[1706/10/176]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Anne, by the grace of God, queen of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, to our lyon king at arms, and his brethren heraulds, pursevants, macers and messengers at arms, our sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constitute, greeting[s]. Whereas several addresses have been laid before our parliament against an incorporating union with England, in the terms of the articles of treaty, and that our estates of parliament have had them under consideration, and all the good subjects of our ancient kingdom ought to rest assured and contented, that we and our estates of parliament, have and will proceed in that matter with all due regard and tenderness to the honour and interest of this our ancient kingdom, both as to their civil and religious concerns. Yet we are informed, that, nevertheless, several heretors and others who subscribed addresses to our parliament of this our ancient kingdom, against an incorporating union with England in the terms of the said articles of treaty, are coming to Edinburgh in considerable numbers and tumultuous manner, from several corners of this kingdom, upon pretence to see what effect their addresses have had, and what return the parliament will give them. And we are also informed that severals take upon them by letters and verbal messages to invite and convocat heretors and others to come to Edinburgh upon the foresaid pretence. And we being sensible that such practices are unwarrantable and seditious, and may be of dangerous consequence, if tolerated, at this juncture, therefore, we, with advice of the estates of parliament, do strictly prohibite and discharge all such unwarrantable and seditious convocating of our leidges, or inviting and the requireing them to meet and conveen at any particular place, upon any certain day or days, in the seditious and disorderly manner above-mentioned, and prohibites all such meetings and gathering of our subjects as unwarrantable and contrary to law. As also, we prohibite and discharge all our subjects to take upon them to invite or conveen our leidges to meet together in any assemblies not established by law, under the pains of illegal convocations and sedition, conform to the laws and acts of parliament made thereanent. And we, with advice foresaid, recommend it to the lords of our privy council, to inquire after and cause prosecute such as shall be guilty of the unwarrantable and seditious practices aforesaid, and to take what other effectual courses they shall judge proper for preventing and suppressing thereof. Our will is herefore, that incontinent thir our letters seen, ye pass to the mercat-cross of Edinburgh, and other mercat crosses of the head-burghs within this our ancient kingdom, and there make publick intimation of this our pleasure, that so none may pretend ignorance, and ordain these presents to be printed.
Extracted furth of the records of parliament by, J[ames] Murray, clericus registri
Edinburgh, printed by the heirs and successors of Andrew Anderson, printer to the queen's most excellent majesty, anno dom. 1706.