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A PROCLAMATION, Against the Importing Victual or Cattel from Ireland.
WILLIAM and MARY by the Grace of God, King and Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defenders of the Faith,
To 〈1 span left blank〉〈1 span left blank〉 Macers of Our Privy Council or Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, Conjunctly and Severaly, Specially Constitute, Greeting:
For∣asmuch as the Importing of Victual; Horse and Cowes from Ireland into this King∣dom, hath been by divers Laws and Acts of Parliament, made in the time of Our Royal Predecessors Discharged under great Paines, notwithstanding whereof, and by Reason of the unsettled State of both Kingdoms, the Observation of the saids Laws hath been of Late much ne∣glected; And we being Resolved, that due and exact Obedience shall be given to the saids Laws for the time to come, and that they shall be Execute with all Rigour, against such as Transgress the same: Therefore We, with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, Strictly Prohibite and Discharge the Importing of any Meal, or other Victual whatsomever, or of any Horse, Mares, or Cowes, from the said Kingdom of Ireland, into this Kingdom, either by the Natives thereof, or Inhabitants in Ireland, or any other Foraigners whatsomever, from, and after the Day and Date hereof, under the Pains and Penalies following, viz. As to the Importing of any Meal and other Victual, that all the Meal and Victual which shall be Imported, shall be Sunk and Destroyed; And the Seizer or Discoverer, for his Reward shall have the Boat, Bark, or Vessel, wherein the said Meal or Victual shall be Imported, to Dispose of at his pleasure, Conform to the fourteenth Act of the Parliament 1686. As also the half of the Fines Imposed upon the Importes, Resetters, and Hererors by the third Act, third Session, Parliament second, Charles Second; And as to the Im∣porting of Horses, Cowes, and other Cattel, that no Horse, Mare, Cowes, or other Cattel what∣somever, shall be Imported from Ireland to this Kingdom, under the Pain and Penaltie of Fore∣faulting thereof, and furder under the Pain of paying the Sum of an Hundred Merks Scots for each Beast that shall be so Imported, the one half of both the Beasts and Fines, to belong to the Seizer and Discoverer, and the other half to Us and Our Thesaury: And We with Advice foresaid, Pro∣hibite and Discharge, any Person, or Persons whatsomever, to Buy, Use, or Retail, any Irish Meal, or Victual, or Reset, or Buy any Horses, Mares, or Nolt, that they know to be Imported out of Ireland, after the Day foresaid, under the Paines Contained in the saids Acts of Parliament. And We with Advice foresaid, have Nominate and Appointed David Crafurd of Drumsuie, to see the foresaids Acts of Parliament made against Importing of Irish Victual, Vigorously put to Exe∣cution, During such time and space as Our Privy Council shall think Fit, with Power to him, to appoint Servants, and others under him, to attend in all Places, betwixt the Head of Kintyre and Lochryan, and from Lochryan to Dumfreis for the more Effectual performing, and Discharging their Duty in the Premisses, OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, And We Charge you traitly and Command, that Incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and to the Mercat-Crosses of the Burghs of Glasgow and Dumfreis, and of the Head-Burghs of the several Shires within that Bounds, and thereat make Publick Intimation of Our Pleasure in the Premisses, that none may pretend Ignorance; and Ordains these Presents to be Printed.
Given under Our Signet, at Edinburgh, the thirteenth day of March, and of Our Reign the Fifth Year,1694.
Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. GILB. ELIOT. Cls. Sti. Concilii.
GOD Save King William and Queen Mary.