A PROCLAMATION Anent Recruits, Levies, Deserters and Passes.  
WILLIAM by the Grace of God, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, To Macers of Our Priv● Council, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially Constitute; Greeting. Forasmuch as, It is requisite and necessary, That during this present War, which so much concerns the Defence and Security of the Protestant Religion, and of Our Kingdoms, Rules and Orders be set down for Recruits, Levies and Deserters, whereby frequent Disorders and Oppressions may be prevented, and unfit men may not be Engaged, and none may be Troubled upon the head of Desertion, but such as are truly Deserters: Therefore, We with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, Conform to the Thirty third Act Fifth Session of this Our Current Parliament, Entitled Act for the Levies: Do Hereby Appoint and Ordain, that no Officer, either at Home or from Abroad, offer to Take on, or Press any Free Liege to be a Soldier, unless the Man be Taken on by Agreement, owned by him in presence of the Judge of the Bounds. And if any Officer shall Contraveen this Order, and Press or Compel any Man contrair to the Rule hereby Established, that it shall be reckoned Oppression, and the Transgressor punished by the Fine of a Months Pay, and further by Imprisonment, or Breaking and cashiering, as the said's Lords of Our Privy Council shall think sit. And further, We with Advice foresaid, Do strictly Prohibit and Discharge all Our Officers which have come for Recruits from Flanders, to Seize upon any persons as Deserters, but such as have Deserted from Our Scots Regiments in Flanders since they were there, and none others: And allows the Officers of Our Forces in this Our ancient Kingdom, to Seize upon none upon the head of Desertion, but such as have Deserted from one or other of the said's Regiments, of which they are at present Officers: And Discharge any person to be Seized upon, on pretence of Desertion before our Accession to the Crown. And for preventing any Mistake anent Passes, given to such as have been Soldiers: We with Advice foresaid, Do hereby Appoint and Ordain, That no Pass be sustained for any Soldier from Our Forces in Flanders, or out of this Kingdom, unless the same be Subscribed at least by the Colonel of the Regiment, to which he belonged. And that no Pass be sustained for any of the Soldiers of the standing Regiments of this Kingdom, unless the same be Subscribed by the Colonel of the Regiment, or by one of the Field-Officers, Commander of the Regiment for the time, to which he belonged; and Declares, that the Passes Signed in manner foresaid, shall free the persons in whose favours they are granted. And further, We with Advice foresaid, Do hereby Ratify and Revive, all former Acts and Proclamations, made anent Recruits, Levies, or Deserters, except in so far, as the samen are hereby Innovat or Altered. Our Will is Herefore, and we Charge you strictly, and Command, That in Continent their Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and remanent Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the several Shires and Stewartries within this Our kingdom, and There in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Intima●●●●●hereof, that none may pretend ignorance. And Ordains Our Solicitor to Transmit ●rinted Copies hereof, to the Sheriffs of the several Shires of this Kingdom, to be sent ●y them, to the Ministers of the several parochs within their respective Shires: and Appoints the Ministers of the parochs, to cause Intimat these Proclamations in their Paroch Churches where they are Ministers, immediately at the Dissolution of the Congregation, and that either from the Pulpit, or at the Church-Doors. And Ordains these Presents to be Printed and Published.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh, the Thirteenth day of February, and of Our Reign the Seventh year, 1696. Pe● Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. DA. MONCREIFF Cls. Sti. Concilii.  
GOD Save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors o● andrew Anderson, Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Maj●●●● 1696.