AN ACT Appointing a FAST throughout the whole Kingdom OF SCOTLAND.  
CHARLES', by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, To all and sundry Our Liege's and Subjects whom it effeirs, Greeting.  
Forasmuch, as the Almighty God, in His most Wise and Righteous Providence, after the sinful abuse of His most signal mercies of the blessed Gospel, of Our Own and Our Subjects wonderful Deliverance from the Yoke of Usurpation and Bondage, by the almost Miraculous Restauration of Us to the exercise of Our Government, and of the long and merciful Continuance of Our despised Peace and Plenty; Doth, by His Warnings and Judgements incumbent and impendent, manifestly discover His Anger and Displeasure against the grievous Sins of this Kingdom; and particularly by the sad and pinching dearth, whereby many indigent persons and families are reduced to a starving condition, and by the long and threatening Drought, the Lord, in His Righteous Judgement, having so long bound up the Clouds, making the Heaven's Brass, and the Earth Iron, thereby threatening Our Subjects of this Kingdom with the breaking of the Staff of their Bread, and with the dreadful plague of Famine: Which Dispensation doth with a loud voice call upon all ranks of people for speedy and true Repentance, and the National expression hereof by deep Mourning and solemn Fasting and Humiliation.  
Therefore We, with Advice and Consent of the Lords of Our Privy Council, do Ordain a day of Public and Solemn Fasting and Humiliation to be keeped and observed by all the people of this Kingdom in the several parochs thereof; Strictly Commanding and Requiring them upon that day, to cease from all the Works of their ordinary Callings, and to repair to their respective Paroch Churches, and there make solemn Confession of their Sins, and implore the Divine Mercy for the Land, by Praying, Mourning, Fasting, and such other Devotions, as are requisite and usual upon such days of Public Humiliation: And more particularly, Humbly to Confess and Mourn for the great Neglect and Contempt of, and Disobedience to the Blessed Gospel, and the Ordinances thereof, and the great and lamentable increase and prevalency of Atheism, Profaneness, and Irreligion which is thereby occasioned, and for the sinful undervaluing of the great Blessing of Peace so long enjoyed by Our Subjects under Our Government. By all which, and many other crying Sins, the Lords Jealousy and Anger are kindled, and His hand is stretched out against this Kingdom, threatening the Destruction of the Fruits of the Ground, the necessary Provision for the Life of Man and Beast, that by serious Mourning for, and sincere and hearty turning from these provoking Sins, the Lord may graciously pardon them and repent Him of the evil seemingly determined by Him, and most righteously deserved by us, and may open the Clouds and grant the latter Rain in its due season and measure, reserving for us the appointed weeks of the Harvest. And for this end and purpose, We, with Advice foresaid, do seriously recommend to, and require the Arch-Bishops and Bishops, to be careful that this Fast be duly observed by the Ministers in their respective Dioceses, as follows; To the Arch-Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow, the Bishops of Edinburgh, Dunkell, Brechin and Dumblane, to cause it to be intimated in the several Paroch Kirks of their Diocies upon Sunday, the twenty fifth, and observed on Wednesday, the twenty eighth of July instant; and the remanent Bishops, whose Diocies are more remote, to cause it to be intimated on Sunday, the first of August, and to be observed the fourth of Angust next. And as to such Ministers, who, by reason of their distance from Edinburgh, cannot be so soon advertised, that they celebrate this Fast upon the next convenient Wednesday thereafter.  
Given under Our Signet, at Edinburgh, the fifteenth day of July, and of Our Reign, the twenty seventh year, one thousand six hundred and seventy five years. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. Al. Gibson, Cl. S ti Concilii.  
God save the King.   

EDINBURGH, Printed by Andrew Anderson, Printer to the King's most Excellent MAJESTY. Anno 1675.