[1605/6/45]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord and estates of this present parliament ratify and approve all and whatsoever acts made heretofore by his majesty and his highness's progenitors and the estates of the realm for preventing of all tumults and unlawful meetings and convocations within burghs, and ordain the same to have effect and to be put to due execution against the contraveners thereof in all points, with this addition: that no person nor persons within burghs, of whatsoever rank, quality or condition they be of, presume or take upon hand from thenceforth, under whatsoever colour or pretext, to convoke or assemble themselves together at any occasion, except they make due intimation of the lawful causes of their meetings to the provost and bailies of that burgh, and obtain their licence thereto so that nothing be done or attempted by them in their said meetings which may tend to the derogation or violation of the acts of parliament, laws and constitutions made for the well and quietness of the said burghs, declaring by this act the said unlawful meetings and the persons present thereat to be factious and seditious and all proceedings therein to be null and of no value, and the said persons to be punished in their bodies, goods and gear with all rigour according to the laws of this realm. And to the effect the said unlawful meetings, with all other tumults, disruptions and squabbles that shall happen to fall out within the said burghs, may be substantially suppressed, ordain the whole inhabitants of the said burghs at all occasions to readily assist and concur with the magistrates and officers thereof for settling of the said tumults and disruptions and punishing of the authors and movers thereof; and such as shall not assist and concur with the said magistrates readily or their officers for clearing and settling of the said tumults and disruptions as said is, shall be reputed and held as fosterers and maintainers of the said tumults and punished thereof in their persons and fined in their goods at the arbitrament of the magistrates and council of the said burgh; and ordain publication to be made hereof at the market crosses of the said burghs that none pretend ignorance thereof.