CHARLES , By the Grace of GOD , King of Great Britain , France and Ireland , Defender of the Faith ; To _____ heraulds , Pursevants , Macers , Messengers at Armes , Our Sheriffs in that part , conjunctly and severally specially constitute , Greeting . Forasmuch , as upon the eleventh of this instant , the most Reverend Father in GOD , James Archbishop of St. Andrews , and the right Reverend Father in GOD , Andrew Bishop of Orkney , were publickly assaulted in the high-street of Edinburgh by a most desperate Villain , who having shaken off all fear of GOD , and respect to Man , did design to kill and murder them , and the Bishop of Orkney was cruelly wounded by the discharge of a Pistol , to the hazard of his life . By the which barbarous and inhumane attempt , not only the sacred Order of Bishops , and safety of the persons of the Officers and Ministers of Religion ( which amongst Turks and Heathens , as amongst Christians , has been in all ages held inviolable , and in a special maner are secured by Our Laws ) are in the highest measure invaded and violated ; but Our Authority and Government most scandalously affronted and injured , and all Laws , Divine and Humane , most wickedly infringed , to the great reproach of the true Religion and Faith , of which we are Defender , and dishonour of this Our Church and Kingdom . And we being , upon all accounts , most highly concerned to express Our detestation of the said villainous attempt of paricide and murder upon innocent persons , the Governours of the Church , without any imaginable cause or provocation , but for their loyalty and affection to Us , and zeal for Our service ; And considering how much it importeth the honour of the established Religion , and of Our Government , the preservation of the Authority of Our Laws , and in special Our Acts of Parliament , anent invading and pursuing Our Privy Councellours , and doing violence to the persons of Church-men , and the preventing of the overturning of the very beeing of Humane-societies , that Assassinates be exemplarly punished . And in order thereto , that all possible and exact endeavours be gone about for discovering and apprehending the said Villain ; Therefore , We , with advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council , command and charge all Sheriffs , Stewarts , Bailies of Regalities and their Deputes , Magistrates of Burghs within their respective Bounds and Iurisdictions , and Officers of Our standing Forces , to search , seek , take and apprehend the person guilty of the said horrid crime , and to imprison him till he be brought to Iustice . As also , We command and charge all and sundry Our Subjects of this Our Kingdom , that they use their utmost endeavours for detecting , discovering and apprehending the foresaid Assassinate : And for their further incouragement therein , We do declare and give assurance , that whosoever shall so discover him that he may be apprehended , shall not only be indemnified and pardoned , albeit they were accessory to , and art and part of the foresaid crime , and shall never be called nor accused therefore in time coming ; but shall likewayes have payed to them the sum of two thousand Merks , Scots money ; and the person who shall apprehend the committer of the foresaid crime , and deliver him to sure Ward and Firmance , shall have instantly the sum of five thousand Merks payed and delivered to him . Likeas do We prohibite and discharge all Our Subjects of this Kingdom , upon any colour or pretext whatsoever , to resset , harbour , correspond with , or supply the said person : Certifying all such who shall contraveen this Our Proclamation , that they shall be holden and repute guilty of the foresaid crime , and accordingly proceeded against with all rigour . And ordains these presents to be printed , and published at the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh and other places needful , that none pretend ignorance .