PROCLAMATION 
 Allowing the free Transporting of Victual from one Shire to another, and the Importation of Foreign Victual free of Custom, and twenty shilling Scotsfor each Imported Boll thereof.  
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 Constitut Greeting,  
Forasmuch as the growing Necessity of the Poorer sort of our Subjects, in many parts of this Kingdom, do require our special care for their Relief; And albeit several methods have been laid down, and Measures Prescribed by former Proclamations of our Privy Council, to have supplied and provided them at reasonable and easy Rates, by the native product and Growth of this Kingdom: Yet through the present Scarcity there being several places in the Country, not able to Subsist upon the Growth and Victual within their own Bounds, and in other places the Poorer sort not able competently to provide themselves at the Current Rates. All which does necessarily require that both there may be a free Course of Buying and Selling Victual through the whole Kingdom, And likewise all Encouragement given for Importing Victual from any Foreign Country or Kingdom to this Nation, during the space aftermentioned; And that this hopeful Season gives good ground to expect ane earlie Harvest, so that a small Supply from Abroad, may afford great Relief, and keep the Mercats at a Moderate Rate: Therefore, and to the Effect the Mercats may be duly Supplied and furnished with Victual that is yet within the Country, and likewise with Foreign Victual by any who shall Import the same. We with advice of the Lords of our Privy Council, not only ratify and approve all former Proclamations, Acts, Orders, and Commissions against Regraters of Victual, and Forstalers of the Mercats, And ordain and require the same to be punctually observed, and put to Execution according to the Tenor thereof, and Acts of Parliament made thereanent, In so far as may extend to or concern Regrating of Victual, and Forstalling of Mercats. But likewise we with advice foresaid, do hereby grant Licence, and full Liberty to all persons whatsoever, Foreigners or Natives, to Import Victual or Corns of all Sorts, either by Sea or Land, from any other Kingdom or Country whatsomever, until the fifteenth day of August next to come, and that free of Custom, Excise or other Impositions, for all that shall be Imported, after the date hereof, during the time foresaid, and recomends it to the Commissioners of our Thesaury, to Discharge the exacting of any such Custom, Excise or Imposition for the said Victual, to be Imported; Notwithstanding of any Act of Parliament or Book of Rates Imposing the same. And for a farther Encouragement and invitation, to all such who shall Import and bring in to this Kingdom, Victual or Corn of any Sort, betwixt and the day foresaid. We with advice of the Lords of our Privy Council, do hereby Appoint and Ordain the Sum of twenty shilling Scots, for each Boll of the said Foreign Victual Imported after the day and Date hereof, and before the said fifteenth day of August next, to be immediately given and paid out of our Customs to the Importer thereof, upon his Oath of Verity of the number of Bolls Imported by him, taken in presence of any of the Sheriffs of the Several Shires of this Kingdom, Bailies of Regalities, or Bailliries, Stuarts of the Stewartries or their Respective Deputs, Magistrates of burgh's, or any one of the Commissioners of Supply, or Justices of Peace, within the same, Subscribed with their Hand, and attested by the foresaids' Judges, and of which twenty shilling Scots, We with advice foresaid, Require and Command the Tacks-men and Farmers of our Customs, and their Collectors and other Receivers at the Respective Custom-Houses, to make present and immediate payment for each Boll of Foreign Victual Imported by Sea or Land, to the Importer thereof, upon his receipt to be given upon the Back of the foresaid Subscribed Oath of the Number of Bolls Imported; And which receipt, We with advice foresaid, declare and ordain to be a sufficient Exoneration to the said's Tacks-men and Farmers of our Customs, and their Collectors of their said Tack-duty, and to be allowed to them in the fore-end thereof pro tanto. Certifying such of the said's Collectors or other persons Employed to receive money at the Respective Custom Houses, by the Tacks-men and Farmers of our said's Customs, That if they Failyie to make due and punctual payment of the said twenty shilling Scots for each Boll of Imported Victual, or post pone & delay the Impoters thereof, in the ready payment of the said Sum, when the said Subscribed Oath, & receipt is offered to them, they shall not only be declared & ipso facto thereby become Incapable to serve or be Employed by our said Farmers in any Office or Trust under them, in uplifting our said's Customs, but be farther liable in the double of what they shall so refuse or Postpone the Payment of as Penalty and Damnages to be recovered from them by the party, by their presents, and the foresaid Subscribed Oath upon Process to be Intented therefore, and verified by Instrument taken against the saids Collectors or Receivers, requiring payment in manner abovementioned. And further to the effect all our Subjects within this Kingdom may be supplied and releaved out of the Native Product and Growth of this Kingdom with all possible quality and proportion; in the mean time, We with advice foresaid, give full Liberty and Permission to a free course of Mercats for Selling Victual through all parts of the Kingdom, whether the said Victual or Corn was the Growth of the Shire where it is sold or not, and that at what Rates and Prices either of ready Money, or to a day the Buyers and Sellers can best agree upon, and hereby Discharges all Persons whatsoever from troubling and molesting any Persons whatsoever, in the Transporting Victual to Mercats or otherwise from one Shire to another, under their Highest Peril. 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 Remanent Mercat Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the several Shires and Stewartries within this Kingdom, and thereat, 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 Eleventh Year, 1699. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. GILB. ELIO T. Cls. Sti. Concilii. 
 God Save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, Anno Dom. 1699.