DIEV ET MON DROIT  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
PROCLAMATION, For a Solemn Fast and Humiliation▪  
WILLIAM By the Grace of GOD, King of Great Britain France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith; To Macers of Our Privy Council, Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally specially constitute Greeting.  
Forasmuch, as, by Reason of many abounding heinous Sins and Provocations; The Displeasure and Wrath of Almighty GOD is very visible against Us, and Our People, not only in the sad Calamity, under which the Kingdom Labours, by reason of the Disappointment, and failing of the Cropped and Fruits of the Ground, for the Year by past, whereupon such Scarcity and Dearth did ensue; That the Poor of the Land have generally been Reduced to the greatest Extremity; But also, by the continuance of such bad weather, and so unnatural a Season, as doth sadly threaten the Mil-giving, and Blasting of the present Cropped, and Fruits of the Ground, to the Increase of that Distress, whereby the Kingdom is already Afflicted, and in hazard to be ruined, (if God in his Mercy prevent not) which certainly calls for our deepest Humiliation and most earnest and fervent Supplications to our gracious God to avert it: Which Consideration, hath also moved the Commission of the late General Assembly, to Address the Lords of Our Privy Council, That a Day of Humiliation may be appointed, and keeped throughout this Kingdom; Wherhfore, We with Advice of the Lords of Our Privy Council, appoint and Command a Day of Solemn Humiliation and Prayer to be observed through this whole Kingdom, that all may put up fervent Prayers to God, 〈…〉 and Forgivenness. And that he would turn away his Wrath, and keep off deserved Judgement, and yet Graciously bless 〈…〉 People with Seasonable weather, for In bringing the Fruits of the Ground. And also, that above all things, he would bestow on Us and them, his Spiritual and Heavenly Blessings, by the continuing and prospering of his Gospel, and the Fruits thereof amongst us. And We, with Advice foresaid, Require and Command the said Solemn Fast, and Day of Humiliation, to be Religiously Observed and Keeped, by all Ranks and Degrees of People, upon the Days following, viz. In all the Planted Churches on this side the River of Tay, upon the twenty fifth day of August Instant, and in all the Planted Churches of the rest of this Kingdom, upon the Eight Day of September next to come: And in such Churches, as are Vacant, upon such Days, as shall be Appointed by the Presbytery of the Bounds. Certifying such who shall Contemn or Neglect the Dutiful Observing and Keeping of the said Day of Humiliation; They shall be proceeded against, as Contemners of Our Authorty, and Neglecters of such a Necessary Duty: And seeing, that on such an Occasion, and for such Causes. God doth more especially require the exercise of Christian Charity and Compassion towards the Poor and Indigent, whose Pinching Straits and Wants, do at present lay them under the deepest distress and cry aloud to all for their Help and Relieff, as they expect, and would wish that God should be gracious to them in the like Case; Therefore, We do further, with Advice foresaid, seriously Recommend to all Our Good Subjects, to draw forth and extend their Christian Charity, and Compassion towards the Poor and Indigent, by a Cheerful, and Liberal and Bountiful Contribution, upon the said Day of Humiliation and Lords Day thereafter, as the best and most acceptable Expressions of their Sincerity and Earnestness in the foresaid Duty And We peremptory Require and Command, that not only the Money to be Contribute and Collected upon the Day's foresaid; But likewise, (if it shall be found needful,) that all other Money formerly Collected, and still lying in Church-Boxes, or in the hands of Kirk Sessions, or lent out upon Interest, by Bonds taken for the Product of such Collections, be instantly uplifted, employed and warred out for buying of Victual, and other necessars for relief of the Poor, within the Bounds of the parochs to which the said's Collections and Bonds do belong. And that at the fight of the Ministers and Elders, with concourse of such Heretors as shall Join with them, within the said's respective parochs, by these already Entrusted, or who shall be Entrusted by the saids Ministers and Elders, and Heretors with the over sight of the Poor in the saids Bounds, to the Effect the said Victual, and other necessars, for the relief of the poor, may be Orderly, and Proportionally distribute among them, effeiring to their several Indigencies. And We again, Require and Command, all Ministers of the Gospel, and others foresaid, to apply themselves diligently to the foresaid pious Work, for the Supply and Relief of the Poor, as they will be Answerable to God, and Us thereanent OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, And We Charge you strictly, and Command, That in continent these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and to the remanent Mercat Crosses of the Head burgh's of the several Shires, and Stevarties within this Kingdom, and in Our Name and Authority, make Publication hereof, that none pretend Ignorance. An We Ordain Our Solicitor to dispatch Copies hereof, to the Sheriffs of the several Shires, and Stevarts of Stevartries, and their Deputs, or Clerks to be by them Published at the Mercat-Crosses of the Head burgh's, upon receipt thereof, and immediately sent to the several Ministers to the Effect they may Read and Intimate the same, from their Pulpits upon the Lord's Day immediately preceding the Days above appointed, And Ordains these Presents to be Printed, and Published in manner foresaid.  
Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh, the seventh day of August, and of Our Reign the Eighth Year, 1696. Per Actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. GIL. ELIOT Cls. Sti Concilii. 
 GOD save the KING.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson Printer to His most Excellent Majesty, 1696