DIEV ET MON DROIT  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   royal blazon or coat of arms  
PROCLAMATION 
 Anent the Deficients of the Levies 1693 and 1695.  
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 the Seventh Act of the Fourth Session of Our current Parliament, there was an Offer made to Us of Two Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy Nine Foot, to be Levied off the several burgh's and Shires of the Kingdom, effeirand to the proportions and number set down in the foresaid Act; likeas, by the Thirty Third Act of the Fifth Session of the same Parliament, It is Statute and Ordained, that there should be Furnished to Us the Number of One Thousand Men yearly, when we should require them, and that in manner mentioned in the said Act, of which two Levies for the said year One Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety Three, as also the said year One Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety Five, there are notwithstanding of the several Proclamations emitted by Us in prosecution of the said Acts a considerable Number of deficient Men yet resting Unfurnished; and it being requisite and necessary at this time, that the saids Deficients should be put forth and furnished by the Heretors, and others liable, to put forth the same with all Expedition: Therefore, We with Advice of the Lords of Our privy Council, have thought fit to Ordain, and do hereby peremptorly Require and Ordain the Commissioners of Supply of the several Shires, Stewartries and burgh's within this Kingdom, to meet at their respective Head-Burghs; these on this side of Tay, upon the Eleventh Day of March next to come; and these on the other side, and all the rest of the Kingdom, upon the Twenty Third Day of the said Month of March; with Certification to such of them as shall not meet, that they shall be liable each of them to the Penalties contained in the Acts of Parliament made anent the Militia: And they being Met, that they Consider and Inquire diligently, how the Orders formerly given by them for the Outreick of the said Levies have been observed; And for that Effect, they require the Heretors, Leaders of the foresaid first Levy One thousand Six hundred Ninety three: As also the particular Commissioners or Heretors Appointed for the Outreik of the said Levy One thousand Six hundred Ninety five, as they shall see Cause; either to produce a sufficient Discharge or Document, that they have put Forth and Outreiked the Men, One or more falling to their share, or at least that they have Observed the Order of Lotting, Appointed by the foresaid Act of Parliament One thousand Six hundred Ninety five, with an Account of the Names and Designations of the Persons one or more upon whom the Lots fell; and whether these persons were Delivered, or given up as Deserters, or otherwise; that the said's respective Heretors, Leaders and particular Commissioners, who cannot give a sufficient Account for their Discharge in the Premises, that they yet Exhibit and Produce the Men to the said's Commissioners, wherein they are Deficient, And that within the Number of Sixdays, after the days of Meeting hereby Appointed, to the said's Commissioners of Supply respective, who are hereby Ordained to deliver them to Colonel George Hamilton or his Order: Certifying, Likeas We hereby Certify and Decern such Heretors, Leaders, or particular Commissioners Appointed for the foresaids Levies, that shall failyie in the Premises, to pay each of them, One hundred pounds' Scots to the Officers Impowered for to receive the said Deficients: which hundred Pounds Scots of Penalty, is to be Discerned for by any of the said's Commissioners of Supply at the Instance of the said's respective Officers: And the said Commissioner of Supply, is hereby Impowered to give Precepts for poinding for the same; And poinding is hereby Appointed to follow thereon, sicklike, in all Respects as is Ordained by the second Act of the Parliament One thousand Six hundred Sixty nine, Entitled Act concerning the Militia: with this Alteration only, that the said Commissioner Director of the Precept, may appoint Sheriff in that part, any whom the foresaid Officer concerned, shall nominat: Providing nevertheless, that the person found liable to the said Fine of: One hundred pounds' Penalty, shall have his Relief upon the persons Liable for the said's Levies, within his Allocation and District, conform to the said Act and Proclamations as Accords. And because the effectual Dispatch of this Affair, doth much concern Our Service; Therefore, We with Advice foresaid, do peremptorly Ordain the foresaid Commissioners of Supply, to return exact Accounts of their Diligence in the Premises to the Clerks of Our Privy Council, within the space of Twenty days after the said's respective Meetings, to the Effect, that all such Commissioners as either shall not Meet, or shall not make due Returns of their said Diligence, may be proceeded against by the Lords of Our Privy Council, conform to the Certification above-specified, with all Rigour. 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 Twenty Sixth Day of February, And of Our Reign the Eighth Year 1697. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. GILB. ELIOT, Cls. Sti. Concilii. 
 God save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1697.