The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2025), date accessed: 15 February 2025
[1702/6/32]1
Act for a national fast
The estates of parliament, taking to their serious consideration an act of the commission of the general assembly for a solemn national fast and humiliation, and the weighty causes and reasons for the same therein contained; and the said commission having made application to her majesty's high commissioner to have the civil sanction thereto interposed, therefore, her majesty, with advice and consent of the said estates of parliament, does hereby command and appoint that the second Thursday of July next, being the ninth day of the said month, be set apart as a day of solemn fasting and humiliation for making prayers and supplications to God for the causes and reasons foresaid; and that the said day be religiously and strictly observed by all persons within this kingdom, and ordains all ministers to read this present act, with the foresaid act of the commission of the general assembly, publicly in their congregations on a Sunday at least before the said second Thursday of July next appointed for keeping the said fast, warning such as shall not give due obedience, or shall contemn or neglect the keeping and observing the said day and duties, that they shall be proceeded against by fining not exceeding £100 Scots; and warrants and commands the sheriffs, stewarts of stewartries, lords and bailies of regalities and all their deputes, justices of peace and magistrates of burghs within their several jurisdictions, to proceed against the transgressors and exact the fines accordingly, to be applied the one half to the judge and the other half to the poor of the parish; and warning such ministers as shall fail in their duty in not reading this act with the foresaid act of the commission, and in not observing the duties prescribed, they shall be processed before and punished by the lords of her majesty's privy council; and all sheriffs, stewarts, lords and bailies of regalities and all their deputes, justices of peace, magistrates of burghs and their clerks are hereby required to make report to the lords of her majesty's privy council of these ministers who shall fail of their duty. And also ordains these words, with the foresaid act of the commission of assembly, to be printed and this act to be published at the market cross of Edinburgh, and whole remaining market crosses of the head burghs of the shires and stewartries of the kingdom, that none pretend ignorance, and that copies be dispersed in the usual manner to sheriffs, stewarts, bailies of regalities or their deputes and magistrates of burghs, and likewise to all ministers that they may seriously exhort all persons to a sincere and devout observance of this writ.
- NAS. PA2/38, f.48-48v.