A PROCLAMATION Against the Importing of Irish Victual, , Horses, and Mares, etc.  
CHARLES, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, Frence and Ireland, Defender of the Faith:  
To Macers, or Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constitute, Greeting,  
Forasmuch, as We and O●… Estates of Parliament, by several Acts, Have, upon weighty Considerations, discharged the importation of Irish Victual and  into this Kingdom under the pains and certifications therein contained. As also, The Lords of Our Privy Council, have emitted several Acts and Proclamations, 〈◊〉 pursuance of the said's Acts of Parliament; Notwithstanding whereof, and of all the cates and endeavours taken, to prevent the importing of 〈◊〉 Victual and , the same is imported into this Kingdom: And considering, the best and fittest way for preventing thereof, may be to commission some persons of power and interest, in the several places of the Country, where the said Victual and  is ordinarily brought in and landed: We therefore with advice of the Lords of O ur Privy Council, have thought fit to grant full Power, Authority and Commission, to Robert Campbel, brother to the Laird of A●…kinglass, John boil of Kelburn, and James Dumbar of Mochrum, by themselves, their Deputes, Servants, and such as they shall think fit to appoint (for whom they wi●… be answerable) To search for, seize and apprehend, all Irish Victual, and , and salt Beef, made thereof, as shall be imported from Ireland into this Kingdom in the particular places after-specified, (viz) The said Robert Campbel, brother to the Laird of Ardkinglass, in all places from Lochlung, to the mule of Kintyre, and r●… about the same, The said John Boil of Kelburne, in all places from the burgh of Glasgow, to the march of Galloway, on the south: and from Glasgow to Lock●… on the north, and the Isles of Arran, Bute and Comray; and the said James Dumbar of Mochrum, in all places from the March of Galloway, to the March of Nit●… Which Victual so imported, the said's Commissioners and these entrusted by them, are thereby authorized and required, to cause Sta●…, Sink, and Destroy, and to Bu●… Boats, Barks, and Vessels, in which the same shall be found to be imported. And for the more ready and effectual prosecution of that Our Commission, We 〈◊〉 Granted full Power and Authority, to Our said's Commissioners, by themselves, their Deputes, servants, and such as they shall think fit to intrust in the respective bounds foresaids, To secure all Barks, or travelling Boats, whether Scots or Irish, until the Skippers or owners shall find caution that they shall import no Irish Victual or C●…tel hereafter. The said's Commissioners, and their foresaids, are thereby also authorized, to search all Boats, Barks, or other Vessels, wherein any Irish Victual or Cat●… are suspected to be; And iccase they find any of the said prohibited goods, therein; To burn the said Boats, Barks, or Vessels; and to Stave, Sink, and ●…stroy the Victual: And for the better discovery thereof, all Merchants, Skippers and Owners of Boats, or other Vessels, travelling to and from the places fore●… hereby ordered, before they break bulk, or liver any goods, To Advertise the said's Commissioners, or these entrusted by them, at one or other of the 〈…〉 (viz) At the point of Garvel, near Greenck, the towns of Largesse, Irving, Turnberry, Dumbarton Rhothesay and Broddock, Dinoon, Tarbet, Camp●…, 〈…〉 Portpatrick, Glenluce, and Kirkcudburgh: (at which ports, Officers are established to receive the said's advertisements;) under the pain of confiscation of ●…sels, and Goods, and being holden as confessed Importers, of Irish Victual; Provided that the Skippers or Owners, shall not upon such occasion, be obliged to ●…er then one Tides water; If upon pregnant presumptions, the said's Commissioners, or these entrusted by them, shall suspect any persons gulley of Importing Irish ●…ual, or Cattles, They are thereby authorized, to convein any such person or persons, before the nearest Magistrate, in Burgh or Landward: And to lead all man●… probation against them for proving thereof; whereupon, the said's Magistrates are to give present and ready justices All Sheriffs, Stewarts, Baylles of Regalities, a●… Baronies, and all Heretors, are thereby ordered, to give their speedy and ready assistance to the said's Commissioners, and these entrusted by them, when ever they 〈◊〉 be required, either for searching of Vessels by night or day, making open and patent Doors, searching of Cellars, or other suspect places, for Irish Victual or Cat●… which they are thereby Authorized to do: As also, the Officers of any Garrison, are obliged to concur and assist, with any party of Soldiers, as they shall be de●… upon any extraordinary occasion: The said's Commissioners, or these entrusted by them, are thereby impower'd, with consent of the Magistrate of the place, to send 〈◊〉 person to prison, that shall be found guilty of contraveening the Laws, or contumaclous in refusing to depone, (the Magistrates of the place, being always free of the pris●… charges) In which case, the Magistrates are to secure the prisoners, and their Vessels, and to be comptable for them: The said's Commissioners and their foresaids are all Empowered to secure all Barks, travelling Boats, or other Vessels loaden with Meal, which shall happen to come within the said's bounds, until a Certificate be produced from the Owners, that such Barks, Boats or Vessels are come from some port in Scotland, and that the Victual is of Scots growth, Upon the verity whereof, the Master's 〈◊〉 Company are to give their Oaths in presence of the said's Commissioners, or these entrusted by them, or the nearest Magistrate. Likeas, We with advice foresaid, 〈◊〉 Granted full Power, Authority and Commission to the said's Commissioners & these entrusted by them, to search for and seize upon all such Irish Victual, as they shall be in●…med has been lately imported into this Kingdom, and to Stave, Sink and Destroy the same as aforesaid: As also, to search for, seize and apprehend all Irish Horses and Ma●… which shall happen to be imported into this Kingdom, wherever the same can be found within the foresaids bounds, and to value and comprise the same: the one half there to be made forthcoming to the Commissioners of Our The saury for Our use, and the other half to the said's Commissioners or those entrusted by them, conform to a form Proclamation of Our Privy Council, in the month of April, 1668. And incase any person or persons shall make open resistance against the saids Commissioners, or these ent●…ed by them, in the execution of Our said Commission, and that thereupon there shall happen bloodshed, mutilation or slaughter to follow through the said resistance, it is declare that The said's Commissioners or these entrusted by, or giving assistance to them, shall never be called in question or pursued therefore, civility or criminally in time coming. An which Commission, is declared to begin and take effect from and after the said first day of January next, and to continue and endure until the first day of Janu●… 1681. years; and further, that Our said Commission shall no ways free or liberat the Importers or Ressetters of Irish Victual, , Horses or Mares, upon wh●… ground the same shall be Imported, but that they shall continue still liable to the pains and penalties appointed by the saids Acts of Parliament and Council, as if O●… said Commission had never been granted, to be applied, in the first place to the relief of the said's Commissioners, in so far as they shall pay the said sums engaged for them in manner foresaid. And to the effect, all Our lieges and uthers concerned may have due and timeous notice of the same: We have thought fit, that these Our 〈◊〉 of Publication thereof should be direct. OUR Will is herefore, And We charge you straight and Command, that incontinent, these Our Letters seen, ye pass to 〈◊〉 Mereat Crosses of of the head burgh's, and of the Shires of this Kingdom, and other places needful, and there, in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Publication of the Premises, that all Our lieges may have Notice thereof, and give Obedience thereto, as they will be answerable on their Highest peril.  
Given under Our Signet, at Edinburgh, the eighteenth day of December, One thousand six hundred seventy and nine years, and of Our Reign, the thretty one year. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Consilii, WIL PATERSON, Cl. Sti. Concilii.  
GOD save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His Most Sacred Majesty Anno Dom. 1680.