C R  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION, Appointing the Magistrates of burgh's of Regality and Barony, and their Clerks, to take the Oath of Alleadgeance, and sign the Declaration.  
EDINBURGH, the first Day of August, 1678:  
THE Lord Commissioner His Grace, and Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council, Considering, That by the fifth Act of the second Session of His Majesty's first Parliament, His Majesty, with Advice of His Estates of Parliament, did Statute, Ordain, and Enact, That all such persons as should thereafter be called or admitted to any public Trust or Office, under His Majesty's Government within this Kingdom; That is to say, to be Officers of State, Members of Parliament, Privy Counsellors, Lords of Session, Commissioners of Exchequer, Members of the College of Justice, Sheriffs, Stewarts, or Commissaries their Deputs and Clerks, Magistrates, and Council of burgh's, Justices of Peace and their Clerks, or any other public Charge, Office and Trust within this Kingdom, shall at and before their Admission to the Exercise of such places or Offices, publicly in face of the respective Courts they relate to, subscribe the Declaration thereto subjoined, and that they shall have no Right to the said Offices or Benefits thereof, until they subscribe the same as said is; but that every such person who shall offer to enter and exerce any such Office, before he subscribe the Declaration, is to be reputed and punished as an Usurper of His Majesty's Authority, and the Place to be disposed of to another: And by the second Act of the third Session of His Majesties said first Parliament, relating to the former Act, It is recommended to His Majesty's Privy Council to be careful, that these Acts be put in due Execution, and receive obedience conform to the tenor thereof. And whereas the Lord Commissioner his Grace, and Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council are informed, That the Magistrates of several burgh's of Regality and Barony, and their Clerks, who exerce public Jurisdiction, Office and Trust in their several Bounds, and who by the said Acts of Parliament, are obliged, at or before they enter to the Exercise of such Offices and Places, to take the Oath of Alleadgeance and sign the Declaration, yet do take upon them the exercise of the said public Trust, Office and Jurisdiction, without taking the said Oath and signing the Declaration: Do therefore hereby Require and Command, all such Magistrates of burgh's of Regality and Barony, and their Clerks, (who have not at their entry to their said's Offices, taken the Oath of Alleadgeance and signed the Declaration) to take the said Oath, and sign the Declaration, publicly in face of the respective Courts to which they relate, betwixt and the Term of Michaelmas next: And it is hereby Declared, That the said's Magistrates of burgh's of Regality and Barony, and their Clerks, shall hereafter have no Right to their said's Offices or Benefits thereof, until they take the said Oath, and subscribe the Declaration, as said is; But that every one of them who shall exerce any such public Office, Charge or Jurisdiction, before they so do, is to be reputed and punished as an usurper of His Majesty's Authority, and the Place to be disposed of to another, conform to the said's Acts of Parliament: Hereby requiring the Sheriffs of the several Shires to see this Act put in Execution, and to report to the Council their Diligence, betwixt and the second Thursday of November next. And Ordains these presents to be Printed, and Published at the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and Mercat Crosses of the head burgh's of the several Shires, that none pretend ignorance.  
Al. Gibsone, Cls. Sti. Concilii. 
 GOD save the KING.   

EDINBURGH, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, Anno Dom. 1678.