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 Scotland, on Thursday the
Twenty-second 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 stricly charge and command, That
the said Publick Fast be reverently and devoutly observed by all Our
loving Subjects in Scotland, 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. Our Will
is therefore, and We charge, That incontinent this Our Proclamation
seen, ye pass to the Market Cross of Edinburgh, and all other Places
needful, and there, in Our Name and Authority, make Publication hereof,
that none pretend Ignorance. And Our Will and Pleasure is, That Our
Solicitor do cause printed Copies hereof to be sent to the Sheriffs of
the several Shires, Stewarts of Stewarties, and Bailiffs of Regalities,
and their Clerks, whom we ordain to see the same published; and We
appoint them to send Doubles hereof to the several Paroch Kirks within
their Bounds, that upon the Lord's Day immediately preceding the Day
above-mentioned, the same may be published and read from the Pulpits,
immediately after Divine Service.
Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Twelfth Day of January, One
thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, in the Twenty-first Year of
Our Reign.