An Act anent those who are or shall be Fugitives or Runaways from their Companies and Colours.  
At Edinburgh the 22 of January 1644.  
THe Lords and others of the Committee of the Estates presently convened, taking to their consideration the great prejudice and danger which may arise to the present Army and Expedition for England, by some who having gone out with the said Army and Expedition, may hereafter turn bacl and run away from their Company and Colours: For remedy whereof, it is Statute and Ordained, That all those both of Horse and Foot who shall run away from their Colours and Companies without a Pass, shall be apprehended by the Colonels and Committees of War within ilk Shire, or Magistrates within Burgh where they dwell, and others whom they shall appoint for that effect where ever they can be found, and sent again with all diligence to their Company and Colours, there to be punished conform to the Articles of Military Discipline; or else that the Committees of War and Colonels within ilk Shire, and Magistrates within ilke Burgh (if they think it expedient for the good of the Army, and for terrifying others from running away in like manner) decimat the saids fugitives both horse and foot, from their Companies and Colours, being apprehended, and cause hang the tenth man of them: And if there be but one or more of them within ten, to cause hang one of them, albeit there be but one, and cause send the rest of the saids fugitives, horse and foot, to the Committee of the Estates at Edinburgh, upon the expenses of the Public, to be punished with a mark of infamy, and sent back to their Colours. And because the resetting and entertaining of the saids fugitives, emboldens and incourages them to keep themselves still lurking, and incourages others by their example to run away; Therefore it is statute and ordained, that whosoever shall keep, reset, or entertain any of the foresaids' fugitives, horse or foot, & shall not dilate or deliver them to the said Committee and Colonels of the Shire, or Magistrates within Burgh, with all possible diligence; Then the said's resetters shall be repute and esteemed as disaffected, and enemies to Religion, to their Country, and to the Cause presently in hand; and shall be accordingly punished by the Committee of the Estates, or Committees and Colonels of war where they dwell, or Magistrates within Burgh; and shall be punished with the loss of the half of all their movable goods; the one half whereof, shall be employed for the use of the Public, and the other half of the 'samine shall pertain to whatsoever person shall dilate the foresaids persons, resetters and entertainers, and who shall qualify the foresaid reset and entertainment: To whom the said Committee of Estates promiseth hereby, upon their honour and credit, to grant and dispone the present right and possession of the 'samine. And if the Committees and Colonels of war, within each division, or any person being thereupon, or Magistrates within ilke Burgh, shall be negligent in taking order with the foresaids fugitives and runaways from their Colours, and with their resetters and entertainers, or shall be deficient in putting of this Act to execution after the form and tenor hereof, ilke person of the said's Committees of war, and Colonels, and the Magistrates within ilke Burgh, shall be fined by the Committee of Estates, in the sum of three hundred pounds Scottish money, for ilk failȝie tottes quoties; the one half of which fyne, shall pertain to the Public, and the other half thereof to the parties dilaters. And also it is statute and ordained, that if it come to the knowledge of any person, who have, or shall happen hereafter to outreach Soldiers, on horse or foot, that these out-reached by them, are disbanded & fled from their Colours, the said's out-putters of them shall be obliged to search, seek, and apprehend the saids fugitives, through the whole bounds of the Parishes or burgh's where the said's out-putters dwells, and shall either apprehend them, and present them to the Committee and Colonels of the Shire, or to the Magistrates of the said's Burghes, that order may be taken with them, conform to the tenor of this present Act; or else shall put them from the bounds of the said Parish or Burgh: or otherways, if the said's out-putters shall be negligent to do their exact diligence herein, the said's out-putters shall be obliged to make up their number by out-putting of men in their places, sufficiently provided in Arms and other necessaries, upon the said's out-putters their own expenses. And ordains this Act to be printed, and ane copy thereof to be sent to every Parish Kirk, and to every  of war, and every Burgh within ilke division within this Kingdom: And that it be read at ilk Parish Kirk, upon ane Sunday, and thereafter battered on the Kirk wall, to be read by every person, that none pretend ignorance thereof.  
Arch. Primrose.   

Printed at Edinburgh by Evan Tyler, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1644.