A DECLARATION OF HIS HIGHNESS' COUNCIL IN SCOTLAND, For the GOVERNMENT thereof; For the better Preventing of Illaffected PERSONS from Acting any Design to the Disturbance of the QUIET of this NATION, by an Unlicensed Repairing into this Country, and going out of the same.  
WHereas many of those lately in Arms against the Peace and Quiet of this Nation, being fled beyond the Seas because of the many Victories and good Successes which GOD hath given to the Forces of this Commonwealth against the Common Enemy, which rendered it unsafe for them to remain therein; And it having been found that some of them are already returned, and it being believed that others, dis-affected to the Peace and Welfare of this Country, are likely to return there-into, upon pretence of knowing no Order to the contrary: The Council considering, that the confluence of such dis-affected persons hither might be of dangerous consequence to this Nation; And to the end that no Person may pretend ignorance thereof, do hereby Order and Declare;  
I. That no Person or Persons whatsoever, now beyond the Seas out of this Commonwealth, who are not Commanders or Masters of any Ships, or other Vessels, or properly belonging to any Ships Company, aswell of this Commonwealth, as in Amity with it (for all which Companies, the said respective Commanders or Masters of Ships, or Vessels, will be answerable) shall, after the Twentieth of January next, presume to come from any place beyond the Seas, not in the power of this Commonwealth, into Scotland without Licence in that behalf from his Highness the Lord Protector or his Council, or from his Highness' Council in Scotland, or the Commander in 〈…〉 of Ireland, or the Commander in Chief of his Highness Forces there, or his Highness' Council in Ireland, or the Generals of the Fleet of this Commonwealth, or any of them, or such others as are or shall be authorized in that behalf; as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
II. All such as shall repair into Scotland from any place beyond the Sea, not belonging to this Commonwealth, after the Publication hereof, though with a Pass between this and the Twentieth of January next, and after; and though without a Pass between this and the Twentieth of January next, such Person and Persons respectively are hereby required before they come on shore, to send Intimation, as they will answer the contrary at their perils, of their being arrived, to the Governor of one of the next adjacent Garrisons, who is to send forthwith for the said Person or Persons, to see his or their Pass or Passes, lest they might be counterfeited; and for such as have no Pass between this and the Twentieth of January next, to receive Information of the cause of their coming into this Nation, of their business here, and of the time of their intended continuance in this Country; In all which, if the said Governor receive full satisfaction, he is then to permit the said Person or Persons to pass about his or their lawful affairs; But if upon such examination the said Governor hath cause to suspect the said Person or Persons, He is desired and authorized to secure him or them, and forthwith to intimate the Grounds of his said Dis-satisfaction unto the Council, who will give speedy Order therein; till which Order be received by the said Governor, he is desired and authorized to keep the said Person and Persons in safe custody.  
III. That no Commander or Master of any Ship or Vessel, shall from or after the Twentieth of January next, bring any Person, or receive aboard his Ship or Vessel any Person from any place beyond the Seas, not in the power of this Commonwealth, coming for Scotland, except the Mariners belonging to the Ship or Vessels Company (for whom the Ship Commander or Master of the Ship or Vessel will be answerable) and except such Person or Persons as shall 〈…〉 from any of the Persons or Authorities before mentioned, upon the pain and penalty of the loss and forfeiture of the Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels wherein such Passenger or Passengers shall come, and of Imprisonment during the Councils pleasure, and such further punishment as their contempt of this Declaration shall demerit.  
4. And the Council further considering the Inconveniences that might arise to this Commonwealth, by the going of Persons out of Scotland beyond the Seas, if a general liberty should be taken therein, whereby dis-affected Persons might the better pursue their wicked Designs against this Commonwealth, Do further hereby Order and Declare, That no Commander or Master of any Ship or Vessel, shall, after the Fourth day of December next, presume to transport or receive aboard his Ship or Vessel, in order to his Transportation, any Person whatsoever (except such as belong to the Ship or Vessels Company, for whom he will be answerable) going for any Foreign Parts, not in the power of this Commonwealth, without Licence in that behalf from some one of the Persons or Authorities before mentioned, or from the Governor of Air, Aberdeen, or Dundee for the time being, upon pain of forfeiture of his Ship, and imprisonment of his Person during the Councils pleasure. And this Declaration is to continue and be of force until the First of July next after the Date hereof. And for the more effectual having of these Orders put in execution, All Officers whatsoever belonging to the Customs in the respective Ports in Scotland, are hereby strictly required (from and after the Publication hereof) upon the arrival of any Ship or Vessel from any Place beyond Sea, not belonging to this Commonwealth, to repair immediately aboard, and to acquaint the Commander or Master thereof with the  Declaration, and strictly to require him, to give him a Schedule of the Names of his Ships Company, for whom he is to undertake to be answerable, by writing under his hand at the foot of the said Schedule, as also to give due observance to the said Declaration. And the said Officers of the Customs, or one of them, at their respective Ports, are to require from the Commander or Master of every such Ship or Vessel, a List of the Passengers coming in the said Ship, under his hand; which List, the said Commander or Master of such Ship or Vessel is required to deliver him or them; And also to enjoin the said Commander or Master of such Ship or Vessel, not to permit any such Passengers to come on Shore until they respectively be ordered by Warrant from the Governor of one of the next adjacent Garrisons to come to him. And the said Officers of the Customs, at their respective Ports, are further hereby required, diligently to search whether any Person or Persons (other than the Company so undertaken for, belonging to the said Ship or Vessel) be come over in such Ship or Vessel, And if any such be, to acquaint him or them also with the  Declaration, and enjoin his due obedience thereunto, that no person may pretend ignorance thereof; And also carefully to observe whether there be any breakers of the Rules set down by the said Declaration, And if any such should be, from time to time 〈◊〉 to inform his Highness' Council thereof, and as much as in them lies, to prevent or hinder any Breach of the said Order.  
Friday, the 23. day of November, 1655. At His Highness' Council in EDINBURGH, ORdered, That the above Declaration be forthwith Printed and Published, EMANUEL DOWNING, Cl. of the Council.   

EDINBURGH, Printed by Christopher Higgins, in Harts-Close, over against the Trone-Church, 1655.