At Holyroodhouse the Thretty day of August Jaj vijc and four years
A1704/8/11
A1704/8/111
Proclamation
Proclamation for a Solemn Nationall Thanksgiveing
Ann By the Grace of God Queen of Great Brittain France and Ireland Defender of the faith To our Lovits […] Macers of our privie Councill, Pursevants, Messengers, at arms our sherriffs in that pairt, Conjunctlie and seaverallie speciallie Constitute Greetting Forasmuch as the great and signal blessings bestowed by God of his Infinite goodness upon this Church and Nation with the Great and manyfold mercies conferred upon our sacred person and Government, And particularly the late success granted to our forces and these of our Allies by sea and Land, and the glorious and wonderfull work of God in the victories over the French and Bavarians armies, Doe call upon us, and all our good subjects, To return praise and Thanksgiveing to the God of Hosts, Who hath bestowed those signal blessings and mercies upon us and them. And the Ministers and ruleing Elders of the Commission of the General assembly of this our antient Kingdome haveing addressed themselves to the Lords of our privie Councill to interpose their authority that a day of Solemn publict Thanksgiveing may be appointed to be religiously observed through out this our Kingdome for the causes above specified. Therefore we with advice of the Lords2 our privie Councill, Doe appoint and Command, That the fifth day of October nixt to come be religiously and devoutly observed as a solemn day of publict Thanksgiveing by all persons within this Kingdome, for returning most hearty and humble thanks and accknowledgement to the Divine goodness for his signall blessings and mercies bestowed upon us and our people And particularly for the success of our arms, and those of our Allies, by sea and Land, and the wonderfull work of God in the victories over the French and Bavarians, and for poureing out frequent prayers to God through Jesus Christ, That he would grant grace to all concerned, to make a Right improvement of soe great blessings, Continue and encrease his favours towards us, and that God may long preserve and eminently bless our person and Government, and direct to guide our Councills, Continue to prosper our forces by sea and Land, with those of our Allies, for breaking and bringing doun the power of the French King, till he be noe more able to oppress, And that God would be gracious to his reformed Churches, Continue the Gospell in Brittain and Ireland, and bless it with success, and to the effect our pleasure in the premisses may be knowen. Our Will is herefore And we charge yow strictly and Command, That incontinent thir our Letters seen ye pass, To the mercat Cross of Edinburgh, And to the mercat Crosses of the remanent head burghs of the several shyres within this Kingdome, And of the Steuartries of Kirkcudbright, Annandale, and Orkney. And there in our name and authority make publication heirof that non pretend Ignorance; And ordains our solicitor, to send printed Copies heirof to the sherriffs of the severall shyres and stewarts of the Stewartries forsaid, or there Deputs, Whom we ordaine to see the same published, And appoints them or there Clerks to send doubles thereof to all the Ministers within their respective Jurisdictions, That the same may be read and intimat by them in their respective Churches upon the Lords day immediately preceeding the said fyfth day of October nixt With Certification to such who shall contemnor Neglect so religious and important a duty as the Thanksgiveing heirby appointed is, they shall be proceeded against and punished as contemners of our authority and as highly disaffected to our person and Government. And ordaines these presents to be printed and published as aforsaid. Given under our signet Att Holyroodhouse the Thirty day of August 1704. And of our Rigne the Thrid year.
1. NRS, PC1/53, 271-2.
2. The phrase ‘the Lords’ is an insertion.
1. NRS, PC1/53, 271-2.
2. The phrase ‘the Lords’ is an insertion.