I R   royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION Discharging the Importing, Vending, Dispersing, or Keeping Seditious Books and Pamphlets.  
JAMES 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 we being informed, that there are many Impious and Scandalous Books and Pamphlets printed in Holland, and elsewhere, Inciting Our Subjects to Murder and Assassination, as well as Rebellion, to the great reproach of the Christian-Religion, and the ruin of all Humane Society; in which also Our Government, and the Actions of Our Royal Predecessors, and Our own, are represented as Cruel, Barbarous, and Tyrannical, and all such as have Served and Obeyed Us, are railed at as Enemies to GOD, and their Native Country: Notwithstanding of the great Care We have always taken to Tolerate all different Persuasions, and the Clemency We have shown in Pardoning the greatest Criminals; which Books are brought Home into this Kingdom, and Vended, and Spread here; and we being most desirous, on this, as on all other Occasions, to prevent any of Our Subjects being brought into a Snare. We have thought fit hereby to Intimat, and make Known, that if any of Our Subjects shall hereafter bring Home, Vend or Sell, Disperse or Lend any of the Books underwritten, viz. All Translations of Buchanan de Jure Regni, Lex Rex, Jus Populi, Nephtali, The Cup of cold Water, The Scots Mist, The Appologetical Relation, Mene Techel, The Hind let loose, The treasonable Proclamations issued out at Sanquhar, and these issued out by the late Duke of Monmouth, and the late Earl of Argile, or any other Books that are, or shall be hereafter Written or Printed defending these Treasonable and Seditious Principles, they shall be liable as if they were Authors of the said's Books; and all other Our Subjects are hereby Commanded to bring in any of the said's Books they have, and deliver them in to any Privy Counsellor, Sheriff, bailie of Regality, or Bailliaries, or their Deputs, or any Magistrates of Burrows, to be transmitted by them to the Clerks of Our Privy Council, to the end the same may be destroyed, with Certification, that whoever (except Privy Counsellors) shall be found to have any of the said's Books, and not to have delivered them up, shall be Fyned, for Our Use, in such a Penalty, as Our Council shall appoint, for each of the said's Books, that he or they have not delivered up. And appoints the saids Books and Pamphlets to be brought in betwixt and the Diets following, viz. these in the Town of Edinburgh, and Suburbs thereof, betwixt and the first Tuesday of September next to come, and all others within this Kingdom, betwixt and the first Tuesday of November next to come. And to the end Our Royal Pleasure in the Premises may be made public and known, 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 remanent Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the Shires of this Kingdom, and other places needful, and there in Our Name and Authority, make Publication of Our Royal Pleasure in the Premises. And recommends to the Most Reverend the Arch-Bishops, and Right Reverend Bishops, to cause read this Our Royal Proclamation, in all the Pulpits of this Kingdom, upon some convenient Lord's Day, in the Forenoon, immediately after Divine Service, that none pretend Ignorance.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the Fifteenth day of August, One thousand six hundred eighty eight Years. And of Our Reign the Fourth Year. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. WILL. PATERSON, Cls. Sti. Concilii. 
 GOD SAVE THE KING.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, 1688.