WR  
DIEV ET MON DROIT  
HONI SIT QUI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION For Adjourning the Parliament.  
WILLIAM By the Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender 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 last Act of the sixth Session of this Our present current Parliament, dated the twelfth day of October last bypast, Our said Parliament is Adjourned to the Eight day of December instant. And whereas the present state of Our Affairs does not require the meeting of Our Parliament so soon, as the said day, to which it was Adjourned. Therefore We, with advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, do continue the Adjournment from the said Eight day of December instant, to the Eighteen day of March nixt to come: And being desirous to prevent the unnecessary trouble, and charges that the Members of Parliament may be put to, by attending the said Eight day of December instant, do hereby, with Advice foresaid Adjourn Our said current Parliament until the said Eighteenth day of March nixt ensuing the date hereof. Requiring all the Members of Our said Parliament to attend that day in the usual way, and under the Certifications contained in the several Acts of Parliament made thereanent. OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, And We charge you strictly, and Command That in continent 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 of this Our Ancient Kingdom, and there by open Proclamation, make Intimation, that Our said Parliament is Adjourned to the said Eightteenth day of March nixt to come. And Ordains these presents to be Printed.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the third of December, and of Our Reign the eight year 1696. 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 His Most Excellent Majesty, 1696.