C R  
HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
Edinburgh, the third day of January 1678.  
Instructions given by His Majesty's Privy Council, to the persons appointed by them, to be common Tasters of Ale and Drinking beer within the City of Edinburgh, and Suburbs thereof, Cannongate, Leith, and the burgh's Royal in the Shires of Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Haddingtoun, etc.  
IT is ordered, That the Tasters, who are appointed for each Bailies respective quarter, in the City of Edinburgh, shall change their Quarters each month: These who are appointed for the eldest Baylie's Quarter the first month, shall  the youngest Baylie's Quarter the next; and these appointed for the third Baylies, shall be for the second Baylies the next month: And soforth by turns monthly, which the Magistrates are to see done accordingly.  
All Brewers are discharged to give out any Ale or Drinking beer out of any of their Breweries, until the same be tasted by one of the ordinar Tasters who are ordered to taste every Browst after the same is tunned, and before it go to the Tapster, and the like to be done for such Drink as shall be both browen and tapped by any particular person, before they shall tap any thereof. And the Tasters for Edinburgh, Leith, and Cannongate, are ordered weekly to give up the names of the contraveeners, to the Clerks of the Council, to be communicate to the Committee; and the Tasters of the rest of the burgh's to give the same up to the Commissioners of the Excise of the Shire.  
It is ordered that the several Brewers give up a list to the Tasters of the Tapsters to whom they sell their drink in their respective bounds weekly, that the Tasters may know what Tapsters sells the same, and the Tasters are ordered to taste the Ale in the several houses of the Tapsters at least twice a week; and the Tapsters are to give up to the Tasters the Brewer's names from whom they receive their Drink: And in case, either the Brewer or Tapster refuse, the Tasters are appointed to give up their names as aforesaid.  
It is ordered that the Tasters take particular notice at what price each Brewer and Tapster sells their Ale and Drinking-beer, and give a particular account as aforesaid weekly of the names of such Brewers and Tapsters as they shall find do brew and tap Ale and Drinking-beer, which is not sufficient, and sells the same at higher rates than is allowed by the Proclamation. And if the drink, sold now at sixteen pennies the pint, be als good and strong, as the drink, at two shillings the pint, immediately before the first of January last.  
The Tasters appointed for the West port, Potteraw, Pleasants, and Yard heads of Leith, are ordered to taste the Ale and Drinking-beer of all Brewers, not only, these that vent the same in these places, but also of these that brews there, and vents the same in the Burgh of Edinburgh; as a so of the Brewers of Gorgie-milne, Dalry, Damhead, Dalry-milnes, Water of Leith, Dean, Colt-bridge, Gorgie town, Merchiston, Cannon-milnes, and all other places within a mile and a half of Edinburgh, except Dudding stoun, and Restalrig. That the Tasters in the Yeard-heads of Leith do the sike, as to the Brewers and Brewries in that part of the Shire, that either vents their Drink themselves, or imports the same to the town of Edinburgh, or any other place within a mile of Leith, and the Tasters in Restalrig and Dudding stoun are to do the like in their bounds as to what is consumed in the place, or imported, as aforesaid.  
The Tasters sworn and received for the bounds foresaid are to continue in that service from the first day of January, 1678. to the first day of January, 1679. In which trust they are required to be exact and diligent, as they will be answerable.  
GOD save the King.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty. Anno Dom. 1678.