PROCLAMATION Against Regraiting of Victual, and Forestallers, and Allowing the Importation of Victual free of Public Burden.  
WILLIAM by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland; Defender of the Faith, To _____ Macers of Our Privy Council, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, Conjunctly and Severally, Specially, Constitute, Greeting: Forasmuch as by Several Acts of Parliament, the keeping up of Victual to a Dearth, is strictly Prohibited, and particularly, it is Statute by the Acts, James the Second Parliament Cap. sixth, twenty two and twenty three, that for the Efcheving of Dearth: Sheriffs, Bailies and other Officers both to Burgh, and to Land; inquire what Persons Buys Victual, and holds it to a Dearth; And that the said's Sheriffs and Officers make such known, that in case they hold more than will Sustain them, and their Meinzie to New-Corn they may be Punished, and Demeaned as Ockerers and Usurers; and the Victual Escheated to Us; and that the same be Presented to Mercats, and Sold as the Price goes. And by the Act James the Second Parliament ninth, Cap. thirty eight and thirty ninth, it is Ordained that no manner of Victual be holden in Girnals by any man to a Dearth, but allanerly what is needful for their own Persons, and Sustentation of their Households; and that the said's Persons present all that they have more to the Mercat, under the Pain of Escheat thereof: And Searchers are appointed in Edinburgh and Leith to make the said's Acts Effectual; As likewise, the Crime of Forestall is forbidden by several Acts and Statutes, and particularly by the Act, James the sixth, Parliament twelfth, Cap. one hundred and forty eight, it is Declared, that who Buys any Merchandise, or Victual coming to Fair or Mercat, or makes any Contract or Promise for the Buying of the same, before the said Merchandise or Victual shall be in the Fair or Mercat-Place ready to be Sold, or shall make any Motion by Word, Writ, or Message for raising of the Prices, or Dearer Selling of the said Merchandise and Victual, or who shall Dissuade any from coming, and bringing the foresaid Merchandise and Victual to Fair or Mercat, shall be Esteemed and Judged a Forestaller; And it is Ordained that all such Forestallers may be Pursued before the Justices, or Magistrates of burgh's, and that without a special Libel; but only upon Forestall in General, and the Persons convict to be Fined for the first Fault in Forty Pounds, for the Second in one hundred Marks, and for the Third to Incur the Tinsel of Movables. And Seing that through the not due Observance, and the Execution of the foresaids Acts: The Calamity of the Country, by the present Scarcity and Dearth is greatly Increased. THEREFORE We with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, have thought fit to Revive the same, and Ordain them to be put to Strict Execution, and for that Effect; to Empower and Require all Sheriffs of Shires, Stevarts of Stewartries, Lords and Bailies of Regalities, and their Deputs, and Magistrates of burgh's, as likewise all Commissioners of Supply, and Justices of Peace, to cause Inquire, and Search to be made, who holds up, or Girnels Victual or keeps Stacks contrary to the foresaid Laws, And to Command and Charge the Keepers up of the said Victual in Girnels, Stacks, or otherways Contrary to the said's Statutes; either to Thresh out, bring, and Expose the same for Sale, in open and ordinary Mercats, or otherwise to open their Girnels, and other Houses where the Victual is keeped, and there Sell the same, as the said Sheriffs, Stevarts of Stewartries, Lords and Bailies of Regalities, and their Deputs, and Magistrates of burgh's, or any two of the said's Commissioners, shall find the ordinary Price to Rule for the Time in the Country, not below the last Candlemass. Fires, with Certification that if they Failzie therein; they shall be Proceeded against; and the Pains of the foresaids Acts of Parliament Execute upon them with all Rigour: And in the Mean time the Victual Girneled, and Unlawfully keeped up as said is, Arreested and Sequestrate by the foresaid Sheriffs and others as Escheat. And further We with Advice foresaid, Command and Charge all Magistrates of burgh's, and other Officers of the Land to take Care that all Mercats and Fairs be duly Regulat, conform to the Laws, without Extortion, and to cause put the foresaid-Acts of Parliament against Forestallers to due and vigorous Execution: Certifying the foresaids Sheriffs, Magistrates, and others, who shall fail in their Duty in the Premises, that upon Information given to the Lords of Our Privy Council, they shall be therefore severely Punished, as the Lords of Our Privy Council shall see Cause. And further, for the better Relief of the Country under the present great Scarcity, whereby the Prices of Victual are arisen above the Rates mentioned in the Act of Parliament for prohibiting the Import of Foreign Victual; We with Advice foresaid, Do hereby grant Licence and full Liberty to all persons to Import Victual and Corns, of all sorts, from any Foreign Kingdom or Country, and that free of Custom, Excise, or other Imposition; and for that effect Recommends it to the Commissioners of Our Thesaury, to Discharge the Exacting thereof for the said Victual to be Imported as said is, after the day and date hereof, and that notwithstanding of any Act of Parliament or Book of Rates Imposing the same; Declaring, that this Licence and Liberty, is to Endure until the First Day of September next to come, and no longer. Our Will is herefore, and We Charge you strictly and command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and to the Mercat-crosses of the remanent Head-Burghs of the several Shires and Stewartries within this Kingdom, and there in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Intimation hereof, that none pretend Ignorance. And Ordains these Presents to be Printed.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the Ninth Day of June and of Our Reign the Eight Year, 1696 Ex deliberatione Dominorum Secreti Concilii. GILB, ELIOT Cls. Sti. Concilii  
GOD save the KING.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Excellent Majesty, Anno DOM. 1696.