Procedure: petition, 31 December 1696, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh the Tuelfth day of December J^aj vi^c nyntie six years

A1696/12/54

A1696/12/54¹

Proclamation

Proclamation for a solemn nationall fast and humiliation

The proclamation afterinsert Being read was votted approven and signed whereof the tenor folloues
William By the Grace of God King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland Defender of the faith To […] Macers of our privie Councill messengers at arms our shireffs in that part Conjunctly and Severally specially Constitut Greeting Forasmuch as the displeasure and wrath of almighty God is very visible against the Land In the Judgements of Great sicknes and mortality in most parts of the kingdome As also of Grouing dearth and famine threatned with the Imminent hazard of ane Invasion from our Cruell and bloody enemyes abroad all the Just deservings and effects of our Continouing and abounding sins And of our Great Security and Impenitency under them And which Certainly doe Call for our deep humiliation under the mighty hand of god and our most earnest and solemn application and prayers for his gracious pardon and the removing and averting of the forsaid Judgements Upon which Consideration The Commission of the Generall Assembly hath Lykewaise addressed the Lords of our privy Councill that a day of humiliation may be appointed and Keeped for these Causes throughout the Kingdome Therfore we with advyce of the Lords of our privie Councill Command and appoint a day of humiliation and prayer to be observed throughout the whole Kingdome upon the tuenty first day of January nixt to Come upon which we are to be deeply humbled before god for our manifold sins and provocations that so openly abound And in which men still Continow secure and hardened notwithstanding of Gods Great mercy and delyverance wrought for us And of our frequent Confessions and former Fastings which yet have produced noe amendment or reformation And therfore to deprecat his deserved wrath And to Implore his mercy and Grace that we may be delyvered from the forsaids Judgements already Incumbent and Lykewise from the Invasion and other Evills wheruith we are so Iminently threatened which day of solemn humiliation and prayer above appointed We with advyce forsaid require and Command to be most religiously and seriously observed by all our people by publick prayer preaching and all other Acts of deep humiliation and devotion suitable to the forsaids Causes and occasions Our Will is Heirfore And we Charge yow Strictly and Command That Incontinent these our Letters seen ye pass to the mercat Cross of Edinburgh and to the remanent mercat Crosses of the head burghs of the severall shires and steuartries within this Kingdom And in our name and authority make publication heirof That none pretend ignorance And we ordaine our sollicitor to dispatch Coppies heirof to the shirreffs of the severall Shires and Steuarts of Steuartries and their deputs or Clerks To be by them published at the mercat Crosses of the head burghs upon recept therof And Immediately sent to the severall Ministers To the effect that the same may be Intimat and read in their severall paroch churches upon the Lords day Immediately preceeding the day above appointed And ordaines these presents to be printed And alloues the Causes of this fast given in to the Lords of our privie Councill by the Commission of the Generall Assembly of this nationall Church to be printed heirwith Given under our Signet at Edinburgh the tuelfth day of December and of our reigne the Eight year 1696 sic subscribitur.