[Fast Day in Scotland.]

BY THE KING.

A PROCLAMATION

For a General Fast.

George R.

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 Scotland, upon Thursday the Twenty sixth 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 Judgments, 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 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 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 Bailif's 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 Twenty-third Day of January, One thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, in the Eighteenth Year of Our Reign.

God save the King.

No printed copy found. Entered on Patent Rolls, and in Crown Office Docquet Book, vol. 12; entered in Privy Council Register, III Geo., vol. 14, p. 460. Printed in "London Gazette," January 24, 1778.