We, taking into Our most serious Consideration the just and necessary
Hostilities in which We are engaged, and the unnatural Rebellion
carrying on in some of Our Provinces and Colonies 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 Wednesday the Twenty-first
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 imploring His Blessing and Assistance on Our Arms, and
for restoring and perpetuating Peace, Safety, and Prosperity to Us and
Our Kingdoms. 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 and necessary 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 Twelfth of January, One
thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, in the Twenty-first Year of
Our Reign.