The Lords of His Majesties Privy Council, having received a Letter from the Kings Majesty, dated at Whitehall the second day of June instant, commanding a Procla­mation to be issued in His Majesties name; bearing, That the Kings most Excel­lent Majesty hath been advertised, That great numbers of Mariners and other Sea-faring men, His Majesties natural born Subjects of this His ancient King­dom of Scotland, have be taken themselves to the Services of forreign Princes and States, to the great disservice of His Majesty and their native Country; and whereby His Majesty and His Realms are unfurnished of men of their sort and calling, if there shall be cause to use them. For remiss whereof at present, and preventing the like for the future, the Kings most Excellent Majesty, both Will and streightly Charge and Command, all and singular Masters of Ships, Pilots, Mariners, Sea­men, Ship-wrights, and other Sea-faring men whatsoever and wheresoever, being His Majesties natural Subjects of this His Kingdom of Scotland, who are in the Service of any forreign Prince or State, or do service in any forreign Ships or Vessels, That forthwith they do withdraw themselves, and depart from such forreign Services, and return home to their native Country and lawfull Vocations, or to some of His Majesties Dominions.

And further, His Majesty both prohibit and forbid all and singular Masters of Ships, Pilots Mari­ners, Sea-men, Ship-wrights, and other Sea-faring men whatsoever, being His Majesties natural born Subjects of this his Kingdom of Scotland, from entering themselves; and both hereby first stre [...]y Charge and Command them, and every one of them, from henceforth to forbear to enter themselves into pay, or otherwise to be take themselves to the Service of forreign Princes or States, or to [...] in any forr [...] [...]essel or Ship, other than the Ships and Vessels belonging to His Majesties Domini [...]s without [...]nce and obtained in that behalf. To all which His Majesty doth, and will, expect due obedience and confor­mity: And doth publish and declare, That the offenders to the contrary, s [...]l not only incur Hi [...] Majesties just displeasure, but be proceeded against for their contempt, according to the utmost severities of Law.

Therefore, they have ordained, and by these presents ordains Macers or Messengers at Arms, as She­riffs in that part, in His Majesties Name and Authority, to make publick intimation hereof at the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh, Peer and Shoar of Leith, and at the Mercat-crosses of all Royal Burroughs where there are any Sea-ports, that all persons therein concerned may give due and speedy o [...]dience to this His Majesties Royal Commands, as they will answer upon their outmost perils. And ordains these presents to be printed, that none pretend ignorance.