We, taking into Our most serious Consideration the just and necessary
Measures of Force which We are obliged to use against Our Rebellious
Subjects in Our Colonies and Provinces in North America; and putting
Our Trust in Almighty God, that He will vouchsafe a special Blessing on
Our Arms, both by Sea and Land, have resolved, and do, by and with the
Advice of Our Privy Council, hereby command, That a Publick Fast and
Humiliation be observed throughout that Part of Our Kingdom of Great
Britain called England, Our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick
upon Tweed, upon Friday the Twenty-seventh Day of February next; that
so both We and Our People may humble Ourselves before Almighty God, in
order to obtain Pardon of Our Sins; and may, in the most devout and
solemn Manner, send up Our Prayers and Supplications to the Divine
Majesty for averting those heavy Judgements, which Our manifold Sins
and Provocations have most justly deserved, and for imploring his
Intervention and Blessing speedily to deliver Our loyal Subjects
within Our Colonies and Provinces in North America from the Violence,
Injustice, and Tyranny of those daring Rebels who have assumed to
themselves the Exercise of Arbitrary Power, to open the Eyes of those
who have been deluded by specious Falsehoods into Acts of Treason and
Rebellion, to turn the Hearts of the Authors of these Calamities,
and finally to restore Our People in those distracted Provinces and
Colonies to the happy Condition of being free Subjects of a free State,
under which heretofore they flourished so long and prospered so much:
And We do strictly charge and command, That the said Publick Fast be
reverently and devoutly observed by all Our loving Subjects in England,
Our Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, as they tender
the Favour of Almighty God, and would avoid his Wrath and Indignation;
and upon Pain of such Punishment as We may justly inflict on all such
as contemn and neglect the Performance of so religious a Duty. And
for the better and more orderly solemnizing the same, We have given
Directions to the Most Reverend the Archbishops, and the Right Reverend
the Bishops of England, to compose a Form of Prayer suitable to this
Occasion, to be used in all Churches, Chapels, and Places of Publick
Worship; and to take Care the same be timely dispersed throughout their
respective Dioceses.
Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Twenty-third Day of January,
One thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, in the Eighteenth Year
of Our Reign.