Proclamation for bringing in and paying the arrears due by the forces in this country

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DIEV ET MON DROIT

HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE

PROCLAMATION For bringing in and paying the Arrears due by the Forces to the Countrey.

WILLIAM and MARY by the Grace of GOD, King and Queen of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defen∣ders of the Faith;

To 〈1 span left blank〉〈1 span left blank〉 Macers of Our Privy Council, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and several∣ly specially constitute, Greeting;

Forasmuch as; by the Ninth Act of the Fourth Session of this Our currant Par∣liament, for Pole-money, the same is most strictly Appointed and Destined, for payment of the Arrears due to the Countrey and Army, preceeding the first of February, One-Thousand six hundred and ninety one Years, In the first place: Prohibiting and Discharging the applying thereof to any other use whatsoever, and Certifying such as shall either give orders for mis-applying thereof, or intromet with the same, the Mis-applyers and Receivers thereof, shall be lyable conjunctly and severally in the double thereof, at the instance of any party concerned, and their privat Estates subject and lyable for the double of that which shall be so mis-applyed. And further, It is by the said Act Declared, That where the Arrears due to the Countrey, by the Forces, shall be first duely stated for any Burgh or Shire, conform to the Orders and Rules set down thereanent, the Burgh or Shire to whom the said Arrears shall be found due, shall have Retention, and get a Discharge of their Pole-money, in satisfaction of their said Arrears; and where the Arrears due to any Shire or Burgh, exceeds the Pole-money due by the said Burgh and Shire, then and in that case the said super∣plus shall be ordered to be payed by the Lords of the Thesaury, out of the Pole-money due and brought in from other places, with regard always to the total of these arrears, and to the total of the said Pole-money, that the foresaid superplus may be payable, and payed propor∣tionally, as the foresaid Act of Parliament, Impowering the Lords of Our Privy Council to Determine all Difficulties thereby undeter∣mined, that may arise anent the Premisses, more fully bears. Likeas the saids Lords of Our Privy Council having thought fit, for the better Ingathering of the foresaid Pole-money, and for the more sure answering of the ends and uses to which it is Appropriat, as said is, that the said Pole-money should be set in Tack upon a Roup, for payment of the highest Tack-duty that should be offered; We in prosecution of the said Act of Parliament, and Acts of Our Council, for Setting the foresaid Tack, Did by Our Proclamati∣on of the Date the last of July last by past, require and Command all Burghs and Shires, to whom any Arrears were due, as said is, and who might pretend to the benefit of the foresaid Retention, to cause state and bring in their Accompts thereof to the Clerks of Our Privy Council, to the effect that they might be there Revised and Approven, and payment ordered accordingly, as the said Procla∣mation, bearing an express distinction of the Arrears due by the English Forces, from these due by the Scots Forces at more length proports And We being firmly resolved, That notwithstanding that few or none of the saids Shires and Burghs have obtained their the payment of the said Pole-money, to the effect they might have had the benefit of the Retention above provided: Yet neverthe∣less the Destination contained in the foresaid Act, for the payment of the said Arrears to the first place, shall be strictly and punctual∣ly kept, without any violation, or taking the least advantage of the foresaids Shires and Burghs, their neglect and omission; Have therefore, and to make the foresaid Destination more effectual, and the payment of the said Shire and Burghs more sure and punctual, with the Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council Ordered, Likeas, We with Advice foresaid, Do hereby Order and Appoint the foresaids Shires and Burghs; As also, all others to whom any Arrears are due by Our Forces out of the Pole-money, to send in to the Clerks of Our Privy Council, the Accompts of their said Arrears, duly stated conform to former Orders, to be Revised and Approv∣en by the Lords of Our Privy Council, and that peremptorly betwixt and the fifteenth Day of January next to come, Certifying all such as shall failʒie herein, that their Accompts shall not be hereafter received, in respect of their said neglect and Contumacy, and that their falling shart, or being delayed of the payment hereby for them intended, shall only be imputable to their own fault. And it is further hereby Declared, That when ever the foresaids Accompts, hereby ordered to be brought in, shall be Revised and Ap∣proven by the Lords of Our Privy Council, to whom We earnestly Recommend to dispatch the same with all diligence possible, then the Lords of Our Thesaury are with all due conveniency to give Precepts to the saids Shires and Burghs, and others concerned, upon Our Genetal Receivers for payment to them of the respective Sums that shall be found due by the saids Lords of Our Privy Council in manner foresaid, to the effect that Our said General Receiver, to whom the Tack-duty of the said Pole-money, is by the Tack set to the Farmours thereof, appointed to be paid at the Terms of Candlemass and Whitsunday next therein specified, may make punctual pay∣ment of the saids Precepts, after the foresaids Terms, and as he shall be ordered by the saids Lords of Our Thesaury. And lastly, it is hereby Declared, That these Presents so exactly calculat, for the furthering of the Countreys payment of the said Arrears, conform to the said Act of Parliament, shall be without prejudice to the Farmours of the Pole-money, of their uplifting of the same, as also of the payment, to be made by them of their Tack-duty, therefore, conform to the Tenor of their Tack in all points. OUR WILL IS herefore, and We Charge you strictly and Commands, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edin∣burgh, and, to the Mercat Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the several shires of this Kingdom, and there, in Our Name and Authority make publication hereof, that none pretend Ignorance. And Ordains these Presents to be Printed.

Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh, the sixteenth Day of November. And of Our Reign the sixth Year, 1694.

Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. GILB. ELIOT, Cls. Sti. Concilii.

GOD Save King William and Queen Mary.