THe great and wonderful Providences, wherein the Lord hath eminently gone forth in mercy towards this Nation, have been such, that howsoever many do shut their eyes, or murmure against them, or at least refuse to joyn in Publique Acknow­ledgements, and Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the same; Nevertheless, the Lord hath been pleased to publish to all the world, That it is the work of his own hand: Nor hath his infinite goodness and favor been restrained to England onely, but extended to Ireland, which he hath been pleased to remember in its low estate; and when his People there were as dry bones, He hath not onely revived them in a way almost as miraculous as a Resurrection from the Dead, but been pleased to raise both them and us to a high pitch of hope, That the Lord will go on to perfect his work in that Land, and make it likewise at last a quiet Habitation for his People, and establish the power and purity of the Gospel there. The consideration whereof, and of the Goodness and Power of God in the late wonderful Victory, which he hath been pleased to give unto the Parliaments Forces there before Dublin (never to be for­gotten) And the further progress God hath made in giving in Drogheda, a place of great Strength and Conse­quence, defended by a considerable number of their prime Officers and Soldiers, the particulars whereof are ex­pressed in the Lord Lieutenants and other Letters, lately Printed; and since that, by striking Terror into the hearts of the Enemy, so as they have yielded up or deserted many other considerable Castles and Garisons, as Trym, Dundalk, Carlingford, the Newry, and other Places, and some other additional Victories which God hath cast in since, cannot but make a deep impression on the hearts of all that fear the Lord, and provoke them to exceeding Thankfulness and Rejoycing.

UPon consideration of all which, the Parliament out of their deep sense of so great and continued Mercies, Have thought fit, as in duty to God, to set apart a day for publique and solemn Thanksgiving to the Lord, the Author of these Mercies: And they do there­fore Enact and Ordain, That Thursday the First of November next, be kept as a day of pub­lique Thanksgiving to the Lord, in all the Churches and Chappels, and places of Divine Worship within this Commonwealth of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick up­on Tweed: And that the Ministers of the respective Parishes and places aforesaid, be and here­by they are required and enjoyned to give publique notice on the Lords-day next preceding the said First of November, of the day so to be observed, to the end the People of their several Con­gregations may the more generally and diligently attend the publique Exercise of Gods Wor­ship and Service, there to be dispensed upon this occasion; At which time, that the People may be more particularly and fully informed of this great Victory and Successes, the said Ministers are hereby required to publish and read this present Act. And for the better observation of the day, the Parliament doth hereby inhibit and forbid the holding or use of all Fairs, Markets, and ser­vile works of mens ordinary Callings upon that day: And all Majors, Sheriffs, Iustices of the Peace, Constables and other Officers, be and are hereby enjoyned to take especial care of the due observance of the said day of Thanksgiving accordingly.