Att Edinburgh the Sixteinth day off September Jaj vjc nynty tuo years Eodem Die Post Meridiem
A1692/9/34
A1692/9/34
Proclamation
Proclamatione anent souldiers deserting or Marryeing without Certificats
The following proclamatione being read votted and approven wes signed and ordered to be recorded whereof the tenor followes William and Mary be the Grace of God King and Queen of Great Brittain France and Ireland defenders of the faith To […] macers of our privie Councill or Messengers at armes Conjunctlie and severallie speciallie Constitute Greeting Forasmuchas albeit all souldiers Listed and Engadged in our service ought to be Intirely reserved for that use and nowayes Intyced or seduced to desert the same yet of Late severall of our Leedges aither throw Ignorance or dissaffectione to our service have given too great encouradgement to the souldiers under our pay to desert by Intyceing and seduceing them thereto or by resetting Concealling and entertaining them when they have deserted and relinquished our Service As also severall ministers haveing of Late taken upon them to Joyne in marriadge persones Imployed in our service as souldiers without Certaine knowledge of there being single persones and not marryed to ane other woman at the tyme wherethrow not only great prejudice and discouradgement is done to our officers under whom they serve But also great occasione of scandall is given And dishonour done to God and disgrace to the protestant religion For remeid of all which wee with advyce of the Lords of our privie Councill perremptorily prohibite and discharge all and sundrie our subjects within this Kingdome to Intyce or Seduce any of the souldiers in our service and under our pay to desert or Leave there said service or to shalter conceall harbour or entertaine any souldier who deserts or Leaves the same without haveing a pass sealled and signed by the Captain and Command officer for the tyme of the regiment In which the said souldier or souldiers Last served Certifyeing all our Leedges who shall hereafter come in the contrair hereof and againest whom it shall be made appear and proven that any souldier resett concealled or entertained by them hath deserted our service And that it wes knowen at the tyme to the resetter of the said souldier or souldiers or Intycer of them to desert That they were not dismissed from our service by a Lawfull pass signed and sealled In maner forsaid They and each one of them shall be Lyable in the soume of Ten pound Sterling money to the Company under whom any of these souldiers serve To be decerned to them by the ordinar magistrat of the place where the said resetter concealler or Intycer Lives And that by and attour the souldiers being Lyable to any militarie punishment Conforme to the articles of warr And also wee with advyce forsaid doe strictly prohibite and discharge all ministers and others within this our ancient Kingdome to Joyne in marriadge any souldier under our pay and service with any woman whatsomever without first proclamatione of there bannes on three severall sundayes at the paroch Churches where the woman Lives and the souldiers quarters for the tyme And that no proclamation of bannes shall be granted to any souldier for marriadge without a testificat subscryved and sealled by the Captain and Comanding officer of the regiment wherein the said souldier serves for the tyme be first delyvered to the ministers of the Churches where the proclamatione is to be made and recorded in the sessione books thereof bearing that the said souldier to be proclamed is a single persone with Certificatione to any minister or others who shall contraveen the premises That they shall be Committed to prisone for the space of Three moneths and be otherwayes punished Conforme to the Lawes of the Land as the merite and Circumstance of there transgressione shall deserve Our Will is Herefore and wee Charge yow Strictly and Comand That Incontinent thir our Letters seen ye pass to the mercat croce of Edinburgh and to the mercat croces of the head burghes of the severall shyres and stewartries within this Kingdome and there in our name and authoritie make publicatione hereof That none pretend Ignorance And ordaines our sollicitor to send printed Coppies hereof to the shirreffs of the severall shyres and stewartries whom wee ordaine to see the samen published at the mercat crosses and also at the severall paroch churches and meeting houses within there respective Jurisdictiones upon the Lords day Imediatly after divyne service As they will be ansuerable And ordaines these presents to be published and printed Given under our signet at Edinburgh the sixteent day of september and of our reigne the fourth year Jaj vjc nyntie tuo years sic subscribitur Tweeddale cancel: Drumlangrig Linlithgow Lothiane Forfar Kintore Breadalbaine Tarbat Balhaven Polwarth William Anstruther Francis Montgomerie
At Edinburgh 16 September 1692, same day (pm)
A1692/9/34
Proclamation
Proclamation concerning soldiers deserting or marrying without certificates
The following proclamation being read, voted and approved was signed and ordered to be recorded, whereof the tenor follows: William and Mary by the grace of God, king and queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland, defenders of the faith, to […] macers of our privy council or messengers at arms jointly and severally, specially constituted, greeting. Forasmuch as albeit all soldiers listed and engaged in our service ought to be entirely reserved for that use and not enticed or seduced to desert the same, yet of late several of our lieges either through ignorance or disaffection to our service have given too great encouragement to the soldiers under our pay to desert by enticing and seducing them thereto or by resetting, concealing and entertaining them when they have deserted and relinquished our service, as also several ministers having of late taken upon them to join in marriage persons employed in our service as soldiers without certain knowledge of their being single persons and not married to another woman at the time wherethrough only great prejudice and discouragement is done to our officers under whom they serve, but also great occasion of scandal is given and dishonour done to God and disgrace to the Protestant religion. For remedy of all this, we with advice of the lords of our privy council peremptorily prohibit and discharge all and sundry our subjects within this kingdom to entice or seduce any of the soldiers in our service and under our pay to desert or leave their said service or to shelter, conceal, harbour or entertain any soldier who deserts or leaves the same without having a pass sealed and signed by the captain and commanding officer for the time of the regiment in which the said soldier or soldiers last served, certifying all our lieges who shall hereafter come in the contrary hereof and against whom it shall be made to appear and proven that any soldier reset, concealed or entertained by them has deserted our service and that it was known at the time to the resetter of the said soldier or soldiers or enticer of them to desert that they were not dismissed from our service by a lawful pass signed and sealed in manner foresaid, they and each one of them shall be liable in the sum of £10 sterling to the company under whom any of these soldiers serve to be discerned to them by the ordinary magistrate of the place where the said resetter, concealer or enticer lives, and that in addition to the soldiers being liable to any military punishment according to the articles of war. And also we with advice foresaid strictly prohibit and discharge all ministers and others within this our ancient kingdom to join in marriage any soldier under our pay and service with any woman whatsoever without proclamation of their banns on three Sundays at the parish churches where the woman lives and the soldiers quarters for the time, and that no proclamation of banns shall be granted to any soldier for marriage without a certificate subscribed and sealed by the captain and commanding officer of the regiment wherein the said soldier serves for the time be first delivered to the ministers of the churches where the proclamation is to be made and recorded in the session books thereof bearing that the said soldier to be proclaimed is a single person with certification to any minister or others who shall contravene the premises that they shall be committed to prison for the space of 3 months and be otherwise punished according to the laws of the land as the merit and circumstance of their transgression shall deserve. Our will is herefore and we charge you strictly and command that immediately on seeing these our letters you pass to the mercat cross of Edinburgh and to the mercat crosses of the head burghs of the various shires and stewartries within this kingdom and there in our name and authority make publication hereof that none pretend ignorance, and we ordain our solicitor to send printed copies hereof to the sheriffs of the various shires and stewartries, whom we ordain to see the same published at the mercat crosses and also at the various parish churches and meeting houses within their respective jurisdictions upon the Lord’s day immediatly after devine service as they will be answerable. And ordains these presents to be published and printed. Given under our signet at Edinburgh 16 September and of our reign the fourth year 1692. Subscribed: Tweeddale chancellor, Drumlanrig, Linlithgow, Lothian, Forfar, Kintore, Breadalbane, Tarbat, Belhaven, Polwarth, William Anstruther, Francis Montgomerie.
