I ⁷ R  HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION, Against Thiefs, Robbers and Vagabond Persons.  
JAMES, by the Grace of GOD, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, To Our Lion King at Arms, and his brethren Heralds, Macers of Our Privy Council, Pursuivants, or Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constitute, Greeting:  
Forasmuch as We are Informed, That divers Louse, and Vagabond Persons, Thiefs and Robbers, do pass up and down this Kingdom, and even within this Our Capital City of Edinburgh, and other Our burgh's, and there, and on Our Highways, by day and night, do not only Rob, Beat, and Abuse Our Innocent Subjects, but sometimes enter into their Houses and Shops under Silence and Cloud of Night, to that purpose: We therefore for preventing of such abuses for the future, Do, With Advice of Our Privy Council, Hereby strictly Require and Command, all Our Sheriffs, Stewarts, Magistrates of burgh's, and others in Authority under Us, to use their outmost endeavours for Discovering and Apprehending the saids Louse and Vagabond Persons, Thiefs and Robbers, their Accomplices and Abetters, and others suspect guilty of Harbouring, Resetting, or Entertaining of them, as they shall be found within their Respective Bounds and Jurisdictions, and to secure their Persons in Firmance, until they be brought to a Legal Trial, and Punished or Acquit (according to Our Laws) for the said's Crimes, as they will be answerable. And for the better Discovery of such Louse and Vagabond Persons, Thiefs and Robbers, We, with Advice foresaid, Do allow any of the persons accessary, or who shall be accessary to the said's Crimes, to come in and Discover their Accomplices, Resetters, Harbourers, or Abetters (so as some of them may be found out) to Our Privy Council, or the nearest Magistrate without any hazard; Declaring hereby, that upon their performance thereof, they themselves shall be free of all Processes, Civil or Criminal, upon the account foresaid in all time coming. And if any other person, not concerned with the said's persons in their Gild, shall Apprehend, or so Discover them, as that they shall be Apprehended, We hereby ensure them of a suitable Reward to be paid forth of Our Thesaury, according to their Pains and Diligence. And We further hereby fully and amply Pardon and Imdemnifie all Our good Subjects who shall be assisting herein, as to any Blood, Slaughter, Mutilation, or other Inconveniencies that may follow, either in pursuit of the saids Louse and Vagabond Persons, Thiefs and Robbers, and their Accomplices or Assistants, or apprehending of them now, and in all time coming, and Declares them free of all Process Criminal, or Civil, upon that account; And that Our Pleasure in the Premises may be known and obeyed, Our Will is, and We Charge you strictly and Command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and whole other remanent Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the Shires of this Kingdom, and there, in our Royal Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make publication of Our Pleasure in the Premises, that all persons concerned may take exact notice thereof, and give punctual obedience thereto, and that none may pretend Ignorance.  
Given under Our Signet, at Edinburgh, the thirteenth day of January 1687. And of Our Reign, the second Year. Per actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. COL. McKENZIE, Cls. Sti. Concilii. 
 GOD save the KING.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, Anno DOM. 1687.