FORASMUCH as, it hath pleased Almighty God, to Visite Us and Our people, with the sad and never enough to be lament­ed loss of Our dear Consort, and their Gracious Soveraign Queen Mary: And that in such a Calamity, it becomes Us and them to be deeply hum­bled before the Lord, to obtain his Pardon and Peace, and Gracious Fa­vour and Assistance, for Our Support and Relief: And that the Ministers and Brethren of the Commission of the late General Assembly, have Addressed the Lords of Our Privy Council, that a Day may be solemnly set apart for that Effect. Therefore, We with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, have thought fit to Appoint the eighth day of January Instant for the Town of Edinburgh and the three Louthians: and the fifeteen day of the said Month for all on this side of the River of Tay: and the twenty second of the said Month of January Instant, for all the rest of the Kingdom, to be kept as solemn Days of deep Humiliation and Fasting, by Prayer, Preaching, and other sacred Exercise, and a most strict Surcease from all ordinary Em­ployments and Handy-labour: to the Effect, that by the humble and earnest Confession of our sins to God, we may obtain his Pardon and Peace, and his Face and Favour graciously re­conciled to Us and Our people, and that it may please Him more especially, to comfort and sup­port Us, and to preserve Our Person for the good of his People, and of the whole Protestant Interest, and to bless Us and Our Government, with such Aid, Countenance, and As­sistance, as may best contribute to the same. OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, and We Charge you strictly, and Command, that incontinent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and remanent Mercat Crosses of the whole Head Burghs of the several Shires within this Kingdom, and of the Stewartries of Kirkcudbright, Annandale and Orkney, and there in Our Name and Authority, make Publication hereof, that none may pretend ignorance. And ordains Our Sollicitor, to cause send printed Copies hereof to the Sheriffs of the several Shires, and Stewarts of the Stewartries foresaids, whom We ordain to see the same published: and appoints them to send Doubles hereof, to all the Ministers both in Churches and Meeting-houses, with­in their respective Jurisdictions, that upon the Lords Day, immediatly preceeding the saids days respectivè above mentioned, the same may be intimat and read in every Paroch Church and Meet­ing-house; Certifying all such who shall contemn or neglect so religious and important a Duty, as the Humiliation hereby appointed is, they shall be proceeded against, and punished as Contem­ners of Our Authority, and as highly disaffected to Our Person and Government; And ordains these Presents to be Printed.