James Renwick – Wanted, Dead or Alive.

At the close of the year, on December 9th 1686, a proclamation was issued against Renwick, offering a reward of a hundred pounds sterling to any who should bring him in dead or alive. The following were the terms of this Proclamation :

—“ Forasmuch as one Mr James Renwick, a flagitious and scandalous person, has pre­sumed and taken upon hand, these several years bygone, to congregate together members of our unwary and ignorant commons to house and field conventicles, which our law so justly terms the nurseries of sedition and rendezvous of rebellion— we, out of our royal care and tenderness to our people, being desirous to deliver all our loving subjects from the malign influence of such a wretched impostor, have therefore prohibited and discharged all our subjects that none of them offer, or presume to harbour, resets supply, &c., but do their utmost endeavour to pursue him as the worst of traitors. And if, in the pursuit of the said Mr James Renwick, lie or any of his rebellious associates resisting to be taken, any of our subjects shall happen to kill or mutilate him, or any of them, we hereby declare that they, nor none assisting them shall ever be called in question, and that their doing thereof shall be reputed good and acceptable service to us. And for the better encouragement to such as shall apprehend and bring in the person of the said Mr James Renwick, traitor foresaid, dead or alive, lie or they shall have the reward of One Hundred Pounds Sterling money, to be instantly paid to him by the Commissioners of our treasury.”