C R  
Dieu ET MON DROIT  
HONI SOIT x MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation for a general fast throughout this Realm of England.  
HIs majesty taking into His Princely and Pious consideration the lamentable and distressed estate of His good Subjects in His majesty's Kingdom of Ireland, and conceiving it to be a just and great occasion calling upon Him, and His people of this His Kingdom of England for a general humiliation of all estates of this Kingdom before Almighty God, in Prayer and Fasting, for drawing down His Mercy and Blessing upon that Kingdom: His majesty doth therefore by this His Proclamation straightly charge and command, that a general, public, and Solemn Fast be kept, and holden, as well by abstinence from Food, as by public Prayers, Preaching, and Hearing of the Word of God, and other Sacred duties, in all cathedral, Collegiate, and Parish Churches and chapels within this His majesty's Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales (His majesty's Cities of London and Westminster only excepted, where it hath already been observed) on the twentieth day of this present month of january.  
And His majesty doth further by this His Proclamation straightly charge and command, that a general, public, and Solemn Fast be kept and holden, as well by abstinence from Food, as by public Prayers, Preaching, and Hearing of the Word of God, and other sacred Duties, in all cathedral, Collegiate, and Parish Churches and chapels within this Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales (without any exception) on the last Wednesday of the month of February next following the date hereof, and from thenceforth to continue on the last Wednesday of every month during the Troubles in the said Kingdom of Ireland. All which His majesty doth expressly charge and command shall be reverently and devoutly performed by all His loving Subjects, as they tender the favour of Almighty God, and would avoid His just indignation against this Land, and upon pain of such punishments as His majesty can justly inflict upon all such as shall contemn or neglect so religious a Work.  
Given at the Court at Whitehall the eighth day of January, in the seventeenth year of His majesty's Reign of great Britain, France, and Ireland. 
 ❧ God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent majesty: And by the assigns of John Bill. 1641.