A proclamation, anent the rebels who have not yet taken the bond

[illustration] royal blazon or coat of arms

C R

HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE

A PROCLAMATION

Anent the Rebels vvho have not yet taken the Bond.

CHARLES, by the Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, De∣fender of the Faith,

To 〈1 span left blank〉〈1 span left blank〉 Macers, or Messengers at Armes, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially con∣stitute, Greeting;

The Rebellious and Insolent rising at Bothwel-Bridge was so farr from hindring Us from continuing Our Clemency and Indulgence, to such as had so ill Deser∣ved of Us formerly, then when it was in Our Power to have Extirpated that Insolent and Vitious Crew; Yet to Convince the World and them, that Our former Favours bad not proceeded from Force, but from Clemency, and being desirous that this Our Clemency should have at last Convinced them, whom We were unwilling to Destroy, Because they were Our Ancient and Native Subjects, who if they were not strangely misled, should rather venture their Lives and Fortunes for Us, then for these Vain and Giddy-preachers, whom all the rest of the PROTESTANT-Churches disowne, and whose onely Quarrel is, That We will not a••low them to be themselves Chief Rulers: We did by a most Remarkable and unexpected Proclamation, not onely enlarge Our Indulgences to those who had not been Engaged in that Execrable Rebellion, but even to those engaged therein; Requiring onely of such as were not Heritors, or Ministers, that they should Obliege themselves not to rise in Armes against Us or Our Authority: Notwith∣standing whereof, a great part of the said Rebels have not as yet taken the said Bond, though conceived in so gentle and easie Terms, and in which We Designed as much the Security of their Native Countrey, as of Our own Authority. But because many of these who have not taken the Bond, Do profess that their not taking of it was occasioned by want of Lawful Inti∣mation, Or by their Sickness, and that they have other Legal Defencesor reasonable Excuses; And We being equally unwilling to preclude Our People from any Legal Defence, and from offering their reasonable Excuses and Verifications thereof; Or on the other part, to have Our Authority baffled by such as have even Contemned Our Clemency: Therefore to pre∣vent both these, We hereby Command all Our Officers, both in Burgh and Land, and the Officers of Our Militia, and Standing Forces to Seiz and Apprehend; And Our respective Judges Competent to proceed according to Law against such as were in the Rebellion, and who have not yet given in the said Bond before the Dyets mentioned in Our last Proclamation, dated the twenty seventh day of July last, Or who shall not give in to Our Justices betwixt and the first day of January next, in the year 1680, the said Bond with the Verisications of their reasonable Excu∣ses, and thereby satissie the Lords of Justiciary, that their not taking of it at the former Dyet proceeded not from their Contempt; Indemnifying hereby fully such as not being Ministers or Heritors, and others not excepted in Our former Proclamations, as shall satisfie the Commissioners of Our Justiciary, and shall be allowed by them to take the said Bond in manner foresaid; And for ever excluding all such from Our Mercy and Favour as have been in the said Rebellion, and have not either taken the said Bond before the Dyets contained in Our last Proclamation, or shall not take the same be∣twixt and the time foresaid; And we are confident all Honest men and Good Christians will Concur against those obstinate Rebells, as Enemies not onely to Us, but to all Humane Society, And who now want the least shadow of Pretext for Disobedience, or Irregularity? Certifying likewise, hereby all Heritors who shall keep any of the saids Rebels upon their Ground, or all others who shall Harbour or Reset them, that they shall be proceeded against with all the Se∣verity that Law can allow, as Enemies to Us, and their Native Countrey. 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 other places needful, and there in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Publication of the Premises, that none pretend Igno••ance, and Ordains these presents to be Printed.

Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh, the thretteenth day of November, 1679. And of Our Reign the thretty one year.

AL. GIBSON, Cl. Sti. Concisilii.

God save the King.