82 ~  Proclamation of celebration for victory over France

Maryland                                 By his Ex’ncy the Cap’t Gen’rl.          A Proclamation

It having pleased Almighty God to bless prosper & succeed the Royall Armies of our most Gratious Sovereign Lord & Lady King William & Queen Mary with a most happy and glorious victory by sea & land (as is most credibly informed) lately obtained ag’t the French King as it afords matter of great Joy & Consolation (without doubt) to the whole Confederacy & all good Christians in gen’rl, so ought it more particularly & especially to effect us their Mat’ies naturall born Liege Subjects, who have so great a share & interest therein, not only with an outward superficial show of Joy & Gladness but also with a true inward & serious sence of gratitude for those grate blessings it hath pleased God the Author & projector thereof, thereby to bestow on us so farr as to invite & stirr us up to rend unto him the just Tribute of a most humble & hearty praise & thanks for the same  Wherefore & to that end & purpose I have thought fitt to nominate & appoint & do hereby in their Ma’ties name by & with the advice & consent of their Mat’ies Counsell here nominate & appoint Thursday next, the thirteenth instant, to be a day sett apart kept & solemnized at the Citty of St. Maryes  Thursday following the twentieth instant within & through the County of St. Maryes & Thursday next after following the seven & twentieth instant genr’ly in & through out the rest of the Province  which respective days in the respective Countyes & places aforesd all & singular the officers & Magistrates Millatary & Civill & all others their Ma’ties subjects therein inhabiting residing or being are strictly enjoyned, charged & commanded to solemnize keep & sett apart as dayes of publick rejoycing & thanksgiving to Almighty God for so great a blessing not only by rending unto him all due honor glory & praise in their most solemn & serious devotions & Religious Exercise but also by using such other outward & Publick Devout Demonstrations& Expressions of Joy & Gratitude as upon such great & solemn occations hath been usuall & practicable in all parts of the Christian world & I doe hereby in their Ma’ties name straitly prohibit & forbid all masters of familyes Mistresses Dames or overseers or others whatsoever within this Province to work or use any servill or bodily labour themselves or suffer or permit their children servants slaves or others under their charge & tuition so to doe on the respective dayes aforesd to be kept & solemnized within their respective Counties & places aforesd as they will answer the contrary at their peril & on paine of being severely proceeded ag’t for their contempt & to the end the same may be the better published & made known & that none may plead or pretend ignorance herein I doe in their Ma’ties names strictly charge & command all & singular the respective Sheriffes of this Province forthwith upon receipt hereof to make Public Proclamation hereof in the most Publick & Convenient Places within their respective Counties ~~~ Given at the Citty of St Maryes under the great Seale of the sd Province of Maryland the sixth day of 8-ber in the 4th year of their Ma’ties Reign  Anno Dom. 1692.

 

God Save King William & Queen Mary