for the use of these who shall attach and seize upon the same. And further, requires the saids Magistrates, or either of them, to apprehend the persons of the con­traveeners, and to secure them by imprisonment till they advertise the Lords of Our Privy Council, that order may be given to proceed against them as contemners of Our Royal Authority, that all con­dign punishment may be inflicted upon them without mercy. And ordains these presents to be printed and published at the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, Pear and Shore of Leith, and at the Mercat Crosses of all Burghs Royal, and Burghs of Regality and Barony lying in the Western parts of this King­dom, where the saids Goods and Victual are ordinarily imported, and other places needful, that none pretend ignorance.