PROCLAMATION For Paying in the Pole-Money.  
 royal blazon or coat of arms  
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,  
For as much as, the Pole-Money Granted to Us by the Act of Parliament One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Five, doth still for the Greater part remain Unpayed, not with standing of all the Diligence that hath hitherto been used for Uplifting and Inbringing of the same, And it being Unjust and unreasonable that these Equally Bound, and who have not Paid, should not Pay as others have done; And because the Term of Martinmass next is Appointed by the said Act of Parliament to be the last Term for Production of Discharges. Therefore, We with Advice and Consent of the Lords of Our Privy Council, in Prosecution of the said Act of Parliament, for the better Ingathering of what Remains of the said Pole, and to take off all Pretence of Exemption from such as have hitherto Failyied to make Due Payment after the said Term of Martinmass next shall be Come and bypast, Do hereby Command, and Charge all that have not already made Payment of the Pole-Money due by them respective, to make Payment of the same to the Collectors of their respective parochs or Shires, or others to be appointed for that Effect betwixt & the Fifteenth Day of October next to come: Like as, for their better Encouragement, We have thought fit to Discharge, and do hereby Discharge all such as shall make Payment of the Pole betwixt and the foresaid Day, of the Doubles and Quadruples already by them Incurred, and still Resting Unpayed, Certifying them withal, that if after so much For bearance on Our part, and Contumacy on their Part; They shall of new, Failyie to make Payment betwixt and the foresaid Day, They shall Incur the foresaid Doubles and Quadruples in manner set down in the Act of Parliament, Sicklike, as if the foresaid Day had been the precise Day of Payment fixed by the said Act, which Doubles and Quadruples shall, in case of Failyie foresaid be Exacted with all Rigour. And in regard, the foresaid Clause in the Act of Parliament Declaring none to be holden to Produce their Discharges of Receipts of the said Pole, after the said Term of Martinmass was manifestly provided in Favours, and for Relief of such as should make Due payment, but no ways to Exempt any who Contemning the Diligence used against them, should Failyie in payment as said is: Therefore, it is farther hereby Declared, that who-soever 〈◊〉 Liable to pay their Pole, shall not make due Payment thereof betwixt and the foresaid Day hereby appointed shall be Reckoned as a Contemner of Diligence, and still under the Course thereof, and Liable to the same, not with standing of any Pretence that may be made upon the foresaid Clause of the Act of Parliament wherein such Failyiers are no ways concerned, but Prejudice always to all who have already made due Payment, and who shall Instruct the same, either by Receipts, or the Collectors Books, or Oaths; of the Benesite of the foresaid Clause, and their perpetual Liberation. 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 make Publication hereof that none may pretend Ignorance; And We Ordain Our Solicitor so Dispatch Copies hereof, to the Sheriffs of the several Shires and Stewarts of Stewartries, and their Deputs or Clerks, to be by them Published at the Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs upon Receipt thereof, and immediately Transmitted by them to the several Paroch-Churches within the respective Shires and Stewartries foresaids, to be Published at the said's Churches. And Ordains these Presents to be Printed and Published.  
Given under our Signet at Edinburgh the Thirteenth Day of August, and of our Reign the Eight year. 1696. Per Actum Dominorium Secreti Concilii. D A. MONCRIEFF. Cls. Sti. Concilli. 
 GOD Save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His Most Excellent Majesty, Anno DOM, 1696.