OUR Soveraign Lord and Lady , the King and Queens Majesties , Considering the several good and laudable Laws made by Their Majesties Royal Progenitors , for Repressing the Depredations and Robberies , Committed by Sorners , Robbers , and Broken-men in the Highlands , and the Shires next adjacent thereto , which have not hitherto taken full effect : And that the late Meeting of the Estates Did humbly Represent the samine to Their Majesties , to be Redressed , and that the saids Robberies and Depredations are much encouraged and encreased , by reason of the present Rebellion , chiefly to the prejudice of such of Their Majesties Subjects , who are most peaceable , and best affected to Their Majesties Laws and Government ; Wherethrough it is necessar , that not only the former Laws made thereanent should be revived ; But likeways a further remedy should be provided thereto , by this present Act : Therefore Their Majesties , with Advice and Consent of the Estates of Parliament , Do hereby , not only Revive , Ratifie and Approve the saids whole Laws and Acts made for Repressing Sornings , Robberies and Depredations , in so far as they are not altered or innovat by this present Act : But further , Do Statute , Ordain , and Enact , That where any Sornings , Robberies , or Depredations are committed in the Shires following , viz. The Shires of Argyle , Bute , Dumbriton , Striviling , Clackmannan , Kinross , Perth , Forfar , Kincardine , Aberdene , Bamff , Elgine , Nairn , Inverness , Ross , Cromerty , Sutherland and Caithness , the whole Heretors , Liferenters , and proper Wodsetters within the particular Paroch , where such Depredations , Sornings , and Robberies are committed , and within the whole Paroches adjacent to , and marching with the said particular Paroch , shall be lyable to refound to the party damnified , through the saids Sornings , Depredations , and Robberies , the loss to be sustained thereby , proportionally according to their valued Rent within the saids Paroches , Providing the Damnages sustained be in Horse , Nolt , Sheep , Goats , or other Cattel and Corns allanerly , and no otherways ; And the saids Heretors are hereby Authorized and Impowered to exact and uplift from their respective Tennents , and others dwelling on their Lands for their relief , the just and equal half of their ●aids respective proportions , and to divide the samine amongst them , as they find just , the said Relief not exceeding the just and equal half of their respective proportions , as said is ▪ And it is hereby Statute and Ordained , that the Damnages and losses to be sustained by such Depredations , may , and shall be liquidat by the Commissioners of Supply , within the respective Shires , where the saids whole Paroches do ly , or any three of the saids Commissioners , who are hereby Authorized to be a sufficient Quorum , for making this Act effectual , and that upon a Citation of fifteen dayes , to be executed at the Mercat Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the respective Shires on a Mercat Day , betwixt ten and twelve a Clock in the Forenoon , and whole Paroch Kirks lyable by this Act respective , on a Sabbath Day , betwixt ten a Clock in the Forenoon , and two a Clock in the Afternoon , and that providing there be tutus accessus , for making the saids Intimations , Summoning all parties having interest to appear at such places , as the saids Commissioners , or Quorum of them , hereby Authorized , shall appoint , with power to them after Liquidation of the said Damnage , to divide the samine among the respective Heretors , according to their respective Valuations within the saids Paroches , and to give out Precepts for Poynding , and Orders for Quartering , as for Their Majesties Supply . And it is further Enacted and Ordained , that where a Harship or Depredation shall be carryed through any other Lands , the Paroches which are hereby lyable , shall have proportional Relief from the Heretors and Tennents of these Lands , through which they pass , or re-pass , as if the saids Lands were within the saids Paroches where the Damnages is sustained , albeit the Depredators do not rest upon these Lands , unless the Heretors , Tennents and Inhabitants in these Lands , through which the Depredators pass , both raise the Hue and Cry after them , and rise in Arms to concur for recovering the Goods , and Seizing the persons of the saids Depredators , Sorners and Robbers . And it is also hereby Declared , that this present Act is without prejudice of former Acts against Depredations , and that whatsoever Sums shall be payed by any Paroches , by vertue of this Act , the Paroch or Paroches so paying , shall have relief thereof against these lyable , conform to former Laws . As also , it is hereby specially Provided and Declared , that the persons upon whom the Depredations and Robberies shall be committed , shall have no benefit of Relief competent to them , unless they raise the Hue and Cry to their Neighbours , that they may pursue after the saids Depredators , Sorners and Robbers , and so from Paroch to Paroch ; and that these Neighbours , who shall not follow the Hue and Cry , may , Besides their being lyable conform to this Act , be further punished as Their Majesties Privy Council shal think fit ; And sicklike , it is Provided and Declared , that such Landlords and Heretors , who shall after committing of the Depredations , Reset , Converse , or Intercommune with the Depredators , Sorners or Robbers , shall have neither Action nor Relief competent to them by this present Act ; And for the more speedy and punctual execution hereof , Ordains this present Act immediatly to be Printed , and Published at the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh , and at the Mercat Crosses of the Head Burghs of the saids whole respective Shires , and whole Paroch Churches therein , to which there is tutus accessus for the present ; and that the samine shall take effect within fourty eight hours after the samine be is Published at the respective Mercat Crosses , as said is , notwithstanding of any Law or Act of Parliament , suspending the effect of Laws for a longer time , after Enacting or Publication thereof . It is always hereby Provided and Declared , that this present Act , in so far as the famine does import any Innovation , alteration , or addition to the former Laws against Depredations and Robberies , shall only endure , have strength and effect till the first of January 1692. years . Extracted forth of the Records of Parliament by ,