C R  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
AT EDINBURGH, The twelfth day of December, one thousand six hundred and sixty one.  
FOrasmuch as by an Act of Privy Council, of the date the sixth day of September last, His Majesty's Royal pleasure to restore the Church of this Kingdom to its right Government by Bishops, as it was by Law before the late troubles, during the reigns of His Majesty's Royal Father and Grandfather of blessed memory, and as it now stands settled by Law, was made known to all the Subjects of this Kingdom by open Proclamation at the Mercat Crosses of all Burroughs Royal: And that it is Statute by the first Act of the twenty one Parliament of King James the sixth, that all Presentations to Benefices should be directed thereafter to the Archbishop, or Bishop of the Diocese, within the bounds whereof any vacant Church lieth. So that since their restitution to their former Dignities, Privileges and Powers settled upon them by Law, and Acts of Parliament, No Minister within this Kingdom should be admitted to any Benefice but upon Presentations directed as said is. And yet, notwithstanding thereof it is informed, that upon Presentations directed to Presbyteries, they do daily proceed to admit Ministers to Kirks and Benefices, albeit the Archbishops and Bishops are restored to their Dignities; some of them already consecrated, and all of them within a very short time will be invested in their Rights and Benefices, and impowered to receive Presentations and grant Admissions thereupon: Therefore the Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council prohibits, and by these presents discharges all Patrons to direct any Presentations to any Presbyteries; as also, discharges all and sundry the Presbyteries within this Kingdom to proceed to the Admission of any Minister to any Benefice or Kirk within their respective bounds, upon any such Presentations, as they will be answerable; with certification that if they do other ways, the saids Presentation and Admission shall be void and null, as if they never had been granted. And ordains these presents to be printed, and published at the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh and other places needful, that none may pretend ignorance.  
Pet. Wedderburne, Cl. Sti. Concilii..   

EDINBURGH, Printed by Evan Tyler, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1661.