A PROCLAMATION For Regulating the Post-Office.  
Edinburgh, the Twenty ninth day of November, One thousand six hundred eighty and nine years.  
THE Lords of His Majesty's Privy council considering, That by a Tack of the Date the fourteenth day of August last by-●… They did Set to John Blair Post-master-general, therein Designed Apothecary in Edinburgh, his Heirs or Assigneys, the P●… and Office of General Postmaster, and Overseer of all Posts, Horse, and Foot within the Kingdom of Scotland, for the spac●… seven years, from and after the Term of Martinmass One thousand six hundred eighty-nine years, and have granted Power a●… Warrant to him to appoint and settle Post-masters, for establishing Horse and Foot Posts, at the several Stages where the 〈◊〉 may be necessary, for carrying not only of His Majesty's Dispatches, Letters and Expresses; But also the Letters and Dispatc●… of all His Subjects, and others from place to place, for whom he shall be answerable: And that Power is also granted to him and ●…foresaids, to Settle and Appoint a General Letter-Office within the Town of Edinburgh, from which all Letters, Pa●… and Dispatches may be sent with all expeditions, to any place or places within this Kingdom, according to their respective ●…rections: And at which Office, all Letters, and their Answers shall likeways be Received; As also, such other particular ●…ter-Office at such sit places as shall seem to him most convenient: And with Power also to him, and such Deputs as should be Nominat by him to pro●… and furnish Horses for Pacquets, and Post, or Journey-Horses, he and they always exacting such prices a●…ly, as is set down and contained in the ●…ticles of the Roup, for each Horse that shall be furnished by them, and for Transporting the Pacquets and Letters, whereof the Tenor follows; ●… ter from Edinburgh to Drumfreis, Glasgow, Air, Dundee, Kelso, Fedburgh, Perth and Striviling, at two shilling 〈…〉 single Letter, and 〈…〉 the double, and so proportionally; and the like Rates to Hamilton. 2ᵒ. Betwixt Edinburgh and Carlyle, Port-patrick, Aberdene and Dunkeld 〈…〉 lings the single Letter, six shilling the double Letter, and so proportionally. 3o. Betwixt Edinburgh and Kirkcudbright, Inverness, and all other 〈◊〉 beyond Aberdene, four shilling the single Letter, eight shilling the double-Letter, and so proportionally, 4ᵒ. Item; all by-roads, for bringing L●… from the several Towns and Villages in the Country, to the next adjacent Post-Office, at one shilling per Letter, to the persons who shall be app●…ed to carry the Letters from the Country Villages, to the next fixed Post-Office; and where no Posts are settled, that Carriers may have freedom 〈◊〉 bring Letters. 5ᵒ. All Pacquets at three Ounce Weight, where there are no Letters within, shall pay to such places as the Letters pay, two 〈…〉 six shilling each Packet; and where the Letters pay three shilling, each Packet shall pay nine shilling, And the said's Lords of His Majesty's 〈◊〉 Council, have thereby Prohibited and Discharged, all Persons, Bodies Politic, Magistrates of Burghs, and Incorporations, from erecting, or set●… Letter-Office, or presuming to act in, or meddle with any Post-Office within this Kingdom, by establishing, or sending any way Posts; Horse, or 〈…〉 for carrying or receiving Letters, Pacquets, or Answers, or doing any other thing to the hurt and prejudice of the said Office of Post-master-general, 〈◊〉 the time foresaid; With Certification the Contraveeners, that they should be summarily Called, and severely punished therefore: And 〈◊〉 do also thereby Require and Command, all the Sheriffs of Shires, Magistrates of Burghs, and others, to concur with, and assist thesaid John Blair, 〈◊〉 his foresaids, in settling and establishing Posts and Post-Offices, within their respective Jurisdictions; as the said Tack, containing several other C●… of the Date foresaid, at more length bears, And the said's Lords of Privy Council also Considering, that erecting and establishing of the saids 〈◊〉 will be of great import to the whole lieges, and that it is absolutely necessary, that they be Certiorat of their danger, in contraveening the Pre●… by a public Proclamation; Therefore the said's Lords of His Majesty's Privy Council, Do, in Their Majesty's Name and Authority, Require 〈◊〉 Command, all the Sheriffs of Shires, Magistrates of Burghs, and others to concur with, and assist the said John Blair and his foresaids, in settling 〈◊〉 establishing Posts and Post-Offices within their respective Jurisdictions, and Prohibit and Discharge all persons, Bodies Politic, Magistrates of Burgh●… or Incorporations whatsomever, from erecting or settling any Letter Offices, or presuming to act, or meddle with any Post-Offices within this K●…dom, by establishing, or sending any way Posts, Horse, or Foot, for carrying or receiving Letters, Pacquets, Or Answers, or doing any other thing 〈◊〉 the hurt or prejudice of the said Offfice of Posts-master-general, during the space foresaid, With Certification to these who shall transgress herein, 〈…〉 shall be summarily called, and severely punished , according to the guilt and quality of their Offence; And because it will be a great diversion 〈◊〉 the Postmaster general and his Deputs, from attending upon their Offices, to prosecute and pursue all the Contraveeners before the Council, who 〈◊〉 the most part may be only mean and inconsiderable persons, Therefore the said's Lords Declare, that it shall be competent to the Post-master-general, 〈◊〉 pursue the Contraveeners hereof before the said's Lords, or the Magistrates and Judges of the respective Jurisdictions, where any such person Contravening shall happen to be apprehended, as they shall think most sit and convenient. And they Do hereby grant power and warrant to such Magistrates 〈◊〉 Judges, before whom any such Contravention shall be pursued, to punish them with all rigour, according to Law, for the same. And the said's Lords 〈◊〉 His Majesty's Privy Council, notwithstanding hereof, Allow and Declare, that it shall be leisum and lawful to all Noblemen and Gentlemen within t●… Kingdom, to send to, or from this place, or elsewhere, their own Servants with Letters, about their own Affairs and Business allanerly: And 〈◊〉 Declaring, that until the said John Blair and his foresaids, have sit and convenient Letter-Offices and Posts-established for transporting of their Letters and Pacquets, it shall be-leisum and lawful to all His Majesty's lieges, where such Letter-Offices and Posts are not settled, to send their Letters 〈◊〉 Pacquets as formerly: And also Declaring, that these Presents are, and shall be without prejudice to the Post-masters betwixt Edinburgh and 〈◊〉 wick, who had their Commissions before the decease John Grahame his Gift of the Office of Post-master-general, to brook and enjoy the benefit of t●… foresaids Gifts, during the space thereincontained, unprejudged or molested in any sort; And seeing it will be highly prejudicial to the interest of His Majesty and the lieges, if the Horses belonging to the Post-master-general, or his Deputs, (which must on all occasions be in a readiness for carrying Pacquets and Expresses) should be pressed, or taken from them upon any pretext, of occasion whatsoever; Thefefore the said's Lords Do, in 〈◊〉 and Authority foresaid, strictly Prohibit and Discharge all persons whatsomever, from pressing any Horses belonging to the said's Posts-master-general his Deputs, and keeped at the respective Stages where they are employed, and made use of, for carrying the Pacquets and Expresses. And Ordains 〈◊〉 Presents to be Published at the Mercat-Crosse of Edinburgh, and whole other Mercat-Crosses of the Royal Burrows within this Kingdom; and 〈◊〉 places needful, by Macers of Privy Council, Messengers at Arms, and Sheriffs in that part, that none may pretend ignorance.  
Per actum Dominorum Sti. Concilii. GILB. ELIOT, Cls. Sti. Concilii.  
God save King William and Queen Mary.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, by Order of Privy Council, Anno Dom. 1689.