CHARLES, by the Grace of GOD, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, To [...] Macers, or Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally, specially constitute, Greet­ing: Forasmuch, as Almighty God, who since His wonderful Restoring of Us to Our Royal Rights and Government, and Deliverance of this Our Ancient Kingdom from the Tyrannical Usurpation, under which, the late Fatal Rebellion enslaved it, hath been mercifully pleased to preserve its Peace, and bless it with Plenty; Doth now, by his Warnings and Judgements, Incumbent and Impendent, manifestly discover his anger and displeasure against the grievous sins thereof, committed by the abuse of both; in per­mitting many, who have departed from the Communion of this National Church, to give themselves over to imbrace and believe sad, Blasphemous, San­guinary and Treasonable Delusions, to the great Scandal and Reproach of the Protestant Name and Religion; And inflicting a long Scorching and threatning Drought, whereby the Fruits of the Ground, the necessary Provision for the L [...]e or Man and Beast, are in danger to be burnt up and con­sumed; The Lord, for the luxurious abuse of our Plenty, having so long in his Righteous Judgements, bound up the Clouds, making the Heavens Brass, and the Earth Iron, thereby threatning Us with pale Famine: And now having called a Parliament, to Assemble at Edinburgh, on the twenty eight of July next, for Consulting and Establishing the Civil and Religious Interests of this Kingdom, and for suppressing, by Good and Whol­some Laws, such wicked Principles and Disorders, which tend to the Subversion of both. Therefore We, out of Our Religious Disposition, have thought fit, with advice of Our Privy Council, by this Our Proclama­tion, to Indict a General and Publick Day of Fast and Humiliation; that all Our Loving Subjects may be mov­ed heartily, to turn speedily to God by a true Repentance, and to send up their Fervent Prayers and Supplica­tions, for Wise and Pious Direction unto, and a Blessing upon the ensuing Parliament; for healing the Breaches, and pardoning the sins of the Kingdom; especially, the contempt and disobedience of the Holy Gospel, the great prevalency of Atheism, Error, Schism, Profaneness and Irreligion; together, with the unthankful abuse of Peace, with which God hath so long time Blessed Our Government; that by serious Mourning for, and sincere turning from them, the Lord may Graciously Pardon them, and open the Clouds, for preserving the Fruits of the Ground, for the Comfort of Man and Beast. Our Will is herefore, and We straitly Command and Charge, that the said Fast be Religiously and solemnly kept throughout this Kingdom, by all Subjects and People within the same: Requiring hereby the Arch-Bishops and Bishops to be careful, that this Fast be due­ly observed in their respective Diocesses; as follows, viz. the Arch-Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow, the Bishops of Edinburgh, Dunkel, Dumblain and Brechin, to cause it to be intimated in the several Paroch Churches within their Diocesses, upon Sunday the twenty sixt day of June instant, to be observed on Wednesday thereafter, the twen­ty ninth day of the said Moneth; and the remnant Bishops, whose Diocesses are more remote, to cause it be In­timat [...]on Sunday the third day of July next, and observed on Wednesday thereafter, the sixt day of the said Moneth; which Intimation is to be made by the Ministers Reading this Our Royal Proclamation from the Pul­pit, and in Exhorting a Serious and Devout Performance of the Duties and Devotions becoming Fasting and Hu­miliation; as they tender the Favour of Almighty God, the Safety and Honour of the Protestant Religion, and Established Government, and as they would avoid the Wrath and Indignation of God against this Kingdom: Certifying all such as shall contemn such a Religious and necessary Duty, they shall be proceeded against as Contemners of Our Authority, as well as neglecters of so Religious a Duty.

GOD save the KING.