I R   royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION For Encouragement of Cloth-Manufactories.  
JAMES by the Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, To Macers of Our Privy Council, or Messengers at Arms, Cur Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constitute, Greeting;  
Forasmuch, as by several Laws, and Acts of Parliament, and particularly by the 12th. Act of the 3d Parliament of King Charles the second, of ever blessed memory; All Merchants, and other Persons whatsomever, are strictly prohibit, and discharged to Import into this Kingdom, any Foreign , or Stuffs made of Wool, with Certification, that all such Goods, as shall be Imported contrary thereto, shall be burnt and destroyed, and the Importers, and Resetters thereof Fined in the Value of the saids Goods: As also, by an Act of Our Privy Council, of the date, the 14. day of August. 1685. The Lords thereof, for the Encouragement of Manufactories, did give full Power and Warrant to the undertakers therein, or those to be Entrusted by them, to seize on all Foreign Cloth, and Searges, etc. Imported within this Kingdom, contrary to Law; and did thereby strictly Prohibit, and Discharge all Persons whatsomever, either by Collusion, or otherways, to Import, or Traffic within this Kingdom, concerning the Conveying, Vending, or Selling any Foreign Woollen Cloth, and others v, within the same, under the Pains and Penalties made thereagainst: And likewise, did thereby Discharge the wearing of all Woollen Cloth, and Searges, etc. Except that which is Native, under the pain of 500 Marks Scots Money, for each Transgression. The Persons challenged being always obliged to declare upon Oath, from whom they had any of the said's Prohibit Goods: And likewise, We, by Our Royal Proclamation, of the date, the 16. day of September. 1686. By advice of Our Privy Council, did Revive and Renew all Laws made in Favours of Manufactories. Prohibiting, and Discharging the Importing, or Wearing what is thereby Prohibited. And did Require and Command the samen to be put in due and vigorous Execution, every manner of way, as is thereby prescribed, and did thereby Prohibit and Discharge the Importing or Wearing of all English-Cloth; as also the wearing of all Stuffs, or prohibited , abroad, or in the Streets, under the pretence of Night-Gowns, or Night-Dresses, under the Pains contained in Our Proclamation, and Acts of Parliament. Notwithstanding of which Acts, tending so much to the advancement of Manufactories, within this Kingdom, and thereby to the general advantage of the Nation. The Merchants, and others have Imported great Quantities of Prohibit Foreign , and Stuffs, to the great discouragement of the said Manufactories; the considerable loss and prejudice of the Kingdom, and manifest breach, and contempt of the Laws, which We understand to proceed from the not putting of the said's Laws to due Execution against the Contraveeners: Therefore, We, with advice of Our Council of Trade, do hereby Revive and renew all the said's Laws, and other Acts of Parliament, and Council, for the Encouragement of Manufactories, in all the Heads and Articles thereof; And Ordain, that all who have Imported any such Foreign , or Stuffs, be proceeded against, before Our Council of Trade, conform to the tenor of the said's Acts. And further, for the Encouragement of the Cloth-Manufactorie already set up, and all those that in time coming, shall be set up within this Kingdom, We, with advice foresaid, do strictly Prohibit and Discharge all manner of Persons whatsomever, to buy any Foreign Cloth, Searges, Cairseys, Freizes and milled D●ogats, all made o● Wool, in time coming, or to make any Wearing  thereof, in case they have any of the said's  or Stuffs by them already, under the pain of 500 marks Scots. And to the effect, that no man may pretend Ignorance, whether Cloth be Foreign, or Native, We for distinguishing of the samen, do Ordain all Manufactories of Cloth, to have a Seal, which shall be put upon every Piece of Cloth, made therein, under the pain of confiscation of the samen; And that all other Persons, making Cloth above the Price of three pounds' Scots, shall have the Seal of the adjacent Town, appended thereto, under the Penalty above-written, and the Magistrates of each Burgh, are hereby Ordained to append the samen, upon their making Faith, that the said Cloth was made within the Kingdom. For appending of which Seal, the Presenters o● the Cl●●● are to pay two shilling Scots for ilk Piece. And in regard the Tailors have generally been the greatest Traffiquers, in Buying, and Selling the foresaid prohibit Goods; Therefore, We do hereby prohibit all Tailors, to Buy, or make any of the foresaids prohibit Goods, under the Pain of 20. lib. Scots for ilk Transgression, toties quoties. And that Our Pleasure herein may be known, OUR WILL IS, and We Charge you strictly, and Command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and all other Places needful, and there in Our Royal Name, and Authority, by open Proclamation, make publication of Our Pleasure in the Premises, that punctual obedience may be given thereto, and none pretend Ignorance.  
Given at Edinburgh the Fifteenth day of August, One thousand six hundred eighty Years. And of Our Reign the Fourth Year. Per Actum Dominorum Concilii Commercii. Ro: Maine Cls. Concilii Commercii. 
 GOD save the KING.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty: Anno DOM. 1688.