WR  
DIEV ET MON DROIT  
HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
A PROCLAMATION For Seizing the Horses and Arms of Papists, and Persons above the Degree of Commons, not Qualified according to the Act of Parliament.  
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:  
Forasmuch as by the Sixth Act of the Fourth Session of this Our current Parliament, It is Statute and Ordained, that all Persons who shall not swear the Oath of Allegiance, and subscribe the same, with the Assurance to Us, shall not be allowed to keep any Horses above an hundred Marks Price, nor any sort of Arms more than a Walking-Sword, certifying such as should be found to have Horses and Arms contrary to that Provision, either in their own or in the keeping of others, that both the Owner and Keeper should incur the Penalty of an thousand Marks, the one half to the Informer, and the other to Us. And by the foresaid Act, the Lords of Our Privy Council are Authorized and Impowered to take such further effectual Methods for Disarming these Persons, and seizing of their Horses above the foresaid Value, as they should judge necessary. And We Considering how requisite and needful it is at this time, that all Papists, and Heretors, and others, above the degree of Commons within this Kingdom, who have not sworn the Oath of Allegiance, and subscribed the same, with the Assurance to Us, should be Disarmed, and their Horses above the Price foresaid seized and employed for Our Use, to oppose and withstand the Invasion now threatened from France. And for the better securing the Peace and Quiet of this Our Kingdom from all Disturbance and Commotion, that may be moved or made within the same, in case any such Foreign Invasion should happen, have therefore thought fit, with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, to Require and Command; likeas, with Advice foresaid, We hereby peremptorly Require and Command the Sheriffs of the several Shires of this Kingdom, Stewarts of Stewartries, Bailies of Regalities, and their respective Deputs, and the Magistrates of burgh's within their several Jurisdictions, immediately after Publication hereof, to pass through every Paroch within their respective Bounds, and call before them all the Papists, and the Heretors and others above the degree of Commons within the same, who have not taken, or will not take the Oath of Allegiance, and subscribe, the same with the Assurance to Us; and Require and Command them upon Oath to Declare, what Horses they had since the first of January last, or presently have above the Price of an Hundred Marks, and in whose Custody they are, and what Arms more than a Walking-Sword, they since the day foresaid had, or presently have belonging to them, and immediately to deliver into the Custody and Keeping of the said Sheriff, or their Deputs, or other Magistrates respective foresaid, before whom they shall Depone the saids Horses and Arms in their Custody, to be keeped by the said Sheriffs and other Magistrates foresaids, in sure Custody, until they make report of the Number thereof to the Lords of Our Privy Council, which they are hereby Required to do, betwixt and the Second day of April next for all upon this side of Tay, and for all the rest of this Kingdom betwixt and the Fifth Day of May next, under the pain of Five Hundred Marks Scots; and where either the said's Heretors, and others foresaids, do not Compear and Depone, or do not instantly deliver the said's Horses and Arms, acknowledged by their Oath to belong to them. We with Advice foresaid, Require and Command the Sheriffs and other Magistrates respective above named, within their several Jurisdictions, to seize upon the Horses and Arms belonging to the said's Persons, and take the same into their Custody and Keeping, wherever they can be found, and make report thereof betwixt and the day foresaid, under the Pains above-set-down. and for the more effectual Execution of the Premises, We with Advice foresaid, Empower and Authorise any of the Magistrates respective abovenamed, to call for, and we hereby Require and Ordain the Commander in Chief of Our Forces, to grant sufficient Parties of Our Troops whenever they shall be required, to go along with, and be assisting to the said respective Magistrates, in feising upon, and searching for the said's Horses and Arms to be delivered to, and detained by the said's respective Magistrates, and reported to Our Privy Council, in manner abovementioned; And We with Advice foresaid, Require and Command the said's respective Magistrates, in the Report to be made by them to Our Privy Council, and likewise the Officers of Our Troops that shall be employed for their Assistance, to Declare upon Oath, that they have not restored or given back any Horses above the price of one hundred Marks, or Arms more than a Walking-Sword to any of the foresaids persons not qualified according to Law, or others belonging to them, but that they have effectually Seized, and Reported all the Horses above the price foresaid, and Arms more than the said Walking-Sword belonging to any of the said's unqualified Heretors, and others foresaids within their respective Bounds, conform to the foresaid Act of Parliament, and the Orders here set down, and how soon soever the said Report shall be made; We with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, will send the necessary Orders to the Sheriffs and other Magistrates respective abovenamed, how to dispose upon the saids Horses and Arms to the best Advantage for Our Service, which they are punctually to observe and obey, as they will be answerable. OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, and we Charge you strictly and Command, that incontinent their Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh, and remanent Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the several Shires and Stewartries within this Kingdom, and there in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Intimation hereof that none pretend Ignorance, and Ordains these presents to be Printed.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh, the thirteenth day of March, and of Our Reign the seventh 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, Anno DOM. 1696.