The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2025), date accessed: 12 February 2025
[1706/10/176]1
Proclamation
A proclamation discharging unwarrantable and seditious convocations and meetings
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 heralds, pursuivants, macers and messengers at arms, our sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constituted, greetings. 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 heritors 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 several take upon them by letters and verbal messages to invite and convocate heritors 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 prohibit and discharge all such unwarrantable and seditious convocating of our lieges, or inviting and the requiring them to meet and convene at any particular place, upon any certain day or days, in the seditious and disorderly manner above-mentioned, and prohibits all such meetings and gathering of our subjects as unwarrantable and contrary to law. As also, we prohibit and discharge all our subjects to take upon them to invite or convene our lieges to meet together in any assemblies not established by law, under the pains of illegal convocations and sedition, conforming to the laws and acts of parliament made thereupon. 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 here expressed, that as soon as these our letters seen, you pass to the market cross of Edinburgh, and other market crosses of the head burghs within this our ancient kingdom, and there make public intimation of this our pleasure, that so none may pretend ignorance, and ordain these words to be printed.
Extracted furth of the records of parliament by, James Murray, clerk register
Edinburgh, printed by the heirs and successors of Andrew Anderson, printer to the queen's most excellent majesty, in the year 1706.
- NAS. PA3/7, printed copy.