coat of arms of the City of Edinburgh NISI DOMINVS FRUSTRA  
ACT anent Women-Servants in Taverns, etc.  
Edinburgh, 13. of December 1699.  
THE which Day, the Lord Provost, Bailies and Council of this City, Considering, That by several Acts made, and Proclamations emitted by them, pursuant to many Acts of Parliament, and Acts of the General Convention of the Royal Burrows, The Keeping and Employing of Women-Servants for Retailing Liquors in Taverns, Cellars, Drinking-Shops, and other Places where Liquors are Sold by Retail, is peremtorly Discharged, as a great Snare to the Youth, and Occasion of Lewdness and Debauchry; and also Considering, that the Persons Concerned, have been so far from giving Obedience to these laudable Acts and Proclamations, that on the contrair, they have Entertained, and yet keep in their Service, for Vending and Retailing Ale and other Liquors in Cellars and other Places , Women who have been guilty of Fornication, which Practice hath yet a more dangerous tendency to the corrupting of Youth, and will in all probability occasion a greater growth of Immorality, which doth already too much Abound, to the Dishonour of God, and Scandal of Christianity. Therefore the Magistrates and Town-Council of this City, for Suppressing and Restraining such dangerous and evil Customs, in the mean time, until Methods shall be fallen upon for putting in Execution the foresaid Acts against Retailling Liquors by Women-Servants in general, and without any prejudice thereto: Do peremptorly Discharge all Vintners, Taverners, Innkeepers and others, to Employ and Keep in their Service, such Women as have been guilty of Fornication, or shall be guilty thereof in time-coming, for Retailling Wine, Ale, or other Liquors, in Houses, Shops, Cellars and other Places within this City and Suburbs, under the Penalty of One hundred pounds' Scots, to be paid by the Masters or Mistresses where such Servants shall be found, toties quoties, they being conscious of the said Gild of their Servants, attour the Servants Banishment: And Ordains such Masters and Mistresses as have such Servants for Retailing at present, to Remove them from the said Service immedialy, under the Penalty foresaid; Certifying all such Masters, Mistresses and Servants who shall Contraveen, that the foresaid Penalties shall be Inflicted and Exacted without Abatement, and that the Masters and Mistresses shall be liable from such time as their knowledge of their Servants Gild, after this Proclamation, shall be proven; and separately, that they shall be Repute to have known from and after due and just Intimation of the said Gild, made by the Elders, or Church Thesaurer. And to the end this Act may be more effectually and punctually Observed, the Council Recommends to the Elders & Deacons, and Church-Thesaurer for the time, to Search their respective Bounds Termly, or oftener, as need requires, that they may Discover such Servant-Women, and if any be Found, to Dilate them and their Master or Mistress to the Magistrates, to be Fined and Punished accordingly. And Appoints this Act to be Published in the usual manner, and Printed, that none may pretend Ignorance. Extracted  
JAMES STVART