WILLIAM and MARY, by the Grace of GOD, King and Queen of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defenders of the Faith; To Our Lyon King at Arms, and his Brethren Heraulds, Macers of Our Privy Council, Purſevants, Meſſengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and ſeverally, ſpecially conſtitute, Greeting: Foraſmuch as it hath pleaſed Our Gracious God, of his infinit Goodneſs and Mercy, not only to theſe Nations, but likewiſe to the common Intereſts (both Religious and Civil) of all Chriſtendom, to preſerve Our Sacred Perſon, and proſper Us in Our Undertakings, this laſt Summer, againſt theſe who are Enemies to Truth, and Us; and eſpecially to Crown Our Arms with the compleat Reducing of Ireland to Our Subjection and Obedience; and to Reſtore and bring back Our Royal Perſon in Safety to Our Throne, to the Joy and Satisfaction of all Our good Subjects, after the many eminent Hazards to which We have been expoſed in Our late Expedition; And We Conſidering, how neceſſary a Duty it is, and how much it does import the Welfare of Us, and Our People, that Signal Bleſſings be owned and acknowledged, by Publick and Solemn Thankſgivings, are Reſolved, humbly to acknowledge Our Thankfulneſs to the Infinitly Wiſe and Good GOD, for ſuch Signal and Seaſonable Mercies, conferred upon Us and Our People, in anſwer to the frequent and fervent Prayers, poured forth at the ſeveral ſolemn Faſts and Humiliations, obſerved and keeped throughout this Our Antient Kingdom, during Our late Expedition; And the ſeveral Presbyterian Miniſters, who were ſent to attend the General Aſſembly of the Kirk of this Our Antient Kingdom, Having Addreſſed themſelves to the Lords of Our Privy Council, to interpoſe their Authority, for appointing a Solemn Day of Publick Thankſgiving, to be Religiouſly obſerved throughout this Our Kingdom, for the Cauſes, and to the effect above-ſpecified; Therefore We, with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, Do Appoint and Command, that the Twenty ſixth Day of November inſtant, be Religiouſly and devoutly obſerved as a Solemn Day of Publick Thankſgiving by all perſons within this Kingdom, both in Churches and Meeting-Houſes, for returning moſt hearty and humble Thanks, and acknowledgment to the Divine Goodneſs, for his Signal Bleſſings and Deliverances already beſtowed on Us and Our People, and to Implore the continuance thereof in the gracious Mercy of Our God, and that a Spirit of Counſel and Wiſdom may aſſiſt Us, and the Princes and States Our Allyes, in Our Conſultations and Undertakings, for the enſuing Year. And to the effect Our Pleaſure in the Premiſſes may be known, OUR WILL IS, and We Charge you ſtrictly and Command, that incontinent theſe Our Letters ſeen, ye paſs to the Mercat-Croſs of Edinburgh, and to the Mercat-Croſſes of the remanent Head-Burghs of the ſeveral Shires within this Kingdom, and of the Stewartries of Kirkcudbright, Annandale and Orknay; 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 thereof to all the Miniſters, both in Churches and Meeting. Houſes, within their reſpective Juriſdictions, that upon the Lords Day immediatly preceeding the ſaid twenty ſixth Day of November inſtant, the ſame may be Read and Intimat in every Paroch-Church and Meeting-Houſe, Certifying all ſuch, who ſhall contemn or neglect ſo Religious and important a Duty, as the Thankſgiving 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, and Publiſhed as aforeſaid.