BY
THE
KING
AND
QUEEN
,
A
PROCLAMATION
FOR
A
GENERAL
FAST
.
WILLIAM
R.
WHereas
for
about
a
Year
last
past
,
a
Wicked
Rebellion
hath
been
Carried
on
and
Maintained
against
Their
Majesties
in
Their
Kingdom
of
Ireland
(
which
is
known
to
be
inseparably
Annexed
to
the
Imperial
Crown
of
England
)
which
Rebellion
hath
been
Contrived
,
Incouraged
and
chiefly
Supported
by
the
French
King
,
Designing
by
that
means
to
make
an
absolute
Conquest
of
the
said
Kingdom
,
and
hold
it
as
a
Province
,
or
else
to
bring
a
total
Ruine
and
Destruction
upon
the
same
;
for
which
,
and
other
Causes
,
Their
Majesties
have
been
Obliged
to
enter
into
a
Just
and
Necessary
War
against
the
said
French
King
.
And
whereas
His
Majesty
is
Resolved
,
by
the
Assistance
of
God
,
Vigorously
to
Prosecute
the
said
War
by
Sea
and
Land
;
And
so
Effectually
to
Reduce
that
Kingdom
to
its
due
Obedience
,
that
Their
Majesties
Good
Subjects
there
may
not
only
be
Res
;
cued
from
the
present
Force
and
Violence
,
but
be
Secured
against
all
such
Aggress;ions
for
the
Future
,
and
be
Settled
in
a
Firm
and
Lasting
State
of
Peace
,
Safety
,
and
Prosperity
:
For
which
purpose
His
Majesty
hath
determined
to
make
a
Royal
Voyage
and
go
thither
in
Person
.
puting
His
Trust
in
Almighty
God
(
who
hath
by
his
marvellous
providence
hitherto
preserved
and
conducted
His
Majesty
)
That
he
would
vouchsafe
a
special
Blessing
on
this
his
righteous
undertaking
,
and
thereby
consummate
the
Deliverance
of
these
Kingdoms
.
Their
Majesties
taking
the
premisses
into
their
most
Serious
Cosideration
have
thought
fit
to
appoint
,
and
do
by
and
with
the
Advice
of
their
privy
Council
,
hereby
Appoint
and
Command
a
General
and
publick
Fast
and
Humiliation
to
be
observed
throughout
this
Realm
in
most
Devout
and
Solemn
manner
,
for
Supplicating
Almighty
God
for
pardon
or
our
Sins
,
and
Imploring
his
Blessing
and
Protection
in
the
preservation
of
his
Majesties
Sacred
Person
,
and
Prosperity
of
his
Arms
in
Ireland
,
And
the
Naval
Forces
,
to
be
Religiously
kept
and
observed
on
Wednes
;
day
the
Twelfth
day
of
March
next
,
throughout
Their
Majesties
Kingdom
of
England
,
Dominion
of
Wales
,
and
Town
of
Berwick
upon
Tweed
,
and
thenceforward
to
be
observed
on
the
third
Wednesday
in
every
Month
successively
During
the
present
War
.
And
for
the
more
Orderly
Solemnizing
of
the
said
several
fast
Dayes
,
Their
Majesties
have
given
directions
to
the
Right
Reverend
the
Bishops
of
this
Kingdom
,
to
Compose
a
Form
of
Prayers
suitable
to
this
Occasion
,
to
be
used
in
all
Churches
and
Chappels
,
and
other
places
of
Publick
Worship
;
And
have
given
Charge
for
the
Dispersing
thereof
through
their
several
Diocesses
in
the
whole
Kingdom
.
And
Their
Majesties
do
most
expresly
Charge
and
command
that
the
said
Fasting
and
Prayers
be
Soberly
,
Reverently
,
and
Decently
performed
by
all
Their
Loving
Subjects
,
as
they
tender
the
Favour
of
Almighty
God
,
and
upon
pain
of
such
Punishments
as
Their
Majesties
can
Justly
Inflict
upon
all
such
as
shall
Contemn
or
Neglect
so
Religious
a
Work
.
Given
at
Our
Court
at
Whitehall
the
Twentieth
Day
of
February
,
1639.
In
the
Second
Year
of
our
Reign
.
GOD
SAVE
KING
WILLIAM
AND
QUEEN
MARY
.