WHereas the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this present Parliament As­sembled, being deéply sensible of the sad and calamitous Condition of this Our Kingdom, occasioned chiefly by the impious and malicious Conspiracies of a Popish Party, who have not only Plotted and intended the Destruction of Our Royal Person, but the total Sub­version of Our Government, and of the true Protestant Religion within this Realm by Law established (All which the many and grievous Sins of this Nation have most justly deserved) Have most humbly besought Vs, That by Our Royal Proclamation, a Day may be Solemnly set apart; wherein all Our Loyal Subjects may by Fasting and Prayer, seek a Reconciliation with Al­mighty God, and with humble and penitent hearts implore him by his power and goodness, to Infatuate and Defeat the wicked Counsels and Imaginations of Our Enemies, and to continue his Mercies, and the Light of his Gospel to this Kingdom, and particularly to bestow his abundant Blessings upon Our Self, and this present Parliament, that their Consultations and Endeavours may produce Honour, Safe­ty and Prosperity to Vs, and to Our People: We have to this their humble Request most readily inclined; And do by this Our Royal Proclamation Command a General and Publick Fast to be kept throughout this whole Kingdom, in such manner as is hereafter directed and prescribed, that so both Prince and Peo­ple may send up their Prayers and Supplications to Almighty God, to and for the purposes aforesaid. And to the end that so Religious an Exercise may be performed at one and the same time, We do hereby Publish and Declare to all Our loving Subjects, and do straitly Charge and Command, That on Friday, being the Eleventh day of April next, this Fast shall be Religiously kept and Celebrated throughout Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed. And that the same may be performed with all Decency and Vniformity, We, by the Advice of our Reverend Bishops, have Directed to be Composed, Printed and Published, such a Form of Divine Service, as We have thought fit to be used in all Churches and Places at the time aforesaid, and have given Charge to our Bishops to disperse the same accordingly. All which We do hereby expresly Charge and Command shall be Reverently and Decently observed by all Our loving Subjects, as they tender the Favour of Almighty God, and would avoid his Wrath and In­dignation against this Land, and upon pain of undergoing such Punishments as We may justly inflict upon all such as shall contemn or neglect so Religious a Duty.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Twenty eighty day of March 1679. In the one and thirtieth year of Our Reign.

God save the King.