〈◊〉 〈◊〉 QUI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION. 
 Anent the Horses and Arms of such as refuse the OATHS.  
WILLIAM and MARY, by the Grace of GOD, King and Queen of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, Defenders of the Faith, To Our Lion King at Arms, and his Brethren Heralds, Macers of Our Privy Council, Pursuivants, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constitute, Greeting:  
Forasmuch as, by the sixth Act of the Fourth Session of Our current Parliament. It was Statute for a further Security to the Protestant Religion, and Our Government in this present Exigence; That both the persons therein particularly specified, and all other persons, whether ranked in the said Act or not, who shall not Swear the Oath of Alledgiance, and Subscribe the same, and Assurance subjoined to the said Act, should not be allowed to keep any Horses above a hundred marks Scots, or any sort of Arms, more than a Walking-Sword; Certifying such as shall be found to have Horses and Arms contrary to this Provision, either in their own, or in the keeping of others, that both the Owner and the Keeper shall incur the Penalty of a Thousand Marks Scots, the one half to the Informer, and the other to Us. And the Lords of Our Privy Council are Authorized and Impowered, to take such further effectual Methods for Dis-arming these Persons, and seizing of their Horses above the foresaid Value, as they shall judge necessary; And We being resolved, that the foresaid Act be put effectually to Execution: Do therefore with the Advice of Our Lords of Privy Council, Command and Charge, all persons of whatsoever Degree or Rank, without Exception, who have not already qualified themselves, by duly Swearing and Subscribing the foresaid Oath of Alledgiance, and Subscribing the foresaid Assurance, or who shall not qualfie themselves by Swearing and Subscribing as said is, before the Sheriffs Stewarts, Bailies, Justices of Peace, or other Judges ordinary of the Jurisdiction within the which they Live, or their Deputs, betwixt and the Third and Eleventh days of April next, viz. These one this side of the water of Tay, betwixt and the said Third day, and these on the other side, betwixt and the said Eleventh day, and report an Authentic Certificate thereof, subscribed by the said Judge and his Clerk; To deliver up all their Horses above the foresaid Value of a hundred Marks the Head, whether in their own keeping, or in the keeping of any others, with all sorts of Arms that they have, either in their own keeping, or in the keeping of others, more than a Walking-Sword, betwixt and the foresaids days to the same Judge, at the Tolbooth of the Head-Burgh of the foresaid Jurisdiction, within which they live, which Horses and Arms so delivered, are to be Rouped by the said Judge, the first Market-day thereafter, to the best Avail, and the Price is to be given to the Deliverer and Owner foresaid, certifying all such as shall Contraveen, and not give ready Obedience hereunto, by keeping either their own, or other men's Horse or Arms, contrary to the Provision foresaid, betwixt and the foresaids days, they shall incur the foresaid Penalty of one thousand Marks, the one half to Us, and the other half to the Informer, and that over and above the loss of the Horses and Arms; with this Provision nevertheless, that the said's Horses and Arms amitted as above, are also to be Rouped to the best Avail, in manner above-prescribed, and the Price reckoned and counted in part of payment of the foresaid Penalty pro tanto. And it is hereby Declared, that it shall be sufficient for the Informer, to Challenge the Keeper or Haver of the said Horse or Arms, contrary to the foresaid Act, and to Conveen them summarily upon a Charge of six days, before the Judge Ordinary of the Bounds, and to refer if he think fit, the foresaid Having or Keeping to their Oaths, instead of all further Probation, whereupon Decreet shall be pronounced, unless the foresaid authentic Certificate be produced without further delay: And We with Advice foresaid, Discharge all Advocation, or Suspension to be given in the Premises, upon any pretext; And further, do hereby require all the foresaid Sheriffs, Bailies, Justices of the Peace, and other Judges ordinary, and their Deputs, to make diligent Inquiry within their respective Bounds, for the said Horse and Arms, and the Keepers and haver's thereof contrary to the foresaid Act, and to cause execute the same against them, as they will be answerable to Us upon their highest peril. OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, and We charge you strictly and Command, that Incontinent their 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 of this Our Ancient Kingdom, and there in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make public Intimation hereof, that none may pretend Ignorance. And Ordains these presents to be Printed.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh, the thirteenth day of March, and of Our Reign the Fifth Year, 1694. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. GILB. ELIOT. Cls. Sti. Concilii. 
 GOD save King William and Queen Mary.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to Their Most Excellent Majesties, Anno DOM, 1694.