WHereas it hath pleased Almighty God to manifest his own immediate Goodness, Wisdom, and Power, in his late Providence towards Us, and Our Kingdoms, wherein, beyond all Humane Deans and Contrivances, as well of Our Friends for Us, as of Our Adver­saries against Us, he hath by the interposition of his own Power and Wisdom, after a long and tedious Exile, returned Us home to Our People, and, after a long, and seemingly in­vincible, Interruption, restored Our People and Kingdoms to their ancient Rights. Li­berties, and Government; and all this brought about, by his most wise and over-ruling Hand, without any effusion of Blood: But, instead thereof, filling the Hearts of Us, and Our People, as full of mutual Love, Confidence, and Joy, as became such a Restitution of King and Peo­ple, whereby the Merry is not onely advanced, but the hopes of most happy consequences, thereupon, are in­creased: We cannot upon the due consideration hereof, but with all humility admire and adore the Merry and Goodness of God, in these his signal manifestations thereof; and we looked, and still look upon them as invi­tations from Heaven to Us, and all Our People, unto most entire Thankfulness for the same unto Almighty God, and publick and chearful Expressions thereof.

And whereas in the midst of those Our considerations, both Our Houses of Parliament by their Address of the One and twentieth of May last, have humbly shewed unto Us, That such is the inestimable blessing of Our Restitution to Our Royal Throne, which at once hath put a period to the Calamities of Three Kingdoms, and to all the Sorrows and Sufferings of Our Royal Person and Family, that they cannot but account it as an entrance into the state of Joy and Happiness, which obligeth all Our Subjects to render an Everlasting Tri­bute of Praise and Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for these glorious Mercies to his afflicted People.

And to the end, some solemn Time may be set apart for the publick performance of this Duty; and that all Our Subjects in England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Twede, do equally share in the joys of this Deliverance, may be united in these Devotions, which are offered for it, They therefore humbly beseeched Us, that We would be pleased by Our Royal Proclamation to set apart some Day, for a publick Thanksgiving through­out all these Our Dominions. We willing that the just Tribute of Praise and Thanksgiving to Our Great Soveraign the King of Heaven and Earth be returned by Us, and all Our People for these his Deliverances and Mercies; and that as his Mercy is of Universal concernment to Us and all Our Subjects, so, to the end, that the publick Returns of Our Praise to God, for the same, though it cannot equalize, yet it may in some measure answer the amplitude of the Benefit.

We do hereby Publish and Declare, That the Twenty eight day of this instant June, be set apart and obser­ved as a day of Publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God, throughout Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick, for this his great Mercy; and We do direct and appoint, that this Our Proclama­tion be publickly read in all Churches and Chappels, on some Lords day, precedent thereunto, to the end that notice be taken thereof, and due Thanks and Praise may, upon the said Twenty eighth day of June, be offered up unto Almighty God by Us and all Our People, with one Heart, and that humble Supplications be poured out before him, for his continual Assistance and Improvement of this and all his Mercies, to the honor of his great Name, and the Safety, Peace and Benefit of all Our Kingdoms and Dominions. We willing and strictly com­manding all Persons within these Our Dominions, with all Sobriety, Reverence, and Thankfulness, to set apart that Day to this Duty, and to observe the same as becomes so solemn an occasion.

Given under Our Sign Manual at Our Court at Whitehal, the Fifth day of June, in the Twelfth Year of Our Reign, 1660.