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HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
EDINBURGH, The second day of February, one thousand six hundred and sixty four.  
FOrasmuch as the Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council, taking to their consideration, the great advantage and profit will redound to the Liege's of this Kingdom, by keeping of the time of Lent and weekly Fish-days, viz. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and discharging of all persons to eat Flesh, during that time, upon the saids days, or to kill or sell in Mercats any sorts of Flesh which are usually bought at other times, whereby the young Brood and Store might be preserved, and the hazard of scarcity and dearth prevented; and that the Fishes, which, by the mercy of GOD, abound in the salt and fresh waters of this Kingdom, might be made use of, for the food and entertainment of the Liege's, and the encouragement of many poor families who live by fishing: the improvement whereof hath been much neglected these many years past, which hath been occasioned by the universal allowance of eating of Flesh and keeping of Mercats at all times, without distinction or restraint, contrary to many laudable Laws and Acts of Parliament, prohibiting the eating of Flesh the time of Lent and upon the saids Fish-days. Did therefore, by their Act and Proclamation of the sixth of February, one thousand six hundred and sixty two, as also by their other Act of the twelfth of February, one thousand six hundred and sixty three, ordain and command, that the time of Lent for these years and yearly thereafter, should begin and be keeped as the same was keeped before the year of GOD, one thousand six hundred and forty; and that the said's weekly Fish-days should be strictly observed in all time thereafter; and that no Subject, of whatsoever rank, quality or degree, except they have a special Licence under the hand of the Clerk of the Council, presume to eat any Flesh during the said time of Lent, or upon the said's three weekly Fish-days; and that no Butchers, Cooks, Ostlers, kill, make ready or sell any Flesh, either publicly in Mercats, or privately in their own houses, during the said time, or upon the saids days, under the penalties following, to be exacted with all rigour, viz. For the first fault ten pounds; for the second fault twenty pounds; for the third fault forty pounds; and so to be multiplied according to the oft contraveening of the said Act, to be exacted and paid, the one half to the King's Majesty, and the other half to the delators: And for the surer exacting thereof, did give power and warrant to all Magistrates within burgh's, Sheriffs, Stewarts and Bailies, within their several jurisdictions, to inquire after the contraveeners, and to pursue them before the Lords of Privy Council, or such others as should be delegat and appointed for that effect. And seeing the not keeping of Lent and Fish-days, conform to the said's Acts, hath been occasioned by not exacting the penalties, contained in the said's two former Acts, from the contraveeners thereof, who, upon hopes of impunity, may still continue to disovey the said's Acts, to the great prejudice of the Kingdom; Therefore, the said's Lords of Council have renewed, and by these presents renews, the foresaids Acts, and discharges all His Majesty's Liege's from presuming or taking upon hand to contraveen the same in any time coming; with certification, if they failyie, the pains and penalties therein contained shall be exacted with all rigour; and that they will crave an account of all Magistrates and other Ministers of Justice, who are entrusted to procure obedience thereto, and give notice of the offenders in their respective bounds, as they will be answerable. And for this effect, ordains these presents to be printed, and published at the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh, and other places needful, that none pretend ignorance.  
Pet. Wedderburne, Cl. S ti Concilii.   

Edinburgh, Printed by Evan Tyler, Printer to the King's most Excellent MAJESTY.