C R  
HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
ACT Against the Importation of some Bibles.  
Edinburgh, the twelfth day of October, 1676.  
FOrasmuch as the KING's Majesty, by His Gift, dated the twelfth day of May, one thousand six hundred and seventy one, Did grant and dispone to Andrew Anderson, His Majesty's Printer, now dece●●●● his Heirs, Assignayes or Substitutes, to be His Majesty's sole, absolute and only Master-Printer, for the space of forty one years after his entry to that Office; with power, not only to print His Majesty's 〈◊〉 of Parliament, Proclamations, and other Papers relating to the public Affairs of this Kingdom, 〈◊〉 also to print and re-print Bibles in all Volumes, with the Psalms therein till, Third Parts of the Bible 〈◊〉 New Testaments in all Volumes, all Books of Divinity, Commentaries, Concordances, Books of the Common or Civil Law, all sorts of School-books, School-authors, Grammars, Rudiments, Psalms, Confessions of Faith, Catechis●●●… and shorter, calendars, Primars, etc. Discharging all others so to do, without Warrant and Order from Hi● 〈…〉 Printer, under the pain of confiscation of all such Books, the one half thereof to the King, and the other ha●● 〈…〉 use of His Printer and his foresaids, besides such other penalties as the Council shall think fit to inflict, in 〈…〉 failȝie. And whereas the Relict and Heir of the said deceased Andrew Anderson, have exhibited and presented 〈…〉 Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council, Bibles of three several Volumes and Sizes, Printed by the said deceased Anderson, one thereof on a Letter called the Peril Letter with Notes, in the Volume of Twelve, printed in the y●●● 〈◊〉 thousand six hundred and seventy three; another printed in the said year, on the same Letter, without Note● 〈…〉 Volume of Eighteen; and the third printed in the year, one thousand six hundred and seventy six, on a Letter 〈…〉 Nonperil, with Notes, in the Volume of Eight: Of which Bibles, they have printed such a considerable num●●● 〈…〉 their very great expenses) as may be able sufficiently to serve His Majesty's Liege's, and to the advantage of the 〈…〉 by hindering the export of considerable sums of money which are daily taken forth thereof, for the import of 〈…〉 Bible's; and have undertaken to serve the Liege's sufficiently, at als easy rates in far better work, as any 〈…〉 can afford. The said's Lords of Council do therefore, conform to His Majesty's Gift v, prohibit and 〈…〉 any person whatsomever, after the first day of November next, to import, vend or fell into this Kingdom 〈…〉 Bible's of the foresaids Letters and Sizes; Declaring hereby, all such Bibles as shall be imported after the 〈…〉 confiscable, the one half thereof for His Majesty's use, and the other half for the use of the Relict and He●● 〈…〉 Majesty's said Printer: With full Power and Warrant to them, or any having their Order, to seize upon, 〈…〉 confiscate the said's Bibles, wherever the same can be found, they being always countable for His Majesties. 〈…〉 said seizure, to the Lords of the Thesaury: Ordaining and Commanding hereby, the Tacks-men and 〈…〉 of the Customs and Excise, their Deputes and Waiters, to confiscate any of the said's Bibles that shall 〈…〉 imported after the said day, to the use aforesaid; which is to be by and attour any other punishment or p●●●… 〈…〉 Majesty's Council shall think fit to infl●●●, or impose upon the contraveeners. And Ordains these preened 〈…〉 printed, and published at the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other places needful, that none 〈…〉 ignorance.  
Tho. Hay, Cl. S ti Concilii. 
 GOD save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His 〈…〉 Majesty. Anno Dom. 1676.