faids ftrengths and houfes, there Jhall happen to be fyre railing, mid
tilation, daughter, deftruition of corns or goods, or other inconvej
mences to follow, Wee, with advyce forefaid, Will and Grant, and
for us and our Succeffors, Decern and Ordain, that the fame fhalj
not .be imputed as cryme or offence to our faid Commiffioners, J
to the perfons affifting them in the execution of this our commiffionl
with power to our faids Commiffioners, or fuch as fhall be convocal
be them, to bear, wear, and make ufe of hagbutts and piftolls in thJ
execution of this our commiffion, notwithftandingofanylawinthl
contrary. And farder, We do hereby take our faids CommiffionerJ
and fuch perfons as fhall affift them in the execution of this our com!
miffion, under our fpecial protedion and fafeguard. And this ou|
commiffion to continow and endure for the fpace of ane year afteil
the date hereof; Provyded that our faids Commiffioners give aneacl
count to us of their diligence and procedure herein betwixt and thJ firft day of January next.
Our will is herefore, and We charge you ftriftly and command,]
that, incontinent thir our Letters feen, ye pafs to the market crofts!
and other places needful, and thereat in out! name and authority command and charge all and fundry our good]
and loving fubjecls, in their moil; fubftantial and warlyke manner, to]
ryfe, concurr with, fortify and affift our faids Commiffioners in the
Execution of this our commiffion under all higheft paynes and charges that after may follow. Given at, &c.”
The above is copied from the Records of the Privy Council of]
Scotland^ on the 22d July, 1675.
NUMB E R ]
N U M B E R XIV.
. O f the S I V v E ' N S.
P a r t II. p . 44.
ALoathibme and very infedtious difeafe of the venereal kind,
called the - Skivens, has long afflidted the inhabitants of the
Highlands, and from thence fome papts of the Lowlands in Scotland-,
even as far as the borders of England. Tradition fays that it was introduced
by the foldiers of Cromwell garrifoned in the Highlands.
Itoccafions foul ulcers in the throat, mouth, and ikin, and fome»
times deep boils, which, when ulcerated, put on a cancerous appear,
pee. It fometimes deftroys the nofe, or caufes the teeth to drop out
of their fockets ; fometimes a fungus appears,in various parts of the
body, refembling a rafberry, in the Erfe language called Sivven.
This diforder chiefly attacks children, and the loweft clafs of people,
who communicate it to each other by their dirty habit of living. It
¡spropagated not only by fleeping with, fucking, or faluting the in-
fcfted, but even by uiing the fame ipoon, knife, glafs, cup, pipe,
cloth, &c. before they have been waihed and cleaned. 1 This, like
other fpecies of the venereal difeafe, is cured by mercury; and the
only means of preventing ib dreadful a malady is by the ftridleft at»
tention to every circumftance of cleanlinefs-
N U M B E R