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WILLIAM By the Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland Defender of the Faith; To
Macers of Our Privy Council, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part conjunctly and severally, specially constitute Greeting: 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 Stevartries 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.

Given under Our Signet at Edinburghthe tenth day of Mayone thousand six hundred ninety and eight years, and of Our Reign the Tenth Year.

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Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY, Anno Domini 1698.