Foraſmuchas the Holy and Righteous Diſpenſations of the Almighty GOD, in ſending ſo cold and unkindly a Seaſon and Seed time, after two years Scarcity and Dearth; As alſo the great Death of Cattle through moſt part of the Kingdom, and growing Dearth and Famine threatned, do all expreſs His high Diſpleaſure againſt this Land, and provoke him to multiply and inflict theſe and heavier Judgements as the juſt Deſervings and Effects of the Sins abounding in this Nation, and of the great Security and impenitency under them, and therefore do certainly call aloud for our own and our peoples deep Humiliation, under the mighty hand of GOD, and our moſt earneſt and ſolemn Application, by faſting and Prayer for His gracious Pardon, and removing and averting the foreſaids Judgements, and turning us ſincerely to the LORD. Upon which Conſiderations, the provincial Synod of Lothian and Tweddale with a Commity of the Commiſſion from the General Aſſembly, have likewiſe addreſſed the Lords of Our Privy Council, that a Day of Humiliation may be appointed and keeped for theſe Cauſes, and others mentioned in their ſaid Addreſs, throughout the whole Kingdom: Therefore, We with the Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, Command and Appoint a Day of Humiliation, Faſting and Prayer, to be keeped and obſerved within the Bounds of the Provincial Synod of Lothian and Tweddale, upon Tueſday the ſeventeenth Day of this current Moneth of May, and upon the twenty fifth Day of the ſaid Moneth for the reſt of the Kingdom upon this ſide of the River of Tay, and throughout the reſt of the whole Kingdom, upon the firſt Day of June nixt to come: Upon which Days reſpective, We and Our People are to be deeply humbled before GOD, for the manifold Sins and Provocations, that ſo openly abound in the Land, and in which men ſtill continue ſecure and hardned, notwithſtanding of GOD'S great Mercy and Deliverance wrought for us, and of frequent Confeſſions and former Faſts, which yet have produced no Amendement or Reformation, and therefore to deprecat his deſerved Wrath, and to implore his Mercy and Grace, and that the LORD may turn unto us; and turn Us and Our People to Him, and avert the Judgement hanging over Us, and other Evils wherewith we are ſo eminently threatned, and ſend kindly Weather to cheriſh the Fruits of the Earth for Food to man and Beaſt: Which reſpective Days of ſolemn Humiliation and Prayer above appointed; We with Advice foreſaid 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 foreſaids Cauſes and Occaſions. OUR WILL IS HEREFORE and We Charge you ſtrictly and Command, that incontinent thir Our Letters ſeen, ye paſs to the Mercat Croſs of Edinburgh, and to the remanent Mercat-Croſſes of the head Burghs of the ſeveral Shires and Steuartries within this Kingdom, and there in our Name and Authority make Publication hereof, that none pretend Ignorance; And We ordain Our Solicitor to diſpatch Copies hereof to the Shireffs of the ſeveral Shires, and Stewarts of Stewartries and their Deputs or Clerks, to be by them publiſhed at the Mercat Croſſes of their head Burghs upon receipt thereof and immediatly ſent to the ſeveral Miniſters, to the effect the ſame may be intimat and read in their ſeveral Paroches-Churches, upon the Lords Day immediatly preceeding the reſpective Days above-appointed. And ordains thir preſents to be printed. And allowes the Cauſes of this Faſt given in to the Lords of Our Privy Council, by the Provincial Synod of Lothian and Tweddale, to be alſo printed and tranſmitted herewith.